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THIS ABOVE ALL
The perfect human being
Khushwant Singh
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Khushwant Singh
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There are events
in the histories of different people which at the time they
occurred may not have appeared to be of great significance, but
with the passage of time became memorable moments. There are two
such incidents in the history of the Sikhs which made them
change from pacific followers of their founder Guru Nanak to the
militant Khalsa of the last Guru Gobind Singh.
The first was the
persecution of their Fifth Guru Arjan Dev, who compiled the Adi
Granth and installed it in Harmandar Sahib built by his father,
and made Amritsar the emotional capital of the community. His
only "crime" in the eyes of the rulers was that he had
acquired a large following and threatened to become a rival
power base in the north.
He was taken to
Lahore, cruelly tortured and he died as martyr. His son Guru
Hargobind decided to take up arms. The Ninth Guru Tegh Bahadar,
a saintly man, composed some of the most soulful hymns — later
incorporated into the Adi Granth by his son. These became widely
known and have been beautifully rendered by Mohammed Rafi.
Guru Tegh Bahadar
was arrested on fabricated charges and executed in Delhi on
November 24, 1675.
 His
body was stolen by one of his Dalit disciples, who burnt down
his own thatched hut to cremate it. Gurdwara Sis Gunj in Chandni
Chowk marks the site of his execution. Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, next
to Parliament, is the site of his cremation.
It was this wholly
gratuitous act of criminality that made his son come to the
conclusion that when all other methods have failed, it is
righteous to draw
the sword.
To mark the
martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadar, I reproduce my
translation of one of his hymns — entitled Jo nar dukh mein
dukh nahi manai — devoted to describing an ideal human
being:
He who in
adversity grieves not;
He who is without
fear;
He who falls not
in the snare of sensuality;
Who has no greed
for gold, knowing it is like dust;
He who does not
slander people when their backs are turned;
Nor flatters them
to their faces;
He who has neither
gluttony in his heart;
Nor vanity, nor
attachment to
worldly things;
He whom nothing
moves;
Neither good
fortune nor ill;
Who cares not for
worldly applause;
Nor its censure;
Who ignores every
wishful fantasy;
And accepts what
comes his way at it comes;
He whom lust
cannot lure;
Nor anger command;
In such a one
lives God himself;
On such a one
God's Grace descends;
For he knows the
righteous path;
O Nanak, his soul
mingles with the Lord;
As water mingles
with water.
Romantic lines
Entries to a Washington
Post competition asking for a two-line rhyme with the most
romantic first line, and the least romantic second line:
My darling, my
lover, my beautiful wife;
Marrying you has
screwed up my life;
I see your face
when I am dreaming;
That's why I
always wake up screaming;
Kind, intelligent,
loving and hot;
This describes
everything you are not;
Love may be
beautiful, love may be bliss;
But I only slept
with you cause I was pissed;
I thought that I
could love no other;
That is until I
met your brother.
— (Courtesy:
Amir C. Tuteja, Washington)
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