Empty

It was hard to describe what I am missing because of covid. What is empty, what is unfulfilled. I redid a personality quiz, and everything was exactly the same except it changed me from extroverted to introverted. I answered based on what I had been doing lately. I realized what I miss. I miss going out in the sun, I miss massages, and hugs, and physical interactions. Going to the Gurdwara on Sundays, living there inside the vaja almost- like the kirtan was through me. I miss drawing off the energy of those around me. I miss the interactions with people at work. For a very sensory person, I am realizing it is hard to be without those sensory interactions. It is a deprivation, a withdrawal. I hope this picture helps you figure out what you are missing and need. We don't all need the same things at the same times in life. Previous things might not help right now. From the Banana Tree Log: 

History of the Shaheedi/Martyrdom of the Chaar Sahibzaade

It’s the time of year that we remember the Chaar Sahibzaade, the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji: Sahibzada Ajit Singh, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh, and Sahibzada Fateh Singh as well as Mata Gujri Ji. Let's revisit the history. For a full history from even prior to this, check out the History Part 1 post. 

The Hindu Rajput chiefs were worried that the caste system was destroying their control on the population. They tried to push Guru Gobind Singh Ji out for five years until they finally got the help of Aurangzeb and laid siege on Anandpur fort in May 1705. The Mughal forces led by Wazir Khan numbered over 700 000, plus 150 000 soldiers from the Hill Rajas. The Sikhs had no access to outside food or ammunition. Guru Ji dispatched 5000 Sikhs to For Anandgarh fort, Baba Ajit Singh with 2000 soldiers to Lohgarh, and Baba Jujhar Singh with 2000 at Kesgarh; finally Bhai Hari Singh, Bachittar Singh, and Udhe Singh with an army of 2000 at Fatehghar. Bhai Kanhaiya Ji became a Sikh of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji. During the battle of Anandpur, he was serving water to the soldiers from the enemy side. The Sikhs complained to Guru Ji since they were under siege and supplies were limited. He explained that he only saw God everywhere, and Guru Ji instructed him to also treat the soldiers’ wounds- this was prior to the formation of the Red Cross. Bhai Kanhaiya Ji went on to establish a Dharmsala to provide food, water and shelter, and it was run using the income from his rope-making.

The Sikhs survived off of tree leaves and bark. The Mughals wanted to end this as it was too expensive, they were running out of resources and it was embarrassing that they were outnumbering the Khalsa and still losing. The Hill Rajas and Mughals wrote a letter to Guru Ji swearing on the Quran and the cow that they would not attack. Guru Ji did not trust them and tested his theory by saying they would evacuate their treasures first. They prepared bull-carts of garbage and sent out in the night with 20 Sikhs. The opposing forces attacked immediately, and Guru Ji’s point was proven. 40 individuals wanted to leave, and Guru Ji let them. They signed a piece of paper (Bedawa) that they were no longer Sikhs of the Guru. (These later become the Chali Mukhte). 

In December Aurangzeb wrote a royal command sealed on the oath of the Quran, and for Hindus, the Salgram idol and cow. A Muslim and Hindu priest were sent to swear they could evacuate safely. Guru Ji knew that they would be betrayed but the Sikhs were adamant to leave even when Guru Ji said they only needed to wait a few days longer and God would send them help. Thus, they evacuated after 8 months of siege. Guru Ji put Gulab Singh and Syam Singh in charge of the forts. As anticipated, Aurangzeb broke the promise and the Hill Rajas and Mughals attacked. Bibi Dalair Kaur was assigned by Guru Gobind Singh Ji to guard Anandpur Sahib when the Sikhs were evacuating. She fought against the Mughals with 100 other female Sikhs and was martyred. Sahibzada Ajit Singh kept the enemy at bay with the help of Bhai Ude Singh. This was called the battle of Shahi Tibbi and Ude Singh sent Ajit Singh back to his family, and was martyred himself. As it was heavily raining, Guru Ji and the Sikhs got to the flooded Sirsa (pronounced Sar-sa) River. Guru Ji now sent Bhai Jiwan Singh (formerly Bhai Jaita Ji who had taken Guru Teg Bahadur Ji’s head after their martyrdom) with a group of Sikhs to hold off the enemy and he became shaheed. 

