DYNAMICS OF THE SOCIAL THOUGHT OF GURU GOBIND SINGH DYNAMICS OF THE SOCIAL THOUGHT OF GURU GOBIND SINGH DHARAM SINGH PUBLICATION BUREAU PUNJABI UNIVERSITY, PATIALA © Department of Religious Studies Punjabi University, Patiala DYNAMICS OF THE SOCIAL THOUGHT OF GURU GOBIND SINGH by DHARAM SINGH Reader, Encyclopaedia of Sikhism Unit, Dept. of ~eligious Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala- I 47002. ISBN 8 I -7380-468-0 1998 First Edition: 1100 Copies Price : 130-00 Published by Prof. Ranbir Singh, M.A, Ph.D., Registrar, Punjabi Univenity, Patiala and printed by MIs Ram Printograpb, New Delhi. FOREWORD The 300th birth anniversary ofthe Khalsa Panth will be observed all over the world in 1999. It is going to be a landmark in the history of the Khalsa Panth which had been created by Guru Gobind Singh on the Vaisakhi (30th March) ofA.D. 1699. Before his dis-appearance from the scene in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh bestowed the pontifical office on the Khalsa Panth and the Guru Granth Sahib. To be precise, it is bestowed on the Word enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, which comprises hymns ofthe six ofthe ten Sikh Gurus and many a saint, belonging both to the Hindu and the Islamic traditions. The Punjabi University, Patiala, proposes to bring out a series of books to mark the tricentenary of the Khalsa. The books will focus on the universal values of the Sikh faith and throw into relief its futuristic vision. Dr. Dharam Singh's Dynamics of the Social Thought of Guru Gobind Singh forms part of the project being undertaken by the University in the context ofthe tricentenary celeberations ofthe Khalsa Panth. The book makes an analytical and interpretative study of Guru Gobind Singh's select hymns. The preceding and contemporary socio­ political milieu, which had shaped the Sikh ethos and polity, is also subjected to scrutiny. Dr. Dharam Singh underlines the distinctiveness ofthe metaphysical doctrines that emerge from the text and takes into account the ontological and epistemological premises which, in a specific sense, set the Sikh world-view apart from that of the Indian­ born and the Semitic religious traditions. I am sure the present book will constitute a notable addition to the exsisting literature on the social philosophy ofGuru Gobind Singh. Joginder Singh Puar Vice-Chancellor INTRODUCTORY NOTE There have been quite a good number ofbooks on the life ofGuru Gobind Singh including a few on his works in their individual or collective form. Most of this literature came up during 1966 or soon thereafter: 1966 was celebrated as the tercentenary ofthe Guru's birth. However, there has been very little work done on the philosophy especially the social philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh. The book in hand is perhaps the fIrst full-length study of the social thought of the Guru. Another characteristic feature the of book is that it does not accept Guru Gobind Singh's social ideology as historical necessity but derives it from his metaphysical thought. After a descriptive analysis of source materials, the book goes on to a discussion of Sikh philosophy, theology and relationship of God with the cosmos, human kind and the whole ofcreation. The author has based all his assumptions on the baniofGuru Gobind Singh as included in the Dasam Granth, and of course on that of the preceding Gurus as contained in the Guru Granth Sahib. He takes into account the background in general Indian philosophies and the religous movements (including Islam) in the days of the Gurus, very carefully pointing out that these are but background and raw material, shaped and created anew by the Sikh Gurus. Thus, he frrmaly traces the grounds of the social thought of Guru Gobind Singh in its essential basis in every aspect ofGurmat. That is why we do not have social thought in itself, it is social thought and action as it flows out of Sikh philosophy, theology and tradition. It is this consistent pattern of love, equality, equity (through sharing and service of all), compassion and self-respect which we have seen among the most admirable achievements of Sikhism and indeed guarantee its continuance and spread. From Banda Singh Bahadur's redistribution of land to the Sikhs of Toronto joining in the philanthropic schemes to assist the underprivileged the motives and springs ofaction have been the divine source. That is the nature ofGod -- -- ---------------------~~~~~- (viii) DYNAMICS OF THE SOCIAL THOUGHT OF GURU GOBIND SINGH and God's purpose and presence in the world as embodied in the granth (Guru Granth Sahib) and the panth (Khalsa Panth). We halVe to thank Dr Dharam Singh for bringing this out in clear logical thought stated in a strong, attractive and pure English prose. His entry into the world of academics has not been easy and smooth, and he has come to academic writing the hard way. But there is sure promise as we look forward to other important works from his fluent pen