A Question About Kesh

[gurdssingh]

if you don't cut your nails then this happens...

http://www.worldslongestfingernails.com/wp-images/shridhar_chillal_lrg.jpg

how are you meant to eat, read, work like that?

yes we are born naked. but if we remain naked we will freeze- we unlike some animals do not have fur.

and it is most probably illegal in your country!

why do u think we were given kashereh as a kakar?

anyway im bored of arguing about being naked so im not commenting in this thread again.

aurevoir monsieur

Ok.

[Only five]

SSA sangat ji,

I have always followed rehat from my birth and I have also read our history; how our beloved gurujis were firm about keeping kesh. But I am not sure for what reason do we have hair as one of the K's? I am not against keeping them for the rest of my life, but can anyone explain me and give some more insight. I am a new bud, I have less knowledge about Sikhi but I really want to learn and abide.

The point is that sometimes I dont get answers from any of my friends but these are the questions that comes to my mind often. I can understand and logically prove the other K's being a part of any soldiers life but this baffles me.

Bhul chuk maaf.

It gives the Khalsa an identity where they wear dastars and stick out in a crowd. They can't blend in with the rest of the crowd. Hair uncut is the identity of Akal Purakh. I'm not refering to some smoking joe who keeps hair uncut, but the Khalsa. Gurbani refers to Akal Purakh as the long haired Lord. Those that cut their hair, don't matter how much someone says they are spiritual beings, there is still the lack of Akal in them. Not letting the hair grow is the lack of wisdom in the person. Bhagat Kabir ji Maharaj say it is useless to shave your head because everthing is done with the mind.

[Harpreet_Singh]

A sikhs hair and dastaar is our identity. It is a hukam of Guru Sahib.It is what makes us who we are as a distinct people/race/culture. I really doubt you will find the magical reason you are looking for that will answer your question. Also, it should be noted that historically long hair has been associated with spirituality and meditation. (also stated in bani) Can you really picture someone with no kes being able to reach that ultimate destination.

But if you are looking for the health benefits and practical reasons for keeping kes there are a couple books that are out there. I think one is called "Hair Power".

It gives the Khalsa an identity where they wear dastars and stick out in a crowd. They can't blend in with the rest of the crowd. Hair uncut is the identity of Akal Purakh. I'm not refering to some smoking joe who keeps hair uncut, but the Khalsa. Gurbani refers to Akal Purakh as the long haired Lord. Those that cut their hair, don't matter how much someone says they are spiritual beings, there is still the lack of Akal in them. Not letting the hair grow is the lack of wisdom in the person. Bhagat Kabir ji Maharaj say it is useless to shave your head because everthing is done with the mind.

My apologies didn't see your post. Pretty much repeated what you said.

[VanHelsingh]

Can you really picture someone with no kes being able to reach that ultimate destination.

A shame for someone with a drastic case of alopecia on the head and face, even if they're amazingly spiritual.

(I'm joking. I agree with you).

[gurdssingh]

So did our guru ji's say we have to keep kesh to stick out from the crowd? Or some other reason?

As we all know in medival Punjab most people wore dastars and kept kesh. Most men had long beards and wore turbans. More so the muslims to keep the tradition of sunnah, they did not tie the hair up but kept it long and did not trim beard. Only in mid 20th century did the practice of northern indians wearing turbans decrase.

As for keeping no kesh and obtaining spritual bliss refer to buddhist monks and muslims on hajj.

Is there no other reason spritually or otherwise why to keep kesh?

[VanHelsingh]

I heard that when Guru Gobind Singh Ji sent out word that he wanted Sikhs to gather at Anandpur for Baisakhi in 1699, he'd already told them a number of months earlier to not cut their kesh or their beards for at least 3 months. I'm sure people were confused as to why such a request was made, but they probably understood after the momentous events of that day.

From the little I know about this particular subject, Sikhs were told to keep hair because we had to be differentiated from the Hindus and the Muslims during those turbulent times. As a very young faith at the time, there was nothing that set us apart from other Asian-based religions if such practices were not adopted. Guru Ji most likely knew that after he had left this earth, the only way a Sikh would be recognised (and thus Sikhi would continue) is if people could clearly tell who was a Sikh and who wasn't.

As for a deeper, spiritual answer for keeping kesh, I don't know but surely Guru Ji's request should be enough.

