What are the 5 K's? What are thier symbolic meanings, and why are they important in Sikhism?
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"The 5 items (k'S) are: Kesh (uncut hair), Kanga (small comb), Kara (circular heavy metal bracelet), Kirpan (ceremonial dagger), and Kacha (long underwear)."\n\n"Practicing Sikhs are bound to wear five Kakaars, or articles of faith, known as The Five Ks, at all times. It is done either out of respect for the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, or out of sense of duty or from understanding of their function and purpose and relevance in daily life. It is important to note that The Five Ks are not merely present for symbolic purposes. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, ordered these Five Ks to be worn so that a Sikh could actively use them to make a difference to their own spirituality and to others' spirituality."
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haha.  it could either be making fun of karmic and dogmatic beliefs, or in a literal sense it could mean that the person's karmic beliefs are more important than dogmatic beliefs.\n\nThe person may have switched from a very strict practice to something like Buddhism.
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your in luck i'm punjabi well only half but learned a lot so the golden temple is in armitsar and guru nank found khalsaHe who keeps alight the unquenchable torch of truth, and never swerves from the thought of One God; he who has full love and confidence in God and does not put his faith, even by mistake, in fasting or the graves of Muslim saints, Hindu crematoriums, or Jogis places of sepulchre; he who recognises the One God and no pilgrimages, alms-giving, non-destruction of life, penances, or austerities; and in whose heart the light of the Perfect One shines, - he is to be recognised as a pure member of the Khalsa" (Guru Gobind Singh, 33 Swaiyyas) \n\nThe word "Khalsa" means "pure", Khalsa's are Sikhs which have undergone the sacred Amrit Ceremony initiated by the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. The Khalsa order was initially created on Baisakhi Day March 30 1699, with Guru Gobind Singh baptizing 5 Sikhs and then in turn asking the five Khalsa's to baptize him. Following this the Guru personally baptized thousands of men and women into the Khalsa order. The Khalsa baptism ceremony is undertaken as part of ones own personal spiritual evolution when the initiate is ready to fully live up to the high expectations of Guru Gobind Singh. All Sikhs are expected to be Khalsa or be working towards that objective. \n\n\nThe Khalsa baptism ceremony involves drinking of Amrit (sugar water stirred with a dagger) in the presence of 5 Khalsa Sikhs as well as the Guru Granth Sahib. The initiate is instructed in the following; (a) You shall never remove any hair from any part of thy body, (b) You shall not use tobacco, alcohol or any other intoxicants, (c) You shall not eat the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way, (d) You shall not commit adultery. The initiate is required to wear the physical symbols of a Khalsa at all times as well as follow the Khalsa Code of Conduct. \n\n\n\n Quotes from the Gurus about Who is a Sikh \n\n Comments from Sikh Scholars about who is a Sikh \n\n\nSpiritual Evolution \nStage 1: Manmukh \nA person who is self-centered and only thinks about himself and the material world around him and is totally oblivious to God. \nStage 2: Sikh \nAnyone who sets out on the path of learning and meets the specific definition of a Sikh as appears in the Reht Maryada (Official Code of Conduct). \nStage 3: Khalsa \nTotal dedication to Sikhism. One who has has shed his ego and personality and truly honours the memory of Guru Gobind Singh through his actions and deeds. \nStage 4: Gurmukh \nOne who has achieved mukhti (salvation) and is totally God-centered. \n\n\nThe Physical Articles of Faith \n\nKesh: \nLong unshorn hair. A symbol of spirituality. The Kesh reminds a Khalsa to behave like the Guru's. It is a mark of dedication and group consciousness, showing a Khalsa's acceptance of God's will. Long hair have long been a common element of many spiritual prophets of various religions such as Jesus, Moses and Buddha. \n\n Dastar: \nTurban. A symbol of royalty and dignity. Historically the turban has been held in high esteem in eastern and middle eastern cultures. Guru Gobind Singh transformed this cultural symbol into a religious requirement so that the Khalsa would always have high self-esteem. It differentiates Sikhs from other religious followers who keep long hair but wear caps or keep matted hair. The turban cannot be covered by any other head gear or replaced by a cap or hat. The turban is mandatory for Sikh men and optional for Sikh women. \n\n Kangha: \nComb. A symbol of hygiene and discipline as opposed to the matted unkept hair of ascetics. A Khalsa is expected to regularly wash and comb their hair as a matter of self discipline. \n\n Kara: \nSteel bracelet. A symbol to remind the wearer of restraint in their actions and remembrance of God at all times. \n\n Kachha: \nDrawers. A symbol signifying self control and chastity. \n\n Kirpan: \nCeremonial Sword. A sym
