Delivering Katha (a religious sermon) before the Sangat is an act of Parchaar, the propagation of Gurmat. This seva carries the responsibility of spiritually guiding the Sangat and embodying Gurmat through one’s own life. Therefore, this seva can only be rightly performed by a rehatvaan Amritdhari Gursikh.

One who has not formally committed to the Guru by receiving Amrit may lack the spiritual depth and lived discipline required to inspire the Sangat and serve as a complete role model.

Gurbani repeatedly emphasizes total surrender to Guru Sahib Ji, wholeheartedly accepting His hukam and shaping every aspect of life according to Gurmat. This leads to an essential question. Can those who have not taken Amrit truly be said to have reached the level of surrender and discipline that Gurbani calls for?

Imagine a mona person(who cuts their hair) saying to the sangat:

ਪੀਵਹੁ ਪਾਹੁਲ ਖੰਡਧਾਰ ਹੁਇ ਜਨਮੁ ਸੁਹੇਲਾ॥
“Drink the Amrit, accomplish the worth of your birth.”
(Bhai Gurdas Ji)

This pankti asks Sikhs to drink Amrit and make one’s birth fruitful. When the person doing katha has not accepted Amrit or the discipline that comes with it, the message of the shabad loses its weight. For this reason, allowing only Rehatvaan Amritdhari Gursikhs to do katha helps preserve the maryada of Guru Ghar.

Reasons why only Sikhs can do katha: 

1. Panthic Rehat Maryada
   Sikh Rehat Maryada clearly says that only a Sikh is permitted to do Katha in the presence of the Sangat. 

   ੳ) ਸੰਗਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਕਥਾ ਸਿੱਖ ਹੀ ਕਰੇ।
   a. Katha of Gurbani (discourse of the Guru’s Word) within the Sangat can only be done by a Sikh.
   (Sikh Rehat Maryada)

2. Responsibility of those on stage
   Anyone who gives updesh through Gurbani is automatically representing Gurmat and should set an example. How can someone who is clean-shaven or cuts their kesh teach or share Gurmat in public? 

   Gurbani says:
   ਪ੍ਰਥਮੇ ਮਨੁ ਪਰਬੋਧੈ ਅਪਨਾ ਪਾਛੈ ਅਵਰ ਰੀਝਾਵੈ ॥
   “First, instruct your own mind, and then leads others.”
   (Raag Aasa M:5, Ang 381)

   ਅਵਰ ਉਪਦੇਸੈ ਆਪਿ ਨ ਕਰੈ ॥ ਆਵਤ ਜਾਵਤ ਜਨਮੈ ਮਰੈ ॥
   “One who does not practice what he preaches to others shall come and go in reincarnation, through birth and death.”
   (Raag Gauree M:5, Ang 269)

3. Impact on the sangat
   When someone who does katha is not a rehatvaan Sikh or is a non-sikh, it gives the wrong message. People usually assume they know a lot about Gurbani, but they are not living according to Gurmat. This can make others in the sangat, especially those who are new or still learning, think that keeping rehat is not important for spiritual growth. How does this help Sikhi? Breaking Gurmat just to make people feel included or “inspired” does more harm than good. 

   Gurbani says:
   ਗਿਆਨੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਕਥੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਕਥਿ ਕਥਿ ਬਾਦੁ ਕਰੇ ਦੁਖੁ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਕਥਿ ਕਹਣੈ ਤੇ ਰਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਰਸ ਰਾਤੇ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੨॥ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਸਭੁ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਸਾਚੀ ਰਹਤ ਸਾਚਾ ਮਨਿ ਸੋਈ ॥ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਕਥਨੀ ਹੈ ਪਰੁ ਰਹਤ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਨਾਵਹੁ ਭੂਲੇ ਥਾਉ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥੩॥
   “Everyone talks about spiritual wisdom and spiritual knowledge. Talking, talking, they argue, and suffer. No one can stop talking and discussing it. Without experiencing the divine taste, there is no liberation. ||2|| Spiritual wisdom and meditation all come from the Guru. Through the lifestyle of Truth, the True Lord comes to dwell in the mind. The Manmukh (egotistical person) talks about it but does not practice it. Forgetting the Name, he finds no place of rest. ||3||”
   (Raag Bilaaval M:1, Ang 831)

   ਜੋ ਪਢ ਕਰਿ ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਬਤਾਵੈ ॥ ਆਪ ਨਹੀਂ ਸ਼ੁਭ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵੈ ॥
   ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਛਾਯਾ ਪਰੈ ਨ ਕਿਸ ਪੈ ॥ ਸ੍ਰਵਣ ਕਰੇ ਕਿਛ ਹੋਇ ਨਾ ਤਿਸ ਪੈ ॥
   “One who read and instructs others but does not practice good deeds themselves – do not go near their shadow as listening to them, nothing will be gained.”
   (Kavi Santokh Singh Ji – Sri Gur Prataap Suraj Granth)

4. Giving Naam updesh to the sangat
   It does not make much sense for someone who is Gurmantar-heen (without Gurmantar) to deliver katha, because Naam-Gurmantar is only received from the Panj Pyare after taking Amrit. How can they guide others toward the joy and sweetness of Gurbani if they do not have Naam themselves or live according to Guru Sahib’s mat?

   Gurbani says:
   ਜਿਨ ਕੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਨਾਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਤੇ ਬਿਗੜ ਰੂਪ ਬੇਰਕਟੀ ॥
   ਜਿਉ ਨਿਗੁਰਾ ਬਹੁ ਬਾਤਾ ਜਾਣੈ ਓਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਦਰਗਹ ਹੈ ਭ੍ਰਸਟੀ ॥੧॥
   “Those who do not have the Name of their Lord-Master within their hearts, are the most wretched, deformed lepers. Like the ‘Nigura’ (Guru-less person, i.e. who does not follow the Guru), they may know many things, but they are cursed in the Court of Vaheguru. ||1||”
   (Raag Dev Gandaaree M:4, Ang 528)

   ਉਧਰਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਤਰੈ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਜਪਿ ਏਕੰਕਾਰੁ ॥
   ਆਪਿ ਕਮਾਉ ਅਵਰਾ ਉਪਦੇਸ ॥ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਪਰਵੇਸ ॥੩॥
   “You shall be redeemed from vice and sin, and through you, the whole world shall be saved from vice and sin. Repeat the Name of the Almighty, and remember the One Creator. Practice this yourself (first), and (then) teach others as well. Instill the Name of the Almighty in your heart. ||3||”
   (Raag Gauree, M:5, Ang 185)

5. Inspiration to take Amrit
   Allowing only Amritdhari Gursikhs to deliver Katha also serves as inspiration for non-Amritdharis who have shardha for Guru Sahib Ji. When they see that doing Katha and performing seva on stage is reserved for those who have taken Amrit and are committed to Gurmat, it can motivate them to take Amrit themselves. This not only helps them grow spiritually but also gives them the opportunity to participate in this important seva in the future.

   Bhai Gurdas Ji says:

   ਹਉ ਸਦਕੇ ਤਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਗੁਰਸਿਖਾਂ ਗੁਰਸਿਖ ਦੇ ਗੁਰਸਿਖ ਮਿਲਾਇਆ ॥
   “May I lovingly devote myself to those Gursikhs who, imparting the teachings of the Guru make another disciple meet the Guru.”
   (Bhai Gurdas Ji: vaar 12, pauri 6)