Reviewed by: Saran Singh Editor “Sikh Review” Calcutta
Nobel laureate in literature, Issac B.Singer, himself a Jew, is credited with the snide remark:” I love the Jews, though I cannot stand them, for me they are the only proof of God’s existence,” He might as well have been speaking about the Sikhs. The Indian army assault on the Golden Temple in the holy city of Amritsar in midsummer of 1984, euphemistically called Operation Blvestar, not only left a few thousand men and women dead, but triggered a diaspora and an irreversible alienation of Sikhs from the national mainstream. It also spawned a plethora of publications on their religion, history and moral tradition, even on Punjabi humor and poetry.
That genre of literature on the Sikhs is roughly divisible into two broad categories Instant books by distinguished journalists kowtowing to the majoritarian perception that depicted Sikhs as Militant secessionists and denigrated Sikhism as Latter day offshoot of the hydra headed Hindu pantheon. Even the New Delhi representative of the venerable BBC, Mark Tully succumbed to this style of presentation, which earned him the official honorific “Padma Bhushan” a pale shadow of the British knighthood. The second kind consists of books by Sikh scholars, mostly suspect as Sub yersionist, who have been unable to find publishers, Harinder Singh Mehboob’s book of Punjabi verse: Jhanan di Raat” is just one instance, which landed the prestigious Sahitya Academy into turmoil on the discovery that the award winning book included a poem characterizing Indira Gandhi as an evil spirit responsible for the agony of Punjab.
But the spirit of Sikhism is at its best when the challenge is direct, hostile and dangerous:”Jabe baan lage tabe ros jaage.” The present volume of essays conforms to that Spirit, seeking as it does to provide “an authentic exposition of the basic concepts and doctrines” as the blurb on hardcover jacket solemnly declares. Even other Wise, in an age of corporate karma itisimpossible to ignore Sikhism’s blend of the temporal and spiritual. Manu’s Varunasrama and Chanakya’s morality of convenience have no place in Sikhism, Nor does Sikhism respect asceticism, celibacy, orahimsa. Several essays in the book illustrate the extent to which nonSikh scholars ~ from the 19th century Emest Trumpp to present day H.W.McLeod have been both the victims and perpetrators of misinformation on the key issues of Sikh ideology and identity.
Thirteen eminent scholars, men and women, have contributed essay on a wide gamut of subjects originally presented at symposia held in Britain, Canada and the U.S.A. in winter of 199091. The introduction admirably sums up both the raisondetre and the thematic diversity.
Daljeet Singh’s pivotal paper on Guru Nanak’s ideology dwells on the adoration of God and His Creation, on Truth, Honor, Justice and Equality principals which the first prophet espoused. “The kingdom of God is not in heaven, but on earth,” says the author, a profound scholar of the Sikh lore. “Man must give up his egocentricity” in order to achieve a commonwealth of righteous people. According to him, Guru Nanak’s “whole life” doctrine was so radical a departure from the extant philosophy that he decided upon a line of pontifical succession, up to Guru Gobind Singh, in order to “evolve and consolidate” a distinctive system that was destined to replace the deeply divisive life style in the subcontinent. Guru Nanak’s extensive travels across Asia only confirm his crusading zeal, in sharp contrast to other seers of the Bhakti movement. Confrontation with the ruling dynasts and oligarches on the one hand, and the entrenched Hindu priesthood on the other was inevitable. Its inexorable consequences, in the form of martyrdoms, of Guru Arjan at Lahore in 1605 and of Guru Tegh Bahadur at Delhi in 1675, were the stuff of which the spirit of freedom is born. Sikhism was ready to launch the age of chivalry, often mistaken as militancy even by the knowledgeable editors of Encyclopedia Britannica and Collin’s Dictionary.
