joginder singh foley writes: "This irishman is just curious as to were the "Sikhism is an offshot of Hinduism" leaves this Irish Sikh and all the other converts to Sikhi out there ? We became Sikhs to be Sikhs and NOT a branch of hinduism."
If you converted to Sikh religion, you converted expecting to learn in depth the teachings of Sikh Satguru, and not bringing over any preconceived desire of what Sikhism should be. We are on this forum analyzing what Sikh philosophy is actually teaching, questioning how modern political movements such as Singh Sabha reform may have deliberately altered the message of Sikhism to suit a political agenda of separatism and collusion with the British Raj. No one's objections, either yours or mine as to personal convenience of opinion will alter this fact. As individuals we have to explore what this means regarding how modern Sikhism was influenced and developed within a context of hostility to Hinduism. We became Sikhs of a Guru, that means disciples. Discipleship means accepting the teachings of Guru. If Gurbani says the Naam of liberation we jap is of the sargun manifestation of nirgun God, and calls by names Ram, and Har Krishna, does that change anything? If we accept Sikh Gurmantra for Naam of God is Vaheguru, and we are told in vaaran that this is after the beej (root) sounds of the avataars of Vishnu, then we accept what Guruji has given us.
Who as a disciple, as a shishya would say, "I want Guru's teachings to conform to my cultural expectation?" If you don't like Hinduism, then address the roots of that prejudice. Because the vaaran and tuuks of Gurbani aren't going to go away. Some people will be content never to look under the surface of Sikh practice, and continue to accept the Singh Sabha explanations. But even then, the sanatan Jathas and viewpoint will always come round and haunt you, that maybe Sikhism has changed from the original definitions. Maybe Sikhism has a whole other context and meaning which is being lost to the Panth.
The moment someone analyzes the meaning of Sikh teaching of monotheism, the similarity to Abrahamic religions crumbles. The very concept of a pantheistic Oneness of a nirgun All-pervading is already, of itself within the realm of Hindu/Vedantic philosophy. And any rational examination of the true and deep meaning of Ek Omkar, how it relates to the sound-current of the Naad which is the Om, the All-pervading nirguna (Eko Brahman) who subsumes the trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh), yet "kar" creates out of the trimurti, all creation, is confronted with sanatan Dharam. There is nowhere in Sikhism that it isn't going to be. Because sanatana Dharma is the fundamental root origin of Sikhism. Sikhism never changed it. Sikhism never defined anything as new. The entire message of liberation fits within Sruti, that which was revealed in the Vedas.
"Eko Brahman, Dwiteeyo Naasti."
(There is only one Brahman without a second and the rest is only an expansion of HIM)
-Shankara
aykaa aykankaaru|ikhi daykhaaliaa|
(By writing 1 (One) in the beginning, it has been shown that Ekankar, God, who subsumes all forms in Him is only one (and not two or three).
-Vaar 3 Pauri 15 of 20 of Vaaran Bhai Gurdas
yatha hy avahito vahnir
darushv ekah sva-yonishu
naneva bhati visvatma
bhuteshu ca tatha puman
~Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.32
TRANSLATION
The Lord, as Supersoul, pervades all things, just as fire permeates wood, and so He appears to be of many varieties, though He is the absolute one without a second. Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 2 Verse 32
ਕਾਇਆ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸਾ ਸਭ ਓਪਤਿ ਜਿਤੁ ਸੰਸਾਰਾ ॥
kaaeiaa andhar brehamaa bisan mehaesaa sabh oupath jith sansaaraa ||
Within the body, are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, from whom the whole world emanated.
ਸਚੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਖੇਲੁ ਰਚਾਇਆ ਆਵਾ ਗਉਣੁ ਪਾਸਾਰਾ ॥
sachai aapanaa khael rachaaeiaa aavaa goun paasaaraa ||
The True Lord has staged and contrived His own play; the expanse of the Universe comes and goes.