and fertile mind. Professor Emeritus ofHistory and Comparative Religion NoeIQ.King University ofCalifornia CONTENTS FOREWORD (v) INTRODUCTORY NOTE (VII) I INTRODUCTION 1-8 II IMAGE OF THE GURU : A BRIEF PROFILE 9-26 III CONTEMPORAY SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS PRAXIS 27-48 IV TEXT AND THE DISCOURSE 49-76 V PHILOSOPHICAL RATIONALE 77-99 VI DIMENSIONS OF SOCIAL THOUGHT toO-lIS VII KHALSA-PANTH: THE IDEAL SOCIAL STRUCTURE 116-141 VIII CONCLUSION 142-\49 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 150-154 INDEX 155-159 CHAPTERl INTRODUCTION The problem of social philosophical thought generally rests on the kind of social realities and the relationships envisaged between religion and society in a particular time and clime. The relationship between the two is not only fundamental to the nature of religion but also intrinsic to the nature of society. Religion invokes a distinction between the sacred and the secular, applies this distinction to determine the status of the empirical world, and offers prescriptions for social order, individual behaviour and collective action. It determines the boundaries and contours of the secular in relation to the sacred, and in the process seeks, generally speaking, to affirm the sanctity of life. It also affirms that life's socialite forms and expressions should be infused with the values the sacred stands for. This implicitly gives expression to the spiritual affinity of the manifest world with the supreme Reality and to the relationship between the human ideal and its present reality. However, different religious traditions distinguish themselves from one another as regards their views on this fundamental relationship and their respective vision of the social structure as distinct from the present social reality. In the West, the question of relationship between religion and society and the problem of social philosophical thought were not the subject of systematic concentrated study until the 19th century. However, they had become subject to intellectual exposition even as early as 2nd century B.C. when Plato in his Republic discussed the question regarding the ingredients of an ideal state. After him, Aristotle in his book on Ethics dwelt upon the question of contribution made by moral and ethical ideals to the human social life in this mundane world. The subject was touched upon in medieval Christian literature as well. The classical Christian theology answers Plato's questions of what is that always is and has no becoming, and what is 2 DYNAMICS OF THE SOCIAL THOUGHT OF GURU GOBIND SINGH that is always becoming and never is. According to this view, however, the manifest world is a secondary and subordinate reality vis­ a-vis the supreme Reality, i.e. God. Instead of creating a spiritual affinity or identification between the two, this caused a conflict between the ecclesiastical and the political authorities. Consequently, first the Church remained subordinate to the State and then a sort of dichotomy developed between the two. It is only in modem times that the need for a healthy relationship between these two has been seriously realized. The movement of liberation theology that began (in early 1970s) in the Latin American Church in the belief that the saner influence of moral values espoused by religion on practical politics is as necessary for the establishment of an equitable, just and righteous social order as is the political authority to realize the values of religion in practical social life. Thus, the advocates of this movement intimately relate Church to the human life in society, to the affairs of the State. In the Indian context also, religion forms the basis for determining the status of man and the material manifest world. According to the Hindu Vedantic thought, they were treated just appearances (miiyii). No doubt, it believed the entire mankind to have been born of Brahman but Manu interpreted the "Purusarsiikta" hymn of the Rig-Veda (X:90) to prove that human beings were born of different organs of Brahman. Hence, there could not be any equality among them. This served as basis of the consequent hierarchical division of Hindu society into different varfJas. The Hindu theory of karma states that the karmas of the previous births determined man's present status in life, and his present karmas could help his eventual release from the cycle of birth and rebirth. This theory was responsible, to a large extent, in sustaining the social stratification. As a result of it, the Indians remained attached to their respective varfJas but failed to develop a wider national outlook. Jainism and Buddhism, the two non-Vedic Indian religions, were anti-Brahminical in their doctrines. They did not accept social stratification based on the Vedic divine sanction. Like Brahminic tradition, both these religious traditions were ascetic in nature and thus could not evolve an egalitarian social order outside of or contrary to the Hindu Vedantic social structure.