This is the title track to our short film 'Bibi Sharan: The Courage Of Kaurs'. Below is the story behind the longer modern classic it is based on.
Shortened version. This article will go in depth into the original song.
A Modern Classic
I'd heard this song literally every week for my entire upbringing, and much of my life since. Because it was sung as part of every gurdwara, every Sunday, in my sangat.
It may be novel to many that an English song is integrated into gurdwara but there is a good reason for the respect this song is held. Here is the story behind the song.
The GurSikh Who Wrote It
Livtar Singh Khalsa has been a yoga teacher and adherent Khalsa since before I was born. Once I chanced upon him giving katha about the spiritual experience behind the Song of the Khalsa. First, I'll share the motivation behind why he wrote the song. He told us that once an image came to his mind: That Sikhs would be persecuted and that we need songs that will inspire us in the darkest of times, and the songs we normally sing are too peaceful and won't give us that courage. So, he wrote 'The Song Of The Khalsa'.
The Teaching On Death
The chorus contains encouragement to hold strong to our Sikhi, it talks about being at our best when times are worst, never giving up, even until we die. Originally, he had written 3 verses:
-The first verse illustrates the life of Guru Arjan Dev who could have easily avoided being tortured but sacrificed his life anyways. This verse turns out to be a message to the men/boys, a reminder of the courage to sacrifice which has given us blessings we benefit from today.
-The second verse addresses the women/girls and declares that if they know their true home is Anandpur Sahib, they will be strong and graceful. This invocation to be a true princess, daughter of a true king, is followed by an encouragement to give such strength to the next generations.
-The third verse talks about the sacrifices Guru Gobind gave in order to create and uplift the Khalsa above all. It also iterates 'Raaj Karega Khalsa' by saying "Khalsa will rule the world, all will be safe in its fold". Then it says something very interesting, "But if the Khalsa falls, there won’t be a world at all!"
Khalsa Vibes Sustains This World
On first glance this line could come across as religious arrogance, but the sentiment is beautiful and profound. Once Livtar Singh received a teaching from his teacher Siri Singh Sahib (click here to read about this unique title in the Panth). Once they had visited HariMander Sahib and he was taught the following: The importance of the Gold Temple is not understood by many. The power of all the Gurbani being sung, the devotion and prayers that are given there and the miracle of its presence makes it such a powerful spiritual center... it affects the whole world. There are other locations that serve a similar purpose, but HariMander Sahib is particularly important, it's a central power center on earth; it helps to raise the collective vibration of this realm we live in. If this place were to cease to exist, you can count the days until the world descends into nuclear war and the elimination of modern civilization. The forces of antagonism and violence will not be kept at bay. In just days, every household would experience higher level of conflict, every city would spike in crimes and murder, in certain more days nations would also not be able to maintain peace and international diplomacy would crumble, not long later the impulsive hot heads would prevail and will launch nukes at enemy nations. The result would be mass genocide, nuclear fallout and the skies would turn red.
These forces of destruction have been here the whole time in this Kalyug, certainly for my whole life. In fact, if these forces of destruction were allowed to fulfill their ends, I would have been born in a post apocalypse earth, if I was born at all. The human population would be a fraction of what it is and civilization would have degraded... were it not for the presence of this most important throne of spiritual power that we can the Golden Temple. Essentially, we are on borrowed time in this world due to the blessings of the living legacy of the Gurus who built such a place and all those who engage it today with endless devotion. In other words, it is the GurSikhs living today that are helping to stave of global destruction by helping to anchor heavenly energy, dhur ki bani, into this realm. The teaching of the importance of the Guru's home in Amritsar left an impression on Livtar Khalsa's mind.
Job Done...?
It's a powerful song, very powerful actually. In Sikhi we are meant to not think of having a good life as much as having a good death. That's why Sikhs make history wherever they go, because if you live like you are dying, you're not going to waste time, you'll do only that what matters most. This song conveys, in English to a western sangat, the importance of death and the spirit of shaheeds and the consciousness of deathlessness. After writing it clearly his job was done... until he had a special spiritual experience which invoked him to write a fourth verse.
