O Great Shiva, grant my wish -- that I will never be afraid to do good,

and never be afraid to fight evil.

With your courage I will win.

Put yourself in my mind because I want to praise you

And when my life must end, it will be while fighting bravely.

-- Guru Gobind Singh

This is the most famous poem of the 10th Sikh Guru, but is truly a puzzle. It excites the people of Punjab even though it is written the language of another land. Sikhs sing its verses as holy prayers even though it describes a Hindu epic. It has become a uniting anthem even though it comes a text so controversial that it has deeply divided the community for the past 300 years.

Many of us are surprised to see how much Indian spiritual literature refers to military battles. We expect religion to support peace and criticize fighting. But the great Hindu deities are commonly famed for the fighting skills that protect the innocent. In myth, Rama and Krishna are worshipped for their victories in war. And in Sikh history, Guru Gobind Singh is honored for fighting India’s Mughal oppressors.

Both Hindu and Sikh religions are based on calmness, not violence. So you might interpret violent spiritual writings as a symbolic fight for inner peace. But this approach often ends up with complicated, awkward translations of simple direct words. Take some time to see it from both sides but don’t expect a clear answer; this debate will continue for a long time.

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