FOUNDATION OF THE KHALSA
Prof. Hazara Singh
(The Tercentenary of KHALSA has been
celebrated very recently in a befitting manner and in devotional spirit. –Ed.)
“Blessed is he who even when he wages war
keeps God ever in his mind”
Meditation, service and sacrifice constituted
warp and woof of the new faith. Barren meditation had not proved itself
beneficial to society. Its blending with the service of society imparted a
positive approach to life. The adoption of sacrifice gave a purposeful meaning
to the wordly activities by popularising death for a cause rather than ending
oneself in vain hope of personal salvation. The perusal of Indian epics reveals
that many preceptors and warriors threw away their weapons and forgot the cause
for which they had taken up the cudgels when the death of their sons was
correctly or incorrectly announced to them. Bravery lacking the sense of
sacrifice is a very unsteady force. But Gobind Singh, the Tenth and the last
Guru gave a new conception to sacrifice when he willingly and smilingly got his
near and dear ones martyred for the protection of truth. He was hardly a lad of
nine when a deputation of Brahmins from Kashmir waited upon his father, Guru
Tegh Bahadur, wailing as to how the Mogul tyranny had rendered their lives unbearable,
leaving them with no other option hut to embrace Islam or face an inglorious
beheading. After listening to them, Guru Tegh Bahadur remarked that they could
be saved if a pure and virtuous man would be prepared to offer his sacrifice,
Gobind Rai1 instantaneously remarked as to who could be holier than
his father. Imagine a lad willingly depriving himself of the paternal
protection, and affection for saving truth, society and country from the
onslaught of communal bigotry and fanaticism. Later when his two sons in their
mere teens died fighting valiantly before his very eyes, he solemnly said:
“O Lord. I’ve surrendered to Thee, what
belonged to Thee”.
Guru Tegh Banadur was arrested under orders
of the Mogul Emperor Aurangzeb and on his refusal to embrace Islam was beheaded
in the Chandini Chowk of Delhi. He died in composure singing the divine praise:
“Why grieve for that which is inevitab!e?
Everyone who’s born must also pass away from
here.”
After his father had given up his life, but
not his faith, Guru Govind Singh resolved that not only the souls of people
were to be purified, but also their muscles had to be strengthened for
self-defence as well as for protection of the weak. He writes in Vichitra
Natak:
“For this purpose was I born:
To defend the holy and to destroy evil doers”
He decided to evolve a new order which as a last resort would not hesitate to use
sword even for breaking the shackles of social economic and political
subjugation:
“When there’s no
other course open to man,
It is but righteous to unsheathe the sword”.
It was the day of Baisakhi in 1699. A very large gathering from all parts of the country
had congregated at Anandpur. He suddenly rose to his feet with a naked sword in hand and his voice ringing like a clarion:
“I want a Sikh who can offer his head to me,
here and now”.
The congregation got hushed and even
bewildered. When the Guru repeated his demand, one after the other five of his
devotees kept rising from the gathering. Majority of them belonged to
the so-called lower castes. He took them each into an adjoining tent according
to his turn: After having selected the five who had not the slightest
hesitation to sacrifice their lives for the protection of truth, the Guru led
them out. They wore long loose yellow shirts, blue turbans, waist-bands,
nicker-bockers as underwear and swords dangling by their sides. They looked not
only smart, but soldier - like,
inspiring and dedicated. The Guru called them his Beloved Ones. In a bowl of
steel, sugar-cakes were dissolved, everyone of them stirring water with a
double-edged dagger in turn and singing
the holy hymns along with it. The Guru called it Amrit (Nectar) and gave the
name of Khalsa (the pure) to his new order. He said:
“The Khalsa shall not only be war-like, but also
sweeten the lives of
those whom he is chosen to serve”
The Guru administered amrit to his beloved
ones one after the other and then entreated them with folded hands to do
likewise to him. When they hesitated, for, how could they administer amrit to
him who was their spiritual guide, redeemer and saviour, the Guru said:
“It is a new order I have evolved from this day.”
where there will be no high and no low. I want
to establish this fraternity on the basis of
equality by asking to
become your disciple now”.
