Amrit Sanchar

Amrit Sanchar (also called Khande di Pahul) is the Sikh ceremony of initiation or baptism. The Amrit Sanchar is the initiation rite introduced by Guru Gobind Singh when he founded the Khalsa in 1699.[1]

A Sikh who has been initiated into the Khalsa is titled as "Amritdhari" or "Khalsa" after Singh (man) or Kaur (woman). Those who undergo initiation are expected to dedicate themselves to Vahiguru and work toward the establishment of the Khalsa Raj.[2] A Sikh who can go through this initiation should not be of very young age.[1][3]

History

Khande di Pahul was initiated in the times of Guru Gobind Singh ji when the Guru established the Order of Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib on the day of Vaisakhi in 1699. Guru Gobind Singh addressed the congregation from the entryway of a tent pitched on a hill (now called Kesgarh Sahib). He drew his sword and asked for a volunteer who was willing to sacrifice his head. No one answered his first call, nor the second call, but on the third invitation, a person called Daya Ram (later known as Bhai Daya Singh) came forward and offered his head to the Guru. Guru Gobind Singh took the volunteer inside the tent, and emerged shortly, with blood dripping from his sword. He then demanded another head. One more volunteer came forward, and entered the tent with him. The Guru again emerged with blood on his sword. This happened three more times. Then the five volunteers came out of the tent unharmed. Everyone was very confused.

These five men came to be known as Panj Piare or the "Beloved Five". These five were initiated into the Khalsa by receiving Amrit. These five were Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Mukham Singh, Bhai Sahib Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh and Bhai Himmat Singh. Sikh men were then given the name Singh meaning "lion" and the women received the last name Kaur meaning "princess"

Khande Di Pahul not only embodies the primary objects of Sikh faith and the promises connected therewith, but also is itself a promise to lead a pure and pious life to unite with Almighty Lord. It is about inward cleansing of the conscience and seeking unity with Supreme Lord through His Grace. The word Pahul is a derivative from the substantive Pahu – which is an agent which brightens, accelerates or sharpens the potentialities of a given object

Directions to the Amrit Ceremony

Macauliffe writes

"The Guru caused his five faithful Sikhs to stand up. He put pure water into an iron vessel and stirred it with a Khanda or two edged sword. He then repeated over it the sacred verses which he appointed for the ceremony, namely, the Japji, the Jaap, Guru Amar Das's Anand, and certain swaiyas or quatrains of his own composition."
– The Sikh Religion by M.A. Macauliffe, V–5, p. 94

The person being initiated "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh". The salutation is repeated and the holy water is sprinkled on their eyes and hair, five times. The remainder of the nectar is shared by all receiving the initiation, all drinking from the same bowl.

After this, all those taking part in the ceremony recite the Mool Mantra and they are inducted into the Khalsa.

References and notes

  1. 1 2 Singh. "Amrit ceremony". BBC. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  2. Woodhead, Linda (2016). Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations. New York: Routledge. p. 140. ISBN 9780415858809.
  3. Publ. by Dharam Parchar Committee. (1994). Sikh Reht Maryada. The Code of Sikh Conduct & Conventions. Amritsar: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. p. 34.
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