New Policy of Guru Hargobind

The nomination of Hargobind to the Guruship is of immense importance in the Sikh history. His predecessors had been busy in performing religious and spiritual activities, but now he started guiding his disciples in military fields as well. Thus he brought about the transformation in Sikhism and made an effort to make his followers the ‘Saint Soldiers’. The policy he carried out is known as the New Policy.

                        I.  Circumstances leading to the adoption of New Policy

This New Policy was not adopted by Guru Hargobind due to any particular reason, but was the outcome of a variety of factors. Dr. Indu Bhushan Banerjee states, “Both externally and internally the situation was changing and the policy of Guru Hargobind had perforce to be adjusted to the new environment.”

Externally, the organizational development had made much progress in the Majha and Doaba tracts under Guru Arjan Dev. By the foundation of new towns of Taran Taran, Kartarpur and Hargobindpur, the jats in these regions adopted Sikhism. Moreover, it was the simplicity of the new religion that had influenced the Jats to it. These Jats had some extra-ordinary characteristic instincts among them. They were very brave, courageous and freedom-lovers. They could never tolerate any sort of injustice being done to them. They were also flesh-eaters and this was so far abandoned in the Sikh church. Other Sikhs asked Guru Hargobind to oust them from Sikhism as flesh eating was not permitted by the earlier Gurus. But as the Sikhs had themselves seen with the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev that it had become expedient for them to arm themselves in order to meet the existing danger to the Sikh church from the fanatic rule of the Mughals. These Jats could play an important role by taking arms in their hands. Therefore, Guru Hargobind permitted them eating flesh. Dr. W.H. McLeod writes, “The growth of military within the Panth must be traced primarily to the impact of Jat cultural patterns.”

Internally, it was quite important to cope with the tyrannical rule and the martyrdom of Guru Arjan. In fact, under the fifth Guru, the Sikh church had made much development during the reign of Akbar, who is believed to be a liberal-minded ruler. He never attempted to interfere in the organizational affairs of Sikhism. He had, however, offered his help in different ways to the Sikh Gurus. But after his death in 1605 AD, the period of religious tolerance in the country also came to an end. Its first example was the martyrdom of Guru Arjan at the orders of the new emperor, Jahangir. According to Dr. I.B. Banerjee, “The execution of Guru Arjan and Hargobind’s own imprisonment definitely showed that stern days were ahead and that the old policy of mere peaceful organization no longer sufficed.” Guru Arjan, before his death, had sent a message to his son and successor, Hargobind, “Let him sit fully armed on his throne and maintain an army to the best of his ability…. Let him hold Bhai Buddha in honour, and in all respects except the wearing of arms hereby enjoined, adopt the practices of the preceding Gurus.” It is felt that it was because of the parting message of Guru Arjan that Guru Hargobind decided to put in action the message of his father. But there is no denying the fact that it was the result of both the external as well as internal changing environment. Sir J.D. Cunningham observes, “The temper and the circumstances of Hargobind both prompted him to innovation.”

                                    II. Chief Characteristics of the New Policy

When Hargobind acceded to the throne, he decided to adopt a policy of transforming the peace-minded Sikhs into a race of militant warriors. He declared, “My Seli shall be a sword-belt, and I shall wear my turban with a royal aigrette.” By the time he became the Guru, he wore two swords—Miri and Piri. His Miri sword indicated his leadership for worldly matters, while the Piri sword was an indication of his guiding the Sikhs in spiritual affairs. His predecessors had led the Sikhs only in religious and spiritual affairs, but Guru Hargobind started guiding the Sikhs in the military field as well. He even crowned his turban with the Kalgi. He adopted all the symbols of royalty, and had even with him a band of 60 body-guards, which raised his royal prestige. The Sikh chronicler states that he sent for his arms and arrayed in martial style so that his splendor shone like sun.

Soon he informed the Sikhs about his New Policy. Accordingly, messages were sent to the Masands to collect mostly horses and arms from the Sikhs, and similarly the Sikhs were also directed. Immediately the message of the Guru was put in action, and in a short span of time, weapons and horses were collected in good number. It made very easy for him to organize an army.

Several warriors came to him for service and the Guru delightedly employed them. A number of Majha youth also enlisted his cause. Soon a body of 500 troops was established. Macauliffe states, “Several men out of employment and without a taste for manual labour flocked to the Guru’s standard,” and others also gathered “who were satisfied with two meals a day and a new uniform every half-year.” He had also organized an army of the Pathans, which according to Dr. A.C. Banerjee shows that “religious animosity against Mohammedans was not a factor in the arming of the Sikhs by Hargobind.” It is wrong to say that Guru Hargobind had taken in his service the rogues, dacoits and other convicts. There might be some who had entered his service in greed of loot and plunder. But mostly his army comprised of his devoted Sikhs.

