Balbir Singh Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Pray Truth for all and say Satsriakal! Dear Sadh Sangat Ji, I have a question. Sikhs keep and wear five Kakaars. Those are namely Kangha (a comb), Kachha (underwear), Kes (hair), Kirpan (a sword) and Kara (a bangle). Kangha and Kes are covered with the turban. The pants or pyjamas are worn to cover the Kachha. The sword is also covered and kept in a sheath. Only the Kara is not covered by anything. Why? Please express your expertise. Balbir Singh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikher Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 If you look at the kakkars they are all practical, Kes covered against dust + gurus nishani Kangha in the kesh/under pug so when you wrap or unwrap the kangha is there to comb staright away to comb beautiful nishani Kirpan, sheathed as if you withdraw your sword blood has to be drawn, else you recite shastar nam mala http://www.sridasam.org/dasam?Action=Page&p=1356 and only time when you clean your kirpan the same shabad could/should be recited Kachera, is not always covered by pyjama/trousers only in west and people in granthi positons as if you see bana of Guru Gobind Singh, worn by nihungs(sorry to say it for all nihung haters) the kachera is on loosly covered, and if you look at original bana big kacheras used to be worn and singhs would wear 2 kachera so if one was split /be torn you maintain decency. As for Kara, not practical at all to cover it as its unseen weapon. Thats my thoughts anyone expand on that 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
challenge_everything Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 u know wot - this topic is slightly pointless 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikher Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 True say but if someone asks a question they are looking for an answer always good to help people now matter how pointless the question maybe everyone is at different levels of understanding 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
challenge_everything Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 technicalities technicalities technicalities 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balbir Singh Posted April 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Satsriakal to all! What is pointless? It is wearing the Kakaars or exchanging views about Kakaars. Balbir Singh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheena Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 i think challange everything is taking about the technicalities of the trying to find some type of pattern in a world that exists without one. The Kakaar are given for their purpose, we can definelty spend enought time analyzing their names, aand the similarities that they all start with the letter K, There are 5 of them, similar to 5 Piyarays, 5 elements, 5 sins, 5 fingers, 5 toes, 5 senses, 5 being the magical number here we can come up with endless associations with the number 5. Similarily the point which you bring up that all Kakars except the Kara are covered, why? Well here is one the top of my head. Just like closing the fist the 4 fingers are tucked in the hand and the thumb stays outside of the fist. so the Kara is not covered. Perhaps there is no real reason, except for the one that you find to be the most appealing in the endless posibilites of association of patterns. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
challenge_everything Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Yet again pheena has taken the time to type out something when I coulndt be arsed loving it loving it 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balbir Singh Posted April 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Satsriakal to all and Pheena Ji! Thanks for your cooperation to find a solution. We love to discuss many topics about Sikhism on this forum in detail. Why to avoid a theme which was not much thought of? Kakaars are very important for many Sikhs to keep or wear. Also, the Sikh is not supposed to be ritualistic. My query was to find out if we start wearing Kakaars with a simple acceptance and all other told values are added later to convince our mind. You wrote "The Kakaar are given for their purpose." Sometimes questions come up in my mind. Almost everybody is using a comb and most of the people even carry one with them also. Why a comb is more important for Sikhs? I presume it is not only because of its special shape. Surely there must be some other reasons for its importance. There must be more unexpressed values for all the Kakaars. I hope that like a strange question has taken birth in my mind, many great answers may take birth in some of your minds. Questions asked in sahaj sound pointless. But I hope that some good pointed answers may come up. I feel that every answer may be a unique piece to add in solving this puzzle. Let us grow together. Love. Balbir Singh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheena Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Certainly there are an infinite amount of unexpressed values for all the Kakaars, it all depends on how much you want to dig into them. The more you dig the more you will find, it is an endless chain of thoughts leading to more clues, to more random discoveries. Altho one may find it appealing to contemplate on them, but it become an endless and almost futile attempt. One can easily become lost in the technicalites of the limtless possibilities. So be wise on how much you dig into the vastness of the ocean, be sure not to get lost or lose track of what is most important. "Let us grow together" indeed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balbir Singh Posted April 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Satsriakal to all and Pheena Ji! Are you suggesting wearing the Kakaars but not to dig in the infinite unexpressed values of those? I remember the grand father of a friend who always warned not to jump into water as the chances of drowning are always more than to learn swimming. You started your post with "Certainly there are an infinite amount of unexpressed values for all the Kakaars . . ." I request you to open your Khazaanaa (treasure). Please share it with all, in truth and in deeds. Love. Balbir Singh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheena Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Satsriakal to all and Pheena Ji! Are you suggesting wearing the Kakaars but not to dig in the infinite unexpressed values of those? Read the Last line of my post veer Simply speaking do not over-think them that you lose yourself in thoughts. You started your post with "Certainly there are an infinite amount of unexpressed values for all the Kakaars . . ." Please share it with all, in truth and in deeds. It was a general statement veer, that there are infinite unexpressed values for all Kakaars, we can only percieve as much as our mind had developed in understanding the divine. As we grow Spiritually we begin to understand more of these unexpressed values which are not only limited to Kakaars. