Harbhajan

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Kirpan (Sword) in Skhism - A Symbol of Benevolence and Dignity
by: Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD, FICS


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Kirpan, which can be literally translated into sword, has a much deeper meaning in the Sikh religion. It consists of two words, Kirpa and Aan. The word Kirpa means benevolence and the word Aan means dignity. Therefore Kirpan is a symbol of benevolence and dignity.


Guru Gobind Singh made Kirpan as an integral part of the 5 k’s. The Kesh, meaning hair symbolizes devotion, asceticism, and renunciation. The hair is associated with spirituality in many other religions. But Guru Gobind Singh made Kangha (comb) also one of the five k’s, which symbolizes order and organization as well as purity and cleanliness. Karha the iron bangle around the wrist is the symbol of universality. Kachara the underwear is the symbol of piousness and sexual purity.

It is Kirpan, which imparts uniqueness to the Sikh religion. Guru Gobind Singh in the worship of Kirpan calls it a symbol of justice, equality and struggle against oppression and discrimination and exploitation. The Guru Hails Kirpan as the liberator and sustainer of mankind and the destroyer of the oppressors and the exploiters. He also sees Kirpan as a symbol of bravery and knowledge because it can dispel cowardice and ignorance. He sees celestial beauty in the shining Kirpan.

The Guru asks us to worship Kirpan as one of the aspects of God. As opposed to the Judeo Semitic concept of creation, which considers the creation as a separate act of God that created the universe in 6 days, from Monday to Saturday and then rested on Sunday, the Sikh religion sees the creation as an uninterrupted and constant act. The Sikh religion believes that the creation has 3 aspects symbolized by Barhama, Vishnu and Mahesh (Shiva). Barhama symbolizes creation, Vishnu symbols sustenance and Shiva symbolizes destruction. Destruction is an integral part of construction because without destroying the worn out old, room cannot be created for the emerging new.

The outlook and attitude of the Sikh religion to Kirpan is fundamentally different than the others who generally view sword as a symbol of power and domination. The sword can generate and encourage arrogance. Arrogance always leads to ignorance. Kirpan constantly reminds the Sikhs of the power of the Almighty. Therefore Kirpan should promote humility. As arrogance and ignorance like each other’s company similarly humility and knowledge go together.

It is very important in the contemporary world that we use our power as Kirpan and not as a sword. Whereas Kirpan was used by Guru Gobind Singh to liberate the oppressed people, the sword of the colonialists was used to enslave the other people and nations.

The judicious use of force can help us to change the outdated old world order, which has outlived its usefulness and has become redundant and irrelevant.

The only way peace and harmony can be kept in the world and prosperity maintained is by upholding principals of equality, fairness, justice, benevolence and showing respect for other peoples beliefs and values.

We can only suppress others temporarily until they are strong enough to fight against the oppressor. On the other hand benevolence, compassion, universal concern and universal well-being are principles which can lead to a lasting peace and progress. This is the global perspective of Guru Nanak. What we should understand is that Guru Gobind Singh raised Kirpan not only to uphold the principles of Guru Nanak but also to give a practical shape to those principles.



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Dr. Sawraj Singh is Chairman of Washington State Network for Human Rights, and Chairman of Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice.
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Gur Satgur ka jo sikh akhai so bhalke uth har Naam dhiawai.
Udam kare bhalke parbhati ishnan kare Amritsar nawai.
Updesh Guru har har japjapai sabh kilwikh pap dokh leh jawai.
Phir chare diwas Gurbani gawai behndian uthdian har Naam dhiawai.
Jo sas giras dhiae mera har har so gursikh guru man bhawai.
Jisno dyal howai mera soami tis gursikh Guru updesh sunhawai.
Jan Nanak dhoor mangaitis gursikh ki jo aap japai awreh Naam japawi.
(Guru Granth Sahib, Page 305).

He who calls himself the disciple of the Satguru must wake up early in the morning (three hours before sunrise) and meditate on the Divine name. He must shake up all his laziness, take his bath, and meditate on His name. As taught by the Guru he must meditate on the Gur-mantra "Waheguru" and thus erase all the impressions of the wrong karmas (actions) he has done in various births and rebirths. Then at day dawn sing hymns in His praise. The Sikh who every moment keeps his mind fixed on the Divine name is dear to the Satguru. The Satguru showers his grace on him and shows him the path of at-one-ment (blends the Sikh with himself). Nanak begs the dust of the feet of such a gursikh, who himself meditates on the Divine name and directs others to do so.

http://www.sikhreview.org/july2000/naam.htm
Spiritual Experience of Naam Simran

Tarlochan Singh Mann*

*3 New York Avenue, Stonybrook. N.Y. 11790. U.S.A. This is based on "Bandgi-nama" by Raghbir Singh Bir.

