Jagdeesh Singh expresses a heart-felt appreciation of the unique sacrifices given by Guru Gobind Singh through his four beloved sons. His pen is steeped in the blood that runs through his veins, infusing and vibrating an intense Sikhi spirit.  From Akalpurakh -God Almighty, the devout author seeks to share a yearning for a global recognition of these sacrifices and the monumental role played by the Ten Gurus in not just South Asian history but for global human development!

I embrace the eternal and authentic Kings –Sacha Padshahs of Panjab. As the Sikh world commemorates the monumentally-gripping death-defying sacrifices of the children of Guru Gobind Singh, it is time to re-engage with the gigantic contribution of the Gurus in shaping our thoughts, form and commitment to truth, justice and welfare of humanity.

Marking the martyrdoms which are replete across the Sikh calendar, should be much more than just momentary and passing remembering of events in history. They should be occasions to engage the long-term, eternal purpose and meaning of those sacrifices into our current human circumstances and inspire us to shape our coming development as a people in this chaotic and commotion ridden world of ‘jagat tamasha’.  Anything otherwise, is just ritual commemoration.

The Ten Gurus, Nanak to Gobind Singh (the ten expressions of the originating Guru Nanak, 1469-1708), demonstrated in practise the true and overwhelming kingly qualities in every aspect of their lives, dedicated from the individual to the collective  (emotionally, mentally, physically, territorial and self government) upliftment, empowerment and liberation of their beloved Panjabi people. This made them the true kings of Panjaab –Sacha Padshahs, who so comprehensively provided their trailblazing mission, actions and revolutionary vision for the humanity of Panjaab.

Invariably, their life-transforming deeds and sacrifices over 1469-1708, have left an indelible imprint on the mental and physical attributes of the Panjaabi civilisation and its indigenous people; which is manifest amongst the ‘Sikhs’ the indigenous Panjaabis who have dared to embrace and mainstream the Gurus into their day to day society and individual lives.

“Which king in the entire global history has sent his own children into direct physical and fatal endangerment for the sake of land, nation, religion, empire or people? None! Which King has watched his biological sons die in the thick of action, and then still held positively to the psyche that there still remains thousands more of his sons alive to fight on! Which King has treated his kin and the rest of his people alike in affection and importance? These are the very qualities of true kingship in action, as against kingship by hereditary lineage and birth.”

The unprecedented and mind-blowing sacrifices of Guru Gobind Singh’s four children, whom we have just been commemorating, are unmatched in global history; let alone ‘Indian’ history. Which king in the entire global history has sent his own children into direct physical and fatal endangerment for the sake of land, nation, religion, empire or people? None! Which King has watched his biological sons die in the thick of action, and then still held positively to the psyche that there still remains thousands more of his sons alive to fight on! Which King has treated his kin and the rest of his people as equals in affection and importance? These are the very qualities of true kingship in action, as against kingship by hereditary lineage and birth.

Would the current UK Queen send her sons or grandsons to die for the UK? Never! Would the kings and queens of European nations or the Arab world venture into doing such an act? No way!

The Gurus -authentic and eternal worthy kings, in earthly life and death, exemplified the highest and optimum form of saint-soldierly human qualities, which they shared and inspired amongst the Panjaabi civilians amongst them. The Gurus made no claim to be gods. They humbly and determinedly declared and demonstrated their resolute conviction to the natural principles of justice, kindness, equality, caring and sharing, protection of the earth. They drew this inspiration from the one comprehensive, benevolence source of all existence ‘Ek Onkar’ -nameless, shapeless, invisible, yet present and manifest in all things and omnipresent.

The ‘four sahibshazde’ (the four beloved sons), came from a lineage of Guruship in which the vigorous psychological and emotions of Sikhi ran from generation to generation. Their young lives and homely environment, their kith and kin, their father, grand-father, mother, grand-mother; all expressed the full-blown Sikhi spirit. In such a fertile and proactive environment, potent seeds will invariably have the best nurturing and of course the ingredients.

The names of these four saint-soldierly souls are, by no accident, a combination of intense struggle, resolution and sacrifice. Ajeet for invincible! Zorawar for intensely brave! Fateh for affirmative victory! Jujhaar for vigorous crusader!

Over the centuries, in the face of massive state persecution, genocide and opposition, those who have earnestly embraced this revolutionary inspiration of Sikhi gifted especially to the indigenous Panjaab by the Ten Gurus aspire in their minds and physical expressions to popularise and mainstream this beautiful lifestyle across their Panjaabi humanity and beyond through acts of sharing and inspiring (not ‘conversion’ or imposing). Such people, the ‘Sikhs’, described by Professor Gurharpal Singh as the ‘avantgarde’ of Panjaabi civilisation, carry forth a special and unique national civilisation, unequalled and unmatched, open and engaging to all!

The names of these four saint-soldierly souls are, by no accident, a combination of intense struggle, resolution and sacrifice. Ajeet for invincible! Zorawar for intensely brave! Fateh for affirmative victory! Jujhaar for vigorous crusader! 

Today, in the global world, multiple aspects of that deep-rooted, embedded and socially institutionalised lifestyle, from langar to soldierly battle, to infinite hospitality to equality, to Keertan to sublime Gurbani poetry, to all embracing passion for justice to sacrifice is slowly but surely being seen and appreciated by a non-Sikh world afar.

The Gurus were not just ‘religious teachers’, which is a gross understatement, but religio-political bravehearts and visionaries. They were not just momentary persons in time. They acted and spoke with a long-term vision for Panjaab and its people, intended to continue beyond their ten lives. They nurtured and shaped the rise and growth of a beleaguered people and transformed them from ‘jackals into lions’ and ‘sparrows into eagles’, a life-transforming change unseen heretofore.

The Gurus came not just with a one-time, passing message of truth and justice. They lived through ten lives, to practise and give head-on sacrifice in person, to demonstrate the human viability of their vision of a transformed society and hand to the Panjaabi people, proven examples and institutions to carry through into their coming generations and centuries. Into the broken, battered and heavily bruised Panjaabi peoplehood, they injected a powerful tonic of awakening and aspirations and a will and desire to be decision-makers and sovereigns of their own territory and society.

If we follow the Gurus, we become like them in thought, personality and action. We awaken and activate the inner strengths buried and smothered within our psyche and soul.  If we follow the corrupted, wayward, morally broken wider world of Trump, Modi, Putin and such-like that are prevalent and fashionable in the world around us, then we cannot truthfully bear the royal emblematic names of the Gurus of ‘Singh’ and ‘Kaur’. We cannot pretend to be lions and eagles.

The Gurus made us ethical and responsible guardians of planet earth, looking towards Akalpurakh -almighty God, being societal yet unattached, earning through ethical work, being honest and pure, living and working as part of the bigger picture of being a responsible world citizen.

This is our free choice. I wish to be a worthy example of the Gurus. I wish to be a Sant-Sipahi.  May I be granted such a good fortune, emotion, mental and physical strength and wisdom to be that!