GEMS OF GURBANI

National Character – 11

Awareness of negative character

Apart from opportunism in character that had invaded the psyche of Indians, what troubled Guru Nanak the most was the acceptance of slavery from foreign rulers. All the insult and disrespect that is associated with slavery was not acceptable to him. This was not without showing back to your own high prized civilization and culture. This all happened under fear from the terror of Muslim invaders. The condition was utmost humiliating. To awaken the Indians from this humiliating state of affairs Guru Nanak expresses his feelings in the most wonderful poetry ‘Asa di waar”

                        Gau Brahman kau kar laveh gobar taran na jayii II

                        Dhoti tika te japmali dhanu malechhan khayii  II GG Pg. 471 

Brahmins had accepted the jobs of administration during the Muslim rule and whatever these Muslim rulers dictated he was doing it without giving a thought that he is party to the injustice on his own countrymen. The meaning of above verse says; You charge taxes for the cow and considers cow and cow dung as holy, you wear a dhoti (Loin cloth), put a tilak (frontal marks – a religious symbol) and carries a rosary but eat the food provided by a malechh (Muslim) this all is not going to free your soul. He further says ; “ andhi rayyat gyan vihuni, bhah bhare murdaar II GG pg.469 meaning: the subjects are blind and ignorant without any wisdom they satisfy the official’s cravings for greed and bribe (carrion>murdaar). When Brahmin was creating caste system he had set duties for the each caste for public conduct and now he himself was taking bribe and serving according to the foreign ruler’s diktat and kashtriya was given duty to fight for justice and truth but he became opportunist and accepted the humiliation of slavery and imposed taxes for being non-muslim on his own countrymen and insulted their own religious beliefs. The greatest insult is to bear all humiliation and not protest against it. Guru says: “labuh paap doyi raja mahta kur hua sikdar II

                                    Kaam nebuh sab puchhiye bahi bahi kare bichar II” GG Pg.468

Meaning: Both avarice and sin are the King and Minister and falsehood is the Master of mint, lust the assistant official is summoned and consulted and they all sit together and chalk out evil plans. He further says: “Raje shihn mukkadam kutte II  GG pg 1288 meaning the Kings have become the lions and their administrators the dog and they harass the people during the day and even in their sleep.

The constant preaching by all Gurus created national character amongst the followers and they started protesting against the injustice inflicted by the ruling class. This character slowly became a part of their nature that we shall not bear any humiliation and created a Khalsa force that not only stopped the invasions from Khyber pass forever but also prepared them to fight the British Raj for freedom and injustice.