One time, Guru Gobind Singh jee had received a new, expensive musket as a gift. Guru Sahib examined it briefly, and then, turning to his Sikhs, said: "I need to test this musket on someone: who will it be?" There was a shuffle of feet as two Sikhs jumped and ran; positioning themselves in front of the Guru they proclaimed: "I will do it!" As the Guru lifted the musket, and as they waited for the bullet to penetrate one of their skulls, both their faces glowed with pride and joy. Of course, neither of them were shot.
That was a time when Sikhs loved Guru Sahib. We're in a new era now. Times have changed. Guru Sahib is a symbol for us now; a figment of our imaginations. So of
course Sikhi is not about giving our head any more.
Guru Sahib said, "Jo to prem khelan kaa chao, sir tar thalee galee meree ao." In 1699, he challenged his Sikhs to die for him, to trust him so much that they would step forward and let the Guru's swift sword end their life then and there. That will and drive to give up everything at the altar of the Guru was the seed that sprouted the Khalsa.
But that was a different age. We live in the modern era now, where everything is about self-preservation. Sikhi is about walking the path in my own way, at my own pace. I don't have to give up my head if i don't want to. It's all about what feels good to me. Hey, if I feel like doing what the Guru says today, then great! But if I don't, then it's all good. No need to be too fundamentalist. No, no. That's going too far.
Why should I give up everything for my Guru anyway? I swore to give him my head, but to be honest, that's too painful.
One time, Sikhi was about loving the Guru so much that we'd do anything for him. If he said jump off a bridge, we'd do it without hesitation. But that's laughable now. Nowadays, it's important not to follow religion blindly (even though Guru Sahib says so repeatedly that we should). So we think things through to the point that it's okay for us to not listen to our Guru.
At one time, Sikhi was about burning in the fire of love. We'd hurt for our Beloved; we'd take bullets for him, we'd let our bodies be hacked to pieces, we'd let our heads be severed from our bodies and our children ripped from our wombs; we'd feel our skin bubble and pop as the torches of the enemies set us on fire, and we'd watch as our brothers died too; and we'd look up to the sky and with tears in our eyes we'd thank the Almighty for his grace, for the sweetness of his bhanna and the wonder of his play. Because we were in love, and our love was unshakeable, our faith impenetrable.
But times have changed. It's about us now. So we're taking back our heads.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