The Sikh System of SymbolsHave you ever been struck by an unfamiliar religious symbol, whether it be an emblem or a piece of clothing, and wanted to know more? Especially when faced with symbols from Eastern religions that are little understood in the United States, it is easy for stereotypes and misunderstandings to form based on symbols. However, instead of being a point of ignorance, symbols can be a jumping off point for education and learning about foreign cultures and belief systems. Using only the system of symbols of one particular Eastern religion, Sikhism, I will show how one can gain insight into the religion as a whole.

The Khanda is the main emblem of Sikhism and is to Sikhs as the cross is to Christians. The khanda gets its name from the double edged sword depicted in the middle of the emblem. The sword is a symbol for God. It is the center of the emblem to show God’s supreme power within the universe. The two edges of the sword symbolize Divine knowledge and justice. It is also said that the khanda is the weapon that God used to shape the universe with. Around the blade of the Khanda is a circle that represents the eternity of God; just as the circle has no end, Sikh’s believe that God is eternal. The two curved swords around the circle are known as kirpans. The twin kirpans are a symbol of balance. They represent the dual commitment of the Sikh to his spiritual and temporal allegiances.

Ik OnkarIk Onkar, meaning “one God”, represents the central belief of Sikhism. The idea that there is one God, one Supreme Reality uniting the universe is the driving belief system behind Sikhism. The oneness of God is perhaps the largest way in which Sikhism separates itself from Hinduism, which was a great influencer to Sikhism. Ik Onkar is also significant in that it is the first phrase in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture.

Mool Mantra (the opening to the Guru Granth Sahib containing Ik Onkar):There is but one God. Truth by name, the creator, all-pervading spirit, without fear, without enmity. Whose existence is unaffected by time, who does not take birth, self-existent, who is to be realized through his grace

WaheguruWaheguru literally translates to “the wonderful teacher”. Sikhism is unique to many other religions in that it does not believe in an anthropomorphic interpretation of God. Thus to please God, Sikhs must live in a way that benefits the universe. For a Sikh to achieve the ultimate goal of merging with God, he is really trying to become one with the universe as taught by the ten Sikh gurus.

Guru Granth SahibThe Guru Granth Sahib is the holy scripture of the Sikhs. Also called the Adi Granth, Sikh’s believe that it contains the spirit of the ten Sikh gurus the last and eternal guru after Guru Gobind Singh. The Adi Granth was first compiled by Guru Arjan Dev in 1604. In 1678 Guru Gobind Singh created a final version of Guru Arjan’s work. The complete Guru Granth Sahib contains teachings from the first five gurus through Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Teg Bahadur, and one scripture from Guru Gobind Singh. It also contains some Hindu and Sufi hymns. The presence of the Guru Granth Sahib is required in all official Sikh ceremonies.

At the turn of the 18th century, Guru Gobind Singh performed the first Sikh baptism called Amrit. At that time he declared that all baptized Sikhs wear 5 “articles of faith” at all times, which have come to be known as “the 5 Ks” of Sikhism.

Wearing the 5 Ks are an outward display of a Sikh’s commitment to the teachings of the gurus and to becoming a Khalsa, a Sikh who has been baptized and completely devoted himself to Sikhim in thought and in action as defined by Guru Gobind Singh.

The 5 Ks

Kesh

"Let living in his presence,With mind rid of impurities,Be your discipline. Keep the God-given form intact,With a turban donned on your head." Adi Granth, P. 1084- Line 12

Kesh is the most important of the “5 Ks”. Kesh, or uncut hair, is a symbol of spirituality. Sikhs consider it a sin to cut their hair. Hair is a natural part of the human body and to alter it would be disrespectful to God’s perfection as the Creator.Sikh men are obligated to wear a turban to protect their hair and keep it clean. Turbans are optional for women. Maintaining kesh and wearing the turban also remind Sikhs of living according to the teaching of the gurus. The significance of kesh is recorded in the Adi Granth:

Kangha

Kangha is a wooden comb that can easily be worn at all times. It is a symbol of cleanliness and self-discipline. Sikhs are required to comb their hair twice a day (morning and night). Sikhs must never let their hair become unkempt and matted. Just as the comb detangles and cleans the hair, Sikhs are reminded of cleansing their mind of impurities.

