The Sikhs (Gordon)/Chapter 3
CHAPTER III.
SPREAD OF SIKHISM.
Nine Gurus, all Jats, followed Nanak in succession during a period of 170 years, the tenth and last being the martial Govind Singh, who, after creating the religious military commonwealth of warrior Singhs, declared the dispensation ended. He instituted the distinction between a Sikh and a Singh, for every Sikh is not a Singh. All profess the religion of Nanak, but the Singh in addition has by baptism become a Govindhi Sikh, a Singh of the Guru, a lion of his race.
Nanak's successor as Guru was a humble labouring man, who spread the religion by scrupulously adhering to his master's doctrine and commands. Before his death he, also deeming neither of his sons worthy of the office, nominated as successor one of his most earnest followers, a petty carrier by trade, who sent out many chosen disciples as missionaries to sow the seed of the Sikh faith. His daughter, to whom he was devotedly attached, married Ram Das, a Jat youth of good family of the Sodhi sept of the tribe, who became a zealous Sikh. The Guru at her request not only nominated him his successor, but also made the office hereditary in her offspring. Under Ram Das, who became the fourth Guru in 1574, the Sikhs greatly increased, and by their offerings he was enabled to live in state. He was of a quiet and peaceful disposition, given to literary pursuits, and devoted to the interests of the community. He laid the foundation of the city of Amritsar (Nectar Tank) upon a site granted to him by the tolerant Emperor Akbar, and excavated the holy tank, from which the town derives its name. In its midst on a small island he erected a temple, the future centre of Sikh devotion. He died in 1581, after having appointed his son Arjun as his successor. The Guruship had now become hereditary.
Arjun, the fifth Guru, established himself at Amritsar and completed the sacred tank and temple. A flourishing town grew up around, which became the rallying-point of the Sikhs, who had now rapidly increased in numbers and importance. Up to this time the Gurus led a quiet life, averse to outward show, but Arjun, by means of the wealth resulting from the offerings of increased numbers of disciples, lived as a prince, and kept a numerous band of adherents about him. He was now looked upon by them as a king as well as spiritual leader. With system and method he organised them into a community, and in order to raise their status, to separate them from the mass of Hindus, and to unite them by one common religious tie, he compiled a sacred code written in the mother tongue of the Jats. In this was incorporated the sayings and Psalms of Nanak, his own compositions, and those of the other Gurus, with selected literary productions of the religious reformers of the age whose memory was still fresh in the minds of the people. This supplanted the Hindu Vedas and Puranas which the unlettered people were unable to read. He named it the 'Granth,' the Holy Book, which to the present day is held in the greatest veneration by the Sikhs as binding on all true disciples. He also instituted daily public worship at the temple of the sacred tank at Amritsar, where crowds came daily to bathe, when the 'Granth' was recited all day long with songs of praise to the accompaniment of stringed musical instruments.
Up to this time the income of the Guru proceeded from voluntary offerings. He now reduced this to a regular religious tax levied by deputies appointed in the various districts, who presented the amount to the Guru in the annual General Assembly at Amritsar. The Sikhs were thus gradually accustomed to a domestic government of their own, and began to feel themselves an organised and strong party. The teaching of the new faith having met with much success and taken firm root among the Jat peasantry by means of this secular policy, the Guru's personal power and means greatly increased, thereby attracting public attention to him. Accordingly he excited the jealousy and enmity of the imperial Governor of Lahore, was charged with treason in espousing the cause of the Emperor's rebel son in one of the numerous family disputes among the Moghuls, and thrown into prison at Lahore, where he died in 1606, his death being ascribed to torture. His last message to his people was, "God is the strength of the strengthless; He neither cometh nor goeth,—He is permanent ever." His death was looked upon as that of a martyr to the faith. It inflamed the religious passions of the peaceful sect, converting them into a warlike community ready to defend their religion with the sword. This became the turning-point of their history, and developed the struggle which changed the whole character of the reformatory movement.
Har Govind succeeded his father as sixth Guru in 1606, and found himself at the head of a powerful and widespread religious order whose influence was felt far and near. Of a warlike spirit, he armed his followers and inspired them with his own spirit of revenge and of hatred to their oppressors. At an audience with the Moghul Emperor he proved the treachery against his father and secured the execution of his powerful murderer. Political leadership now developed in the young Guru, who assumed the character of a soldier, while his Sikhs became a brotherhood in arms as in faith. Like a fighting bishop of the middle ages, he led his warriors in person when impelled to play a part which was probably judged on both sides to be expedient, and took service in the Moghul army. After a time he fell under suspicion, and the Emperor imprisoned him in Gwalior Fort for twelve years. On being released at the accession of a new Emperor he re-entered the Moghul service, but later on, suspecting treachery, he fled to Amritsar, where the Sikh ecclesiastical headquarters had remained under the system established by his father.
On three occasions after desperate fighting he defeated the royal troops sent against him. He was now looked upon as a hero and a master of the art of war, and the Sikhs were always ready to rally round his banner; but being satisfied with his success so far, and knowing the strength and resources of the Government, he retired to the sub-Himalayan hills to preserve his power and recruit his followers. The sect had now risen to the dignity of persecution, and, despite repressive measures, crowds of Jat peasantry joined it.
Har Govind quite changed the character of the peaceful Nanak's disciples, who now laid aside their rosaries and buckled on the sword in defence of their faith. His popularity increased with the warlike Jats, who, oppressed in their villages, joined him in large numbers. The camp became their home and the plunder of the Mahomedans their lawful prey. He died in 1638, after nominating as his successor his grandson, son of his eldest deceased son. The fighting spirit of the Sikhs having been roused and their quality proved, made them a power to be courted. Under their Guru they joined a son of the Emperor in rebellion, who was friendly to them, but eventually had to flee to their retreats. On the death of their leader his young son, six years of age, succeeded him as eighth Guru; but a contest now arose among the Sikhs regarding the succession, which, curiously enough, was referred to the arbitration of the Moghul Emperor, who summoned the boy to Delhi, where he died.
Tegh Bahadur, the younger son of the martial Har Govind, was now selected as ninth Guru. His mother, when the succession went some years before to Har Govind's grandson, remonstrated at the decision; but the dying Guru gave his arms to her to keep for her son Tegh Bahadur, who, he said, would yet become Guru. Tegh Bahadur demurred at first to accept the office, saying that he would rather be Degh Bahadur (Lord of the Cooking-Pot—"Hospitality") than Tegh Bahadur (Lord of the Sword), meaning that he preferred to support the poor and feed the hungry. The assembled Sikhs hailed this as a most auspicious offer of unbounded hospitality, and acted up to their maxim of "Jiska degh us ka tegh" (My sword is at the service of him who feeds me) by flocking in great numbers to his banner. He built a fort near the Sutlej, there established his ecclesiastical and military headquarters, and continued the fitful life of struggle with the hated Mahomedans. He was captured and led to Delhi in 1675, where, on refusing to abjure his religion, he was beheaded by order of the Emperor. Before leaving he sent for his young and only son Govind, then fifteen years of age, and girding on him the sword of his father Har Govind, who had first used it in defence of the faith, hailed him as the future Guru of the Sikhs, as he said he knew he was going to his death, and exhorted him to recover his dead body. This was done by some daring men of low caste, who were afterwards, as a reward for their courage, enrolled by Govind as "Singhs" under the name of Muzhabi Sikhs, a charter which gave them higher status as brave fighting men. Several thousands of this class are in the Indian army at the present day.
The dragon's teeth thus sown at Delhi in the blood of the martyred Guru, Tegh Bahadur, soon brought to harvest an abundant crop.