The Khalsa or the Elect (The four pillars of Sikhism.)

3.   The four pillars of Sikhism.

Brethren! The invisible throne on which great Guru Gobind Singh sits with the elect has four feet. I have mentioned to you the first and foremost of these feet the Nam, the other three are Kirt Karna i.e., earning an honest living by the sweat of one’s brow, being dependent on oneself, and instead o grabbing the possessions of others sharing the same with one and all : for this is what is expected of a Bhai or a true brother. Thirdly, deg, teg, fateh i.e., one must have the power so to use our hands as not only to partake our earnings with others but to wield the sword and the gun if and when necessary i.e., in self-defence. It is very rarely that resort to arms is permissible but when arbitration has proved futile and there is no other alternative to end aggression and religious persecution, then resort to arms becomes an imperative duty. 

     Indeed, it would be sheer cowardice, it sit idle at that critical hour, and let yourself be trampled under-feet like crawling insects. The Khalsa is a born lion (Singh) and therefore, Sikh is primarily a Singh. The fourth and the last foot of this throne is abiding humility : Garibi Gada Hamari. Humility should not, however, not be confused with cringing impotence, for it is quite its reverse. Humility is the crown of all virtues, for it is at the very apex of the pyramid of virtue and it is there where man touches and becomes one with God. Guru Gobind Singh who is the very embodiment of life and energy calls himself not God but only servant of God and in one of his quatrains in the Akal Ustat he sings of “Tuhi Tuhi, i.e., Thou, Thou, O Lord!” In vain would you find in the Sikh Bible the grandiloquent phrases in which the Vedant abounds : the Vedant formula I am God (Aham Brahm assmi) is reversed in Sikhism and we read : “I am naught O Lord, Thou art all” for that is what is the essence of reiterated Tuhi. These are then the four outstanding pillars on which the Taj (soul-dome) of Sikhism rests. In them lies the kernel of time, democracy and that spirit of equality

that sweeps untouchability from within and not from without and of which our common (kitchen) Langer is the best proof. There are many other virtues which are connected with the above even as spring water has its connection with many a wet recess hidden in the bowels of earth. The basal virtue which feeds others is Brahmcharya : for that is the fountain from which the spring of life bubbles. The Kachh (half pent) is a constant reminder to us of this virtue and it enjoins us to keep ourselves continent, for in conserving that fountain we conserve life spiritual. But continence should not be confused with monkery for there are no monks or nuns in Sikhism. 

Previous                HOME                Next