Hamam Singh Shan’s Essay traces the grace and simplicity of Guru’s Path and the authencity of its dogma. He quotes profusely from writings of Wester theologians like Duncan Greenleas and Edward Bittern court and historians like R.C. Mazumdar. Referring to the dynamics of Sikh religion, Dr.Shan takes to task the prophets of doom who had predicted that the world’s youngest religion might disappear into the quicksands of Hinduism by the end of the 20th century. He ascribes its tenacity mainly to Guru Nanak’s rousing challenge:
“Je toi prem khelan ka chau, Sir dhar tali gali meri aao.”
“Let those who wish to join the sport of Divine Love, tread my path ready to lay down their lives.” In a span of half a millennium since its advent, Sikhism has endured and overcome almost every conceivable challenge: tyranny, torture and genocide; in the words of Mahatma Gandhi’s friend CF Andrews “a thousand crucifixions.”
On a more philosophic plane, Avatar Singh deals with the ethics and Gumam Kaursessay explores the thought process that developed from the Divine revelation experienced by Guru Nanak and the succeeding Gurus. Quoting scriptural chapter and verse, she argues rhetorically that while the Sikh thought created history, it was not itself the product of history, “Itis a shallow mind which contends that the Sikh moral code, or Rehat Maryada was relevant only to this historical context.” Much of the confusion and misery afflicting Sikhs today is traceable to this self-induced discontinuity. The irony of our times is that so few practice the virtues of their faith. The author could have, in this context, probed the problem of apostasy among Sikhs. Not only the emigrating youth, but the long lines of native prodigal sons are being led to haircutting saloons as sacrificial lambs, in tragic reversal of the basic belief that a Sikh’s crowning glory the kesh is God’s gift, a sacred trust to be cherished until the last breath. The urge to merge with the multitude could yet destroy Sikhism’s distinctive clan. Doomsdayers may thus have the last laugh. The task of every generation is therefore to rediscover the perennial principles laid down by the Gurus and shape their lives according to their commandments enshrined in Guru Granth and the moral code.
Gumam Kaur acknowledges the emphasis Gurus laid on vichar, i.e. reason, as integral to human understanding of the phenomenal world. Berefit of reason we fall prey to superstition and blind faith both fatal to a rational comprehension of Hukum the Eternal Law, and Mannan grateful acceptance or obedience the sheet anchor of moral philosophy.
Dr,Baljeet Singh Bagga writes of mysticism and the Gospel of Nam “You ask me what is the Lord’s identity? He is all love the rest is ineffable.” Truth, according to Guru Nanak, is not an idea but an ideal, not static but dynamic, not precept but practice, intuitively revealed by Divine Grace, Even H.W.McLeod often accused of Sikh baiting, bias and preconception, agrees that Guru Nanak evolved and explicitly developed the concept of Shabad, Hukum and Nam.
Kanwalject Kaur contributes a lucid paper on the status of women, Spelling out areas of sociology in Sikhism that define rights of women and deprecate evils of dowry, sati, purdah, infanticide, etc, She trenchantly exhorts Sikh institutions to recognize and actuate these rights.
Kharak Singh’s essay on “Khalsa the Saint Soldier” painstakingly connects Guru Nanak’s protest against injustice with the emergence of chivalry among the people, The first Guru’s concept of “Gurmukh’ as the ideal man, an embodiment of piety and valuer, ever willing to face the harsh realities of warka day world, while upholding the Truth and promoting human welfare: “Sarbat da bhala” represents the essence of practical wisdom. Guru Arjan’s “Halemi Raj” (The meck shall rule) was but an early affirmation of Guru Gobind Singh’s institution of the Khalsa in 1699, and the establishment of the Khalsa Ra) with Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s coronation at Lahore in 1799. Dr.G.S.Mansukhani’s paper
chronologically documents the development of studies in the Sikh religion, history and tradition, and traces the pitfalls that occasionally mar the judgment of many an historian and researcher. He notes, in this context, the two pronged attack from Christian missionaries during the early British rule in India, on the one hand, and the Arya Samajist hostility on the other. This, paradoxically, rekindled the Sikh literary and theological renaissance, spearheaded by Bhai Vir Singh and a host of creative writers, itself the forerunner of the more recent upsurge marking quincentenaries’ of Guru Nanak and tercentenary of Guru Gobind Singh’s advent in 1969 & 1966 respectively. Dr.Mansukhani’s hope that the multifarious constraints attending Sikhs studies may be overcome will doubtless be shared by every researcher. Kharak Singh’s outlines of a World Institute of Sikhism, in Section III, acquires urgency in the background of this survey. His paper on “Ideology, Fundamentalism and Punjab Problem” is an elaborate refutation of a nonresident scholar, Harjot Singh Oberoi’s thesis belittling Sikhreligion and ideology, besides commentary on the Anandpur document that now constitutes the Sikh’s Magna Carta.