KirpanThe kirpan is a ceremonial daggar. The word kirpan comes from two words, “kirpa” meaning an act of kindness, and “aan” meaning honor or respect. The Sikhs are non-violent people who believe in self-defense only when all other means have failed, thus the kirpan was originally meant for Sikhs to use for self-defense against their enemies. However, it is no longer used as a weapon. The kirpan is meant to symbolize Sikh dignity and their struggle against injustice.

The kara is a steel band that is meant to remind Sikhs of God’s presence at all times. It is also a symbol of self restrain, reminiscent of wearing shackles in slavery.

The Guru Granth Sahib explains the importance of kara, stating:“With your hands and feet, do all your work, but let your consciousness remain with the Immaculate Lord” (SGGS page 1376)

Kara

KacheraKachera is a pair of shorts worn as underwear. They symbolize self control and chastity. The kachera remind baptized Sikhs of their high moral character. Sikhs are taught the importance of sexual self control in the Guru Granth Sahib, which states: Through the Kind and Compassionate True Guru, I have met the Lord; I have conquered sexual desire, anger and greed. (SGGS page 81).Sexual desire is considered one of the 5 evils in Sikhism, so the kachera are symbolic of overcoming that evil.

Nishan SahibThe Nishan Sahib is the Sikh flag which is flown outside of all Gurdwara (Sikh houses of worship). Nishan is a Pershian word meaning “flag” and Sahib is Arabic for “lord” or “master”. The top of the flag staff is a Khanda, the double edged sword, and some Nishan Sahib will have Ik Onkar inscribed on them. Traditionally Nishan Sahib are a bright saffron color so that the presence of Khalsa can be easily seen by other Sikhs. It is very important for the flag to be replaced once its brightness has faded. The Nishan Sahib is most important to Sikhs as a symbol of Sikh unity and a means to create visibility of Sikhs among larger communities.

There are ten gurus, or teachers, in Sikhism who lived between 1469 and 1708. The first guru, Nanank Dev, and the last guru, Gobind Singh, are considered the most important of all the gurus. Guru Nanank Dev was the founder of Sikhism and over 900 of his hymns are in the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh gave Sikhs the concept of Khalsa and the 5 K’s. Sikhs believe that the divine spirit of the gurus was passed on from one to the next. Guru Gobind Singh declared that after his death, the spirit of the gurus would be passed on into the Sikh holy scripture, hence why it’s called the Guru Granth Sahib.

Gurus

SurnamesSingh and KaurOne of the biggest differences that Sikhism has from Hinduism is that Sikhs reject the Hindu caste system; instead they believe in the equality of all people. This is especially important in terms of the equality of women, who at the time that Sikhism was created were treated as property in most other religions. One way that Sikhism symbolizes the equality of all people is through the use of surnames. Guru Gobind Singh declared that all Sikh men should adopt the name Singh, meaning lion, and all Sikh women take the name Kaur, meaning princess, thus establishing equality among genders and individuals.

ConclusionFrom the belief in the universal spirit of waheguru, to the 5 K’s of purity, to the promotion of equality through surnames, one can see that peace and unity within the universe are the key beliefs to Sikhism. When I see a Sikh man wearing a turban, I now understand the symbolism of that turban—how he is observing one the the 5 Ks of Sikhism and how his turban is symbolic of his respect to God and the natural perfection of the universe. More importantly than just understanding Sikhism, one can see in this collection of images how religion is as Clifford Geertz says, “a system of symbols”; symbols embody the teachers, the scriptures, the beliefs, the history, and the culture of a religion. The power of the symbols is that they are a physical manifestation of beliefs. The symbols make the ideas something we can see, or feel, or interact with. The symbols are what make religion come to life; they make religion real.

Sources“Sikhiwiki” <http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Main_Page>

“The Sikhism Home Page” < http://www.sikhs.org/topics.htm >

“Sikhism” < http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/sikhism.html >

“Sikh Gurus” < http://www.sikhismguide.org/gurus.shtml >

“Sikhism: It’s beliefs, practices, symbol and names”<http://www.religioustolerance.org/sikhism2.htm>

“Sikhism Basics” < http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Sikhism/Sikhism-Basics.aspx>

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