Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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baptization. 37 It is significant that some Sikhs drawn from the Brahmin
and Khatri castes, who could not accept the ideals of the Khalsa and
who did not want to shed caste prejusdices, parted company on the
very occasion the Khalsa was created. 38 Within the Khalsa ranks, the
spirit of equality was a vital principle, 39 and a Brahmin had no higher
claim to eminence that the lowest Sudra who used to sweep his house. 40
The quality of leadership of a movement and the consciousness
of its ideals are even more important that its class or caste
composition, because these determine its character and control its
direction. The insurrectionists in the French Revolution were drawn
mostly from the Fourth Estate, but, for lack of leadership and the
consciousness of plebian aims, the fruits were always gathered by the
senior orders. The singleminded manner in which the revolutionary
ideals of the Khalsa was pursued during the revolutionary period is
remarkable (Chapter XIV and XV) This was in no small measure due
to the deep commitment of the leadership as well as the rank and file
to the revolution and its plebian ideals.
The cooperation of the hill Rajas in fighting the Mughal Empire
would have been very valuable, but Guru Gobind Singh specifically
laid it down as a condition that the Rajas must first accept the ideology
as well as the leadership of the Khalsa. 41 The Khalsa accepted the
leadership of Banda only on the condition that he would not aspire to
sovereignty. And, when he tended to seek sovereignty, they parted
company with him. 42 The Guru and the disciple were each other’s
subordinates (EK dusre ka tabedar hua). 42a Bhai Gurdas, the second, has
written a Vaar on this theme saying that Guru Gobind Singh combined
guruship and discipleship in one. 42b
What is even more remarkable is that the Khalsa leadership
was extended to all levels including the lowest castes. The Gurus
had deliberately worked to that end. We should specially recall
Narang’s comments about the significance of Guru Gobind Singh’s
request to the Panj Piyaras to baptize him in the same manner as
he had baptized them earlier. The conferment of Guruship/
leadership on the Khalsa was the climax in this direction. But, this
was subject to the Khalsa accepting Guru Granth as their Guru. In
other words, the direction of the movement was fixed by the Sikh