After establishing the Khalsa in 1699 and bestowing ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ (Amrit), or sweet nectar, to the 5 beloved ones, darkness washes over you in the year 1705. You are wounded, cold and starving. Your two younger sons were just bricked alive by a general serving under Mughal Ruler Aurangzeb at Fatehgarh Sahib. Your two older sons died in combat at Chamkaur Di Garhi (the fortress of Chamkaur). Your mother is trapped in a tower that is so cold it barely sustains life. You are now alone in this battle with few men remaining on your side. These were the circumstances that Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Sikh Guru, endured during the last few years of his life, struggling for the free practice of Sikhi. Guru Gobind Singh Ji had to fight with a sword in hand, while leading the Sikh armies into battle. Coming before him, the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji spread his idea of ੴ (Ik Onkar), or one-ness in all. He strove to dispel ignorance in his immediate surroundings through non-violence and public preachings. As Sikhi flourished in northern India, there was a strong shift from spiritual power in Guru Nanak Sahib Ji’s time period to temporal power in Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s time period because of the increasing severity of Mughal oppression, and the institution of the Khalsa Raj, but the message and mission were the same in both periods.
Guru Nanak Sahib Ji was the first Sikh Guru, born in the town of Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi in 1469; today, this holy place is known as Nankana Sahib. The word ਗੁਰੂ (Guru) has two parts: “ਗੁ” (gu), meaning Darkness and “ਰੂ” (ru), meaning light. When put together, we can see that the Sikh Gurus sought to show people the path from darkness to the light. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji believed in the concept of one-ness, or ੴ, referring to the concept that everything and everyone is one, regardless of socioeconomic background, caste, gender or race. “Guru Nanak also had a deep appreciation for the concept of Bhakti,” or unconditional devotion to a higher power not just in acts of worship but in how one lives their life, regardless of one’s place in society (Grewal, 20). Reinforcing these ideas, Guru Nanak Sahib Ji says,
ਨਾਨਕ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ॥3॥
O Nanak [talking to the Nanak, or piece of Waheguru, within each one of us], no one is high or low
Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Ank 7
Guru Nanak believed in prosperity, equality for all, ensuring that everyone has equal footing in the journey to liberation. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji taught that the path to Waheguru could be sought through means such as ਕੀਰਤ ਕਰਨ (kirat karna) working hard, ਨਾਮ ਜਪਣਾ (naam japna) remembering, reciting and practicing naam, and ਵੰਡ ਛਕੋ (Vand Chakko) sharing selflessly with others.
Sikhi identifies as a panentheistic religion, meaning that there is one Waheguru, and that Waheguru is everything, Waheguru is everywhere, and Waheguru does not depend on the universe to exist. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji taught that the idea of an identity, or the idea of “I am” (which indicates an ego infiltrated mind) is the disease. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji says
ਹਉਮੈ ਦੀਰਘ ਰੋਗੁ ਹੈ ਦਾਰੂ ਭੀ ਇਸੁ ਮਾਹਿ ॥
Ego is a chronic disease, but it contains its own cure as well
Guru Angad Dev Ji, Raag Asa, Ank 466
Guru Nanak conceived Sikhi as a religious path that tries to eliminate the idea of ego and aspire towards a life of humility. He taught others to see Waheguru in everyone. We are all one because we all come from the same source, Waheguru. For example, we are the waves of the ocean. Waves are not separate from the ocean; they consist of the same chemical and physical properties, the same materials. So many argue over differences, when in actuality, we are all the same, originating from Waheguru. He is not “some place up there, far away”; he is within us and everything at all times. These messages that Guru Nanak Sahib Ji preached about are the core values of Sikhi and are rooted within Sikhs to this day. He was and still is referred to by his Sikhs as “ਗੁਰੂ'' (Guru) as he was always trying to elucidate the truth, and how a Gursikh (the ideal Sikh) life should be lived (Hawley and Juergensmeyer). In the compositions of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji, he also critiques the contemporary religious systems in India (Grewal). He sought to eradicate these systems and preach his message to a wide audience by traveling and spreading his message all over India and the Middle East in his ਓਦਾਸੀ (Oudasis), or journeys abroad to show people the Truth. He was successful in these endeavors and was able to inspire many through his message, which is evident in his writings in Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Another individual who has his baani transcribed into Guru Granth Sahib Ji was Bhagat Kabir Ji. He was a ਨਿਰਗੁਣ (Nirgun) Saint, or servant of Waheguru, and lived during the 15th century, during the times of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji. He rejected the ritualistic acts of both the Dharmic and Abrahamic religions but believed that both of the traditions had a common essence, which was Ram, Allah, Raheem, Kareem, the one-ness. Kabir Ji was a social critic and often preached his message in the form of poetry. Kabir Ji’s compositions are rooted in social justice, spirituality, and the idea of what it truly means to practice Bhakti, or devotion towards Waheguru. Kabir Ji says
ਲੋਗ ਜਾਨੇ ਇਹ ਗੀਤ ਹੈ
People deem these hymns to be a song, but it is contemplation of the Lord
Bhagat Kabir Ji, Raag Gauree, Ank 335
exemplifying his teachings of seeking liberation spiritually, through meditation. A clear distinction he makes in his preaching is that we must support our hymns with action in order to truly claim liberation, rather than sing hymns blindly and without foundation. This critique on the idea of meditation is one of Kabir’s methods of preaching his message, serving as an example of what kind of mindset one would have had at the time of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji: a focus on spirituality.
