Baisakhi on April 14 this year marks the tercentenary of the Khalsa. Khalsa literally means the pure. The creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh symbolises the crystallisation as well as the extension of the message of Guru Nanak Dev and the subsequent Sikh Gurus. It was a historic event with mutagenic implications. While tenaciously holding to the spiritual tradition of his predecessors, Guru Gobind Singh introduced a new element into it - the element of vigour. The tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa this year are thus both a historical obligation and a social necessity.
The Khalsa coalesced serenity and strength, purity and power, shastra (scripture) and shastra (weapon), the power of wisdom (jnana shakti) and the power of action (kriya shakti) so that the primordial cosmic energy in each human being could assume a dynamic form to withstand injustice and oppression.
Henceforth, mukti salvation) from political and social oppression was to precede mukti from the cycle of birth and death. Love for God was to be accompanied by love for mankind. The Divine Spirit was to be perceived in man and vice versa. To the list of human weaknesses such as kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (attachment) and ahamkar (vanity) was added another, the feeling of timidity. The truly religious man was one who could shed every drop of his blood to safeguard the interests of the weak, the helpless and the downtrodden and who would never surrender or submit in the battlefield of life. True pilgrimage was the pilgrimage to death for the fulfilment of a noble cause. The spiritual introvert who withdrew from the scene of turmoil to chant the holy syllables was unworthy of respect.
Background
The Khalsa was to be a vehicle for liberating the mind of the community from fears and complexes, its body from the clutches of repressive rulers and its soul from the thraldom of clergy. The intermediaries of religion were rendered obsolete; the institution of masands who had betrayed the path of righteousness was abolished. In due course of time, apostolic succession came to an end and the Holy Word reflecting through the Guru Granth Sahib was metamorphosed into a living Guru eternally.
The profound impulse for the establishment of the Khalsa did not come only from the historical milieu but from the divine urge to uphold dharma and to re-establish virtue. Centuries of foreign rule had demoralised the Hindu community. Torn by the division of castes and endangered by the onslaught of Islam, it needed rejuvenation. Measures like the reimposition of jiziya' and pilgrim tax (earlier abolished by Akbar), restrictions on the celebration of festivals like Diwali, Dassehra and Holi, imposition of higher customs duty on goods handled by Hindu merchants, rendering the Hindus ineligible for the post of revenue collector of the Khalisa land, and forcible conversions to Islam, instilled a sense of fear and consternation among members of the community. Timidity led to passivity, passivity to helplessness and helplessness to the need of a redeemer. This became possible by the divine mission of Guru Gobind Singh through the institution of the Khalsa.
Foundation
The dramatic act of Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib on the Baisakhi day of 1699 ( which then fell on March 30) in asking for the heads of five Sikhs one after another, was a crucial test of the sense of obedience and devotion of his disciples. The Bhakti concept of prapatti was brought into vogue in a martial way. Prapatti involves the total submission of a disciple to the Divine Spirit or its embodiment, the Guru, and is tantamount to his death in the mental, material and psychic terms. This makes the resurrection possible.
Guru Gobind Singh was aware that if each could merge his individual self into the greater self of the community it could lead to the formation of a Brihatkutumba or a larger family strong enough to withstand pressure.
The Five Sikhs who had offered themselves for sacrifice came from different castes and regions; Daya Ram was a Sobti Khatri from Lahore; Dharma Das, a Jat from Hastinapur,; Muhkam Chand, a washerman from Dwarka; Himmat, a water carrier from Jagannath Puri and Sahib Chand, a barber from Bidar (Karnataka). After going through a simulated ordeal, they were designated as Panj Piara or "the Five Beloved Ones", and initiated into the Order of the Khalsa through the baptism of the sword (khande di pahul). The prevalent mode of initiation by charanamrit (partaking of water in which the feet of Guru had been bathed) was abandoned as it betokened �bhakti and not shakti. Besides, it left a hiatus between the Guru and his disciple. The Khalsa, on the other hand, was invested with the power of the Guru, who himself received baptism at the hands of Panj Piare who had metamorphosed from Sikhs into Singhs or lions. The Guru merged in the Khalsa and the Khalsa in the Guru marking the entelechy of the concept of unity both at mundane and spiritual levels. "The Khalsa is my other self; in him I live and have my being", said Guru Gobind Singh.
Historical Perspective
The baptismal ceremony was free from exculpatory rites, magical formulae, caste distinctions or archaic sacraments. Rituals were observed to deritualise religion and relate it to the stark reality of the time which required bravery and strength to face a tyrranous regime. Such was the level of enthusiasm that over twenty thousand people joined the rank of the Khalsa on that day. In time to come the Khalsa became the vanguard of freedom and human dignity.
Interestingly, the numeral five figured prominently in the initiatory rites as evidenced by the selection of the Panj Piare, mixing of five sweetening agents namely treacle, white sugar, red sugar, candy sugar and honey, in water and consecrating it by chanting five banis - Japuji, Jap, Chaupai, Swaiyya and Anand - administering five palmsful of baptismal water to the novitiates and making it obligatory for every Sikh to wear the Five K's - Kesha (longhair), Kangha (comb), Kara (steel bracelet), Kaccha (short drawers) and Kirpan (sword) .
