A very loose translation from Puratan Itihasak Jeevnia by Principal Satbir Singh
Sikhs had just came out of the torture period of Mir Mannu when Ahmed Shah Abdali attacked Punjab with full force. When the Marathas lost to Ahmed Shah Abdali in the battle of Panipat on 14th January 1761, the couldn’t stand up for 20 years. After that when Sikhs were massacred in Wadda Ghallughara in 1762, people thought that Sikhs would never stand up again. However with Guru’s grace Sikhs attacked Abdali near Lahore within 3 months and made him run from Punjab never to set foot again.
Abdali was so terrorized and scared that he decided that Sikhs can’t be killed with force. So instead of using Force (Maaro Neeti), he started using Divide and Rule (Paaro Neeti). But at that time there were Sikhs who had studied in the School of Guru Gobind Singh ji and learnt the true way of life. When Abdali tried to give the lieutenantship (Subedari) to Bhai Gujjar Singh Bhangi by sending him the “order of Subedari”, Doshala (royal robe) and Afgani Dry Nuts, Bhai Sahib sent him back a torn pieces of old cloth, black chickpeas, Turnips (Gonglu) and a piece of paper with “ਸਿੰਘ ਹੋਇ ਰਾਖੈ ਕਿਮ ਕਾਨ | ਐਰੇ-ਗੈਰੇ ਕਾ ਮੰਗੇ ਫ਼ਰਮਾਨ ||” written on it. It means that for Sikhs, the Turnips are equivalent to apples, black chickpeas are equivalent to dry fruits and the authority to rule is given by Guru ji himself and Sikhs don’t need an order or anyone to rule. Abdali’s son Taimoor also never thought of attacking Sikhs as they have learnt that Sikhs can’t loose.
Unfortunately when the Sikhs were in Jungles, the Masands were controlling the Gurudwaras and Britishers were able to dilute the core principles of Sikhi due to which the Sikhs could forget the teachings of Guru and sell their consciousness, ethics, moral, self-respect, devotion. Today we want those Sikhs with the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji who can die but not sell their principles, ethics and self-respect.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