Teachings of Guru Gobind Singh and the Khalsa

The teachings that Guru Gobind Singh proclaimed to the Panj Piare, the “Beloved Five” who became the first initiates into the Khalsa, are believed by Sikhs to make up the Rahit, the regulatory code that spells out correct belief and behavior for members of the Khalsa.

The Rahit contains vital teachings pertaining to the religious life. As we observed in the opening of the chapter, Manjit and Sandeep, as part of their initiation into the Khalsa, were taught certain norms of behavior, all of which are contained in the Rahit. Among the teachings are four cardinal prohibitions (kurahif): cutting one’s hair, eating meat that has been improperly slaughtered (specifically, slaughtered according to Muslim regulations), engaging in extramarital sex, and using tobacco. Along with these and other prohibitions, the Rahit also sets forth requirements, including the requirement to don the Five Ks, so named because all five of the items begin in Punjabi with the letter “k.” The Five Ks are as follows:

• Kes, uncut hair, symbolizing the Sikh belief that one should not interfere with natural, God-given form

• Kangha, a small comb worn in the hair, a reminder of cleanliness

• Kara, a steel wristlet, affirming constant connectedness with God

• Kirpan, a sword, a sign of devotion to truth and to the defense of just causes

• Kachh, a pair of shorts tied with a drawstring, symbolizing chastity

Gurbaj Singh Multani (right) wears a ceremonial dagger, known as a kirpan, after a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 2,2006. Multiculturalism and religious freedom trumped safety concerns in a Canadian Supreme Court decision that allows orthodox Sikh students to carry traditional daggers to school.

To some extent, both the meaning and the practical implications of the Five Ks have varied somewhat through the centuries. At the time the Khalsa was founded, for example, the wearing of a sword would have suggested true preparedness to fight. Today, the kirpan is usually only five to eight inches long and often is concealed underneath clothing in order not to appear threatening.

Study of Sikh teachings has led us naturally to a consideration of some historical aspects of the Sikh tradition. In the next section, we take up in more detail significant events from the time of Guru Nanak to the present.

Self-Assessment 7.1

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