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Unlock This CourseIn The Ten Gurus you followed the story to the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1675, put to death in Delhi on the orders of the emperor Aurangzeb. This lesson is about his son, the tenth and last Guru in human form.
Guru Gobind Singh was born in 1666. When his father was martyred in 1675 he was only about nine years old, yet he became the tenth Guru. Sikhs believe he carried the same light as the Gurus before him. He grew up knowing that his father had died defending the right of people to follow their own faith. He studied, wrote and trained as a leader, and he led the community until 1708.
In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa. The story of that day is told in full in Baisakhi and the Birth of the Khalsa, so here is the outline.
Key terms:
The Guru wanted a community of Sikhs who were committed, disciplined and ready to stand up against injustice and protect the weak. Members of the Khalsa took the names Singh (for men) and Kaur (for women), which you met in Equal Rights and Opportunities in Sikhism. These names show that all members are equal and that they leave caste behind. How a person joins the Khalsa today is in The Naming Ceremony and Amrit Sanskar.
Guru Gobind Singh set up the Five Ks so that members of the Khalsa could be recognised and would be reminded every day of their promises. Each one has a practical use and a spiritual meaning.
Guru Gobind Singh defended the Sikhs against the hill rulers and the Mughal army. In the siege of Anandpur the Sikhs were surrounded for months. After Anandpur all four of his sons died: the two elder sons in battle at Chamkaur, and the two younger sons, still children, were put to death at Sirhind. Sikhs remember the family for their courage.
He wrote hymns and poetry. His Zafarnama (the "Epistle of Victory") was a letter to the emperor Aurangzeb, which you met in the Paper 1 lesson on the saint-soldier. In it he argued that he had fought only when every peaceful route had failed.
The Dasam Granth is a collection of writings linked with Guru Gobind Singh. Sikhs differ about it. Some believe he wrote all of it and give it great respect. Others believe only some parts are his, and that it does not have the same status as the Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Gobind Singh died in 1708. Before his death he declared that there would be no more human Gurus. Sikhs believe that from then on the Guru is the scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. The community, the Khalsa, would follow its teaching. See The Guru Granth Sahib: The Living Guru for more.
The Gurus in human form are the key to understanding Sikhism today. Their lives explain why Sikhs have a langar, a holy book, a holy city, the Khalsa and a duty to protect others. Sikhs also see them as role models. Guru Gobind Singh shows courage, loyalty and standing up against injustice, even at great cost.
Sikhs do not agree about everything. Some Sikhs have taken amrit and keep all the Five Ks. Other Sikhs honour the Gurus and follow their teaching, but do not keep all of the Five Ks. Some people say the Gurus were such special leaders that ordinary people can never be like them. Others say that Sikhs can follow their example in smaller ways, by serving others and standing up for what is right.
(a) Outline two of the Five Ks that members of the Khalsa keep. [4 marks]
(b) Explain why Guru Gobind Singh is important for Sikhs today. [6 marks]
(c) "Guru Gobind Singh was the most important of the Ten Gurus." Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include reference to teachings, other points of view, and your own opinion with reasoned arguments. [10 marks]
(a) The kara is a steel bracelet (1). It is a circle with no end, which reminds Sikhs of the one God and of their promise to act well (1). The kirpan is a short sword (1). It reminds Sikhs of their duty to protect the weak, not to start fights (1).
(b) Guru Gobind Singh is important because he founded the Khalsa in 1699, a community of committed Sikhs ready to stand up against injustice (1). Members take the names Singh and Kaur, which shows equality (1). He set up the Five Ks, so Khalsa Sikhs are reminded of their promises every day (1). He defended the Sikhs in battle and wrote hymns and poetry such as the Zafarnama, which Sikhs read for his courage and faith (1). He declared that the Guru Granth Sahib would be the Guru for ever, which is why Sikhs bow to it in the gurdwara today (1). Many Sikhs also see him as a role model for courage and for protecting others (1).
(c) Plan. For: he founded the Khalsa and the Five Ks, which still shape Sikh identity; he made the scripture the Guru, so he completed the line of Gurus; he is a role model of courage. Against: Guru Nanak founded Sikhism and taught that God is one; Guru Arjan compiled the Adi Granth and Guru Amar Das strengthened the langar; Sikhs believe all ten Gurus shared the same light, so none is more important than another; not all Sikhs are in the Khalsa, so the Five Ks are not central to every Sikh. Conclusion: a possible conclusion is that Guru Gobind Singh was hugely important for the Khalsa, but because Sikhs believe the Gurus shared one light, it is better to say each Guru played a different part.
In "Outline two" questions about the Five Ks, give the K, then its meaning. A K named with no meaning earns only half the marks.