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Goddess Worship In Sikhism: A study about the presence of Goddess worship

in Sikhism.

Sohail Quyoom

Abstract:

Both Hinduism and Sikhism are ‘Dharmic’ religions that originated in the Indian sub-
continent. In comparison to Sikhism, Hinduism is an older religion while Sikhism was founded
in the 15th century by Guru Nanak Dev. In Hinduism the traditions of lord ‘Shiva’ and ‘Vishnu’,
i.e. ‘Shaivism’ and ‘Vaishnavism’ respectively have dominated the Hindu literature and have
been the major focus of devotional attention. Yet there is nevertheless a vital Hindu Goddess
tradition i.e. “Shaktism” that includes a diverse collection of traditions that worship ‘Shakti’ or
‘Devi’ in her many forms as the absolute manifestation of Divinity. Shaktism (Sanskrit: Śāktaḥ,
lit., "doctrine of energy, power, the Goddess") is a major tradition of Hinduism, wherein the
metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically feminine. It includes a variety of goddesses all
considered aspects of the same supreme goddess. Texts such as Devi Mahatamya, the Devi-
Bhagavata Purana, and Shakta Upanishads such as the Devi Upanishad are revered by
them. The Devi Mahatmya in particular, is considered in Shaktism to be as important as
the Bhagavad Gita. The pantheon of goddesses in Shaktism grew after the decline of Buddhism
in India, where in Hindu and Buddhist goddesses were combined to form the Mahavidya, a list of
ten goddesses. Shaktas conceive the Goddess as the supreme, ultimate, eternal reality of all
existence. She is considered to be simultaneously the source of all creation, its embodiment and
the energy that animates and governs it, and that into which everything will ultimately dissolve. 

After a study of both these religions one can understand that both these religions share
many philosophical concepts such as Karma, Dharma, Mukti, Maya and Samsara. In spite of
sharing many philosophical concepts the researcher believes that Sikhism shares the Hindu
concept or tradition of Shaktism too and this will be the main point of discussion in this research.

Introduction:

As the title of this paper “Goddess worship in Sikhism” is self-explanatory in itself.

Everybody present here might have developed some idea that what this paper is going to be
about. It is a study about the presence of Goddess worship in Sikhism to highlight some
similarities between the two religions (Hinduism and Sikhism) in order to promote religious
peace and harmony between the two religions. Under this title the researcher will try to focus on
the presence of ‘Shakta’ tradition in Sikhism and to draw evidences in order to strengthen this
view and to increase its authenticity. The methodology used in this research will be based on the
history of these religions as well as their religious scriptures.
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Content :

The researcher came through a number of citations about the Hindu Goddesses and
their worship in the Sikh scriptures and in Sikh history that compelled him to research further
and to draw evidences about the presence of goddess worship in Sikhism. At various instances in
Sikh scriptures and Sikh history we can find evidences of Goddess worship in Sikhism. Various
Sikh and non-Sikh scholars from all over the world have written on this topic. There are many
verses recorded in the Sikh scriptures that strengthen this view.

The word 'Ardas' literally means 'prayer.' But the traditional Sikh Ardas has come to
represent a specific form of prayer recited in every Gurdwara programme. It is recited before the
Guru is transported or brought into Prakaash, just before the hukam is taken, and again when the
Guru is set into Sukhasaan. It can also be recited before undertaking any activity of significance,
before leaving on a journey, to give thanks, or as a way of daily remembering the Creator. The
core of Ardas is an invocation which Guru Gobind Singh recited at the beginning of his epic
poem ‘Chandi di Vaar’. In it, he calls upon the power of Adi Shakti in the form of ‘Pritham
Bhagauti’. He then calls upon the Spirit of the Guru, elaborating upon the nine manifestations
from Guru Nanak through Guru Teg Bahadur. The Ardas is often adorned with various passages
from the Guru Granth Sahib. The recitation of Ardas commences with the opening stanza of ‘Var
Shri Bhagauti Ji’ written by Guru Gobind Singh in the Dasam Granth. This smoothly written ode
begins by going through the order of meditation by placing ‘Sri Bhagauti’ (The Divine Mother)
foremost above all else, and then systematically referring to each of the other Gurus in turn
entreating them for aid and protection.

