Creator of Khalsa Panth

Inder Jeet S ‘Prince’
It was the dawn of 22nd Dec 1666 AD ( 7th day of the month of ‘Poh’ , Samvat 1723), when Sri Gobind Rai Ji was born in the ancient city of ‘Patliputra (at Patna Sahib) in Bihar. Guru Ji appeared on the scene to end the blind darkness of ignorance, remove the shackles of slavery which clutched this country for the last thousand years and to imbibe a new life in the politically suppressed, socially, stagnant, culturally dwarfed, religiously degenerated and economically exploited nation who could not even dare to raise their voice.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji’ Father, the 9th Guru of Sikhism, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji sacrified his life to protect ‘Hindu Dharma’ Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was asked by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb to embrance Islam or face death. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji replied, “My religion is the most dear to me. I’m not afraid of death” Thus, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was martyred on Nov, 11, 1675 AD on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The site where Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was martyred at Chandni Chowk Delhi was later converted into a Gurudwara called Gurudwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib, Delhi.
Guru Tegh Bahadur’s execution in Delhi in public outraged the conscience of the entire Sikh brotherhood after Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom in Lahore, the slaughtering of another peace loving non-violent man of God like Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji gave a severe jolt to Sikh community.
The young Guru Gobind Rai Ji, rather being overwhelmed with his tragic loss, envinced firm determination and tenacity of will to fight the forces of evil and bigotry in defence of the poor and ‘Dharma’. The disconsolate Sikhs who flocked to Anandpur Sahib saw in Gobind Rai the promised saviour and a man of the hour.
A soldier of destiny, Gobind Rai Ji started consolidating his resources and preparing himself and his people for a gruesome fight until the poison that had permeated the body politic of the country had been completely rooted out. Guru Gobind Rai Ji realized the need to give a new religion with a distinct identity to the people of India. Islam, under the rulers like Aurangzeb had become rigid, narrow minded and uncompromising and Hinduism had been severely enfeebled by ritualism.
As a Ist step, it was necessary to consolidate the resources and manpower which necessitated a discreet pause, during which links were forged with Sikhs spread all over India and abroad, including Kabul, Kandhar, Bulkh and Bokhara.
The young Guru started practising archery, going out on ‘shikar’ and playing mock battles with his companions.
In spite of advice to the contrary from his mother and ‘masands’ Guru Ji had a huge drum made, and made it a practice to collect his people, whenever he required them, with drum beats. It was feared that the beating of the over-sized drum called ‘Ranjit-Nagara’ (The victorious) would offend the neighbouring hill rulers. But the drum had become the symbol of the rallying of the Sikhs and the Guru was determined  to pursue his path.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji declared that he would lay the foundation of the “Khalsa Panth’ and would train it in such a way that the 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 day of Baisakhi at Anandpur Sahib was an event of world significance. Noted historial Annold Tonybee has called it the precursor and fore runner of Lenin’s communist party two centuries later in history – an idealistic minority fighting with the weapons of the adversary in the name and for the sake of majority.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji convinced his devotees that no God or Goddess would be sent from heaven to give protection to the dowtrodden masses. Guru Ji told his followers to assemble at Anandpur Sahib on the Baisakhi day of 1699 AD. At Guru Ji’s call, when 5 Sikhs offered their heads in surrender, Guru Ji baptised them by administring “Amrit’ prepared with double edged sword. They were known as the ‘Chosen -Five’ (“Panj Piayare”) and Satguru Ji addressed them thus : “There is no difference between you and me. They were given the surname ‘Singh’ and were called ‘Khalsa’. They were Khalsa of the lord God.
“Khalsa Akal Purkh Ki Fauz
Pargat Yo Khalsa Parmatam Ki Mauz !!”
(‘Khalsa’ is the army of the eternal God raised by him out of his pleasure)
The distinguishing features of the ‘Khalsa’ were their uncut beard, unshorn hair with a turban, an iron bangle (‘Kada’), a sword dangling on the left, an underwear (‘Kachhara’) and a comb (‘Kanga’) in the hair. They were given the surname Singh. They were meant to be legions of the timeless God, commissioned to establish the rule of ‘Dharma’ on land and uproot all evil. Guru Ji, held his chosen five (‘Panj Piayare’), the Khalsa of the lord in so high esteem that he knelt before them and asked them to initiate him  in to ‘Khalsa Panth’ in the same manner as he had done them. Guru Ji was thus administered ‘Amrit’ in, the same way and was given 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 they firmly believe in Guru Ji’s concept of universal brotherhood. The creation of the Khalsa  was the crowning event of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s life.
Ideologically the creation of the Khalsa aimed at a well balanced combination of ‘Bhakti’ and ‘Shakti’, of moral and spiritual excellence  and heroism of the highest order. They were expected to salute one another with ‘Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh !!”
This was meant to remind them that they were knighted as God’s soldiers to carry out his mission and that victory was  theirs.
But 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 the ‘Rahit’ of the’Khalsa Panth’ and bearing a high moral character.
Though a matchless warrior, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, always remained a saint at heart. Guru Ji was a saint who had dedicated himself to God, a God intoxicated philosopher who wanted to see all man made differences created by barriers of formal religion and social distinctions brought in by caste, to be obliterated from society.
Guru Ji, breathed his last on Oct 7, 1708 at Naded Sahib in Maharashtra due to a conspiracy hatched against him by Governor of Punjab, Wazir Khan. Before leaving for his heavenly abode, Guru Ji declared that the Sikh community had to be guided by the decisions of ‘Panj-Piayare’ (The chosen five) Chosen from among the devotees.
Guru Ji handed over  the stewardship of the Sikh Panth- the Sikh way of life to the holy ‘Granth Sahib’
In the words of Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore “Guru Gobind Singh Ji appeared on 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 Ji unfied the Sikhs, taught them how to face any crisis calmly and boldly and generated a new hope and confidence.”

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