Commenting on this episode. Bhai Gurdas Singh
remarked:
“Great is qobind Singh who is The Guru and disciple rolled into
one”
The Guru addressed his Beloved Ones and the congregation thus:
From now on, you become casteless. No ritual, either Hindu or Muslim will you perform, and
believe in superstition of no kind, but only in one God Who’s the
Master and The Protector of all, the only Creator and Destroyer. In your new order, the lowest
will rank equal with the highest and each will be to the other a ‘bhai’ (brother). No pilgrimages for you any
more, nor austerities but the pure life of the household, yet ready to
sacrifice it at the call of Dharma. Women shall be the equal of men in every
way. He who killeth his daughter. the Khalsa will not deal with him. You will
wear your hair unshorn like the ancient sages as a pledge of dedication to the
Guru; a comb to keep it clean; a steel bracelet to denote the universality of
God; an underwear to enjoin chastity, and a steel-dagger for your defence.
Smoking, being an unclean habit and injurious to health, you will forswear.
You’ll love the weapons of war be excellent horsemen marksmen and wielders of
the sword, the discus, and the spear. Physical prowess will be as sacred to you
as spiritual sensitiveness. And between the Hindus and the Muslims, you’ll act
as a bridge and serve the poor without distinction of caste or creed. My Khalsa
shall always defend the poor and deg (the community kitchen) will he as much an
essential part of your order as ‘tegh’ (the sword). And from now on, you will
all call yourselves Singhs (lions) and greet each other with Waheguru ji Ke Khalsa, Waheguru ji Ke Fateh
(The Khalsa belongs to God O, Victory he to God) 2
The foundation of the Khalsa was reported to
the Royal Court at Delhi as:
“He has abolished
caste and custom;
old rituals, beliefs
and superstitions of the Hindus and
banded them in one single brotherhood.
No one will he
superior or inferior to another.
Men of all castes have
been made to eat
out of the same bowl.
Though orthodox men
have opposed him.
Yet about twenty
thousand men and
women have taken
baptism
of steel at
his hands on the first day.
The Guru has also told
the gathering:”
“I will call myself
Gobind Singh
only if I can make sparrows pounce
upon the hawks and tear them;
only if one combatant of my force
equals a
lakh and a quarter of the
enemy3.
Social and political conditions in India
underwent a revolutionary change after the inception of Khalsa. Freedom from
foreign domination, superstitions, cant and ego, became the urge of each and
every heart. Nationalism, a word unknown to the Indian people, surged as a
dynamic force. It made no distinction between a temple and a mosque and
abolished all privileges of caste, birth, station and creed. It elevated the
lowest equal in all respects to the highest.
The significance of the five Ks Kashas,
Kangha, Kachhera, Kara and Kirpan is further elaborated for the
information of those who may be interested to know as to why the Sikhs observe
these symbols. In India the saints and recluses grew long hair on head
and beard (Keshas) as a mark of saintliness. But they shunned worldly life fearing that mundane allurements would stand in the way of their
salvation. The Sikh Gurus set an example that a man could remain a saint while
leading worldly life. The Kashas are a symbol reminding every Sikh that
he must remain saintly at heart always. The Kangha (comb) is meant to
keep the Kashas clean. The recluses and saints used to be very unmindful
of their outer cleanliness.
In those days, the popular male dress for the
lower trunk of body used to be a dhoti in the case of Hindus and a loose
drawer (shalwar) for Muslims. Neither of the two imparted smartness to
the wearer. Kachhera (shorts) is a convenient as well as a cumberless
dress. It adds to the efficiency of the wearer both during peace and war. The
Mogul soldiers were notorious for their lack of sexual restraint. They seldom
rose to the tradition of a true soldier who is enjoined to defend the weak and protect
the honour of womenfolk. They recklessly exploited the downtrodden and abducted
the fair sex. Guru Gobind Singh made it binding on his Khalsa that they would
remain pure both in body and mind.
Kora or iron bangle has an interesting story as its origin. Under orthodox
belief, Saturday had been regarded an inauspicious day and people used to offer
oil and iron to the priests for warding off evil. Guru Gobind Singh had sent a
word to his disciples that they would bring their offerings not in cash but in
kind. The cash offerings had led to the emergence of a class known as masands,
who were more covetous for money and less eager to transform souls of the
devotees. The Guru took to task this mercenary class of priests. But, on one
Saturday when some followers under the superstitious spell made an offering of
iron and oil, the Guru looked expectantly towards his congregation. A few Sikhs
rose and utilised the oil as frying medium in the community kitchen and made
bangles out of iron. Thus, the significance of a bangle (kara) implies
that its wearer believes in God only and all days are equally auspicious for
him and he is out to smash all superstitious beliefs.
