Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Sucha Sodha

When Nanak was eighteen years old, his father Mehta Kalu decided to teach Nanak about the profession of trade. He thought it would be profitable business and Nanak would enjoy passing time conversing all day with his clients. Mehta Kalu waited for an auspicious day before requesting Bhai Bala to be Nanak’s companion. He gave Bhai Bala twenty rupees and explained to him that they are to buy and bring some genuine goods, which once sold would yield a profit. He was also promised more money in the future depending on the completion of a successful transaction

Nanak and Bhai Bala set out to find this ideal purchase. They left Talwandi towards Chuharkana, where at a ten mile distance they encountered hermits sitting in the jungle. Nanak turned to Bhai Bala and requested that this be the transaction of which his father mentioned. Nanak didn’t see how any other transaction could be more profitable than feeding and clothing the naked and hungry hermits. He could not resist this opportunity, so he placed all the money Bhai Bala had before the hermits. The head of the hermits explained to Nanak that the money was of no use to them since they do no occupy the place where people live but stay in the jungle. He hinted that prepared meals with this money could be accepted instead. Nanak and Bhai Bala went into a nearby village and got meals prepared with the money, and then distributed them among the hermits. With the extra money, they bought clothes for those hermits which were naked.

Having spent all the money, they headed back home empty handed. Upon reaching Talwandi, Nanak sent Bhai Bala to the village along while he rested by a nearby well. When Bhai Bala reached the village, he narrated the story to Mehta Kalu, thus angering him. Mehta Kalu took Bhai Bala with him and set out to the well where Nanak was sitting. Reaching the well, he slapped Nanak three or four times while Bhai Bala explained to Mehta Kalu that he has requested a good bargain and Nanak did just that, he made a true bargain.

Mehta Kalu believed that a true bargain is accumulating wealth since money is a symbol of nobility. He thought that it is the wealthy that are wise and the rich are considered gentle, honest and lovers of mankind.

 

Guru Arjan Dev Ji
The Guru’s Martyrdom

Jahangir’s youngest son Khusro rebelled against his father when he set out to meet Guru Arjan Dev. He took part in the community kitchen and accepted Guru Arjan Dev as his spiritual guide, to the dismay of this father. Once in Fatehbad, Khusro and his companions were taken as prisoners and presented before Jahangir at Lahore on April 29th 1606. Khusro’s companions were hanged, while Khusro was put under his older brother’s care, during which he was jailed and later killed. Jahangir sent an order to Murtaza Khan, commander of Lahore, for Guru Arjan Dev’s home to be confiscated and he be tortured and killed in accordance to the royal law.

Once Guru Arjan Dev got word of this decision, he entrusted the Gur-Gudhi, the leadership of Sikhs, to his son Hargobind on May 15th 1606. On May 20th 1606, Murtaza Khan reached Amritsar and the Guru was arrested two days later and brought to Lahore.

Chandu Lal, one of the ministers of the King of Delhi, accompanied Jahangir to Lahore due to being provided with the opportunity to persuade Guru Arjan Dev once again for the marriage of his daughter to Hargobind. When the Guru once again refused the relationship, Chandu Lal threatened unsuccessfully with torture. Chandu Lal then put before the Guru Jahangir’s conditions which could save his life. The Guru rejected the conditions of embracing Islam and writing words of praise of the prophet Mohammad in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Due to the refusal, Guru Arjan Dev was to be tortured in agreement with the Islamic law as ordered by Jahangir. The first day of torture saw the Guru seated on the hot summer sand, while the second day in a pot of boiling water. The third day, he was seated on a hot metal plate while hot sand was poured over his head. It was on the third day that Saint Mian Mir went to see the Guru. He saw Guru Arjan Dev sitting calmly meditating as he did during the reciting of the Guru’s word in congregation. On the fifth day, Chandu had Guru Arjan Dev sit in the cold water of the River Ravi, in order to torture him further, during which the Guru lost his life. Guru Arjan Dev became a martyr on May 30th 1606.

Guru Arjan Dev stayed true to his principles and faith even though he suffered threats and torture.

 

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji
Victims of Pride

Guru Tegh Bahadur reached the village Hadiaya during his Malwa tour in 1665. He set up a camp outside the village under a banyan tree, sharing the shade with a man lying on a cot. This man was suffering from scrofula and had a high fever. Scrofula had caused ulcers in his throat, which eventually would choke him making breathing impossible. He knew of the coming agony due to the suffocation.

The Guru inquired why he was not at home resting instead of lying alone on the cot where nobody is present to care for him. The man explained to the Guru how this very disease is common in his village, where many are suffering and others have succumbed to the disease. He is lying on the cot, outside the village to prevent the disease from victimizing his family. His people come and give him food and water while he lies on the cot. He then asks the Guru to be kind to him and rid him of the disease.

The cause of the disease was avoidable, explained the Guru. The villagers, in their pride of their higher caste, have tortured the innocent and poor, hence caused the disease. The only cure for it is for the victim of the disease to bathe in the pond of the leatherworkers, a lower caste. Taking the command of the Guru, the man bathes in the pond of the leatherworkers, upon which his fever relieves him and the ulcers in his throat are cured. He goes home and relates his story of being cured by bathing in the pond.

Once the villagers came to know of his cure, all the patients of the village began bathing in the leatherworkers’ pond without any concern for pride or hate. When the disease was all healed, the villagers went to the Guru to offer respect. The Guru clarified that the Lord is the father of all, be it rich or poor status, high or low caste. It is also not right for the higher caste to hate the untouchables. All those who earn their livelihood by honest labor are equal. A person who hates others inflicts suffering on himself in the way the villagers were suffering due to hate.

