Sri Satguru Dayal once visited the realm of God (Nirankar). There he found ' an assembly in session, attended by Guru Nanak and the nine Gurus who succeeded him. The assembly stood and God issued his command: 'Men Of God go forth and preach the Rahit to all Sikhs. All who acknowledge the authority of the ten Gurus are now entrusted to your care.' Satguru Dayal humbly replied: 'My Lord, what strength have I to perform this task?' God reassured him, saying, 'He who obeys you will attain deliverance and find a dwelling place in heaven (sach khand). The Brahmans have been misdirecting everyone along the path which leads to hell. Show them to path of the divine Name.' Having thus received his orders from God himself Satguru Dayal returned to the world of men.
[1
 

Once Sri Satguru Darbar Singh was sitting in a religious assembly. While the scriptural discourse was in progress a Sikh arrived from the Punjab. Entering the assembly, he said, 'My Lord, the Brahmans have entangled us in a net of futile rituals and ceremonies. Please explain to us the scriptural ceremonies for birth, death and marriage. Tell us what the Guru has commanded.' The Satguru addressed the sangat, saying, 'There is but one answer for all Sikhs and it is that all should repeat the Name of God. If anyone should deny this refer him to God's sacred scripture where at the very beginning it is recorded in Japji Sahib: "God's ultimate dwelling is the Realm of Truth, the ineffable home of eternal bliss. There the Creator keeps watch over all, imparting grace, bestowing joy.”...
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  'In the presence of the assembled congregation of Sikhs who acknowledge Satguru Baba Dayal and the Guru Granth Sahib, in its presence say, "Glory, glory be to God!" (dhan dhan nirankar). Repeat these words again and again:

  "Glory be to God!"            
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  'There now follow the usages decreed by the Guru Granth Sahib.       
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'Whenever a child is born, whether it be a son or a daughter, we sing the Guru's hymns. When the birth takes place we distribute the Guru's karah prasad (4.5[12]). Do not believe that the mother should be regarded as polluted following childbirth ... After fifteen days the mother should bring the child into the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib and the Guru's karah prasad should there be offered. A name taken from the Guru Granth Sahib is then bestowed on the child. This is the ritual to be observed following a birth.
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'The child is betrothed when it is old enough to understand what is taking place ... When the marriage is to take place the Guru's blessing is invoked by singing his hymn. Women as well as men sing the third Guru's Anand in Ramkali raga (5.2.7) ... We should never invite a Brahman to conduct a marriage. Brahmans encourage superstition in order to satisfy their own greed ...
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  'Celebrations should be held in the house during the course of the ten days preceding the departure of the marriage party ... When the marriage party sets out the Guru Granth Sahib should be carried in a palanquin, protected by a canopy and by the use of a whisk .... When the party reaches the bride's house with the Guru Granth Sahib a carpet is spread on the ground, a canopy is suspended above it, and a screen erected around it. The Guru Granth Sahib is then set within the enclosure on a stool. After Ardas (5.4) has been recited the ends [of the sashes worn by the bride and groom] are tied to each other and the couple walk four times round the Guru Granth Sahib while we recite Guru Arjan's hymn in Suhi raga (5.7.6.4[1]) .... After the couple have been seated the Lavan are recited.⁸ ... We then sing more hymns and then after reciting Anand Sahib we serve karah prasad in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. The couple then proceed to their home, escorted by others singing hymns. We do not demand a dowry, brother, as this is forbidden by the Guru ....
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'We sing the Guru's hymns or listen to them during the course of our daily round, brother. Whenever a Sikh is about to begin an [important] task he offers Ardas before the Guru Granth Sahib. He then prostrates himself and [as a token of humble submission] cleans the shoes [of others who have assembled before the Guru Granth Sahib]. It is not our custom to ascertain auspicious times for such activities .... All the years, months, and days given by the Guru are suitable, brother. The Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh, tells us that a Gursikh should simply invoke the Guru's name and set about his business even though all the omens may appear bad. Even tasks which seem impossible can be performed with the Guru's aid. Such is the power of the divine Name.
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'When by God's grace a life draws to its end, when the call comes and a Sikh departs this life, we cover the corpse with a white shroud and either cremate it or commit it directly to flowing waters, singing hymns as we do so. We do not weep and wail. Whether the deceased be a child, a young person or one advanced in years we simply wrap him in a white shroud .... When we cremate a Sikh we recite Anand and Kirtan Sohila (5.2.7, 5.3). We then serve karah prasad and fried cakes (lucht) as our means afford, and return to the Guru Granth Sahib, reciting hymns antiphonally as we go. When we arrive we inaugurate a reading of the complete scripture. This is Guru Nanak's rite, brother, restored again by Satguru Dayal. It is the scriptural rite and Sikhs should observe it. ...
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  'When Brahmans conduct the shradh ceremony commemorating a death, brother, they claim that the ancestors of Khatris have become crows, dogs, snakes, cows and frogs! They also insist on being given feasts. Gursikhs should have nothing to do with such practices. For them the only path is the divine Word. Do not engage in mourning for a deceased person, brother .... When anyone departs for the realm of God, brother, then, humbly submitting to the will of the eternal Satguru, we clothe ourselves in pure white garments and go about our normal business. We do not spread [mourning] mats. The only other thing we do is gather the bones and ashes after five days and commit them to flowing water. As we do this we sing hymns ....
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'The traditional rituals and ceremonies are all spurious. What you should do, brother, is repeat the divine Name. Take no account of astrological predictions. "A host of suns shine when the Name is repeated, banishing the darkness of ignorance." This hypocrisy, brother, is entirely due t9 the greed of the Brahmans. What difference can it make if a star is ascending or declining! ...
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'Attend the sangat, joining with others in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, and [acknowledge your submission to the sangat by humbly] washing their feet. We already observe the practice of signifying our submission to God by cleaning the shoes of those who assemble in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. This we do because Guru Nanak has told us to do it ....
[12

'There are three other precepts to be observed, all of them taught by the immortal Guru Nanak and by Satguru Dayal. 1. Sing songs of praise to God. 2. Serve your parents. 3. In obedience to God live by your own labours and renounce all evil. As Kabir says in shalok 233: "He who consumes bhang, fish, or liquor shall surely go to hell, regardless of all his pilgrimages, fasts, and disciplines." The purpose of these three precepts is as follows. We sing God's praises in order to bring the round of transmigration to an end. We should serve our parents because a mother carries the child in her womb for ten months and once God has brought it to birth the parents must assume complete responsibility for it. And we should earn our own keep because one should not be dependent on others. Do not believe anyone who violates any of these three principles. They have been delivered by Satguru Nanak himself and by Satguru Dayal. .. .'
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The Sikh who received this homily [from Satguru Darbara Singh] fell at this feet and asked to be initiated as a disciple. He was told that his prime duty must be to worship none save the Guru's divine Word and to devoutly repeat the name of God (Nirankar).9
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Acknowledgements:
McLeod, W. Hew. Textual Sources For the Study of Sikhism. Page 124-126, Manchester University Press, 1984.