THE POWER OF AMRIT

London, Sep. 22, 2004
by Manvir Singh

When Bhai Jaitha Ji came from Delhi with Guru Tegh Bahadar Ji's severed head to tenth Guru, the Guru asked, "Oh Bhai Jaitha, tell how many people gathered at Chandi Chownk, to see my father be beheaded?"

Bhai Jaitha replied,
"There were hundreds and thousands."
Guru Ji then asked, "How many Sikhs of Guru Nanak were standing in the crowds?"

Bhai Jaitha Ji with tears in his eyes replied,
"Oh Guru Ji, I couldn't recognise who was a Sikh or who was not a Sikh, there were thousands of people but I couldn't see any Sikhs distinct from the crowd."

The tenth Guru replied,
"Don't worry, I will soon give the Sikhs, such a beautiful distinct image that my Sikhs will be recognised in crowds of thousands and throughout the world."

Amrit derives from two words, 'Am' and 'Mrit'.
'Am' means water. 'Mrit' is making a dead person alive.
'Amrit', the water, which makes a dead person alive.

When Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave the Sikhs Amrit he made the dead people alive, he instilled a new lease of spirit, which transformed sparrows into hawks, and made the Sikhs fearless of death.

In 1739 Nadir Shah came from Afghanistan to invade, plunder and loot the land of India.

As the army entered through Panjab, the Sikhs would attack the armies at night time.
The Sikhs would raid their looted wealth and riches.
The Sikhs would free the innocent Hindu sisters and mothers and return them to their respective homes.

Nadir Shah asked Zakriya Khan, the Governor of Panjab about the Sikhs.
"Who are these people who dare to attack my soldiers and plunder me", he asked.

Zakriya Khan replied,
'These are the followers of man called, 'Guru Nanak', their homes are their saddles and they visit their holy shrine in the middle of the night and disappear before the first light of day.'

Nadir Shah asked, 'What gives them their strength to dare to challenge me and my large armies?'
Zakriya Khan replied,
'Their Guru has given them Amrit, 'the water of immortality', drinking this they become fearless of death'.

Nadir Shah with curiosity said,
"How do you know this?"

Zakhriya Khan replied,
"Those people who used to walk pass me, with their head down and would say salaam…
Those same people after taking Amrit, they still walk pass me, but now they don't hold their head down, nor do they say salaam. Instead they walk pass, looking into my eyes. You are one King, but they are all Kings."

If an old man takes Amrit, he becomes fearless of death, like Baba Deep Singh Ji who at the age of 75 died fighting with his head on his hand.

If a young child takes Amrit, he becomes fearless of death, like Sahibzaada Zorawar Singh, who at the age of 8 didn't lower his turban to Wazir Khan and instead was bricked alive with his younger brother.

If a woman takes Amrit, she becomes fearless of death, like Mata Bhag Kaur who led 40 Sikhs into victory in battle against an army of thousands.

Would you stay Nir-gura (without a Guru) till you die? Or would you like to take the gift of Amrit and become the Sikh of the Guru?
Have you felt the 'Power'?