No Amrit, No Kirpan For Me

[kaur_khalistani_lioness]

During the late 80's, every summer i attended 8-10 Sikh youth camps, one after the other. A friend of mine once drove me a long distance from Toronto to Sikh youth camo in Ottawa. He wore a turban and did his Nitnem regularly. Only one aspect of our thinking, hence also of our living, was different. I was always seen with my Kirpan over my shirt, while he was without one.

On our way, this subject came up for discussion. He said, "I want to take Amrit and be a 'full' Sikh. I am, however, turned off when i see some of my friends who are Amritdhari Sikhs and wear Kirpans. They disrespect the Guru and they disregard their vows taken before the Panj Pyaras. Some of them tell lies, cheat, do bad things, drink alcool publicly, and even steal gurdwara funds. I live a clean honest Sikh life. I have never told a lie or cheated anyone during my business dealing. I feel I am better person without Amrit. Hence I think 'No Amrit, and no Kirpan for me.' In our society, being an Amritdhari actually means being a thug. If I take Amrit and wear a Kirpan, people wull also assume me to be one of them. Scared of that label, I do not dare take Amrit. You know, i recite my Nitnem daily and commit no sin."

I could not think of any response to his observations, I kept mum. After s short silence, he continued, "Tell me, is taking Amrit still necessary for me?" Again I had no answer, "Sir, surely you are a great Sikh, and there no doubt about it. Most of the Sikhs in the community also agree with this. They respect you and your good life. Actually that is why it is necessary for you to take Amrit. It is only then that the correct image of an Amritdhari will be known to the people. Further, you will provide a good way to a good role model for them also. Some thig Sikhs will feel embarrased and may change. Others will be criticized by the Sikh community and considered hypocrites. Is it not a good way to build the image of the Sikh community and provide self-esteem for the Sikh community?" He kept silent for some time, and our dialogue on Amrit ended at that point. We started discussing something else.

Both of us meet quite often and continue to be close friends. He has not yet taken Amrit. Howevr, he feels that s Sikh should take Amrit to formally join the Khalsa Panth.

My experience with such Sikhs tells me that it is simplu reluctance on the part of many Sikhs that keeps them non-Amritdhari. Such persons, who take courage to go in for Amrit, later confess that ignorance was the cause of their reluctance. Earlier, they feared that they may not be able to live up to their vows. However, it was no problem to practice the Sikh Reht. Rather, it helped them to move straight on the Sikh highway and it stops them from taking wrong exits.

Each such Sikh I met had his ow reasons for being happy after taking Amrit. "Whenever there was function in our family, it was very hard for me to justify my not drinking liquor. Now, a few words, I have taken Amrit, are more than enough to save me from repreated pressures of my friends. Further, I do not feel guilty for disregarding the requests of almost everyone at the function and they do not feel disrespected if i do not agree to join them."

Another lady said, "Now, we enjoy every evening. Earlier, a friend or two might come and start drinking and bothering us many times a week." Another person felt that he started enjoying his regular life only after taking Amrit. "Many times in our society, we waste this precious life just sitting and talking trash. When you want to leave, your friends force you to continue to sit by asking -Ki Kahli hai?- What is the haste? Now i leave after saying that it is Rehras time. We have to recite it togther in our family. By saying this, i get rid of their pressure to force me to waste my time there. His wife continued, "If i find some people hanging on unnecessarily after a friendly evening, i request everyboday to enjoy the Rehras to be recited by our daughter. Every person thinks of an excuse to leave us."

Taken from a book: Teaching Sikh Heritage To The Youth, but he calls it Lessons Learnt

By Dr. Gurbaksh Singh pages 45-47

bhul chuk muaff karni

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh!

[chatanga]

are you saying that one cannot wear a kirpan without first taking amrit?

chatanga

[Mahakaal Singh]

are you saying that one cannot wear a kirpan without first taking amrit?

chatanga

a kirpan NO, a shamshir/tegh/talwar YES

even tho they might be the same, but a kirpan is spiritually different

[chatanga]

plz explain in more detail Great Death.

[Mahakaal Singh]

plz explain in more detail Great Death.

anyone has the right to hold a weapon, but a weapon only becomes bhagouti if the person weilding it has offered his head to his guru.

Akaaal!

Sat Sri Akaal!

[chatanga]

i understand.

[Laadli Fauj]

People use the actions of amritdhaaris to justify their own reasons for not taking anmrit, which completely illogical. By not taking anmrith, one is implying that Guru Maharaj and the anmrit is defective, which is retarded, and they know it is too. One shouldn't criticize a way of life or religion based on the followers' actions, but on the actual religion itself.dee-di-dee.

[buddasingh]

People use the actions of amritdhaaris to justify their own reasons for not taking anmrit, which completely illogical. By not taking anmrith, one is implying that Guru Maharaj and the anmrit is defective, which is retarded, and they know it is too. One shouldn't criticize a way of life or religion based on the followers' actions, but on the actual religion itself.dee-di-dee.

so true...

and in fact if one considers themselves on the path, the most sincere criticism is leading by better example.

there are less than perfect and even corrupt people in every walk of life. corrupt doctors, lawyers, engineers and many many of them, but you won't hear people saying one should not be a professional.

[Revolutionary]

People use the actions of amritdhaaris to justify their own reasons for not taking anmrit, which completely illogical. By not taking anmrith, one is implying that Guru Maharaj and the anmrit is defective, which is retarded, and they know it is too. One shouldn't criticize a way of life or religion based on the followers' actions, but on the actual religion itself.dee-di-dee.

so true...

and in fact if one considers themselves on the path, the most sincere criticism is leading by better example.

there are less than perfect and even corrupt people in every walk of life. corrupt doctors, lawyers, engineers and many many of them, but you won't hear people saying one should not be a professional.

bas... bahaanne hunde ah..

people in gurdwara complain "we don't get into Sikhi because we don't understand punjabi.. We need English gianis"

Get an eenglish kathakaar to do katha in English+ Punjabi.. (for 2 weeks)

None of them turn up.

Excuses will carry on to hide their inner insecurities.

..bechare

[japmans]

hehe i laughed out loud at this line:

His wife continued, "If i find some people hanging on unnecessarily after a friendly evening, i request everyboday to enjoy the Rehras to be recited by our daughter. Every person thinks of an excuse to leave us."

funny in a sad kind of way..