This comes closer to the Indian tradition in which a number of philosophical concepts, moral codes and rituals have been condensed in pentads viz. Panchachara and Panchakshra mantra in Shaivism; Panchanitya karma, Pancha Shraddha, Pancha Mahayajna, Panchabhuta, Pancha jnana and Pancha karma indriyas in the Vedic dharma, Panchamakara in Tantra, Panchayatna Puja in Smartism, Panchavrata in Jainism and Panchashila in Buddhism.
The baptised Sikhs were not to relinquish the world, do penace or penitence, perform sacrifices or worship idols. They were not to hide cloistered surroundings like Benedictine monks or move about like mendicant friars but lead a householder's life and fulfil social obligations according to the exigencies of circumstances. They were not to trim hair, commit adultery, partake of halal meat or use tobacco. Each was to make four solemn promises: That he would have no pride of profession or position (kritanash vow) or of high birth (kulnash vow); that he would reject orthodox beliefs (dharmanash vow) and redundant customs (karmanash vow) and follow the path of righteousness laid down by the Guru. But the Khalsa was not to apotheosise any one, not even Guru Gobind Singh. "Any one who calls me God; in the fire of hell shall surely fall", wrote Guru Gobind Singh (Bachitra Natak, Canto 6, chaupai 32).
Historical events proved the veracity of the Guru's words. The Zafarnama or "Epistle of Victory" which he addressed to Aurangzeb during the darkest hour of his life bespeaks his indomitable courage and supreme will. Among other things he wrote: "Pitiable indeed is your sense of justice. Still more pitiable is the way you are serving your faith. Deplorable yes, a hundred times more deplorable is the despotism of your rule... Do not indiscriminately and fearlessly use your sword of power to shed the blood of innocent people. Remember, that the sword of God will fall on you also one day and bleed you to death," (verses 67,69).
The new salutation "Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Wahiguru ji ki Fateh" ("Khalsa belongs to God; victory is therefore God's own") became a potent mantra for the community. When changed by the group it created a force field of energy which cast a spell on the timid and the effeminate who showed instant readiness for service and sacrifice. The unity thus achieved was rich in spiritual potential. At social level, it dissolved the distinctions based on caste, creed and status. At political level, it sounded the bugle of sovereignty of the Sikh congregation.
The creation of the Khalsa did not mark a return to the autochthonous tradition of India but to the dawn of a new faith. Yet it cannot be said to have xenogenetic character because its task was to protect and safeguard the same community from which it had sprung. The Khalsa was to epitomise purity as the pure alone can be fearless; the fearless alone can be brave and the brave alone have the courage to die for a cause.
The Khalsa coalesced serenity and strength, purity and power, shastra (scripture) and shastra (weapon), the power of wisdom (jnana shakti) and the power of action (kriya shakti) so that the primordial cosmic energy in each human being could assume a dynamic form to withstand injustice and oppression.
Henceforth, mukti salvation) from political and social oppression was to precede mukti from the cycle of birth and death. Love for God was to be accompanied by love for mankind. The Divine Spirit was to be perceived in man and vice versa. To the list of human weaknesses such as kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (attachment) and ahamkar (vanity) was added another, the feeling of timidity. The truly religious man was one who could shed every drop of his blood to safeguard the interests of the weak, the helpless and the downtrodden and who would never surrender or submit in the battlefield of life. True pilgrimage was the pilgrimage to death for the fulfilment of a noble cause. The spiritual introvert who withdrew from the scene of turmoil to chant the holy syllables was unworthy of respect.
Background
The Khalsa was to be a vehicle for liberating the mind of the community from fears and complexes, its body from the clutches of repressive rulers and its soul from the thraldom of clergy. The intermediaries of religion were rendered obsolete; the institution of masands who had betrayed the path of righteousness was abolished. In due course of time, apostolic succession came to an end and the Holy Word reflecting through the Guru Granth Sahib was metamorphosed into a living Guru eternally.
The profound impulse for the establishment of the Khalsa did not come only from the historical milieu but from the divine urge to uphold dharma and to re-establish virtue. Centuries of foreign rule had demoralised the Hindu community. Torn by the division of castes and endangered by the onslaught of Islam, it needed rejuvenation. Measures like the reimposition of jiziya' and pilgrim tax (earlier abolished by Akbar), restrictions on the celebration of festivals like Diwali, Dassehra and Holi, imposition of higher customs duty on goods handled by Hindu merchants, rendering the Hindus ineligible for the post of revenue collector of the Khalisa land, and forcible conversions to Islam, instilled a sense of fear and consternation among members of the community. Timidity led to passivity, passivity to helplessness and helplessness to the need of a redeemer. This became possible by the divine mission of Guru Gobind Singh through the institution of the Khalsa.
