India, Nov. 21 -- On November 11, 350 years ago, Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded in public at Chandni Chowk in Delhi on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for defying forced conversion to Islam. His three companions - Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dayala - were mercilessly executed before his eyes to scare and coerce him to yield but the Guru stood firm, disobeying the tyrant. The Guru had intervened for the protection of tilak and janeu as a group of Kashmiri Pandits led by Kirpa Ram in 1675 sought his intervention against the oppressive regime represented by Iftikhar Khan, the then governor of Kashmir, forcing Hindu conversions to Islam. History was awaiting a course correction for humanity. The Guru's sacrifice brought about that evolution, it laid a fundamental principle of civilised co-existence: The right to practice one's religion and creed, based on equality of all human beings. It empowered humanity against intolerance and theological oppression. The Guru's act to willingly embrace death and sacrifice self without resistance - in fact he voluntarily travelled from Chak Nanaki to Delhi to face his executioners - teaches us that martyrdom is not, as some religions believe, an act of aggression or violence against others or death in battle fighting with infidels or for a promise of better days in heaven, but a conscious compassion to face the oppressors without any resistance, to defend the right of freedom of faith. Willing martyrdom should not be misunderstood as surrender to tyrants. It was an act of courage and fearlessness. The Guru's message was to be nirbhau, free from all fears and be nirvair, beyond all enmity. His sacrifice was, as the tenth Guru says, "Sees diyaa par sirarh na diyaa" meaning that the Guru gave his head but not his principles, nor did he bow his head. Guru Teg Bahadur travelled far and wide, to spread the message of love, compassion, detachment from materialism, simran and meditating on God's name. His travels united India from Assam to Punjab, in commitment to equality of human race. His Bani comprising 57 shlokas and 59 shabads enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib was composed by him in Braj bhasha, messaging linguistic plurality. It is not as if the Guru was reluctant to wield a sword. He had, in fact, at a young age shown his mettle in the war fought at Kartarpur in 1635 against Painde Khan, a governor of the Mughal empire. The Mughal forces were routed. The cause of righteousness prevailed over injustice. It was due to his bravery in the battle that his childhood name Tyag Mal (meaning one who renounces) became Teg Bahadur - meaning the brave wielder of the sword. But the Guru's choice of title, as few historians have written, was Deg Bahadur - "Jis ki deg, us ki teg", one who is compassionate and charitable commands the sword. The Guru was not just Hind Di Chadar but Srishti di Chadar, a protector of humanity and universal human rights. His sacrifice laid a leading precept of Sikh philosophy - not to tolerate zabar janah, oppression and injustice. The tradition of sacrifice to resist zulam got engrained in the Sikh psyche and the way of life. Sikhs avow the sacrifices made for the cause of freedom of faith every day in ardas (prayer) and on socio-cultural occasions through heroic odes of the dhadhi singers and folklore. These serve as a daily reminder of the resistance, courage and sacrifice of the Guru and the generations gone by. No wonder historian Louis E Fenech concluded that martyrdom has evolved into the symbol "of corporate Sikh identity par excellence". Selfless sacrifice is a 'community-sealant', a binding force that inspires future generations to emulate the tradition of sacrifice for freedom, human rights and against oppression or excesses. It was at Anandpur Sahib, the town Guru Teg Bahadur had established, that his son, Guru Gobind Singh, carried his father's convictions forward by creating the fearless Khalsa, the saint-soldiers who raised the flag of freedom of faith and challenged the tyranny of the then rulers. The tenth Guru mandated that when all peaceful means have been tried and failed, it is righteous and just to pick up the sword. However, Guru Gobind Singh's struggle, like his father's sacrifice, was not against any religion but against injustice and intolerance. He said: "Hindu turak kou rafzi imam saafi manas ki jaat sabhe aike pehchanbo," which means that mankind is one and all are to be treated alike. The spirit infused by Guru Teg Bahadur's sacrifice shook the very foundation of the Mughal empire in India. The regime was soon dismembered by his followers and that led to the establishment of a liberal empire at Lahore by Ranjit Singh. He was the first indigenous Indian ruler after centuries that genuinely practised equality of all religions - Hindu, Sikh and Islam. Ranjit Singh's empire was Khalsa Raj but secular in essence, in the spirit of equality of humanity preached by the Guru. These very ideals are enshrined in our Constitution. It specifically confers freedom to profess, practice and propagate one's religion as a fundamental right. The right extends not just to citizens of the country but also to non-citizens living in India. The right to freedom of creed has become a universal human right, also recognised by The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in December 1948. Our generations are lucky to be born in the era of constitutionalism. We do not have to suffer oppression of despotic empires or resort to the sword to secure our rights. The legally guaranteed freedom of conscience is judicially enforceable, should the state or anyone else violate it. However, the Guru's martyrdom is a constant reminder that these values need to be reaffirmed with energised adherence in every society and country, even in liberal democratic constitutional countries. For, internal vigilance is the best assurance against any infringement of the rights. Let the Guru's message of pluralism, religious tolerance and freedom of faith flourish forever....