GURPURAB SPECIAL:  Do you wonder at the Sikh farmers of Guru Gobind Singh on the borders encircling Delhi and who are determined to do a parade of truthfulness inside the City of Djinns which they had conquered and then returned back in humility?  In his transformative campaign, Guru Gobind Singh was seized of the fact that religious freedom was the most important milestone in individual evolution, hence there was a crying need to transform the ordinary, mundane farmer and trader of Punjab into a piece of excellence, one that imbibed steel and grit –one who could redefine what living is, what existence is. On Gurpurab Day, we will all be celebrating Sahibe Kamaal -the Wondrous Lord, Dasam Pita- the Tenth Father, Chittian Baazanwala Pathshah -the True Sovereign of the White Hawks and much more. Ace mentor-activist and writer Kamal Jit Singh Ahluwalia presents a glimpse into the action-packed 42 years of Guru Sahib in devotion, dedication and awe.

TODAY THE KHALSA in action is visible on the periphery of Delhi. Gurpurab Greetings to the Khalsa on the streets of Delhi and around the world. Happier Gurpurab to those in awe of the Sikhs of Guru Gobind Singh and Happiest Gurpurab to those who consider it their mission to fight the Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh and his ideology. Let us live through the amazing transformation of Man by the Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh.

IT IS A BIG LIFE, a path-breaking life, an extraordinary life, a life that had meaning, joy, sunshine, sadness, tragedies, conflicts, struggle. A life that has filled the pages of history changed our world and filled our hearts.

A life of immense tragedy, a life where tragedy ceased to exists, a life where celebrations were the key, a life where living was redefined. Guru Gobind Singh’s approach to his experiences was awesome -a life where tragedy and struggle were constant companions. Interestingly stark was the way he approached them -how he overcame them.

Commoners say that he wasn’t a normal man -for me he was normal but his thinking, action and being were extraordinary. His responses were firm and straight. He looked into the eyes of the problem and ensured that it simply disappeared. Amusingly he gave problems to his problems.

 Read Also Aspirations and Inspirations from Guru Gobind Singh's Life

Let’s revisit a situation -after the battle of Chamkaur, where the losses were immense -one of the Sikhs asked him that isn’t he sad at the bloodshed and the loss that has happened. Interestingly Guru’s response was, No I am not sad -it was the Will of the Lord. My sons came for a definite purpose and left after accomplishing it. So were the many Sikhs. This is all ordained. Sikhs said that the loss is in thousands and the Guru simply smiled and said -the gain is in millions.

Beginning:

Guru Gobind Singh’s life is a story of a birth of a spirited nation sans geographical boundaries created with love and comprised of strong and righteous warriors who were willing to stand against tyranny and oppression.

As a Sikh, I need to hold on confidently to the message of the Guru and follow it. From that miraculous unforeseen will follow.

Guru Gobind Singh beams through history with radiance and of a spirited light, who brought the experience of God to the common man while restoring his dignity and honour.

Guru Sahib helped his father to choose rather than decide. For him, responsibility, accountability and its aptness were the primordial things that mattered the most. For him, the mantra was picking up the gun, aiming with amazing accuracy and then shooting. At the age of 10 when he was anointed to Guruship -the assembled Sangat roared with a thunderous call of devotion, victory and love.

In a few months, Guru Sahib transformed Anandpur -from a saddened town to one that breathed creativity, optimism, joy, light and commerce.

At Paonta Sahib, Guru Sahib penned Jaap Sahib -the song of the warrior saint –weaving different languages into 199 verses. Jaap describes God from every side -from the nirgun and the sargun, his transcendental and phenomenal aspects. In the mangla charan he tells us that in naming God we come to know about him. Succeding attributes and names roar one after the other through the entire composition which is beyond the rational faculty of man -deep into the realm of experience.

In a few months, Guru Sahib transformed Anandpur -from a saddened town to one that breathed creativity, optimism, joy, light and commerce.

Yet in spite of getting immersed in poetry and philosophy, he forgot not what he had learnt at Anandpur Sahib –the daily punctuality of the art of warfare.

Guru Gobind Singh was seized of the fact that religious freedom was the most important milestone in individual evolution, hence there was a crying need to transform the ordinary, mundane farmer and trader of Punjab into a piece of excellence, one that imbibed steel and grit –one who could redefine what living is, what existence is.

Guru Gobind Singh realized that in the coming pressing times -where the Mughals intoxicated by their power and fanaticism would pose a grave challenge to the religious and economic freedom of the Sikhs. Farmers and merchants of Punjab needed to be reborn as Saint-Soldiers –one who had a distinct capability and capacity to fight the tyranny and oppression while being a non-doer.

