Lord, as a Sword, you are the conqueror of lands, destroyer of falsehood,
the ultimate decoration of the warrior.
Your arm is indestructable, Your brightness resplendant,
Your radiance and lustre dazzling like the sun.
You bring joy to the saintly, fear to the wicked,
the sinners You scatter; I seek Your shelter.
Hail! Hail! to the Creator, Sustainer of the Universe,
Protector of the creation, Hail to the Sword.
Guru Gobind Singh (DG p. 39)

Every small boy has fantasies of slaying giant fire-breathing dragons, subduing hordes of bandits, and saving a few beautiful maidens in the process. In fact, if you observe a young boy daydreaming, most likely he is participating in some great battle! As the boy grows older, he is confronted with "real life" and slowly abandons his inner warrior. In his job he sees corruption and bribery, but he remains silent, since he likes the security of his job. On the street, he sees thugs selling drugs or insulting a passing woman, but he looks the other way, since he fears he may be beaten up. As he grows into an older man, he develops a cynical attitude. "Everybody does it," he says as he buys the latest electronic gadget, using money he has received through a bribe. He also manages to subscribe to a highly intellectual philosophy which has taught him to lead a "detached" life. Using some distorted version of "live and let live" he goes about turning a blind eye to life's injustices. He has done a great job of putting his inner warrior to sleep.

The Inner Warrior: Sikh Style
The warrior occupies a central and sacred position in the Sikh philosophy. With the martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev, the warrior who would stand up and risk all in the fight for injustice started to occupy an increasingly critical role. The tenth Guru formalized the concept of the saint-warrior. Most importantly, the Gurus immersed the Sikh in this remarkable concept with such intensity that it became a practical concept. Acts that were so far only associated with legends and myths became part of history. How remarkable is Guru Teg Bahadur's martyrdom. He willingly gave his life for the cause of Hindu Brahmins. It was not important for him that his own philosophy did not agree with the Brahmins. He was giving his life for human dignity and human rights. Equally remarkable is the fact that even at the young age of twelve and fourteen, Guru Gobind Singh's sahibzadas had such a highly developed warrior state. Sikh history is replete with inspiring role-models who were definitely in the class of saint-warriors.

The Warrior
Every successful society has revered its warriors. While religious texts may talk of Ahinsa, or "turn the other cheek," in reality armies around the world march with the explicit blessings of priests and other religious leaders. However, the warrior is not always the saint-warrior discussed by Guru Gobind Singh. In the Orient, the exalted warrior was the samurai...a highly trained fighter willing to die at a moment's notice for his sworn master. In the West, the crusaders spilled blood to decimate the heathens. Armies have also marched with a desire to bring the right faith to the infidels. These are not the saint-warriors the Sikh Gurus refer to. The Sikh response to injustices is not confined to the approaches, "Turn the other cheek;" "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth;" or the often practiced, "An eye for a tooth, a head for an eye." It is the state of the warrior's mind that is of critical importance. Is the state that of a saint?

Crack troops, powerful and unconquerable, in sharp colors and capable of crushing the enemy;
Such pride and ego that mountains may fly away, but they will not budge from the battlefield;
Tearing up the revolting enemies, twisting their necks, smashing even the mad elephants;
Yet without His grace, they will meet their worldly end empty handed.
Guru Gobind Singh (DG p. 14)

Countless brave soldiers, ever-ready to face the sword's edge;
So many countries conquered, rebels subjugated, wild elephants crushed;
Powerful forts they smash, the world now bows to their mere threat;
Yet God alone is the supreme Commander, at His door they stand as beggars.
Guru Gobind Singh (DG p. 14)

The Saint-Warrior
The saint-warrior looks upon the kirpan very much as he looks upon undergoing surgery for a tumor...it is the last resort and it is not because he hates the infected area that he wants removed. There can be no enimity towards the person the saint-warrior is to combat. The combat is not for a personal gain. The saint-soldier has love for entire humanity just as an ordinary man has love for all parts of his body. Just as no sane person will cut off his left arm so that the right one may become stronger, the saint-soldier will not lift his sword for the benefit of a king or a landlord, or even for his own benefit.

Grant me this boon, O Lord:
I may never be deterred from good deeds.
Without fear I enter the battlefield.
With complete resolve I bring victory.
My mind be trained to sing Your praises.
And when my time comes, bring me a valiant death on the battlefield.
Guru Gobind Singh (DG p.99)

None is now my enemy and I am inimical to none. Guru Arjun (GGS p. 671)

Preparation of the Saint-Soldier
reparation of the Saint-Soldier The first ingredient in the saint-soldier is the saint. The saint within us must be first cultivated before one can think of using the kirpan. It is the saint who allows a person to develop a universal outlook. The saint has no enemy; all humanity is made up of his bosom buddies! Once a man or woman reaches this level, he or she will have no difficulty identifying when cancer has developed in the human mass. When all non-violent action fails, the warrior is nudged to take action.

Why sit with closed eyes pretending like a crane to be in deep meditation?
Bathing (in holy waters) and traveling the seven seas (in pilgrimages),
Losing both this world and the next one as well,
Seated they waste their time in useless discussions,
Here is the truth for all to hear, only through love is He realized.
Guru Gobind Singh (DG p. 14)

Preparation of the Warrior
With the best of intentions a warrior cannot take a worthwhile action if he is not mentally and physically fit. A man carrying too much excess baggage cannot survive in combat. The excess baggage may be a large belly cultivated through a lifestyle of fatty foods and drinks. It may be a comfortable lifestyle based on ill-gotten money. How can a man who can barely run a hundred yards challenge an opponent? How can a man whose chief aim in life is to make money take a stand against injustice?

O man loosen your shackles thus,
Treat your home as a forest retreat and have the heart of a hermit,
Make continence your matted hair, communion with God your ritual bath,
and righteous living your ritual long nails.
Make divine knowledge your center and smear your body with ashes of God's name.
Eat little and sleep little; love the practice of compassion and forbearance.
Be calm and contented and you will be in control of three states
(desire; ignorance and laziness; good living).
Keep lust, anger, pride, greed, obstinacy and worldly attachments at bay.
Thus will you see your own essence and reach the highest level.
(Guru Gobind Singh (DG p. 709)