The Great Poet *Mahakavi* Santokh Singh describes a discussion where Guru Gobind Singh responds to Bahadur Shah's loaded questions which insinuate that Islam is better than Hindu Dharma, responding that the Khalsa will be the [[Third]], a path beyond the binaries of Hindu and Muslim.
ਹਮ ਦੋਨਹੁ ਕੋ ਜਾਨਿ ਸਮਾਨਾ ।੧੫।
I see both *Hindu and Islam* as the same.
ਤ੍ਯਾਗਨ ਕਰੇ ਭਾਉ ਲਖਿ ਬੀਜਾ । ਉਤਪਤਿ ਕਰ੍ਯੋ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਤੀਜਾ ।
I have forsaken any attachment to either - I have created the Third, the Khalsa.
ਝੂਠੇ ਲਖਿ ਦੋਨਹੁ ਹਮ ਛੋਰੇ । ਪੰਥ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਕੋ ਲੋਰੇ ।੧੬।
Leaving behind the falsehoods of both *Hindu and Islam* this Panth only strives *in devotion* for the Deathless Being *Akal Purakh*
ਬਾਦ ਪੱਖ ਕੋ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਨਾਸ਼ਾ । ਧਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਕੀ ਆਸਾ ।
All our hopes and desires only rest in the Deathless Being *Akal Purakh*, in doing so I've destroyed all these partisan debates and controversies between these two paths.
ਜਨਮਯੋ ਅਬੈ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਨਯੋ । ਬਾਲਕ ਕੇ ਮਾਨਿੰਦ ਜਗ ਥਿਯੋ ।੧੭।
The Khalsa has only taken birth for a few years - right now it is in the world just like a child.
ਜੁਵਾ ਹੋਇ ਜਬਿ ਜੋਰ ਸਭਾਰੇ । ਕਬਰ ਮੜੀ ਕੌ ਫੋੜਿ ਉਖਾਰੇ ।
But when it grows up its power will expand greatly. All the gravestones *to which people pray to* will be broken apart.
ਦੇਵਲ ਬੁਤ ਪ੍ਰਸਤੀ ਨਹਿ ਜਾਨੈ । ਏਕ ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕਾਲ ਬਖਾਣੈ ।੧੮।
They will not recognize any idols or idol worshipers; they will chant of the One -Deathless ! Akaal Akaal !
Gurpratap [[Suraj]] Prakash Granth, Ayan 2, Chapter 16 *1843*
Author: the Great Poet *Mahakavi* Santokh Singh