An Enquiry into the Genesis and unique character of the order of the Khalsa with an exposition of the Sikh Tenets. Parasaraprasna, the name of this book, meaning ‘Questions of Parasara’ is appropriate enough in view of the way this book came to be written, though there is no intention to suggest any comparison with the world-famous Pali book ‘Milindapanha’, of the incomparable Nagsena. This work is in answer to a question why a foreigner was interested in dividing Sikhism from Hinduism and consequently, the Sikhs from the Hindus. The foreigner referred to is Qazi Nur Mohammad who wrote (AD 1765) an account of the seventh invasion of Ahmad Shah Durrani, of which event he was an eye witness as a member of the invader’s camp-following. In this manuscript which was printed for the first time in 1939, the writer makes many interesting references to the Sikhs, whom his master had to encounter during this campaign more frequently than was strictly to his liking. The language of this manuscript is that of an enemy of the Sikhs and Sikhism and the quotation under reference said that: "the Sikhs’ religion and its practices originate from the teachings of Nanak, who founded their new religion. Gobind Singh, who was a successor of Nanak, conferred upon them the title of ‘Singh’ and thus the Sikhs became the Singhs, the Lions. These dogs are not Hindus by religion or persuasion. These evil-doers have a way of life entirely different". The present work is the outcome of long scholarly discussions spanning over a year between the author and Sardari Lal Parsara, the newly appointed Principal of the Government School of Arts at Simla..
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