[bornsikhi]

It is not just for Sikhs - a normal human is born with Kesh - That is the image/Swarrop which Akal Purakh has given to a human being. And it is not just to be kept by Sikhs - the maryada of old age Rishis/Sadhus/previous generation people used to keep Kesh; Sikhism making it mandatory did an excellent job for not violating the Akal Purakh Code of Conduct. In that case, I will classify all rest as Keshless Sikhs.

For a man, distinguishing him from woman when grows up ...

Any other questions OR arguments? There have been people around on this and other such forums, and also elsewhere with such sort of Tark-Vitark analysis with a clear instruction from RSS to finish Sikhism by first attacking the Kesh concept, I wish this question as your first post on this forum was not on these lines ...

I am not one of them who have the motive of slacken the roots of Sikhs, I would never do it for what I follow everyday. I am a kind of person who likes to justify himself for what he is doing.

I did not want to agonize anyone with my question.I am sorry if I did that; and eventually my forum post will increase

I think the basis of every religion is unique and RSS or any other organization cannot uproot Sikhi.

WJKK WJKF

[Only five]

A sikhs hair and dastaar is our identity. It is a hukam of Guru Sahib.It is what makes us who we are as a distinct people/race/culture. I really doubt you will find the magical reason you are looking for that will answer your question. Also, it should be noted that historically long hair has been associated with spirituality and meditation. (also stated in bani) Can you really picture someone with no kes being able to reach that ultimate destination.

But if you are looking for the health benefits and practical reasons for keeping kes there are a couple books that are out there. I think one is called "Hair Power".

My apologies didn't see your post. Pretty much repeated what you said.

Repeats, just reinforce the idea that the Khalsa is not keeping kes blindy and understand there is a spiritual reason behind it. Keeping kes did not start with Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib ji Maharaj. Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji Maharaj told his followers to keep kes. The identity reason just complements the spiritual reason.

[bornsikhi]

Well, except Kirpan, all other kakkars are not a part of a normal (non-Sikh) soldier's life.

How can you logically prove Kanga (COMB) without Kesh; I haven't seen any non-Sikh carrying a Kanga on his head. How can one logically prove Kanga for a soldier?

Kachera is also not a must dress-code for a Soldier, but a special significance for Khalsa.

Kada is also not required for a soldier.

I don't understand how can somebody prove all other K's as a part of any Soldier's life?

Morever, Sikh has a spiritual identity first and the first 4 Kakkar's provide the spirtual context; and then the Kirpan provides the Warrior context - but I am still unable to understand the statement "I can understand and logically prove the other K's being a part of any soldiers life".

(1). How can you prove other 4 Kakkar's (expect Kesh) being a part of USA/UK/Canadian/German etc. etc. i.e. ANY soldier's life; as you say "I can understand and logically prove other K's being a part of any soldiers life".

(2). You seem to have mis-understood the whole concept by thinking of a Sikh as a normal soldier.

A Sikh is not a normal soldier - A normal soldier might get involved in booty/post-war mischeivious acts, like soldiers of Indian Army who do mass human-rights abuse in Kashmir, Indian Police (soldiers) killing innocent Sikhs in Nov' 1984, Indian Army soldiers shooting innocents in a religious place. So, basically these are not soldiers, these are state-sponsored terrorists in the outfit of state provided dress code. A Sikh when he becomes a soldier is guided by the teachings of Guru and Kakkar's never allow him to do any of the mis-deeds as done by state-sponsored terrorists .

Kakkar's are for a Sikh to guide him at every instance and walk of his life to always keep remembrance of Guru's taught path, even when not in soldier's mode, and when a Sikh enters a soldier's mode; not to do deeds as done by state-sponsored-terrorists in the outfit of soldiers.

I really want to write some of my thoughts on your viewpoint.

I am really sticking to the point that I can justify K's as a soldiers life.

1. There are morals taught to every soldier
2. Soldiers represent a side/country for whom they fight
3. Some tools he must possess to keep him clean
4. Some disciplines that he must follow

I am really sure that having kesh is really nice, I want to share my personal experience with what I have been gone through:

This has always happened everyday that I comb my hair and wear Pagdi and continue my daily work. It gives me pleasure and self confidence where I have some other identity other than just a name. I have seen people remembering me more than I do giving me good feeling and this has helped me being more responsible in my life. It is because I have to be more conscious of my deeds and never get involved in any of the useless and demeaning deeds that other people do with their life. It keeps me away from such kinds of people and their world. So in a way this has helped me.

I really want to read more about Sikh being a spiritual soldier and in turn a good human being.

:waheguru: