Gurmat Ishnaan - Steps

The term "Gurmat Ishnaan" comes up every now and again on this website so it would be very beneficial to all readers if a step by step of gurmat ishnaan is writen out in detail. I personally know many gursikhs are unaware of the little steps and miss these out such as washing kanga after keshi ishnaan, removing the 'joothi' keski and keeping a fresh new one, cold water etc.

Many thanks in advance.

Here is an old writeup with respect to Gurmat Ishnaan:

1) We should get up at amritvela. (Around 2am).

2) We should try to clean our stomach (through excretion) before doing ishnaan.

3) We should brush our teeth (or use daatun).

4) Tie our keski to our waist, wrap Siri Sahib (kirpaan) around keski and also keep your kanga there. Open our kesh.

5) Use full cold water (no hot water at all) and wash your hair and face. In Canada, water is ice-cold in summer and winter. The feeling after taking shower in cold water is amazing. Consciousness reaches it's maximum. Abhyaas goes automatically.

6) After washing your hair, soak out water and comb your hair and beard. Wash your kanga and place in in your jooRa (hair knot). Tie your keski ( a new one, a fresh one) on your head.

7) Wash your Siri Sahib and Gaatra or use your second set of washed gaatra and Siri Sahib and tie it around your head.

8) Now do ishnaan of your body, again with pure cold water. Such is the affect of cold water (ice cold water) that automatically swaas swaas simran abhyaas starts in full force. The feeling after ishnaan with cold water is undescribible (beyond description).

9) Keep separate towels for your body and hair. Use your body wala towel and dry your body.

10) Remove your kachherra and ensure that the right leg is removed first. Keep the wet kachhera in your left leg for now.

11) Take your new (fresh) kachhera (must be white kachherra, long till knees) and place your right foot or leg in the new kachherra. Now remove your left leg from the wet kachherra and wear your left leg in the new kachherra.

12) All the time while we do ishnaan we must do either Siri Jap jee Sahib or Vaheguru Gurmantra or Mool Mantra or any other Baani e.g. Siri Basant kee Vaar. Otherwise Guru Sahib does not accept ishnaan dee sewa.

Note: As per the aforementioned, head should be washed first but subsequent to writing the above post many years ago, senior Gursikhs from India clarified that it is okay to wash your body first.

Bhul chukk dee maafi.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh

When taking the kachera off, the right leg should be removed first. The kachera should not touch the feet (i.e. We shouldn't step on top of the kacherra- According to Rehatnamas of Bhai Nand Lal Jee). When right leg is removed wrap the right leg of the wet kachera around your left leg & then put your fresh kachera on.

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ke fateh !!

kulbir singh bhaji you've written

' 10) Remove your kachherra and ensure that the right leg is removed first. Keep the wet kachhera in your left leg for now. '

please can you explain the significance of removing the right leg first?

thank you

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ke fateh !!

2) We should try to clean our stomach (through excretion) before doing ishnaan.


Through excertion??? What does that mean

Guru Ka Daas
Binodh Singh

Quote

kulbir singh bhaji you've written

' 10) Remove your kachherra and ensure that the right leg is removed first. Keep the wet kachhera in your left leg for now. '

please can you explain the significance of removing the right leg first?

Don't know the significance of doing so but heard about it from Singhs and wrote the above based on that, many years ago. One reason to always remove Kachhera from the same leg is that it becomes a habit and then you don't remove both of your legs at the same time.

Quote

2) We should try to clean our stomach (through excretion) before doing ishnaan.


Through excertion??? What does that mean

What it means is that we should try to go Jungle-paani (#2) before doing Ishnaan. It empties the stomach and concentration is better this way.

Guru Sahib knows better.

Kulbir Singh

Once done with Gurmat Ishnaan, is it ok to take off the keski and leave the hair open to dry while doing Simran?

Also, I have very curly hair and once my hair are dry, I cannot comb them without putting oil first.
Is there any restrictions with applying oil to hair?
If not then are there any preferred oils used/recommended by gursikhs?

Oil is totally fine

most gursikhs oil their kesh
and some gursikhs, including daas, oil our daarahs as well

best oil to use: Almond Oil

worst oil to use: Baby Oil

Coconut, Mustard, Olive oils are also good.

Coconut oil freezes, avoid using in winter, works excellent in summer.

bhul chuk khimaa

I would like to add one more thing which is not mentioned in Bhai Kulbir Singh's post. Washed or clean keski (that comes in direct contact with kesh) should be used everyday to tie our kesh.

Thanks for the informative write up Bhai Kulbir Singh ji.

"iSingh" ji, it is totally fine to keep hair open during Naam Abhiyaas (aslong as there is no Parkaash of Guru Sahib at the location) and Keski still must be on your person (preferably still covering your head).

Oil is most preffered after keshi ishnaan. To avoid breaking hairs and to keep them healthy, one must apply oil. Mustard oil is preffered.

Is is necessary to tie your kesh in the keski which comes directly in contact with the kesh??

Isn't rolling your hair into a Joora and then wearing the keski on top ok? Is it a MUST to tie your kesh in the nearest keski?