Ans. No word synonymous to “Panth” exists either in a Hindu dictionary or a Muslim Encyclopedia or in any other dictionary.
The Hindu thought has been confined to sects and denominations while Muslims have not been able to go beyond their restricted and exclusionary brotherhood (Millat).
The white men, on the other hand cannot think anything beyond their (superior) race.
Panth includes those who have moulded their life according to the directions of the Gurus and are always ready to sacrifice self for these ideals. They have neither prejudices of sects and denominations nor fundamentalist fanaticism of Islam nor arrogance of race.
Only through forsaking the arrogance of profession, lofty claims of superior actions, race, religion, communal afflictions that one can become a part of the “Panth”
When Balwand and Satta wrote in their Vaar in the Raag Raamkali (SGGS, P. 967)
ਦਰੁ ਸੇਵੇ ਉਮਤਿ ਖੜੀ
which means, the followers are waiting at the door of the Guru for service, they meant that the Sikhs came to the door of the Guru with no thought other than that of the service.
The second part of this sentence,
ਮਸਕਲੈ ਹੋਇ ਜੰਗਾਲੀ ॥
further clarifies the idea, as the meaning of this part is ‘cleansed mind’, i.e., free from any thought that may render the mind dirty.
Cunningham writes,
“When the divine light of the ten Gurus shines in a Sikh, he is Panth”.
Guru Nanak in Japu Ji says,
ਮੰਨੈ ਮਗੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਪੰਥੁ ॥
(SGGS, P. 3)
Which also means that a Sikh forsaking the fear of death, freely walks on the divine (imperial) highway”.
In other words he/she does not follow the paths of doubt, illusions and misconceptions but follows the path of truth.
ਧਰਮ ਰਾਇ ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਮਿਤੁ ਹੈ ਜਮ ਮਗਿ ਨ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
(SGGS, P. 1091)
Which means: Dharam Raja is their friend; they do not go on the path of Yama.
Guru Nanak Dev had revealed this Panth and all subsequent Gurus prepared the Sikhs to follow this royal path. We should remember the following words of Guru Arjan Dev quoted in “Mehma Prakash”:
Having realized that the Panth was revealed (to Guru Nanak) in this world, Guru Arjan Dev compiled the Adi Granth (to show the true way).
When on going through the Amrit ceremony (Sikh baptismal ceremony) the Sikhs accept Guru Gobind Singh as their father, Mata Sahib Kaur as their mother and Anandpur as their abode, they become members of a family, rather than a race, sect, tribe or clan.
Panth is not the subject of a worldly king or emperor. It is sovereign and shall keep on the struggle for sovereignty. It has been, right from the beginning, struggling against the unjust and ruthless rulers (Prachin Panth Prakash).