By Dr.Harnam Singh Shan
Martyrdom is a Semitic concept. Its doctrine ideas back to old Oriental and Hellenistic ideas, the literal and primary meaning of the world uaprus in Greek, martyr in English and Shahid in Arabic is “witness.” It has quite often been used in that very sense in the holy Bible and the holy Quran.
The world martyr acquired its modern connotation during the conflict between Paganism and Christianity when Christians “testified to the truth of their convictions” by sacrificing their own lives. A similar development of its Arabic synonym, Shahid, took place under Christian influence, and it also began to be used for one who dies in witness of his faith or who seals his belief with his death while fighting against infidels. Sikhism adopted the concept, along with its current form and usage, from Islam, extending it by introducing into it a new dimension and a universal outlook.
Martyrdom, as such, has been associated primarily with religion and its traditions, originating in some cases from indications given in their respective scriptures. But all religious traditions are not endowed with this great and proud privilege. It does not seem to exist, for instance, in that specific form and usage, in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, in Babylonian and Abyssinian lores or in Chinese and Japanese beliefs. However, notions of self-abnegation and self-annihilation as well as the compassionate feelings for others are found almost in all historical religions in one form or the other. Moreover, there is no dearth of men, women and children, during all these ages, who were cither offered in sacrifice for numerous rites and rituals or who had themselves suffered torture and death, of their own accord, for various other causes, ideas, opinions and superstitions.
On the other hand, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism, for example, preserve more Or less rich traditions of martyrdom or martyr ology. The prominent acts of eminent persons associated with these traditions form a glorious chapter in the histories of religion and philosophy of the world. For instance, Aqiba (50130 A.D.), the saintly Jewish teacher, suffered martyrdom in the cause of the propagation of the Torah in defiance of an imperial edict. Socrates (470390 B.C), the well-known Greek philosopher, drank to death the cup of poison in order to vindicate his lofty ideal. The Persian prophet, Zoroaster (583 B.C.), and the blessed founder of Christianity, Jesus, laid down their precious lives in defence of their respective faiths. Islam has in al Husain (603 660 A.D.), the ‘king of the martyrs’ for the Shias; and Mansur al Hallaj (858922 A.D.) the ‘martyr par excellence” for the Sufis the former having been killed in Karabic while fighting the battle of Islam and the latter cruelly executed i Baghdad on the charge of heresy or heterodoxy, But no proper martyr ology appears to have developed in Islam comparable to the pattern of Christianity, which can feel justly proud of embodying probably the richest standing at its fountainhead.
It did develop, however, properly and consistently, in the case of Sikhism; and that too with a significant differences. In it the word martyr or Shahid diverges from its primary and limited meaning of ‘testimony.’ It implies and connotes, on the other hand, a holistic concept of martyrdom or Shahadat as a selfless heroic deed of self-sacrifice for a lofty and righteous cause.
Guru Nanak Dev, (14691539), the founder of the Sikhs, who, according to Dr.Gokal Chand Narang, “after centuries of subjugation, was the first among the Hindus to raise his voice against tyranny and oppression” of the Lodis and Mughals, himself set the norm and ideal of this tradition in Sikhism, His pronouncement showed, from the very beginning, the form and cause it should follow: Jau tau prem khelan ka chao, Sir dhar talli galt meri ao. It marag pair dharijat, Sir dijai kan na kijat. (If you are fond of playing the game of love, enter my path with your head on the palm of your hand. Once you set your step into it, lay down your head without any fear or demur.) According to this and other pronouncements made by him and his spiritual successors, a true martyr is one who is imbued with simran and seva, that is the love of God and service of mankind, he offers himself to the oppressor for supreme sacrifice for the cause of upholding truth and defending dharma (ie. righteousness). He does it at all costs, in the face of challenges from any side, in order to defend, right against wrong, justice against injustice; and for serving and safeguarding any and every noble cause, While treading the path of martyrdom, he resists all pressures and inducement, pears all tortures and torments and expects neither any material gain nor any glory for himself or his country and community, This is so in Sikhism, because as Guna Nanak Dey has stated: Maranu munsan suryan haqq hat;
Jo koe marant parvanon (Martyrdom is the privilege of the heroic ones if they die for a noble cause), Guru Arjan Dey (15631606 A.D.), the fifth guru, remaining true to this concept and ideal will ingle and patiently, suffered inhuman tortures and martyrdom in 1606 A.D. at Lahore, under the: ordersofemperorJahangir (15691627A.D,), for pleading the cause of the people, he did so to defend dharma. He refused to accept unjust orders; He preferred to suffer in silence, thus vindicating the cause of truth and religious freedom, rather than yield to the will of the unjust ruler. Jahangir has recorded i his memoirs that “for a long time” he “was thinking that either this evil business (i.e. Guru’s religion and highly popular pontificate) must be put an end Toor he should be brought into| fold of Islam.” Proceeding fur there, he has stated; “I ordered that he should be put to death with tortures.” Guru Arjan resolutely and boldly faced horrible persecution setting thereby an example to the rest of the world as to how a man of God could mock at death. At the same time he declared: Nan ko beiri, nehin bigana; Sagal sang ham ko bani aee. (None is our enemy. Nor is anyone alien to us. We are friends of all mankind), His grandson and ninth guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur (16211675 A.D.), laid down his life as martyr ‘on the 11th of November 1675 at Delhi under the orders of Jehangir’s grandson, Aurangzeb (16181707 A.D.), “whose efforts,” according to Sayyad Muhammad Latif, “were directed to converting the whole world to the Mahomedan faith” and who had unsuccessfully “urged the Sikh Guru to embrace Mahomedanism.” The Guru laid down his life at the altar of Dharma and in doing so raised a forceful voice against the Emperor’s religious fanaticism. He sacrificed his life to protect the fundamental right of the people to practice their individual faith and belief, as also to ensure freedom of conscience and worship, which was being totally denied to all non-Muslims at the time.
