Article by Rajveer Singh, Head of Khalsa Diary, funding and conflict none

Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, was an amazing warrior and a great writer. However, these words are mere pebbles in front of their grandeur. They formally established the Khalsa Panth as the true Panth that was above all. 

ਇਉਂ ਤੀਸਰ ਮਜਹਬ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਉਪਜਿਓ ਪਰਧਾਨਾ

This is the third religion, the Khalsa, which is supreme.

(Bhai Gurdas Singh Ji’s Varaan)

However, despite this clear distinction, there have been attempts on multiple occasions to try and create the illusion that the Sikh Gurus were Hindus and that they only cared about promoting Hinduism. On numerous occasions, the Guru’s throughout Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji has challenged Hinduism and other religions. 

ਹਿੰਦੂ ਅੰਨੑਾ ਤੁਰਕੂ ਕਾਣਾ ॥

hi(n)dhoo a(n)n(h)aa turakoo kaanaa ||

The Hindu is sightless; the Muslim has only one eye.

ਦੁਹਾਂ ਤੇ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਸਿਆਣਾ ॥

dhuhaa(n) te giaanee siaanaa ||

The spiritual teacher is wiser than both of them.

ਹਿੰਦੂ ਪੂਜੈ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ਮਸੀਤਿ ॥

hi(n)dhoo poojai dhehuraa musalamaan maseet ||

The Hindu worships at the temple, the Muslim at the mosque.

ਨਾਮੇ ਸੋਈ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਜਹ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਨ ਮਸੀਤਿ ॥੪॥੩॥੭॥

naame soiee seviaa jeh dhehuraa na maseet ||4||3||7||

Naam Dayv serves that Lord, who is not limited to either the temple or the mosque. ||4||3||7||

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ang 874)

The latest attempt has been by KTS Tulsi, who rehashed his late mother’s book “The Ramayan of Guru Gobind Singh Ji”. When this book was published originally in 1967, it met heaving resistance from Sikh institutions. We can say that this is cropping up after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim in August 2020 that Guru Sahib also wrote a version of the Ramayan.

Now, what was this original book based on? Within Bachitar Natak (which is still in dispute within the Panth), there is a section known as Chaubis Avtar, which contains the stories of 24 deities of the Hindu Faith. One of the deities discussed is Ram and the section is called Ram Avtar. So firstly, the fact that Tulsi and the Publishers had the guts to change the name of the heading is not only a violation of the Right to Profession; it’s also blatant copyright. If anything, just based on these grounds and hurting the sentiments of the Sikhs by calling it “the Ramayan of Guru Gobind Singh Ji” should lead to a case and investigation into the publishers. 

Now I’ll be clear here. Whether Bachittar Natak is controversial or not is not the issue here. Instead, I am focusing on the fact that nowhere in Chaubis Avtar does Guru Sahib say that he bows to or respects any of those deities. On the contrary, he describes many actions that modern Hindu texts and scholars refuse to admit, such as Vishnu defiling women in battles. Not only this, Guru Gobind Singh Ji writes in Chaubis Avtar;

ਮੈ ਨ ਗਨੇਸਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਿਥਮ ਮਨਾਊ ॥

mai na ganeseh piratham manaauoo ||

I do not adore Ganesha in the beginning.

ਕਿਸਨ ਬਿਸਨ ਕਬਹੂੰ ਨ ਧਿਆਊ ॥

kisan bisan kabahoo(n) na dhiaauoo ||

Nor do I meditate on Krishna and Vishnu

ਕਾਨਿ ਸੁਨੇ ਪਹਿਚਾਨ ਨ ਤਿਨ ਸੋ ॥

kaan sune pahichaan na tin so ||

I have only heard about them with my ears so I do not recognize them.

ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗੀ ਮੋਰੀ ਪਗ ਇਨ ਸੋ ॥੪੩੪॥

liv laagee moree pag in so ||434||

My consciousness is absorbed in the feet of the Supreme One.434.

Guru Sahib also consolidates the Khalsa concept within Chaubis Avtar by writing;

ਦੇਗ ਤੇਗ ਜਗ ਮੈ ਦੋਊ ਚਲੈ ॥

dheg teg jag mai dhouoo chalai ||

Let the cauldron and Sword (for the keep and protection of the lowly) ever flourish through me.

ਰਾਖੁ ਆਪਿ ਮੁਹਿ ਅਉਰ ਨ ਦਲੈ ॥੪੩੬॥

raakh aap muh aaur na dhalai ||436||

Keep me under your protection so that none, other than You, should be able to kill.436.

The concept of Degh and Tegh is not mentioned in Hinduism or the Brahmanical system because it completely eradicates it. Degh is langar at the base level, which can only be provided equally in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and only after an Ardas in which the Khalsa Panth remembers Akaal Purakh and the 10 Gurus as well as our rich history. But nowhere do we remember any one of these deities. 

Tegh symbolises the immortal sword that the Khalsa has adorned with and the responsibility we bear. The political standing of the Khalsa, the mission to establish a benevolent rule for all and the concept of destroying those who oppose diversity is something that the Manusimiriti could never accept, nor could it combat it. 

So whether or not Bachittar Natak is controversial is irrelevant in this case. Guru Sahib has made it clear where they stand on multiple occasions, which remains in accordance with Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Now, Chaubis Avtar also describes the battles that many deities fought over selfish matters. What’s funny is neither KTS Tusli nor his late mother, the original book author, has evidently never bothered reading Dasam Granth in its totality. Because just after Chaubis Avtar, you get a section where some of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Shabads have been written. These Shabads have only been written over three Panna’s from 709 to 712. But every one of them has the same idea that there is no one between you and Akaal Purakh, and everyone in between is nothing compared to him. 