Foundation
The dramatic act of Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib on the Baisakhi day of 1699 ( which then fell on March 30) in asking for the heads of five Sikhs one after another, was a crucial test of the sense of obedience and devotion of his disciples. The Bhakti concept of prapatti was brought into vogue in a martial way. Prapatti involves the total submission of a disciple to the Divine Spirit or its embodiment, the Guru, and is tantamount to his death in the mental, material and psychic terms. This makes the resurrection possible.
Guru Gobind Singh was aware that if each could merge his individual self into the greater self of the community it could lead to the formation of a Brihatkutumba or a larger family strong enough to withstand pressure.
The Five Sikhs who had offered themselves for sacrifice came from different castes and regions; Daya Ram was a Sobti Khatri from Lahore; Dharma Das, a Jat from Hastinapur,; Muhkam Chand, a washerman from Dwarka; Himmat, a water carrier from Jagannath Puri and Sahib Chand, a barber from Bidar (Karnataka). After going through a simulated ordeal, they were designated as Panj Piara or "the Five Beloved Ones", and initiated into the Order of the Khalsa through the baptism of the sword (khande di pahul). The prevalent mode of initiation by charanamrit (partaking of water in which the feet of Guru had been bathed) was abandoned as it betokened �bhakti and not shakti. Besides, it left a hiatus between the Guru and his disciple. The Khalsa, on the other hand, was invested with the power of the Guru, who himself received baptism at the hands of Panj Piare who had metamorphosed from Sikhs into Singhs or lions. The Guru merged in the Khalsa and the Khalsa in the Guru marking the entelechy of the concept of unity both at mundane and spiritual levels. "The Khalsa is my other self; in him I live and have my being", said Guru Gobind Singh.
Historical Perspective
The baptismal ceremony was free from exculpatory rites, magical formulae, caste distinctions or archaic sacraments. Rituals were observed to deritualise religion and relate it to the stark reality of the time which required bravery and strength to face a tyrranous regime. Such was the level of enthusiasm that over twenty thousand people joined the rank of the Khalsa on that day. In time to come the Khalsa became the vanguard of freedom and human dignity.
Interestingly, the numeral five figured prominently in the initiatory rites as evidenced by the selection of the Panj Piare, mixing of five sweetening agents namely treacle, white sugar, red sugar, candy sugar and honey, in water and consecrating it by chanting five banis - Japuji, Jap, Chaupai, Swaiyya and Anand - administering five palmsful of baptismal water to the novitiates and making it obligatory for every Sikh to wear the Five K's - Kesha (longhair), Kangha (comb), Kara (steel bracelet), Kaccha (short drawers) and Kirpan (sword) .
This comes closer to the Indian tradition in which a number of philosophical concepts, moral codes and rituals have been condensed in pentads viz. Panchachara and Panchakshra mantra in Shaivism; Panchanitya karma, Pancha Shraddha, Pancha Mahayajna, Panchabhuta, Pancha jnana and Pancha karma indriyas in the Vedic dharma, Panchamakara in Tantra, Panchayatna Puja in Smartism, Panchavrata in Jainism and Panchashila in Buddhism.
The baptised Sikhs were not to relinquish the world, do penace or penitence, perform sacrifices or worship idols. They were not to hide cloistered surroundings like Benedictine monks or move about like mendicant friars but lead a householder's life and fulfil social obligations according to the exigencies of circumstances. They were not to trim hair, commit adultery, partake of halal meat or use tobacco. Each was to make four solemn promises: That he would have no pride of profession or position (kritanash vow) or of high birth (kulnash vow); that he would reject orthodox beliefs (dharmanash vow) and redundant customs (karmanash vow) and follow the path of righteousness laid down by the Guru. But the Khalsa was not to apotheosise any one, not even Guru Gobind Singh. "Any one who calls me God; in the fire of hell shall surely fall", wrote Guru Gobind Singh (Bachitra Natak, Canto 6, chaupai 32).
Historical events proved the veracity of the Guru's words. The Zafarnama or "Epistle of Victory" which he addressed to Aurangzeb during the darkest hour of his life bespeaks his indomitable courage and supreme will. Among other things he wrote: "Pitiable indeed is your sense of justice. Still more pitiable is the way you are serving your faith. Deplorable yes, a hundred times more deplorable is the despotism of your rule... Do not indiscriminately and fearlessly use your sword of power to shed the blood of innocent people. Remember, that the sword of God will fall on you also one day and bleed you to death," (verses 67,69).
The new salutation "Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Wahiguru ji ki Fateh" ("Khalsa belongs to God; victory is therefore God's own") became a potent mantra for the community. When changed by the group it created a force field of energy which cast a spell on the timid and the effeminate who showed instant readiness for service and sacrifice. The unity thus achieved was rich in spiritual potential. At social level, it dissolved the distinctions based on caste, creed and status. At political level, it sounded the bugle of sovereignty of the Sikh congregation.
The creation of the Khalsa did not mark a return to the autochthonous tradition of India but to the dawn of a new faith. Yet it cannot be said to have xenogenetic character because its task was to protect and safeguard the same community from which it had sprung. The Khalsa was to epitomise purity as the pure alone can be fearless; the fearless alone can be brave and the brave alone have the courage to die for a cause.
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