Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

163
Sikh Panth before Jahangir came to power. Toynbee notes that the
predecessors of Guru Hargobind had already transformed the Sikh
community ‘from an embryonic church into an embryonic state.’ 30a
Gupta calls the Sikh organisation of Guru Arjan’s time as a state within
a state. 31 He further initiated the steps that involved the Sikh
movement in a direct political conflict with the rulers. Guru Arjan
blessed Khusarau, a contestent to the throne against Jahangir, and
helped him with money. This was direct political involvement. Not
only was money give to Khausarau, but the Guru also applied Tilak
on his forehead. The significance of all this was not lost on Jahangir.
He wrote, ‘He (Guru Arjan) discussed serveral matters with him
(Khusrau) and made on his forehead a finger-mark in saffron, which
in terms of Hindus is called Qashqa and is considered propitious.’ 32 A
European contemporary of this event draws the same inference. ‘The
Guru congratulated him (Khusrau) for assuming sovereignty and
applied three marks on his forehead. Althought the Guru was a
heathen, and the prince a Mussalman, yet he was glad in putting on
the prince’s forehead that pagan sign as a mark of good success in his
enterprises…’ 33
Guru Arjan must have sensed the momentum that the movement
for the revival of Islam was gathering after Akbar. Its likely impact on
the Sikh movement could not be missed. Not to defend his religion
‘by the open profession thereof’, he regarded as a sin. The Sikh
movement was not yet ready, not politically conscious, to take up the
challenge on its own. Therefore, instead of remaining on the defensive,
Guru Arjan took the initiative in availing himself of the first opportuity
that the rift in the royal camp oresented. According to Jahangir’s own
estimate, Khusrau had one hundred and twelve thousand horses on
his side, 34 and thus stood a good chance of challenging Jahangir. Thus,
while Jahangir clearly recongized the political character of the Guru’s
Sikh movement, some writers, who on principle bifurcate religion and
politics, either invent apologies for the one political and military
activities of the Gurus, or call them a deviation from the religious
path.
1. Rehearsal
The martyrdom of Guru Arjan was a turning point in Sikh history.