Parmjot Kaur Grewal (Age 11 years) Los Gatos
Wahegutru Ji Ka Khalsa, Sri Wahegunu Ji Ki Fateh
Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born in 1666. His father was Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and his mother was Mata Gujri Ji. He was born in Patna and lived there until he was five, then he moved to Anandpur. Here he acquired wide knowledge of Sanskrit, Persian and Braj. He learned how to play Gatka, off wield the sword and the art of bow and arrow. He mastered horse riding. Guru Jee was a great Scholar, Saint and also a soldier.
Guru Gobind Singh Jee created the Khalsa Panth on Baisakhi day in 1699. He asked us to wear the five K’s Kesh, Kanga, Kaccha, Kara and Karpan and to partake Khande Da Amrit. He told us that those who partake this Amrit will be changed from jackals to lions, from sparrows to hawks, and called us Singhs’. He himself asked to be baptized by the panj payaras and became Gobind Singh from Gobind Rai.
One day Ude Singh a Sikh offered a tiger skin to Guru Jee. Guru Jee had a potter’s donkey clothed with this skin. Everyone including the animals was scared of this tiger. The donkey rejoiced in his freedom. On complaints, Guru Jee went to shoot the tiger. The donkey ran for protection to his old master. The potter realizing it was his donkey took off the tiger skin and gave it a sound beating and made it carry even heavier loads. The Sikhs asked the Guru what lesson he wanted to convey. The Guru replied, “I want you to learn a lasting lesson from this. As long as you were bound by castes and other Hindu beliefs and customs. You were like donkeys driven by persons of no position or power. I have freed you from all these chains. I have conferred on you worldly powers and blessings and clothed you in garb of tigers. I have given you courage and bravery of lions, with the Khalsa uniform the five K’s. Do not ever discard it. Remember what happened to the potter’s donkey. You must have not only the appearance of tiger or lion but also possess qualities befitting your appearance. This you can do by taking Amrit and following Rules of conduct, Rehat. You will always be victorious if you have this exterior and interior. But if you part with this exterior you will again revert to your original condition. So long as the Sikhs preserve the form and appearance I have given them, they will have in them my spirit and my light.
It is really a great misfortune that a large number of the present-day Sikhs do not get baptized and goes without the Khalsa uniform, especially the Kesh or hair. They are thus disobeying Guru Gobind Singh Jee’s order. They are sure, also, to lose the distinctive Sikh character and qualities. This practice must be checked and ended; otherwise the Sikh community will suffer a terrible setback and loss. It will no longer remain a community of Sardars. Let us act in time. Let every Sikh child and youth and everyone who: calls himself or herself a Sikh, take a vow to take Amirt, wear the Khalsa uniform and observe the Khalsa Rehat.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Sri Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Article extracted from this publication >> January 18, 1985