The Guru also changed his daily routine and habits. He systematically turned his attention to chase and other war-like occupations. In the Harmandir, he gave religious directions to the Sikhs. He used to say that as long as he remained in the Harmandir, he should be reckoned ass a Saint, and in the Akal Bunga he should be looked upon as a King.

Guru Hargobind constructed a building near Harmandir and named it ‘Akal Takhat’ (Throne of the Almighty). It was here that the Guru guided his Sikhs on the political and military matters. He gave military education o his Sikhs, divided arms among them and made plans to fight the enemy out for the defense of their religion. Dr. Trilochan Singh observes, “The very erection of Akal Takhat was a challenge to all coercive authority of the Mughal Emperors.”

The Guru even fortified the city of Amritsar, feeling that the defense of the head-quarters was very necessary. A fort, named Lohgarh, was also constructed in the city of Amritsar.

                                                                III.   Assessment

When Guru Hargobind adopted the new policy, misunderstandings and many kinds of doubts came in the minds of many of the devoted Sikhs regarding the objectives of the Guru. Bhai Gurdas in a Pauri of Var 26 refers to the doubts in their minds, and says

                  “The truth within him cannot possibly be concealed

                              …………………………….....................

                  He supporteth a burden intolerable to others and asserteth not himself.”

It is said that some devoted followers of the Guru met him with Bhai Buddha, but the Guru satisfied them saying that he was taking every step for the goodness and welfare of his Sikhs.

There are certain writers who hold the opinion that the New Policy was justified under the existing circumstances. Dr. I. B. Banerjee comments that externally and internally the situation was changing. The Guru had felt that without adopting the arms it was not easy to defend the situation. Therefore, Dr. I. B. Banerjee observes, “The way in which the Guru met the situation speaks a good deal for his resourcefulness and shrewd practical sense.” Had he not followed this policy, the community would have either not survived or would have relapsed into the limited merit of utility of saints and faquirs.

It is wrong to observe, as some critics of the policy put it, that the lure of politics and the glamour of arms were leading him away from the true path of a religious and spiritual leader. It can’t be denied that like his predecessors, he efficiently guided his Sikhs in religious and spiritual matters. He used to impart some time daily in religious preaching. It is also a matter of fact that he spent the last ten years of his life in performing religious activities at Kiratpur. His military activities against the Mughals were truly in defense of the religion. He had no political ambitions behind such activities.

This policy was not entirely new. Guru Nanak had boldly criticized the tyrant rulers. He also criticized those who tolerate injustice. Guru Arjan had also started giving military training to his Sikhs. Thus this policy had already started during the period of Guru Arjan, but it was Guru Hargobind who gave it a practical shape. Dr. H.R. Gupta writes, “Hargobind carried the torch lit by Nanak; but he added to it the lustre of the sword.”

The New Policy brought a great change in the character of the Sikhs. The Sikhs were now transformed into Saint-Soldiers and gradually became a brave race of the warriors. The Jats, who had adopted Sikhism in a great number, got an opportunity to show the instincts of their bravery and courage. It was also a factor in his imprisonment for some time in the fort of Gwalior. But still the policy could not be ended. Instead, the Akal Takhat was constructed, Amritsar was fortified and an army was organized. He carried on his policy establishing friendly relations with Jahangir. However, with Shah Jahan as the new emperor, warfare became inevident and many battles were fought against the Mughals. Dr. E. Trumpp observes that the Mughal authorities “were either too short-sighted or indolent or too powerless to stop effectively the concourse of such a turbulent and dangerous crowd.” 

Janamsakhis as a Source for the study of Guru Nanak

The Janamsakhis are the major source related to the study of Guru Nanak. However, there are still some others which help us in getting the knowledge of the life and times of Guru Nanak. Some reliable sources can be mentioned as under.

                                                            I.   Vars of Bhai Gurdas

Bhai Gurdas was a nephew of the third Guru, Amar Das ji. He was a contemporary of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth Gurus. He was responsible for scripting the Adi Granth at the dictation of Guru Arjan Dev. He composed 39 Vars and 556 Kabits. Though his poetry was not included in the Adi Granth, Guru Arjan declared that the verses of Bhai Gurdas must be read first by a Sikh in order to understand fully the philosophy contained in the Holy Granth. The reader of these verses can gain spiritually and acquire the instructions regarding the teachings of the great Gurus. It is thus certain that the works of Bhai Gurdas existed even at the time of composition of the Adi Granth in 1604 AD and some of the Vars were written during the pontification of Guru Hargobind.

