1 2 Sketch of the
2 Sikhs, 171.
3 3 Masson, i. 419.
4 4 189.
5 5 Forster, Bong.
6 Eng. {. 203,
7 6 Forster, i. 303,
8 134 PUNJAB.
9 Capitals, Amritsir and Lahore. The belief of this sect was origi-
10 nally, according to Malcolm,? a pure deism, but has so far
11 degenerated that they now consider their founder entitled to
12 divine honours, and regard him as a saviour and mediator with
13 God. Their faith admits the doctrine of the transmigration of
14 souls, either as a punishment, or a remedial process for moral
15 deficiency, and of a future state of bliss for the good. To kill kine
16 is considered by them a horrible impiety. Tobacco% is prohi-
17 bited, but fermented liquors are allowed, and no kind of food is for-
18 bidden except beef. Malcolm4 lays down the following as the
19 great points by which they are separated from the strict Hindoos :
20 —the renunciation of the distinctions of castes, the admission of
21 proselytes, and the rendering the pursuit of arms not only allow-
22 able, but the religious duty of all. The sect, though it has
23 but recently become powerful, was founded by Nanac, who was
24 born in 1469 at Raypur,’ sixty miles west of Lahore, and received
25 the name of Guru,* or ‘spiritual pastor,” from his votaries,
26 who themselves assumed the appellation of Sikhs,t or “ dis-
27 ciples.” His followers were at first peaceable and humble, and
28 remained so until the murder, by the Mahometans, of their
29 fourth Guru in succession from Nanac, on which event his
30 successor, Har Govind, in revenge, drew the sword which has
31 never since been sheathed. Guru Govind, the fifth in succession
32 from Har Govind, and the tenth from Nanac, is regarded as the
33 founder of the temporal power of the Sikhs. His votaries were
34 instructed by him always to bear arms, or at least steel in some.
35 form or-other, about them, and to assume the name of Singh, or
36 lion, previously affected only by the Rajpoots. By this name they
37 are distinguished from the other Sikhs or followers of Baba
38 Nanak. They ceased to have any spiritual leader ¢ after the death
39 of Govind, who was killed in 1708, and from that period until
40 the power of Runjeet Singh became paramount, they constituted
41 7 Maleolm, i. 120 a turbulent and irregular republic, holding, in cases? of great emer-
42 ly, 63,
43 ? Bokh. ti, 286,
44 * + hs.
45 t So states Foster,! whose account is consistent, and probably accurate,
46 and seems to be corroborated by that of Jacquemont,? in his notice of
47 Amritsir—‘‘ Cette Rome du Pendjib n’a point de pape.’”’ Burnes, how-
48 ever, makes mention of ‘‘ the head of the Sikh church, the Bedee or Sabib
49 Sing.’’