The concept of self defense was first brought into the picture when Guru Hargobind Ji, the sixth Sikh Guru, invented the art of Gatka. This Sikh martial art was meant for self defense promoting physical, mental and spiritual well-being. When Gatka was put in practice during battle, the ਸੰਤ ਸਿਪਾਹੀ (Sant Sipahi), or saint soldiers, recited prayers and kept a prayer book close to them so they would not forget their values. The need for this self defense was due to oppression of the Sikhs by the Mughals in India. Increasing severity began to intensify with the killing of Guru Arjan Sahib ji, the fifth Sikh Guru, who was boiled alive under the order of the Mughal Ruler Jahangir in 1606 when he refused to convert to Islam (Grewal, 12). After Guru Arjan Sahib Ji’s Martyrdom, tensions continued to grow between the Sikhs and Mughals in India. Another example, of which there are many, of Mughal Oppression was during the time of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji when he “sacrificed his life to save others,” who were being oppressed by the Mughals through forced conversions of faith. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji would eventually be killed under the order of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. This perspective of his death is written in and supported by Bachittar Natak, a writing from the Dasam Granth (Grewal, 11).
The institution of the Khalsa, or the refined and purified Sikh community, and the 5 articles of faith (kangha (comb), kara (steel bangle), kesh (uncut hair, covered by a turban, and beard), kirpan (short sword) and kuccha (signifying purity)) in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh Ji was implemented in order to make the students the carriers of the Sikh legacy. Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave further shape by commanding the Khalsa to begin carrying arms for protection of one’s self, and those unable to protect themselves and their dignity (Grewal, 38). As the Sikh militancy grew,“[t]he institution of the Khalsa left little room for reconciliation between the Mughal State and the Sikh Panth” (Grewal). Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s incorporation of arms further heightened tensions, with his followers seeking to protect the Sikh faith from forced conversions, restrictions on meat and arms, and religious intolerance by the Mughals. Guru Gobind Singh Ji built an army of the divine - ਖਾਲਸ (Khalsa) - and fought the Mughals on many occasions, losing his entire family in the process. Guru Ji’s goal in these battles were for Sikhs and other minorities at the time to maintain self-determination without retribution.
The concept of “Miri and Piri” was initially highlighted by Guru Hargobind Ji. When he received Guruship in 1606, the Guru asked for two Kirpans, or swords, to be given to him. One of the swords would symbolize the idea of Miri, or temporal and political authority, such as worldly problems and politics. The second sword given to the Guru would symbolize the idea of Piri, which stood for the idea of spiritual authority, such as the power represented in prayer and meditation. Over time and from the first to the tenth Guru, there was a larger need for Miri, which resulted in a gradual shift from piri to miri –from the spiritual to the temporal– though the presence of both remained throughout.
