Bhatia Inderjeet S ‘Prince’
Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th master of the Sikh religion, the builder of the ‘Khalsa’ panth (of the ‘Amrit-dhari’ Singhs) the pure, undiluted and undaunted treader on the path of ‘Righteousness- was born in the wee hours of 22nd December 1666 A.D in the ancient city of ‘Patliputra’.
Sri Gobind Rai Ji, the only son of 9th Guru Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, was born to remove the shackles of slavery which clutched this country for the last thousand years and to imbibe a new life in the politically suppressed, socially stagnant, culturally dwarfed, religiously degenerated and economically exploited nation who could not even dare to raise their voices.
Guru Ji’s father, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was martyred on Nov. 11, 1675 by the orders of the then Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the Chandni Chowk area of New Delhi, Guru Gobind Rai Ji was hardly of nine years of age at that time.
It so happened that a deputation of ‘Kashmiri Pandits’ came to Anandpur Sahib and told the 9th Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the cruel acts of injustice of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb towards the ‘Hindus’. They sought Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s help. Guru Ji became silent and was absorbed in deep thoughts. At that time Guru Gobind Rai Ji a child of only nine, asked his father the reason for his silence. Guru Tegh Bahadur explained that these helpless people from Kashmir had no one to protect their religion.
The sacrifice of a great and brave soul was needed. The child (Guru Gobind Rai Ji) immediately said, “who can be more brave and greater than you ? Please have mercy on them and do whatever is necessary to protect’Hindu’ dharma. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was pleased to hear this. He told Kashmiri Pandits to inform the Emperor that instead of coercing so many Hindus, the ruler should convert Guru Ji to ‘Islam’ and then all ‘Hindus’ would automatically adopt ‘Islam’.
According to some scholars it was very close move of Emperor Aurangzeb that he ordered mass conversions of Hindus to ‘Islam’ to start from Kashmir. ‘Kashmiri Hindus were known to be most orthodox. The Emperor thought if they accepted ‘Islam’. others in the country would be converted readily. And the most important consideration was that Kashmir had the tribals of Kabul and Kandhar next door. If the Hindus of Kashmir misbehaved, a ‘jehad’ could be raised and non believers could be raised and non believers could be sub-dued with the sword.
The Emperor was angred. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was beheaded on November 11, 1675 in the presence of thousands of people in Chandni Chowk area of Delhi. Gurudwara “Sis-ganj” Sahib Delhi is the place where Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was martyred.
Thus, Guru Gobind Rai Ji, the 10th Nanak, was a little child when the great responsibility of directing the affairs of the Sikh faith fell on his shoulders. The frustrated Emperor, having failed to crush the Sikh movement by continuously harassing Sikh Gurus, now had ordered his army to march on the Sikhs in an attempt to finish them from the face of the earth.
Sikhs had to be prepared to face the challenge. Guru Gobind Rai Ji, as the Ist step, decided to consolidate reosurces and man-power. Sikhs were invited to Anandpur Sahib with arms and horses and were given training in self-defence. Guru Ji declared “when all peaceful methods failed to change the mind of the wicked persons, it is justified, to pick, up the sword to save one’s honour” .
The young Guru started practising archery and playing mock battles with his companions. Guru Ji had a huge ‘drum and made it a practice to collect his people, whenever he required them, with drum beats. That over-sized drum was named ”Ranjit Nagara”.
Though a matchless warrior, Guru Gobind Singh Ji always remained a saint at heart. Guru Ji was a saint who had dedicated himself to God. Guru Ji was God-intoxicated philospher who wanted to see all man made differences created by barriers of formal religion and social distinctions brought in by caste, to be obliterated from society.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji went to Nahan in Himachal Pradesh on the request of Raja of that State and built a fort there with the help of ‘Sikhs’ which came to be known as “Paonta Sahib’. The period that Guru Ji spent at ‘Paonta Sahib was primarily devoted to research and literary and artistic activities. Guru Ji had 52 eminent poets working with him. Guru Ji himself was a scholar in ‘Sanskrit’ and ‘Persian’. Guru Ji’ autobiography is titled as “Bachitar- Natak”.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji created “Khalsa Panth’ in 1699 AD. It was an event of world significance. Guru Ji convinced no God or Goddess would be sent from heaven to give protection to the downtrodden masses. It was on the occasion of ‘Baisakhi’ of 1699 that 5 Sikhs offered their heads in surrender at Guru Ji’s call. Guru Ji baptised them by administering ‘Amrit’ prepared with a double edged sword. They were known as “Panj-Piayare’ or the ‘chosen-five’. They were given a common surname “Singh” and were called ”Khalsa”. In “Sarab Loh Granth” it is written as
“Khalsa Akal Purakh Ki Fauj’
Pargatiyo Khalsa
Parmatam Ki Mauj….”
(Khalsa is the army of the eternal Lord created by him out of his pleasure)
Guru Ji held his ‘Panj Piarye’ in so high esteem that he knelt before them and asked them to initiate him in the ‘Khalsa- Panth’ in the same manner as he had done them. Guru Ji was administered ‘Amrit’ and after that Guru Ji came to be known as Guru Gobind Singh Ji from Guru Gobind Rai Ji. Guru Ji lost his four sons, his both parents and innumerable Sikhs in his struggle against the oppression of the Mughal-rulers. Even then Guru Ji was not demoralised. Guru Gobind Singh Ji breahted his last on Oct 7, 1708 at Nanded Sahib in Maharashtra due to a conspiracy hatched against him by Governor of Sirhind Wazir Khan. Guru Ji, before leaving for his heavenly abode declared that the Sikh community had to be guided by the decisions of “Panj – Piarye” chosen from among the devotees. Guru Ji handed over the stewardship of the Sikh Panth to holy Grant Sahib. Those who wish to seek God can find him in the “Holy Granth Sahib”.
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