Spiritual Significance of Five Kakars-Sikh symbols Part IV

Kirpan

Kirpan - A Strapped sword, usually small in size is worn by the Sikh all the time. The message of Kirpan is to cut the attachments of ego regularly all the time.Let us see what Guruji explains about these attachments

ਤਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਥਾਪਿ ਕੀਓ ਸਭੁ ਅਪਨਾ ਕੋਮਲ ਬੰਧਨ ਬਾਂਧਿਆ ॥

SGGS 383

He preserves his body and wealth, and takes everything as his own;
such are the subtle bonds which bind him.
SGGS 383

Here is another Shabad which explains in more detail:

ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥

ਰਾਚਿ ਰਹੇ ਬਨਿਤਾ ਬਿਨੋਦ ਕੁਸਮ ਰੰਗ ਬਿਖ ਸੋਰ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਹ ਸਰਨੀ ਪਰਉ ਬਿਨਸਿ ਜਾਇ ਮੈ ਮੋਰ ॥੧॥

ਪਉੜੀ

ਰੇ ਮਨ ਬਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਜਹ ਰਚਹੁ ਤਹ ਤਹ ਬੰਧਨ ਪਾਹਿ ॥

ਜਿਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਕਤਹੂ ਨ ਛੂਟੀਐ ਸਾਕਤ ਤੇਊ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥

ਹਉ ਹਉ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਰਤ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਭਾਰੁ ਅਫਾਰ ॥

ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਜਉ ਨਾਮ ਸਿਉ ਤਉ ਏਊ ਕਰਮ ਬਿਕਾਰ ॥

ਬਾਧੇ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਜੇਵਰੀ ਮੀਠੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਰੰਗ ॥

ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕੇ ਮੋਹੇ ਨਹ ਬੁਝਹਿ ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸਦਹੂ ਸੰਗ ॥

ਲੇਖੈ ਗਣਤ ਨ ਛੂਟੀਐ ਕਾਚੀ ਭੀਤਿ ਨ ਸੁਧਿ ॥

ਜਿਸਹਿ ਬੁਝਾਏ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਤਿਹ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਬੁਧਿ ॥੯॥

SGGS 252

SHALOK:
Man remains engrossed in women and playful pleasures;
the tumult of his passion is like the dye of the safflower, which fades away all too soon.
Says Nanak, seek God's Sanctuary, and your my and mine shall go away. 1
PAUREE:
O mind: without the Lord,

whatever you are involved in shall bind you in chains.
The faithless cynic does those deeds

which will never allow him to be emancipated;
Acting in egotism saying mine mine, they carry the unbearable load.
When there is no love for the Naam, then these actions are useless.
The rope of death binds those who are in love with the sweet taste of Maya.
Deluded by doubt, they do not understand that God is always with them.
When their accounts are called for, they shall not be released;
their wall of mud (body)cannot be washed clean.
One who is made to understand ,
Says Nanak, that Gurmukh obtains immaculate understanding. 9
SGGS 252

The attachments that a person develops because of ego (self-identity) are bonds which do not allow the person to know about God. These are cut through Naam Simran.The ego then is known and fades away.

ਟੂਟੇ ਬੰਧਨ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਕਾਰ ਸਫਲ ਪੂਰਨ ਤਾ ਕੇ ਕਾਮ ॥

ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਿਟੀ ਹਉਮੈ ਛੁਟੀ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮ ॥

SGGS 300

Through meditation in remembrance of the Lord, the
bonds are broken,so also desires and the karma’s are fritified;
Mind’s misdirection are removed, and ego (being separate from HIM) is effaced.
SGGS 300

Guruji have also explained how the bondage is to be cut through Simran. In Japji Saheb itself the way is shown .

ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥

SGGS 1

Everyone is subject to HIS Hukam (divine order); no one is out of Hukam.
Says Nanak, one who understands the Hukam ,does not say there is ego (separate identity).
SGGS 1

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਦੂਰਿ ਕਰੇਇ ॥

SGGS 30
By Guru's Grace, HE abides in the mind,
and egotism(separate Identity) is driven out.
SGGS 30.

With Guru ‘ explained way in Gurbani and Simran the mind realizes and knows that the ego- separate identity is an illusion and there is GOD only everywhere and everything.

ਸਭ ਕਿਛੁ ਆਪੇ ਆਪਿ ਹੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਕਹਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ਦੁਖੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਗਵਾਇ ॥

SGGS 35
Everything is God HIMSELF;
with ego (separate Identity) this cannot be said ( while looking at the world).
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, HE is recognised, and the pain of egotism is then gone
SGGS 35

ਹਰਿ ਤੁਧਹੁ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਕਿਛੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਤੂੰ ਸਚਾ ਸਾਈ ॥

ਤੂੰ ਆਪੇ ਆਪਿ ਵਰਤਦਾ ਸਭਨੀ ਹੀ ਥਾਈ ॥

SGGS 83

O Lord, there is nothing outside of YOU. YOU are True Master (in reality).
YOU YOURSELF are operating in all places
SGGS 83

The Haume (ego) which is separate self identity within the divine order prevailing. The ego is part of Hukam and ever asserts to maintain its separate existence . The ego keeps sustaining the illusion that GOD is separate- an higher power.The doubt,explainations ,rationalization are minds ploys.
The mind which is outward focused in the world considers world to be the only reality and when the same mind sees the world with a view from inward focus the reality is different.

For simran to cut the bonds of ego links requires an element of strong faith in the Guru’s Word. The doubting mind ever is at its wits to unshake what we like to believe in. The Sikh takes the word of SGGS ji as absolute truth despite what the mind or senses may be showing initially.

What is true is true.

And Faith of a GurSikh is a total commitment to believe that words of Gurbani are true . Faith is thus having an intense conviction that what is believed to be true , is in fact true.

So whatever be your past experierence or what the mind may be telling you belive that HUKAM is prevailing everywhere and there is onlyONENESS. This faith then actually turns into an actual experience and the Sikh Feels and beholds oneness.
The message and purpose of Kirpan is to cut the Sikhs ego bonds and letting the GOD to dwell within the Siks’s mind.

Have a relationship with Kirpan and cut the ego bonds through Simran.
SEE the truth through words of Gurbani. Repeat Shabads again and again till the mind gets the message.

From saying Mine , Mine shift to Tera , Tera (YOURS, YOURS).

The Kirpan is with the sikh always and so also the Sikh has to cut keep asserting and cutting links whenever by watching the mind ,acting on past behavior, and keep correcting it.