AKHAND PATH (akhand = uninterrupted, without break; path = reading) is nonstop, continuous recital of the Guru Granth Sahib from beginning to end. Such a recital must be completed within 48 hours. The entire Holy Volume, 1430 large pages, is read through in a continuous ceremony. This reading must

DASVANDH or Dasaundh, lit. a tenth part, refers to the practice among Sikhs of contributing in the name of the Guru one-tenth of their earnings towards the common resources of the community. This is their religious obligation a form of seva or humble service so highly valued in the Sikh

NITNEM (nit: daily; nem; practice, rule or regimen) is the name given to the set prayers which every Sikh is commanded to say daily, alone or in company. These prayers or texts are five in number for early morning Guru Nanak`sJa/w and Guru Gobind Singh`s Jdpu and Savaiyye, for the

SIKH CALENDAR or system of reckoning chronology or dates of events in Sikh history is generally based on the Vikrami Samvat (Bikrami Sammat, in Punjabi), a system mostly in vogue in northern India, although other systems the Hijri during the Muslim period and Christian since the advent of the

DEG TEGH FATEH, a Sikh saying which literally means victory (fateh) to kettle (deg) and sword (tegh). All the three words have been taken from Persian which was the State language in the formative period of Sikhism. The word deg, i.e. a large sized kettle or cauldron having a

MOH, from Sanskrit root muh meaning "to become stupefied, to be bewildered or perplexed, to err, to be mistaken," stands in ancient texts for perplexity or confusion as also for the cause of confusion, that is, avidyd or ajndna (ignorance or illusion). In another context, it stands for "the

ANJALI:Literally,Anjali means an offering of a palmful of water or a few grams of rice to a deity as a mark of respect or devotion. Anjali is also a form of poetry. Guru Arjan wrote four \'chhands\' in Raga Maru (GGS, p. 1019) in the form of \'Anjali\'. In

ANN DEVATA (Personification of corn or food grain as god) Corn-god, water-god, fire-god, salt and ghee was put the fifth. (Var Asa M. l, p. 473) See : Pani Devata

BAIKUNTHA (VAIKUNTHA) Everyone talks of going there, but I do not know the situation of Baikuntha. They do not know their own secrets, they only mention Baikuntha in their talk. As long as the mind hopes to go to Baikuntha, till that time, it cannot abide at the Feet

BRAHMADIKA - The Hindu Triad Brahma etc. and Sanaka etc. want to meet the Lord and also the Yogis, celibates and adepts. (Gauri Bairagan M. 5, p. 203) Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva contemplate about the Lord, but they are bound by three modes and are far from salvation. (Mani

DASRATH (JASRATH) (Guru Ramdas) was like Rama, the beautiful chief of the dan of Raghu and son of Dasrath..... (Swayye Mahle Chauthe Ke, p. 1401) My king Raja Ramchand, the son of Jasrath (Dasrath)—His Name, says Namdev, be drunk as the essence and ambrosia. (Ramkali Namdev, p. 973) Dasrath,

GANDHARVA Millions of Gandharvas hail Thee, O Lord! (Bhairo Kabir, p. 1163) In whose house there are Ganas (attendants of gods), Gandharvas, sages and where helpless musicians sing..... (Malar Namdev, p. 1292) A Gandharva is half-man, half-bird. Gandharvas are celestial minstrels. Vishnu Purana states that they were bom from