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Summary of Question:Kirpan In This Day Of Age
Category:Sikh Practices
Date Posted:Sunday, 2/04/2001 2:01 AM MST

waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh!!


khalsa ji,

a quick discussion about Guru Sahib Jeeo's gift of the kirpan. guru sahib gave this gift to us as part of an entire identity. Guru Sahib gave us this gift to fight against injustice, oppression, and tyranny. Guru Sahib gave us this gift as a constant reminder that we are Gur Ka Sikhs, and must act accordingly. Guru Sahib gave us this gift to provide a sense of unity within the community, of pride within the Khalsa nation.

1) all of this having been said, why do we need all of this in today's society. we have reached a level of civility which enables us to solve our differences in the court rooms. we have reached a level of civility which allows us to settle our disputes with our pens, and mouths, rather than our fists and swords. so why do we carry with us this weapon?

2) a kirpan is a gift from the Guru...it should be a beautifully crafted object. why do we allow our kirpans to be so flimsy, so crudley built, and so mass produced as they are? at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, at Sri Harimandar Sahib, in Toronto, Chicago, everywhere....they have cheaply made kirpans and tools. we need to instill a better sense of "art" within our community.

3) since Guru Sahib gave us this gift to fight off oppression, to kill when that is the last resort, why is it bad to kill animals? to eat meat?

when in the court rooms, when we are "caught" with our kirpans...in the airports, by society...we quickly mention that the kirpan is not a weapon...it's just a symbol for the religion. however; if a kirpan is supposed to be used in desperate times...when all else has failed (like Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji has said), isn't it much much more than a symbol...isn't it a weapon? isn't it an instrument of war?

and finally, don't you think that the small teeny weeny kirpans are useless? what's the point of wearing those?

i'm just trying to find answers to these questions. please forgive my bluntness, ignorance, and impatience.

waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh!!!

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Reply
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Stop and think about the consciousness that you develop each day that you practice your Rehit Maryada. Your daily practice and maintanance of your "form" which includes your Kirpan in some form, is a meditation. It also is putting yourself together vibrationally with the steel of your kara and the steel of your kirpan, the support of your katchera, the combing and twisting up your hair on the crown center and the locking of the wooden comb that is there for you to comb those hairs out in the low energy points of the day and revive.

Defence and protection is an attitude of gratitude. The sword is not modern. It is a ready and tangible element of awareness of the need to protect. Being ready is an attitude. Doing martial arts and learning self defence is an attitude of readiness. Being sharp and aware is an attitude of readiness. Conciousness and awareness is an attitude of readiness. We do not use kirpans to settle an argument. We are ready to defend and protect the helpless and innocent. These cicumstances are usually the ones that we are not expecting but which we agree that we will be ready for if God brings this our way.

I know someone who makes the most beautiful kirpans. They are expensive too. Even if a kirpan is simple, the respect and love for it makes it beautiful because it represents G(generating) O (organizing) D (destroying power).

Killing animals is something that we normally do not do. A creation of God with the breath of life has consiousness. To imbibe or eat the creature with consciousness makes our body and consciousness heavy. Eating meat also changes us genetically.

People today are very complacent in their lives. They are very wrapped up in themselves. I often think when I am walking about the city, that I am in a state of readiness to defend myself from an attack as well as defend someone else. I feel ready. There are so numerous stories of brave Sikhs in our history who have gone out of their way to help others. What a great legacy to continue and maintain.

Keep in mind, our society is deteriorating. People are more reactive and loosing sense of values and righteousness. The fact that people have to resort to the courtroom to settle arguments is an example of lost values.

I feel very sure that the more we are known for our righteous and helpful ways, the more we will be seen with respect and confidence. I always carry my nitnem with me in my purse with a small 2 inch damascus blade knife in the case. I feel this tiny alter of the Guru is always with me for me to use. In the same regard, when I am in my full form as an Amritdhari Sikh, I am a living alter of the Guru. I love this identity and I feel the power of it. You may belittle someone's teeny weeny kirpan, but to that person, it can mean soemthing great. Without it, you are empty.



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