During Guru Nanak Sahib Ji’s time, Sikh doctrine focused on a battle of intellect and spiritual wisdom, and had a strong embodiment of Piri. Thus the weapons for this particular battlefield were that of wit, nonviolent activism and the ability to discern information however complicated it may initially seem. He used this ability in taking on many social injustices including raising concerns for Riparian rights, condemning misogyny disguised as religious dogmatism, and speaking up against atrocities committed in war by the new Mughal Emperor Babbar. Although Guru Nanak Sahib Ji predominantly spread his message through non-violence and public preachings, he also established Langar, which can be seen as him carrying out Miri. He provided everyone with free communal meals in which everyone either donated food and funds, helped make the food or ate meals sitting at the same level, in the same room as those conventionally seen as above or below them. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji used the idea of Langar to solve political and social problems, therefore enacting the idea of Miri. As we can see, both ideas, Miri and Piri, served their respective spaces and both coincide with one another and for Sikhs are mutually dependent as exemplified by Guru Nanak Sahib Ji; however, we can see that Guru Nanak Sahib Ji had predominantly embodied the idea of Piri as it was more relevant at the time and there were little to no obstacles present that required the raising of arms.
During Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s time, the concept of Miri shifted from predominantly being an intellectual battle to including physical battles, owing to the aforementioned conditions of the time period. He drew inspiration through his battles alongside the Sikh ਫੌਜ (Fauj), or army, and from carrying the art of Gatka. He fought the Mughals many times and gave Sikhs the weapons they would need to defend themselves in times of need. Besides his action on the battlefield, Guru Gobind Singh also had 52 court poets that were commissioned to work on their pieces of writings and document their own spiritual journeys. He also wrote many pieces of work himself and encouraged those poets to create retellings and translations of many great works from many different traditions. Furthermore, before announcing Guru Granth Sahib Ji as the eternal Guru, he added the writings of his father in the magnum opus of the Sikhs. His contributions to Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s recompilation was him emphasising the need for both Piri and Miri. Although both Miri and Piri were prevalent in the Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s time, again striking a resemblance to his predecessor Guru Nanak Sahib Ji, he leaned to a greater embodiment of the idea of Miri, as it was more relevant and he was challenged with more physical battles, which required him to draw the sword, the last resort once all other avenues were exhausted.
We can see that both time periods, through Guru Nanak Sahib Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s, had a change of circumstances in terms of dealing with different obstacles but the overall principles and mission stayed the same. This was necessary due to the circumstances that both time periods presented for the Sikhs. This exemplifies that the Sikh Gurus were adaptable to the situations that were presented to them; this is evident in the gradual shift from the embodiment of spiritual power in Guru Nanak Sahib Ji’s time period to temporal power in Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s when the circumstances changed and required them to do so. We can see that though some argue that there was a radical change in the way they lead their lives on a superficial level, on a deeper dive we get to understand the depth and breadth that the mission of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji to Guru Gobind Singh was one and the same.
Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the culmination of the writings of the first five Sikh Gurus along with the writings of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji as well as the writings of thirty practitioners of various faiths, lifestyles, socioeconomic levels and professions. As stated in the Sikh Rehat Maryada, or Sikh Code of Conduct, Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the only source that should be used by Sikhs for guidance. The authorship of the Dasam Granth has been debated over the past century and a half, but many scholars attribute at least parts of it to the writings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Grewal, 140). Guru Granth Sahib Ji, first being compiled in 1604, contains many writings that talk about all spiritual aspects of life and clearly explain how our relationship with the Guru should be; it clearly states how we can work to seek liberation and the mindsets we should strive to have. The Dasam Granth on the other hand, is an exposition of how to perceive the divine, and it teaches the complexity of the Bhramical framework while also explaining the role, functions and reasons of why the Khalsa exists and must interact with the community and the world at large. Grewal explains that the Dasam Granth teaches “Sikhs how to become saint soldiers” (Grewal, 142). Though many Sikhs turn to Dasam Granth as a source of knowledge, the Sikhs predominantly and irrefutably consider Guru Granth Sahib as the charter of the Sikhs and the only Guru that contains the message of all ten Gurus. We can see that this distinction in the different aspects of the Sikh life being described in the two Granths can again be attributed to the environments of the time periods. The two different texts and ideological focuses can be seen as the two ends of a single historical process, as it was a gradual shift in focus over the course of the ten Gurus.
About the Author
Avneet Singh
Avneet Singh is a current college student at the University of Pittsburgh, studying Neuroscience and Economics. He is heavily involved at the Pittsburgh Gurudwara, teaching Tabla and helping organize camps for the youth. Avneet also enjoys teaching individuals how to become financially literate and helping others on their journey to financial freedom. Along with his passions to help out in the community, he enjoys reading, soccer, ultimate frisbee, and trying out new cuisines of food. He plans to pursue medicine in the future, while simultaneously helping Sikh youth have voices in their communities.