Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji

 

VII

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji

Guru Habgobind Sahib appointed his grand son Guru Har Rai as his successor and Guru Har Rai made his son Guru Harkishan Sahib as the next Guru. Guru Harkishan ji died early due to smallpox and at the time of his death he could utter only these words “Baba Bakala” implying that his successor is at Bakala. Taking advantage of the ambiguity of the words of dying Guru many installed themselves in claiming to be the new Guru. Sikhs were also puzzled to see so many claimants till a wealthy trader named Makhan Shah Labana who had vowed to give 500 gold coins to the Sikh Guru if he escaped a shipwreck. So on survival he came in search of new Guru but when he found so many people at Bakala claiming to be new Guru he met each of them two gold coins in the belief that the genuine Guru would be omniscient and know about his vow of 500 gold coins. After giving two gold coins to many people posing as new Guru he asked if anybody is left out, somebody replied that there is a person named Tegha who must be sitting in some remote nook of the town. So Makhan Shah approached him too and when he offered him two gold coins, Bhai Tegha or Guru Tegh Bahadur ji replied that his offering of two gold coins is much less than the 500 gold coins promised by him and he showed him the marks of ropes on his shoulder by which he had pulled his ship to the safety. So Makhan Shah Labana offered rest of the gold coins to him and ran to the roof and started shouting “ Guru Ladho Re” or I have discerned the True Guru. So in August 1664 A.D a Sikh Congregation led by Diwan Dargha Mal, a well known devotee of Guru Harkishan ji arrived in Bakala to proclaim Guru Tegh Bahadur as the Ninth Guru of the Sikhs. He travelled widely and extensively in different parts of Indian subcontinent including Dhaka, Assam and Patna where Guru Gobind Singh ji- The Tenth Guru was born. He undertook these journeys with a view of spreading the message of Guru Nanak Dev ji and started a number of community wells and langar. He visited the towns of Mathura, Agra, Allahabad, and Varanasi also. At Dhubri in Assam he helped in patching up the conflict between Raja Ram Singh of Jaipur, leading Mughal forces and King of Ahoms Raja Chakradhwaj. He also visited Rani Champa of Bilaspur kingdom who offered to give him a piece of land in her Kingdom. So he bought a piece of land for five hundred rupees and founded the city of Anandpur Sahib in the foothills of Himalayan range in 1672 A.D. He toured the Malwa region of Punjab to meet the masses as the persecution of non-muslims reached new heights. A congregation of Kashmiri pandits led by Kirpa Ram approached him and requested him to give them shelter as they were being converted forcefully to Islam in Kashmir. He left form his base at Makhowal to protest against the persecution of Kashmiri pandits by Mughal officials and was arrested at Ropar and put in a jail at Sirhind. Four months later he was brought to Delhi and asked to perform some miracle to prove his nearness to God or to embrace Islam. Guru declined both the offers as performing miracles was anti-natural unless for the well being of populace and to accept Islam was out of question. So both of his colleagues who were arrested along with him Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Dayala were tortured to death. Bhai Sati Das was sawn into two while Bhai Dayala was boiled olive in a cauldron and Bhai Sati Das was cut to pieces. After that Guru ji was also beheaded publicly in Chandni Chowk on November 11, 1675 A.D. However, before his death he appointed Guru Gobind Rai his son or Guru Gobind Singh ji as his successor. He had composed 116 hymns in 15 ragas were included in Guru Granth Sahib ji by Guru Gobind Singh ji at pages 219-1427 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. Guru Tegh Bahadur ji composed verses to be sung in Ragas- Gauri, Devgandhari, Bihagra, Sorath, Dhanasari, Jaitshri, Todi, Tilang,Bilaval, Ramkali, Maru, Basant, Sarang, Jaijavanti

Raga Gauri

Man Enshrines not the Lord’s Praise in his mind,

And is engrossed in Maya, night and day: how can he Sing His Praise ?

He binds himself to his sons, friends and love of Maya. Like a deer’s delusion is the world false.

