DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0176
164 The Sikh Sect.
but to the surprise of those who were present at his death, he
passed over his own son and nominated as second Guru his
disciple Lahana, whose name had been changed to Angada
because of his devotion. He had, so to speak, given up his
person (anga) to the service of his master. This appears to
have been his chief merit. He was quite illiterate, though
tradition makes him the inventor of the peculiar alphabet
called Guru-mukhT (a modification of the Devanagan) in
which the Sikh bible was written. Angada nominated Amar-
das to succeed him as third Guru. Seven others were ap-
pointed to the succession in a similar manner. These make
up the ten chief Gurus of the Sikh religion. They were,
4. Ram-das; 5. Arjun; 6. Har-Govind ; 7. Har-Rai; 8. Har-
Kisan (for Har-Krishna); 9. Teg-Bahadur; and 10. Govind-
Sinh.
Professor Trumpp has given an interesting account of each,
though he does not vouch for the truth of the native biogra-
phies from which his details are taken. One thing is certain,
that notwithstanding the agreement of Sikhs and Muhamma-
dans in regard to the great doctrine of the Unity of the God-
head, a violent political antagonism soon sprang up between
them. The truth was, that when the Sikhs began to combine
together for the promotion of their worldly as well as spiritual
interests, they rapidly developed military tastes and abilities.
This was the signal for an entire change of attitude between
Sikhs and Muhammadans. So long as the former were a
mere religious sect they were left unmolested; but when they
began to band themselves together for purposes of political
aggrandizement, they encountered opposition and persecution.
The Muhammadan Government naturally took alarm. It
could not permit the growth of an imperium in imperio.
Internecine struggles followed. Both parties treated each
other as deadly enemies; but the hardy and energetic Sikhs,
though occasionally vanquished and dispersed, were not to be
driven off the field. Nor is it surprising that they gradually
but to the surprise of those who were present at his death, he
passed over his own son and nominated as second Guru his
disciple Lahana, whose name had been changed to Angada
because of his devotion. He had, so to speak, given up his
person (anga) to the service of his master. This appears to
have been his chief merit. He was quite illiterate, though
tradition makes him the inventor of the peculiar alphabet
called Guru-mukhT (a modification of the Devanagan) in
which the Sikh bible was written. Angada nominated Amar-
das to succeed him as third Guru. Seven others were ap-
pointed to the succession in a similar manner. These make
up the ten chief Gurus of the Sikh religion. They were,
4. Ram-das; 5. Arjun; 6. Har-Govind ; 7. Har-Rai; 8. Har-
Kisan (for Har-Krishna); 9. Teg-Bahadur; and 10. Govind-
Sinh.
Professor Trumpp has given an interesting account of each,
though he does not vouch for the truth of the native biogra-
phies from which his details are taken. One thing is certain,
that notwithstanding the agreement of Sikhs and Muhamma-
dans in regard to the great doctrine of the Unity of the God-
head, a violent political antagonism soon sprang up between
them. The truth was, that when the Sikhs began to combine
together for the promotion of their worldly as well as spiritual
interests, they rapidly developed military tastes and abilities.
This was the signal for an entire change of attitude between
Sikhs and Muhammadans. So long as the former were a
mere religious sect they were left unmolested; but when they
began to band themselves together for purposes of political
aggrandizement, they encountered opposition and persecution.
The Muhammadan Government naturally took alarm. It
could not permit the growth of an imperium in imperio.
Internecine struggles followed. Both parties treated each
other as deadly enemies; but the hardy and energetic Sikhs,
though occasionally vanquished and dispersed, were not to be
driven off the field. Nor is it surprising that they gradually