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Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
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Why Do Sikhs Keep Hair?
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<blockquote data-quote="etinder" data-source="post: 1044" data-attributes="member: 304"><p>This is the article that can throw some light on the questions raised by Jodhvir veer</p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">An article on the importance of kes and dastaar by</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Subject: Dignity in Identity</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Dignity in Identity</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"Sabat Soorat Dastar Sira"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Brig. Hardit Singh (Retd.)*</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">* 1380 Sector 33-C, Chandigarh. 160047.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Till about a century ago, most of the people in India</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and the Middle</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">East countries wore turban in different styles. One</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">could, generally,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">make out the religious denomination and nationality of</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">the wearer by the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">way his turban was tied. Even now some Rajputs, Jats</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and Brahmins of</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">India, apart from the Sikhs and some Muslims, wear</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">turbans.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Guru Arjun Dev, the fifth Nanak, in one of his hymns</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(SGGS Page 1084),</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">addressed to a Muslim priest, advises him about the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">physical appearance</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and spiritual conduct required of the religious</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">person. The Persian</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">term "Sabat Soorat Dastar Sira" is a part of this</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">hymn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"Sabat" means that which is whole, complete and</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">unaltered, in its</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">original form. "Soorat" is face or appearance,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"Dastar" is turban and "Sira"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">is head. Collectively, it means a person replete with</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">full physical</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">features, inclusive of hair as granted to him by God,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">with a turban to</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">adorn his head. Hair and turban remian the crowning</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">glory of a male and</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">this had been the traditional bearing and dress of our</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">prophets, rishis,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">gurus, saints and bhagats.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Every part of the human frame, including the hair, has</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">a vital role in</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">the efficient functioning of the body. If it were not</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">so, God or nature</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">would not have provided these. Since hair is a part</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and parcel of the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">human body, the Gurus had thought it redundant to lay</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">any particular</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">stress for their preservation. However, there are</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">several references in</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">the Holy Scriptures regarding nature of the Cosmic Man</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and sacred utility</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">by human hair:-</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">The Cosmic Man:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(a) "Tere banke loain, dant raseela, sohne nuk jin</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">lumbre vala?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(SGGS-500)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">- Your attractive eyes, brilliant teeth beautiful nose</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and long hair.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(b) In another hymn (SGGS-1082), Guru Arjun Dev has</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">called God by</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">different names. Amongst these are - ?Rikhikesh?,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">?Narain dara? and ?Kesava?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">which point out of the Formless One having long hair</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and beard. The</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">words ?Kesav? and ?Kesva? also appear in many other</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">hymns.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Sacred Utility:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(a) "Kes Sang das pug jhahro, eha manorath mera" (SGGS</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">- 500)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">My life long desire is to dust the feet of your</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">devotees with my hair.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(b) (i) "Kesa kar beejna, sant chaur dholavo"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(ii) "Kesa ka kar chawar dholavan charan dhur mukh</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">lai"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(SGGS - 745 & 749)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Make whisk of hair, fan it over the saints and smear</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">dust of their feet</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">on my face.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(c) "Se darhian sachian, jo gur charni lagan" (SGGS -</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">12119)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Holy are the beards that fall over guru's feet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Bhai Gurdas is the scribe of the Adi Granth and a</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">devotee of its author</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Guru Arjun Dev. In his two copious works "Varan" and</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"Swaiye" he</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">portrays the Sikh way of life wherein he uses terms</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">such as "Amritvela sir</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">nawandhe" - Sikhs wash their hair early in the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">morning.