When Guru Gobind Singh gave the “Baptism of sword” to his followers, he made humble spar rows not only challenge the tyrannical hawks but also snatch the suffering doves from their cruel claws. It was emphasized that saints had to take up the sword for upholding self respect when all other measures failed. In the face of tyranny, nonviolence is cowardice and inexcusable. The Gurus fought many battles for punishing the tyrants and saving the innocent.
The other important qualities instilled by the great Gurus into their Sikhs were humility and utmost submission to God’s will. It was humility which prevented Banda Bahadar from minting coins in his own name when, for some time, he seized political power from the Mughal Gover nor of Sarhind, but attributed his own victories to god’s grace. Later, when the Mughal government of the Punjab sent an olive Branch to the Sikhs with an offer of the title of Nawab for one of their leaders, it was a humble Gursikh, Kapur Singh, who was fanning the congregation, who was chosen by the Sikhs to become the first Sikh Nawab in India’s history unlike the founders of other religions, the Gurus never claimed any supernatural status for themselves, but considered themselves merely God’s humble servants. The words and phrases coined by the Sikhs during the darkest period of their history speak volumes about the spirit of optimism and confidence created in them, inspired by their Gurus’ Heroism.
Through their conduct, the Gurus gave a spiritual basis to the concept of a socialistic pattern of society, which is now being promoted. The Gurus respected those who earned their bread with the sweat of their brow and not by dishonest exploitation of the masses. Thus, Guru Nanak preferred Lalo’s coarse bread to Bhago’s delicacies, because the former had earned it by honest labor, whereas the latter was exploiting the masses.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 10, 1989