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There are many meanings:\n\nReligion:\n\n   1. Guru, the discipleship tradition in oriental religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism - this is the primary usage of the term.\n\nFilms:\n\n   1. Guru, a 2006 film to be directed by Mani Ratnam\n   2. The Guru, a 2002 film\n   3. Guru, the 1997 official nomination of India for the Best Foreign Film Academy Award\n   4. The Guru, a 1969 film from Merchant Ivory Productions.\n\nOthers:\n\n   1. Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal (shortened to Guru), a hip-hop MC.\n   2. Guru, a character from the manga Dragon Ball.\n   3. Guru, a lacrosse "trick stick" brand owned by Brine, Inc..\n   4. The Guru, a character from the video game Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves.\n   5. The term Guru has passed into a metaphorical use. In hacker culture, a guru is an expert of legendary proportions. Nearly synonymous with "wizard", but additionally implies a history of being a knowledge resource for others. Less often, used (with a qualifier) for other experts on other systems, as in VMS guru. (The definition is from Jargon file.)\n   6. Guru Meditation, an Amiga system error.\n   7. Guru.com, a software company and job board service.\n   8. Guru (beverage), an energy drink.\n\nYou can see them all here: \n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_%28disambiguation%29
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This was featured in a lot of papers. It seems he is seeking life coaching from a 'mystic guru' and each symbol means something different. It is something for him to concentrate on and receive wisdom thereby apparently.
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At first i thought not to answer this question , as it seemed stupid and disgracing.\nBut some little kid might come over this page some day and might not get all the perspectives . So here it is :\nThere is no concept of "sin" in Sikhism. But there is a concept of "rehit" or "procedure" and following that Sikhs don't cut "any" of their hair. You see Mother Nature gives us the hair , the more you cut the faster grows and the harder it becomes. So you are caught in a cycle of cutting (because the new hair that comes is sharp at the edges and harder than the older one ) . If you would have noticed the first hair on babies are so soft and they are meant to be like that for ever by mother nature . \n\nI hope that answers the pubic part of the question also.
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Guru Nanak Dev (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ, Gurū Nānak Dēv;\n 20 October 1469 – 22 September 1539,\n was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Gurus of the Sikhs.\nHis birthday is correctly according to the Hindu calendar , that was prevelant then in India,falls on Poornima ( full moon or last day) of the month of Kartik, that lies between october & november of the gregorian calendar.\nThis year ( 2006) the kartik poornima is falling on 5th of November, which is perhaps the earliest date, the latest may go upto 26th of November, i.e. coincide with my own birthday.\n\nanyways, I think the ionformation is enuf.\ndetails you can go to:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak
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Punjab is a Persian word which mean five rivers. Punj= five and aab= water/ river.\nThe plains between the Indus and Ganges river are called Punjab as they were irrigated naturally by the fiver rivers: Ravi, Chenab, Bias, Sutlej, Jhelum, and Sindh has seen one of the oldest civilizations in the world, The Indus valley civilization along the banks of river Indus (sindh) in present day Pakistan you can still see its ruins which were first discovered in 1922 by a team of British archeologists.\nIn 1947 the British divided Punjab between Pakistan and India. The Eastern (Indian Punjab) became the land of Sikhs (the religion of Guru Nanak who was born at Nankana (Pakistan) and preached against idol worship of Hindus. Sikhs are a martial race and they made Amritsar (India) as their holy city. Jats are the people (Punjabi) who are known tradititonally to have larger built, taller in height and slightly lower in I. Q. (its a tradition to call them as having lower I.Q, there is no proof of any Punjabi Sikh or Muslim to have I.Q lower than any other ethnic people of Pakistan and India. Large number of Pujabis have also settled in Canada, UK, USA and elsewhere even before 1947. There is tendency among Hindus to make fun of Sikhs while referring to their homeland, the Indian Punjab. There is no truth in these beliefs however. Punjabi is a peace loving people and have been the place for mystiques, hospitality and bravery. During the two world wars, British recruited maximum number of troops from Punjab, Jhelum and Photohar plataeu areas in particular (both in Pakistan).
