299
See also: Living in harmony 38 ■ The battle between good and evil 60–65 ■ Selfless action 110–11
■ Physical and mental discipline 112–13 ■ Striving in the way of God 278 ■ Class systems and faith 302–303
which was formally laid down by
the 10th guru, Guru Gobind Singh,
when he created the order of the
Khalsa, the community of all Sikhs
baptized into the faith, in 1699.
Virtue and courage
The idea of social justice lies at the
heart of the Khalsa order (the name
means “the pure” or “the free”).
Members are encouraged not only
to share with others, but also to
protect the poor, the weak, and
the oppressed. This was a crucial
part of Guru Nanak’s original
philosophy, and it was reinforced
during the period of the Ten Gurus,
when Sikhs were persecuted both
by their Muslim rulers and by
Hindus, who regarded the Sikh
faith as heretical. Guru Gobind
Singh’s intention in forming the
Khalsa was to establish an order
of Sikhs that embodied the twofold
virtues of bhakti (spirituality, or
devotion) and shakti (powerfulness).
He envisioned an ideal of the sant-
sipahi, or saint-soldier, who first
and foremost led the life of a saint
in his devotion to God, but would
act as a warrior to defend his faith
or prevent injustice, if necessary.
The Khalsa would protect the
weak, and dedicate themselves to
a virtuous lifestyle of chastity and
temperance, ridding themselves of
the five vices—lust (kaam), anger
(krodh), greed (lobh), emotional
attachment (moh), and egotism
(ahankar)—and keeping God in
mind at all times. Guru Gobind
Singh codified a lifestyle that
was appropriate to all Sikhs when
he established the Khalsa order:
not only did he prohibit rituals,
pilgrimages, and superstitious
practices, but he also outlined
the virtues necessary to a life
devoted to God, such as honesty,
simplicity, monogamy, and
avoidance of alcohol and drugs.
The Khalsa were not asked
to renounce the world in their
devotion to God, in fact quite theMODERN RELIGIONS
opposite: they were asked to play
an active part in it by commitment
to family and community, and by
demonstrating a social conscience,
which is considered one of the
highest of all the Sikh virtues.
Guru Gobind Singh stressed
that a Sikh should act like a
warrior only out of necessity in
leading a saintly life: he should
be a soldierlike saint rather than
a saintlike soldier, and all Sikhs
should act on the principle of “fear
not, frighten not.” Singh likened
the courage needed to behave
in this way to that of the lion,
and suggested that Sikhs being
baptized in the Khalsa order
should adopt the surname
Singh (“lion”) or Kaur (“lioness”).Five articles of faith
After they are baptized in the
Khalsa order, Sikhs are expected
to wear the five articles of faith,
commonly known as the “five Ks”,
as an outward expression of ❯❯The Khalsa belongs to God,
and Victory belongs to Him.
Traditional
Sikh greetingThe Khalsa order was founded in
response to persecution of Sikhs under
the Mughal empire, when Guru Gobind
Singh called for Sikhs willing to lay
down their lives in defense of the faith.