As the Sikhs tried to cross the river, the two younger sons and mother of Guru Ji were separated, Mata Jito and Sahib Kaur were separated, many Sikhs drowned, and many writings of Guru Ji were lost. Guru Ji, his older sons, Ajit Singh (18) and Jujhar Singh (14), and other Sikhs reached village Ghanaula. Guru Ji sent Bhai Bachittar Singh (who had fought the elephant in the Battle of Bhagani) with a group of 100 Sikhs to the short route to Rupar, while Guru Ji went via a longer route staying with Pathan Nihang Khan. Bhai Bachittar Singh’s group was largely martyred en route. He was carried to Nihang Khan’s house by Sahibzada Ajit Singh and another Sikh. Guru Ji asked Nihang Khand to look after him and bestowed a sword, dagger and shield as gifts to Nihang Khan. Mughals came to search Nihang Khan’s house but he said his daughter was caring for her sick husband and they left. Bhai Bachittar Singh then left this world. Guru Ji continued to travel until reaching the “Kachi Garhi” (mudfort) at Chamkaur with a group of 40 Sikhs. Very sadly, the original Chamkaur-de-Gari/Kachi Gari was demolished by the SGPC and replaced with a new Gurdwara Sahib.  Our original history has been lost just for the sake of modernization. See picture of the original Kachi Gari on the right (https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Garhi_Sahib)

Meanwhile, his mother and younger children Zorawar (9 years old) and Fateh Singh (7) went with Gangu, a servant of the Guru for the last 22 years (in some writings it says it was unlikely he was a cook because why would Guru Ji have their own cook, they would eat in the langar). While they were walking a Muslim devotee of Guru Ji, Kuma, invited them to rest at his house for the night and guarded them. His neighbour Lachumani gave food and clothing to them. The next day they took Kuma’s boat across the Satluj and walked to Kheri village at Gangu’s insistence, even though Mata Ji wanted to go to Ropar to meet Guru Ji. Lastly, Mata Sunder Kaur and Sahib Kaur were also separated at the Sirsa River, staying at Ropar then leaving to Delhi with Bhai Mani Singh, Jawahar Singh, and Bhai Dana Ji. 

 

Gurdwara Thanda Burj 
(cold tower where the Sahibzaade slept)

The next day the Battle of Chamkaur ensued. The opposing forces were an army of 1 million from Delhi, plus the forces of the Hill Rajas. The Sikhs fought from the fort for as long as they could then were left to direct combat. 37 Sikhs were martyred including 2 of Guru Jis sons, Lal Singh (formerly Pandit Lal Chand), Kirpa Singh (formerly Pandit Kirpa Ram), and 3 of the Panj Pyare (Himmat Singh, Sahib Singh and Mokham Singh). They fought valiantly despite having been under siege and starving for 8 months. (Guru even throws this point to Aurangzeb in his Zafarnama). The remaining 5 Sikhs used their authority of Guruship to tell the Guru to escape in the night. Guru Ji gave their clothing away to Sangat Singh, clapped three times, loudly announcing their leaving, but none of the Mughals even understood what was happening at the time. Bhai Dya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh, and Bhai Maan Singh left as well, but were separate from Guru Ji with the plan to rejoin. The next day, when Sangat Singh became Shaheed, they realize it was not Guru Ji. Bibi Sharan Kaur Pabla heard of the Shaheedi and started cremating the bodies. She was caught by the Mughals and fought but got injured and was also thrown into the fire. Bhai Rama and Tirloka arrived in Chamkaur and found the martyred Sikhs. While the Muslims were busy burying their own, they ran around and acted like they were out of their senses, then at night they carried the rest of the bodies onto the pyre started by Sharan Kaur. When the Mughals came they diverted attention by acting in madness and the cremation was completed. 

 

Tree under which Guru Ji
wrote the shabad

Meanwhile Gangu stole Mata Gujri’s coins in the night. When Mata Ji confronted him, Gangu betrayed them to the officials and they were transferred to Sirhind (Sar-handh) in iron shackles and a weight tied to their hands. They were imprisoned at the Thanda Burj (cold tower). Mata Ji was taken there immediately while the children were presented to the court where they were tortured, then taken to the Thanda Burj and weren’t given food or water. Moti Mehra was a servant in the Hindu Kitchen and nephew of Bhai Himmat Singh who served food to the prisoners. He secretly came and gave offered food but Mata Ji refused to eat from the Mughals, so he went home bribed the guards to bring in milk. 

Guru Ji walked to Machiwara and slept on the ground in the winter. He composed the shabad Mitr Pyare Nu under a tree at Machiwara forest. "Tell the beloved friend (the Lord) the plight of his disciples. Without You, rich blankets are a disease and the comfort of the house is like living with snakes. Our water pitchers are like stakes of torture and our cups have edges like daggers. Your neglect is like the suffering of animals at the hands of butchers. Our Beloved Lord's straw bed is more pleasing to us than living in costly furnace-like mansions." He rejoined Bhai Maan Singh, Daya Singh and Dharam Singh. Next two brothers, Gulaba and Panjaba, who were masands kept Guru Ji in their orchard. They invited Guru Ji inside at night but when they found out they were in danger for hosting Guru Ji, they signalled that he needed to live. The Sikhs challenged him them but Guru Ji was merciful and left.  