~SGGS Ji p. 754
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਦੰ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਵੇਦੰ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥
guramukh naadhan guramukh vaedhan guramukh rehiaa samaaee ||
The Guru's Word is the Sound-current of the Naad; the Guru's Word is the Wisdom of the Vedas; the Guru's Word is all-pervading.
ਗੁਰੁ ਈਸਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਬਰਮਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਰਬਤੀ ਮਾਈ ॥
gur eesar gur gorakh baramaa gur paarabathee maaee ||
The Guru is Shiva, the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Paarvati and Lakhshmi.
ਜੇ ਹਉ ਜਾਣਾ ਆਖਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਹਣਾ ਕਥਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥
jae ho jaanaa aakhaa naahee kehanaa kathhan n jaaee ||
Even knowing God, I cannot describe Him; He cannot be described in words.
~SGGS Ji p. 2
ਨਾਭਿ ਕਮਲ ਤੇ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਉਪਜੇ ਬੇਦ ਪੜਹਿ ਮੁਖਿ ਕੰਠਿ ਸਵਾਰਿ ॥
naabh kamal thae brehamaa oupajae baedh parrehi mukh kanth savaar ||
From the lotus of Vishnu's navel, Brahma was born; He chanted the Vedas with a melodious voice.
ਤਾ ਕੋ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਲਖਣਾ ਆਵਤ ਜਾਤ ਰਹੈ ਗੁਬਾਰਿ ॥੧॥
thaa ko anth n jaaee lakhanaa aavath jaath rehai gubaar ||1||
He could not find the Lord's limits, and he remained in the darkness of coming and going. ||1||
~SGGS Ji p. 489
ਸੁਅਸਤਿ ਆਥਿ ਬਾਣੀ ਬਰਮਾਉ ॥
suasath aathh baanee baramaao ||
I bow to the Lord of the World, to His Word, to Brahma the Creator.
ਸਤਿ ਸੁਹਾਣੁ ਸਦਾ ਮਨਿ ਚਾਉ ॥
sath suhaan sadhaa man chaao ||
He is Beautiful, True and Eternally Joyful.
~SGGS Ji p. 4
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਜੋ ਬਿੰਦੇ ਹਰਿ ਸੇਤੀ ਰੰਗਿ ਰਾਤਾ ॥
so braahaman breham jo bindhae har saethee rang raathaa ||
He alone is a Brahmin, who knows the Lord Brahma, and is attuned to the Love of the Lord.
ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਵਸੈ ਸਭਨਾ ਘਟ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਵਿਰਲੈ ਜਾਤਾ ॥
prabh nikatt vasai sabhanaa ghatt anthar guramukh viralai jaathaa ||
God is close at hand; He dwells deep within the hearts of all. How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, know Him.
~SGGS Ji p. 68
Sikhism is not even a challenge or redefinition of this pantheistic teaching. And the concept of Guruji as being the boat, is again from Sruti. The only difference is Sikhs ignore the Gurbani which even says Guruji Himself is an avtaara within the lineage of Har Krishna. So if Har Krishna is a Guru to some, and Sikh Guruji is Guru then we can reconcile how Gurbani and vaaran call a Vaishnav a Gurmukh. But the separatist, elitist interpretation that Sikh Guru is the only Satguru the world ever had or ever will have, and every other religion and sect must now convert to Sikhism to have liberation is just another form of political intolerance and Islam. It is an elitism worse than Brahminism. That message is a complete mis-translation of Guruji's message, although it is the Singh Sabha interpretation. On it's face, it cannot be the correct interpretation of Gurbani. Gurbani acknowledges the God manifested in physical form in various ages. If anything, Gurbani proves that Hindu religion is true, not mythology.
