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Dharam Yudh


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Literally, it means waging a war of righteousness or securing freedom and justice. Guru Hargobind Ji raised an army to fight against Mughal and Hindu oppression and injustice. Dhan Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji amplified the Sikh concept of Dharam Yudh as under:

1. War to be waged should be without aggression or feeling of emnity and revenge.

2. Before war is begun, all peaceful means of dialiogue, arbitration and negotiation should have been tried but without any success.

3. The soldiers should be volunteers devoted to the cause.

4. The defeated enemy should be treated with consideration and compassion. No women or children be captured or maltreated.

5. That minimum force be used for subduing the enemy and as a last resort.

6. No territory is to be annexed, no looting or wilful bloodshed is permitted. The army for Dharam-Yudh must observe these conditions, for they have to set an example as Saint-Soldiers.

This was written by Guru Ji himself for all Singhs to emulate. I personally believe that these rules also serve as an excellent guide for life. Think about them along these:

1. Have no hatred towards anyone

2. Try to be reasonable and understanding, but let anyone walk over you!

3. Be devoted to your Guru and always aim to serve your Guru

4. Recognise everything you see around you as that of Vahiguru, love everything. Even people who maltreat you should be treated with Love, to show that whatever they do or say, the only thing that really matters in this world is Vahiguru.

5. Never try to be over-zealous and make sure that what you are doing is for the benefit of YOU and your Guru and that you DO NOT hurt the people who surround you when you are trying to achieve your goals.

6. Do not hurt anyone (physically or mentally) and do not take or receive anything that does not belong to you.

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  • 4 years later...

I would like to question some of the points mentioned.

1. How can war be waged without aggression?

3. Although it would be great if this was the case, even Maharaj hired merceneries? Agreed they did often turn their back on maharaj and perhaps theres a lesson to be learnt. After maharajs time is anyone aware of merceneries being hired by the khalsa?

5. In relation to this point, a study of maharajs battle tactics reveal that they were to create panic, dissarray and smash the ranks of the enemy - more so than to kill as many as possible.

6. So the territores that the Khalsa annexed should not have been done? Maharaj encuoraged the Singhs to take over the lands, and after a war or battle there is a very important maryada known as 'loot marh'. As mentioned this doesnt include killing civilians,women or children.

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Malwe Da Sher:

1)I think "aggression" may be a poor translation - think of it more as only waging war in defence.

3) Volunteers are more likely to be ready to give their lives for the cause - i think the point refers to the practice of some rulers to conscript soldiers and force them to fight.

6) which territories did the Khalsa, under Guru Gobind Singh Ji, annexe?

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I didnt say the Khalsa under maharaj annexed any territory. However, in Rattan Singh Bhangus Panth Parkash there is an interesting account regarding Maharaj wanting the Singhs to take over the lands in the South of India, but the Singhs saying they were content with taking over just Punjab.

To say that no land should be annexed and that there should be no looting really contradicts the history of the Khalsa.

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To say that no land should be annexed and that there should be no looting really contradicts the history of the Khalsa.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but i don't think the Khalsa looted from innocent parties during Guru Gobind Singh Ji's time. I suspect that Banda Singh Bahadur's Fauj may not have been so disciplined - especially once he drifted out of Maharaj Ji's hukam.

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I would like to question some of the points mentioned.

1. How can war be waged without aggression?

I cannot answer all of your raised questions but i can try to answer very first question. War with aggression cause innocent human life.

True sikh of sri guru gobind singh ji, will use only "justified force" to eliminate the target that means abort the missions if its turning out that there are innocent civilians on the way of target. In real world, this is painful, talk to any militants around the world, amount of pressure they get and planning they have spent to eliminate the target is over-whelming, hence in their dictionary if target (ruthless opressors/killer) is eliminated even in the cost of one-two innocent civilians is acceptable, but remember we are not just any joe blow sormaie/soldiers , we are given an beautiful concept of saint and sipahi, we are given ideals of khalsa, shaheedi, maryada in the dharam yudh. In the dharam yudh, singh under no circumstances doesnt not target - innocent civilians. Regardless how much pressure, how much planning is done to kill targets, singh should instantly boycatt/cancel the mission to target (ruthless killers/oppressors) after knowning it will cost an live of an innocent.

Sikh need to be first sant (dya, dharam, sat, santokh, gyan) and then sipahi, its not other way around, only sipahihood in an person makes them demonic/tamoguni nothing else. You need santhood first and sipahi to anaylise each and every suitation in dharam yudh to questions- how much justified force need to be used? do assessment of dharam yudh, how is it impacting other innocent civilians life? how can one eliminate an target(ruthless killers/oppressors) soo pricesly that no innocent life is lost. And no these attributes of santhood first then sipahihood and questions and assesmment of dharam yudh is not only limited to only jathedar but each one of us who have desire to be shaheeds for the panth and Guru have this responsiblity.

