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There seems to be a deep misunderstanding about death among many Sikhs. It is not that you are judged externally by an all-seeing Waheguru, like God up in the heavens, when you die. It is that you see your entire life absolutely clearly and you feel any pain or hurt you caused to others exactly as they felt it at that time. The judging is more of a: "Ah, now I understand where I went off the path of my Dharma" or "All my karmas have been paid now and my journey is complete" experience.

Everything that lives (pranees) will die. Only the energy within everything goes on and on constantly taking new forms, growing and evolving. Dharam Raj is the image of transformation. For death is just that, transformation.

Receiving the Guru's Amrit does not instantly eliminate your karmas. But living a Dharmic life does. You have to take responsibility for your life, your words and actions. Amrit is not a "magic cure;" it is an opportunity to burn your karmas under Maharaj Ji's guidance.

The final slok of Japji Sahib about sums it up. That slok ends in this way:

chang-aa-ee-aa buri-aa-ee-aa vaachai Dharam hadoor. We must judge the results of our own actions. (did we act according to our Dharma?) karmee aapo aapnee kay nayrhai kay door. By our actions we live near or far. (from the One.) jinee naam Dhi-aa-i-aa ga-ay maskat ghaal. Those who have meditated on the Naam and have worked hard, can rejoice and go Home. (no more rebirths) naanak tay mukh ujlay kaytee chhutee naal. O Nanak! Their faces shine with joy and they take many others along.

There seems to be a deep misunderstanding about death among many Sikhs. It is not that you are judged externally by an all-seeing Waheguru, like God up in the heavens, when you die. It is that you see your entire life absolutely clearly and you feel any pain or hurt you caused to others exactly as they felt it at that time. The judging is more of a: "Ah, now I understand where I went off the path of my Dharma" or "All my karmas have been paid now and my journey is complete" experience.

Everything that lives (pranees) will die. Only the energy within everything goes on and on constantly taking new forms, growing and evolving. Dharam Raj is the image of transformation. For death is just that, transformation.

Receiving the Guru's Amrit does not instantly eliminate your karmas. But living a Dharmic life does. You have to take responsibility for your life, your words and actions. Amrit is not a "magic cure;" it is an opportunity to burn your karmas under Maharaj Ji's guidance.

The final slok of Japji Sahib about sums it up. That slok ends in this way:

chang-aa-ee-aa buri-aa-ee-aa vaachai Dharam hadoor. We must judge the results of our own actions. (did we act according to our Dharma?) karmee aapo aapnee kay nayrhai kay door. By our actions we live near or far. (from the One.) jinee naam Dhi-aa-i-aa ga-ay maskat ghaal. Those who have meditated on the Naam and have worked hard, can rejoice and go Home. (no more rebirths) naanak tay mukh ujlay kaytee chhutee naal. O Nanak! Their faces shine with joy and they take many others along.