The kirpan (sword) denotes kirpa (mercy)
and aan (dignity). It enjoins that a Sikh is ever prepared to sacrifice his life for
protecting the weak, the
oppressed, the Dharma and the country. His symbols make him a saint soldier, an
enlightened worker and a conscientious citizen.
It is also, obligatory for every Sikh to
contribute one-tenth of his income (daswandh) to Guru’s house for the
service of society. As the priestly class is forbidden to gloat on offerings
and it is binding for every Sikh to live by honest toil the tithe offered by
Sikhs is utilised for social service such as the opening of schools,
dispensaries, orphanages etc.
Guru Gobind Singh denounced the personality
cult in very severe terms. He declared:
“He who calleth me God will for sure burn in
the fire of hell.
I
am but a devotee of the Supreme, having been sent to witness His play”.
His last wish to his followers was that no
shrine commemorating his death be
erected. He wanted that his life
should be followed and not his name worshipped as a tomb.
Idol-worshipping in Gurudwaras in whatever form is forbidden. Sri
Guru Granth Sahib has been exalted as Eternal and Supreme Guru. In case
of doubt, the Sikh congregation has been given the right to refer any issue to
the judgement of the five chosen ones. Guru Gobind Singh subordinated himself
twice to this democratic forum introduced by him. When he founded the Khalsa on Baisakhi Day in 1699,
he entreated the Five Beloveds to administer
him the amrit also.
Second time when he was
besieged in a mud fortress at Chamkaur and his life was in danger, his five
surviving followers requested him to leave the fortress during the darkness of
night. He disagreed with them saying that his life was not more precious than
the lives of his followers. But the five passed a resolution and presented it
to the Guru enjoining.
“Thou has always said wherever there are five of you dedicated to me,
there I shall also be, and
whateverye ask, that shall be granted unto ye,
Now we command thee as thy Guru to leave the fort post-haste
and let us deal with the enemy later
as best we can”.
The Guru decided to obey.
The Guru was a great believer in the power of
people provided they could be released from superstitions. Once a learned
Brahmin, Kesho Das, from Banaras visited the Guru and suggested the holding of
a sacrificial fire to invoke the blessings of Goddess of Power, Chandi or
Durga, adored by many as Kali also, Kesho Dass assured that a votary of Chandi
would be invincible in all wars. The Guru replied:
“Even gods and goddesses are subject to the……”
and authority of God, Who is Supreme over all creation. He it is from
whom we should seek all
boons and benedictions. He gives man the power to make or unmake his
destiny, if man surrenders himself to Him and fights only for His cause”.
To expose the tall claim of Kesho Dass, he
was asked to go ahead. The ceremony lingered on for a year. Then the Guru
sought from him as to when the goddess would appear. The Brahmin observed
thoughtfully that appearance of the goddess could be expedited if a pious and
holy man would offer his head to be burnt in the sacrificial fire. The Guru
remarked:
“Who could be holier than your learned self?”
Kesho Dass was struck dumb and disappeared on
a false excuse. The Guru got the remaining material flung into fire. As a
strong flame blazed, he came forth with a sword flashing in his hand and
addressed the congregation as thus:
“This is the true manifestation of the
goddess of power.
the shining steel with which evil is punished
and virtue
protected and rewarded. He, who is willing to
taste its
baptism for a righteous cause, invokes indeed
the
blessings of God”.
To make his followers believe that they were
not a mere flock of helpless people but a reservoir of an inexhaustible power,
he said:
“It is through ye that I have von battles;
through your
favour that I have distributed bounties to
the poor.
Through ye it is that all my woes are past,
through your
favour that my house is overflowing with
material
possessions, through your kindness have I
smothered
my enemies through your favour am I
instructed in
wisdom. O, I’m exalted because ye have
exalted me.
else there were many poor ones like me
wandering
luckless and friendless”
This marked the beginning of an epoch where
people’s will is held supreme. It has preceded Rousseau’s slogan of equality,
fraternity and liberty by more than a century.
1 Childhood name
of the Tenth Master
2 Gopal Singh. Guru
Gobind Singh, National Book Trust New Delhi. pp. 29-30.
3 Ibid., p. 30.