Is It A Crime To Look Good?

[axesingh]

Fateh ji sangat ji

Just wondering..

.. is it a crime to want to look good? my chachi thinks i should ease up abit because if i distract people from god, (eg when at gurdwara) it is an indirect paap?

[Seeking_Sikhi]

i don't know .. but the post made me laugh .. rofl .. :lol:

[equal4sikh]

Fateh ji sangat ji

Just wondering..

.. is it a crime to want to look good?

Everytime i go out to gurdwara, reinsabai's, work or social events i take about an hour or so to get ready. I comb and gel my beard, make sure dastaar is symetrical and that each larr is sufficiently spread out on each side of my dastaar, and make sure my clothes are looking very sharp and slick - ie. top brands such as versace etc etc.

I feel that dressing like this reflects my mentality. I am an upbeat and cool character i suppose. i don't do this pull or anything. i just feel that looking cool is beneficial not only for my esteem and confidence, but also i feel that looking good as a dastaar vala makes me a nice sikh ambassador in a white community. but also.. i am 22 and nearly on the marriage market too - so i guess this is good right?

the problem is.. when i go to gurdwara or even when i am in town I get a lot of looks. not like "eurrgh".. but more in a positive way.

should i stop making an effort? my chachi thinks i should ease up abit because if i distract people from god, (eg when at gurdwara) it is an indirect paap?

Hi there,

It’s nice to hear that you take pride in your personal appearance; it’s every Sikhs to look presentable to the society. There is no crime or a indirect paap, if a member of the Sangat give you looks, it simply means they find you attractive

However i can understand the problem that you are facing with your chachi,

So my sikh brother if you’d rather be ugly, then i’d suggest you dip your face in toxic acid (i wouldn’t recommend it), but it will definitely make you ugly . :D

The choice is yourz being Smart or Ugly

I know which 1 i would go for

[Nehmat]

i don't know .. but the post made me laugh .. rofl .. :lol:

=)

[Bairagi Singh]

carry on looking good!

your doing your guru proud!

[Harjeet.Singh]

You go ahead and look good for your Guru. It would be a crime if you dress to impress the female speicies or even males for that matter, But for Guru it is ok. Think of it as Guruji is dressing you, he is the one that is giving you good looks, not anybody else, not even yourself. Therefore take no pride in your appearance. Especially in dastaar and kesh, because these are gifts from the Guru, so obviously you should uphold these as best as you can. Or it would be like Guru giving you a present and you disowning it, like throwing it in the bin or whatever. You will be even cooler if you have all wealth and things but yet you have no concern for it either. That is ultimate coolness, to have everything, but to act like "so what, who cares" Not having pride, because its Guru's gift to you. Not being a show off. Only take pride in Guru, but not yourself.

[Nehmat]

Sigh...Okay.

Ji, if going in the Sangat then one should wear such clothing that they feel 'peaceful' in.

If whatever you are wearing to the Gurudwara Sahib makes you concious about people staring at you, then you are definitely not feeling very peaceful. And yes, you are distracting others too.

In sangat, we go for the company(Sangat) of the souls(Aatmaas) not the bodies. It is never about the bodies. And you can overcome the thoughts of your body by doing Mool Mantra. It takes your concious away from the body to the 'Aatmic Mandal'.

[axesingh]

thanks for the responses. Thanks for the comments re; acid!

Nehmat ji, i fully understand your comment. If anything, if i am not dressed nicely - then i feel conscious about this. I don't feel it's some complexion. I just enjoy looking set. I am then grateful to Him for his grace.

Rab rakha!

[Kaljug Singh]

Gurfateh!

What a great title!

My personal belief is that a Sikh is either a Lion and a King or a Lioness and a Princess, and should look the part.

When a lion is awake and prowling, the whole jungle is aware of its magnificent presence and follows its every movement with baited breath. I believe the presence of a Sikh should have the same effect on his surroundings and the people around him, because he or she is a representative of the Lion of the Spiritual World, Shahenshah Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

A Sikh is proud because he is in the form given by Dasmesh Pita, not for any other reason.

Here's what Yamamoto Tsunetomo says about taking care of one's appearance in his Hagakure, a book which was used as a guide book by Samurai:

"Every morning, the samurai of fifty or sixty years ago would bathe, shave their foreheads, put lotion in their hair, cut their fingernails and toenails rubbing them with pumice and then with wood sorrel, and without fail pay attention to their personal appearance. It goes without saying that their armour in general was kept free from rust, that it was dusted, shined, and arranged.

Although it seems that taking special care of one's appearance is similar to showiness, it is nothing akin to elegance. Even if you are aware that you may be struck down today and are firmly resolved to an inevitable death, if you are slain with an unseemly appearance, you will show your lack of resolve, will be despised by your enemy and will appear unclean."

Regards,

K.

[saint-soldier]

nothing wrong with looking good...lol this is making me laugh to. but seriously though when you go to gurudwara dress simple. this is probably why you are getting looks, coz everyone else is dressed simple and you are probably dressed opposite of that..

although in a gurudwara sahib one shouldnt even be worrying about what clothes others are wearing, but its kalyug and people worry more about how others are dressed then concentrate on the kirtan.........

but outside of gurudwara sahib dont even worry about what others are thinking or how many looks you get :cool: