Yesterday was the Prakash Divas of Guru Amardas Ji. Guru Ji was the oldest Guru in our history. He was born to parents Tej Bhan and Mata Bakht in 1479. He worked as a shopkeeper and was a devout Hindu. He got married to Mansa Devi and had four children (Bhani, Dani, Mohan, and Mohri). He was on a deep search for spirituality and started regularly visiting the Ganga. He was longing for a Guru at the age of 61 when he heard Bibi Amro Ji (daughter of Guru Angad Dev Ji who was married to his nephew) singing the Gurbani of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. She was singing from Ang 990, starting “Karnee Kagad Man Masavanee” (Actions are the paper, and the mind is the ink; good and bad are both recorded upon it). It touched him so much, he went to meet Guru Angad Dev Ji and became his Sikh. Despite his old age, Amar Das carried water daily from the river Beas for Guru Ji. The water was so heavy in the pitcher that he would have to enter the water, rising from the river with the pitcher on his head. He would wash Guru Ji’s clothes, collect wood for langar, fan the Diwan Hall, and fan Guru Ji. Amar Das was criticized by people for living at his nephew-in-law’s house but it did not deter him. This teaches us that those doing this selfless work are indeed criticized and not to let others’ criticisms deter us from our tasks. After 12 years of sewa, he took over the Guruship from the age of 73 to 95. Guru Amar Das Ji established the city Goindwal and made a Baoli (well of 84 steps) for Sikhs to gather. Baba Dasu, son of Guru Angad Dev Ji had wanted to take over the Guruship and announced himself as Guru. He changed his ways and became a discipline of Guru Ji. Datu, the other son of Guru Angad Dev Ji, was hostile. He took on spiritual powers and kicked Guru Amar Das Ji. Guru Ji humbly grabbed his foot, and said “Pardon me, my master’s son! Let me massage your tender foot as it may have been hurt by my hard aged bones” (Sikhi wiki). Guru Ji revealed forgiveness and humility. Datu told Guru Ji to leave Goindwal, so he left for Basarke and locked himself in a house, putting a sign up that anyone who entered was not his Sikh and he would not be their Guru. Datu’s leg started to hurt as soon as he kicked Guru Ji. He stole whatever he could and sat on Guru Ji’s throne, but the Sikhs were preoccupied with finding their Guru. Datu left but was unable to take Guru Ji’s horse as it would not let him mount it. On his way to Khadur, robbers stole everything he had. Meanwhile the Sikhs went to Baba Buddha Ji to help them, who had the idea of using Guru Ji’s horse to guide them. The horse took them to the house where Guru Ji was staying, where they read the sign. Baba Buddha Ji cleverly made another entrance and got Guru Ji to return.
Guru Amar Das went on a trip to spread the word of Sikhi. He spoke against rituals around the solar eclipse and taught people to look inward to bathing in Naam. Guru Ji contributed 907 hymns to the Guru Granth Sahib Ji and wrote the Anand Sahib prayer. He composed Anand Sahib when seeing his grandson born named Anand. He said that this grandson was a saint in his previous life who came to merge into God in this lifetime, and he blessed this child with Gurbani so he could achieve his purpose. He wrote 38 Pauris, and the 39th was added by Guru Ram Das Ji, with the 40th added by Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He introduced the Anand Karaj(wedding ceremony), as a distinct ceremony from Hindus. When a Sikh came to him that the Brahmins refused to marry his daughter, Guru Amar Das Ji introduced this ceremony, which further distinguished the Sikhs.
He worked to continue to abolish sexism by speaking against sati (women sacrificing themselves on their husbands funeral pyre) and pardha (veiling of the face). He established the Manji system, an administrative system for spreading the message of Sikhi. Guru Ji introduced the concept of dasvandh, sharing a part (1/10) of your earnings. The Manjis preached, collected dasvandh, did kirtan, and made decisions for their areas. There were multiple women in charge of Manjis including Bibi Bhagbhari Ji who was in charge of Kashmir andBibi Amro, who was in charge of Basarke. (In another source these Bibiyan are not mentioned in the Manjis themselves but are mentioned as preachers). Meanwhile he also set up a system of Peehris, for Sikhs to spread Naam. Out of 146, 52 were led by women including Bibi Bhani, Dani and Pal. Bibi Bhani served her father with great devotion. One day while in meditation, one of the legs of the platform he was sitting on gave way. To avoid interrupting his concentration she put her hand underneath and supported it. When Guru Ji opened his eyes and saw the blood flowing from the jagged edges having dug into her, she explained that she has longed to be able to be of service. Guru Ji then explained that her meditation and service would bless her whole lineage; her father was a Guru, husband, son, grandson, great grandson, great-great grandson, and great-great-great grandson were Gurus!
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| from Sikhiwiki.com |
Guru Amar Das Ji also introduced the concept of “Pehle Pangat Phir Sangat” meaning one would eat in the langar with others prior to meeting Guru Ji, to further solidify that there should be no casteism. He made Emperor Akbar eat with others before he met him and refused Akbar’s offering of village revenue for the langar because it should run on the earnings of the community. He convinced Akbar to waive a tax put on non-muslims crossed the Yauma and Ganga Rivers. Guru Ji started a large gathering of Sikhs every year for Vaisakhi and Diwali. Guru Ji’s son Mohri spent his time looking after Guru Ji’s household. His brother Mohan was given a pothi (writings of Gurbani that are larger than a gutka and smaller than a Granth) with the writings of the Gurus to hold onto. Not much is written about Bibi Dani. Guru Ji told people not to cry at his death and his great-grandson Sundar Ji wrote Ramkali Sud, which is read during funerals now. Thus, Guru Amar Das Ji also influenced a distinct funeral ceremony as well, with no pandits, lamps, or lamenting. When he was becoming Jyoti Jyot, Datu asked for forgiveness for kicking Guru Ji but he explained that when Guru Ram Das Ji’s son is on the throne, he will meet Datu and his pains would go away. We wrote more about this is "Sikh History Part 1" which is where this is excerpted from (see references there).
Happy Prakash Divas! Lastly, today marks 6 months of the farmers protest. May we continue to support the farmers in whatever way we can.
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