A Meditative Mind
Now on with his story of what happened after he finished writing his song. Livtar Singh has done quite a bit of Seva and Simran in his time. There were periods where he would be engaged in various meditations for 6 and even 8 hours a day. His soft-spoken nature is belied by the strength of his conviction of practice. He explained that during these heavy meditation periods of his life seeing spiritual entities were very normal. He explained that one time he witnessed some entity that had no features enter the gurdwara. It was just a cylinder, with no face, arms or legs. It floated on towards the Guru without touching the ground, the top of this cylindric specter tilted forward until it seemed to bow to the Guru. Then when it did bow, it lit up like a firework into an array of sparkles, and it disappeared. He conveyed this in order to explain that seeing other worldly beings was not surprising to him.
There's One More Verse
So the night he finished writing 'The Song Of The Khalsa' he went to bed. But then he felt a tapping on his head, as if someone was trying to wake him up by knocking on a door. Some spirit communicated to him, "The song is not finished". At first, he protested and internally argued that he was satisfied. But it again told him, "There is one more verse". Then he figured whoever this entity was it probably knows better if the song is done or not, so he got his guitar and out of him came another verse. It basically wrote itself.
Guru Is For The Khalsa
The new lines actually fit in the middle of the song chronologically, it became the 3rd verse. It speaks of the creation of the Khalsa:
Baisakhi we were thousands, but only five had the courage for dying.
Then one brave man, one flashing sword, turned us all to lions.
And now we live His Legacy, to die before we fall.
And like the five who answered the call, we can’t turn back at all.
The importance part of this 'channeled' lyrics is legacy. A legacy of fearless conduct. It makes it personal. We, me and you, are carrying on the Guru's mission. Guru is just as present now as he was hundreds of years ago. It is not blasphemous to imagine ourselves next to the Panj Pyare, in fact that's what Kalgidhar Pita ji wants us to do. He wants all of us to join him just as they did. He wants us to also raise ourselves up to his level and become Guru Khalsa ourselves.
NOW the song was finished. When he first played the song Siri Singh Sahib had him play it again and explained the meaning behind it. Then had him play it again. And again. Then he said, "Even I can't understand the full meaning of this song. I'm amazed that I came here to teach, but today I have been taught." Then he dictated that this 'Song Of The Khalsa' should be played before Anand Sahib at every gurdwara service from now on. And so, it was.
They Know Best
So, it seems that whoever told him to make another verse did have a good reason. Our history is not for the past, it's for the present and for the future. This is not an old religion; it is a cutting edge and profound spiritual reality. The Guru is alive today, and it is on us to make that truth felt in this world.
Pay attention to the full animation which will be released on the 28th of this month. Share the film will all your groups and circles.
Below are the full lyrics to the original 'The Song Of The Khalsa' which you can read or watch here:
Many speak of courage. Speaking cannot give it.
It’s in the face of death that we must live it.
When things are down and darkest, that’s when we stand tallest.
Until the last star falls, we won’t give an inch at all!
Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.1. Guru Arjun gave His Life, to stand for what was right.
He was burned and tortured, five long days and nights.
He could have stopped it any time, just by giving in.
His Strength a solid wall, He never gave an inch at all!
Sons of the Khalsa, remember those who died.
Stood their ground until their last breath,
So we who live now, might live free lives.2. A princess is not royal, by her birth or blood inside.
But if her family’s home is Anandpur Sahib,
She’ll walk with such a grace and strength, the world will bow in awe.
Until the mountains fall, she’ll never give an inch at all!
Daughters of the Khalsa, in your strength our future lies.
Give our children fearless minds, to see the world through the Guru’s Eyes.3. Baisakhi we were thousands, but only five had the courage for dying.
Then one brave man, one flashing sword, turned us all to lions.
And now we live His Legacy, to die before we fall.
And like the five who answered the call, we can’t turn back at all.
Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.4. The Tenth Guru gave even His Sons, to give the Khalsa life.
His Words stand like mountains, against the winds of time,
That Khalsa will rule the world, all will be safe in its fold.
But if the Khalsa falls, there won’t be a world at all!
Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.Many speak of courage. Speaking cannot give it.
It’s in the face of death that we must live it.
When things are down and darkest, that’s when we stand tallest.
Until the last star falls, we won’t give an inch at all!
Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.Sons of the Khalsa, remember those who died.
Stood their ground until their last breath, so we who live now, might live free lives.Daughters of the Khalsa, in your strength our future lies.
Give our children fearless minds, to see the world through the Guru’s Eyes.Stand as the Khalsa, strong as steel, steady as stone.
Give our lives to God and Guru, mind and soul, breath and bone.
Mind and soul are his alone.
Here is Livtar's recounting of the Origin Of The Song Of The Khalsa
