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Guru Nanak started his discourses, which ended up as a formidable and singular religion, which included the good beliefs of the two dominant religions in the region at that time, Hinduism and Islam. From Islam it adopted the belief in the existence of one invisible God, and from Hinduism it adopted the belief of reincarnation. He was of the view that man must have a vocation, and thus must work hard, and share his earnings with those less fortunate. To reach attainment, he did not have to go to the mountains to pray or do pennance, but could reach God by service to his fellow beings, living a life of love, devotion, prayers and good deeds.
About 2% of India's population are Sikhs, and yet play an important role in the defense forces (with thirty percent of it made up by the Sikhs), agriculture and commerce. |
Sikhism: Sikhism is based
on the teachings of ten Gurus (teachers or learned ones), the first
of whom was Guru Nanak (1469-1539) and the last, in a human form, was
Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708). Today, the Guru Granth Sahib is the current
Guru. It is a book in verse compiled by Guru Arjun Dev (1563 - 1606)
the fifth Guru, containing the writings of the preceding Sikh Gurus,
and Farid, Kabir, Ram Das, Jaidev and Bhikham, all Hindu Saints and
Muslim Fakirs, and given its final rendering by the tenth Guru.
The last Guru, guru Gobind Singh, defined Sikhism as a
race and a religion with the ensuing moral code: That they should add
"Singh" (lion) to their name and be baptized by taking "Amrit" (holy,
or "communion" water). Further, he gave them a uniform consisting of
five "Ks": (1) Kesh (uncut hair) to represent a complete natural person
as made by God, thus showing non-attachment to vanity, (2) Kanga, a
comb to keep the hair tidy, (3) Kachha (underpants) rather than the
loose "dhoti" (a type of a sarong for males) worn by all at that time
to signify an active person who had self-control and continence, (4)
Kirpan (a short sword) to symbolize freedom from oppression, but useful
for self defense or to defend the weak, and, (5) Kara (a steel bangle)
to signify a strong and unbreakable link to the religion, together with
continuity of life, without beginning, without end, and an awareness
of immortality and of timelessness.