 

In the meantime, Wazir Khan ordered for the Sahibzaade to be presented to the court. They made a small door that was open to force the Sahibzaade to bow down as they entered. Instead they entered feet first and said “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!” instead of greeting in Salam. Suchanand, a minister in Wazir Khan’s governance, he sent a wedding proposal to of his daughter to Ajit Singh that Guru Ji declined as he was deceitful- this left him vengeful. He and Wazir Khan tried to get them to convert but they refused. At night, Moti Mehra came again with milk to the Thanda Burj, this time giving the guards his wife’s jewellery. 

 

Getting back to Guru Ji, followers of Pir Buddhu Shah, Nabhi Khan and Gani Khan, Muslim horse-dealers, kept Guru Ji in their home for two nights. Guru Ji blessed them with a Hukamnama and they disguised Guru Ji as their prophet. They call him “Uch Da Pir” and as they carried him. The Mughal soldiers stopped them in suspicion and brough Qazi Pir Mohammed to verify this Pir. He was Guru Ji’s teacher when he was a child, and told the soldiers not to stop him. Guru Ji travelled through Alamgir, Raikot, Lamma Jattpura, Mehdiana, Dina, Gurusar, Dhilwan Kalan Sodhian, Kot Kapura, Jaton, Rameyana to “Mukhtsar” (new name). 

 

Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib 
(where the Sahibzaade were martyred)

The Sahibzaade were summoned again. The Mughals took them to town. Rather than looking at toys or food they went to a stall with arms and picked up a sword and a spear. In the court, Suchanand tried to advise them to convert to Islam but they refused and went back to the Thanda Burj. Moti Mehra came again on this third night. The next day Wazir Khan tried to tell them that Guru Ji and his brothers were all killed at Chamkaur Sahib which they refused to believe. Wazir Khan then called Nawab of Malerkotla Sher Mohammed, and his brother for avenging the death of their brother at Chamkaur. He refused and said that revenge would be in the battlefield against Guru Ji directly. Suchanand then asked what the children would do if they were released, they said they would gather and army and fight against the Mughals. Suchanand then commented “the offsprings of a cobra should be crushed.” The Qazi announced the judgement that they be bricked alive and Sher Mohammed Khan protested. Suchanand had the guards hit the Sahibzaade and they refused to bow to Wazir Khan. The Sahibzaade faced extensive torture but were brave despite their young age. They were whipped, lit on fire, stones were slung at them and Suchanand had a cow killed and ordered for the blood sprinkled in their eyes, drops poured on their head and for them to drink it. When the bowl came near, the blood changed into milk! Wazir Khan then let them sleep thinking Mata Ji would convince them not to become Shaheed. Moti Mehra traded in his house, the last of what he had, to bribe the guards to bring milk that night. Todar Mal, a devotee of the Guru, tried to intervene but was unsuccessful. The Sahibzaade were separated and told the other agreed, but they knew that wasn’t possible. Shashan Beg and Bashan Beg were taken out of prison on a pardon to execute the Sahibzaade. The brick wall was made as they recited Japji Sahib. When it got to the knees, the person building the wall was told to break their knees instead of the bricks to keep the wall even. The wall got up to the head of Zorawar Singh and crumbled. Wazir Khan ordered them to be beheaded. Mata Ji also breathed her last. They attempted to boil the heads of the Sahibzaade in oil but the fire kept blowing out, then they tried to hang them from a tower but the person who would go up became blind. They hanged the heads on a rope on a tree and threw stones and arrows, but a parrot in the tree said “Uprooted are the roots of the Mughal empire” and “Gone are thy tyrant” before it was killed. When Guru Ji found out his younger Sahibzaade were Shaheed, he pulled out a plant with his arrow, saying the Mughals would also be uprooted. Today Mal wanted to cremate the bodies and was made to pay the amount of gold coins it took to cover the land, vertically. This cost him the equivalent 10 million 800,000 rupees which was all of his wealth. When Wazir Khan found out about Moti Mehra, his family was flogged then crushed in an oil press between tight rollers. 

We remember the sahibzaade because their sacrifice means today’s freedom, and because their courage is our inspiration. Puneet Singh Nanda writes about qualities of the Sahibzaade that we can incorporate into our lives such as standing up against oppression, not giving up your path for worldly pleasures (they didn’t take the worldly goods offered as bribes), having faith, and learning that physical death is not to be feared if we can be jeevan mukht through our mind. 'Thoughtful Kaur' reminds us that an important part of remembering the Chaar Sahibzaade is remembering that as we are all Guru Ji’s children, we all have the potential to gain the amount of strength, courage, and faith that they had. We should be inspired by this story to read stories of our children as Mata Ji read to the Sahibzaade as it gave them strength, as well as to read Gurbani and build internal strength. 

References:

“Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Academy.” Facebook, 2020, www.facebook.com/sggsacademy/ Check this out if you haven't it is a great resource!!

http://www.sikhspirit.com/khalsa/sahibzadas.htm

http://sikhism.about.com/od/Historic-Events/p/Battle-Of-Chamkaur-And-Martyrdom-Of-Elder-Sahibzadas-December-1705.htm

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Char_Sahibzade

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Supreme_sacrifice

http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/martyrs/sahibzade.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Mittar_Pyare_Nu

http://www.sikharchives.com/?p=11713

http://www.zafarnama.com/Download/zafarnama.pdf 

A History of the Sikhs Volume I 1469-1839, 2nd Edition by Khushwant Singh

https://thoughtfulkaur.wordpress.com/2016/11/13/chaar-sahibzaade-2/

http://sikhprofessionals.net/wahegurus-way/adopt-8-qualities-of-chaar-sahibzaades-in-your-daily-life/

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Second_battle_of_Chamkaur_Sahib 

http://worldgurudwara.com/ajit-singh-and-jujhar-singh-the-two-elder-sons-of-guru-gobind-singh-martyred-21-dec/ 

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Supreme_sacrifice

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4276

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4277

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4275

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4253

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Keshgarh_Sahib

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Forts_of_Anandpur_sahib

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_thanda_burj_sahib.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Thanda_Burj

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=3984

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_bhatta_sahib.html

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/takht_sri_keshgarh_sahib.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Bhatta_Sahib

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_manji_sahib_anandpur.html

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Katalgarh_Sahib

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_gurdwaras/gurdwara_sri_chaubara_sahib_machhiwara.html#gallery[gallery1]/3/

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Machhiwara

http://www.historicalgurudwaras.com/GurudwaraDetail.aspx?gid=4271

https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwara_Garhi_Sahib

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjdKr6KTSgw 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1iQhh3Ps0o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgLzn8ovDNg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpdK-6_jyNw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smMIdcndDbw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1aSTZIfGc&t=199s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7WZf7OLZMQ

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJVqGlOz5r_yLZk2KkcenQ 

Shaheedi Divas

Today marks the shaheedi of Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dyal Das, and tomorrow will be the Shaheedi Divas of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji. Let us review this history as by repetition we learn to remember by memory, and our history should never be forgotten. I'm sharing this from the post Sikh History Part 1. 

Guru Teg Bahadur Ji was son of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and Mata Nanaki born in 1621. He got married at a young age to Gujar Kaur (Mata Gujri Ji). He was asked to go to Bakala by Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and did 20 years of meditation there with his wife. Imagine how much connection they must have felt- 20 years meditating together! What a great role model Guru Ji and Mata Ji set out for us. Once Guru Harkrishan Ji named “Baba Bakale” as his successor, there were numerous imposters trying to take over as the next Guru. A trader named Makhan Shah Lobana was travelling on a ship when he got caught in a major storm. He did Ardas to his Guru for help, and amazingly he was saved. He promised to give 500 Mohars to Guru Ji, so once he returned he found out that Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji was Jyoti Jyot and went to Bakale. He gave 2 gold coins to each person who claimed to be the Guru until there was no one left. Someone mentioned there was someone named Teg Bahadur living there. He placed two gold coins, and Guru Teg Bahadur Ji told him that he had promised 500! Makhan Shah realized that he had found the real Guru, who knew what was in his heart. He started yelling “Guru Ladho Re (I found the Guru)!” 

 

Meanwhile, Dhirmal, the brother of Guru Har Rai Ji, was still up to his mischievous ways. A masand named Seha and the fake Sodhis who claimed themselves to be Guru joined in with Dhirmal to steal from Guru Ji. The Masands had a plan to kill Guru Ji which Dhirmal also joined in on. Guru Ji was riding a horse when they started firing- the shots missed. Guru Ji then went home and the masands came with a group of 100 soldiers. They shot Guru Ji in the head- the bullet touched Guru Ji’s forehead and scathed the skin then dropped on the floor. They became scared, looted Guru Ji and left. The Sikhs went to Makhan Shah, who then vengefully tied up the masands and dhirmal, and grabbed all of the stolen wealth including the original copy of the Adh Granth. Guru Ji explained that this was wrong, that Makhan Shah had also come under the control of desires and anger. He asked Makhan Shah to return it all. Makhan Shah argued that that forgiveness is weakness and that they needed to be punished but Guru Ji explained that forgiveness is a blessing. Guru Ji forgave Dhirmal for trying to kill him. Makhan Shah tried to hide the Saroop of Adh Granth and doesn’t return it. Meanwhile Dhirmal decides to leave town and feels the Guru’s greatness at returning everything but he is sad at the fact that he no longer has the Adh Granth saroop. 