The opening verses of the Ardas read;

“Ek Onkar Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh, Sri Bhagauti Ji Sahae,Var Shri Bhagauti Ji Ki Patshahi
Dasvin

Pritham bhagauti simari kai gur nanak lain dhiai”.

Which is translated as;

‘God is one. All victory is of the Wondrous Guru. May the respected Shri Bhagauti (Divine
Mother) help us! Ode of the respected Shri Bhagauti recited by the Tenth Guru. First call up
Bhagauti (The Divine Mother) in your mind, then meditate on Guru Nanak’.

In these verses Guru Gobind Singh asks the Divine Mother to help Him and remembers the
Divine Shri Bhagauti first and then Guru Nanak. The 10th Guru was a worshiper of the Divine
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Mother (Shri Bhagauti/Bhagawati). Not only did he entrench Her in the Ardas as is evident from
his writings, but also sought Her blessings for the completion of the holy Granth. The guru says;

“Kripa kari hum par Jag Mata, Granth kara puran subh rata”.

Which is translated as;

‘Divine Mother of this universe shower Your blessings on me, so that I shall be able to complete
this Granth’.

Here it is evident that the 10 th master of the Sikhs asked for the blessings of the Divine
Mother for the competition of the holy Granth. In his auto biography Guru Gobind Singh ji
writes,

“Hemkunt parbat hai jahan, sapt sring sobhat hai tahan

Vaha hum anik tapasya sadhi, Mahakal Kalka aaradhi”.

Which is translated as;

‘In my previous life, I did lot of penance at Hemkunt, and worshipped the primordial Mother
(Mahakal Kalka)’.

V. Wadher in "Guru Govind Rai (Singh) in Line Of Shri Rama And Shri Krishna" has
this to`say: 
"Guru Govind Singh wrote that in his past life, he was a Rishi who performed great
penances at Hemkunt mountain. He has given a graphic description of a place in the Himalayas
ensconced by twelve mountain peaks. It was here that he was ordained by the Param Purukh to
take another birth for the specific purpose of uprooting adharma. This story went well with the
kind of life he led and the things he achieved. He was born to Guru Tegh Bahadur because the
latter too was propitiating God to bless him with a great son. The whole stance of this story is the
same as of Dasaratha who also performed penances in his earlier birth and was blessed by the
Lord that He himself would be born to him. In the tradition of Lord Rama, Guru Govind Singh
performed a year- long Chandi Yagna at Naina Devi (the shrine of the Goddess of beautiful eyes)
overlooking Anandpur Sahib before launching upon his mission. Lord Rama had done the same
before marching into Lanka. The Goddess, pleased with his austerities, had blessed Rama with
victory.

‘Japji Sahib’, a prayer at the beginning of Shri Guru Granth Sahib written by Guru Nanak
speaks of the one Divine Mother and the ‘Jap Sahib’, a prayer at the beginning of the ‘Dasam
Granth’ written by the 10th Sikh Master, also speaks of the one Divine Mother, The Mother of all.
The 1430-page Guru Granth refers to God Almighty (Waheguru) as both Father and Mother i.e.,
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God and His creative aspect Adi Shakti. The Sikhs can neither rid the Bhagauti (The Divine
Mother) of their Ardas nor the Aykaa Mayee of the Jap Ji Sahib from the Guru Granth Sahib.
Both are daily recited with reverence all over the world. Both praise the Divine Feminine—the
Aykaa Mayee (The One Mother), Sri Bhagauti/Bhagawati (Divine Mother), the Adya Shakti (the
Power of God Almighty).  On page 07, of the Guru Granth Sahib the Guru says;

“aadays tisai aadays.

aad aneel anaad anaahat jug jug ayko vays”.

That is;

‘ I bow to Him, I humbly bow

The Primal One, the Pure Light, without beginning, without end. Throughout all the ages, He is
One and the Same’.