And when Kalki avataar comes, we will follow HIm. Because Gurbani has shown us Guruji Himself will be the Kalki avataar. Guruji is avataar for certain time period within the Kaliyug. But at end of Kaliyug, Guruji will return, and this is also supported as a Sikh teaching in Sau Sakhi. So what we have is this incredibly complex philosophy matching up point by point in various sources, written by different authors in different time periods and having coherence and meaning and corroboration. And from the Singh Sabha viewpoint? There isn't even one tuuk interpreted in such a way that it can credibly explain the opposite meaning in another tuuk, so they throw out what doesn't fit by labelling "mythology," "metaphor," or ignore outright and pretend not to notice.
Sikh80 writes: "Should I be governed by Vaaran!!
Or
just leave the things and do Simran......"
I don't find anything in vaaran which contradicts the sanatan viewpoint. Bhai Gurdas Ji was a Sanskrit scholar. But you have made an excellent point, because often when I have spoken to certain people about controversial subjects, they ease themselves by accusing that intellectualism is manmukh and I shouldn't waste time better used doing Simran.
We have to acknowledge one of the reasons people don't question, don't research is because there is a prevailing culture of anti-intellectualism which stifles dissent however sincere. On a forum, we can readily see arguments intended to shut down a conversation, but it does speak to incidents in our lives where the sangat cannot handle the questions without feeling personally threatened and make personal attack against the spiritual qualities of the questioner.
So it brings up an excellent point. Is Sikhism intended to be anti-intellectualism which silences any questions or discourages study? Or has Sikhism evolved to the point where only certain types of questions and study are discouraged? You see it goes to the issue of whether Sikhs are supposed to just jap Naam, even if they don't really know what Naam is.
Sikh80 writes:
Yes namjap ji,Har Harey! is the Name of Hindu God. It was the compulsion of the time that Guru Sahib had to incorporate these terms. Har Haray! would be taken as Shiva. Har Har Mahadev, is also, generally, meant for addressing Lord Shiva only. I do not know that you want to convey.
This also is a very material point because people aren't answering WHY the Naams for God are given as names of Hindu devas and avtaaras. So we have established that Gurbani clarifies we should not worship the physical form of avtaaras, but the One nirguna pervading within. This doesn't explain why Gurbani also praises the das avtaara and unmistakably calls them God.
So Gurbani alone is showing that the Singh Sabha definitions of what Sikh's believe God is, contradicts Gurbani. So if we are unclear what is Naam, and why is sarguna of God called Raam Chandra and Hari Krishna, and why this somehow means "we should blindly believe Sikhism is a kind of monotheism like Christianity," that "it has no relationship to Hinduism at all, because Sikhism is a different religion,"...is just too much to swallow.
If the Vaishnava bhakti movement teaches that japping the Naams of God as these avtaaras is the boat of mukti and being a brahminical scholar is NOT of itself a path to mukti, why when Guruji says the same thing, do we stretch our minds to imagine Guruji is somehow speaking AGAINST Hindu religion? Vaishnava Vedanta taught the same thing even before Guruji wrote and compiled Gurbani. How can we deny the historical references that every form of Guruji came from Hindu families and married within the same caste? Why in Bachitra Natak, does Guru Gobind Singh Ji claim lineal descent from Lava and Guru Nanak Dev Ji descent from Kusha, both sons of Rama Chandra? How can we ignore the bhagat bani shares nothing of Islamic philosophy, and those bhagats were either Vaishnavas or Sufi's influenced by Vaishnavist teaching? Vaishnavism, referring to that school of sanatana Dharma which elevates the Vishnu avataaras as the sargun manifestation of the One Supreme nirguna.
We've already clarified the use of term Hindu in Gurbani relates to brahminical ritualistic worship, and that Gurbani itself elevates the Vaishnav to a Gurmukh. So if modernly, we lump Vaishnav together with brahminical Hindu, we ourselves have distorted the words of Gurbani. And if we did not do this deliberately, but were taught this, or translations made this acceptable, then we have to turn our eyes to Singh Sabha movement.
