6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

390 SIX GLORIOUS EPOCHS OF INDIAN HISTORY
but even by all the Punjabi Hindus. From innumerable
daring and thrilling events in his life, which well illustrate
the above remark, only one might suflSce here][for want of
space for others !
965. As inevitably happens in the case of every big
religious organization Guru Nanak's disciples also came to
be divided into many sections and sub-sections, but they
were all living a Hindu way of life. In respect of marriages-
and other religious rites and social customs they were not
in any way separated from the Hindu society. In the
'Gurugranth' itself the sayings of Hindu saints like Sant
Namdev and Kabir were incorporated along with those of
Guru Nanak himself. And from the beginning till this day
that 'Adigranth' has always been read with equal reverence
for all these sayings. But a son of Guru Nanak himself
had started a separate branch of Sikhism.
965-A. In course of time when the Hindus and Sikhs
began to be atrociously persecuted by the Muslims, it was
felt that an armed force of the Sikhs for self-protection was
absolutely necessary, and Guru Govindsing began to dream
of establishing an independent kingdom of the Sikhs'*. To
that end he wanted a band of dare-devils of inviolable
loyalty to their Guru.
966. Guru Govindsing, therefore, called a big assembly
of all the Sikhs, Such incidents in his life have been
described a little later in poetical compositions much on the
same lines as the colourful descriptions of the Hindu
Puranas'*. But we shall give here only the historically
relevant part of it.
967. In that big assembly Guru Govindsing invited
volunteers who were prepared to even lay down their lives
in the defence of their religion and willing to spend their
whole lives in the army, take it up as their profession, for,
he said, he had to build a standing army of the Sikhs'^. It
was a very austere vow. Of the many, who thus volunteered;
the Guru himself chose for the first time only the best five
who were expected to be as sharp and as unbending as steeh