Be a warrior, and be a saint

He established this rare combination of firmness and softness that you should be dynamic, and still be soft in the heart. You should be inwardly spiritual, a saint, but a soldier as well. You cannot just be a saint and say, ‘Okay, whatever has happened, let it happen!’ You should stand against injustice, and simultaneously, be compassionate within you, like a saint.

Power of love

Guru Gobind Singh advocated and wrote many poems on how only those who have loved shall attain Divinity. He was a true devotee and believed that God has no marks, no color, and no caste and is indescribable. God is not a human, and is literally everywhere in all living things. He saw love for God and His creation as the route to salvation.

Serve humanity

He lived his life for the happiness of people, and made many sacrifices in order to serve society. He lived by the principle of ‘service before self’ and believed that one should employ all means necessary to help people. One’s last resort should be picking up the weapon but if that is required, one should not hesitate.

Everyone’s equal

He thought of everyone as equal no matter what religion, caste, or creed they belonged to. He had utmost respect for all religions and believed that difference is created only by humans.

Be humble

He thought of himself as the servant of God and was vehemently against anyone who considered him a God. He was never shy to admit that he had received the status of a Guru because of the people who believed in him, otherwise there were many unknown mortals like him in the world who deserved the same.

Be mindful of your speech

He knew the power of words and always taught his followers to be extra cautious and respectful when speaking to others. He made a special hukum for a man to not subject his wife to cursing, or verbal abuse. He was against gossiping of any kind, and taught people to not slander others or speak bitterly about others even in private. He also encouraged people to not make false statements and keep their promises at all costs.

Be a model human

Above all, many of the 52 hukums (or instructions) by Guru Gobind Singh ji 

Art by Anhad Shergill 

Add a Comment