GURU KA KHALSA

Balbir Singh Sooch, Advocate, Ludhiana and
his daughter Kamaljeet Kaur Sooch*

We have positive expectations that the questions to get justice, from where, when, by whom and how to be meted out could not be dead or ignored so far the concept of ‘GURU KA KHALSA’ is alive. Since the birth of ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’, its commitment is for the righteous cause and justice for all by sacrificing its own. Now it is a different story that the very concept of Khalsa is distorted under the changed circumstances at the instances   of very those people for whom, the Khalsa sacrificed and faced the oppression since ages. The concept of Khalsa is under attack of present rulers and their associates irrespective of any party for obvious reasons as they feel threatened from the Khalsa concept due to their own deceptive attitude towards masses as a whole. 

There is too much stress on worship of God only for selfish reasons, which is not at all the commitment of Khalsa and the act is a clear violation of the spirit of Khalsa enshrined in ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib’. Nothing is to be done to fulfill own personal desires and greed in the name of ‘Sikh religion’ and everything is for the welfare of humanity-‘Sarbat Da Bhala’. The concept is like a contract with Almighty and is not without consideration. You may ask, ‘What is the thought in it. The ‘thought’ is very valuable, “A life without any stress, strain, fear and only of magnificence i.e. ‘Charhdi Kala’. Whoever shall practice the concept in reality, definitely to enjoy the reflection of it?

Again question arises as to how to put it into practice? Here lies the importance of ‘Vichar’ i.e. deliberations    of the supreme religious scripture ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib’ and nothing is prohibited for help in consulting and comparative study of other writings by the virtuous use of Almighty gifted sanity. It all depends upon your way of life excluding dishonest dealings. Khalsa will always act honestly only for the righteous cause and justice. The theory of ‘Philosopher King’ of prominent Western political thinker, Plato failed in practice due to imperfection of his suggestive system and the selected human beings.  Plato could not evolve the foolproof controllable system for his ‘Philosopher King’ and finally abandoned his theory of ‘Philosopher King’ by blaming to human failure and he had given up all in writing to only the system of Law. 

The concept of Khalsa is having more far and wide sense than ‘Philosopher King’.  It is also nothing like a ‘Hindu monk’. The ‘Philosopher King’ of Plato was meant only to rule without being responsible to none and his evocative living life style was totally different than ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’. The Khalsa is only bound by the virtuous use of Almighty gifted sanity for righteous cause and justice for all by keeping his ‘distinct identity’ as nothing is to be finally done hiding identity. The system of Law again became alternative to ‘Philosopher King’ and the alternative to both is the latest concept of ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’. 

Do we ever think that where there is a ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’ any injustice could be done to anyone?  What to talk of his own justice or injustice? Is there any dilution of concept of ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’ under the circumstances of slavery? Has ‘GURU KA KHALSA’ forgotten the virtuous use of Almighty gifted sanity? Can ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’ ever remain for a long in disobedience of Almighty?  These types of the questions are posing a challenge for the ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’ otherwise there is no reason as to why ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’ within the commitment debarred from justice and stay so for long?  

Do you think that present Sikh leadership not answerable to all these questions to prevent and account for the loss of lives in service of humanity? When is the suitable time to question and test the leadership? 

In the present set up, the election period is only suitable for the purpose! Is it not? All including Sikhs can question their leadership in coming ‘Punjab Assembly Elections’ and elsewhere in view of the commitment of ‘Guru Ka Khalsa’ as the commitment is meant for the service of whole humanity, though symbolized by the concept of ‘GURU KA KHALSA’. The concept is the universal message for oneness of humanity, not to alienate each other for the righteous cause and justice. 

*B.A (Honours)., *L L.B., L L.M., UGC-Net Qualified for lectureship., Ph.D (Student) Punjabi University, Patiala