Note: It is common to find out that the spellings of some words in a verse or stanza of the Gurbani are different than those found in the same verse or stanza or the others. The spellings of every word of Gurbani, quoted throughout the text, therefore, have been very carefully checked from the AGGS published by the SGPC, Amritsar in January 1983.
Some scholars may object that I have not used bani of Guru Gobind Singh in defining these terms. I did so intentionally due to the following two reasons: There is a lot of controversy about the bani of Guru Gobind Singh that which one is the real bani written by Guru Gobind Singh (See Schje Rachio Khalsa (1988) (in Panjabi) by Harminder Singh Mchboob, published by the Author, Khalsa College, Gardiwala, Hoshiarpur, pages 639-789); and 2.My study indicates that Guru Gobind Singh cared out the mission of Guru Nanak and he did what was already laid out in the Gurbani of Sikh Gurus which was incorporated into the Aad Guru Granth Sahib by the Fifth Nanak, Guru Arjan Sahib, and by himself. While adding the Gurbani of Ninth Nanak, Guru Teg Bahadur, the Tenth Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh, could have also added his own bani in the Aad Guru Granth Sahib but he did not do so. Why? I guess nobody knows so far. Nevertheless, I think he did not do so because he was just giving a practical shape to the whole philosophy of Guru Nanak which was already very well elaborated by Guru Nanak and the subsequent Sikh Gurus. The Sixth Nanak, Guru Hargobind Sahib did hot write any Gurbani but he was the first Guru who initiated to put into practice the philosophy of Guru Nanak. However, it was the Tenth Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh, who completed the mission of Guru Nanak.
11,The Amrit system The last characteristics, “the Amrit-system” of the definitions was developed by the Tenth Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh, from the sum of the whole philosophy of Guru Nanak to give a distinct and unique characteristic to Sikhism. Some of the verses of Sikh Gurus which have been taken from the AGGS on which the philosophy of Amrit system was formulated by the Tenth Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh, are as follows (Many more examples could be cited to support the above thesis):
“Sabd” (words advice) of the Sikh Gurus is an Amrit (elixir) for the Sikhs: Following the principal of humility but having power, to cut off the fetters of slavery and to keep peace, is necessary:
No difference between the rulers and the ruled; and the teacher and the taught Creation of council of five (Panj Pyaras) and bestowing in them the spiritual and temporal powers to establish the Halemi Raj (Benign Sovereignty).
Under this philosophy keeping of 5 Ks: Kesh (uncut hair), Kanga (comb), Kirpan (sword), Kachh (short drawers), and Kara (iron bracelet) were declared necessary for the Sikhs. An Appeal This paper is written to make the Sikh scholars and the Sikh institutions @ware of the trends of misrepresentations of Sikhism found in the literature, And they are appealed to get serious to take up this task before Sikhism is further distorted or profaned in the forthcoming books, encyclopedias and dictionaries,
Finally, I also want to admit that [am nobody to define these terms, The definitions given above are the suggestive ones as a base for further research to give a final shape to these definitions by a committee of eminent Sikh theologians, having some knowledge of science; the eminent Sikh scientists of various fields, haying some knowledge of Gurbani; and eminent Sikh historians, having some knowledge of Gurbani and science both, under the command of the highest authority of the Sikhs, the Akal Takht. I am sure that there is no dearth of such type of qualified persons amongst the Sikhs of the world. I have put an emphasis on the knowledge of science because it would be very difficult for Sikh theologians alone to convince the present generation of the Computer Age and the Space Age about Sikhism. Because the present generation is not afraid of anybody in the world to say “Why.” The time of myths hag gone since a long and we, the Sikhs, should realize it, sooner the better, and be prepared to Satisfy the inquisition of this generation to keep the Sikhism, the most modern religion, alive in the future, I have noticed that Sikhism i is a scientific religion and it should be presented to the world by the scientific methodology for the benefit of the mankind. Acknowledgements
L am very thankful to S. Ajit Singh Sahota of Ottawa (Canada) and to S. Gurdev Singh Sangha of Kitchener (Canada) for the supply of some valuable materials and for the discussions, I had with them, for the preparation of manuscript. I am very grateful Dr.Darshan Singh, Professor Chairman, Department of Nanak Sikh Studies, Punjab University, Chandigarh and to Dr.Harjinder Singh Dhillon, Professor and Head, Department of Panjabi, Guru Nanak Dev University, Regional Center, Jalandhar for critically examining the manuscript. Finally my thanks are due to my wife, Kulwant Kaur Chahal, without whose help and encouragements, this mission would have not been completed.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 22, 1992
