Amrit and Five Kakaars

Five Kakaars are articles of faith and veneration for a devoted sikh. They remind us of the sacred commandments of the Divine Guru on the auspicious occasion of creation of the Khalsa. These facilitate awakening Guru consciousness in our minds.

These articles of faith and attendant commandments have become part and parcel of our daily life, of our body, mind and soul. It is only in perpetual faithful obedience of Guru's commandments that a true sikh can consecrate his body, mind and soul in a befitting and worthy manner.

	Tan Man Dhan Sab Saunp Gur Ko Hukam Maniey Paaiey
	Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Page 918

A true sikh so devoted to the Guru always basks in the sunlight of His eternal living presence “Gur Mere Sang Sada Hai Naley”, and his character is par excellence.

Guru consciousness thus awakened, reins of his thoughts, speech and actions are held, controlled and guided by the beloved Satguru.

Through these boons He infused truthful living in the very veins of Khalsa, raising his character to the point of excellence.

A sikh is aware of his Guru's eternal presence with him with this holy gift of personal identity.

A true sikh mentally and physically attired in Guru's identity feels totally possessed by the Divine Guru. He remains in His holy grip. With this holy possession and holy grip, his mind, his thoughts, his speech, his actions become holy. Totally devoid of egoism, he lives in perfect tune with the sweet will of the beloved Satguru.

Adorning this uniform, a sikh lives in the light and grace of the Great Guru. With Guru consciousness awakened, this uniform becomes a powerful source of strength. This uniform prompts consecration of all activities unto the Satguru. The Great Guru glorified His total identity with the Khalsa in His most wonderful outpouring “Khalsa Mero Roop Hai Khas”. And it is for us now to sanctify and uphold the sanctity of this outpouring. We have to prove equal to the faith reposed in us and sanctify this holy identification.

In this attire, uniform of pride, let us cognise the perpetual presence of our beloved Satguru with us in all ups and downs of our life.

The life of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, our Saviour and Protector, was highly disciplined and so were the lives of His five Beloved ones and all others who had adorned this uniform, uniform of sacred five Kakaars. Their precious lives and identity in this uniform of great pride passes on to us a code of unique discipline. And as children of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, inheritors of this proud uniform, we must abide by this code of discipline as upholders of Truth.

The flashing sword of Guru Gobind Singh leads true sikhs, the upholders of Truth, the protectors of Dharma and the oppressed everywhere. Sword worn by a sikh is a Sword of Honour given personally by Sri Guru Gobind Singh, in inheritance.

Observance of this code of discipline is holy in its origin and effect. It not only facilitates awakening Guru consciousnessness but also sustains and deepens it. It attracts Satguru's pleasure and grace. Spiritually it is most rewarding. It strengthens the bond of Guru-Sikh relationship. It leads to total spiritual satisfaction.

	Khalsa Mero Roop Hai Khas Khalsa Meh Hon Karon Niwas
	Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib

Identity should not be limited to the gross body only. Subtle and casual bodies should also be moulded in this sacred identity and filled to the brim with the love, adoration and worship of most lovable, most adorable, most worshipable Guru Gobind Singh. Cognisance of this physical body is limited to a short span of physical existence, whereas true love of the Guru is a taste of the Eternity, of the Bliss Eternal, of an honourable place at His Lotus Feet in Sachkhand.

Let us attire our heart with this holiest of the holy cosmic identity of Guru Gobind Singh Ji with all sublime ideals set forth, practiced and lived by Him. And let us fill our hearts to the brim with the Nectar of Prema on which our Beloved Guru Gobind Singh thunders as the Greatest Spiritual Lion.

Saach Kahou Sun Laih Sabhai Jin Prem Kio Tin Hi Prabh Paio

Guru Gobind Singh carved a golden path to blessedness for us; a sublime culture which is a sure path to blessedness. He planted the banner of Truth, the banner of Divine Peace and Universal Love, the banner of Righteousness and True Dharma and the banner of the Eternal Glory of Lord's Nam.

When mind and body are offered at the lotus feet of the beloved Satguru they are purified. With body attired in His identity, in His proud uniform and with mind rolling at His holy feet both mind and body are controlled by the Divine. The mind remains dyed with the Nectar of the Divine Name and the body performs only pure and heroic deeds.

	Sarb Dharam Mein Shreisht Dharam Har Ko Nam Jap Nirmal Karam
	Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Page 266
	“Best of all religions is the thirst for the Divine and pure deeds, says Sri Guru Arjan Sahib.”

Khalsa remains always enveloped in the halo of the Divine. Mighty rays of the Divine Love of the Amrit Nam and purity of deeds radiate from his whole being.

This is the way a true sikh, a khalsa can lose and merge his little individuality in the Divine and cosmic identity of the Great Guru called GURU GOBIND SINGH.

This most auspicious day for the Khalsa reminds us of the flashing and bleeding sword in the hand of our Lord Guru Gobind Singh asking for another head. This in itself is indicative of a total surrender, a total sacrifice as the first and the foremost essential pre-requisite for earning and attaining His Grace Eternal. We have to offer our head at His Holy feet, at the altar of the flashing Bhagauti in His Holy Hand. Thereafter, with headless (egoless) existence, having died while living, be blessed with Nectar of Immortality from the holy hands of our beloved Guru Gobind Singh.

Baisakhi is a holy festival of total sacrifice, total surrender at the lotus feet of our Holy Guru Gobind Singh to attain Vision Eternal. It is a festival which awakens in us ‘Love of Death’. Love of life had been abandoned by the Five Beloved Ones before seeking holy death. True lovers of the beloved Lord seek death and not life.

From its very inception Sikh religion is universal, non-sectarian; it embraces all religions alike in its divine folds.

It is a religion of the Glory of God, Glory of His Immortal Nam, Glory of Love, Glory of Spirit, Glory of true lovers and saints of all religious faiths.