T

he world marked the 350th birth anniversary of an exceptional human being, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, recently. Although the biggest congregation will be at Patna Sahib, his birthplace, millions will be celebrating around the world.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji is remembered for his role in the formalization of the Sikh faith. He was the founder of the warrior community — the Khalsa — and gave to the Sikh a distinct identity by introducing the five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times. He compiled Sikh spiritual texts and enshrined the Guru Granth Sahib as Sikhism’s eternal Guru.

What was his message? In his own words: “For this, was I born into the world, I utter only how and what God uttered to me, for I am the enemy of no one. He who calls me God will surely burn in the fire of hell. For I am only the servant of God: doubt not the veracity of this statement. I am but the slave of the Supreme Being come to witness His play. I tell the world only what my God said to me, for I will not be silenced through fear of mere mortals. I utter as is the instruction of my God, for I consider no one greater than Him.”

He had very many accomplishments, but let us just name him a scholar, soldier and saint, and delve into each in turn, although they are deeply intertwined.

He was only nine when his father, Guru Teq Bahadur, was martyred. The education of Gobind Singh continued after he became the tenth Guru, both in reading and writing, martial arts and horse riding and archery. His vast learning and mastery of a number of languages is manifest in the recension of Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, with the celebrated scholar Bhai Mani Singh as his amanuensis.

This need for devotion as the key to all spiritual practices is expressed by Gobind Singh Ji: “Listen, all I proclaim the truth, those that love realize the Lord.” Love is what drove the Guru to fight for truth on the battlefield.

Gobind Singh Ji was a learned poet and a philosopher and his works possess a sublime poetic beauty. The epitome of his fine penmanship is a defiant letter in Persian he wrote to Aurangzeb titled Zafarnama (literally, epistle of victory). He indicted the Mughal emperor and his commanders in spiritual terms, accused them of a lack of morality both in governance and in the conduct of war. The letter is spiritually rooted in Gobind Singh’s beliefs about justice and dignity without fear.

Witnessing so much oppression, the Guru came to the conclusion that to tyrannize was bad, but to bear tyranny patiently was worse. Without political liberty, religious, intellectual, social and economic freedom could not be achieved. Political freedom could be won by armies. The armies of suppressed people were non-existent.

This was what led Gobind Singh to declare that he would create such a Panth that would not be cowed down by tyrant rulers but would rather fight the oppressor in every walk of life to restore justice, equality and peace for mankind. He further resolved that he would make the sparrow hunt the hawk, one man fight a legion.

The institution of the Khalsa was given concrete form on March 30, 1699, when Sikhs had gathered at Anandpur in large numbers for the annual festival of Baisakhi. Gobind Singh drew his sword and asked for a volunteer who was willing to sacrifice his head.

The five willing to sacrifice their lives for their Guru were called Panj Piare (the Five Beloved Ones).

Gobind Singh himself received initiatory rites from the five disciples and had his name changed to Gobind Singh. The fact that such an exceptional being fell on his knees and sought Amrit from those he had just initiated conveys a message of immense humility.

How did Gobind Singh inspire so many? Through his integrity, valor and sacrifice. When his wife asked him to bring back their four sons who had sacrificed themselves following their father, it is reported that the Guru responded: “What if four have died, thousands still remain!” He himself prayed: “O Lord of thee, these boons I ask, let me never shun a righteous task […] and when comes the time to end my life, let me fall in mighty strife.”

When the wound from an assassin’s dagger reopened he realized that the end of his mortal life was fast approaching.

The Guru asked for the Sri Granth Sahib to be brought to him and bowed his head before it. He told his Sikhs, “It is my commandment: Own Sri Granthji in my place. He who so acknowledges it will obtain his reward. The Guru will rescue him. Know this as the truth.”

Guru Gobind Singh thus passed on the succession with due ceremony to the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, ending the line of personal Gurus. “The Guru’s spirit,” he said, “will henceforth be in the Granth and the Khalsa. Where the Granth is with any five Sikhs representing the Khalsa, there will the Guru be.”

Gobind Singh took forward the teachings of preceding Sikh Gurus and promoted social institutions to serve as great levelers and unifying agencies.

He dreamed of a society outside of prevailing rituals and ethics, based on social equality and built on the “recognition of the light of the divine in all beings in equal measure”. Let us hope that this narrative inspires us in these trying times to leave no stone unturned in restoring justice, equality and peace for all our people.
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The writer, a founder of the Center for Agricultural and People Support Indonesia, is a lover of the Gurus.