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balbir Singh Posted April 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Satsriakal to all and Pheena Ji! But my curiosity to get an answer is still there. I should first grow and get better understanding. Would you please explain why we cover other Kakaars. We may perhaps come to find an answer this way. Balbir Singh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheena Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Is it not possible that there is no reason at all. It could simply be a Coincident, that you are diging into something which is not really there? ok I'll put down my thoughts from a logical point of view: Kirpan needs to have a cover so that it would not cut you or others accidently. Plus its a respectfull way to carry it around instead of it being naked. It also helps to avoid rust spots from waters, sand, etc. Kesh and Kanga - It is obvious why the Kesh is to be covered, the pug/turban/dumala makes it a good place for the Kanga to be placed so it would not be misplaced or so forth. Also i've seen people wear it around their neck. Kashera- i have yet to see an individual wear their underwear on the outside. Kara - if you wear a long sleeve shirt or a big jacket it is bound to be covered by it. If you don't wear a long sleeve shirt then it is obviously visible. I doubt these will be enough to end your curiousity, i thik you are seeking something more of a spiritual reasoning behind this pattern. But like i said earilier, it is a matter of your perception that you will see a meaning behind this pattern. Other may simply see it is a random coincident, but other may try to find an answer behind it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balbir Singh Posted April 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Satsriakal to all and Pheena Ji! You started with "Is it not possible that there is no reason at all. It could simply be a Coincident, that you are diging into something which is not really there?" I feel one can't dig in the sky. One can dig in the earth which is really there. It is a different thing that one digs for something but finds a mine of diamonds. You started writing further. Perhaps you have also hopes like me to find something valuable. Are you sure that we keep Kirpan in a sheath because we worry that it would hurt us or others accidentally? You argued "Plus its a respectfull way to carry it around instead of it being naked." Do we loose respect for Kirpan when we take it out? Dear Pheena Ji! I am not used to write long letters. I wish to come to your very valuable hint in the last paragraph. You mentioned this ". . . i thik you are seeking something more of a spiritual reasoning behind this pattern . . ." with a smile. This is right. Kakaars are not only a piece of earthly materials. Thanks for your cooperation and patience. Love. Balbir Singh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balbir Singh Posted April 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 Pray Truth for all and say Satsriakal! Let us try to approach a solution. It is Guru's Mastee when He asks a question. For many it looks like an examination. Only the true Guru watches His actions as God's Hukum. The praise of Guru's suggestion is only possible after we accept it completely without any reasoning. God's Hukum leaves us any other choice? Our ego always says, yes! I have the best one. We may have Satsang again and over this graceful question in the future also. For right now I remember the unforgettable incident of Bhai Lehna Ji's life when Guru Nanak Ji asked him to do something. All others even Nanak Ji's sons had a reason to act or reject Will of God through The Great Guru. There was only one whose existence did not have any blockages to let this Will go. This was Bhai Lehna Ji who immediately merged in God and emerged as Guru Angad Dev Ji. Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave us a lot more than and through Jaap, Amrit and Kakaars. Before giving us Amrit and Kakaars The Guru asked us a question "who is ready to die?" Surprising is that we have found endless reasons to accept or to reject those. Love. Balbir Singh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheena Posted April 21, 2005 Report Share Posted April 21, 2005 Satsriakal to all and Pheena Ji! You started with "Is it not possible that there is no reason at all. It could simply be a Coincident, that you are diging into something which is not really there?" I feel one can't dig in the sky. One can dig in the earth which is really there. It is a different thing that one digs for something but finds a mine of diamonds. You must also dig at the right spot. This treasure is also found by Practice, not thoughts, We can create as many deep discussions about this, but the truth will sprout from our daily practices of Bhangti.. You started writing further. Perhaps you have also hopes like me to find something valuable. Are you sure that we keep Kirpan in a sheath because we worry that it would hurt us or others accidentally? You argued "Plus its a respectfull way to carry it around instead of it being naked." Do we loose respect for Kirpan when we take it out? Im not sure of anything veer, it is possiblity, that is all, simply 'ONE' interpetation, as we had discussed earlier there unlimited values or purposes of each kakar. You mentioned this ". . . i thik you are seeking something more of a spiritual reasoning behind this pattern . . ." with a smile. This is right. Kakaars are not only a piece of earthly materials. no doubt veer ji. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSM Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 taken from sikh history .com web site 'Steel bracelet. A symbol to remind the wearer of restraint in their actions and remembrance of God at all times ' So , if for some unexplained reason a sikh tries to perform sinful duties , kara will remind them that not to perform those sinful duties , if you can't see the kara then how will a sikh be reminded? hence not covered. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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