Genesis of The Khalsa......Parmaattam Ki Mauj .

If we look back towards the end of 17^th century and the way life was in north of India …times must have been bad ….to be precise the times preceding the Baisakh of 1699 must have been difficult. Guru Gobind Singh ji was troubled by the caste-ridden divisive society, the religious discords … the hardliners and exploiters in the name of religion Such were the times when Guru Gobind Singh gave birth to the Khalsa Panth …The Guru regarded the Punj Piaras as the first members of the Khalsa and the embodiment of the Guru himself. With the constitution of the Panj Pyare the high and low castes were amalgamated into one.

Khalsa Akaal Purakh  ki Fauj  Pragtiyo Khalsa Parmaattam Ki Mauj 

Khalsa is the faithful troopers of the divine 

[In his will, God created the Khalsa]

The word "Khalsa" …Where did get it from?

Why did he call Khalsa Parmaattma ki mauj?

Well to begin  we can establish that its roots are  derived from Sanskrit,…. The word derivative traveled through languages ….Persian, Arabic, Greek and other …. returning centuries later to India and the Punjab with the Portuguese, Persians and Arab invaders.  It has two literal meanings  from Arabic parlance… the phraseology  uses ‘khalis’ … which literally means "pure" or "unsullied" and in Perso-Arabic…it is “khalisah”.

Here there is minor variance …along with  literal meaning pure; it  could also mean ….office of revenue department; lands directly under government management,. ‘Khalisah’ thus was – ‘The land of the Emperor… that land that cannot be taxed. The term khalisah was used extensively during the Arab-muslim rule in India…It was applicable for lands administered directly by the king without the mediation of jagirdars or mansabdars. Though the Mugal Emperors used this word towards the property, land, estate or region on which a revenue tax is owed directly to the emperor. The local ruler had no jurisdiction over it.

The word Khalsa was first brought to India by Muslim invaders, who settled in India starting in the year 636 A.D.

The literal meaning of the word Khalsa is spotless, pure or sacred.

One literal meaning is "Pure" and the other meaning is "belonging to the king". When the word "Khalsa" is used for a Sikh, it implies belonging to the King, where the King is TRUTH…. God himself. To become a Khalsa a Sikh must surrender him/her self completely to TRUTH……To God and obey God's will completely.

Only then is a Sikh called "Khalsa."…So it is said.

A Sikhs who have taken Amrit get collectively to be inclusive member of the Khalsa Institution ….which was ordained to be “Pure" & flawless by Guru Gobind Singh….The creator of Khalsa Panth. The initiated Khalsa lived by Truth and pledged his/her life to tenets of Guru’ and Gurbani. and sacrificed anything and everything in a never-ending struggle for the just cause of ensuring safety & welfare of the entire humanity …..  Guru Gobind Singh’s doctrine of service was for ALL HUMANITY.

The word "Khalsa" appears in the Guru Granth Sahib first in the Bani of Bhagat Kabir thus:

Bhagat Kabir, Baba Sheikh Farid, Bhagat Trilochan, Bhagat Namdev, Bhagat Akroor, Bhagat Dhroo etc., all of whom lived before the Sikh Gurus, and thus before the Amrit initiation,…. …

Baba Farid

Therefore would you dichotomise them from not being a ‘Khalsa’?

As per rigid clerics can they be considered to be Khalsa?

My personal take on this in broader spectrum is that anyone who does ‘Naam Simran’ That is….devotion to the Almighty….. Be they of any faith, creed, country etc. by definition, is a Khalsa…..Pure of soul and body and mind.

In more parochial terms I would use Khalsa…As a Sikh, who has defined Sikhi in his heart and his spirit is imbued by the divine grace of ‘Waheguru’.

Before we delve into who is the actually a Khalsa or not lets first look at the definition of the word ‘Khalsa’.

The modern-day Sikh historian Piara Singh Padam defined Khalsa as:

'-the free individual who is free from all forms of subservience.’

Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha defined Khalsa thus:

As genuine, p   Pure and unadulterated…..

Would it be right to take a position and state that all Amritdhari’s are pure and noble in spirit and thought?

Furthermore, is it right to state that a non-amrit-dhari is impure thus not an eligible Khalsa of the Sikh dharma?

sant Kabir Das

Now …let us take the historical significance in perspective…..The word ‘khalsa’ was known to Sant Kabir (1398-1495), he was older than Guru Nanak but was his contemporary. He uses the word Khalsa in Raag Sorath: SGGS, Page, 655-1

Pari­o kal sabai jag upar mahi like baram gi­ani.

Kahu Kabir JanBhae Khalsay Prem Bhagat Jeh Jaani.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਜਨ ਭਏ ਖਾਲਸੇ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਭਗਤਿ ਜਿਹ ਜਾਨੀ ॥੪॥੩॥

Says Kabeer, those humble people become pure - they become Khalsa - who know the Lord's loving devotional worship. ||4||3|| He is a non- amrit dhari….But is a Khalsa !!!