But he runs after the mirage all the same.

Raga Devgandhari

Your mother, father, brothers, sons, wife and kins,

are related to you only while you are alive.

Yea, when your breath leaves your body, they call you a ghost.

And they keep you not even for a moment and drive you out.

The illusion of the world is like the delusion of the deer, think you on this in your mind.

And contemplate the Lord’s Name that you are Saved.

Raga Bihagra

No one knows the State of the Lord:

And even the Yogis-the celibates and men of austerity and wisdom have found it not.

In a moment, the Lord Makes Kings of beggars, and beggars of Kings.

And Filling, He empties, and the empty he Fulfils; this verily is the way of God.

Raga Sorath

I’ve found not a friend in this world: For, the whole world is engrossed in its own little pleasures,and no one befriends you in your sorrow.

Thy wife, friends, sons and kinsmen are all attached to your riches.

And when they find you poor, they forsake your company.

Raga Dhanasari

That Yogi knows not the Lord’s Way, whose heart is infested with Greed, Attachment and Ego.

But he who is concerned neither with praise nor dispraise, and looks upon the iron and gold alike.

And rises above pain and pleasure, he alone is a True Yogi.

Raga Jaitshri

Man is enticed away, and is involved in Maya:

And whatever he deeds he does, goaded by Greed, they bind him down.

He knows not, lured by the taste of poison, and forsakes he the Lord’s Praise.

The Lord is with him, yet he goes out to the woods to seek Him out.

Raga Todi

How shall I describe my low nature? I was involved with the flavours of gold and women,

and recited not ever the Lord’s Praise. I considered the False world to be True and was lured away.

And He, the Lord, who is Beneficent to the meek, on Him I Dwelt not;

yea He who Keeps ever our company.

Raga Tilanga (Kafi)

Contemplate your Lord, O man day and night. For with every breath wears away your life,

like the broken pitcher that is emptied soon of its water.

Why, Sing not, O unwise fool, the Lord’s Praise.

And remember not death, lured away by false Craving.

Raga Bilaval

Without the Lord’s Name, one comes to Grief. Without His Worship, one’s Doubt is stilled not;

this Mystery was Revealed to me by the Guru.

Of what avail are one’s fasts and pilgrimages if one takes not the Lord’s Refuge ?

And fruitless are one’s Yogic feats and yagnas, if one forsakes the Lord’s Praise.

Raga Ramkali

O mind, seek you the Refuge of Lord’s Name: Contemplating whom one sheds the evil of the mind and attains the state of Supreme Bliss. Blessed, Blessed , is the creature

who Sings the Lord’s Praise.

And purging his mind of the Sins of a myriad births, lands in heaven.

Raga Maru

Bliss-giving ever is the Lord’s Name, Contemplating which Ajamala was Emancipated,

and Ganika Attained the Sublime State of Bliss. Drupadi, the princess of Panchala,

remembered God’s Name in the royal court of Duryodhana. And lo, the Compassionate Lord,

rid her of her woes, and made Manifest thus His Own Glory.

Raga Basanta

O mother, I have gathered the Riches of the Lord, and the out goings of my mind have ceased,

and it stays at Home. I am rid of all Desires and Attachments, and within me,

has welled up the Immaculate Wisdom(of God). Now Greed and Desire contaminate me not,

now that I have taken to the Loving Adoration of God.

Raga Sarang

O my mind, why are you involved in Vice, when nothing stays in this world,

and while one comes in another goes out. Whose are the riches, the body and the possessions?

Then why you love these ? Yea, whatever seems, passes away as does the shade of clouds.

Abandon your Ego, and repair to the Saint;s Refuge that you are Emancipated instantly.

Says Nanak; “ O my mind, without Contemplating God, you don’t attain Peace even in dream.

Raga Jaijavanti

Thy life is passing away in vain !

You hear the Puranas night and day,

But know not their intent, O Unwise one.

Now that the hand of death is upon you, where would you fly away from it ?