Khalsa da Martaba, The Status of Khalsa, is a composition by Guru Gobind Singh, tenth guru of the Sikhs, which is also known as Khalsa Mahima, In Praise of Khalsa. This hymn may be sung at any time, but is especially appropriate for the Sikh baptism ceremony of rebirth as Khalsa known as Amrit Sanchar, or during the holiday of Vaisakhi, the anniversary of the first Khalsa initiation which took pace in Aanadpur.
Guru Gobind Singh once gave a feast at Anandpur. Pandit Kesho, a Brahman priest who attended, felt slighted that his caste had not been observed and complained. He felt that he should have been fed separately and ahead of the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh responded with a poem in praise of the Khalsa, his initiated Sikhs, which has become known as Khalsa Mahima.
People often ask if or why it is important to become initiated as Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa order and became himself initiated as Khalsa. The words of tenth Guru Gobind Singh, known as Dasam bani, tell very clearly in his hymn, Khalsa da Martaba, the Status of Khalsa, how he felt about the importance of being Khalsa.
Guru Gobind Singh, wrote prolifically. He finished compiling the Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhism's sacred scripture, but did not include his own works. His collective compositions are known as Dasam Granth, a volume of 1428 pages, Dasam Granth has been only partially translated into English. The hymn Khalsa Mahima appears in the Sikh hymnal, Amrit Kirtan where it has been transposed from the original medieval dialect of Hindhi, in which it was first composed, into Gurmukhi, the phonetic language of Sikh scripture. This is a phonetic Romanized rendition of Khalsa da Martaba, The Status of Khalsa:
Khaalsaa mero roop hai khaas |
Khalsa is my image of my own nobility.
Khaalsae meh houn karon nivaas |
Khalsa is my dwelling place.
Khaalsaa mero mukh hai angaa |
Khalsa is my foremost body.
Khaalse ke houn sad sad sanghaa |
Khalsa is ever and forever connected with me.
Khaalsaa mero ist suhirad |
Khalsa is my most sincerely favored.
Khaalsaa mero kahaee-at birad |
Khalsa is my renowned ancestry.
Khaalsaa mero pachh ar paataa |
Khalsa is my fame and good name.
Khaalsaa mero sukh aheelaadaa |
Khalsa is my comfort and content.
Khaalsaa mero mitra sakhaaee |
Khalsa is my most familiar friend.
Khaalsaa maat pitaa sukhdaaee |
Khalsa is my mother, father, and source of comfort.
Khaalsaa mere sobha seelaa |
Khalsa is my beauteous benevolence.
Khaalsaa sakha sad ddeelaa |
Khalsa is my steadfast and close companion.
Khaalsaa mere jaat ar pat |
Khalsa is my clan and honorable name.
Khaalsaa sou maa ko utpat |
Khalsa is my creation.
Khaalsaa mero bhavan bhanddaaraa |
Khalsa is my home, storehouse and treasury.
Khaalse kar mero satkaara |
Khalsa is my true virtue.
Khaalsaa mero svjan pravaraa |
Khalsa is my respected progeny.
Khaalsaa mero karat udaaraa |
Khalsa is my liberator.
Khaalsaa mero pindd paraan |
Khalsa is my communal spirit.
Khaalsaa meree jaan kee jaan |
Khalsa is my beloved life and soul.
Maan mehat meree Khaalsaa sahee |
Honor and greatness is my Khalsa’s insignia.
Khaalsaa mere svarth sahee |
Khalsa is my attestation to correct conveyance.
Khaalsaa mero kare nirbaah |
Khalsa is my source of strength.
Khaalsa mero deh ar saah |
Khalsa is my body and breath.
Khaalsaa mero dharma ar karam |
Khalsa is my duty and destiny.
Khaalsaa mero bhed nij maram |
Khalsa is my mysterious special secret.
Khaalsaa mero satgur pooraa |
Khalsa is my true enlightener fulfilled.
Khaalsaa meraa sajjan sooraa |
Khalsa is my friend and hero.
Khaalsaa mero budh ar giaan |
Khalsa is my understanding of divine knowledge.
Khaalse kaa houn dharon dhiaan |
Khalsa is the ambition of divine contemplation.
Oupmaa khaalse jaat na kahee |
The tribute of the Khalsa nation is indescribable.
Jehvaa ek paar neh lahee |
One lifetime of utmost appraisal cannot fully apprise.
Ses rasan saarad see budh |
They are entirely of discerning intellect.
Tadap na upmaa barnat sudh |
They take no notice of their consequence.
Ya mai ranch na mithiaa bhakee |
I swear I have made no mistake in my telling of his composition.
Parbhram gur naanak sakhee |
Supreme God and Guru Nanak bear witness to the evidence of this testimony.
Rom rom je rasnaa paanoo |
If each and every hair could they would declare,
Tadap Khaalaa jas teh gaaoon |
They each, the Khalsa’s fame should sing,
Hau khaalse ke khalsa mero |
I am of Khalsa and Khalsa is mine,
Ot pot saagar boondero |
Like sheltering sands or drops of the sea.
Khaalsaa akaal purakh kee fauj |
Khalsa is the Immortal Being’s militia.
Pragattio khaalsaa pramaatam kee mauj |
Creation of the Khalsa is the Supreme Being’s will.
Jab lag khaalsaa rehe niaaraa |
While the Khalsa remains distinct.
Tab lag tej keeou mai saaraa |
Then I offer the dignity of my favor.
Jab eh gehai biparan kee reet |
But should they disaffect to the opposition.
Mai na kare in kee prateet |
I no longer shall extend my trust. Amrit Kirtan||291