ਕਿਸਨ ਲੈਆ ਅਵਤਾਰੁ ਜਗਿ ਮਹਮਾ ਦਸਮ ਸਕੰਧੁ ਵਖਾਣੈ ।
kisan|aiaa avataaru jagi mahamaa dasam sakandhu vakhaanai|
The tenth chapter of the Bhagavat defines the glory of incarnation of Krsna in the world.
ਲੀਲਾ ਚਲਤ ਅਚਰਜ ਕਰਿ ਜੋਗੁ ਭੋਗੁ ਰਸ ਰਲੀਆ ਮਾਣੈ ।
leelaa chalat acharaj kari jogu bhogu ras raleeaa maanai|
He performed many wonderful acts of bhog (merriment) and yoga (renunciation).
ਮਹਾ ਭਾਰਥੁ ਕਰਵਾਇਓਨੁ ਕੈਰੋ ਪਾਂਡੋ ਕਰਿ ਹੈਰਾਣੈ ।
mahaa bhaaradu karavaaiaonu kairo paando kari hairaanai|
Making Kauravs (sons of Dhrttrastr) and Pandays to fight against each other he further made them wonder struck.
ਇੰਦ੍ਰਾਦਿਕ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾਦਿਕਾ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਮਿਤਿ ਮਿਰਜਾਦ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ।
indraadik brahamaadikaa mahimaa miti mirajaad n jaanai|
Indr and Brahma et al. donot know the limits of his grandeur.
~Vaar 23 Pauri 9 of Vaaran Bhai Gurdas Ji
Why is no one able to address what Bhai Gurdas Ji is implying in this vaaran, because it has profound implications as to the definition of sarguna according to Sikh philosophy and has direct bearing on the Naam. And not only is it some isolated vaaran, but this kind of description also appears in Gurbani as well.
ਸਤਿ ਸਾਚੁ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ਆਦਿ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਸਦਾ ਤੁਹੀ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਵਾਹਿ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥੮॥
sath saach sree nivaas aadh purakh sadhaa thuhee vaahiguroo vaahiguroo vaahiguroo vaahi jeeo ||3||8||
You are forever True, the Home of Excellence, the Primal Supreme Being. Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Jee-o. ||3||8||
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਗੁਬਿੰਦ ਜੀਉ ॥
sathiguroo sathiguroo sathigur gubindh jeeo ||
The True Guru, the True Guru, the True Guru is the Lord of the Universe Himself.
ਬਲਿਹਿ ਛਲਨ ਸਬਲ ਮਲਨ ਭਗ੍ਤਿ ਫਲਨ ਕਾਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਕੁਅਰ ਨਿਹਕਲੰਕ ਬਜੀ ਡੰਕ ਚੜ੍ਹੂ ਦਲ ਰਵਿੰਦ ਜੀਉ ॥
balihi shhalan sabal malan bhagio falan kaanh kuar nihakalank bajee ddank charrhoo dhal ravindh jeeo ||
Enticer of Baliraja, who smothers the mighty, and fulfills the devotees; the Prince Krishna, and Kalki; the thunder of His army and the beat of His drum echoes across the Universe.
ਰਾਮ ਰਵਣ ਦੁਰਤ ਦਵਣ ਸਕਲ ਭਵਣ ਕੁਸਲ ਕਰਣ ਸਰਬ ਭੂਤ ਆਪਿ ਹੀ ਦੇਵਾਧਿ ਦੇਵ ਸਹਸ ਮੁਖ ਫਨਿੰਦ ਜੀਉ ॥
raam ravan dhurath dhavan sakal bhavan kusal karan sarab bhooth aap hee dhaevaadhh dhaev sehas mukh fanindh jeeo ||
The Lord of contemplation, Destroyer of sin, who brings pleasure to the beings of all realms, He Himself is the God of gods, Divinity of the divine, the thousand-headed king cobra.
