Do you know why the present times have been called the “dark age”? There are many reasons for it. One is that human dignity has not been given its due in this age, I know that many times your heart will bleed to see human beings treated like animals and assigned the status of slaves and beasts. Guru Nanak’s heart also bled when he saw this. He pondered over the problem and resolved to do something about it.
The Guru saw that roots of the evil were the insults piled upon women. Religious texts and social practice degraded them to an inferior status. She was referred to as a slipper on man’s foot and could aspire at best to be considered a shudra (low caste).. The brave Rajputs, with their distorted sense of honor had not the manliness to protect their women and killed sweet little girls at birth. So, many innocent eyes never saw the light of day perished so much as without even having gazed at the lovely moon you so much love. Women are the most favorite war-booty.
On return from his great tour, the Guru, at Eminabad came across the victorious armies of the Mughal conqueror, Babur. They had many women captives. The Sensitive Guru saw their cropped up hair, noted how they longed to smear vermilion in their beautiful tresses. With. all the anguish of a profoundly agitated soul he described their plight in a verse so wonderful as not to have a parallel elsewhere. Thereafter the status of a woman in society remained his deep concern. He, for ever, saw Emperors laying in the dust of their feet; he saw Saints kissing the shoes they wear, he saw Gods vying with each other for the privilege of buckling their shoes. This is clearly reflected in the most celebrated of his saying on the subject. “How is she inferior (to men) who gives birth to (their) kings!”
“His practice was no different from his preaching. His sister Nanak doted on him and he in turn would think nothing of walking a thousand miles to be there to eat @ simple meal prepared by her. On his tours, which took him to the four corners of the world, he was most fittingly chivalrous towards. women even the fallen ones amongst them he took under his wings and called them his own daughters.”
His practice was no different from his preaching. His sister Nanaki doted on him and he in turn would think nothing of walking a thousand miles to be there to eat a simple meal prepared by her. On his tours, which took him to the four corners of the world, he was most fittingly chivalrous towards women even the fallen ones amongst them he took under his wings and called them his own daughters. The mantle of Nanak everywhere shielded a woman from an impure gaze. He kept his word with his mother and periodically came from distant lands to pay respect to her.
The Janamsakhis record a very charming account of one of his meetings with his mother. The great Guru, the messenger of God, the winner of a thousand religious debates, the most revered amongst men, halted near his village summoning the strength to keep his heart together on meeting his mother. The mother came to know of his return and hastened towards the prominent tree under which he sat. Mother of the world came blessing the dust of roads tread upon by him; the sovereign son of Man ran to meet her, hurled himself at her feet and wept copiously washing her feet with tears, choked for hours on meeting her for the first time in many years.
Do you know, that a young lady was the last to visit the first Martyr Guru in his torture Chamber? She was the innocent daughter of the Qazi of Lahore and was allowed to bring a meal to the Guru who had not eaten for many days since his imprisonment. She was compassionate at heart and came in tears. The Guru spoke most courteously to her. She last bore witness to his habitual benign smile and he ate a morsel out of her dish more with an intention of pleasing her than by way of nourishment to his body which had already in part, perished. Amongst the last immortal words this incomparable poet spoke were spoken to a woman. How very proper for one born of a woman to die wrapped up in the devotional sight of a woman!
“Many bearded and ill clad soldiers were to be seen standing in the streets of Maharashtra frantically searching their persons to find a rupee to meet a customary brotherly obligation towards the lady they brought home.”
Guru Gobind Singh, the Master of the White Hawk, the Rider of the Blue Steed, the Lord of both the worlds, is known to have bowed to none, but God. Never but once is he known to have changed his decision and this was on the behest of his mother, Mata Gajri. His eye which could pierce the thick screen of the past and which could shoot its gaze into the future, just as efficiently as he could fire an arrow on a mark, miles away, clearly saw that countless misfortunes were to befall on leaving the fort of Anandgarh. And yet he never batted an eyelid and issued orders for departure as soon as he knew that Mata Gujri wanted him to do that. It was sight to see! Quietly and serenely, with bowed head and folded hands he approached his mother with a silent prayer for her blessing. Calmly arose she who was holier than Ganges and Godavri she who had the proverbial patience of mountains, she who was braver than a thousand warriors of any age, put her hand on her son’s shoulder and lead him to his divine steed. This was the last meeting between them both. The Guru knew it but would not hinder her will. The Guru preached respect to women and at this cost he drew the lesson home.
