Hare Krishna to all!
How does one shave a proper sikha? I am currently growing my hair out to have a long enough sikha to tie once it is shaved. Also, my current job will look down on such a haircut, so I am stuck with with somewhat longer karmi hair. I will be the one to cut it myself most likely and I would like to know the method devotees use in the temple.
Your humble servant,
Sarva
Replies
Wonderful answer, thank you.
I love the reasons of why devotees have them.
But I am truly inquiring on HOW to shave it by myself.Has anyone done that before?
Hare Krsna.
Hare Krishna!
Please Accept My Humble Obeisances.
Shikha is a tuft of hair at the back of head specifically kept by Vaishnavas and brahmanas. It symbolizes the following two things:
(1) The Vaishnavas following a descending spiritual path that is they depend on the mercy of the Supreme Lord at every step to pull them out of Maya. So when we are drowning in Maya and only our head is out of the water, Guru and Gauranga can still pull us out comfortably by holding our head by this tuft of hair called the shikha. So the shikha shows the subordination and dependence of the devotee on the causeless mercy of Lord Gauranga-Krishna at all times.
(2) Shikha is also like a spiritual antenna on the top of head meant to show to the Lord that we are aspiring recipients of His causeless mercy.
It is stated in the Pancharatra Pradipa: According to the Vedic culture, when a person undergoes the cuda-karana-samskara (hair-cutting ceremony) and upanayana (Vedic initiation), he must shave his head, leaving a tuft of hair called a sikha. One must have a sikha to perform any kind of yajna. Therefore in Indian tradition all the brahmanas, Vaisnavas or otherwise, keep a sikha. Although there seem to be no sastric injunctions regarding the size of the sikha, Gaudiya Vaisnavas traditionally keep the sikha about the size of a calf's hoofprint, approximately 1.5 inches (5 - 6 cm.) in diameter.
Srila Prabhupada mentioned this in a conversation with some of his disciples in Hawaii: “Gaudiya Vaisnava sikha is an inch and a half across… And they have to be knotted. (May 6, 1972, Hawaii; Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta V, page 93) The sikha may be any length, but it should be kept tightly knotted and only untied when you are washing, oiling or cleaning.
The Hari-bhakti-vilasa observes that members of the upper classes even tie the shikha before taking the final ablutions of a bath. This particularly applies when bathing in a body of water such as a river or a lake, in which case to not tie the sikha prior to bathing is considered low class and disrespectful to the sacred rite of bathing. You may tie it in a simple manner for bathing, retying it more carefully after the bath, cleaning or oiling it. Also, when going to sleep, attending funeral rites, or observing a period of mourning, you should keep the sikha untied. Since an untied sikha is a sign of a death in the family, it is inauspicious to go about one's daily duties with an untied shikha. It is also said that if one keeps the shikha untied, the body may become weak. While tying your shikha after bathing, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, or, if initiated with Gayatri mantras, silently chant the Brahma-gayatri (first line of Gayatri). The sikha should not be braided (traditionally only women braid their hair), nor should it be kept long and disheveled. Naturally, if the shikha is too short to be tied, it is all right to leave it open, but it should not be disheveled.
Shikha is an integral part of a Vaishnava’s appearance. Just as a policeman has his uniform that distinguishes him from ordinary citizens, or a businessman has his own business attire, the sikha along with other things, distinguishes a Vaishnava from ordinary people, especially Mayavadis. The Puranas explain that the spiritual master rescues his disciple by pulling his sikha when he sees the disciple slipping into maya.
Srila Prabhupada in his letter to Jagadisa -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 23 July, 1973: "Regarding what is a Vaisnava, Vaisnava means that when others see him, they will also chant Hare Krsna. So why not give them the chance of seeing by wearing the beads, tilaka, and sikha?"
For thousands of years, devotees of Krishna have worn their hair in this way as a sign of surrender to the spiritual master, who is pleased to see his disciples entering into Krishna conscious life. To the public, such signs as the shikha are constant reminders that the devotees of God are present, and therefore the sikha indirectly reminds everyone of Krishna.
You may visit your local ISKCON temple/preaching centre for seeking further guidance on practically maintaining the shikha. Devotees there would be more than happy to assist you.
Your Servant,
Mathura Vasi Devi Dasi.
mataji, wonderful explanation,
Pradyumna Das