A Just Social Order: The Sikh Perspective
* Paper presented at International Conference on “Culture of Peace:
Beyond Globalisation,”
Colombo, 13-16 August 2003.
* Director, National Institute of Panjab Studies, Bhai Vir
Singh Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi. 110 001.
I am grateful to the
organizers of this meeting for inviting me to present some of my stray
thoughts in this effort to carry forward the message of Bandung and strengthen
the efforts of Afro-Asian nations in search of a just social order in the
strife-ridden world. Being a student of history I would like to draw your kind
attention to the two powerful models of progress that we watched in the
twentieth century – the Marxian model and the Capitalist model. Not many of us
could have imagined that the Marxian model would collapse so soon and a country
as powerful as the Soviet Union would disintegrate before the start of the new
century.
I distinctly recall these
issues being raised during a function in Moscow in 1987 organised by the
Ministry of External Affairs of the Soviet Union to mark a thousand years of
the oldest establishment, the oldest Orthodox Church of Byelorussia. After
sharing my thoughts about the Sikh society established by Guru Nanak, I pointed out that, in Sikh system, we
voluntarily share, because we believe that food belongs to the Lord, and
serving is the pleasure and privilege to whom the Lord has provided in plenty.
It is a matter of great satisfaction for me as a member of the Asian community
to join my brothers and sisters, in Colombo, from other Afro-Asian nations to
celebrate the spirit of Bandung. I strongly feel that Asia, which is the
birthplace of all the 12 major world religions, has a role to play at a time
when material progress and cut-throat competition has almost replaced the
ancient Afro-Asian tradition of spiritual and moral basis of social order.
Since other scholars from different religious traditions of Asia will be
talking from their respective traditions, I take the liberty of sharing with
you some of my thoughts from the Sikh religious tradition.
Before we talk of the
spiritual and political concerns of the Sikhs it would be helpful to provide a
brief background about the founding of the faith and the distinct spiritual
practices and way of life that evolved during the period of the Sikh Gurus.
The Sikh faith was founded by
Guru Nanak (1469 – 1539) who preached monotheism and described the Creator as Ikk
(one), without a second. Guru Nanak’s philosophy of God is best described in
his composition Japji, the primal creed of Sikh faith. His teachings
were strictly monotheistic, without scope for the worship of any idol, deity or
human teacher. Contrary to medieval Indian practice of denouncing the world for
spiritual elevation, Guru Nanak believed that life on earth was worth living.
“This world is the abode of God and the True One lives therein.” Guru Nanak
believed that it was possible to live pure among the impurities of life. “As
the lotus liveth detached in waters, as a duck floateth care-free on the
stream, so doth one cross the Sea of Existence, his mind attuned to the world.
One liveth detached, Enshrining the One Lord in the mind, shorn of hope, living
in the midst of hope.”
Guru Nanak’s teachings can be
summed up in three simple Punjabi words, Naam Japna, Kirt Karni
and Wand Chhakna (remembering God, earning one’s livelihood through
honest means and sharing fruits of one’s labour with others). To practice his
teachings of equality Guru Nanak started the twin institutions of Sangat
and Pangat, emphasizing that all assemble in a congregation and while
partaking food from the community kitchen should sit in one line without
distinction of high and low or rich and poor.
Guru Nanak traveled throughout
India and neighbouring countries, including Sri Lanka, in a spirit of dialogue
with other religious traditions of his time. In this context, Guru Nanak’s
encounter with the Siddhas during his visit to Achal (near Batala in
Punjab, India) is worth mentioning. Asked as to why they have renounced the
world, the Siddhas replied that “it was not worth living”. And when he
confronted them as to where did they go for food when they felt hungry, the Siddhas
replied “to the same society which they had renounced.” From Bhai Gurdas we
learn that after his dialogue with the Guru the Siddhas were so
satisfied that they became his admirers. The Guru emphasised that there was no
need to renounce the world. The need was to renounce the lust and live in the
world detached, the way lotus floats in water.
Sikhism has a unique tradition
of tolerance and co-existence dating back to the days of the founder. There is
a story that when Guru Nanak visited Multan, the local religious leaders
confronted him with a bowl of milk filled to the brim, indicating thereby that
the land was overfilled with numerous religious teachers and that there was no
place to accommodate a new creed. We are told that instead of arguing with them,
Guru Nanak quietly placed a petal of jasmine over the bowl, thereby indicating
that the Guru would strive for harmony with the existing religious traditions,
and his followers would live with other communities the way jasmine floated in
the bowl without disturbing the content. At a time when there are growing
conflicts among religious traditions Guru Nanak’s example should serve as a
timely reminder of the oriental tradition of peaceful co-existence.
Towards the last phase of his life, Guru Nanak founded a city
on the banks of river Ravi (now in Pakistan) and called it Kartarpur, i.e. city
of God. There he worked on the field and shared his earnings with others. A
community of disciples grew up at Kartarpur, but it could not be described as
any monastic order. On the other hand, it was a fellowship of ordinary men and
women from different faith traditions engaged in normal occupations of life,
earning their livelihood through honest means and sharing the fruit of their
labour with others. But what was remarkable about Kartarpur was that this
provided a model of living which was to become the basis for the development of
Sikh society and Sikh value system in the days to come. Herein the Guru and his
followers would rise before dawn and after ablutions said their prayers. The
spiritual routine being over, the Guru and his followers partook of the sacred
food from the community kitchen and then attended to the day’s work. In the
evening they again assembled at a common place and collectively recited their evening
prayer and shared food. Before going to bed they all recited the Kirtan
Sohila, songs of acclaim. The Sikh Gurus laid great emphasis on early
rising and remembering God, which is borne out from the hymns of the fourth
Guru, Ram Das:
A true Sikh rises before the night ends
And turns his thoughts to God’s Name,
to charity and holy bathing.