And so in 1699, he created an experience –an everlasting one -a brand that was distinct, different yet integrated and one who was total and lived in totality. He created a complete being –a being that existed beyond oneself.

He had realized from his childhood that war has ceased to be a pursuit of regular professional armies. He knew that one cannot realize oneself if one is without strength and fortitude, hence there was a definite need of raising the whole community fit for combat where each individual, in addition to leading himself or a body of troops into battle, has also to function as a leader of the community.

And so in 1699, he created an experience –an everlasting one -a brand that was distinct, different yet integrated and one who was total and lived in totality. He created a complete being –a being that existed beyond oneself.

Therefore, in addition to military virtues of soldiers based upon very sound moral, ethical code, each individual was to be trained to understand the society in which he lived in, nationalism, the flexibility of mind and spiritual advancement.

Pan Pyairay were from the cross-sections considered low and untouchable classes of society. Guru slashed down the age-old traditions of the society that war was the prerogative of the Kahatris alone. Anyone, who was sincere, puritan by heart, could be a soldier in the Guru’s army. To Guru Gobind Singh all races could fight equally well if and when provided with a just cause and good leadership.

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The leader and the led were like a hand in a glove. Both fight a common enemy with a single mission – either victory or martyrdom. Irrespective of their ranks and status -both leader and led, in the Gurus army sat and ate together.

At this occasion, Guru blessed the Khalsa with the battle cry of “Bole so Nihal Sat Sri Akaal” – The one who believes in the truth of God is immortal; whichever has been shouted has unnerved and nonplussed the enemy in the battlefield.

In the eyes of General Wavell “Never met a despondent Sikh in the front line, in a hospital, in the rear, he may moan over a small wound but in a fight, he will go on to his last breath and die laughing at the thought of paradise with the battle cry of “Bole so Nihal Sat Sri Akaal” as he falls.”

In the eyes of General Wavell “Never met a despondent Sikh in the front line, in a hospital, in the rear, he may moan over a small wound but in a fight, he will go on to his last breath and die laughing at the thought of paradise with the battle cry of “Bole so Nihal Sat Sri Akaal” as he falls.”

Old scriptures confirm that strength and vigour received by the human body from food gives impetus to the same thought process which the person had while eating his food and consequently moulds the actions of the man consciously and unconsciously. Therefore, Guru Gobind Singh’s war drum, known as Ranjit Nagara, was sounded unabated while his soldiers had their food in the langar.

Symbolized victory through every salutation -Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh -to that the concept of impersonal victory grows deep in the psyche of every individual at all levels of society.

It was a revolutionary socio-political-religious thought given to the masses for the first time in the history of India. The concept of impersonal victory basically ensured that his Khalsa never became complacent about his success and remained away from the deadly clutches of vanity and pride.

Recapping
Gobind Singh is a modern prophet who does not care about history. He kills the tyrant by the sword alone, never felt sick or sorry in performance of his duty, or shy of war if he had to wade through in it championing the cause of the oppressed. If you got to go, you have to go. Action is the decisive distinction.

He brought out character in its natural simplicity and beauty and insisted that all men shall act for the pure love of man and God.

The spirit of Gobind as the leader of men is innovation like the Buddha’s spiritual democracy. Yet his democracy is more modern, more natural and absolutely spontaneous. No coercion of vows exists in its constitution.

On the saddle, he is an unbroken union with Akal – the Timeless.  The brahminical I that Krishna uses to hypnotize Arjuna is absent in the archetype of modern man, the prophet and poet Guru Gobind Singh.

On the saddle, he is an unbroken union with Akal – the Timeless.  The brahminical I that Krishna uses to hypnotize Arjuna is absent in the archetype of modern man, the prophet and poet Guru Gobind Singh. He mingles with people as one of them; he lifts them to the natural love of comrade’s right in India. He puts in their hands the plough and the sword and lifts their minds to the high stars where the people pass eternally singing the song of the Lord.

Guru Gobind Singh’s holy chant, whose note of duty has that universal appeal and comprehends so well the spirit of human struggle that characterizes the nations of the West. And yet the full oriental celestiality of life in intact; after all, the life here is a pilgrim on foot to God. Such is the humility of the Guru’s knowledge.

Guru Gobind Singh is full of no other thought but the hymns of the praise of love and that beauty of love which glistens embedded in matter. It’s all spirit and it’s all feeling there. He endlessly repeats glory –tuhi tuhi as he has nothing more to say. He has not to philosophize when face to face with God. It’s a feeling which ends in noble action, not metal concepts, or in dismal intellectual fermentations.

When they are called upon, they seek death as moths seek the light.  Their inheritance from the Guru of the spontaneous practice of goodness, self-sacrifice resulting from love and not disciplined by vows and penances are the essential humanities of Khalsa.