It is believed that Bhai Gurdas composed his Vaars about sixty years after the death of Guru Nanak, which give us a sketch of the life of Guru Nanak. The stanzas 23 to 45 of Var 1 and stanzas 13-14 of Var 11 provide us with a brief account of Guru Nanak. Mainly the religious aspect of Guru Nanak is dealt with in the Vars, while the Kabits contain merely ‘the Sikh tenets and a panegyric of the Gurus.’. Dr. Indu Bhushan Bannerjee writes that “it is important to note that they mark a definite  landmark in the evolution of Sikhism and should thus be regarded as extremely valuable.

                                                        II.   Janamsakhis

Janamsakhis are very important source to study the life of Guru Nanak Dev. There are many versions of the Janamsakhis.

1.      Puratan Janamsakhi or Janamsakhi by Sewa Das: The Janamsakhi by Bhai Sewa Das is probably the oldest of all the Janamsakhis. Two manuscripts of this Janamsakhi are available:

(a)    Colebrooke Manuscript: This manuscript was taken to London by Sir Thomas Colebrooke in 1815-16 A.D. and was donated to the Library of East India House. In 1872 AD, Dr. Ernest trump found it in India Office Library, London. The manuscript was published in 1877 AD. When the Sikhs of Punjab knew of it, they pleaded with Sir Charles Aitchison, the Lt. Governor of Punjab, that the Janamsakhis may be shown to them. The petition was accepted and the Government of India got its copy printed after photozincophing it. But in 1884 AD, the Singh Sabha of Lahore had lithographed its copy.

(b)   Hafizabad Manuscript: Bhai Gurmukh Singh of Lahore got this manuscript in Hafizabad and M.A. Macauliffe found some of its last pages missing, completed it by the Colebrooke manuscript. He has based his famous work, The Sikh Religion, on it.

Macauliffe is of the opinion that it was written in 1588 AD, half a century after the death of Guru Nanak. But most of the scholars are of the view that it was written in 1634-35 AD. It contains 57 sakhis and is considered to be the genuine source to study the life of Guru Nanak. Bhai Vir Singh published a sakhi based on it in 1926 AD.

When the accounts were written by Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Sewa Das, some of the disciples of Guru Nanak were still alive and “would have acted as a powerful check on the introduction of doubtful and exaggerated details.” Yet these cannot be concluded to be free from legendary myths and supernatural touches, even though scrappy. Bhai Gurdas has, however, avoided to give a complete life sketch of the Guru as its details could have been easily obtained at that time.

Whatever may be the nature of these accounts, we can’t omit its supernatural and mythical details, because by doing so, we will be having a bare skeleton which will be regarded as even the necessary minimum. Trumpp observes, “Compared with the later Janamsakhis, which enter into minute details in order to satisfy curiosity, and which have no sense but for the miraculous, however absurd, it is relatively sober.”

2.      Janamsakhi by Meharban Sodhi: Meherban was the son of Prithi Chand, elder brother of Guru Arjan Dev. Being related to the Guru family, he knew pretty well the traditions regarding Guru Nanak. This Sakhi was compiled probably during the Var 1 by Bhai Gurdas and the Janamsakhi of Sewa Das. The chief feature of this Janamsakhi is the account of Guru Nanak’s settlement in Kartarpur, which is not available in any other Janamsakhi.

Historically, this account is regarded very much valuable because

(a)    The names of persons and places mentioned in it are generally correct;

(b)    There are few miraculous stories in it; and

(c)    The dates given are quite accurate.

`                  3. Bhai Bala’s Janamsakhi : Bhai Bala’s Janamsakhi has been a controversial issue among the historians. According to the Sikh chronicles, Bhai Bala was one of the earliest accomplices of Guru Nanak. He is even stated to have accompanied Guru Nanak during his travels. The Sakhi is stated to have been written during the period of Guru Angad with Bala’s help, who dictated these to Paira Mokha. This Janamsakhi, as compared to other sakhis, contains a number of events in Nanak’s life.

                        However, today the authenticity of this Janamsakhi as well as its author is doubted. It is stated that when Bala came on a visit to Guru Nanak’s successor, Guru Angad, at Khadur, the new Guru sought his introduction as to whose disciple he was and also about his religious convictions. Bala informed that he was a disciple of Guru Nanak and had been very closely associated with Him since his early childhood. On hearing this, Guru Angad entrusted upon him the task to narrate the incidents of the Master’s life. Moreover, it is also said that one day Bhai Bala started making an enquiry to know about the successor of Guru Nanak.