ਜਰਮ ਕਰਮ ਮਛ ਕਛ ਹੁਅ ਬਰਾਹ ਜਮੁਨਾ ਕੈ ਕੂਲਿ ਖੇਲੁ ਖੇਲਿਓ ਜਿਨਿ ਗਿੰਦ ਜੀਉ ॥
jaram karam mashh kashh hua baraah jamunaa kai kool khael khaeliou jin gindh jeeo ||
He took birth in the Incarnations of the Fish, Tortoise and Wild Boar, and played His part. He played games on the banks of the Jamunaa River.
ਨਾਮੁ ਸਾਰੁ ਹੀਏ ਧਾਰੁ ਤਜੁ ਬਿਕਾਰੁ ਮਨ ਗਯੰਦ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਗੁਬਿੰਦ ਜੀਉ ॥੪॥੯॥
naam saar heeeae dhhaar thaj bikaar man gayandh sathiguroo sathiguroo sathigur gubindh jeeo ||4||9||
Enshrine this most excellent Name within your heart, and renounce the wickedness of the mind, O Gayand the True Guru, the True Guru, the True Guru is the Lord of the Universe Himself. ||4||9||
~SGGS Ji p. 1403
These teachings go completely against the Singh Sabha world-view which denies possibility of God incarnating in sargun form, per SGPC Rehit Maryada, and leaves everybody scrambling to explain away such pauris and vaaran. But the sanatan viewpoint has no contradiction at any place, despite numerous pauris and tuuks of Gurbani which say the same things, and moreover, by some incredible feat of statistical probability, these complex ideas even corroborate verses in Upanishads and Bhagavatum.
So either we are left with a logical improbability and more questions then we started with, or the sanatan view is the correct interpretation, Gurbani is acknowledging the Vishnu avtaaras as being the sargun manifestation of the All-Pervading, and the Naam we jap is also related to the Vaishnav mantras. And such would also explain this vaaran:
ਸਤਿਜੁਗਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਵਾਸਦੇਵ ਵਵਾ ਵਿਸਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਾਵੈ ।
satijugi satigur vaasadayv vavaa visanaa naamu japaavai|
In Satyug, Visnu in the form of Vasudev is said to have incarnated and ‘V’ Of Vahiguru reminds of Visnu.
ਦੁਆਪਰਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਹਰੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਨ ਹਾਹਾ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਾਵੈ ।
duaapari satigur haree krisan haahaa hari hari naamu japaavai|
The true Guru of dvapar is said to be Harikrsna and ‘H’ of Vahiguru reminds of Hari.
ਤੇਤੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਰਾਮ ਜੀ ਰਾਰਾ ਰਾਮ ਜਪੇ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਵੈ ।
taytay satigur raam jee raaraa raam japay sukhu paavai|
In the the treta was Ram and ‘R’ of Vahiguru tells that rembering Ram will produce joy and happiness.
ਕਲਿਜੁਗਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਗਗਾ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਲਾਵੈ ।
kalijugi naanak gur gobind gagaa gobind naamu alaavai|
In kalijug, Gobind is in the form of Nanak and ‘G’ of Vahiguru gets Govind recited.
ਚਾਰੇ ਜਾਗੇ ਚਹੁ ਜੁਗੀ ਪੰਚਾਇਣ ਵਿਚਿ ਜਾਇ ਸਮਾਵੈ ।
chaaray jaagay chahu jugee panchaain vichi jaai samaavai|
The recitations o f all the four ages subsume in Panchayan i.e. in the soul of the common man.
ਚਾਰੋ ਅਛਰ ਇਕੁ ਕਰਿ ਵਾਹਗੁਰੂ ਜਪੁ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਜਪਾਵੈ ।
chaaro achhar iku kari vaahaguroo japu mantr japaavai|
When joining four letters Vahiguru is remembered,
ਜਹਾ ਤੇ ਉਪਜਿਆ ਫਿਰਿ ਤਹਾ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥੪੯॥੧॥
jahaa tay upajiaa dhiri tahaa samaavai ॥49॥1॥
The jiv merges again in its origin.
