Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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Sikhs supported the Guru on this issue, or that Sikhs ever grouped
themselves on caste lines to deliberate on any subject. The Masands,
leaders of the local Sangats, approached the Guru’s mother in order
that she dissuade the Guru from inviting trouble from the rulers. By
inference, had those among the Sikhs, who were opposed to Guru
Hargobind’s policy of militarization been consulted, they would not
have supported Guru Arjan in bestowing his blessings on Prince
Khusro, as that would have averted the Imperial wrath. As the interval
between these events is not long, it is reasonable to suppose that the
composition of the Sangat could have changed materially. The incident
of ‘the hawk’ and ‘the horses’ also indicate that the initiative for
challenging the political authority came from the Guru.
As to the creation of the Khalsa, Sainapat, a contemporary, and
Koer Singh, a near contemporary, expressly state that the tenth Guru’s
step was opposed by many members of the higher castes. The dramatic
manner, in which the nucleus of the Khalsa, the five Beloved Ones,
was chosen., shows how Guru Gobind Singh had kept his counsel to
himself. A surprise was sprung on the Sangat. Far influencing or
pressurizing the Guru to found the Khalsa, only five among all the
Sikhs came forward to offer their lives, and the total number of others
who were also initiated on that day was twenty-five only. As already
referred to, the creation of the Khalsa caused a serious rift among the
Sikh ranks, but the Guru did not deviate from his plan. At Anandpur,
on another occasion, he allowed those who wanted to discontinue the
fight (Bedaviaas) to depart but stuck to his plan. Again, at a time
when he had lost his army and had no visible chance of success left,
and when some Sikhs suggested to the Guru at Muktsar to discontinue
the struggle against the state and offered to bring a about conciliation
between him and Aurangzeb, the Guru chided them for their
presumptuousness in trying to advise the Guru.
These glaring facts should be enough to show that the
initiative and determination for carrying on the armed struggle
against the established state was invariably that of the Guru and
not that of his followers. The working of a movement or a system
cannot be evaluated merely by taking into account the objective or