Very many people question the need of Kirpan or the sword in the atomic age. Others require an explanation for the wearing of the sword. He had maintained an army and taken part in military operations against the Mughal forces. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib justified the use of the sword as a duty and as a means of protecting the weak and the oppressed. With human brutes, non-violence is meaningless.
Tyrants are like mad dogs and wolves.
They should be opposed in the interests of the good of humanity as a whole. The sword is neither to be used for conquest nor for wreaking vengeance. The sword is meant only for self-defence or for the good of the people. In cases of injustice and intolerance, the refusal to use the sword may do more harm than good. The Sikh's sword is not an instrument of offence but a symbol of independence, self-respect and power.