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.