General Sikhism

Macauliffe’s account of the Khalsa and the English

The Sikh Religion, volume I · Prefacepp.xviii–xix, complete reported Gobind Singh response

Edition, transcription and reuse details

Max Arthur Macauliffe, The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, volume I (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909), Preface, pp. xvii–xx and the complete political-purpose paragraph onp. xxii. Historical scan collated; line-end hyphenation and spacing normalized. The reported Guru speeches, reported fulfillment and Macauliffe’s political explanation are separately attributed.

Public-domain 1909 historical English text; original scanned print used, excluding modern publisher apparatus.

When it was represented to Guru Gobind Singh that a Muhammadan army would eventually come to overpower his Sikhs, he replied, ‘What God willeth shall take place. When the army of the Muhammadans cometh, my Sikhs shall strike steel on steel. The Khalsa shall then awake, and know the play of battle. Amid the clash of arms the Khalsa shall be partners in present and future bliss, tranquillity, meditation, and divine knowledge. Then shall the English come, and, joined by the Khalsa, rule as well in the East as in the West. The holy Baba Nanak will bestow all wealth on them. The English shall possess great power and by force of arms take possession of many principalities. The combined armies of the English and the Sikhs shall be very powerful, as long as they rule with united councils. The empire of the British shall vastly increase, and they shall in every way obtain prosperity. Wherever they take their armies they shall conquer and bestow thrones on their vassals. Then in every house shall be wealth, in every house religion, in every house learning, and in every house happiness.’

In the margin

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His stated reason for presenting the prophecies

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Source quotation · Macauliffe, 1909 Preface p. xxii, complete paragraph about presenting these predictions to Sikh soldiers. This paragraph is separated in the preface from the quoted speeches by discussion of other religious practices.

It is admitted that a knowledge of the religions of the people of India is a desideratum for the British Officials who administer its affairs and indirectly for the people who are governed by them, so that mutual sympathy may be produced. It seems, at any rate, politic to place before the Sikh soldiery their Guru’s prophecies in favour of the English and the texts of their sacred writings which foster their loyalty.

The Sikh Religion, volume I · Max Arthur Macauliffe, The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, volume I (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909), Preface, pp. xvii–xx and the complete political-purpose paragraph onp. xxii. Historical scan collated; line-end hyphenation and spacing normalized. The reported Guru speeches, reported fulfillment and Macauliffe’s political explanation are separately attributed.

Source reuse and transcription

Public-domain 1909 historical English text; original scanned print used, excluding modern publisher apparatus.

Connected readings

Teg Bahadur’s reported vision of Europeans

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2026-09-11T04:54:37+00:00

How Macauliffe linked these prophecies to imperial loyalty

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On: as long as they rule with united councils

Source quotation · Macauliffe, 1909 Prefacepp. xix–xx, complete paragraph including his quotation from an unnamed Sikh writer. These are the author’s political judgments and the quoted writer’s claims.

It is such prophecies as these, combined with the monotheism, the absence of superstition and restraint in the matter of food, which have made the Sikhs among the bravest, the most loyal and devoted subjects of the British Crown. As to their bravery and loyalty, the following, written by one of them, is by no means an exaggeration: ‘As for the bravery and warlike spirit of the Sikhs, no Cossack, no Turk, no Russian, can measure swords with them. There is one trait very peculiar in them such as must make the enemies of the British fear them. The true blood of loyalty and devotion to their master surges in their veins. A true Sikh will let his body be cut to pieces when fighting for his master. The Sikh considers dying in battle a means of salvation. No superiority of the enemies in number, no shot, no shell can make his heart quail, since his Amrit (baptism) binds him to fight single-handed against millions. Some people may say that a soldier sells his head for the small wage paid him every month. But the Sikh does not do so: he devotes his head, body, and everything dear to him to preserving the influence of him whom he once makes his master. A Sikh who shows the least sign of reluctance to go, or goes with an expectation of remuneration, when called upon by his benefactor the King-Emperor to fight His Majesty’s enemies, no matter how strong they may be, will be condemned by the Gurus.’

Source reuse and transcription

Public-domain 1909 historical English text; original scanned print used, excluding modern publisher apparatus.

Connected readings

Teg Bahadur’s reported vision of Europeans

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Published revision history

2026-09-11T04:54:37+00:00

Macauliffe explains the scope of his book

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On: this passage as a whole

Source quotation · Macauliffe, 1909 Preface, complete paragraph crossing pp. xvii–xviii immediately before the reported predictions. Historical authorial background.

I find, however, that it is impossible for me to meet the wishes of all parties. Europeans will probably think my work too long, and Sikhs may possibly think it too short. As to the latter objection, I may state that I have followed the advice of the most learned Sikh scholars. They have decided that there is no omission of anything necessary to faith or morals, but that the whole substance of the Sikh sacred writings is here presented, and that if any Sikh shapes his conduct accordingly, he will be in no danger of failing to secure absorption in the Creator or a dwelling in the Creator’s heaven.

Source reuse and transcription

Public-domain 1909 historical English text; original scanned print used, excluding modern publisher apparatus.

Connected readings

Teg Bahadur’s reported vision of Europeans

Community response to this revision: 0

Published revision history

2026-09-11T04:54:37+00:00

On the timeline

End of Sambat 1800 · 1743 in Field’s conversionSikhs take possession of countries in Field’s reported prediction Predicted dateSikhs spring from every bush, three years later (c.1746 · three years after Field’s 1743) derives from this date.
c.1746 · three years after Field’s 1743Sikhs spring from every bush, three years later Predicted dateDerives from Sikhs take possession of countries in Field’s reported prediction (End of Sambat 1800 · 1743 in Field’s conversion).
Sambat 1900 ·1843 in Field’s conversionSurviving Turks lose their empire in the reported prediction Predicted date
1909 · published accountMacauliffe publishes the Gobind Singh speech about English rule Prophecy given or recorded
1914 · publication of Field’s accountField publishes the reported predictions of Gobind Singh Prophecy given or recorded

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