No religion. nation or community can survive and prosper unless it has individuals who can sacrifice and die for upholding its faith and freedom to worship integrity unity traditions and its way of life That is what the history of the world demonstrates clearly Tertullian one of the early Christian evangelists said “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church” It was never so true as in the case of the Sikhs.
In Sikhism the most essential condition for entry into the Sikh fold is self-surrender and devotion to the Guru and the Almighty God. Furthermore readiness for the supreme sacrifice or holding ones head on the palm of ones hand for offering it to the Guru is also an important and worthy condition laid down by the Sikh Gurus for becoming a Sikh Seeking death not for personal glory or winning reward or going to heaven but for the purpose of protecting the weak and the oppressed is what has made the Khalsa (the Brotherhood of the pure ones) brave and invincible. This has become tradition of the Khalsa in Sikhism Right from the times of the Gurus until the present barbarous inhumanities debasing tyrannies and utter cruelties and immoral acts committed on the Sikhs in Punjab Delhi and in other parts of India the Sikhs have
Surely demonstrated that death in the service of truth justice and freedom is a part of their character inner faith and their glorious tradition. In the Sikh history the Sikhs did not seek martyrdom put they attained it with the selfless sacrifices for an approved and noble cause. The Sikh history is also enriched with outstanding examples of Sikh martyrs. Such as Guru Arjun Dev Ji Guru Teg Bahadur Ji sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and countless Sikhs who laid down their lives for upholding religious freedom and uprooting tyranny
Undoubtedly in a world full of evil and sin men of God must be prepared to suffer for the cause of righteousness and justice. According to Guru Gobind Singh Ji the true hero is one who fights to uphold truth and freedom to worship. He never runs away from the battlefield. Not only this but also the Sikh martyrs face the gallows with a smile in different circumstances and situations. The greatest tortures hold no terror for them. A true martyr regards himself as Gods instrument. Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindran walle and his followers are recent examples of true martyrs who gave heroic sacrifices for upholding our Gurus mission teaching and Sikh traditional.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 19, 1986
