Columnists

Courage in Battle:
Its Correlation With Gurbani
Part II
Janam Da Firangee,
Sikhi Mai Mangee

FATEHPAL SINGH TARNEY

It is quite difficult for me to separate my own military service from my reflections on Sikh courage in battle and its key connections to gurbani.

I am reminded, for example, of the time at an airport when a TSA (Transportation Security Administration, USA) person was quite abrupt with me and I could not resist telling him that I was a Vietnam War veteran and a decorated one at that. His reply was, “You were in the American Army?”

I think Sikhs get accustomed to foolishnesses of this kind. Perhaps we shouldn't and should respond … politely, but firmly.

In previous columns I have discussed the important role that converts have played in the development of our Sikh faith. I have referred to our first four Gurus whose backgrounds were Hindu and when the successors to Baba Nanak first entered the Sikh fold, they were not warmly welcomed by everyone. However, through their righteous actions, they not only proved themselves but earned their Guruship.

I feel compelled to comment further on this unfortunate pattern of not warmly welcoming the pardesi or firangee. It has always saddened me to see non-Sikh visitors to my gurdwara sahib arrive, be introduced, have langar and have only minimal interaction with the members.

I do not accept the explanation, for instance, “My parents have only minimal English!”

I have always maintained that a smile is a form of seva. We should have more of it. There's a saying in Spanish for a facial expression connoting distaste, discomfort, and displeasure. It is “una cara de vinagre” [a vinegar face]. Sadly, I have seen more of such faces amongst my saadh sangat than smiles when we have had visitors.

This should and must change.

I have always been an admirer of the Bahá'í religion for several reasons. They not only respect all other faiths, but have great interest in learning about them. I also like the fact that they begin and end all their activities with children centrally involved! Their religious gatherings, called “firesides,” involve a real commitment to hospitality toward guests as well as good food – their form of our langar.

About twenty years ago, when I was president of our local gurdwara sahib, I was invited to speak at one of their firesides. The Bahá'ís do not have a local temple and therefore meet at private homes or they rent rooms at schools or colleges. This particular fireside was being held at a local college campus and although I found the correct building, I could not locate the right floor and room. I was concerned about being late as I was an invited speaker.

While in an elevator, the door opened and then closed on a particular floor. I realized that it was the correct floor because of the wonderful aroma of a variety of superb Persian rice dishes that wafted into the elevator shaft. Many of the local Bahá'ís are of Iranian origin and their foods are delicious. Thus, I had found the right location!

Guru Amardas was born in a Hindu family and was a Hindu for many more years than he was a Sikh. He composed the Anand Sahib, the bani that we recite at all Sikh ceremonies. To me, Guru Amardas is a superb example of the role of transformation in Sikhi. In finding God, we find happiness and can cope with all the vicissitudes of life. How can we fear anything when Waheguru is within us?

Through the years, I have done both serious as well as casual research into military heroism. One author on this topic, W. Thomas Smith Jr., a fellow veteran, writing about several Medal of Honor winners, described what it takes to be a hero. Again, here we have things that appear to be counter-intuitive.

Smith wrote: “Selfish men, bullies, and braggarts don’t perform well in battle. And those believing in their own 'extraordinariness' rarely if ever accomplish feats worthy of the Medal of Honor.”

In Sikh terms, he was referring to the importance of humility and selflessness.

Throughout my career as a teacher of history I have taken a keen interest in the ancient Greeks and always had a unit on the Greeks from Minoan times to the coming of the Romans in my ancient history classes. The Greeks had two words for time. The first was chronos [χρόνος] which refers to time in the chronological sense of time passing and measured in seconds, minutes, hours, etc.

Their more interesting word for time was kairos [καιρός] which referred to key moments; opportune moments. In English, we often use the term “timely” as something happening or done at just the right or correct time.

This always reminds me of the Sikhs and the legend relating to Midnight … “12 O'clock!”

In 1739, Nadir Shah, the Persian king, invaded the subcontinent with the intention to loot and pillage. He reached Delhi, killing many. He and his soldiers carried off treasures as well as several thousand Hindu women. As would be the case throughout Sikh history, Sikh armies would be heavily outnumbered by Muslim forces – be they Mughal, Afghan, or Persian. Yet, the Sikhs would do some of their best fighting against these great odds.

The Sikh commander at this particular time, Sardar Jassa Singh, used the element of surprise and attacked Nadir Shah's forces at midnight. Darkness, of course, has its advantages for the surprise attackers. The Sikhs rescued all the Hindu women and they were safely returned to their homes. Rescuing Hindu women and attacking enemy forces at Midnight became common practice.

I fail to fathom and will not dignify the humor for non-Sikh Indians that evolved out of the Midnight tactic of the Sikhs by discussing it here.

People on the subcontinent became so accustomed to attacks and invasions from Afghanistan and Persia for 700 years that they became demoralized and incapable of effective resistance.

Then came the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs.

"When all peaceful means have failed, it is right to pick up the sword.”

And, in the Guru Granth Sahib …

“Death would not be called bad, O people, if one knew how to truly die. The death of brave heroes is blessed, if it is approved by God". [GGS:579]

Sikhs are 2% of the population of today’s recently created India, but have constituted 30% of the Indian armed forces ... now reduced to 20%, I’m told, after 1984.

Sikhs continue to fight against injustice and terrorism … of all kinds, and throughout the world.


September 23, 2016
 

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