# Miri Piri Divas



## singhbj (Jul 21, 2008)

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

On this day in Sikh History 6th Patshah Sahib Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji wore two Kirpans representing Miri and Piri at Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

MIRI & PIRI, compound of two words, both of Perso - Arabic origin, adapted into the Sikh tradition to connote the close relationship within it between the temporal and the spiritual. The term represents for the Sikhs a basic principle which has influenced their religious and political thought and governed their societal structure and behaviour. 

Miri
The word miri has been derived from Persian word “miri”, which itself comes from the Arabic “amir” which literary means commander, governor, lord, prince, etc, and signifies temporal power. The word miri and piri are frequently used together. 

Piri
The word piri has been derived from Persian “pir” literary meaning senior man, saint, holy man, spiritual guide, head of a religious order) and stands for spiritual authority. The word miri and piri are frequently used together. 

Miri Piri
The adoption of the term “miri, piri” in Sikh tradition has been made to connote the temporal and spiritual components of life. The term represents for the Sikhs a basic principle which has influenced their political thought and has governed their social structure, political behaviour, organisation, leadership and politics.

The origin of the concept of Miri and Piri is usually associated with Guru Hargobind Sahib ji (1595 - 1644) who, unlike his five predecessors, adopted a princely style right from the time of his installation in 1606 as the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, when as part of the investiture he wore on his person two swords, one representing Miri or political command of the community and the other Piri, its spiritual headship. For this reason, he is known as Miri Piri da Malak, master of piety as well as of power. This correlation between the spiritual and the mundane had in fact been conceptualized in the teachings of the founder of the faith, Guru Nanak Dev ji (1469-1539) himself. God is posited by Guru Sahib ji as the Ultimate Reality. He is the creator, the ultimate ground of all that exists. The man being the creation of God, partakes of His Own Light. How does man fulfil himself in this world which, again, is posited as a reality? Not by withdrawal or renunciation, but, as says Guru Nanak Dev ji's hymn in the measure Ramkali, by "battling in the open field with one's mind perfectly in control and with one's heart poised in love all the lime" (GG,93l). Participation was made the rule. Thus worldly structures the family, the social and economic systems were brought within the religious domain. Along with the transcendental vision, concern with existential reality was part of Guru Nanak Dev ji's intuition. His sacred verse reveals an acute awareness of the ills and errors of contemporary society. Equally telling was his opposition to oppressive State structures. He frankly censured the highhandedness of the kings and the injustices and inequalities which permeated the system. The community that grew from Guru Nanak Dev ji's message had a distinct social entity and, under the succeeding Gurus, it became consolidated into a distinct political entity with features not dissimilar to those of a political state: for instance, its geographical division into manjis or dioceses each under a masand or the Guru's representative, new towns founded and developed both as religious and commercial centres, and an independent revenue administration for collection of tithes (Dasvand). The Guru began to be addressed by the devotees as Sacha Patshah (true king). 

Source: http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Miri_and_Piri


Body and soul were put together by Akal Purakh to create life. The body and soul have different needs and characteristics though accomplish complementing functions. As they need each other to make the other complete, so Miri and Piri cannot exist without the other. On a global level, as the Akal Purakh created the universe and is an altruistic involved participant in His creation, so the Sikh's participation in spiritual and temporal life, in accordance with the teachings of the Gurus is an active, vibrant and compassionate one. A Sikh does not merely believe in spiritual concepts but lives and acts upon them in all spheres of life. Without Miri, action, the spirituality of Piri would be meaningless and impotent. Without the moral and spiritual imperitive of Piri, Miri becomes a force of degeneration, wanton destruction and misery.

Source: http://www.panthic.org/news/125/ARTICLE/2835/2006-10-18.html

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh


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## Canuck Singh (Jul 21, 2008)

Such a wonderful and blessed time when the Guru's spread Love & Spirit into the lands of Earth. Pray such times will come again...


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