A thousand tales survive to tell us in what seriousness the Sikhs stood by the Guru’s word and example.
Hundreds perished while trying to rescue the Marhatta women held captive by Ahmed Shad Abdali the conqueror at the third battle of Panipat. After having saved them from the clutches of ruthless invaders, they put them on their horses and chivalrously clutching the stirrup ran alongside for hundreds of miles to the remotest villages of Maharashtra. After resoring them to their parents and husbands, they saw them off as they ‘were used to seeing off their sisters. Many bearded and ill clad soldiers were to be seen standing in the streets of Maharashtra frantically searching their persons to find a rupee to meet a customary brotherly obligation towards the lady they brought home. Nor would they tarry a while to rest their tired limbs because to eat at a sister’s place was not considered proper in those days.
Rattan Singh Bhangu, the grandson of the celebrated martyrs, Mahtab Singh (on hearing whose name you must always bow your head in deep reverence) has similar little tale to relate. A powerful Sayid of Lohan, near Delhi, once forcibly carried away a beautiful Brahmin girl. Her father approached many with a prayer to recover the girl, but in vain. Finally he came to the seminomadic Khalsa armies camping in Majha area of the Punjab, and request for help. The Khalsa hesitated, because a huge Mughal army was stationed at Delhi, the capital of the country and the place was hundreds of miles away.
The Brahmin again asked for help and this time in the name of the Guru. The deliberations were at once stopped. Everyone knew what was to be done. A Nihang in the gathering arose and going up to the drum struck it proclaiming the decision to march.
Soon, Sutiej was crossed, and then the Jamuna, and in a few days’ time Sikh armies were poised for an attack. In the customary prayer before the attack, every Sikh prayed for the honor of falling in so noble a cause. The wishes of many were fulfilled but the battle was won. Immediately the Khalsa summoned the husband of the rescued girl to take her home. But he refused because she had lived with a Muslim.
The Khalsa declared the girl to be their adopted daughter and promptly marched towards her village this time on a mission of peace. There someone spread a blanket inviting everyone to give the daughter of the Panth a fitting farewell present. Soldiers filed past the blanket adding their mite and very soon there was a huge pile of gold and silver on it. The Brahmin saw that the bravery of the Khalsa was equal only to their generosity .
“Many times soldiers came across women who had fallen a prey to the atrocities of Pakistani armies. Quite often they were found stripped naked. Overflowing with compassion the Sikh soldiers would promptly take off their turbans and tearing them into two would give it to the girls to wrap it around themselves”.
And both had no parallel under the sun. He, for the first time, understood their slogan Deg Teg Feteh and.as soon lost the will to resist. The Khalsa tuned the reins of their horses homeward after giving thanks to God for the favorable conclusion of the battle.
This tradition has come down to the present day.
If you look up my scrap book you will find in it a small newspaper cutting of a great news item. It relates to a war for liberation of Bangladesh ( 1971). Many times soldiers came across women who had fallen a prey to the atrocities of Pakistani armies, Quite often they were found stripped naked. Overflowing with ‘compassion the Sikh soldiers would promptly take off their turbans and tearing them into two would give it to the girls tow rapit around themselves.
“Thus like the mantle of Nanak our turbans shielded our sisters from an evil eye. When you are grown up enough to appreciate the Philosophy behind the gesture, you will no doubt join me in prayer and willenditas1do Tow, perhaps with the same words, “May it be thus.”
Article extracted from this publication >> August 4, 1989