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It can mean hope and peace also, which is what the religion it's based on believes in.\n\nIt can be like a good luck charm.
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hey try this:\n\n\nhttp://o3.indiatimes.com/mann/archive/2005/05/24/120338.aspx\n\n\n\n\nBhaktikaal - The devotional era\nThe Bhaktikaal's origins seem to coincide with the arrival of the Mughals. This was the time when both the Sufi and Bhakti movements were gaining momentum in Islam and Hinduism respectively. Both the Sufi and Bhakti are based on devotional poetry and lyrics. The early works of Bhaktikaal style poetry date back to the times of Amir Khusrau, with his great works in Sufi literature. Other noteworthy poets include Baba Bulley Shah, who lived around the Kasur Punjab area.\nIn the Bhakti movement two main sects evolved, the Nirguna and the Saguna.\nThe Nirguna sect followed the concept of a shapeless, formless, all pervasive God, while the Saguna sect pursued the concept of God having a certain form and were predominantly worshipers of the incarnations of Vishnu.\nMajor poets of the Nirguna sect are Sant Kabir and Guru Nanak, who's doha (couplet), and chaupayi (quartet) style of poetry remains a standard even now.\nOn the Saguna side were stalwarts of Vaishnava poetry like Surdas, Tulsidas and Malik Muhammad Jayasi. Works like the Padmavat and the Ramacharitamanas were written in the Avadhi dialect of Hindi during this period.\nThis was also a period of great integration between the Hindu and the Islamic elements of art and literature. A number of Muslim poets have written fantastic verse in praise of the Hindu gods, and vice versa. For example, Aburrahim Khan, the court poet to the Mughal emperor Akbar, was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. The Mughal rulers of this period also encouraged the integration of Hindu and Muslim societies.\nThe Bhaktikaal is known as the Golden Age of Hindi literature on account of the beauty of the concepts portrayed as well as the choice of words used to present them. \n\n\n\n\nIn Bhakti kaal, feeling of the helplessness and pain was so strong that love for nation and identity took a different form. Love for nation presented itself in the form of Social reforms. Kabir Das, Guru Nanak, Dharma Das, Maluk Das, Dadudayal, Sunder Das belong to this genre. In their Sakhis (couplets) and Padas (songs), they have condemned rituals and laid emphasis on the theory of Monotheism (the belief that there is one God).
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The symbol phi (pronounced "fee") is used to represent the Golden Ratio.\n\nThe exact value of phi is (1 + sqrt(5))/2 - where sqrt(5) is the sqare root of 5.\n\nThe following is from wikipedia:\n\nThe golden ratio, also known as the golden proportion, golden mean, golden section, golden number, divine proportion or sectio divina, is an irrational number, approximately 1.618, that possesses many interesting properties.\n\nShapes proportioned according to the golden ratio have long been considered aesthetically pleasing in Western cultures, and the golden ratio is still used frequently in art and design, suggesting a natural balance between symmetry and asymmetry. The ancient Pythagoreans, who defined numbers as expressions of ratios (and not as units as is common today), believed that reality is numerical and that the golden ratio expressed an underlying truth about existence.