He speaks humbly and humbly he walks.
He wishes everyone well and he is joyed
to
give away gifts from his hand.
He sleeps but little,
And little does he eat and talk.
Thus he receives the Guru’s true
teaching.
He lives by the labour of his hands and
he does good deeds.
However eminent he might become,
He demonstrates not himself.
He sings God’s praises in company of holy
men.
Such company he seeks night and day.
Upon the World is his mind fixed
And he rejoices in the Guru’s will.
Unenticed
he lives in this world of enticement
This new philosophy of life with its emphasis on early rising,
working hard and always remembering God, created a society in which there could
neither be any exploiters nor exploitation. The emphasis on honest living and
sharing one’s earnings with others laid the foundation of an egalitarian order
and universal responsibility. Guru Nanak’s contribution to Indian religious
thought has been thus summed up by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, philosopher President
of India.
“In the tradition of India, Nanak Dev believes in religion as
relation, anubhava. Those who adopt his view subordinate ritualistic
practices and credal definitions. Nanak Dev does not believe in the ultimacy of
the distinction between the Hindu and the Mussulman. He goes beyond these
distinctions and fosters a religion of spirit which is universal in character…
Nanak Dev affirms the possibility of holy life in all religions. This
philosophy of ecumenism, which is now becoming popular, was anticipated by the
Sikh Gurus. No wonder that the Adi Granth, which is sacred scripture of the
Sikhs, contains the utterances of holy men of both Hinduism and Islam.”
Through practical demonstration of their teachings, Guru Nanak
and successive Gurus laid the foundation for an ideal society with emphasis on
interfaith dialogue, religious freedom and responsibility towards fellow
beings. The Sikh Gurus not only denounced the caste system but also provided
the basis for a casteless society. Inclusion of hymns of the Bhaktas from
different castes, initiation into the order of the Khalsa of men from different
castes and different corners of the country was a practical demonstration of
Sikh concept of equality of human race. Sikh religion accepts validity of all
religious traditions which is evident from Guru Amar Das’ hymn:
‘This world is going up in flames -
shower it with Your mercy and save it
Save it, and deliver it, by whatever
method Thou can take. The true Lord has
shown
the way to peace contemplating the
true world of the Shabad.
Nanak knows no other than the
Lord the
forgiving Lord.’
The ideal society perceived by
the Sikhs Gurus is called as Halemi Raj (a rule based on compassion)
which is thus described by the Fifth Master, Guru Arjun Dev.
The merciful Lord has now given the
command,
That no one will domineer over
and give pain to another,
And all will abide in peace
Such O dear
is the rule of my compassionate God.
The Halemi Raj as
described by the Sikh Guru has three distinct features:
i) The society is established under the command of the Lord Himself,
ii) In such a society no one would cause suffering or injury towards
others and
iii) All will live in amity under peaceful conditions.
This concept of Halemi Raj advocated by the Sikh Gurus
has features resembling those of modern welfare state. However, what
distinguishes such a welfare state from the modern state is the fact that such
a society is established not by individual efforts but under the Grace of the
Creator. Welfare activities of such a society are not the result of any
directives or legislation by the state but result of spiritual transformation.
Under such a system there is no scope for exploitation of one human being by
another. This concept of an ideal state is further corroborated in the hymns of
Bhagat Ravidas wherein he talks of the concept of an ideal city calling it
Begampura - a city without any fear or grief - where human beings could live
free from worries, sufferings and tensions. The citizens of such an ideal
society would not have anxiety over the payment of tax on goods. Nor do they
have the fear of any unjust king. Free from lust and greed, all shall live in
full contentment as children of one Father.
‘Griefless’ is the name of my Town.
Where abide not either pain or care.
No anguish there or tax on goods,
Neither fear, nor error, nor dread, nor
decline.
Oh! how wondrous is my fatherland.
Where there is always peace and calm,
O friend!
Ever-enduring is the regime of my only
Lord over that Land,
And there is no second nor third there,
but my only Lord.
Populous as ever, its repute is eternal:
And, there abide only the meritorious and
the content.
And there men go about as and where they
wish:
They know the Mansion of their Lord,
so no one prevents (them).
Ravidas, a mere tanner, has been
emancipated in this land:
And, he
who’s his Fellow-citizen is also his Friend.
Egalitarian order of the society described by the Sikh
scripture is evident from the fact that Ravidas, the so-called low caste Chamar,
a tanner, discarded by the so-called high class Brahmins, has not only been
honoured by Guru Arjun Dev by including his hymns in the holy Sikh scripture,
but he is often quoted by the Sikh scholars to describe an ideal Sikh society.
In the Vars of two bards, Sata and Balwand, there is a reference to ‘Nanakraj’
wherein Guru Nanak Dev, founder of the Sikh relgiion and social order, has
established a society based on sound foundations of truth: ‘Nanak Raj
Chalaya, Sach kot satani nivde’. (Nanak established the Lord’s empire and
laid a strong foundation of the fortress of Truth).
At the time when Afro-Asian countries are going away from their
traditional model of progress based upon compassion for fellow beings, we would
do well to debate if we could offer an alternative model of progress where all
the children of God can equally partake His grace irrespective of their race
and religious affiliations. Let me end this presentation on an altruistic note
from the daily Sikh prayer:
Nanak Nam
Charddi kala tere bhana sarbatt ka bhala
Thy Name,
thy glory, be forever triumphant, Nanak and, in thy will, may pace and
prosperity come to one and all.
q