“Aykaa maa-ee, jugat viaaee, tin chalay parvaan

Ik sansaaree, ik bhandaaree, ik laa-ay deeban”.

That is;

‘The Mother was conceived alone in some mysterious way and she procreated three deities. One
was creator (Brahma), one sustainer (Vishnu), and one destroyer (Shiva) of the world’.

From these hymns one can clearly understand that what the Guru is trying to say. That
it was the Divine mother who created the Three Deities i.e Brahma,Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is
the creator of this universe, Vishnu the sustainer and shiva the destroyer. More over there are
some other verses of the same stanza;

“Jiv tis bhaavai, tivai chalaavai, jiv havai phurmaan

Oh vaykahi, onaa nadar na aavai, buhutaa ayho vidaan”.

That is;

(But in actual fact) ‘the world moves as He ordains and as He pleases. He sees all, but no one
sees Him: this is a great wonder’.

It is also clear from these verses that the Sri Guru Granth Sahib speaks that "The world
moves as the Divine Mother ordains and as She pleases" as it is within the same stanza
describing the One Divine Mother. But Sikh commentators in their translations of holy Granth
have used masculine gender for the Divine Mother despite of being aware of the fact that it is the
Divine Mother that the scripture speaks of, because it lies in the same stanza describing the
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Divine Mother. Even before stanza 29 of the Japji Sahib, there is clear evidence of this ‘Aykaa
Mayee’: 

“Gur eesar, gur gorakh barmaa, gur paarbatee maa-ee.

Su-ast aath, baanee barmaa-o. Sat suhaan sadaa man chaa-o. (stanza 20)
Aakhaih barmay, aakhaih ind. Aakhaih, gopee tai govind”. (stanza 25)

That is;

‘The Enlightener Himself is Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, The Enlightener Himself is Paarvati, The
Mother-Goddess...Obeisance to Him, who is Himself the Creator of Maayaa, the Primal Word
and Brahma. He is the Truth, Beauty, and Bliss...The Brahma and Indr utter His Greatness, so
also the Gopees and Krishna’.

God is genderless in Sikhism and all masculine interpretations may also be substituted
with feminine pronouns to effect the same meaning. But if a clear indication is given, such as
Aykaa Mayee (One Divine Mother), then why the patriarchal theologians have used masculine
gender. It is already stated in the Guru Granth Sahib that She was Alone at the Beginning and
was Self-Conceived (Ajoonee). No Power created Her, No Force created Her, No One created
Her, She was Unborn, She was Uncreated and She was Unconceived. Then She created the
Three Mightiest Gods. She created the Creator (Brahma.) She created the Sustainer (Vishnu.)
She created the Destroyer (Shiva). She was the Origin of All.

Now from the above discussion on some of the verses from the holy Sikh scriptures we
got an idea about the presence of Goddess worship in Sikhism. Now in order to further
strengthen this view the researcher would like to highlight some facts and evidences from the
Sikh history. Shastar puja is a kind of weaponry worship among the Sikhs. It is not a practice that
is performed by the main stream Sikh population but is rather limited to the Nihang warrior
bands of the tradition. The purpose of performing this puja is manifold and one will get different
explanations for the purpose and justification of the puja. The most apparent justification
however seems to be ‘an effort to ritualize warfare’. Historian Jeevan Deol has suggested that
this puja is a meta-narrative that derives directly from the Dasam Granth, in a period during
which the Khalsa was beginning to define itself in a frame work based on a puran-based world
view. Controversies regarding the Shastar puja are many but the most common criticism is its
apparent worship of the Goddess as well as the ritual being similar to idol worship. At the core of
shastar puja is the worship of ‘Chandi’ (the most ferocious incarnation of shakti) whose ballads
are recited. In her analysis of the debates surrounding the Dasam Granth, Robert Rinehart
mentions that the extensive attention paid to the Goddess in Dasam Granth has raised for some
Sikh commentators the question of whether these tales promote Goddess worship and are
therefore at odds with normative Sikh theology. If we consider Goddess tales in the wider
context of Dasam Granth as a whole, however it becomes clear that the question of whether or
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not Goddess worship is advocated is significant. It is also important to note that these accounts of
Goddess exploits further develop themes raised in Bichitar Natak and elsewhere regarding the
proper maintenance of cosmic order and the nature of leadership. The Goddess is referred by
many names in these compositions including Durga, Bhavani, Chandi, Chamunda, Kali, Kalika
etc. as in various Hindu versions of Goddess mythology. The first Goddess composition i.e.
‘Chandi charitar utki bilas ’ ends with a refrence to the ‘Markandta Purana’ of which the Devi
Mahatamya is a part. Many interpreters of the Dasam Granth have described the first two
Goddess compositions as translations of the Devi Mahatmya. But while the subject matter is the
same, the Goddess narratives in the Dasam Granth are considerably shorter than the Devi
Mahatmya. Consequently there have been many attempts by the Sikh scholars to interpret these
compositions in the light of what they consider to be the monotheistic theology of Guru Granth
Sahib.

