The Ādi Granth, or the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs (1877) · 27

By ^{7 '^^ the Panjab is meant. The verses following describe liis hunting expeditions and after his accession to the Guruship bis wars with the hill Rajas.

xc SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE OTHER SIKH GURUS. GOVIND SINGH.

Wliea lie had attained to years of manhood, he stood publicly up as Guru, and com- menced to collect the dispersed and intimidated members of the Sikh community. During his retreat he had matured his plans; his aim was to wreak bloody revenge on the murderers of his father, to subvert totally the Muhammadan power, and to found a new empire upon its ruins.

As his mind was deeply tinged, owing to his early education by Hindu Pandits, with the superstitious notions of the Hindus, he resolved, before embarking on his great enterprise, to secure to himself the aid of the goddess Durga, who was his special object of worship. After he had procured some Pandits from Benares, he went with them to the hill of the Naina-dev! (AcM5<^). which is about six Kos distant from Anandpur. There he began to practise the severest austerities according to the directions of the Pandits. When he had gone through the course of these austerities, the Brahmans began to offer up his burnt offerings, throwing hundi'eds of maunds of Ghi, raw sugar and molasses into the fire.

"When the burnt offering (TJ^) was completed, the Pandits told the Guru, that he should now, in order to make a powerful offering, cut off the head of his own son and put it before the goddess. Govind Singh had four sons,' but when he asked their mothers to give him one, they flatly refused it. The Guru asked the Pandits, what was now to be done? and when they answered, that the head of some one else would do, five (others say twenty-five) disciples offered their heads, one of which was cut off and offered to the goddess, and thus the burnt oflering made complete. The story goes, that thereupon the Devi appeared and said: " Go, thy sect will prosper in the world" (iTT7 3^ vg ^315 f%^ 3^ V%3n)'

When the Guru had returned from the hills to Anandpur, he assembled the societies of the disciples, and told them that he required the head of a disciple; he, who loved his Guru, should give it. Most of them were terror-struck and fled; but five out of them rose and offered resolutely their heads. Their names (which have been carefully recorded, whereas the name of the poor victim 'offered to the Naiiia-devi is not mentioned) were: Dharm Singh, Sukkha Singh, Daya Singh, Himmat Singh and Muhkam Singh. These five he took into a room, and told them that, as he had found them true, he would give them the Pahul of the true religion (?T% V:3^ sfY VTTTJJ). He made them bathe and seated them side by side; he dissolved purified sugar ' in water and stirred it with a two-edged dagger, and having recited over it some verses, which are written in the iJio^lW Wfr33>* lie made them drink some of this sherbet, some part of it he poured on their head

The names of the four sons of Govind Shigh are: Joravar Singh, Fate Shigli, Jiijhar Shigh and Jit Singh.

There can hardly be any doubt that this bloody human sacrifice >vas really offered, as all reports agree ou this pohit. The Sikhs, who felt very ranch the atrocity of siicli an act, would never have ascribed anything of this kuul to their Guru, if it had not really taken place. At the same time we may learn from tliis fact, that the Brahmans, even as late as the seventeenth cenfnry, did not scrujjle to offer up a luiman sacrifice. ' VBTTT (Sindlii ■qfTnft). purified sugar; also some kind of sweetmeats made of it. The JK7T?5 '0^33 (the praise of the Timeless one) follows immediately after the Japji in Govind's Granth. It commences with the words:

W5TW V7^ 71 dSI vHT ^ II " The protection of the timeless divine male is to us. »pi?5U ^ UfeWT ^H ^ II The protection of all iron is to us.

TTSI o/TWift Tt Hfe'in vRI X II The protection of the All-time is to ns.

WS^ 75vl=fft ^ Hf^WT Xm ^ II The protection of the All-iron is to us."

7; is an old Hindi Dative Affi.v.?r3"^ o^lWift, the All-time (i.e. he who comprehends all time) and Jl'STS WO-rit, the All-iron (i.e. he who is all iron), are epithets for tlie Supreme Being.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE OTHER SIKH GURUS. GOVIND SINGH. xci