I’ll explain one of them line by line. This Shabad is on Panna 710:

ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਣ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੀ ੧੦ ॥

raag kaliaan paatisaahee 10 ||

RAGA KALYAN OF THE TENTH KING

ਬਿਨ ਕਰਤਾਰ ਨ ਕਿਰਤਮ ਮਾਨੋ ॥

bin karataar na kiratam maano ||

Do not accept anyone else except God as the Creator of the universe.

No deity can be responsible for creation. Therefore, even in Egyptian philosophy, Horus alone was not regarded as the creator as he is an egotistical creature. That which possesses ego can not be a creator, sustainer or destroyer. 

ਆਦਿ ਅਜੋਨਿ ਅਜੈ ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਤਿਹ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਜਾਨੋ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

aadh ajon ajai abinaasee teh paramesar jaano ||1|| rahaau ||

He, the Unborn, Unconquerable and Immortal, was in the beginning, consider Him as Supreme Being……Pause.

The deities such as Ram, Shiva, Brahma etc., have all met their fates, were born in obscure ways and lasted for only a certain amount of time. Therefore, they are not supreme, they answer to kings or their own ego, but only the True one will be unchallenged and foremost. 

ਕਹਾ ਭਯੋ ਜੋ ਆਨ ਜਗਤ ਮੈ ਦਸਕ ਅਸੁਰ ਹਰਿ ਘਾਏ ॥

kahaa bhayo jo aan jagat mai dhasak asur har ghaae ||

What then, if on coming into the world, one killed about ten demons

Their actions were insignificant; killing a few demons does not cleanse the many other crime you have committed, just like killing Raavan did not give Ram salvation. 

ਅਧਿਕ ਪ੍ਰਪੰਚ ਦਿਖਾਇ ਸਭਨ ਕਹ ਆਪਹਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਕਹਾਏ ॥੧॥

adhik prapa(n)ch dhikhai sabhan keh aapeh braham kahaae ||1||

And displayed several phenomena to all and caused others to call Him Brahm (God).1.

Miracles or karamat is not something a deity does as it promotes self-ego. Hence, when Bahadur Shahs Qazis asked Guru Sahib to perform a karamat he unsheathed his sword and said that this was his miracle. That which gives you the power to help others without any benefit of your own is a true miracle and the duty of the Khalsa Panth. 

ਭੰਜਨ ਗੜ੍ਹਨ ਸਮਰਥ ਸਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋ ਕਿਮ ਜਾਤਿ ਗਿਨਾਯੋ ॥

bha(n)jan gaRhan samarath sadhaa prabh so kim jaat ginaayo ||

How can He be called God, the Destroyer, the Creator, the Almighty and Eternal,

God does not need other people to carry out his duties. With a blink of an eye, he can create, destroy and sustain, so why would there be a need for separate people. He is almighty, and he is Mahakaal the great destroyer. 

ਤਾ ਤੇ ਸਰਬ ਕਾਲ ਕੇ ਅਸਿ ਕੋ ਘਾਇ ਬਚਾਇ ਨ ਆਯੋ ॥੨॥

taa te sarab kaal ke as ko ghai bachai na aayo ||2||

Who could not save himself from the wound-causing sword of mighty Death.2.

Each deity fought a battle of some sort and was wounded in the process. That being the case, it’s not exactly correct to call them God forms when they could not save themselves from death. When the Gurus physical bodies died, they passed on the jot until the 10 Guru passed it to the Panth and the Shabad. 

ਕੈਸੇ ਤੋਹਿ ਤਾਰਿਹੈ ਸੁਨਿ ਜੜ ਆਪ ਡੁਬਿਯੋ ਭਵ ਸਾਗਰ ॥

kaise toh taarihai sun jaR aap ddubiyo bhav saagar ||

O fool! Listen, how can he cause you to cross the dreadful ocean of the world when he is drowned in the great ocean?

Those who are beggars themselves don’t ask for money from other beggars. In the same way, those who themselves spent their lives in lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego can not help you reach the one true being. 

ਛੁਟਿਹੋ ਕਾਲ ਫਾਸ ਤੇ ਤਬ ਹੀ ਗਹੋ ਸਰਨਿ ਜਗਤਾਗਰ ॥੩॥੧॥੫॥

chhuTiho kaal faas te tab hee gaho saran jagataagar ||3||1||5||

You can escape the trap of death only when you catch hold of the prop of the world and take refuge in Him.3.

Only when you accept the true Akaal Purakh can you get anywhere and that is the Akaal Purakh that Guru Gobind Singh Ji bows his head to. Not Ram, not Shiva and not Durga. Each of them had their flaws in one way or another. But Guru Sahib was, as Bhatt Keerat Ji says,

ਆਪਿ ਨਰਾਇਣੁ ਕਲਾ ਧਾਰਿ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਪਰਵਰਿਯਉ ॥

aap narain kalaa dhaar jag meh paravariyau ||

The Lord Himself wielded His Power and entered the world.

ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰਿ ਆਕਾਰੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਜਗ ਮੰਡਲਿ ਕਰਿਯਉ ॥

nira(n)kaar aakaar jot jag ma(n)ddal kariyau ||

The Formless Lord took form, and with His Light He illuminated the realms of the world.

So by the same logic Guru Gobind Singh Ji provides in this one Shabad, we can see that writing a Ramayan was the last thing on Guru Sahib’s list. The fact that they changed the heading from Ram Avtar to “Ramayan of Guru Gobind Singh Ji” is a crime and a violation of several laws. Through any Shabad from this section it is clear that each of these deity reincarnations was insignificant for Guru Sahib because he believed in one of the timeless Akaal Purakh.