Can a Sikh have statues from other Dharmic religions? And perform puja for said figures?

[StarryNightshade]

Can a practicing Sikh have statues of figures from other Dharmic religions (Shiva, Buddha, Mahavira, etc.)? Moreover, can a practicing Sikh perform small pujas for said figures, without it getting in the way of their primary practice? Especially since some rituals from other Dharmic religions can come across as superstitious?

I ask, because I hear it is not uncommon for many Sikhs to have other Dharmic figures on their altars or in their homes. And as long as giving reverence to another figure does not get in the way between a Sikh and God, or does not turn into blind ritual, could it theoretically be okay for a Sikh to do so?

 

[Treks]

Dear StarryNightshade Ji

A Sikh may have statues but only to be appreciated as works of art.
A Sikh may not worship anything or anyone other than Akaal Purakh. Please refer to the Sikh Rehat Maryada, section four, part A:
a. Worship should be rendered only to the One Timeless Being and to no god or goddess.

Sikh Rehat Maryada in English | Welcome to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sri Amritsar

It is in direct contradiction to Sikh "primary practice" and therefore should be strictly prohobited.

I've never heard of a Sikh having an altar, let alone with 'Dharmic figures' on them. I'm sure those people exist but I would like to hear their justification of their practice against the Code of Conduct (Rehat Maryada).

Here is a Sikh's aarti:

ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
Rāg ḏẖanāsrī mėhlā 1.
Raag Dhanaasree, First Mehl:


ਗਗਨ ਮੈ ਥਾਲੁ ਰਵਿ ਚੰਦੁ ਦੀਪਕ ਬਨੇ ਤਾਰਿਕਾ ਮੰਡਲ ਜਨਕ ਮੋਤੀ ॥
Gagan mai thāl rav cẖanḏ ḏīpak bane ṯārikā mandal janak moṯī.
Upon that cosmic plate of the sky, the sun and the moon are the lamps. The stars and their orbs are the studded pearls.


ਧੂਪੁ ਮਲਆਨਲੋ ਪਵਣੁ ਚਵਰੋ ਕਰੇ ਸਗਲ ਬਨਰਾਇ ਫੂਲੰਤ ਜੋਤੀ ॥੧॥
Ḏẖūp mal▫ānlo pavaṇ cẖavro kare sagal banrā▫e fūlanṯ joṯī. ||1||
The fragrance of sandalwood in the air is the temple incense, and the wind is the fan. All the plants of the world are the altar flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1||


ਕੈਸੀ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
Kaisī ārṯī ho▫e.
What a beautiful Aartee, lamp-lit worship service this is!


ਭਵ ਖੰਡਨਾ ਤੇਰੀ ਆਰਤੀ ॥
Bẖav kẖandnā ṯerī ārṯī.
O Destroyer of Fear, this is Your Ceremony of Light.


ਅਨਹਤਾ ਸਬਦ ਵਾਜੰਤ ਭੇਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Anhaṯā sabaḏ vājanṯ bẖerī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad is the vibration of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||


ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਨੈਨ ਨਨ ਨੈਨ ਹਹਿ ਤੋਹਿ ਕਉ ਸਹਸ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਨਾ ਏਕ ਤਹੀ ॥
Sahas ṯav nain nan nain hėh ṯohi ka▫o sahas mūraṯ nanā ek ṯohī.
You have thousands of eyes, and yet You have no eyes. You have thousands of forms, and yet You do not have even one.


ਸਹਸ ਪਦ ਬਿਮਲ ਨਨ ਏਕ ਪਦ ਗੰਧ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਗੰਧ ਇਵ ਚਲਤ ਮੋਹੀ ॥੨॥
Sahas paḏ bimal nan ek paḏ ganḏẖ bin sahas ṯav ganḏẖ iv cẖalaṯ mohī. ||2||
You have thousands of Lotus Feet, and yet You do not have even one foot. You have no nose, but you have thousands of noses. This Play of Yours entrances me. ||2||


ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥
Sabẖ mėh joṯ joṯ hai so▫e.
Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.


ਤਿਸ ਦੈ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
Ŧis ḏai cẖānaṇ sabẖ mėh cẖānaṇ ho▫e.
By this Illumination, that Light is radiant within all.


ਗੁਰ ਸਾਖੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
Gur sākẖī joṯ pargat ho▫e.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Light shines forth.


ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੩॥
Jo ṯis bẖāvai so ārṯī ho▫e. ||3||
That which is pleasing to Him is the lamp-lit worship service. ||3||


ਹਰਿ ਚਰਣ ਕਵਲ ਮਕਰੰਦ ਲੋਭਿਤ ਮਨੋ ਅਨਦਿਨ ਮੋਹਿ ਆਹੀ ਪਿਆਸਾ ॥
Har cẖaraṇ kaval makranḏ lobẖiṯ mano anḏino mohi āhī pi▫āsā.
My mind is enticed by the honey-sweet Lotus Feet of the Lord. Day and night, I thirst for them.


ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਜਲੁ ਦੇਹਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਰਿੰਗ ਕਉ ਹੋਇ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਇ ਵਾਸਾ ॥੪॥੩॥
Kirpā jal ḏėh Nānak sāring ka▫o ho▫e jā ṯe ṯerai nā▫e vāsā. ||4||3||
Bestow the Water of Your Mercy upon Nanak, the thirsty song-bird, so that he may come to dwell in Your Name. ||4||3||

On a personal note, I may not have an altar, but I have a table covered with a scarf, with an electric lamp on it (for light since most of my recitations are performed outside of daylight hours and I can't read in the dark haha), a little container with a dhoop stick in it (my table is in the spare room where we dry clothes and it smells musty in there sometimes), a little statue of an elephant (it's a trinket) and my nitnem book wrapped in a rumaal. And of yesterday (my b-day) I have my kirpan in a little handmade display box from my husband <3 (until I'm ready to wear it).

These objects are useful to me because they get me in the mood, but previous to this I didn't have space, so my nitnem book lived on the DVD stand and I did my recitations while seated on the couch, in front of the TV (switched off of course!), or sitting on my bed. Flexible!

 

[GURSIKH]

hi starry ji ,

As Treks ji said Sikhs have no issue/problem with keeping images of someone like Buddha in Samadhi posture at home .

but Puja of that figure as a deity is Unsikh , only Akaal purakh waheguru is worthy of Puja .

We can't confine/limit Waheguru to a particular form as its very clear from the Shabad shared above by Treks ji above .

one more related vaak from Gurbani i wanna share is

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[SIZE=+1]Hak sac&#7830; k&#7830;&#257;lak k&#7830;alak mi&#9643;&#257;ne si&#9643;&#257;m m&#363;ra&#7791; n&#257;hi. ||2||[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]The True Creator Lord is diffused into His creation; He is not just the dark-skinned Krishna [/SIZE][SIZE=+1]. ||2||








i want to add , practicing Sikhs have full respect for religious figures of other Dharmic traditions for their contribution in making this world a better place and its praised several times in Gurbani .


blessings


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