|
|
|
|
|
Sikh Reht
Maryada
THE CODE
OF SIKH CONDUCT AND CONVENTIONS
Other
Rites and Conventions
Sewa
(Voluntary Service)
1. Seva
is a prominent part of Sikh religion. Illustrative models of voluntary
service are organised for imparting training, in the Gurdwaras. Its
simple forms are : sweeping and plastering the floors of the Gurdwara,
serving water to or fanning the congregation, offering provisions to
and rendering any, kind of service in the common kitchen-cum-eating
house, dusting the shoes of the people visiting the Gurdwara, etc.
a. Guru Ka Langar : The philosophy behind the
Langar (Guru's kitchen-cum-eating-house) is two-fold : to provide
training to the Sikhs in voluntary service and to help banish all
distinction of high and low, touchable and untouchable from the Sikhs'
minds.
b. All human beings, high or low, and of any caste or colour may sit
and eat in the Langar. No discrimination on grounds of the country of
origin, colour, caste or religion must be made while making people sit
in rows for eating. However, only Amritdhari Sikhs can eat off one
plate.
|
Panthak
Rehni (Facets of Corporate Sikh Life) |
The essential facets of Panthak life are :
1. Guru Panth (the Panth's Guru status)
2. The ceremony of Amrit Sanskar (Khande di
Pahul)
3. The statute of chastisement for aberrations
4. The statute of collective resolution (Gurmata)
5. The appeal against local decisions
|
Guru
Panth (Panth's Status of Guruhood) |
The concept of service is not confined to fanning the congregation,
service to and in the Guru ka Langar etc. A Sikh's entire life is a
life of benevolent exertion. The most fruitful service is the service
that secures the optimum good by minimal endeavour. That can be
achieved through organised collective action. A Sikh has, for this
reason, to fulfil his Panthak obligations (obligations as a member of
the entity, the Panth), even as he/she performs his/her individual
duties. This corporate entity is the Panth. Every Sikh has also to
fulfil his obligations as a unit of the corporate body, the Panth.
a. The Guru Panth (Panth's status of Guruhood)
means the whole body of committed Amritdhari Sikhs. This body was
fostered by all the ten Gurus and The tenth Nanak Guru Gobind Singh
Sahib gave it its final shape and invested it with Guruhood.
|
