Damdami Taksal
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In 1706, after the Battle of Muktsar and Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji's victory in Khidrana Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji encamped at Sabo Ki Talwandi in comparative peace and the place became known as Damdama ie a halting place or breathing place, this place is now referred to as Damdama Sahib.[1] At 1737, Damdama Sahib was considered to be the highest seat of learning for the Sikhs.[2]
The organization gained fame after Sant Gurbachan Singh Bhinderanwale went preaching doing katha, kirtan, and akhand path smagams throughout Bharat. He is known to have had more than 100,000 Sikhs baptized.
Beliefs
The Damdami Taksal have their own version of the Sikh Code of Conduct, the Gurmat Rehat Maryada, which differs from the Rehat Maryada published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee during British Rule.[3] The Gurmat Rehat Maryada contains instructions for marriage ceremonies, death ceremonies, etc using references from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, Dasam Granth, and early Sikh history such as Varan Bhai Gurdas, Bhai Nand Lal Tankhanama, Bhai Desa Singh's Rehatnama, among others.
Elaborated beliefs found in the Damdami Taksal's Gurmat Rehat Maryada:[4]
Gurbani:
- Children are not to be taught Gurbani or the philosophy of the Guru, by a non Amritdhari or a non-believer of the Guru.
- Out of every twenty four hours, two and a half hours should be spent on meditation, performing and/or listening to Gurbani
- In the same way that the Panj Pyare recited the five prayers (Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Ten Svaye, Chaupai Sahib and Anand Sahib) to prepare the Amrit, those initiated are to recite the five prayers on a daily basis after rising early and having ishnaan (bathing during which meditation is done). In the evening Rehras Sahib is recited and before going to sleep Kirtan Sohila is read. As a bare minimum these seven prayers must be recited daily by all Amritdharees.
- The 29 verses of Sri Chaupai Sahib are to be recited till "Sanbt sutreh sahs bhañjay. Ārdh sahs fuhn ten kahujay..." (Dasam Granth Ang 1388) The Svaya and Dohra are to be recited to complete the prayer.
- Every Gursikh should accept Ragmala as Gurbani without any doubts.
- Kirtan Sohela is peformed before going to sleep. Before reciting Kirtan Sohela the Panj Ishnana (washing feet, hands and face) is performed. After this, one is to sit upon their bed cross-legged, facing their pillow and recite the prayer.
The Khalsa:
- Without taking Amrit one cannot regard him/herself as a Sikh of the Guru. Even mentioning the name of a Guru-less person is sinful.
- Having taken the Guru's Amrit a Sikh's spiritual father is Sahib Sri Guru Gobind Singh Jee, A Sikh's spiritual mother is Mata Sahib Kaur Jee; A Sikh's place of birth is Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib, A Sikh's maternal home (Nanakee) is Guru Ka Lahore, A Sikh's obedience is to the One Timeless Lord; A Sikh's only Guru is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee, A Sikh's not to boy or obey any other as their Guru, A Sikh's examination is only via the Shabad and Gurbani.
- Before taking Amrit, every person should remember that once initiated, he/she must only marry an individual that is Amritdhari.
- The Khalsa is not to wear a kara that is made of gold, silver, brass, copper or one that has grooves in it. Only the Sarab Loh Kara is acceptable.
- If the Kangha, Kara, or Kirpan are separated from a Sikh's body, the Sikh is forbidden to eat or drink until they are replaced. Upon the replacement of your missing Kakkar, Japji Sahib is to be recited and an Ardas must be performed for the separation and to beg for forgiveness.
- The Kashera is never to leave your body completely ie. stepping out of it with both your legs. After doing Ishnaan, one half of the wet Kashera is to be removed from one leg and a dry clean Kashera is to be put on that leg, and similarly for the other leg. The Kashera is never to be changed whilst the head is uncovered. The Kashera must be white in colour.
File:Bathinda Fort Gurdwara.JPG
The Damdami Taksal has utmost respect for the sanctity Guru Granth Sahib and its throne
Guru Granth Sahib:
- Maharaj is never to be placed in a closet or cupboard, on the contrary, Guru Sahib must be placed on a nicely decorated throne in a well-ventilated room.
- Clothing appropriate to the season is to be place upon the throne of Guru Jee.
- Whilst Satguru Jee is on the move, five Singhs are to accompany him at all times and they are to remain barefooted.
- A bookmark or any form of sign is not to be kept in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee.
- In the presence of Guru Sahib a candle of paraffin/white spirit is not to be lit.
- Gutukas and Pothis of Gurbani are to be stored in a nice place, high up, towards which your feet will not be facing and where your back will not be turned against.
- When going to sit in the Hazoori of Guru Sahib, clothing that was worn when going to the toilet is not to be worn (until washed again).
- Nothing is to be eaten or placed in the mouth (ie. sweets or cardamom) in Guru Jee's hazoori. (presence)
Prohibitions:
- Watching corrupting films/programmes, listening to shameful music, playing cards, gambling, foul language and stealing are prohibited.
- Plaiting of the hair is forbidden and the hair should be simply ted and complemented with a turban.
- Eating meat, fish, and eggs are forbidden.
- Blue, black, white, and saffron are to be worn, other colours excite the mind and lure it to vices, and therefore prohibited.
- Amritdhari women are not to wear ear rings, nose-rings, rings, bangles, nail polish, lipstick, bindi, henna, keeping long nails, wearing a saree, etc.
- The beard must be left untied.
- Cutting the Kesh or piercing the ears/noses of your children is strictly forbidden.
- Prashad from a tomb of a saint, grave or serpent god/demigods is not to be eaten.
- Amritdhari Singhs and Singhnia are to abstain from jooth (eating food that has already been eaten by others or is being shared).
- Food from restaurants is not to be consumed.
- It is a sin to eat from a person who has no moral discipline.
Cleanliness:
- If a Gursikh comes into contact with anything containing tobacco they must was their hands with soap at least five times. Then they must purify their Kesh, body and clothes by bathing.
- Brushing your teeth daily is essential.
- To keep the hair clean it must be combed twice daily. In the morning and evening after combing one's hair a turban is to be tied. It is to be tied a layer at a time, and it is to be removed in the same manner, taking it off a layer at a time.
- Two turbans are to be tied tying each layer one at a time. There should be a small turban tied underneath and a larger on tied above this. Starch and pins are not to be added to the turban, which would make it look like a hat.
- A person who has had sex or a nightly emission should have a full Ishnaan (from head to toe, including washing hair, wash his/her clothes, then recite Japji Sahib and then do an Ardas. Then he/she is ready to go and sit behind Guru Jee's throne.
- Some ignorant people, under the influence of bad company they keep, masturbate. This leads to problems with ejaculation and is a sin, therfore masturbation should never be performed.
- Kirtan Sohila is performed before going to sleep. Before reciting Kirtan Sohila the Panj Ishnana (washing feet, hands and face) is perfomed. After this, one is to sit upon their bed cross-legged, facing their pillow and recite the prayer.
