Guru Gobind Singh invited his
followers from all over India to a special congregation at
Anandpur on Baisakhi Day, 30 March 1699. He asked, with a naked
sword in his hand, 'Is there anyone among you who is prepared to
die for the Sikh faith?' When people heard his call, they were
taken aback. Some of the wavering followers left the
congregation, while others began to look at one another in
amazement. After a few minutes, a Sikh from Lahore named Daya
Ram stood up and offered his life to the Guru. The Guru took
him to a tent pitched close by, and after some time came out
with a sword dripping blood. The Sikhs thought Daya Ram had
been slain. The Guru repeated his demand calling for another
Sikh who was prepared to die at his command. The second Sikh
who offered himself was Dharam Das. Thereafter, three more,
Mohkam Chand, Sahib Chand and Himmat Rai, offered their lives to
the Guru.
Later, these five Sikhs were given new robes and presented to
the congregation. They constituted the panj pyare, the
Five Beloved Ones, who were baptized as the Khalsa or
the Pure Ones with the administration of Amrit. The
Guru declared:Since Guru
Nanak, it is the charanamrit (water used for washing
the Guru's feet) which has been administered to the devotees.
But from now on, I shall baptize them with water stirred with a
double edged sword - Khanda.
Upon administering amrit
to the Five Beloved Ones, the Guru asked them to baptize him in
the same manner, thus emphasizing equality between the Guru and
his disciples. Guru Gobind Singh named the new ceremony
Khanday-da-Amrit, namely the baptism of the double-edged
sword. He stirred water in a iron bowl with the sword, reciting
the five major compositions, Japji, Jaap, Anand
Sahib, Ten Sawaiyas and Chaupai, while the five
Sikhs stood facing him. The Guru's wife put some sugar-puffs
into the water. The nectar thus obtained was called
Khanday-da-Amrit. This implied that the new Khalsa
Brotherhood would not only be full of courage and heroism, but
also filled with humility. |