Whenever Guru Nanak and other Masters stumbled against enormities, tyrannies, and oppressors of man and nature, they viewed it as not as ugly, but soon saw through it as the beauty of the creator – thus their eyes were lifted above all their darkness.  They were ravished by love and beauty and the lyrical presence of the Lord. The matter is absent – it’s all spirit pervading all across. They all believed and lead a life of pure plasticity –Chardikala -up and above always, all times and at all places.

Consequently the Sikh People, unlike other people, are a race of straight forward men of action, whose simple minds informed of the eternal by the Guru, shrinks from the idle speculation of the brahminical mind and also shrinks from the too theological law of the Muslim, at least of the empire-building Islam.

When they are called upon, they seek death as moths seek the light.  Their inheritance from the Guru of the spontaneous practice of goodness, self-sacrifice resulting from love and not disciplined by vows and penances are the essential humanities of Khalsa.

The very thought of the morrow that who will support us when we are ill and unable to earn is irreligious. For a true Sikh, death is better than security earned with dishonesty. For a Sikh inward elevation is all: both intellect and will be the agencies to continue that state of elevation from the spiritual to the physical.  A Sikh has no faith in those who pass off a drunken stupor of mind as a true religion.

After Buddha, the Gurus championed the cause of a common man in a caste-ridden India.  The Ten Gurus are suns around which many earths revolve. Seeing the Guru, it becomes impossible to distinguish man from man.

The very thought of the morrow that who will support us when we are ill and unable to earn is irreligious. For a true Sikh, death is better than security earned with dishonesty. For a Sikh inward elevation is all: both intellect and will be the agencies to continue that state of elevation from the spiritual to the physical.  A Sikh has no faith in those who pass off a drunken stupor of mind as a true religion.

Guru Gobind Singh’s life is love, He is the world of souls. He is a man of no caste and is bodiless. And he exalts me to believe, practice with integrity –-that I am the soul, my religion is the person of the guru. My tendency is God-ward. And in my Guru, the power radiates with unique effulgence.

Guru Sahib liberated a common man from the slavery of Devas, the Vedas and put him to work. A Sikh has nothing to give but his life. He simply is rustic, but sincere. Intellect he does not value, nor its exciting flashes. He is ignorant, yet gives away fearlessly his body for a cause that is beyond himself.

As a Sikh, I need to hold on confidently to the message of the Guru and follow it. From that miraculous unforeseen will follow.

I am a transmuted man in whom the spiritual life begins. I am born out of humanity- one born out of spontaneity – observing the truth, sincerity, simplicity of life, renunciation of false pride, false religions, false hypocritical actions of life and on simply being men- good men- in thinking, acting and being. This is our natural state. Our only state.

If any animal has to be sacrificed on the altar of the Lord then I need to sacrifice the animal in me. My religion is love. Thus first I need to love and then shall all be added to me. The eternal world is no longer an object for me –it’s lost in me.

Na milia main ishq na chahno – jeda kadi maila na ho
Milia sanu husn ikaki jadi kadhi fana na hoe
Milia sanu mehbooob pyara, jada kadi juda na hoe
Adam ishq namaz main keete, jede kadi kada na hoe
Raba mereon aisa ilm sikha de jide intiha na hoe
Koe aiyo je nazmaz pada de jade kidhi kaza na hoe.

Kuch kehnde hi duniya te kehnde rahe, par chaat sajan de painde rahe
Na main nachda raha, na main takda rahan
Akale baaith ke yaar da deedar vohe
Ek banda te banda namaaz hoe
Eho zikar te aiho namaaz hoi
Tu biatha rahe te main nachda rahan

Chal bullliya chal uthe chalye, jithe saare akaal de ane
Na koi saadi jaat pachane, te naa koi saanu mane

Ending with

Main neevan meri murshad ooche, main uchan de sang layee
Main sadke jaawan un uchiyan de
Jina ne eh nivan naal nibhayee
Ishq wale vade sajna buta pyaar wala laya hai
Main pate pate upar tera naam likhvya hai
Unu saambh saambh ke rakhna ki sauda iko jiya
Dil dena dil lena ki sauda iko jaya,

Kamal Jit Singh Ahluwalia, popularly known as K S Ahluwalia describes himself as a student of Sikhism, endeavouring to uncover, understand better the Sikh ethos. For the past two decades and more, he has been sharing insightful thoughts in print, personal interactions, workshops and talk shows on Sikh Inc. -management principles from the House of Nanak and life-transforming leadership skills.  He is a regular contributor to eminent journals and he has impacted the lives of thousands of youth with over 5.6 million man-hours across diversified audiences at more than a hundred plus global locations.