London, Sep. 22, 2004
by Manvir Singh
When Bhai Jaitha Ji came from Delhi with Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji's severed
head to tenth Guru, the Guru asked, "Oh Bhai Jaitha, tell how many
people gathered at Chandi Chownk, to see my father be beheaded?"
Bhai Jaitha replied,
"There were hundreds and thousands."
Guru Ji then asked, "How many Sikhs of Guru Nanak were standing
in the crowds?"
Bhai Jaitha Ji with tears in his eyes replied,
"Oh Guru Ji, I couldn't recognise who was a Sikh or who was not
a Sikh, there were thousands of people but I couldn't see any Sikhs
distinct from the crowd."
The tenth Guru replied,
"Don't worry, I will soon give the Sikhs, such a beautiful distinct
image that my Sikhs will be recognised in crowds of thousands and throughout
the world."
Amrit derives from two words, 'Am' and 'Mrit'.
'Am' means water. 'Mrit' is making a dead person alive.
'Amrit', the water, which makes a dead person alive.
When Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave the Sikhs Amrit he made the dead people
alive, he instilled a new lease of spirit, which transformed sparrows
into hawks, and made the Sikhs fearless of death.
In 1739 Nadir Shah came from Afghanistan to invade, plunder and loot
the land of India.
As the army entered through Panjab, the Sikhs would attack the armies
at night time.
The Sikhs would raid their looted wealth and riches.
The Sikhs would free the innocent Hindu sisters and mothers and return
them to their respective homes.
Nadir Shah asked Zakriya Khan, the Governor of Panjab about the Sikhs.
"Who are these people who dare to attack my soldiers and plunder
me", he asked.
Zakriya Khan replied,
'These are the followers of man called, 'Guru Nanak', their homes are
their saddles and they visit their holy shrine in the middle of the
night and disappear before the first light of day.'
Nadir Shah asked, 'What gives them their strength to dare to challenge
me and my large armies?'
Zakriya Khan replied,
'Their Guru has given them Amrit, 'the water of immortality', drinking
this they become fearless of death'.
Nadir Shah with curiosity said,
"How do you know this?"
Zakhriya Khan replied,
"Those people who used to walk pass me, with their head down and
would say salaam
Those same people after taking Amrit, they still walk pass me, but now
they don't hold their head down, nor do they say salaam. Instead they
walk pass, looking into my eyes. You are one King, but they are all
Kings."
If an old man takes Amrit, he becomes fearless of death, like Baba
Deep Singh Ji who at the age of 75 died fighting with his head on his
hand.
If a young child takes Amrit, he becomes fearless of death, like Sahibzaada
Zorawar Singh, who at the age of 8 didn't lower his turban to Wazir
Khan and instead was bricked alive with his younger brother.
If a woman takes Amrit, she becomes fearless of death, like Mata Bhag
Kaur who led 40 Sikhs into victory in battle against an army of thousands.
Would you stay Nir-gura (without a Guru) till you die? Or would you
like to take the gift of Amrit and become the Sikh of the Guru?
Have you felt the 'Power'?