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  • 1 month later...

take part in dharmic morcha

S.I.K.H.

Spiritual Inquiry with Khanda & Heart

TIME FOR CHANGE

Handsworth Mela – dishonour, behzti – is this the state of Sikhi???

“Jin Bhe adab na baani dhara, jano so sikh nehi hamaraâ€

“He who has no fear or respect of Gurbani, know that he is not my Sikh.â€

(Extract from Sikh Rehatnama)

BEADBI (intentional and unintentional disrespect) of Maharaaj Guru Granth Sahib jee is something that as Sikhs we cannot, and will not tolerate. Currently there is general unrest in the Sikh youth as more importance has been placed on this issue from Sikhs worldwide over recent years.

We don’t take Guru Maharaaj into halls, hotels, pubs and clubs because of our love and respect for Guru ji, but then why do we take maharaaj into a park; where we have no control over the code of conduct in the parks boundaries. Where ever Guru Ji is present on thakt the atmosphere of the boundaries should be the same as a Gurdwara. The same behaviour and activities should be going on as a Gurdwara. Does this happen in the Handsworth Mela?

Even maharaaj Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s horse would not enter a field where tobacco was planted. Yet we annually take saroop’s of Maharaaj Guru Granth Sahib Ji in to an environment where tobacco stubs litter the ground and where people enter under the intoxication of various substances, be it unintentionally, this is something that must be evaluated and changed as there is continued discontent in the Sikh youth.

Do you think it is acceptable to take Maharaaj into areas with rave type atmospheres, loud and noisy music, rides, with inappropriate social interaction, with a non-existent dress code, where people smoke and drink? The problem lies not with the mela in principle but whether or not we are showing true respect for Guru jee. This isn’t even taking into account the recent bad publicity we have received from last years detrimental shenanigans with the “Sikh on Sikh†violence. Just type “vaisakhi mela†and “BBC†into www.youtube.com and see the negative social profiling of Sikhs in the media coverage as well as the camera phone videos of bhangra and Punjabi gang/thug/yob culture. Then think and decide for yourself… Are these really Sikh values? Are we moving forwards? If so towards what? Why are we continually causing confusion between religion and culture?

What is the point of a darbar in Boundaries were corrupt activities are taking place. This is total disrespect to Guru Ji and it is time for the sangat to wake up.

“If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anythingâ€

“Do nothing then nothing changesâ€

“Prevention is better then curesâ€

With older generations of the Sikh community currently questioning the purpose and actual parchar of a mela, we are merely suggesting careful planning so as the youth and older community members can work together to try to avoid the disrespect and BEADBI that is prevalent in the “Vaisakhi†mela as it is. Please sign up on the petition via the website below to express your concerns towards organizers. Feel free to make comments in an appropriate and civilized manner. Many Thanks…

http://handsworthmela.blogspot.com/

http://www.petitiononline.com/sikhmela/petition.html

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  • 14 years later...
On 7/23/2003 at 6:27 PM, Guest said:

Literally, it means waging a war of righteousness or securing freedom and justice. Guru Hargobind Ji raised an army to fight against Mughal and Hindu oppression and injustice. Dhan Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji amplified the Sikh concept of Dharam Yudh as under:

 

1. War to be waged should be without aggression or feeling of emnity and revenge.

2. Before war is begun, all peaceful means of dialiogue, arbitration and negotiation should have been tried but without any success.

3. The soldiers should be volunteers devoted to the cause.

4. The defeated enemy should be treated with consideration and compassion. No women or children be captured or maltreated.

5. That minimum force be used for subduing the enemy and as a last resort.

6. No territory is to be annexed, no looting or wilful bloodshed is permitted. The army for Dharam-Yudh must observe these conditions, for they have to set an example as Saint-Soldiers.

 

This was written by Guru Ji himself for all Singhs to emulate. I personally believe that these rules also serve as an excellent guide for life. Think about them along these:

 

1. Have no hatred towards anyone

2. Try to be reasonable and understanding, but let anyone walk over you!

3. Be devoted to your Guru and always aim to serve your Guru

4. Recognise everything you see around you as that of Vahiguru, love everything. Even people who maltreat you should be treated with Love, to show that whatever they do or say, the only thing that really matters in this world is Vahiguru.

5. Never try to be over-zealous and make sure that what you are doing is for the benefit of YOU and your Guru and that you DO NOT hurt the people who surround you when you are trying to achieve your goals.

6. Do not hurt anyone (physically or mentally) and do not take or receive anything that does not belong to you.

Bumping this great thread

 

On 11/6/2007 at 8:13 PM, shaheediyan said:

4. No women or children be captured or maltreated.

 

This is an interesting and universal law observed by most civilised armies.

 

 

Unfortunately, this seems not to be observed as often as it should be

@sarabatam jee, please can you 'unarchive' this thread ?

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