I'm thinking about taking Amrit, but I have some questions.

Respected Sister,
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!

You have raised a number of issues before partaking Amrit.

About wearing clothes or jewellery etc., the Gurbani guides us ‘ਬਾਬਾ ਹੋਰੁ ਪੈਨਣੁ ਖੁਸੀ ਖੁਆਰੁ ॥ ਜਿਤੁ ਪੈਧੈ ਤਨੁ ਪੀੜੀਐ ਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਚਲਹਿ ਵਿਕਾਰ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ।।means ‘ਹੇ ਭਾਈ! ਜਿਸ ਪਹਿਨਣ ਨਾਲ ਸਰੀਰ ਦੁਖੀ ਹੋਵੇ, ਤੇ ਮਨ ਵਿਚ ਭੀ ਭੈੜੇ ਖ਼ਿਆਲ ਤੁਰ ਪੈਣ, ਇਹੋ ਜਿਹਾ ਪਹਿਨਣ ਦਾ ਸ਼ੌਂਕ ਤੇ ਚਾਉ ਖ਼ੁਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।1। ਰਹਾਉ।।’. You can see the Gurbani is not imposing any restrictions but is leaving the decision on us. One is advised not to wear such things, by wearing which one feels uncomfortable and also bad thoughts run in one’s own mind and in the mind of others as well. Hope it helps you to take your own decisions.

Further, the undersigned is of the opinion that first you need to understand what is Amrit?

As commonly understood, Amrit is Ambrosia/Nectar/Elixir of life, by taking which a person never dies and becomes immortal. Therefore, immortality is generally linked with physical death, which as per teachings of Guru Granth Sahib has to come. The Guru teaches us that ‘ਜੰਮਣੁ ਮਰਣਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਭਾਣੈ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ।। means ਜੀਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਜੰਮਣਾ ਮਰਨਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦਾ ਹੁਕਮ ਹੈ, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀ ਰਜ਼ਾ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ ਜੀਵ ਜੰਮਦਾ ਤੇ ਮਰਦਾ ਹੈ।।’

The Guru, however, teaches us to rise above the fright of physical death.

Please be kind to read the following stanza from a Shabad of Kabir ji, at Panna 654 of Guru Granth Sahib, in which he is guiding us to rise above the fright of death:-

ਪਰਿਓ ਕਾਲੁ ਸਭੈ ਜਗ ਊਪਰ ਮਾਹਿ ਲਿਖੇ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਗਿਆਨੀ ॥ ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਨ ਭਏ ਖਾਲਸੇ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਭਗਤਿ ਜਿਹ ਜਾਨੀ ॥੪॥੩॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 654}

ਅਰਥ: ਸਾਰੇ ਜਗਤ ਉੱਤੇ ਕਾਲ ਦਾ ਸਹਿਮ ਪਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ, ਭਰਮੀ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਭੀ ਉਸੇ ਹੀ ਲੇਖੇ ਵਿਚ ਲਿਖੇ ਗਏ ਹਨ (ਉਹ ਭੀ ਮੌਤ ਦੇ ਸਹਿਮ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ ਹਨ) । ਹੇ ਕਬੀਰ! ਆਖ-ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਮਨੁੱਖਾਂ ਨੇ ਪ੍ਰੇਮਾ-ਭਗਤੀ ਕਰਨੀ ਸਮਝ ਲਈ ਹੈ ਉਹ (ਮੌਤ ਦੇ ਸਹਿਮ ਤੋਂ) ਆਜ਼ਾਦ ਹੋ ਗਏ ਹਨ।੪।੩।

The Sikh, who is a student, by imbibing the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib, has to rise above the fright of death and become a Khalsa i.e. Akalpurakh’s own. Perhaps, you would be aware that Khalsa is a Persian word, which means King’s own land.

Once the Sikh become Akalpurakh’s own, then Akalpurakh will always be with him and he will never do anything which will lead to his Spiritual Death.

In a way, the Sikh has to live a disciplined life, as per the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib, get rid of vices, become a righteous/virtuous person (Gurmukh), become one with Akalpurakh and Shabad Guru, who are spiritually embodiment of each other and reach the stage of spiritual equipoise (ਆਤਮਿਕ ਅਡੋਲਤਾ) and spiritual bliss (ਆਤਮਿਕ ਆਨੰਦ) and finally achieve spiritual emancipation/salvation in this life itself (ਜੀਵਨ ਮੁਕਤ ਹੋ ਜਾਣਾ).

So, as understood by the undersigned, as per Gurbani, not dying Spiritual Death is what immortality is. This is what the Sahibzadas and other martyrs achieved, by laying down their lives, but by not dying spiritual death and, therefore, became immortal for all times to come (ਅਮਰ‌ ਹੋ ਗਏ).

The word Amrit appears in Guru Granth Sahib a large number of times, which makes it absolutely clear that Shabad/Naam (Gurbani) is Amrit. For example, Guru Sahib guides us ‘ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਬਦੁ ਪੀਵੈ ਜਨੁ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਪਰਮ ਗਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥੪੧॥੯੨॥’ means ‘ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! (ਉੱਚੇ ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਗੁਣ, ਮਾਨੋ) ਹੀਰੇ ਜਵਾਹਰ ਹਨ, ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਜਪ ਕੇ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਖ਼ਜ਼ਾਨੇ ਭਰ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਤੇ ਕਦੇ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਥੁੜ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੁੰਦੀ। ਗੁਰੂ ਦਾ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਜਲ ਹੈ, ਜੇਹੜਾ ਭੀ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਇਹ ਨਾਮ-ਜਲ ਪੀਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਉੱਚੀ ਆਤਮਕ ਅਵਸਥਾ ਬਣ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ।2। 41। 92।’.

Actually, what we take from Panj Piaras is not Amrit but ‘Pahul’, which, in common parlance, is named as ‘Amrit’ and the ceremony is named as ‘Amrit Sanskar’. Please see pages 27 to 31 of ‘Sikh Rehat Maryada’, under the heading ‘Amrit Sanskar’, which are devoted to the ceremony of taking Pahul. Please click on the link below to read the ‘Sikh Rehat Maryada’:-

https://sgpc.net/?page_id=653

Now coming to the question why it is necessary to take Pahul?

The practice of giving Pahul was started by Tenth Guru Person Guru Gobind Singh Sahib on the Vaisakhi day of 1699 to prepare a disciplined force of ‘Sant Sipahis (ਸੰਤ ਸਿਪਾਹੀ)’, so as to fight against all kind of oppression/tyranny/ persecution/atrocity/cruelty.This disciplined force of Sant Sipahis came to be known as Khalsa i.e. Akalpurakh’s own, who rose above the fright of death and fought all kind of oppression/tyranny/ persecution/atrocity/cruelty in the past and continue to do so.

Therefore, you have to first think whether you are ready to live a disciplined life, as per teachings of Guru Granth Sahib. Once you are ready for that, then the questions you are asking now will become unimportant. The undersigned will like to hear back from you.

Hope this helps. If you have any further questions, please do ask. If there are any shortcomings, please do point out the same, for improvement in future.

Regards,
Your Brother