 

Guru Ji then decided to visit Amritsar with Makhan Shah. The Masands from the Mina line of Prithi Chand didn't let them into Harmandir Sahib due to corruption. Makhan Shah wanted to punish them but Guru Ji says they will reap what they sow and that Guru Arjan Dev ji has already said the Masands will not survive. Makhan Shah then convinces the Masands to ask for forgiveness from Guru Ji, but Guru Ji knew they were not genuine and warned them that they will suffer for their actions. Makhan Shah wanted to go home and Guru Ji also decided to leave Bakale. As they were leaving on the river bank, Guru Ji saw the saroop of Adh Granth and asked where it came from. He explained that he had asked them to return it otherwise Dhirmal will suffer from the separation. No one wanted to take it back, so Guru Ji places it on a manji into the Beas river! Once crossing the river a Sikh says he is headed to Kartarpur. They tell him to pass on the message to Dhirmal to get the saroop from the river. Dhirmal is discouraged from going to the river by the Masands and 13 days pass before he goes. He is sad that the saroop cannot be found after searching. At the encouragement of the Sikh who gave the message, he does an Ardas with humility and suddenly the divers manage to find the saroop covered by sand in the river. They binding was wet but the rest was preserved and the water drops from the cover that stained the Angs can still be seen. This copy of the Adh Granth remained in Dhirmal’s family. 

 

Guru Ji then established Chak Nanaki (named after his mother, later named Anandpur). He left to travelled to Assam up to Bangladesh spreading the word of Sikhi like Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In the meantime his son, Gobind Rai was born in 1666. He was not able to meet Gobind Rai until returning to Patna in 1670, and they all moved to Chak Nanaki. Guru Ji kept an army but did not engage in any battles. Guru Ji contributed 115 hymns to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. 

 

Emperor Aurangzeb was jealous at the rising influence of the Sikhs. Guru Ji was first arrested in 1722 with Bhai Mati Das, Sati Das and Dyal Das. Raja Ram Singh got Guru Ji released. Guru Ji was arrested in 1732 again and taken to Sirhand with Bhai Mati Das, Dyal Das and Sati Das, and imprisoned at Basi Pathan Prison for 4 months and 8 days. Emperor Aurangzeb was destroying Hindu temples, firing Hindus, and imposing taxes. He started in Kashmir, cutting off peoples Janeos (sacred thread of Brahmins) and forcibly converting them. The Brahmin Pandits led by Pandit Kirpa Ram, were threatened that if they didn’t convert to Islam they would be executed, and their daughters were raped. Aurangzeb knew that if he could convert the priestly class of Hindus, everyone else would have to convert as well. The pandits desperately came to Guru Teg Bahadur Ji for protection. Guru Ji’s son, Gobind Rai, at the age of 9 told him that there would be no one better to make this sacrifice than his own father. Guru Ji told the pandits to pass on to Aurangzeb that if he could be converted to Islam, they all would as well. Gobind Rai was made Guru, and Guru Teg Bahadur set out to Delhi with Bhai Sati Das, Bhai Mati Das, and Bhai Dyal Das. 

While travelling, Guru Ji gave a ring and a shawl to a shepherd to buy sweets. In the resulting interaction the shepherd is caught and accused of stealing these expensive materials and returns with the police, who capture Guru Ji. This was all a situation designed by Guru Ji. Aurangzeb sent 12, 000 horsemen with a General as he is scared the Rajputs will protect Guru ji since he is doing this for the Hindus. They were arrested and Guru Ji was transported on an iron cage on the back of an elephant to Chandni Chaunk in Delhi (cite of present day Gurdwara Sis Ganj). The Qazi gets Aurangzeb to put Guru Ji in a haunted mansion. If he is killed, the followers will convert in fear, and if he shows miracles, that will also go in his favor. Once inside, the demon served him and became liberated. Guru Ji threw a sugarcane/ganna outside the window and the Sikh who ate it gained many powers. The Sikh told Guru Ji that he could destroy the Mughals, then Guru Ji took away his powers. He showed him that this is all from the Creator, just because Guru Ji is staying quiet does not mean that the Sikh should show off the powers to the very Guru who granted them. He said this all was the only way for the downfall of the Mughals since Guru Nanak Dev Ji had proclaimed from the time of Babar that his generations to come would rule and that word could not be taken back unless this happened. The Qazi then told Aurangzeb to leave Guru Ji in prison. 

Meanwhile Guru Ji was leaving prison to go eat at a devotees home. There were Muslims who saw him out and about, but the guards also insisted he was in the jail the whole time. Aurangzeb put tighter security. They brought in halal meat which is against Sikhi, for Guru Ji to eat. When the cover was lifted, many piglets came out and started chasing the guards (this is against Muslim religion). This went back to Aurangzeb and he asked why Guru Ji is showing a miracle now when he refused before. Guru Ji said this was not a miracle, but rather the Mughals were reaping what they sowed and getting back what they were trying to do to him. Guru Ji was then leaving to bathe in the Jamuna in the mornings. A Mulana saw this and again the security was tightened as they realized this was due to Guru Ji’s powers. Guru Ji was given no food or water, he had hot sand poured on his body, an iron pillar was heated and placed on Guru Ji’s body, and finally the Qazi announced his Sikhs would be tortured in front of him. Bhai Dyal Das sat in a pot of boiling water as he read Sukhmani Sahib, Bhai Mati Das Ji was sawed in half, and Bhai Sati Das, wrapped in cotton and set on fire as he read the Mool Mantar. Bhai Mati Das Ji wanted to finish his Japji sahib paath so the prayer kept coming out, even as his tongue and body was sawn in half. Guru Ji was in deep meditation and refused to convert to Islam. Bhai Jaita Ji disguised himself as a sweeper and collected their remains, putting them into the river Jamuna that night. 

