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SIKHISM PORTAL

Welcome to the Sikhism Portal on Thursday, 11 September 2008 Sikhism is the fifth largest organised religion in the world.

Sikhism History of Sikhism Sikh names

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Sikhism (IPA: ['siːkɪz(ə)m] (help·info) or ['sɪk-] (info); Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖੀ, sikkhī, IPA: ['sɪk.kʰiː] (info)) is a religion that began in fifteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive Gurus. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the teachings of the Gurus) or the Sikh Dharma. Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root śiṣya meaning "disciple" or "learner", or śikṣa meaning "instruction."^[1][2] Sikhism is the ninth-largest religion in the world, and is generally considered the fifth largest organised religion, depending on how one defines an "organised religion".^[3]

The principal belief in Sikhism is faith in one God — Vāhigurū — represented using the sacred symbol of ik ōaṅkār. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on the name and message of God. The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus, or enlightened leaders, as well as the holy scripture — the Gurū Granth Sāhib — which includes the selected works of many authors from diverse socioeconomic and religious backgrounds. The text was decreed by Gobind Singh as the final guru of the Khalsa Panth. Sikhism's traditions and teachings are distinctly associated with the history, society and culture of the Punjab. Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs (students or disciples) and number over 23 million across the world. However, most Sikhs live in the state of Punjab in India; prior to partition, millions of Sikhs lived in what is now the Punjab province of Pakistan.

References

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Selected article

The Sikh Confederacy (from 1716-1799) was a collection of small to medium sized political Sikh states, which were governed by barons, in Punjab. They were loosely politically linked but strongly bound in the cultural and religious spheres. Guru Gobind Singh before leaving for Nanded had divided responsibility of Punjab into separate regions (with borders). The records for these were kept at Amritsar. As the Sikh Army (Dal Khalsa) grew new regions where administered and new Sikh barons came to the fore and the number of large misls. The period from 1716 to 1799 in Punjab was a highly turbulent time politically and militarily. This was caused by the overall decline of the Mughal Empire, particularly in Punjab caused by Sikh military action against it. This left a power vacuum that was eventually filled by the Sikh Confederacy. The Sikh Confederacy would eventually be superseded by the Sikh Empire but its influence would still remain strong throughout the empire's history. All the Sikh barons who were affiliated with the Sikh Confederacy were nobility with usually long and prestigious family histories in the Sikh religion and Punjab's history in general. Their military exploits outside their kingdoms were legendary & famous in Sikh history. The barons in the early stages of the Sikh Confederacy were very cordial and hospitable with each other. However, during the later stages of the Sikh Confederacy, they had lost most of idealism and great rivalry & friendships emerged between the later barons. This is one of the reasons given by scholars why such a powerful military force never conquered and governed large parts of India outside Punjab. Constant warfare between the later barons meant time, energy and resources were spent on feuds rather than large expansion.

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The Eleven Gurus

#	Name	Date of birth	Guruship on	Date of ascension	Age
1	Nanak Dev	15 April 1469	20 August 1507	22 September 1539	69
2	Angad Dev	31 March 1504	7 September 1539	29 March 1552	48
3	Amar Das	5 May 1479	26 March 1552	1 September 1574	95
4	Ram Das	24 September 1534	1 September 1574	1 September 1581	46
5	Arjan Dev	15 April 1563	1 September 1581	30 May 1606	43
6	Har Gobind	19 June 1595	25 May 1606	28 February 1644	48
7	Har Rai	16 January 1630	3 March 1644	6 October 1661	31
8	Har Krishan	7 July 1656	6 October 1661	30 March 1664	7
9	Tegh Bahadur	1 April 1621	20 March 1665	11 November 1675	54
10	Gobind Singh	22 December 1666	11 November 1675	7 October 1708	41
11	Guru Granth Sahib	n/a	7 October 1708	Eternity	n/a

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Guru Nanak Dev with Mardana and Bala.

Photo credit: SikhiWiki

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Selected scripture

ਸਤਿਜੁਗ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਵਾਸਦੇਵ ਵਾਵਾ ਵਿਸ਼ਨਾ ਨਾਮ ਜਪਾਵੈ॥
In Krita Yuga, Vishnu in the form of Vasudeva is said to have incarnated and ‘V’ Of Vahiguru reminds of Vishnu.

ਦੁਆਪਰ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਹਰੀਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਹਾਹਾ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਧਿਆਵੈ॥
The true Guru of Dwapara Yuga is said to be Harikrishna and ‘H’ of Vahiguru reminds of Hari.

ਤ੍ਰੇਤੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਰਾਮ ਜੀ ਰਾਰਾ ਰਾਮ ਜਪੇ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਵੈ॥
In the Treta Yuga was Rama and ‘R’ of Vahiguru tells that remembering Rama will produce joy and happiness.

ਕਲਿਜੁਗ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਗਗਾ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ਨਾਮ ਜਪਾਵੈ॥
In Kali Yuga, Gobind is in the form of Nanak and ‘G’ of Vahiguru gets Govind recited.

ਚਾਰੇ ਜਾਗੇ ਚਹੁ ਜੁਗੀ ਪੰਚਾਇਣ ਵਿਚ ਜਾਇ ਸਮਾਵੈ॥
The recitations of all the four ages subsume in Panchayan (i.e. in the soul of the common man).

ਚਾਰੋਂ ਅਛਰ ਇਕ ਕਰ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜਪ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਜਪਾਵੈ॥
When joining four letters Vahiguru is remembered,

ਜਹਾਂ ਤੇ ਉਪਜਿਆ ਫਿਰ ਤਹਾਂ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥੪੯॥੧॥
The Jiva merges again in its origin. ||1||

Bhāī Gurdās - Vārāṁ Bhāī Gurdās Vār 1 Paurī 49

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Did you know?

• ...that Bhai Gurdas was the original scribe of the Guru Granth Sahib?

• ...that the 5Ks are worn by all Khalsa Sikhs as per the principles set by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru?
• ...that Guru Nanak is regarded as Lama across Tibet And Arunchal Pardesh , Do you know when Guru Nanak Dev ji went to Tibet?
• ...that Guru Har Rai (pictured) succeeded Guru Har Gobind at the young age of 14?
• ...that a gurmata is an order passed by the Sarbat Khalsa in the presence of the Gurū Granth Sāhib?
• ...that Harmandir Sahib was attacked 11 times?

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