Few can wield the sword with as much skill as the pen. Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru was one such rare warrior poet. Born on this Saptami day in the month of Paush in 1666 in Patna, today marks the 355th Prakash Parv, or anniversary of his birth. His spiritual prowess was foretold when he was only a baby, he went on to become one of the most inspirational figures in Indian history for his spirited resistance to oppression by invaders, besides being a religious and spiritual fountainhead for Sikhi.
A group of persecuted Kashmiri Pandits came to his father, Guru Teg Bahadur, for protection from the tyranny of Aurangzeb. When Guru Teg Bahadur told them that resisting this conversion by the sword would require a big sacrifice, little Gobind Rai, barely 8 years of age then, promptly reminded his father that there was none more spiritually stronger or braver than him to challenge the fantical Mughal emperor.
Through deceit and cruelty, Aurangzeb murdered his father, and despite the deep trauma that this early loss would have caused him, he preached the message of love above all else in attaining God. He writes, “Sach kahon sun leho sabai, jin prem kio tin hee prabh paio”, which translates “I’lI tell the truth; listen everyone. Only those who have loved, will realise the Lord.”
Whilst he preached the message of love for all beings, he was acutely aware that he would need to raise a martial force to resist the daily persecution that his people faced. A great leader, he understood that this would take both mental and physical preparation. To this end, he invited 52 poets to his court, to translate the works of valour from the Vedas and other ancient literature into the colloquial language. An accomplished poet himself, he wrote the Dasham Granth, which included propitiation of Shakti in his work Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas.
In some of its most quoted lines, he asks the divine to bless him so that he never veers away from doing a good deed, but when he rides into battle, he fights the enemy without any fear and through his resolve, emerges victorious (Deh Siva bar mohe eh-hey subh karman te kabhu na taro. Na daro arr seo jab jaye laro nischey kar apni jit karo.) Shortly after he composed this work, he created the Khalsa by initiating the Panj Pyare, 5 of his most trusted followers, by offering them nectar (Amrit Chhakhna).
Guru Gobind Singh’s life is a shining example of selfless leadership, spiritual strength and the courage of conviction. Service is one of the cornerstones of Sikhi, and what better way to invoke the Guru’s grace this Prakash Parv, than a random act of kindness for someone in need?
