Friday, 16 January 2026

Shada bikars

 The “6 Bikars” (more commonly called the Five Thieves, sometimes listed as six in some traditions) come from Sikh philosophy.



The 6 Bikars (inner vices)



They are the negative tendencies that pull a person away from truth and awareness:


  1. Kām – Lust / uncontrolled desire
  2. Krodh – Anger
  3. Lobh – Greed
  4. Moh – Attachment / emotional clinging
  5. Ahankār – Ego / pride
  6. Bikār (sometimes counted separately) – Moral corruption / impurity of mind and action



In most Sikh texts, the core list is five (Kām, Krodh, Lobh, Moh, Ahankār).

Some teachers add Bikār as a sixth, summarizing the condition produced when the five dominate the mind.



Meaning



  • These are mental and moral poisons, not “sins” in a legal sense.
  • They cloud awareness and keep a person trapped in suffering.
  • Liberation comes through Naam Simran (remembrance of God), humility, service (seva), and ethical living.




Related idea



  • They contrast with virtues like contentment, compassion, truthfulness, humility, and love.
  • Similar to the kleshas in yoga or the seven deadly sins in Christianity.



If you want, I can:


  • map the 6 bikars to modern psychology
  • compare them with Buddhist or Christian frameworks
  • explain how Sikh practice works to dissolve them



Just tell me.


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