Every effort was made by the rulers to dissuade Guru Tegh Bahadur from following the path he had chosen and to prevail upon him to renounce his faith and embrace Islam; He was undeterred because he believed in the motto: Bhai Kahun KO deit nehn Nehn bhai manat aan. (Fear not and frighten not.) Consequently, he was chained and imprisoned in a cage and subjected to some of the cruelest and most inhuman tortures for five long days. In order to terrorize him further into submission, three of his faithful devotees were also subjected to equally cruel and inhuman tortures to which they succumbed before his very eyes. Eventually, he himself was beheaded, under Imperial warrant, in broad daylight in the middle of a public square, the famous Chandni Chowk in Delhi, on the charge that he was a stumbling block in the spread of Islam in India. While in Zoroastrianism a martyrs “one who lays down his life in the cause of his religion or faith,” in Judaism it is he who suffers death “for the propagation of his holy Scripture.” In Christianity martyrs are those “who have actually jaid down their lives for Christ” or those “who undergo penalty of death for persistence in the Christians faith.” In Islam a martyr is “one who has either been slain in religious war or has been killed unjustly.” In these historical religions such noble persons have been honored as Shahidi Kamil, i.e. perfect martyrs or martyrs par excellence. In Sikhism, however, the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur embodies in itself some unique features of martyrdom, particularly in the sense that he passed through a torturous ordeal and courted death not for the salvation of his own self or for the protection of his own family and followers or for the propagation of his own faith but for others and their right and freedom to practice their own faith and belief.
A large number of saintly and valorous persons throughout the world have sacrificed themselves, from time to time, before and after him, in defence of their respective faiths or for the vindication of their own convictions or for the protection of their own country and community. But none, excepting Guru Tegh Bahadur, is known to have offered himself for sacrifice for the vindication of an all-embracing ideal, the ideal pertaining to the freedom of conscience conviction and worship not only for himself or his country and community but also for the entire human fraternity. He actually laid down his life for the cause of justice and dharma (righteousness) in defence of the convictions of others in order to champion the cause of religious freedom for one and all, and to protect the religious principles and practices which he himself did not follow.
Guru Tegh Bahadur made the supreme sacrifice in the cause of truth, justice and righteousness; for equality and liberty in matters of faith and ideological belief of all mankind. By doing so, according to the autobiography of his son, Guru Gobind Singh (16661708 A.D.), the 10th Guru, he “performed a heroic deed and made the supreme sacrifice in the dark age for the protection of their (i.e. the Hindus’) right to wear the sacred thread and the frontal caste mark.” He spared no pains and went to the utmost limit in help mg and protecting the men of faith. He gave up his head but not his ideals.” Guru Tegh Bahadur’s sacrifice was a mighty challenge to the mightiest empire of the age and this challenge was given to the Emperor himself in the capital of the empire itself. The site of his martyrdom, the sacred spot where his holy head had fallen on the ground, is marked by the famous Gurdwara Sis Ganj which, in the memorable words of the first National Professor of Free India, viz. Dr.Suntii Kumar Chatterji, “commemorates the final triumph of a great life and a living faith, and of the truth that a Man lives in God when he gives up his life for the benefit and service of Man. It also reminds us of the silent soul elevating message of the Gurus.” It remains till today a highly popular and holy place of pilgrimage; and people from far and near visit it daily in their thousands to pay homage and to seek the Guru’s blessings for peace and prosperity.
“Whenever I have occasion to go to Delhi,” added Professor Chatterji in 1975, “and spare a little time for it, I never feel happy unless | can visit the Gurdwara Sis Ganj at Chandni Chowk and spend half an hour there. For me this Gurdwara is a holy place and a historical place, and it is a symbol of the highest ideals and achievements of the Sikhs and consequently of the Hindus and of all other people whose minds are attuned to the spirit of understanding and toleration, and of dedication to the love and service of Man and God. Here took place, exactly 300 years ago, the greatest and most glorious martyrdom of history.” Dr.Harnam Singh Shan is at present the principal project investigator of the University Grants Commission’s major research project on Sikhism; He was formerly Professor and Head of the Guru Nanak Sikh Studies at the Punjab University in Chandigarh.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 17, 1993