~Vaar 1 Pauri 49 of Vaaran Bhai Gurdas Ji
So logically, when people tell us to silence our doubts and go jap Naam Gurmantra, it only reinforces the logical explanation, Sikhism is a form of Vaishnavism, meaning Sikh monotheism is based on Vishnu avataars.
So the pretended isolationism, separate nationhood and rejection of everything Hindu becomes silly. I mean, at least Buddhists created a new name for their avataars, calling them "buddhas." Sikhism doesn't even do this, yet expects everyone to believe Sikhism isn't even "derivative" from Hinduism, but some entirely new thing. It's unprecedented intellectual deceit. No one can credibly believe it.
Yes, Gurbani says clearly to jap and sing kirtan of praise of the Naam is boat of mukti. Yes, Gurbani says to memorize and recite and read all the scriptures will get you nowhere. So we see Gurbani is saying don't mix up the message for the method.
ਨਾਨਾ ਖਿਆਨ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਬੇਦ ਬਿਧਿ ਚਉਤੀਸ ਅਖਰ ਮਾਂਹੀ ॥
naanaa khiaan puraan baedh bidhh chouthees akhar maanhee ||
The various Shaastras, Puranaas, and the Vedas of Brahma, are made up of thirty-four letters.
ਬਿਆਸ ਬਿਚਾਰਿ ਕਹਿਓ ਪਰਮਾਰਥੁ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਸਰਿ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੨॥
biaas bichaar kehiou paramaarathh raam naam sar naahee ||2||
After deep contemplation, Vyaas spoke of the supreme objective; there is nothing equal to the Lord's Name. ||2||
~SGGS Ji p. 658
Nowhere does Gurbani say Hindu scriptures are worthless to a Sikh, as does Singh Sabha reform. And such a viewpoint would contradict the known history that Guruji had Sanskrit scholars and pandits teaching his own household and future forms of Guru, as well as translating these scriptures into Punjabi for His Sikhs. If they are worthless, why go to such efforts? I am of the conclusion that anti-intellecualism within Sikhism is a by-product of Singh Sabha reform institutions desiring Sikhs NOT to question and uncover these political deceits. Because it is acknowledged that mukti is dependant on bhakti and Guru's grace, not intellectualism. Yet, Guruji gave Gurmukhi to the people. Why? Because he wanted His Sikhs to become literate and learned. Without understanding the Sanskrit terms used in Gurbani, how could anyone ever understand the concept of Turiya as necessary for mukti? It must be given through grace of Satguru, but without even knowing such concept is in Gurbani, how many Sikhs would discover to find? Vedas take you only so far, and Guruji and Naam have to take you all the way. But without standing on the platform of reasonable understanding of what Naam even is, people will begin to interpret Gurbani as mythologies and rejection and denial of these very concepts because they are rooted in Hindu philosophy and miss the boat completely.
ਚਾਰੇ ਬੇਦ ਕਥਹਿ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥
chaarae baedh kathhehi aakaar ||
The four Vedas speak only of the visible forms.
ਤੀਨਿ ਅਵਸਥਾ ਕਹਹਿ ਵਖਿਆਨੁ ॥
theen avasathhaa kehehi vakhiaan ||
They describe and explain the three states of mind,
ਤੁਰੀਆਵਸਥਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਹਰਿ ਜਾਨੁ ॥੧॥
thureeaavasathhaa sathigur thae har jaan ||1||
but the fourth state, union with the Lord, is known only through the True Guru. ||1||
~SGGS Ji p. 154
It is thus determinable here, the Guru's attitude towards the Smrti texts as indirectly divine teachings where Dharma is rooted. Sikh texts too gave instructions to the Sikhs to observe the sacred texts of Hindus as their own. Bhai Kesar Singh Chibbar's Bamsavali Nama Dasam Patsahiam Ka [14.88-90] says:
“This way the Muslims killed lacs of Sikhs, looted the Sikhs and defiled them from Dharam. Say Sikhs! What good deeds have the Muslims earned? Even if (after) seeing and hearing this, no Sikh understands, may Dharamraj fear from this kind of indiscrimination. Each person's deeds will go with them. Our Dharam and their honesty will show beauty. We Sikhs (must) study Gurbani, the Ved-Shastras and the Purans, and those Muslims (are to) perform circumcision, (Ramadan) fasts and study the Qu'ran. Everyone shall reap the fruits of their actions. Those who do bad will lose and those who do good will win."
