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Sikhism: Social and Historical Developments in Religious Thought

Miri and piri, the kirpan and defending the oppressed

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 1

Overview

Words degh and tegh, motto degh tegh fateh and sikh liberationist thinking.

What you need to know

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Key term

What does mīrī mean?

Key term

What does pīrī mean?

Numbers

Where does the doctrine of mīrī and pīrī originate?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What does mīrī mean?

    Model answer

    Mīrī is temporal or political authority, from a Persian word for a commander. Sikh teaching gives worldly responsibility a religious status.

  2. 2

    What does pīrī mean?

    Model answer

    Pīrī is spiritual authority, from the Persian word for a Sufi master. Prayer, scripture and the inner life belong to pīrī.

  3. 3

    Where does the doctrine of mīrī and pīrī originate?

    Model answer

    Guru Hargobind wore two swords at his installation in 1606, one for each authority. Sikh political engagement is traced to that act.

  4. 4

    Why did the doctrine arise when it did?

    Model answer

    Guru Arjan's execution in 1606 showed that spiritual authority alone could not protect the panth. Temporal power was needed to defend the community.

  5. 5

    Which building at Amritsar expresses mīrī and pīrī?

    Model answer

    The Akāl Takht faces the Harmandir Sāhib across the sacred pool. Temporal decisions are taken in one building while worship continues in the other.

  6. 6

    What do the words degh and tegh mean?

    Model answer

    Degh is the cooking pot and tegh is the sword. Feeding the hungry and defending the weak are named together.

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