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In the Bible it seems to mean that the apostles were given the ability to converse and understand many languages \nIn contemperary charismatic and Pentacostal Chritianity It is an uncontrolabble vocal expression of sounds not in any known language.In Hindu and Pagan Traditions this are also signs of having spirit or Gods work through you. A more melodic new age form is called Toning and may be done deliberatly as well as the compulsive , uncontrollable form associated with charismatic Christianity.
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It's kind of a cross between Christmas and Channukah, with an emphasis on values. I say it's a cross between the two because they use a candle lighting tradition, much like Jewish people light a Menorah (i don't think i spelled that right). Each of the five candles represent a value/moral. And the colors of the candles are red and green... there's a black or purple one in the middle, i think. It isn't really tied to religious beliefs. And that's all i can say off hand. I could be in error though.
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The five pointed star is a pagan symbol.  It represents the hands, arms, and head of a person.  Like many pagan symbols, it was adopted into Christianity.  Many medieval paintings show important saints with halos containing stars.  Like many Christian symbols, it was reversed by those who claimed allegiance to Satan, and the inverted star (with one point facing down) is still used as a symbol in Satanism.\n\nThere are other stars.  The Star of David has six points.  Islam favors an eight-sided star, as does Buddhism.  These are relatively hard to draw.  You'd think a star of two triangles would be easy, but it's not.  \n\nOver time, the five-pointed star's association with Christianity was lessened in favor of the cross, but it was still considered a symbol of luck, and so was incorporated into many other symbols, such as flags.
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ॐ is the "om" or "aum" symbol, which represents God, who is graceful.  Ok, that's a stretch, but it's the closest I have.  ;-)
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Chetan .... means life.\nChudamani .... means crest jewel \nLagan... (appropriate time)\nLakshmigopal (Lord vishnu) \nLakshman (younger brother of Rama) \nLakshmibanta (fortunate) \nLakshmidhar (Lord Vishnu) \nLakshmikanta (Lord Vishnu) \nLalit (beautiful) \nLalitkishore (beautiful) \nLalitkumar (beautiful) \nLalitmohan (beautiful) \nLambodar (Lord Ganesh) \nLankesh (Ravana) \nLatafat (elegance) \nLatif (elegant) \n\ni hope this helps you.
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Guru =   teacher, elders, one who teaches or an Acharya who gives you Deeksha or performs Yagypaveet etc... \n\nAnybody you learn anything from may be called your guru. Your parents, teachers all are your guru.\n\nAcharya= Acharya is a guru but not all gurus  are Acharya.  . Your professers are your Acharya. Acharya is an specialist. Not necessarily a religious teacher.\n\nSwami = Literal meaning = Master .\n\nSadhu and Sanyasis are often refered or hailed as such.\n\nSadhu= literally = a gentle person , an astetic.\n\nSanyasi=  person who broke the bond with society for in search of god, spirituality.  \n\nTaking Sanyas is a formal step. Now for all so social purposes  relations are broken. A wife can take divorse , if her husbands takes Sanyas. no coming back. He has already left his family. \n\nThats why in Hinduism Sanyas was not allowed to minors or married men till they have finished their duties towards their family.\n\nusually a man whose children have settled and taken over responsibilities of the family only could enter Sanyas.\n\nAdi Shankaracharya  took sanyas as a child. his guru asked him to get permission from his mother, his only relative. Her mother finally gave in after much hesitation on the condition that he will perform her last rites. So he returned to her at the time of her death and did that ceremony. But it was exceptional case.\n\nSant =  A gentle,  spiruitual/religious person. \n\nIn religious terminology, a sant is a sadhu who does not follow to any particular sect  .and often live a family life. Like Kabir , Tulsi, Guru Nanak , Ravidas, Meera all were married but devoted religious persons.