The Brahmins of Kashmir approached Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675),
the ninth in the line of Sikh Gurus, who was on the throne
of the Sikh religion. They asked him for guidance on combatting
the atrocities committed by the Mughal Emperor.
At the time of their meeting, Guru Tegh Bahadur's nine
year old son, Gobind Rai, was sitting beside him. As Guru
Tegh Bahadur went into a deep state of contemplation,
his young son asked the reason of his repose. Guru Tegh
Bahadur said that the matter was of vital importance;
the world is aggrieved by oppression; and no brave man
had yet come forward who was willing to sacrifice his
life to free the earth from the burden of' Aurangzeb's
persecution of Hindus. Young Gobind Rai replied: "For
that purpose who is more worthy than thou who art at once
generous and brave." So after entrusting the Guruship
to Gobind Rai, Guru Tegh Bahadur proceeded towards Delhi,
the seat of the Mughal Empire.
Upon reaching Delhi, the Guru and his loyal attendants
were immediately imprisoned by Aurangzeb. While in prison,
Guru Tegh Bahadur foresaw the beginning of his ecclesiastic
journey. To test his son's courage and capability to
carry on the Guru's mission, he wrote him saying, "My
strength is exhausted, I am in chains and I can make
not any efforts. Says Nanak, God alone is now my refuge.
He will help me as He did his Saints." In reply young
Guru Gobind Rai wrote: "I have regained my Power, my
bonds are broken and all options are open unto me. Nanak,
everything is in Thine hands. It is only Thou who can
assist Thyself."
Guru Teg Bahadur offered his life for the freedom of
conscience and conviction of anyone belonging to a faith
other than his own. His spirit of sacrifice and courage
was kindled into the heart of Gobind Rai.
Hundreds of people gathered around the place where Guru
Tegh Bahadur was martyred in Delhi. The executioner
abandoned the Guru's body in the open. No one came forward
openly to claim the body to perform religious rites.
Even ardent disciples withdrew unrecognized. Taking
advantage of the stormy weather that followed the execution,
two persons covertly took the body of Guru Tegh Bahadur
for cremation. This cowardice fomented in Gobind Rai
an urge to endow his Sikhs with a distinct identity.
With the criteria of courage and strength to sacrifice,
Gobind Rai became the tenth Sikh Guru. He wanted to
instill these principles in his downtrodden followers.
He wanted to uplift their morale to combat the evil
forces of injustice, tyranny, and oppression.
He was 33 years old when he had Divine inspiration to
actuate his designs. Every year at the time of Baisakhi
(springtime), thousands of devotees would come to Anandpur
to pay their obeisance and seek the Guru's blessings.
In early 1699, months before Baisakhi Day, Guru Gobind
Rai sent special edicts to congregants far and wide
that that year the Baisakhi was going to be a unique
affair. He asked them not to cut any of their hair --
to come with unshorn hair under their turbans and chunis,
and for the men to come with full beards.
On Baisakhi Day, March 30, 1699, hundreds of thousands
of people gathered around his divine temporal seat at
Anandpur Sahib. The Guru addressed the congregants with
a most stirring oration on his divine mission of restoring
their faith and preserving the Sikh religion. After
his inspirational discourse, he flashed his unsheathed
sword and said that every great deed was preceded by
equally great sacrifice: He demanded one head for oblation.
After some trepidation one person offered himself. The
Guru took him inside a tent. A little later he reappeared
with his sword dripping with blood, and asked for another
head. One by one four more earnest devotees offered
their heads. Every time the Guru took a person inside
the tent, he came out with a bloodied sword in his hand.
Thinking their Guru to have gone berserk, the congregants
started to disperse. Then the Guru emerged with all
five men dressed piously in white. He baptized the five
in a new and unique ceremony called pahul, what
Sikhs today know as the baptism ceremony called Amrit.
Then the Guru asked those five baptized Sikhs to baptize
him as well. He then proclaimed that the Panj Pyare
-- the Five Beloved Ones -- would be the embodiment
of the Guru himself: "Where there are Panj Pyare, there
am I. When the Five meet, they are the holiest of the
holy."
He said whenever and wherever five baptized (Amritdhari)
Sikhs come together, the Guru would be present. All
those who receive Amrit from five baptized Sikhs will
be infused with the spirit of courage and strength to
sacrifice. Thus with these principles he established
Panth Khalsa, the Order of the Pure Ones.
At the same time the Guru gave his new Khalsa a unique,
indisputable, and distinct identity. The Guru gave the
gift of bana, the distinctive Sikh clothing and
headwear. He also offered five emblems of purity and
courage. These symbols, worn by all baptized Sikhs of
both sexes, are popularly known today as Five Ks: Kesh,
unshorn hair; Kangha, the wooden comb; Karra,
the iron (or steel) bracelet; Kirpan, the
sword; and Kachera, the underwear. By being identifiable,
no Sikh could never hide behind cowardice again.
Political tyranny was not the only circumstance that
was lowering peoples' morale. Discriminatory class distinctions
(--the Indian "caste" system--) promoted by Brahmins
and Mullahs were also responsible for the peoples' sense
of degradation. The Guru wanted to eliminate the anomalies
caused by the caste system. The constitution of the
Panj Pyare was the living example of his dream:
both the high and low castes were amalgamated into one.
Among the original Panj Pyare, there was one
Khatri, shopkeeper; one Jat, farmer; one
Chhimba, washer-man; one Ghumar, water-carrier;
and one Nai, a barber. The Guru gave the surname
of Singh (Lion) to every Sikh and also took the
name for himself. From Guru Gobind Rai he became Guru
Gobind Singh. He also pronounced that all Sikh women
embody royalty, and gave them the surname Kaur
(Princess). With the distinct Khalsa identity and consciousness
of purity Guru Gobind Singh gave all Sikhs the opporunity
to live lives of courage, sacrifice, and equality.
The birth of the Khalsa is celebrated by Sikhs every
Baisakhi Day on April 13. Baisakhi 1999 marks the 300th
anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh's gift of Panth Khalsa
to all Sikhs everywhere. |