 

The Sikhs became scared and wanted to leave the prison. Three left with the help of Guru Ji and passed on a message to Gobind Rai that this death was necessary to bring the Mughal empire down. He told the family to leave Lakhnow and go to Anandpur. Aurangzeb thinks the guards are being bribed and puts Guru Ji in a cage. The Sikh then arrives with a message back from Gobind Rai, expressing his love and asking Guru Ji to send a letter back conveying what was on his mind. He then left for Anandpur. Guru Ji tells the Sikh to rest and meditate and he would hear it tomorrow. In the middle of the night Guru Ji goes missing, the guards search and cannot find him. They are scared of the emperor and thus meditate on Guru Ji’s name and he returns by morning. The Sikh delivered the message from Gobind Rai and explained that Mata Nanaki and Mata Gujri were sad and worried. Guru Ji got a pen and paper and wrote a salok for the sangat to explain that they should meditate on God:

“Gun Gobind Gayo Nahe Janam Akarath Keen, Kahu Nanak Har Bhaj Mana Jih Bidh Jal Ko Meen” (A person who does not sing the praises of the Almighty has wasted his life. Oh Nanak, sing the praises of the Lord with such love as is shown by the fish towards the water,Ang 1426, Salok M:9). 

Then he wrote a salok for Mata Nanaki and Mata Gujri Ji explaining not to be caught in worries because everyone has to leave when their time comes:

 “Ram Gayo Ravan Gayo Ka Ko Bahu Parvar..” (The king Ram Chandar left this world and so did King Ravan who had a huge extended family. Oh Nanak, no one can remain here forever. This world is like a dream. A man should only worry when something that has never happened before occurs. Oh Nanak, no one stays here forever. Everyone who is born will surely die one day. Oh Nanak, just meditate on the Lord’s name and forget about all the worldly entanglements, Ang 1429). 

Guru Ji wrote a Dohra for Gobind Rai to test him: 

“Bal Shukiyo Bandan Pare Kashoo Na Hot Opayee…” (I am powerless and in chains. There seems no way out for me. Oh Nanak, only Waheguru alone is my support now. He will help me just as he helped the elephant. All my friends have left me. No one has stayed with me till the end. Oh Nanak only God is my support in this calamity. The Guru, God and his saints are the only stable ones in this world. Oh Nanak, only a few people ever make an effort to understand Gurbani. God’s name is the highest of the high and nothing can be compared with it. I have grasped and kept it in my heart and my difficulties have just disappeared. I have been blessed with your vision, Ang 1429).

He then asked the Sikh to bring a reply. Gobind Rai replied “Bal Hoa Bandan Shute Sab Kish Hot Opayee, Nanak Sab Kish Tumray Hath Main Tum He Hot Sahai” (All my powers have been restored. My chains have been broken and now I am able to do whatever I desire. Oh Nanak, everything is in your hands and you yourself have the capability of taking care of yourself. Note this is the only composition of Guru Gobind Singh that is included in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, on Ang 1429 after the above Dohra by Guur Teg Bahadur Ji, and in between the lines “All my friends have left me.” Old saroops of Guru Granth Sahib Ji including the one written by Baba Deep Singh Ji all have Mehla 10 written in them but this is now missing in printed copies. There is an article from Sikhnet on this in references). This meant that he is strong through the willpower of his father and he can now lead the Sikhs. Gobind Rai sent a different Sikh, knowing that he would need a brave Sikh to bring back Guru Ji’s head. Once the message reached, Guru Ji sent him back with a coconut and 5 paisas to inaugurate Gobind Rai as Guru and wrote another Salok “Only Guru, God and his saints will remain forever. Oh Nanak, there are very few people in this world that ponder on the teachings of the Guru.” (These above quotes are all from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Academy translated from Sri Gur Partap Suraj Granth). 

