The Five Loved Ones
After the third call, Bhai Dya Ram, a khatri by caste from Lahore, Punjab rose and requested...
Updated On: 4/7/2009
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By the supreme sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur at Delhi, the fame of the institution of Guru Nanak spread to every nook and corner of the country. The rich and the poor from far and near started coming to Anandpur to see and offer respects to Guru Gobind Rai. The Guru dispensed with the middlemen called Masands to collect the offerings and tithe from the Sikhs for the Guru's institution.

With the end of the middlemen, Sikhs themselves brought their offerings to Anandpur. This resulted in increase of love for the institution and the devotees began to get the pleasure of beholding their Guru face to face. The Muslim, petty landlords and other robbers began to harass the Sikh devotees on their way to Anandpur with their offerings. To escape the robberies and harassment on the skirmishes were the signs of awakening of the lowly and down trodden classes. The Sikhs kept arms and had the skill to use them but did not carry them all the time.

The Guru, finding the suitable time, decided to arm the Sikhs. He sent invitations to the Sikhs to assemble at Anandpur on Baisakhi day, the 30th march 1699. An estimated eighty thousand Sikhs were present at Sri Kesgarh in the morning congregation. The Guru joined the congregation after recitation of 'Asa Di War' (balled from Granth Sahib) was over. He had a shining sword in his hand. Showing the sword to the congregation, he said in a thunderous voice, " I need a head. Is there a Sikh who is ready to present his head to his guru."

Seeing this phenomenon of a sword in the Guru's hand and the demand for a head by the Guru, the congregation was terrified with disbelief and silence fell all around. After the third call, Bhai Dya Ram, a khatri by caste from Lahore, Punjab rose and requested, "O' True lord, this body and soul belong to you and I offer it to you. Use it as you desire. I seek forgiveness for not offering myself on the first call."

Holding him by the arm, the Guru took him inside the tent. Dread and fear gripped. Congregation heard a sound from inside the tent as if the Guru had severed the head of Bhai Daya Ram from the body.

The Guru again came to the congregation and asked for another head. This time Bhai Dharam Dass, a farmer of Delhi offered his head. In this way, three other Sikhs - Bhai Himmat Rai, waterman of Jagan Nath Puri, Orissa, Bhai Mohkam Chand, tailor of Dwarka, Gujrat and Bhai Sahib Chand, barber of Bider, Andhra Pradesh presented their heads to the Guru.

After the five Sikhs had offered their heads, the Guru brought them out of the tent and presented them before the congregation. They were the Panj Piaras ( the five loved ones) who had offered their heads to the Guru. They were dressed in a similar attire as to the one worn by the Guru. They the fully arrayed Singhs.

The Guru called for an iron bowl and in that he put the water of river Sutlej and sugar candy. Then the Guru and the five loved ones sat round that iron bowl. Taking a doubled edged sword, the Guru began stirring the water in the bowl and reciting the five banis (sacred hymns). The five hymns recited were Japu Ji, Jap Sahib, Swaiyas, Chaupai, and Anand Sahib.

After the completion of recitation of the five sacred hymns, the Guru said. "This is the Amrit (nectar) which has been prepared. Khalsa (the pure) will be destroy tyranny."

The nectar thus prepared was administered to the five loved ones. It was also sprinkled in their eyes and hair. By partaking of the nectar by the five loved ones. Khalsa was created. The Guru requested the Khalsa that he be administered the bounty of the nectar and be made Khalsa. Having partaken the Amrit Guru Gobind Rai became Guru Gobind Singh.

The Guru bestowed the gift of the nectar on the Sikhs and made them Singhs (lions) and gave women the title of Kaur which means princess. He abolished the four castes and differences created by the Brahmins. He put women on equal footing to men in all respect. The differences between high caste and low caste people were abolished among the Singhs. All the Singhs became brothers. The dirt of ego was washed from the minds of the Singhs and they were made Khalsa - the pure one.

The Guru made compulsory for the Singhs to wear the five kakars : Kesh (hair), Kangha (comb), Kara ( iron bracelet), Kirpan (sword) and Kachhehra (long breeches).

He also forbid them from the company of other women (adultery), to eat meant of animals killed slowly in Islamic ways, use of intoxicants (to smoke) and to cut hair and asked them to recite the five sacred hymns daily. He made Khalsa the saintly soldier.

It is worth noting that the five loved ones who offered their heads to the Guru were all from different states and only one of them was from Punjab. All the five were from different places, different professions and spoke different languages. From this, one can imagine how far the roots of Sikhism were spread. The Guru's devotees were not only in Punjab and Delhi but all over India. The whole of India was sick of the tyranny being committed and was ready to sacrifice everything, including their very lives.

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