looked upon as true and meaningful in which religion could be an effective vehicle of promoting the values of social harmony, love, equality, freedom and brotherhood of man.In the integrated vision of the Sikh Gurus there is no dichotomy between the spiritual andthe empirical realms of human existence. Life is one whole arid cannot be segregated intoseparate compartments, religious, social or political. This view finds expression in thedoctrine of and the consequent ideal of Sant-Sipahi.In fact the Miri-Piri doctrine (the combination of the spiritual and the empirical life of man) is a fundamental of the Sikh religion. The philosophy of the Guru Granth, isentirely different from the other worldly, the Ahimsic(pacifist) and the devotional systems of India. The role of the last six Gurus, their martyrdom and their anti approach follows exactly this fundamental of Sikhism.TheIndian religious tradition laid stress on asceticism, monasticism and Sanyas as the meansof attaining salvation. The Sikh Gurus completely disapproved of the practice of thosewho were unwilling to fight the battle of life or withdrew from the world for the purposeof cultivating spirituality.Guru Nanak clearly laid down that ‘one gets not to God by despising the world’ The Godcentred lives truthfully while a house holder. According to the life affirming faith of theGurus, a religious man cannot shun his family obligations and ‘social responsibilities.In a religious milieu, marked with negative and complacent trends, the Guru laid downfor man a new religious path commending universal love and brotherhood of manwithout distinction of caste and creed. The Guru set in motion a new pattern of religiousexperience, in which man could find his complete self expression and fulfilment. Withhis emphasis on the ideals of love and service, the Guru kindled the spark in humannature that inspired men to acquire a sense of purpose and make sacrifices for the causeof truth, justice and righteousness. It was this faith that the ten Gurus lived for over a period of two centuries. It enabled the Sikh community to grapple with the grave socio- political challenges over the centuries and acquire a glorious heritage of honesty,chivalry, sufferings and martyrdoms. The religious faith of the Sikhs never wavered evenin worst days of their persecu¨tion. It was the Sikhs, who after hundreds of years reversedthe course of history by forcing the invaders back to their lands and, once for all, sealingthe vulnerable borders in the North-West against all future invasions.Even later in the 20
th
century, the Sikhs played a pioneering role in the country’s strugglefor freedom, out of all proportions to their small numbers. The first two revolts againstthe British, the Kuka revolt and Ghadr rebellion were almost wholly manned by theSikhs. Out of the 2,175 martyrs for country’s freedom 1,557 or 75 per cent were Sikhs.Out of 2,646 sent to Andamans for life sentence, 2,147 or 80 per cent were Sikhs. Out of the 127 Indians who were sent to the gallows by the British, 92 or 80 percent were Sikhs.In the Indian National Army led by Subhash Chander Bose, 60 per cent of the soldierswere Sikhs”. Whenever it has been a ques¨tion of fighting for a righteous cause or aquestion of fighting for hu¨man rights and freedoms, trie Sikhs have always been in thevanguard.In the economic field the Sikh peasantry led Punjab in the forefront of agriculturalrevolution. As a result, it became the most productive state and earned the distinction of
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