Inder Jeet S ‘Prince’
Guru Har Rai Ji, the 7th Guru of Sikhism, was born at Kiratpur in Punjab. He was the grandson of 6th Guru, Shree Guru Hargobind Ji. It is said that Bhai Gur Ditta, the father of Gur Har Rai Ji once made a dead cow alive by performing a miracle which is not allowed in Sikhism. When Guru Hargobind Ji heard about the incident, he was most unhappy.
Guru Hargobind Ji sent for Bhai Gur Ditta and reprimanded him. “How can anyone interfere with the ways of God ?’’ Bhai Gurditta took this to his heart and retired to Budhan Shah’s shrine close by, he said his prayers and, lying down with a sheet of cloth over him, he passed away.
Guru Hargobind Ji was deeply shocked at his elder son’s untimely death. Bhai Gurditta’s elder son Dhirmal was leading life his own way. Guru Hargobind Ji, thus started keeping Gur Har Rai Ji (his grandson) always with him. He probably wished to bestow on his grandson what was due to Bhai Gurditta Ji (Guru Hargobind’s elder son).
Seeing this, Guru Hargobind’s wife pleaded with the Guru that their own sons namely Suraj Mal, Ani Rai and Tegh Bahadur Ji should be considered first. While Suraj Mal and Ani Rai were not considered, of Tegh Bahadur Ji, Guru Hargbond Ji observed,’’ He will be the Guru in due coruse of time and will have a son who will fight Mughals in the cause of justice’’ Guru Ji performed the formal consecration of Har Rai Ji as 7th Guru in presence of his relatives and important Sikhs.
A few days later, on coming to know that his end was near, Guru Hargobind Ji advised his son (Guru) Tegh Bahadur Ji to go to the village of Bakala in Amritsar district along with his mother and settle there Guru Ji gave strict instructions to his family and the Sikhs not to mourn his death. Guru Hargobind advised Guru Har Rai to continue living at Kiratpur, a quiet place in the Shivalik hills. He was asked to maintain a token force of twenty two hundred mounted soldiers for defense and as far as possible to keep out of the way of the Mughals. Guru Hargobind Ji breathed his last on March 13, 1644 AD at Kiratpur.
Guru Har Rai Ji was just 14 years old when he became 7th Guru of Sikhism. His elder brother Dhirmal was in league with the enemies (Mughals). The most important factor that Guru Hargobind Ji realised that the Sikhs were yet a young community who could not affort to fritter away their energies in continuous warfare with the Mughals.. After the series of battles that Guru Hargobind had to fight, the Sikhs needed respite, so that the community could consolidate and prepare for the bigger and fiercer fight that was yet in store for them. Guru Har Rai Ji, like his grand father was fond of hunting wild animals. But instead of killing them, he would capture them and keep them as pets.
After fighting several unsuccessful battles with the Sikhs, Shah Jehan also realised that it was best to make friends with his heroic self respecting community. Accordingly when his son fell seriously ill, Shah Jehan approached the Guru for his blessings. The young prince (named Dara Shikoh) is said to have been cured with an herb that Guru Har Rai Ji sent for him to Delhi.
But this amity with Delhi-Darbar was short lived. Aurangzeb, the 3rd son of Shahjahan usurped the throne and chased away Dara Shikoh. while on the run, Dara Shikoh met Guru Har Rai Ji and seek his help. According to the tradition of the Guru’s household, Guru Ji received the prince with due courtesy and gave him all the help he needed. Dara was a scholar and a God fearing man. He told Guru Ji that he was not at all interested in the Delhi throne and that he would be happier if he were left alone for spiritual pursuits. However Aurangzeb captured Dara and having got him condemned by the Qazi for deviating from Islamic creed, had him executed.
Aurangzeb settled firmly on the Mughal throne (with his father imprisoned) he turned his attention to the Sikhs. He was aware that the Sikh Gurus preached a new faith which was distinct from Hinduism and Islam. He also knew that they had thousands of followers over the length and breadth of the country. Aurangzeb thought that if he could convert Guru to Islam, all his followers will also embrace his (Islam) faith easily. An excuse was readily available. Guru Ji had helped Dara Shikoh who was declared as enemy of the king. Aurangzeb invited Guru Ji to Delhi to prove that he was a man of God. Otherwise, he would treat him like an ordinary man and then punish him according to the law of the land.
When the King’s summons were received at Kiratpur, there was a long debate. Some Sikhs felt that Aurangzeb was essentially an unscrupulous king, who had imprisoned his father and killed his own brother. The forcible conversion of the Hindus to Islam had begun at the behest of the king. As the issue was being debated, Guru Ji’s elder son Ram Rai turned up.
He was of the opinion that King’s invitation must not be ignored. It was, therefore, decided that rather than the Guru going to Delhi, Ram Rai should represent his father and find out what Aurangzeb’s real intentions were.
Before Ram Rai left for Delhi, the Guru Ji sent for him and told him specifically not to indulge in miracle making at the instance of the King. It was against the Sikh faith. Guru Hargobind Ji had particularly forbidden it and as the reigning Guru Har Rai Ji did not approve of it.
What was feared by the Guru Ji happened at Delhi. With a view to humourise Aurangzeb, Ram Rai started working miracles one after the other. Not only this, when the King and his curtiers took objection to one of Guru Nanak’s verses, Ram Rai was quick to change the verse to the amusement of the King.
Aurangzeb was fully satisfied and made friends with Ram Rai bestowing on him a robe of honour and other favours. But when this news came to Guru Ji, he was deeply distressed. He said he would have nothing to do with Ram Rai. He disowned him as his son and asked him not to return to him at all.
Guru Har Rai Ji was a simple man of God who lived a highly simple life and valued simplicity and devotion among the followers of his creed. Guru Ji remained as close to his Sikhs as possible and taught them peaceful art of living by solving their spiritual doubts. Once his Sikhs approached Guru Har Rai Ji and asked if it was any use reciting hymns without understanding the text. Guru Ji replied as under,’’ It is good if one reads the scriptures with understanding. But if that is not possible, it is not without virtue reading the scriptures with devotion, some of it will stick and when the warmth of understanding is applied to it any time, it will surely do good.’’
Guru Ji passed away at the early age of 30 years in 1661. Though the records are silent about the end, it must have come unexpectedly. But just before his death, Guru Ji had his younger son, Harkrishan Ji ordained as the 8th Guru. There was no question of considering Ram Rai, Guru Ji’s elder son, since he had already been disinherited by the Guru Ji because of his misconduct.
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