Page 60 - Lohgarh

60 w Lohgarh : The World’s Largest Fort

said: ‘Madho Das we have come to see you.’ I knew that yours is a
Vaishnu dera. I guess, you don’t know about another bigger dera, this
country, where every day hundreds and thousands of innocent people,
not animals, are being butchered. I have come to your dera to draw
your attention to this human misery.’ These words had magical impact
on Madho Das and he, in a trembling voice, said, ‘From today, Gurudev,
I am your banda (slave) in mind and body. Tell me as to what I should do
for you now.’ The Guru smiled and looked sternly at Madho Das and
said: Madho Das! It is very difficult to become a banda of someone and
to obey his orders. A banda is one who sacrifices his body, mind and
wealth for his master.’
Now, Madho Das was not the earlier Madho Das (a vain yogi). He
had renounced his honour and ego and had really become a humble
banda of the Guru. On this, Guru again said, ‘Madho Das, our faith
(Sikhism) is the house of Guru Nanak. Whosoever joins this house; he
needs forget his previous family of birth, faith, actions, hesitations and
doubts.’ Madho Das consented, ‘Master, now I have no other resort
even to think of... I have become just your banda in and out.’ 4

Banda Singh Initiated into Sikhism
The next day, on 4 September 1708, the Guru himself bestowed five
kakaars (Kangha, Kirpan, Karha, Kachhehra, and Keski) upon Madho
Das. The former bairagi sadhu now became a Sikh with keski (turban).
Madho Das was given Khanday-Di-Pahul by the Guru, along with Bhai
Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh and two others. He was also given a
new name, Banda Singh. The Sikhs present there raised aloud jaikaaraas
(Sikh slogans of victory) and thus celebrated Banda Singh’s entry into
the Panth. (Max Arthur Macauliffe has wrongly mentioned his name as
Gurbakhsh Singh).
The scene of his initiation has been recorded by the writers of the
Bhatt Vahis. This event has been presented by Swarup Singh Kaushish,
the writer of Guru Kian Sakhian in detail.
Besides Swarup Singh Kaushish, several other writers, of the
eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries (mostly non-Sikh), e.g. Mirza