Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies

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life there is aggression or injustice, the religious man cannot
remain neutral; he must react and do so in a righteous way.
For, once the’ householder’s life was considered to be the
medium of the religious growth of man, it became natural for
him to accept total moral participation and total responsibility
in all fields of life. The traditional barriers created between
the so called socio-political segments and religious segments
of life were deemed artificial, and were once for all broken for
the religious man. For, wherever man suffers, the religious man
must go to his succour. Such was the religious experience or
perception of Guru Nanak. And it was he who laid down the
firm foundation of such a religious thesis and system. Here it
is necessary to understand one important point. Social or
political evils can be fought and remedied only by a cohesive
society, accepting social responsibilities and right goals. Those
cannot be removed just by individuals or by mere preaching.
In short, Guru Nanak’s aim was not individual salvation, but
the socio-spiritual salvation of man and society, and such a
gigantic task could not be completed in one life. A whole society
had to be organised that had internally to remove the
disintegrating disease of the caste ideology, and externally to
fight the political oppression. The task was colossal. It could
not be accomplished in one generation. But, it was Guru Nanak
who while he laid the foundations both of the system and the
society, also initiated the method of appointing a successor
so that in due time the society could become fully organised
and mature enough to complete the socio-political tasks set
before it. The Gurus had first to organise a new society
intensely motivated with new values, with a keen sense of
brotherhood, inspired to struggle and sacrifice, and deeply
committed to achieving new goals. It is in this light that the
role of different Gurus has to be viewed. It is important to
understand that after Islam “the idea that specifically
designated organised bands of men