In Sikh philosophy
and practice, the keeping of unshaven hair (Kesh) means that the
Sikh lives in and resigns himself to the Will of God (Hukam).
Again it is by the Will of God that man has been created the highest
being in God's creation. This wonderful universe with its innumerable
suns and planets came into being according to His command (Hukam).
The whole of His creation and the laws that govern it and operate
the highly complicated system of the universe, are in accordance
with His Will. God's Will is supreme. Guru Nanak, the founder
of the Sikh faith, writes about this supreme Will of the Creator
in Japji: "By the Will of God all forms come into being.
The working of that Will cannot be described. It is by His Will
that the forms develop life in them and grow exalted; Some become
good and others evil, And receive pain and pleasure accordingly.
By that Will some are brought under grace; And the others are
doomed forever. All the subject to the supreme Will, none is outside
its pale, Nanak, if this be rightly understood, no one would assert
himself. "
It was thus
quite apt that the form and appearance of the Guru's Sikh should
essentially be that which God almighty has given him according
to His Will (Hukam). A woman's beauty lies in her smooth skin
and rounded face while a man's beard signifies his masculinity,
strength and virility. In a debate at Mecca, Guru Nanak explained
his viewpoint regarding the Kesh (unshaven hair) to Pir Bahauddin
in the following words reported in the Janam Sakhi (Traditional
Story) : Pir Bahauddin: Why have, you, 0 Baba Nanak, overlooked
both the Hindu and Muslim traditions in their entirety? Baba Nanak:
Listen Bahauddin, I tell you that both the Hindus and the Muslims
have degraded themselves by shaving their hair. Pir Bahauddin:
Without the Muslim law, no one can become pure. Without circumcision,
a man cannot receive honour in God's court. Baba Nanak: The real
circumcision is to live in God's Will. One should die with the
hair intact; the hair with which one is born. He who keeps the
hair as God's trust, is really a great man. The first circumcision
is the hair and keeping it on the head is to live in His Will.
He who keeps the hair intact, lives by honest labour, and shuns
other's right, is honoured by God. Some undergo circumcision,
others cut holes in their ears; it is only the dishonest who try
to tamper with God's gift of completeness of human form.
Finally Guru Nanak declared that with a turban on, the human form
becomes complete in all respects and the unshaven hair is the
symbol of the one universal religion, which we all inherit at
birth.
The sanctity of keeping uncut hair (Kesh) with Keski (Turban)
on has been observed by all Sikh Gurus (From Guru Nanak to Guru
Gobind Singh) and it was Guru Arjan who wrote in Raag Maru (page
1084 of the Sikh Holy Book.) "Sabat Surat Dastar Sira "which
means 'Keep the God-given form intact with a turban donned on
your head'.
The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, the founder of the Khalsa,
gave the command that these symbols (5 K's) are a must. These
are a mode of discipline signifying the wearer's belongingness
to the Khalsa. The five K's are a test of a Sikh's firmness and
strength of his faith. They foster Brotherhood and a sense of
unity. They make a Sikh look like the Guru himself and inspire
him to follow the Guru's command. Guru Gobind Singh wrote the
following about his Khalsa: "The Khalsa is my own special
form I always manifest in the Sikhs (Khalsa). The Khalsa is my
body and soul". |