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Although the Sikhs were enjoined to maintain their</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">hair from Guru</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Nanak?s time, it was left to Guru Gobind Singh to give</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">it a final seal. On</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">the Baisakhi day in 1699, he ordained that keeping of</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">unshorn hair is</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">obligatory for a Sikh for a dual purpose. Firstly, it</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">is to abide by the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">altruist Will of God and, secondly, to give the Sikhs</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">a distinctive</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">personality to distinguish them from others. The site</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">from where this</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">declaration was made was thereafter called "Keshgarh"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">- Citadel of Hair"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">situated at Anandpur Sahib. The Guru at this time also</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">gave out code of</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">conduct (Rahit Maryada) for the Sikhs to follow which</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">he stated as more</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">endearing to him than the person :-</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(a) "Rehit piyari mujh ko, sikh piyara nahen"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(b) "Rehni rahe soi sikh mera......." (Dasam Granth)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">He also warned that ostentatious wearing of symbols</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and dress without</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">inner involvement is like gambling away of one?s</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">precious life:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"Jioh maile, bahroh nirmal</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Bahro nirmal, jioh ta maile,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Jinh janam jooe hariya" (SGGS 719)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Bhai Nand Lal Goya, the devotee and poet of Guru</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Gobind Singh court has</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">said in his ?Rehat-Nama? that a person without long</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">hair cannot call</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">himself a Sikh and his identity cannot be divorced</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">from his personal</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">appearance. Bhai Nand Lal?s composition has been</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">blessed by the Guru and</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">enjoys the status of gurbani.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">In eulogizing Guru Gobind Singh?s personality, he has</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">said that the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">value of one tress of his beloved hair is priceless</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">compared to the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">splendour of both the worlds :-</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"Har do alam qimat-e-yuk-tar mooe yaar ma".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">(Guzal 2)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Bhai Daya Singh, the first ?Piara? to be baptised,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Bhai Chaupa Singh</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and poet Sainapati, all contemporaries of the Guru</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">categorically state</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">that unshorn hair symbolise Sikhism.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">The numerous martyrs whose deeds are narrated in the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">daily Sikh ?Ardas?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">lived true to their tenets of faith of retaining</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">unshorn hair till</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">their last breath. Bhai Taru Singh?s plea to his</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">executioner to remove his</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">scalp- rather than his hair - bears testimony to this</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">conviction. The</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">foremost prayer of a Sikh is to live with his hair</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">intact till his end ?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"Sikhi kesan swasan naal nibhai" and "Sikhi daan, kesh</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">daan".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Prof. Puran Singh in his book ?Spirit of the Sikh,?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Part-II, Page 56</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">writes - "The Guru?s commandment in asking the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">disciples to preserve</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">their hair unshorn has in it an abiding depth of</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">truth, giving men some</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">deeper concerns of the soul, for thereby he has</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">precluded men and women</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">living only for the futile foppishness of sartorial</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">arts or the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">barber-made civilization. The hair seems redundant to</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">the modern man, but to</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Guru Gobind Singh, the hair was essential.... for</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">bringing on of a greater</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">moral and religious civilization". He further writes</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">that "if the Sikhs</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">are left free to cut or shave the hair, how foolish it</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">would be to</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">preach a religion and to demand whole herds on</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">compromised principles....</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Taking away the Sikh?s hair is to cut him off from his</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">intensely</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">reactive inspiration and source of strength".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">In his book The Spirit Born People, page 38, Prof.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Puran Singh further</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">says that wearing of the ?the Master?s knot of sacred</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">tresses" is "a</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">token of spiritual isolation from the herd. So did</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Guru Gobind Singh</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">command. An obedience to him is life. There is no life</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">outside that Great</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Love."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Sikhism is a path of discipleship. Hair are gift of</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">God and grown by</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">His Will. In abiding by His Will, our relationship</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">with Him and the Guru</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">is strengthened. Let us not try tobe wise ourselves</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">but do what the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Guru commands.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"Gursikh meet chalo har chali,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">Jo gur kahe soi bhal, mano...." (SGGS 667)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">"The turbaned Sikh looks like a lion, the rest of us</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">look like sheep</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Courier New'">and goats, afraid to be identified".</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="etinder, post: 1044, member: 304"] This is the article that can throw some light on the questions raised by Jodhvir veer [font=Courier New]An article on the importance of kes and dastaar by [/font][font=Courier New] Subject: Dignity in Identity Dignity in Identity "Sabat Soorat Dastar Sira" Brig. Hardit Singh (Retd.)* * 1380 Sector 33-C, Chandigarh. 160047. Till about a century ago, most of the people in India and the Middle East countries wore turban in different styles. One could, generally, make out the religious denomination and nationality of the wearer by the way his turban was tied. Even now some Rajputs, Jats and Brahmins of India, apart from the Sikhs and some Muslims, wear turbans. Guru Arjun Dev, the fifth Nanak, in one of his hymns (SGGS Page 1084), addressed to a Muslim priest, advises him about the physical appearance and spiritual conduct required of the religious person. The Persian term "Sabat Soorat Dastar Sira" is a part of this hymn. "Sabat" means that which is whole, complete and unaltered, in its original form. "Soorat" is face or appearance, "Dastar" is turban and "Sira" is head. Collectively, it means a person replete with full physical features, inclusive of hair as granted to him by God, with a turban to adorn his head. Hair and turban remian the crowning glory of a male and this had been the traditional bearing and dress of our prophets, rishis, gurus, saints and bhagats. Every part of the human frame, including the hair, has a vital role in the efficient functioning of the body. If it were not so, God or nature would not have provided these. Since hair is a part and parcel of the human body, the Gurus had thought it redundant to lay any particular stress for their preservation. However, there are several references in the Holy Scriptures regarding nature of the Cosmic Man and sacred utility by human hair:- The Cosmic Man: (a) "Tere banke loain, dant raseela, sohne nuk jin lumbre vala? (SGGS-500) - Your attractive eyes, brilliant teeth beautiful nose and long hair. (b) In another hymn (SGGS-1082), Guru Arjun Dev has called God by different names. Amongst these are - ?Rikhikesh?, ?Narain dara? and ?Kesava? which point out of the Formless One having long hair and beard. The words ?Kesav? and ?Kesva? also appear in many other hymns. Sacred Utility: (a) "Kes Sang das pug jhahro, eha manorath mera" (SGGS - 500) My life long desire is to dust the feet of your devotees with my hair. (b) (i) "Kesa kar beejna, sant chaur dholavo" (ii) "Kesa ka kar chawar dholavan charan dhur mukh lai" (SGGS - 745 & 749) Make whisk of hair, fan it over the saints and smear dust of their feet on my face. (c) "Se darhian sachian, jo gur charni lagan" (SGGS - 12119) Holy are the beards that fall over guru's feet. Bhai Gurdas is the scribe of the Adi Granth and a devotee of its author Guru Arjun Dev. In his two copious works "Varan" and "Swaiye" he portrays the Sikh way of life wherein he uses terms such as "Amritvela sir nawandhe" - Sikhs wash their hair early in the morning. Although the Sikhs were enjoined to maintain their hair from Guru Nanak?s time, it was left to Guru Gobind Singh to give it a final seal. On the Baisakhi day in 1699, he ordained that keeping of unshorn hair is obligatory for a Sikh for a dual purpose. Firstly, it is to abide by the altruist Will of God and, secondly, to give the Sikhs a distinctive personality to distinguish them from others. The site from where this declaration was made was thereafter called "Keshgarh" - Citadel of Hair" situated at Anandpur Sahib. The Guru at this time also gave out code of conduct (Rahit Maryada) for the Sikhs to follow which he stated as more endearing to him than the person :- (a) "Rehit piyari mujh ko, sikh piyara nahen" (b) "Rehni rahe soi sikh mera......." (Dasam Granth) He also warned that ostentatious wearing of symbols and dress without inner involvement is like gambling away of one?s precious life: "Jioh maile, bahroh nirmal Bahro nirmal, jioh ta maile, Jinh janam jooe hariya" (SGGS 719) Bhai Nand Lal Goya, the devotee and poet of Guru Gobind Singh court has said in his ?Rehat-Nama? that a person without long hair cannot call himself a Sikh and his identity cannot be divorced from his personal appearance. Bhai Nand Lal?s composition has been blessed by the Guru and enjoys the status of gurbani. In eulogizing Guru Gobind Singh?s personality, he has said that the value of one tress of his beloved hair is priceless compared to the splendour of both the worlds :- "Har do alam qimat-e-yuk-tar mooe yaar ma". (Guzal 2) Bhai Daya Singh, the first ?Piara? to be baptised, Bhai Chaupa Singh and poet Sainapati, all contemporaries of the Guru categorically state that unshorn hair symbolise Sikhism. The numerous martyrs whose deeds are narrated in the daily Sikh ?Ardas? lived true to their tenets of faith of retaining unshorn hair till their last breath. Bhai Taru Singh?s plea to his executioner to remove his scalp- rather than his hair - bears testimony to this conviction. The foremost prayer of a Sikh is to live with his hair intact till his end ? "Sikhi kesan swasan naal nibhai" and "Sikhi daan, kesh daan". Prof. Puran Singh in his book ?Spirit of the Sikh,? Part-II, Page 56 writes - "The Guru?s commandment in asking the disciples to preserve their hair unshorn has in it an abiding depth of truth, giving men some deeper concerns of the soul, for thereby he has precluded men and women living only for the futile foppishness of sartorial arts or the barber-made civilization. The hair seems redundant to the modern man, but to Guru Gobind Singh, the hair was essential.... for bringing on of a greater moral and religious civilization". He further writes that "if the Sikhs are left free to cut or shave the hair, how foolish it would be to preach a religion and to demand whole herds on compromised principles.... Taking away the Sikh?s hair is to cut him off from his intensely reactive inspiration and source of strength". In his book The Spirit Born People, page 38, Prof. Puran Singh further says that wearing of the ?the Master?s knot of sacred tresses" is "a token of spiritual isolation from the herd. So did Guru Gobind Singh command. An obedience to him is life. There is no life outside that Great Love." Sikhism is a path of discipleship. Hair are gift of God and grown by His Will. In abiding by His Will, our relationship with Him and the Guru is strengthened. Let us not try tobe wise ourselves but do what the Guru commands. "Gursikh meet chalo har chali, Jo gur kahe soi bhal, mano...." (SGGS 667) "The turbaned Sikh looks like a lion, the rest of us look like sheep and goats, afraid to be identified".[/font] [/QUOTE]
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