Guru Hargobind, the 6th Guru, refers to the word Khalsa in His Hukamnama to the …Sangat of Purab.

He is again a non amrit dhari….But is a Khalsa !!

Guru Tegh Bahadur used it in addressing the….. Sangat of Pattan.

He is a non amrit dhari….But is a Khalsa as well !!

Thus sixth and 9th Gurus used the word Khalsa to those Sangats who did not have any parishes or Manji's. They had a direct link with the Guru as there were no Masands and sent the offerings directly to him.

Guru Gobind Singh upon discovering that ‘Masands’ were corrupt and were siphoning off the offerings and funds for their own personal benefit disbanded their ‘Manjis’. Upon the abolishment of the ‘Manjis’, all the Sangats came to be known as...’Guru ka Khalsa’.

Guru Gobind Singh has been very open-minded in his use of the word Khalsa when referring to the Sangat ……totally inconsequential was the consideration to the fact whether people are Amrit –dhari or not….for that matter he cared a twit if the names of his Sangat ended in Singh…..They were all Guru da Khalsa’ .

 It became routine for him to write and use the word Khalsa for any Sangat he addressed. He also used the word to other individuals and even for devoted Muslims.

The following references from the book of Hukamnamas will bring out the truth of the above statement.

 He wrote on March 12, 1699, before the Baisakhi of that year to the Sangat of Machiwara, that this Sangat is the Khalsa of the Guru.

On Oct 5, 1699, Guru Gobind Singh used the same words to the Sangat of Sarangdeo.

He writes to Bhai Mehar Chand, Dharam Chand, and Karam Chand of Khufia Nivas, Bhai Bideraban, and Gulal Chand on Feb 6, 1702, that you are my Khalsa.

 Another letter of 1704 addressed to Bhai Sukhia,  Bhai Mukhia, and Bhai Parsa stated that Sarb Sangat is my Khalsa.

Do we need to say more….Well, I suppose for naysayers ..we will have to...

Mata sundari Ji

Mata Sundri Ji on Oct 12, 1717, wrote a letter and addressed to many people including Bhai Debi Dass, Bhai Gulab Rai. It stated that Sarbat Sangat is the Khalsa of Akal Purkh.

In yet another letter of October 20, 1722, she wrote to Bhai Gul Mehar (Muslim), Bhai Kan Ji, Bhai Duni Chand, Bhai Bakshi Mal, Bhai Sahib Rai, Bhai Kaku Mal, Bhai Jagat Rai, Bhai Rup Chand, Bhai Kirpa Rai, Bhai Chatter Bhoj, Bhai Kaura Mal, Bhai Babu Rai, Bhai Chuna Mal, and Bhai Danja Rai, that you are all Guru Ka Khalsa.

In a letter of June 2, 1723, she again wrote the same to Bhai Dodh Singh, Bakhtawar Singh, Hukam Singh, Babar Mal, and Prem Chand.

 Another letter of hers dated October 18, 1723, addressed to Bhai Chain Singh, Bhai Bhopat Singh, Bhai Alam Singh, and Bhai Mani Singh had similar content.

This is also true of another one written to Gur Bakhash on August 10, 1730.

Still another letter of April 12, 1759, from Khalsa to Khalsa stated the same.

With all the above we have ample terms of reference… It becomes pretty clear that the word Khalsa had been used for Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs who had implicit believe in the way of life with the Sikh beliefs….. The ten Gurus, and the Guru Granth Sahib.

Thus we can say that the word Khalsa is applicable more in sync with the spiritual character of an individual rather than physical appearance.

So who is a Khasa?

·         Khalsa is one who remembers the Name of the Lord night and day … and who gives no thought to anyone but one God….Ek Onkaar.

·         Khalsa is self supportive and self righteous ,he should not be not become burden on anybody. Work and Earn….Kirat karna.

·         Share and eat….Vand Chakna Naam Japna.

Khalsa is one who has full faith and love in ‘Waheguru …and the Baani in Guru Granth Sahib is his living guru…His guide, mentor and teacher. . It contains the teachings of the Sikh Gurus and other enlightened persons. These teachings should be used as tools that make us better human beings.

Those who sincerely accept mistakes of their misdeeds and repent shall be forgiven and accepted into the Khalsa fold. Such is the code of conduct of Khalsa.  

Guru Gobind Singh….

Let there be no doubt, that I am the slave of Lord like other men, who are the beholders of the wonders of creation.

Jay Hum Ko Parmeshar Oucher Hai, Tay Sabh Narak Kund Meh Par Hai.

Whosoever calls me God, will fall into the ditch of hell. -----DG, Page, 57