S.S.Kohli’s essay affirms Guru Tegh Bahadur’s historic role in shaping the Sikh activism and puts in perspective the common impression of other worldliness associated with the Ninth Guru’s hymns. Similarly, Madanjit Kaur’s paper explodes the myth of Devi worship ascribed to the 10th Guru, arguing that accretion of such “fanciful stories” stems from the fact that Guru Gobind Singh, as promoter of chivalry and patron of classical lore, encouraged translation into vernacular of the great Indian epics. The 10th Guru’s Own compositions are a living refutation of the theory that he invoked the blessings of the Hindu goddess Durga. In the same vein is an analytical paper by Gurtej Singh which examines the works of Dharam Pal Ashta and Rattan Singh Jaggi on the Dasam Granth ~ Book of the 10th Master, concluding the former’s to be a “premeditated design” to ascribe to the Guru several writings of his Court poets. In the author’s view, Dr. Jaggis’ work is more consistent with the belief that there are numerous interpolations in Dasam Granth.
Kharak Singh and G.S.Dhillon have collaborated to write comprehensively on “Raj Karega Khalsa” (The Khalsa shall rule) in its religio historical context. They hold that the twin “MiriPin” concept is integral to the Sikh ideology. For 100 of the 239 years spanning Gurudom, Sikhs were trained as saint soldiers; warfare in the defense of righteous cause held as legitimate, indeed sacred. The Gurus encouraged chivalry as necessary adjunct to piety, never hesitating to confront rulers’ oppression and tyranny, whether Hindu or Muslim. Kirpan was “fundamental and eternal” symbol of this extraordinary spirit, both “permitted and enjoined” by the last Guru. The question never was that the Gurus wanted an empire for themselves.” They strove to establish a God’s army of saint soldiers on earth.” The debate on such a synthesis of the spiritual and temporal may not have ended with this essay, but the sincerity of author’s interpretation is beyond question.
Daljeet Singh’s paper on river waters in Punjab derives its base from the fact that Sikhs are the harbingers of India’s Green Revolution and argues that the government has been guilty of blatant discrimination in denying Punjab its due share of irrigation waters, both on grounds of fact and in law. The analysis acquires urgency in view of India’s recent agreement with USA, Canada and Australia for the import of three million tons of wheat at nearly double the price paid to Punjab farmers.
In sum, the “Fundamental Issues” is a vigorous and refreshing reassessment of the basic Sikh philosophy. Some of the more dramatic reassertions have come hone too soon, considering the beleaguered nature of the Sikh polity in India and abroad. One hopes these doctrinal determinations will lead the Sikhs away from the quagmire of despondency and disunity, towards a new and brighter future beyond the year 2000. The book also bears testimony to the uncommon devotion and scholarship of a well knit group under aegis of the Chandigarh Institute of Sikh Studies who have been striving for religious and conscientious freedoms against all odds, (Available for $15 at Sikh Center Orange county, P.O.Box 3789, Anaheim, CA 92803.)
Article extracted from this publication >> February 12, 1993
