$JES 911 Essence of World Religions Reference Book

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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Essence of World Religions
To know God, the Guru is essential as a guide, who is absorbed in love of the Real and is able to awaken the soul to its true and divine nature. The world is Mayä, a vain and transitory illusion. Only God is true as all else passes away. The ten Sikh Gurus are all true teachers which are: Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amardäs, Guru Rämdäs, Guru Arjundev, Guru Har Govind, Guru Har Räi, Guru Har Kishan, Guru Tegh Bahädur, and Guru Govind Singh. Adopt the last name Singh, which means Lion, signifying courage. Adopt the five symbols (five K's):
Wear white soldier's short uniform (Kachha): signifies Purity Keep Sword (Kirpan): signifies Bravery Wear Iron Bracelet (Karä): signifies Morality Never cut hair and beard (Kesha): signifies Renunciation
Keep Comb (Kangha) in hair: signifies Cleanliness Symbols The Sikh symbol called Khandaa consists of two side swords, a circular shield, and a double edge sword in the middle. The two swords on the side represent Miri (worldly power) and Piri (spiritual power). The circular shield indicates that God has no beginning or end. The double edged sword in the middle emphasizes that a Sikh is committed to peace with justice and that when all peaceful means are exhausted and the tyranny over the weak and oppressed continues, it is rightful for a Sikh to become a soldier striving for justice in pursuit of peace.
Holidays Sikhs follow a lunar calendar. All holidays follow a similar pattern of celebration such as worship and langar (Sikh community meal). The dates for commemorating the birth-day of each of the ten gurus are distributed throughout the year. Those of the founder (Guru Nanak) and of the tenth guru (Guru Gobind Singh), and the martyrdom anniversaries of the fifth and ninth Gurus are the most prominent ones. In April, Baisäki is an important commemoration of the formation of
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