INSIDE THE GURU'S GATE - Anpere

The Guru’s wife added sugar because if the nectar was prepared only by the khanda it
would make the Singhs overly aggressive warriors. Given the popular notion of an
essentially sweet flavour of gurbani, both the kirpanvala amrit and khandevala amrit are
always sweetened with hallowed sugar cakes (batasa). Just as the Sikh Gurus glorified
devotees whose tongues tasted the sweet ambrosial nectar of divine words, 497 the
ingestible amrit should leave a taste of sweetness in the mouth. The stirring acts of the
dagger and the sword, however, is held to strengthen the amrit with the essence of
steel. The ritual preparation of amrit blends to different ingredients ‒ sweetness of
gurbani and strength of the steel ‒ into a favourable combination. When beneficiaries
imbibe this nectar they develop a nature that is compassionate and kind and at the
same time brave and fearless as a warrior, in other words, the ideal character of a
saint-soldier (sant-sipahi). These notions take for granted that ingestion of amrit will
bring about a bio-moral transformation of humans.
ELEMENTS OF POWER
The above examples illustrate that recited gurbani is the essential component of amrit
that will saturate and convert waters into different sacred nectars. More correctly,
armit is conceived as gurbani verses materialized in ingestible fluids. Drinking of all
the panj banian associated with an Amritdhari identity will consequently produce
different effects than ingestions of single lines, just as the spiritual content of hymns
will affect the recipient. The sword and the dagger are primarily instruments to
accomplish the transformation of waters through an act of offering (bhog lagana) and
the symbolic values and qualities ascribed to the weapons will exude into the nectars.
Besides these elements, the control of space and presence of human agents are other
factors that will influence the qualities of different waters. The Khande di pahul ceremony,
for instance, is always performed in a controlled space within which only
Amritdhari Sikhs, neophytes and the Guru Granth Sahib are present. The preparation
and distribution of amrit is conducted by “the five beloved” (panj pyare) who represent
the first five disciples to undergo the ceremony in 1699 and the community of
Sikhs. The presence of the agentive Guru in Guru Granth Sahib and the Guru Panth
within a confined space will add to the pure and transformative power of khandevala
amrit. Kirpanvala amrit, on the other hand, does not necessitate the physical presence
of Guru Granth Sahib, even if the granthi may and often do conduct the preparation
seated behind the scripture to make the nectar more powerful.
In Sikh life there are other types of nectars whose qualities depend on the sacred
space created. When the unbroken recitation of Guru Granth Sahib (Akhand path)
is conducted in private homes families will place an earthen pot or pitcher (kumb)
filled with water beside the scripture, and sometimes place a coconut tied with a red
thread on top of the pitcher. 498 When the forty-eight-hour long recitation comes to an
497
GGS: 312, 395, 1111.
498
This custom certainly echoes ritual elements in Hindu rites: a pitcher full of water is placed
beside the chief deity and the coconut (in Sanskrit literary “God’s fruit” ‒ sriphala) is often said
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Published on www.anpere.net in May 2008