INSIDE THE GURU'S GATE - Anpere

sovereignty which the items symbolized. To confirm the transfer of authority Baba
Buddha decorated the forehead of the new Guru with a tilak mark as a symbol of
blessing. In a humble act of submission the former Guru would prostrate (matha
tekna) at the feet of his successor and ask his own family and followers to do the
same. 258 By paying homage to the newly installed Guru the preceding Guru became a
disciple himself.
As a traditional account would continue, the political climate after the martyrdom
of Guru Arjan in 1606 induced his son Hargobind to choose two swords, piri and
miri, instead of a woollen cord as proper insignia of the future Guru. Piri would represent
the Guru’s spiritual power, while miri signified his extended worldly role and
right to protect religion. The two swords reflected new political conditions facing the
Sikh community when the personal Guru needed to be fully armed. Another significant
change at the investiture of Guru Hargobind was the Guru’s decision to expand
his own authority to the recently compiled Sikh scripture. Instead of seating himself
on the traditional stool of spiritual authority, Guru Hargobind instructed Baba Buddha
to bestow the seat to the scripture and bowed himself before the book. 259 By ritual
means the Sikh Gurus mobilized a parallel authority of the book, and this development
reached its peak when Guru Gobind Singh in 1708 transferred the guruship to
the Sikh scripture which then became Guru Granth Sahib.
Embedded in the notion of a spiritual relationship between the Sikh Gurus is
the strong emphasizes on doctrinal agreement between all the Gurus, from Nanak to
Gobind Singh. The evidence for this unity is said to be found in the form and content
of the Gurus’ compositions, as well as the compilation process of the scripture. The
Gurus taught in their individual styles, introduced organizational innovations, and
adjusted their instructions to contemporary social and political conditions, but their
teaching or path towards liberation remained unchanged. When Guru Arjan compiled
the Sikh scripture in the beginning of seventeenth century he incorporated
hymns of the first five Gurus, including his own compositions, and religious poetry
of bards and saints which displayed ideological unanimity. The hymns to be included
in the scriptural corpus had to comply with the teaching of the Gurus. The device of
using the formula Mahala, in place of their individual names, to denote nearly all the
hymns of the Gurus support the belief in a uniform identity and teaching of the Gurus.
260 The hymns of Nanak are preceded by the numerical form Mahala 1, those of
Angad by Mahala 2, and so on. Correspondingly, the use of the typical expression
258
See for example the account of Guru Amardas and Guru Ramdas installation in Suraj Prakash
(Gian Singh 2004: 171, 206). References to the practice of decorating the Guru with tilak and
placing an umbrella over his head are also found in the Sikh scripture (See GGS: 966).
259
Gian Singh 2004: 288.
260
The origin and meaning of the word mahala is obscure. Scholars will argue it is derived from
the Arabic word mahal, which signifies “house”, “abode” and figuratively connotes the body
and the mental state of humans. Another interpretation would suggest that the word mahala
originates from the Sanskrit mahila, literally meaning “women” or “wife”, since the Sikh Gurus
metaphorically presented themselves as the beloved wives of God (See e.g. Nanda 1998).
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Published on www.anpere.net in May 2008