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Summary of Question:Warrior Princesses
Category:Sikh History
Date Posted:Saturday, 9/14/2002 2:03 AM MDT

Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Jee Ki Fateh!


I wanted to know if there was a history of any Singhnee warriors in the past, besides Mata Bhag Kaur Jee. Some people have told me that there were many Singhnee's who fought in battle alongside their brothers, but due to our slightly sexist/male dominated society, no one really knows about those warriors.

I had no idea about Mata Bhag Kaur until I started getting really involved in Sikhi (or tried to get involved, at least) and I think that's a little bit crazy, because she is the one who LED the 40 Mukhtey back to Guru Jee! She was the power and strength and grace that inspired them to return to their Guru, yet she is never rememembered. This is a sad situation, and even in Ardaas she is not mentioned (except for my own ardaas, the few times I do it..)

Sometimes I get very discouraged by men themselves, who tell me "you're nothing but a woman, you don't have what it takes to be a warrior", but other people have told me differently. I have met some amazing Singh's who do amazing Gatka, and they tell me that I have the power to become exactly like them. One of them even calls me a warrior, although I don't even compare to one. I am small physically and mentally too, basically an empty vessel who has been inspired, but is not complete enough to let go of my negative wishers..

I don't know if it's just a male-dominated society, or if there really have not been any Sikh Female warriors before.? Someone once told me that every Sikh has to be 50% Singh and 50% Kaur, so in the end it doesn't really matter whether you are a male or female, because you're supposed to be both. You should have grace and nobility like a Kaur, and strength and fearlessness like a Singh. So then, isn't it possible for a Kaur to conquer other men in battle?

I don't know if "normal" people have that power, because it's true that in general, God gave men (GENERALLY) more muscle mass than woman. I still, however, have a feeling inside me, that the muscle mass does not matter.. I think there's more to it than that. But perhaps I'm wrong. Perhaps I should just pray that in my next life I'll become a Singh so I can do gatka and work out next to other Singhs, without feeling out of place.? :-|

Thank youuu, please stay in chardee kalaa
God Bless
Ang Sang Vaheguru
Khalistan Zindabad
Vaheguru Jee Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Jee Kee Fateh!

_____________________________________________

Sat Siri Akal.

Mata Bhag Kaur not only led the 40 liberated ones back to Guru Ji, but afterwards received Amrit at the hands of Guru Gobind Singh himself and then served as one of his personal guards. And yes, there have been many other women in Sikh history who have done extraordinary deeds, but we do live in a sexist society that forgets these stories.

It is a tragedy of the panth, actually, that men fear strong women and so they have tried to keep their women weak - yet how can the Khalsa flourish if the mothers don't know how to raise spritiual warrior children? How can she do it if she isn't one herself?

Understand one thing - you are far more powerful than a man. If you do take up the study of Gatka, just by virtue of the fact that you are a woman - you have an advantage on the battle field. Because a man always bows to woman. He may do it unconsciously and that's his tragedy. Or he may do it consciously and that's his victory. But a man's life revolves around a woman and Guru Nanaak taught us this. Grace in a woman is not because she is weaker than a man, but because she is so extraordinarily powerful to his psyche - she needs to be kind in order to not blow him away.

Gatka is not about physical strength. It is a beautiful and subtle martial art that calls on the entire energy of the body - and how small or big you are is not the point. How you use what God has given you is the point. And you may be small, but if you know how to command your energy in battle, being small is an incredible advantage because it makes you a small target - difficult to hit - and if you can manage to get in close to someone bigger than you - it makes it difficult for them to defend themselves against you. Take up the study of Gatka so that you can understand just how powerful you are and know that you (1) must be a woman (2) must know how powerful a woman is and (3) must be able to command that power so you can fight justly.

As for the "every Khalsa has to be 50/50" - sometimes sexism disguises itself as an attitude that dismisses the difference between men and women. Men and women are different. Understand those difference. You are a manifestation of the Adi Shakti, of the Primal Creative Energy of God - which is a feminine energy. Even Guru Gobind Singh wrote in the Ardaas - after first bowing to the Adi Shakti, then meditate on Guru Nanaak. After first bowing to the Primal Creative Feminine, then bow to the men of God that Primal Feminine gave birth to. Guru Gobind Singh bowed to you before he even bowed to the Gurus. Realize this and know that it women gave birth to and raised the Gurus. We may not have been the Gurus, but we created them.

If you want to come into your identity as a true spiritual warrior princess - start wearing a turban. And if any man reacts or makes fun of you - remember it is only because he is afriad of how pwoerful you truly are.

May Guru guide you.

All love.

GPK




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