Apart from the Goddess compositions of the Dassam Granth most of the sources of
the 18 and 19th century agree that the 10th Guru asked for the blessings of Goddess ‘Chandi’
th

prior to the creation of Khalsa ( on the Baisakhi day 1699). Kesar Singh Chibbar’s 1769
‘Bansavalinama’ reports that the 10th Guru worshipped the Goddess before establishing the
Khalsa. More over it is also believed that on the foundation day of Khalsa the 10 th Guru asked
the congregation for voluntary sacrifice and among them five Sikhs voluntarily agreed for the
sacrifice and were sacrificed but some historians say that instead of five Sikhs five goats were
sacrificed. Though historical documentation be lacking but the event is deeply etched in the Sikh
minds and hearts. As the leading historian M.c Leod says ;

‘It matters little whether five volunteers were actually sacrificed or whether five goats were
actually slain. The overriding fact is that in its essential outline the story is firmly believed and
this belief has un questionably contributed to the subsequent shaping of conventional Sikh
attitudes’.

We can’t say whether five Sikhs or five goats were sacrificed but one thing is clear that every
Sikh agrees to the fact that this sacrifice was performed. This sacrifice resembles to the
sacrificial rites performed by the Shakta worshippers or the Shakti cult in Hinduism, which
ultimately contributes towards the justification of the title (Goddess worship in Sikhism).

Last but not the least, many historians have written that the evidences of Devi worship
have been found in ancient Punjab. ‘Banabhatta’ (court poet of king Harsha ) in Harsha’s
biography i.e. “Harshacharita” a work of 7th century throws light on Devi worship in ancient
Punjab. The Shakta cult had become very popular in hilly areas especially in the early medieval
period. Hundreds of images of Shakti have been found in old temple ruins in the upper hills.
Rajtarangni also refers to various forms of Shakti worship in the Punjab hills. Oberoi finds that
in rular Punjab, Hindu and Sikh practices often overlapped. Sikhs participated in the worship of
Goddess Devi in Her forms as Durga and Kali. They expressed their devotion at Hindu shrines
and fairs and even belonged to religious orders dedicated to those Goddesses. So, under these
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circumstances one can assume that during those times some practices of the Shakti cult got
absorbed into Sikhism.

Conclusion:

On the basis of these evidences and facts derived from the Sikh scriptures and Sikh
history i.e. from the verses of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib to the facts recorded by many known
scholars and historians the researcher came to the conclusion that there is the presence of
Goddess worship in Sikhism. Despite of sound evidences Sikh scholars are denying this fact and
are consequently trying to get rid of it.
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Works cited:

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York Press, 2010.
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Siri Guru Granth Sahib’, Hand Made Books 899 N. Wilmot, Suite C-2 Tucson, Arizona
85711, USA.
4. K.A. Jacobsen, Mikael Aktor, Kristina Myrvold ,’Objects of worship in South Asian
religions: Routledge Press,2014.
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