and the rest he sprinkled on their body; then patting them with his hand he cried with a loud voice: "Say, the Khalsa of the Vah-Guru! victory of (= to) the holy Vah-Guru! " (^TTajTift STT tfTWlTT f^r3^ c^lOJId-fft cfV 53)- After he had given the Pahul' to these five in this manner, he took it likewise from them, and in this way all the rest of his disciples were initiated, to ■whom he gave the name of the Khdhd^' adding to the name of each of them the epithet of Singh (lion). Then he gave the order, that whoever desired to he his disciple, he must always have five things with him which all commence with the letter Eakka {i.e. K), viz.: the hair (^'T. which must not be cut), a eonih (ofUfX), a hiife (5"3^, a sword (fo^dHTS)> and hreeehes reaching to the hue (ofs)' otherwise he would not consider him as his disciple. In order to separate his Sikhs totally from the Hindus and to form them into a distinct body, which as such should also he known by outward signs, he issued many other regulations, which are called dfo.3AI*?T (book of conduct). As he had perceived, that the Hindus had become an easy prey to the Muhammadan invaders by their division into castes, which nursed a rancorous feeling and did not allow the lower orders to bear arms, he abolished the caste altogether, in order to put all on a footing of equality, and received people of all castes into the Khalsa. But this oftended the pride and prejudices of the higher castes to such a degree, that a great many of his disciples left him and would no longer acknowledge him as their Guru; the Ehrdsa consisted therefore chiefly of men of the lower orders, especially of Jats, whereas the disciples, who did not acknowledge the authority of Guru Govind Singh on account of his inovations, simply called themselves Sikhs, without adding to their names the title of Singh.' He tried also to infuse his own spirit into the Adi Granth, which was already generally received as the holy book of the Sikh community, as he slightingly remarked that the AdT Granth, such as it was, only instilled into the minds of the Sikhs a spirit of meekness and humbleness. He therefore sent men to Kartarpur, where the official volume, signed by the hand of Guru Arjun himself, was preserved, to bring it to him, in order to make additions to it; but the Sodhis, to whom the volume was entrusted, refused to give it away, as they did not acknowledge Govind Singh as Guru.' They sent him word, that he should make a new Granth, if he was able to do so. This message incensed Govind Singh, and he resolved forthwith to make a Granth of his own for his followers, which should rouse their military valour and inflame them to deeds of courage. He set to work, and composed a big heavy Granth and when it was completed (Sambat 1753 = a.d. 1696), hs called it the Granth of the tenth reign (q^?^ VRMTU\.^ 3^).'

' ' The Pahul was no new invention of Govind Singh, as frequently asserted, but only the renovation of an old Sikh rite (see p. xxxv, note 4), which iu tliose troublous times seems to have fallen into disuse. His ohject was to put the Sikh community on a new and firmer basis by administering the Pahu] to all his disciples. The sherbet drunk at the ceremony of the Pahul tlie Siklis call lirf*I3 (nectar).

^ M W3*\\ > the name of the new Sikh commonwealth, is derived from the Araliic it^lji-. It signifies: one's own, pure properti/; thence*: the Guru's (or God's) own, special propcriij. This is the most apprnpiiate explanation, in spite of tlie Sikli saying: -bjIM^I 7^^ tR5T'fWft "^ "SraTJ T?H 51 fV^TTT SfW 3TY-

' Among this latter class were also the Nanak potra, the descendants of Baba Nanak, some of whom visite<l me at Lahore. Tliis class of Sikhs differ very little from the Hindus, as they are equally particular as to caste (especially as regards intermarriages) and do not refrain from smoking, as the Govind Singhis do. As far as I could perceive, the stricter Sikhs are now fast decreasing iu number, since they no longer enjoy any public privileges.

* These Sodliis were the tJtd+16M2' *''* descendants of Dhir-mall. Sec p. Ixxxii, note 2.

' Oidy a small portion of it was composed by Govind Singh himself, by far the greater portion of it was made up by his court poets. The idiom of it is the older Hindi, bat couched in very difficult and frequently obscure language.

xcii SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE OTHER SIKH GURUS. GOVIXD SINGH.

Govind Singh knew very well, that he could not accomplish hi3 schemes with an undisciplined crowd; his great aim was therefore to exercise his Sikhs in the use of arms. When this point was reached to some degree, an opportunity for trying their ralour was not long wanting, though Govind Singh assures us, that war was made upon him without a cause.' According to tradition the war broke out on account of an elephant, which the hUl Rajas demanded from Guru Govind Singh, and which he refused to give up. The hUl Eajas marched with a considerable force on Anandpur and some severe battles were fought, in one of which, near the town of Camkaur (gjj^r^), the two eldest sons of Govind Singh were killed; but the Eajas were at last successively repulsed and compelled to flee to the hills. When the Eajas perceived, that they could effect nothing against Govind Singh, they addressed the Emperor and asked for assistance, which was readily granted. In union with the Imperial troops they again attacked Anandpur and besieged it. When Govind Singh saw the danger of his position, he left his troops there and fled with those five Sikhs (whose names have been mentioned above) and his two youngest sons to the town of Mauhuvara (?1T^^T3T)> where he concealed himself for some time in the house of a Sikh. W^hen the Imperial troops followed him also there, he managed his escape with those five Sikhs by disguising himself «ind putting on the dress of a Musalman, and reached safely Malva; but his two sons he was compelled to leave behind at that place. They were betrayed into the hands of the Imperial troops, who brought them to Sirhind (in Panjahi?r?7)- Vazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind, informed the Emperor Aurang-zeh of it, and asked for orders regarding them. He was ordered to put them to death. He put the poor children under the foundation of a wall, closed the place up and buried them thus alive. It is said that the weeping of the children was heard for some days.