 

Guru Ji was given options of conversion, displaying miracles, or death and chose death. Aurangzeb asked him to explain his name if he was so brave, so Guru Ji told them to find the sharpest sword, wrap it in paper and tie a thin thread. He said even the bravest warrior who struck his neck wouldn’t be able to cut even the paper itself. Guru Ji told the Sikh messenger that the head would fall in his lap and he needed to take it to Anandpur. After Japji Sahib paath, Guru Ji bent his head but before the sword touched, his head separated from his body and a huge dust storm started. The head fell on Bhai Jaita Ji’s lap as planned, and he left for Anandpur. At this time the crowd was asked if there were any Sikhs of the Guru. They were so scared having seen the tortures that no one came forth. Aurangzeb was scared that the paper was intact and no one could find the head. In some places it says that the paper was unfolded and said “Sis Diya Par Sirr Na Diya” (meaning he gave his head but not his principles). As the body was guarded heavily Bhai Lakhi Shah loaded up bull carts, released the bulls and put Guru Ji’s body into a cart. He set his whole house on fire to cremate Guru Ji’s body safely. This taught the Sikhs the body could be tortured, but the soul was one with God. Guru Ji sacrificed their life for the Hindus to be able to practice their religion and emphasized the need for Sikhs to stand for human rights. Pandit Kirpa Ram (who was the Brahmin who asked Guru Ji for help) went on to become the Sanskrit teacher of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, got baptized, and was martyred in the battle of Chamkaur. Dhirmal was imprisoned by Aurganzeb after the martyrdom of Guru Ji and died there in 1677. 

Gurgaddi Divas

Dhan Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji De Gurgaddi Divas Diyan Lakh Lakha Vadhayia! Today we are celebrating the Gurgaddi Divas of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. 

source: https://www.dhansikhi.com/event-greetings-gurgaddi-diwas-guru-gobind-singh-ji/dhansikhi-event-greetings-gurgaddi-diwas-guru-gobind-singh-ji/ 

Shabad

I thought I would share this powerful shabad tonight from Ang 490
Goojari, 3rd Mehl

It is so difficult to obtain the Naam, in this age; only the Gurmukh obtains it. 

Without the Name, no one is liberated; let anyone make other efforts and see.

I am a sacrifice to my Guru; I am forever a sacrifice to Him.

Meeting the True Guru, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind, and one remains absorbed in him. (Pause).

When God instills His fear, a balanced detachment springs up in the mind.

Through this detachment, the Lord is obtained, and one remains absorbed in the Lord.

He alone is liberated, who conquers his mind; Maya does not stick to him again.

He dwells in the Tenth Gate, and obtains the understanding of the three worlds

O Nanak, through the Guru, one becomes the Guru; behold his Wondrous Will.

This deed was done by the Creator Lord; one's light merges into the Light.

Guru Amardas Ji writes a beautiful shabad here, firstly describing how hard it is to obtain Naam. The Gurmukhs are Guru facing, the manmukhs are facing maya, the world, kaal. We have to not be totally immersed into the world, there must be a sense of detachment. Not complete detachment, but enough that we are attached in love to everything in the Universe. Guru Ji explains that mukhti comes through conquering of the mind, because maya is played in the three-phases we talked about- tamogun, rajogun and satogun. The 10th gate, or Dasam Dwar, is when the 9 openings of the body that physically exist, are spiritually closed and the 10th gate opens, where we can be at home, Thir Ghar. Guru Ji tells us such an important thing "Through the Guru, one becomes the Guru." We are capable of that level of Anand. We must keep going on our path towards the light to merge into it. The mind must walk this path. The soul is already merged. The body is just temporary, but the mind travels from lifetime to lifetime and it is by God's grace that the 4th laav is completed and light merges into light. 

Surviving and Thriving

The last month of this year is proving to be as much growth as anything that has happened thus far. I am expanding on the learning that we cannot do anything about other people but we can continue to work and expand on ourselves and that work is always going to exist. We will forever expand upon our spiritual life more and more. 

I have learned that I do need more experiences in life outside of the box that I’ve been living in- different people and different places so that I can spread my wings. I am also realizing that the much expansion that I will gain from outside, I will also gain from inside. As we are inside and limited in what we can do during covid, I have the chance to work on the inner mind right now. It helps to even listen to Sukhmani Sahib, simran, or kirtan to help get our mind in a different direction and to keep working. Sometimes in a slump it is really hard to find a way out but I have found listening to something is easier than doing it, so even if you can listen to some form of Gurbani it helps to change what the mind is doing. Right now we are all being pushed to our maximums. The world is in chaos. This is the era of kaljug represented in a massive way, that it is universally difficult times. I think to prevent ourselves from just experiencing emotional lability each time something happens, we have to hang onto the stability of our Guru and rebuild that over time. I definitely felt like I had a bigger buffer at the beginning of the year than I do now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gain it back. You just have to work at it. 

In Sikhi we know that all is Hukam, there is no separate creator than destroyer, it is all One and I think that understanding really gives us the perspective that there is no one to blame. There is no “other” out there. There is no one else, there is nothing else. We meet sangat in the method and time that God delivers for us to be joined with them. It is very interesting and intriguing how we get to meet the people we do and under which circumstances. It would seem to be by some miracle, accident or magic that we meet our most influential sangat, but it is just Hukam. We can learn something from each interaction and the people that have played key roles in our lives. 