In the Sau Sakhi text, the Sikh is instructed to, "Take upon (himself) the Ved, Sastra and the Guru's word." Page 1243 of the Adi Granth insists that, "The Veda describes the good (punu) and sinful (papu) deeds, the cause of heaven and hell." The question of identity arises with the Gurus. Had the Gurus rejected their Hinduness if at all they did set up a distinct religious system? Allegories offer an answer to this:
At the age of 38 years, Guru Nanak went to bathe in a nearby river and disappeared for three days. News had dissipated that Nanak had drowned but the Janam Sakhis maintain that Baba Nanak had been taken to Vaikunha, the abode of the 'Almighty' Visnu to meet Him and to receive His instructions. Three days later, when Nanak reappeared a conglomerate of people congregated to whom he uttered as is found in the B40 Janam Sakhi, "There is no Hindu, there is no Musalman." It is suggested that by this proclamation Sikhism was formed yet as far as I am aware, there is no explicit indication of this in any of the Sikh texts. Even if the Guru had claimed that the Sikh panth had started for 'Sikhism' would have been absent in his vocabulary, then as we have seen, it was simply a panth of Dharma. I refrain at this point from offering an explanation for Baba Nanak's "Na koi Hindu, na koi Musalman" as it becomes self-evident further on.
In Mecca, the religious city of Islam in which non-Muslims are forbidden to enter, Baba Nanak was asked to identify himself to which he answered, "(If I) say (I) am a Hindu, (you will) kill (me, but) I am not a Muslim; a puppet (made) of five elements, Nanak is my name." Nanak here does not identify himself as a Muslim; he was neither born of Muslim parents, nor did he accept the fundamental tenets of Islam. Yet he hasn't affirmed that he is not a Hindu
The 15th Sakhi of the Adi Sakhian, tells that:
"Guru Nanak visited the wasteland of Mecca. On the way, he met some Fakirs who asked him, "What is your name?" The Baba (Nanak) said, "Sirs! My name is Nanak." Then they said, "Are (you) a Hindu or Musalman?" Baba (Nanak) replied, "Sirs! (I) am Hindu." (When) Baba (Nanak) said (this), they stood aside. Then they said, "Nanak! This path is not for the Hindus." Baba Nanak said, "Why Sirs! Why is this path not for the Hindus?" Then they said, "In this country is the reign of the Sayyids . They kill the Hindus; they don't let them go."
Bhai Mani Singh provides an account in his Pothi Janam Sakhi of the Guru's trip to Afghanistan:
"Then Baba ji and Mardana and Bala, wandering around arrived (in) Kabul (at) the place of Asa Devi then on hearing Baba ji's name, many Pirs (=Muslim old men/saints) and Fakirs and Sardars that were there, came and on coming, said, "You are a Hindu Fakir and this land is of the Musalmans. So tread carefully." Then Baba (Nanak) said, "the light of the Divine is one in all, and that which is the body...so to this body, performing circumcision (=sunnat) calls (one) a Musalman, and wearing the sacred thread and the frontal mark (=tilak) calls (one) a Hindu but I/we are the witness of this body."
The Guru again utters as above, "(If I) say (I) am a Hindu, (you) will kill (me)...." We find that the inhabitants of Kabul already know of Nanak and that he is a Hindu. The soul is thought of as the witness of the body, thus the Guru here identifies himself with the soul. This therefore makes sense of 'Na koi Hindu, na koi Musalman' for in essence atman has no labels. The same was the attitude in devotionalism towards caste.
