Inderjeet S. Bhatia “Prince”
Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, the 10th master of the Sikhism, was born on 7th day of the month of POH, samvat 1723, (22nd December, 1666 AD ) at Patna Sahib in Bihar. Guru ji was a great revolutionary whose greatest achievement was the creation of the Khalsa Panth on Baisakhi Day of 1699 at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. Guru ji was a linguistic familiar with many languages Iike, Persian, Arabic, Sanskrit as well as his native Punjabi. Guru ji codified Sikh law,wrote martial poetry and music ,fought many battles and won. Guru ji wrote the renowned holy Granth called the Dasam Granth..The noted prayers included in this Granth are Jaap Sahib, Chandi Di Vaar, Tav-Prasad Savaiye, Zafarnamah, Bachittar Natak, Akal Ustat, Chaupai Sahib and more.
Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji was a revolutionary prophet who practiced his spiritual ideals to counter the forces of tyranny and injustice. Tyranny in all its forms – social, political, and religious was to be countered and annihilated. A state which could not provide basic human rights, social justice, equality and religious freedom was to be opposed. A God oriented person, owed primary allegiance to God, truth, conscience and morality. Guru Gobind Singh was concern were universal, integrated and without any boundaries. The martyrdom of Guru ji’s father, mother, four sons and hundreds of followers for the lofty ideals of freedom, justice and righteousness were unique in the annals of human history. Guru Gobind Singh Ji ignited that spark in human nature that inspired mankind to build lives of compassion, love and commitment to justice and also to suffer and make sacrifices for the cause of righteousness.
Sir J. D.Cunningham, the noted author of the book “,History Of The Sikhs”,wrote about Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji as under:
A living spirit possess the whole Sikh people and the impression of Guru Gobind Singh Ji has not only elevated and attired the constitution of their minds but has operated materially and given amplitude to their physical frames ,”The Khalsa ideals transformed the life, outlook and aspirations of the people and imparted a new direction to Indian history”.
In the words of Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore, “Guru Gobind Singh Ji appeared on the Indian National scene with the message of militarism of the community for the defence of social equality and religious freedom. In order to execute his plan, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji unified the Sikhs, taught them how to face any crisis calmly and boldly and generated a new hope and confidence “.
Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji came to reside Anandpur Sahib along with his parents, when he was a child of 7 years old. After some years, a deputation of Kashmiri Pandits came to Anandpur Sahib and met his father, the 9th Sikh Guru, Shree Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib ji. They narrated the cruel acts of Mughal rulers towards the Hindu community and sought Guru Ji’s help. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji became silent and was absorbed in deep thoughts. Guru Gobind Singh ii,who was, at that time, a child of just 9 years of age, asked his father about the reason for his silence. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji explained that these helpless people from Kashmir had no one to protect their Dharma. The sacrifice of a great and brave soul was needed.The child, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, immediately Said ,”Who can be more brave and greater than you? Please have mercy on them and do what is necessary to protect “Hindu Dharma “.
Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was pleased to hear this and went to Delhi to sacrifice his life only to save the Hindu Dharma. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb asked Guru Ji to either embrace Islam or face death.Guru Tegh Bahadur ji replied, “My religion is most dear to me. I am not afraid of death ” At this, Aurangzeb ordered the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
Guru Ji was to be beheaded at the Main Bazar of Chandni Chowk, Delhi.At the Chandni Chowk in Delhi, where the great Gurudwara Sri Sisganj Sahib stands today, was the place chosen for Guru Ji’s execution. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji died a hero’s death. Guru ji’s execution only strengthened the resistance against Aurangzeb’s religious fanaticism. When Guru Gobind Singh was told that no one came forward to protest because of the fear of death, Guru Ji declared that he would lay the foundation of the Khalsa Panth and would train it in such a way that it’s members would be ready to sacrifice everything for the right cause.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s creation of Khalsa Panth in 1699 AD , on the Baisakhi day at Anandpur Sahib was an event of world significance. Noted historian Arnold Tonybee has called it the precursor and forerunner of Lennin’s communist party two centuries later in the history, an idealistic minority fighting with the weapons of adversity in the name of God , for the sake of majority.
Guru ji baptised the 5 chosen Sikhs by administering Amrit ,prepared by a double edged sword,sweetened by dissolving “Battashas ” in to the water, to them.They were called as the five chosen loved ones, Panj Piayrey
They were given the surname of Singh, and were called as Khalsa, the army of lord God:
“Khalsa Akalpurkh Ki Fauj,
Pargatiyo Khalsa,
Parmatam Ki Mauj!’
(KHALSA is the army of the eternal God raised by him out of his pleasure)
Guru ji held his Chosen five in so high esteem that he knelt before them and asked them to initiate himself into the Khalsa Panth in the same manner as he had done them. Guru ji was then administered Amrit in the same way and was given the surname Singh (Previously Guru ji’s name was Gobind Rai)
The Khalsa, with God’s light shining within was meant to be a global society. They were not to form a separate denomination as that was totally against the Guru Ji concept of universal brotherhood. The creation of the Khalsa Panth was a crowning event of Guru Gobind Singh ji’s life. Ideologically, the creation of the KHALSA PANTH aimed at a well balanced combination of the ideals of Bhakti and Shakti, of moral spiritual excellence and militant valour and heroism of the highest order. They were expected to salute one another with words,
“Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa
Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh!”
This was meant to remind that they were knighted as God’s soldiers to carry out his mission and that victory was theirs.
But the Khalsa, the ‘Singhs”, were not to be merely soldiers. It was imperative that they must at the same time be saints deeply devoted to God, singing his hymns as composed by Sikh Gurus, observing the daily religious discipline prescribed in Rahit Maryaada of the Khalsa Panth and bearing a high moral character. Guru Gobind Singh Ji, though, was a matchless warrior, always remained a Saint at heart.Guru ji was a Saint who had dedicated himself to God,a God intoxicated philosopher Guru ji was a sincere lover of mankind who wanted to see all manmade differences created by barriers of formal religion and social distinctions brought in by caste, to be oblitered from the society.
Guru ji left for his heavenly abode on October 7th, 1708 at a place, Naded, in Maharashtra due to a conspiracy hatched against him by Nawaab Wazir Khan of Punjab. Guru ji,before leaving for his heavenly abode, declared that the Sikh community be guided by the decisions of “Panj Piayrey”, the chosen five, chosen from among the devotees. Guru ji handed over the stewardship of the Sikh Panth, the Sikh way of life, to holy Guru Grant Sahib Ji .Those, who wished to seek God ,can find him in the holy Guru Grant Sahib. Ji.
In conclusion, it can be said that Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji, the son of martyred Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the great grandson of 5th Sikh Guru, Shree Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who also attained martyrdom at Lahore .(Guru Arjan Dev Ji was martyred for compiling the 1st official version of the holy scripture called the Adi Granth, which later was expanded in to the holy Guru Grant Sahib Ji.), laid at the altar of Almighty, all that that he could call his own, his father, mother, his four sons and even his entire life for the freedom of all including those who considered themselves his enemy.
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