Like many, I am tired. I am growing this deep internal fatigue that is more of a sense of just wanting to pause time and space to just recover and fill up my inner cup with light, joy, humor, chardi kala. Each new challenge that gets added weekly is like another cloth in a load of laundry. More and more to wash. I think that the mind has a stellar ability though to be able to clean that all out through Gurbani. We know that we can burn away karms, thoughts, actions, a lot of things that are burdening us through Gurbani. Doing your paath might be the last thing you feel like doing when you are tired but think about doing some form of connection- whatever that form of connection looks like for you. In small and slow steps you will be able to wash away the things you don’t need to hold onto as yours. I am starting to switch out of simple survival and it is feeling good. I don't know how long that will last, but it is such a blessing I will take it and run with it. I will take every ounce left of my energy to move myself as far out of survival as I can today because I don't know what tomorrow will bring. Building up resilience in increments is important. 

Sur

One of the challenges when learning kirtan is learning how to match to the tabla. This is particularly true if you learn by watching keys rather than learn by the Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa method. I was very fortunate in learning how to write out shabads from Bhai Gurcharan Singh Ji (Singapore), and reviewing over and over how the beats of teentaal match shabads. As he wrote them out, I was starting to understand how the beats of the shabad match to the beats of the tabla. Before that I had no conceptualization of what the tabla was doing, and thus no concept of where I made errors in the rhythm of the shabad. Where it didn't match I didn't understand. Now the opposite is true, where there are times I understand the skill of the tabla player may be limited in the taals they know how to play, or not knowing where to start the shabad, or playing too slow or too fast. I figured that part out when I started to learn the tabla myself. Counting out beats really does help, and if you don't have an itabla app or person to play tabla, you can get someone to count them out for you. The start of the taal (beat 1) or the sum, doesn't necessarily equate to the start of the shabad. Some shabads, the shabad may start off at beat 9 in teentaal or beat 5 in kehrwa for example. It is helpful to know how many beats your shabad is. You can figure this out by listening and counting this out. Let's say you are listening to the line Mere Lalan Ki Soba. Listen to the whole line and count out how many beats it was. Listen again to make sure it matches. Commonly shabads are usually 6 beats (Dadra), 8 (Kehrwa), or 16 (Teentaal). Less commonly they are 12 beats (Iktaal), and even less common for other taals like 15, 7, 10 etc. It is helpful to then figure out where the shabad's beat actually starts. The tabla player learns to recognize this by the way the shabad sounds. Over time you will figure this out, there is an emphasis note on where the tabla starts. Watch some youtube kirtan videos where the kirtan player starts and listen for when the tabla begins. Once you know how to count beats and know where it starts, it becomes a lot easier to figure out errors in where you are not matching the tabla. It is even more helpful to write out all the sur/notes and then match it up to figure out where your error is. 

Here's an example of one of the shabads Bhai Sahib taught us.

This is an example of a shabad by Bhai Avtar Singh Ji, who sings in classical raag, copied from his own book of shabads which have been verbally passed on through the generations from the times of our Guru Jis, except it is annotated with extra notations about how to play on the rabab, and notes about the taals and how many beats to play etc. In fact, I have an entire binder full of shabads and their notations which I have kept in plastic sleeves to preserve them. People often ask to see these shabads so they can understand how they are recorded. I think it is helpful to share these. There are some shabads I learned just by sound and didn't write the notations, they are simply memorized but a lot are recorded like this or recorded as a written shabad where I have marked an X for the sum of the shabad to know which taal it was played in and where it starts. 

History Part 3 coming

Apologies to the sangat that I have not gotten the part 3 of the Sikh history section done going from 1947 to the present. I've been slowly chipping away at the massive amounts of reading, videos and pdfs to go through for being able to adequately depict this period of time and give it the attention it needs. 

In the meantime here is a painting that I did this week. The painting represents the four elements- air, water, earth and fire. The Tuhi mantr represents that all is One, the Sher, the environment, all of it. The crossing of the sher across the fire represents crossing maya, tamogun, rajogun and satogun in order to reach the bhav sagar and cross that and merge into the Oneness eternally. We are born into this world to travel this journey, but the dancing of the fire is such a huge distraction, we get lost in it. We get embroiled into being stuck in our heads, our thoughts, our differences, and maya lets us continue to dance and dance until we no longer can shape the vision of what is actually real and not real. Conflict is not real. Duality is not real. The thoughts and words we speak even are not real, maya speaks through us as we have talked about in the past. Uses our minds to turn us against each other so we cannot succeed. If we want to be able to succeed with commitment and determination, we have to be able to recognize that falseness and see it for what it is, so that it does not divide us as a kaum. Right now there is a huge amount of unitedness in the mission to help the farmers around the world. The vichars of millions of people are the same. The conflict created out of one out of place word or thought can be devastating to that unity and project. Sikhi is neither sant nor sapahi but both so we must represent both by being brave enough to be a sapahi but also courageous enough to be a sant and to stop seeing things from one direction.