Even as late as the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Emperor Aurangzeb offered the ninth Guru the option to accept Islam or death. Bhai Santokh Singh in his text, the Guru Pratap Suraj 12.64.34-35, composed in 1843 CE describes what was said by the Guru before refusing to accept Islam and thus death:
"Hearing this, the hero Sri Tegh Bahadur in fulfilling his Dharma gave the answer, 'My Dharma (is) Hindu, (It is) so dear (to me) how can I leave it. In (this) world (and) the other it is the giver of happiness. (There is) no other like it (which can) be accepted. That impure and foolish minded individual (who thinks of) abandoning it, he is undoubtedly wicked. This type of person experiences extreme grief in this world and by giving punishment (to him), Yamaraja is not even satisfied. I am good-minded, why (should I) leave it? (I) am forever devoted to the protection (of) Dharma."
http://geocities.com/hindutatva/sikh_hindu.html
So there is an existing historical source which shows Sikh Guruji did not die to protect Tilak mark of Hindus, but to defend the Dharam of His own tilak mark, which explains the appearance of tilak mark on Guru in Gurbani.
ਰਾਮਦਾਸ ਸੋਢੀ ਤਿਲਕੁ ਦੀਆ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਚੁ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥
raamadhaas sodtee thilak dheeaa gur sabadh sach neesaan jeeo ||5||
The Guru then blessed the Sodhi Ram Das with the ceremonial tilak mark, the insignia of the True Word of the Shabad. ||5||
~SGGS Ji p. 923
Or that Gurbani also describes the Gurmukh as wearing tilak mark.
ਗੁਰ ਉਪਦੇਸਿ ਸਾਧ ਕੀ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਭਗਤੁ ਭਗਤੁ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਰਿਓ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
gur oupadhaes saadhh kee sangath bhagath bhagath thaa ko naam pariou ||1|| rehaao ||
Whoever follows the Guru's Teachings and joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is called the most devoted of the devotees. ||1||Pause||
ਸੰਖ ਚਕ੍ਰ ਮਾਲਾ ਤਿਲਕੁ ਬਿਰਾਜਿਤ ਦੇਖਿ ਪ੍ਰਤਾਪੁ ਜਮੁ ਡਰਿਓ ॥
sankh chakr maalaa thilak biraajith dhaekh prathaap jam ddariou ||
He is adorned with the conch, the chakra, the mala and the ceremonial tilak mark on his forehead; gazing upon his radiant glory, the Messenger of Death is scared away.
ਨਿਰਭਉ ਭਏ ਰਾਮ ਬਲ ਗਰਜਿਤ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਸੰਤਾਪ ਹਿਰਿਓ ॥੨॥
nirabho bheae raam bal garajith janam maran santhaap hiriou ||2||
He becomes fearless, and the power of the Lord thunders through him; the pains of birth and death are taken away. ||2||
~SGGS Ji p. 1105
ਤਿਲਕ ਜੰਵੂ ਰਾਖਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਤਾ ਕਾ ॥ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਡੋ ਕਲੂ ਮਹਿ ਸਾਕਾ ॥
He protected the forehead mark and sacred thread which marked a great event in the Iron age.
ਸਾਧਨ ਹੇਤਿ ਇਤੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਕਰੀ ॥ ਸੀਸੁ ਦੀਆ ਪਰ ਸੀ ਨ ਉਚਰੀ ॥੧੩॥
For the sake of saints, he laid down his head without even a sign.13.
ਧਰਮ ਹੇਤਿ ਸਾਕਾ ਜਿਨਿ ਕੀਆ ॥ ਸੀਸੁ ਦੀਆ ਪਰ ਸਿਰਰੁ ਨ ਦੀਆ ॥
For the sake of Dharma, he sacrificed himself. He laid down his head but not his creed.
~Shri Dasam Granth p. 131
~Bhul chak maaf
