DO NOT STRIKE BACK, IF SOMEONE HITS YOU

There is a shalok Bhagat Fareed Ji:

PrIdw jo qY mwrin mukIAW iqn@w n mwry GuMim ]

Fareed, do not turn around and strike those who strike you with their fists.
AwpnVY Gir jweIAY pYr iqn@w dy cuMim ]7]
Go to their home and kiss their feet ||7|| ( ang 1378 )

It is commonly seen that most of the Gursikhs translate this tuk ( verse ) that if someone
strikes you, then do not strike back, but go to his home and kiss his feet.

Let us see if this meaning is according to or contrary to our GURU SAHIB’S philosophy.

GURBANI cannot be wrong. We ourselves, who do not understand the deep meaning of
the GURBANI verses can be wrong. Let us see an event from KALGIDHAR PATSHAH’S
time, when GURU SAHIB was going to Deccan ( South India ).

Bhagat Daadu Ji’s Dera is in Jaipur state and it is called Daadu Dwara. When Sahib Shri
Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj was going towards Deccan, He stayed there for some
time. This was in year (sambat 1764) ( 1707 A.D. ). Mahant Jait Ram was the mahant of
that dera at that time. Sahib Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj asked the Mahant to let
him know any saying of Mahant Daadu Ram. The Mahant uttered this shalok of Mahant
Daadu Ram.

ਦਾਦੂ ਦਾਵਾ ਦੂਰ ਕਰ ਕਿਲ ਕਾ ਲੀਜੈ ਭਾਇ

ਂ ਿਢਮ ਲੀਜੈ ਸੀਸ ਚਢਾਇ
ਜੇ ਕੋ ਮਾਰੇ ਈਟ

It meant that if someone throws a brick at you, then you should bow your head. SAHIB
KALGIDHAR PATSHAH replied that it does not suit Him and said that it was quite
contrary to His principle. He said that our principle is that if someone throws a brick
towards you, then reply him with a stone.

ਦਾਦੂ ਦਾਵਾ ਰਖ ਕੇ ਕਿਲ ਕਾ ਲੀਜੈ ਭਾਇ

 ਂ ਿਢਮ ਪਾਥਰ ਹਨ ਰਸਾਇ
ਜੋ ਕੋ ਮਾਰੇ ਈਟ (Mahan Kosh, Bhai Kahan Singh)

By coming violently to someone's defense and protecting him or her from violence is
commendable. Is using violence to bring peace an evil? It depends on the result. If there
is really peace and freedom afterward, you may say that it was better than non-violence
would have been. Establishing peace through non-violence is better than through
violence, but letting violence persist is not.

Sahib Shri Guru The Bahaadur Ji says:

One who does not frighten anyone, and who is not afraid of anyone else

says Nanak, listen, mind: call him spiritually wise. ( ang 1427 )
Many times we have to use violent means to defend a weak person or to protect
someone’s dignity. If violence is used to bring peace, then it is not bad. The popular
saying is: “If you want peace, be prepared for war.” There is lot of difference between
being violent and allowing violence.

Sometimes violence is unavoidable. The world is an open system, not a closed one.
Some people may come to us with violence even if we are not violent to them. They
may not have any other method of interaction than violence. They may have
psychological disorders. They may be immature. They may be oppressed by your class,
even if not directly by you. Being non-violent in these cases is justified, because there
may not be anything else, which you can do.

Unfortunately, Non Violence doesn't work that well, when you use it with non-civilized
opposing forces.
Toleration is a good thing, but there is also a time to call out monsters. We cannot, for
example, condone violence; nor can we allow people to do whatever they wish if this
will harm others, or prevent them from exercising their rights. What do you do when
tolerance conflicts with other viable virtues or goods that are at stake? Sacrificing your
own happiness is violence unto yourself.
The tenth Master declared that he would create such a Panth (nation) which would not
be cowed down by tyrant rulers, but it would rather challenge the oppressor in every
walk of life to restore justice, equality and peace for mankind. You can apply fight or
flight to that bully who confronts you and won't listen to reason. Not all things that are
better in theory can be carried out in practice. History shows that unilateral gestures of
goodwill are seldom sufficient to resolve conflicts. A strategy of effective deterrence
coupled with the determination and ability to wage war is usually the only way to
preserve peace.

Gandhi said that if someone strikes you on one cheek you must turn another. However
he did not explain that what you must do if the person strikes your other cheek as well.
Should you then strike him back or let him smite you repeatedly?

At another time, when communal riots were going on in India, he said,” Do not be mad,
if the bullies abduct your sister or daughter. But request them to take your other sister
or daughter also.”

It is really shameful. No honorable person can even think of that.

Tolerating enemies is provocative.
The underlying disagreement we have is that it’s disastrous to view non-violence as a
philosophy. That limits your options tremendously.
Non-violent resistance might be effective in special circumstances but usually it’s not
effective. It’s never effective against relentless bullies.

Real-world bullies take your use of the Golden Rule as a sign of weakness and an
invitation to bully you more. Real bullies don’t have the empathy to stop abusing you
because your feelings are hurt.