The villagers eliminated the hate towards the untouchables and converted the pong into a pool named the ‘Gurusar’. They also constructed an inn nearby for the travelers.

 

Guru Gobind Singh Ji
Far-Sighted Bhikhan Shah

Gobind Rai was born on December 22nd 1666. When news of his birth spread throughout the country, Pir Bhikhan Shah, a renowned Muslim saint who viewed Hindus and Muslims alike, sought out to meet the child. He set out from his village Gharam in district Ambala, along with his followers to Patna. The Pir reached Patna in two months. Upon his arrival, the Pir requested Kirpal Chand for a glimpse of his nephew. Since Guru Tegh Bahadur was still on tour of Assam, Kirpal Chand denied the visit stating the child’s father should meet his son first. The Pir did not agree with this decision so went on a hunger strike and took position before the door. After a few days had passed, Kirpal Chand saw the Pir’s condition and took pity on him, so granted him the visit.

The Pir was pleased with the opportunity. To test whether Gobind Rai’s devotion will lie with Hindus or Muslims, he placed two small earthen pots before him. The one filled with water represented Muslims, and the other with milk represented Hindus. Gobind Rai loved all and was loved by everyone, so he placed his hands on both the pots. The Pir took this as a symbol that Gobind Rai would give equal love and respect to both religions.

Upon the presenting of a third pot to Gobind Rai, the child placed his right hand on it, symbolizing a third faith’s creation due to the equal respect for both Hindus and Muslims.

 

Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh
One Fighting Against An Army

Aurangzeb knew that Anandpur could not be captured as long as the Sikhs were inside the fort so he resorted to deception as a tactic. He sent a letter to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, written on the back of a Koran symbolizing the letter to be the truth, and requested the Guru to leave the Anandpur fort where upon leaving the army would not follow him. He will be free to travel anywhere. The Guru left Anandpur believing the letter, but the Sikhs were attacked by the army almost immediately. The Sikhs traveled across the flooding Sirsa River, where many got separated from the rest.

The Guru, his two eldest sons and forty Sikhs traveled to the clay-built fortress of Chamkaur the next day, where they were warmly welcomed by the villagers. During the night, the Guru took control of the fortress there and posted Sikhs on every side while he sat on the roof and watched the royal army proceed. The army finally reached the fortress by morning and surrounded the fortress in hundreds of thousands.

As the generals knew of the number of Sikhs present in the fortress, they ordered an attack. The Sikhs inside the fortress responded with such determination that the arrows countering from the fortress were representing those of thousands of Sikhs. Seeing this, the army retreated at once. when all the arrows had been used, a small group of Sikhs emerged from the fort, bravely fought with their swords and spears and attained martyrdom.

Seeing the Sikhs fighting with all their might, Guru Gobind’s seventeen year old son Ajit Singh, requested to be given the chance to also show his skills. The Guru eagerly accepted this request and prepared Ajit Singh personally for the battlefield. As commander of five Singhs, Ajit Singh was an immediate target by the army. Guru Gobind Singh watched as his son led the five Singhs in sending hundreds of army men to their final resting place and attained martyrdom.

Watching his brother bravely fighting while being outnumbered, Jujhar Singh felt he should also be of help. He requested for permission to also be given the chance to go to the battlefield. the Guru once again prepared one of his sons for the battlefield and sent him out as the commander of five Singhs. Guru Gobind watched as his fifteen year old son achieved martyrdom while fighting against tyranny.

 

Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh
Great Deed by the Little Ones

At the time of leaving Anandpur, Zorawar Singh was seven years old and Fateh Singh was five years old. As the family was crossing the Sirsa River during the night, Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s two sons and mother, Mata Gujri, were swept away by the currents far away from their family. Gangu, a cook of the gurudwara, saw them and took them along with him to his village Kheri. On the third day, he reported them to the police and got them arrested.

The Governor of Sirhind was overjoyed by the arrests and further instructed them to be locked up without food and drink in the cold tower. They were also kept without any warm clothing or blankets to ward off the cold. The next morning, a policeman was sent to bring Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh to court. They let with the policeman but not without their grandmother’s advice for not forsaking their faith under any temptations or threats.

Upon entering the court, both the children folded their hands and greeting everyone, ‘Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh’ meaning the Khalsa is of the wondrous lord, victory to the wondrous lord. The Governor was about to reply to this greeting of victory when the minister Sucha Nand interrupted and reminded the children that they were present in the court of the Mughal Empire and not Anandpur. He explained that one is expected to bow their head to the Governor, as he does while even being a Hindu. Zorawar Singh countered that their heads cannot bow before anyone except God and the Guru. Even though this innocent response in infuriated Sucha Nand, he was unable to do anything therefore remained quiet.

Vazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind, thought about the victory he would have if he was able to convert the Guru’s sons to Islam. He tried to lure them with riches and worldly comforts but to no avail. When asked what they wished to do if set free, Zorawar Singh responded with his goals once grown up, of gathering Sikhs and fighting against tyranny until its abolishment or their end in trying. They wished to follow in their grandfather’s example and that of his Sikhs. They will live with honor and would like to die with honor, since they do not appreciate the life of cowards.

The Governor became alarmed upon hearing this. Seeing the threat to his life if the young ones are allowed to live, he thought to secure his life by finishing theirs. Upon the orders of the Governor, the children were embedded alive in a wall.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s sons became martyrs at the young ages of five and seven.

 

For more Sikh youth information please visit our Sikh Youth Links section

For further suggestions on additions to the youth section, please feel free to contact us at info@canadiansikhheritage.ca