Recitation of Gurbani and meditation or Simran are complementary to each other. While Gurbani brings us closer to an understanding of God’s purpose, Simran truly unites us with the divine. Recitation from Guru Granth and repetition of a particular verse roots its sense in our mind in order that the mind is moulded accordingly. Naam - Simran increases concentration and raises levels of consciousness to higher level and unites us with the wonderful Lord, Waheguru.

Philosophy of Simran: As soon as the name of any object is mentioned, its form, nature, attributes, and our re-action to it, rush into our mind, and we visualize the image of the object as picturised and projected. Similarly when we repeat God’s Name our mental picture of God gets picturised before our mind’s eyes. Gur-Bani by projecting the attributes of God helps us to form some sort of mental picture of God. In Simran when we repeat God’s Name this picture grows clearer to us.

Even if we may have no mental concept of God, by mere repetition of His NAME God’s attributes are not only visualized but are also slowly assimilated. Naam-Simran is the secret of simple mindsbecoming Saints.

Peculiar quality of our mind is that if some thing impresses us profoundly and if we repeatedly aspire, by continuous Simran, to be shaped in the pattern of that thing (may be saint, God), we are gradually moulded accordingly:

Jaisa sevai taisa hovei. (SGGS)

Methodology of Simran: Significance and worth of Naam-Simran can be appreciated only by personally practicing Simran persistently, regularly, with patience and perseverance till it becomes a habit, and goes an unceasingly.

Recommendations for beginners: Choice of a secluded and fixed place and regular hours help in inculcating Simran habit. A special room, or a niche in a room, reserved for Simran is very conducive. Time - prescribed is 2.00 A.M. to 4.00 A.M. in Summer and 3.00 to 5.00 A.M. in winter. We can sleep for two hours after Simran before our daily work.

Body Pasture - We should squat cross-legged on the floor as erect as possible. The avoid fatigue a cushion may be used.

Tuning the mind - It is necessary to guard it from wandering and falling into negative thinking and making the entire Naam-Simran exercise of the day a futile venture Modus-operandi for tuning the mind recommended by the author may be followed or each individual should evolve and adopt his own personalized technique.

Three Stages of Simran: The author describes how and why he selected "Wahe-Guru" for Simran in preference to so many other names of God mentioned in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The first stage of Simran is audible Simran. Lips more and sound is heard. We speak aloud and fix our attention on the sound produced. It is necessary to improve our concentration. If necessary beads of rosary may be used, to start with, but in no case pictures of Gurus be used to improve concentration, as it creates problems in higher spiritual stages as illustrated by our own experiences. The second stage is of mental Simran. When lips cease to move, vocal chords alone help in creating sound rhythm of Wahe-Guru Shabad. For convenience the seeker may synchronize the Simran with the rhythm of breathing, regulating the vibrations of respiration. Uttering Wah on inhaling, and uttering "Guru" on exhaling. This mental Simran focuses our attention and increase our concentration which advances spiritual development. The third stage - The Gentle sound of mental Simran picks up a higher pitch and becomes louder and louder to the exclusion of all external sounds. Mental Simran ceases and this sound seems to come down from navel and is heard from within our entire being. This concentrated Simran raises the level of consciousness and the spiritual development advances to the higher stage. The mind feels perfect peace and gets inebriated with the joy of bliss that defy description. This advanced stage of spiritual development is called stage of ‘SAHAJ’. From this last stage of Simran first stage of "GYAN’ starts and the seeker starts having a number of mystic experiences. But the seeker has to guard against the delusions of this stage viz (1) Ceasing of Simran gives the impression that it is waste of time as there is no worship of God without Simran (2) The seeker is gripped by the sleep of ease called ‘TANDRA’ and seeker is deluded to believe that he has reached the final stage of spiritual progress. This writer follows in details the methodology suggested by Late Sant Attar Singh Mastuana and Baba Nand Singh Kleran helped him to come out of first delusion regarding waste of time. Edward Carpenter’s book ‘A Visit to a Gyani’ redeemed him from the delusion of ‘TANDRA’.

The other mystic experiences this writer had are -

* Discovery of centers of consciousness within the body including cortex of the brain called ‘DASAM DWAR’.

* Seeing glimpses of sweet cool luminosity.

* Hearing melodious sounds: punch nad or Anhad nad.

* Experiencing sweet smells.

* Low gentle rhythmic sound in the brain inducing bliss and lightness of mind.

* Getting into peaceful trance/Samadhi.

* The realization that the universe is the creation of an all-pervading force beyond our comprehension.