                        Now how is it probable that two close associates of the same Guru are not familiar to each other, and Guru Angad had even sought Bala’s introduction. Also, Bhai Gurdas has mentioned the names of various eminent personalities associated with Guru Nanak, including Mardana, Bhai Budha, Daulat Khan Lodhi etc, but Bala’s reference does not come even once.

                        Again, it is believed that had Bala been a genuine person, he would not have mentioned the disparaging stories to show that Nanak was born again and again because of the result of the bad Karmas in his previous lives. According to the Sikh traditions, Nanak was sent by God to liberate mankind from sins and from the shackles of birth and rebirth.

                        Certain aspects are forwarded to prove that Bala’s Janamsakhi is spurious:

-          ‘Waheguru’ is the word used in this Sakhi. But it was used since the period of Guru Ramdas and not Guru Nanak.

-          Eminabad was the name given to the town during the period of Akbar and Guru Arjan Dev. During Guru Nanak’s period it was called Syedpur. However, Bala has used the name Eminabad for it.

-          A story in the Janamsakhi refers to Devlut Masand. However, it is a matter of fact that the Masand system was introduced by Guru Ramdas

-          The language in the Janamsakhi is also not of Guru Nanak’s age but much later than that.

Dr. W.H. McLeod believes, “The Bala version is, however, the least trustworthy of all the Janamsakhi traditions. Errors of fact occur with considerable frequency and the fabulous material which it incorporates far exceeds that of the other Janamsakhis, both in quantity and in degree.” Dr. Trilochan Singh, however, refutes this theory.

4.      Gyan Ratnavali: Bhai Mani Singh was initiated into the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh. His Gyan Ratnavali, also known as Mani Singh’s Janamsakhi, appears to be the expansion of Bha Gurdas’ Vaar 1 and includes the popular theories regarding Nanak in the age of Guru Gobind Singh.  

5.        Mahima Parkash : Mahima Parkash Vartik was written by Kirpal Singh in 1741 AD, while the Mahima Parkash Kavita was composed in 1776 AD by Sarup Das Bhalla. These accounts are the other important sources regarding the period of Guru Nanak. Basically, the two accounts appear the same, but Kirpal Singh’s Vartik is shorter. Sarup Das’ account of Guru Nanak is based on Puratan Janamsakhi. The later version is composed by imagination. He started writing at Varanasi and completed it at Amritsar. It is also known as Vairowal Wali Janamsakhi.

                                              III.             Nanak Prakash

It was composed by Bhai Santokh Singh in 1823 AD. Imagination was in full swings at this time. Taking the clue from Nanak’s visit to Ceylon, he narrates the meetings of Guru Nanak with Hanuman, Vibhishana, Prahlad, Dhruva and other bhaktas. To give it a touch of reality, he introduces long dialogues in this connection. Dr. I.B. Banerjee comments, “In fact, imagination once let loose, does not stop till it has effected a complete metamorphosis of the personality of Nanak and brought him into the line with the legendary figures of old.”

                                            IV.       Dabistan-e-Mujahib

The author of this work wrote under the pseudonym of Mohsin Fani. He was a contemporary of the fifth, sixth and seventh Sikh Gurus, and was a personal friend of Guru Hargobind. He has given a good account of the teachings of Guru Nanak. He seems to have deep regard and tolerance towards Sikhism. As Dr. I.B. Banerjee believes that his work is of special value as he is an independent witness. But he has also given a number of mythical stories, he heard from the Sikhs of his time.

These sources are not without their limitations. So far as the period of these sources is concerned, no account was written during the period of Guru Nanak. These sources were composed much after Nanak’s death. The Janamsakhis of Sewa Das, Meherban and Bala were written not before the first half of the 17^th century, while the versions of Mahima Prakash were written in the 18^th century. Moreover, these Sakhis were a mixture of legends, myths and supernatural elements. In fact, these were written by the devoted Sikhs for the faithful followers of Sikhism and not for the sake of historians.

Another drawback in these sources is that they are not arranged in chronological order. Therefore, it becomes difficult to arrange different aspects of the life of Guru Nanak in a chronological sequence.

Dr. W.H. McLeod writes, “The Janam Sakhis must be regarded as examples of hagiography and any inclination to treat them as biographies will distort both our understanding of Guru Nanak and our appreciation of the true value of Janam Sakhis themselves.”

Despite these shortcomings, we possess only Janamsakhis as a source of our knowledge for the life of Guru Nanak. Our chief aim is to find out how much material containing in these sakhis and other sources can be acceptable as historical, because as McLeod feels, “In spite of their manifest shortcomings, we are bound to rely on the Janamsakhis for almost all of our information concerning these events….”