Violence should not be ruled out where no option remained:

It is better for us to die in battle than to witness the ruin of our nation and our
sanctuary.

At its climax Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji infused the spirit of both the saintlihood and the
undauntedness in the minds and hearts of his followers to fight oppression in order to
restore justice, righteousness (Dharma) and to uplift the down-trodden people in this
world.

When evil is holding its head high, should a holy man knuckle under it or take up arms to
combat and destroy it? Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji decided in favor of the latter course i.e.
to combat evil and uphold righteousness. He thus enjoined upon his followers to make
use of the sword if all other means failed to liquidate the wicked and his wickedness. In
order to achieve this mission, he issued 'Hukamnamas' (circular letters of authority) to
his followers to present to him arms of different designs.

It was KALGIDHAR PATSHAH’S task to set right the balance. In the service of this mission,
the Sikhs were justified in drawing the sword. He expressed this conviction in Zafar-
nama (“Epistle of Victory”), a letter that he addressed to Aurangzeb.

When all other means have failed,

It is but lawful to take to the sword.

Chun kaar az hamme heelte dar guzasht

Halaal asat burden b shamsheer dast.

Now let us see then, who is striking us and what should we do?

Five evils or five thieves (panchadosh or panj vikar) as they are referred to in Sahib Sri
Guru Granth Sahib Ji, are the major weaknesses of the human personality at variance
with its spiritual essence. The common evils far exceed in number, but a group of five of
them came to be identified because of the obstruction they are believed to cause in
man's pursuit of the moral and spiritual path. The group of five evils comprises Kam
(Lust), Krodh (Rage), Lobh (Greed), Moh (Attachment) and Ahankar (ego). These are
constantly striking a human being to follow them.

It is the primary aim of the practising Sikh to subdue the actions of these five inner evils
and render them useless. The actions of one's mind should be above, beyond and
without interference from these five inner urges or sins. It's a Sikh's duty not to base his
life subject to these five passions of the human heart.

This group of five evils is constantly instigating a person towards evil doing. They are
such big demons, that they devour even the mighty ones.

Kam, Krodh, Moh, Lobh and Ahankar etc always stand before us and try to lure us
towards the evil practices. They are the primary enemies an individual must defeat to
reach his goal. Our inner enemies are striking us each moment to lead us astray from
the righteous path.

GURU SAHIB says:

Within this body dwell the five thieves: sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment
and egotism.
They plunder the Nectar, but the self-willed manmukh does not realize it; no one hears
his complaint.
(ang 600 )

The temple of the body is being plundered by the thieves within, but this faithless cynic
does not even recognize these demons. ( ang 1031 )
They are argumentative demons, terrifying goblins.
These demons stir up conflict and strife. ( ang 1031 )

Unfulfilled sexual desire and unresolved anger dwell in my body, like the outcasts who
cremate the dead. Engrossed in the intoxication of sexual desire and anger, people
wander through reincarnation over and over again. ( ang 24 )

Sahib Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji mentions this in clear cut terms:

The four castes and social classes, and the preachers with the six Shaastras on their
finger-tips, the beautiful, the refined, the shapely and the wise - the five passions have
enticed and beguiled them all.
Gautam was a great saint ( Rishi ). His wife named Ahalyaa was very beautiful. Now
Indra was an angel. But when he saw the wife of Gautam, he went to his house in his
absence. GURU SAHIB mentions this event:

Ahalyaa was the wife of Gautam the seer. Seeing her, Indra ( who was a god ) was
enticed.
When he received a thousand marks of disgrace on his body, then he felt regret in
his mind. (ang 1344 )

So we are warned that we should not be swayed by these five evils, but instead
Of that we should go to our own home. When our mind starts to go down a path
that's wrong, prevent it from going that way by the kissing of GURU SAHIB’S
HOLY FEET.

SO BHAGAT FARID JI says that if those five demons instigate you and lure you to
their fold, then do not follow them, but go to your OWN HOME.

AND “WHICH IS OUR OWN HOME?”

GURBANI clearly directs us to our “ OWN HOME “

The house of our husband LORD is our real house. And the house, where we live is
our temporary abode and the real house of ours is, where we all have to go sooner
or later. So BHAGAT FARID JI says, if these five Demons lure you to follow them,
then do not listen to them, but go to your real house i.e. the house of the husband
LORD. And kiss the HUSBAND LORD’S HOLY FEET. And we should pray before
GURU SAHIB to save us from these DEMONS.

GURBANI clearly mentions:

Those who know their own home, are happy, O Siblings of Destiny. (ang 425)

Within the home of your own Lord, enjoy the Lord's subtle essence, and earn
profits in the world hereafter. ( ang 568 )
I have my own Guru; why should I go to the home of a stranger? (ang766)

Those who fall at the Feet of the Guru are released from this bondage.
( ang 43 )

Worship the Feet of the Guru, and your evil-mindedness shall be burnt away. ( ang
519 )

I kiss their feet, who recognize the True Lord. ( ang 488 )