Chap. II. j HINDOO SECTS. 79
of summarily. They take the name of Nanak Shahis, from their founder Nanak a.d. — Shah, who was born in 14G9 at Talwandi, now Rayapur, situated in the Punjab, on the banks of the Beyah or Hyphasis. He had early shown strong devo- tional feelino-, which increased as he grew up. Though a Hindoo by birth, he The sikhs,
'^ _ and their
was early brought into connection with the Mahometans, and seemed at first founder Na- disposed to embrace their faith by becoming a fakir ; but neither the Hindoo nor Mussulman creed satisfied him ; and after a long course of travels, during which he visited the most celebrated places of worship of both religions, he became an independent religious reformer, took up his residence at Khutipur Dekra, on the banks of the Ravee, and died there, after performing numerous miracles. His great object is said to have been to reconcile the jarring principles of Hindooism and Mahometanism, by recommending to the followers of both exclusive attention to the great principles of " devotion to God and peace towards men." The only means he employed for this purpose was " mild persuasion." His doctrines, after receiving many modifications from his successors, were moulded anew by Govind Sinh, who succeeded his father, Tegh Behadur, as sat-guru or chief spiritual leader, in 1675, and ranks as the tenth in descent from Nanak. The persecutions which the Sikhs had suffered from the Mahometan rulers had changed their peaceful character, and converted their tenets into a kind of military code. Govind Sinh followed out this policy, and placed it on a firmer basis. Nanak, in order to conciliate the Hindoos, had left their civil institutions untouched. Govind Sinh adopted a bolder course ; and in order to arm the whole population against the Mahometans, with whom he and his fol- lowers were at open war, proclaimed his determination to admit converts from every tribe, and make worldly wealth and rank equally accessible to all. One of his sayings was, that the four classes — Brahmins, Cshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras, "would, like pan (betel-leaf), chunani (lime), supari (betel-nut), snidkhat (terra japonica or catechu), become all of one colour when chewed." Instead of the peaceful spirit of Nanak, he made war the profession of all his followers, binding them " always to have steel about them in one shape or other." Nanak admitted that Mahomet was a prophet "sent by God to this world to do good, Leading
1611 GtS Ol
and to disseminate the knowledge of one God through means of the Koran; but Nanak. lie, acting on the principle of free-will which all human beings exercise, intro- duced oppression and cruelty, and the slaughter of cows, for which he died." He added — " I am now sent from heaven to publish unto mankind a book, which shall reduce all the names given unto God to one name which is God ; and he who calls Him by any other, shall fall into the path of the devil, and have his feet bound in the chains of wretchedness." After adverting to the hatred sub- sisting between Mahometans and Hiadoos, he continues thus — " I am sent to reconcile your jarring faiths, and I implore you to read their scriptures as well as your own; but reading is useless without obedience to the doctrine taught;
for God has said. No man shall be saved except he has performed good works.
