Foreword To The Book ‘Sikh Martyrs’ By Bhagat Lakshman Singh

I feel diffident in writing a Foreword to the story of martyrs told with such refreshing vigour by my friend, Bhagat Lakshman Singh. The author is still animated by influences which operated in his boyhood, and when it was a fashion to ridicule miracles; his stories deal with objective side mostly as mirrored in the minds of men who chronicled the events. He has not attempted to lift the veil from subjective mysteries. The Gurus & men in whose hearts God dwelt suffered no tortures, the Atman while still dwelling in the body could short-circuit the senses which transmitted pain, and remain in a state of bliss Sat-Chit-Anand. The Gurus suffered martyrdom to point out the path of immortality and the unconquerable nature of the soul ; and also to better down the barriers that closed the sluices of sympathy and allowed hate to prevail in the hearts of men entrusted with authority. The remarkable part, as the story of Sikh Martyrs unfolds itself, is the absence of any expression of ill-will towards their tormentors by the tormented. The songs of praise which they chanted, when free, are poured forth in moments of apparent agony in an unending melody. Their message lingers—a source of inspiration and strength that knows no change—flowing eternally from the heart of God Himself.

The author deserves our thanks and congratulations; he could not have chosen a more inspiring subject, nor handled it in a better style, his descriptions produce visions of Divineful personalities, set upon a golden thread.

The agony and the sacrifice and the need of it is traced clearly by the author. I have merely supplemented his reflections by pointing out that where God dwells, there cannot be any consciousness of sacrifice. Humanity needs martyrs who refuse to accept injustice, selfishness, stupidity, and moral ugliness : who give their lives to set free the Divine attributes of love, goodness, wisdom and beauty.

JOGINDRA SINGH Iqbal Nagar, N. W.R. 4th June, 1923

Table Of Contents Of ‘Sikh Martyrs’ Book By Bhagat Lakshman Singh