The Guru was meantime pursued by the Imperial forces, but as they could follow him in the sandy deserts only slowly, owing to the want of water and provisions, he found time to collect again a body of Sikhs round his person. "^iMien the troops at last came up with him and brought him to action at a place called afterwards llukt-sar (*lo<.s*ld). he was defeated with his small band; but as the Imperialists were under the impression that the Guru had been slain, they desisted from further persecution, as they were nearly dying of thirst.- Thus Govind Singh found some rest; he built on the battle-field a large tank, which he called *I?3TH (the tank of emancipation), as he asserted that many had there been emancipated. He settled in a vUlago of Malva and remained peaceful, only bent on making disciples, ip, which he is said to have been very successful.^ He built there a large residence for himself, which he called Damdama (^lT^7*n)- This place became the Benares of the Sikhs, and many resort thither, as a residence at Damdama is considered a very meritorious act. A saying of Govind Singh is current among the Sikhs, that whoever would dwell at Damdama, he would become wise, be he ever so great a fool. The study of the Granth is much in vogue there and the Gurmukhi writers of Damdama are considered the best.

' Vicitr nStak, v. 285: ^5n VTT vl*f T f^JTi WTx^J- It is very remarkable, that GSvind Singh passes here in complete silence the reason, or reasons, which led to these sanguinary conflicts with the hill Rajas, which he describes in such glowing colours (if he doe.s not too much exaggerate the importance of these fights, which is by no means certain).

^ This light is recorded in Sakhi 53 (Attar Singh's edition). There it is stated, that forty Sikhs fell and ohtaini'd the crown of martyrdom and that 250 Midiamniadans were killed. It is openly conceded, that the Imperial forces remained masters of the battle-field. During- the fight the Guru had retired to a hillock and after the depailure of the Muhaniniadans he came down from that hillock to the hattlc-field and wiped the faces of his wounded followers.

^ It is said that Govind gained 120,000 disciples.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE OTHER SIKH GURUS. GOVIXD SINGH. xciii

Some time after the Guru left his retreat at Damdama and went to Sirhind, where his two youngest sons had been buried alive. The Sikhs with him were so exasperated, that they wanted to bum down the town and to destroy it utterly. But Guvind prudently damped their rash zeal, as he feared that such an act would bring down upon him new persecutions. He only ordered his disciples, that whoever passed through Sirhind on his way to the Gangfi should dig up two bricks and throw them into the Jamna, and on his way back he should likewise dig up two bricks and throw them into the Satluj, otherwise his ablution in the Gangfi would be of no use to him. They built there a great shrine, which the Sikhs still visit. From Sirhind the Guru went to Anandpur, his old haunt, and settled there again, as he seems not to have been molested towards the close of the reign of Aurang-zeb. Some say, that he was summoned to the court of Aurang-zeb; but this is doubtful, at any rate he never obeyed the summons. It is equally doubtful if the Zafar-nama, in which Guru Govind Singh exposed the wrongs he and his pre- decessors experienced at the hands of the Mugul Emperors and their Governors, ever was presented to Aurang-zeb.

"WTien Aurang-zeb died (in 1707), Govind Singh rejoiced much at being now freed from his bitterest enemy. His son Bahadur Shiih had to contend with his younger brother Azim for the crown; both brothers assembled large armies, and in the bloody battle near Agra Azim was beaten and killed with two of his sons. According to a Sikh tradition Govind Singh joined Bahadur Shah with his followers and assisted him in this war.' This appears very probable and would account for the otherwise hardly comprehensible turn in the Guru's life, that of entering the service of the Emperor Bahadur Shah, who entrusted him with a military command in the Dekhan. When this war of succession was over and Bahadur Shah firmly seated on the throne of Dilll, the Guru is said to have visited the Emperor at DLllT and to have been graciously received by him. From Dilll he returned to Anandpur and was implicated again in a short predatory warfare with the petty hill chiefs, whom he routed.

About this time the abrogation of the institution of the so-called Masands or hereditary deputies of the Gum took place. The Masands had become a regular plague to the Sikhs, extorting money in every possible way and ill treating the poor people more than ever the Government tax-gatherers had done. This gives some significant hints as to how the Sikh Gurus were ever enabled to keep such large bands of armed men and to wage such an obstinate and persevering struggle against the Govern- ment. In the times of Guru Govind Singh the oppression of the Sikhs by his deputed collectors must have been beyond endurance, so that they at last resolved to bring the matter before their dreaded Gum in the form of a play. The passage in the Sikha de raj dl vithia, pp. 70, 71, is very instructive as to the overbearing conduct of the Masands of the Guru. The Guru took the hint to heart, and as he perceived that the institution had become thoroughly hateful and unbearable to his disciples, he resolved to abolish it altogether. He punished the Masands severely and excommunicated them.'

' TIuis it is stated in the Siklil de raj di vithiS, p. 68: »HTtf$' XTTi f? ■©?? tT^T f^^ 5Tc[ Jll^-i fWW 7i "5^ mrUc^ StT d-ri? yOI-id TRT ^ 7^ »IT5 ^\3^, though the higli pretensions of the Sikli tradition, tliat Baliadur Sliali viiiiijiiihlied Iiis Urotliers and asreiidcd tlie tlirone l)y means of the Sikh host