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Summary of Question:	Guru Gobind Singh And Marriage/ Long Hair
Category:	Love & Marriage
Date Posted:	Friday, 8/17/2001 3:18 AM MDT

Why Did Guru Gobind Singh have 3 wives? Is this permissible in Sikhism - if not then why did the Guru do it? What rational, intellectual reasoning could there have been.

And if the following is true:

When Bohar Datt started his own sect, his followers had long hair as religious symbols.
With these outward forms the Guru says, they could not realise God (1)
Even in the Guru Granth, it is clearly written that it does not matter whether on eis completely shaven or has long hair on head (2). Guru Gobind Singh Ji in the Dasam Granth expresses the same idea (3)

Ref:
(1) tab hari bahuri datt upjaio,
tin bhi apna panth chalaio
karmo nakn sis jata savari
prabh ki kria kachu na bichari
(Ibid.., P.72

(2) bhavi lanbe kes karu
bhawai gharir mudae


(3) na jata mundi dharon
(Dasam Granth P. 74)

Sihs At Crossroads, Bhagwant Singh Sidhu

Then why so much emphasis in Sikhism on external form? Surely, in terms of achieving mukti, one should focus on deeds and not on wearing a turban and keeping beard.

Your humble student
Tajinder Singh Bhambra (Please provide a telephone number so that i can make a financial donation to this excellent resource)

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REPLY
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Sat Siri Akaal Ji.

The purpose for keeping long hair is not that it grants one liberation. On this matter you are correct (as above). The purpose of long hair is to keep the body as God gave us, to not alter it in any way. Sikhs believe cutting the hair by altering the body (to meet fashion or vanity) is basically telling God that He didn't do a good enough job on it and that we can do better. Use search word 'hair' and you will find much in this forum on this. There are many good reasons for keeping hair that have been mentioned as well. Guru in his wisdom understood this.

The matter of 10th Master's 3 wives has been answered here also. Search using "Guru Gobind Singh" and "wives".

As for donating to Sikhnet, go to the Sikhnet homepage, I believe there is a link from there for donations and how to make them. And thank you!

Guru ang sang,
-DKK