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 Chandu
Shah, a Banker of Delhi, wielded a lot
of influence at the Mughal court. He
was looking for a suitable groom for
his daughter. He was originally from
Punjab and was keen that it should be
a Punjabi youth. His emissaries saw
Hargobind, son of Guru Arjan Dev at
Amritsar. Agents informed about Hargobind
to Chandu Shah. He however, had the
ego of a spoiled rich man. He couldn't
imagine giving his daughter in marriage
to anyone below his status. He said
"At best Arjan lives on the offerings
of his followers," he objected
"he has no social or political
position". So proposal was accordingly
dropped. Some Sikhs came to know about
the Chandu Shah's remarks and they conveyed
them duly to the Guru. As it happened,
agents continued to search everywhere
for a suitable match but couldn't find
anywhere. Chandu Shah's wife felt that
Hargobind was a good match for her daughter.
Chandu Shah thus sent his agents to
Guru asking them to finalize this proposal
of marriage. Guru's Sikhs wanted Guru
to decline this offer and Guru obliged
his Sikhs by declining to accept the
marriage asking that "Daughter
of such rich household was not fit for
the house of a Saint "Dervesh"
like me". Chandu Shah could not
imagine that the hand of his daughter
could be refused by anyone. In a fury
of temper, he decided to avenge himself
on the Guru for the indignity hurled
on him.
Chandu Shah and Guru's enemy Prithi
Chand Sodhi, complained to Emperor Akbar
that Adi Granth, which Guru Arjan had
compiled has derogatory remarks against
Muslims and Hindus. Emperor Akbar asked
for Guru Arjan. Guru Arjan send Bhai
Gurdas and Baba Buddha ji to the Mughal
court along with the copy of Holy Granth.
When the holy book was opened, the first
hymn written by Guru Nanak Dev was read
was
from clay and light God created the
world.
the sky,the earth, trees and water are
made by Him.
Emperor heard it and was fully satisfied.
However, Chandu Shah complained that
Bhai Gurdas had read this hymn from
memory and not from Guru Granth Sahib,
so he got someone named Sahib Dayal
from Town and made him read the granth.
This time hymn was
You don't see God who dwells in your
heart,
And you carry about an idol around your
neck
Emperor was delighted to listen to
the hymn and exonerated Arjan and Sikhs
of any wrong doings against any community.
He bestowed honour of robes on Baba
Buddha and Bhai Gurdas ji and sent them
back.
Akbar died soon thereafter and was replaced
by his son, Prince Salim, aka Jahangir.
Jahangir was a debauched drunken, fanatic
who believed in whatever his Sunni Mullah
told him. He has left his kingdom on
the whims of his queen Noorjahan and
was always either drunk or hunting in
wilderness. Chandu Shah complained to
Jehangir again that Granth has some
derogatory references to Islam and Hinduism.
Jehangir issued orders for Guru Arjan
to revise Holy Granth and remove any
references to Islam and to pay two hundred
thousands rupees as fine. The Guru told
Mughal emperor Jehangir that his money
was the sacred trust of the Sikh community
and the hymns in the Holy Granth were
revelation in praise of God: no one
dare alter them. King was on his way
to Kashmir. He was in hurry so he asked
Murtza Khan to deal with Guru in the
way he thought was best. Chandu Shah
approached and poisoned his ears, urging
him to extract the fine levied by the
Emperor.
Murtza khan ordered the Subader of
Lahore to arrest Guru Arjan. Guru Arjan
dev ji were arrested and put in Jail
at Lahore. When Sikhs heard that Emperor
wanted two hundred thousand rupees,
they started collecting money to pay
the fine, Guru Arjan dev forbade them
to pay the fine, citing it as against
the ethics. Meanwhile, Qazi gave an
injunction ordering the Guru Arjan to
be tortured to death if he didn't agree
to expunge the so-called derogator references
to Islam in Adi Granth or he converts
to Islam.
Guru was made to sit on a red hot iron
sheet. They poured burning hot sand
on his body. He was given a dip in boiling
water. As the Guru was being persecuted
thus Mian Mir, the Muslim sufi divine
of Lahore, who had laid the foundation
stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar,
came and begged the Guru to allow him
to use his mystic power to undo those
who were responsible for the Suffering
inflicted upon him. The Guru heard Mian
Mir and counselled patience. He told
him that one must accept the will of
God; not a leaf moves if (God doesn't
ordain it. When Chandu's daughter-in-law
heard about it, she bribed the jailor
and came to the prison with sherbet
and other delicacies to serve the Guru.
The Guru declined to accept anything
from Chandu's house but blessed the
lady for her faith and devotion.
The Guru was tortured for five long
days. When the tyrants found him bearing
all the agony with perfect equanimity
they became helpless. They were at a
loss and didn't know what to do. At
this the Guru asked for a bath in the
river Ravi by the side of the Mughal
fort in which he was imprisoned. Thousands
of his followers watched the Guru walk
to the river with tears in their eyes.
His bare body glistened with blisters.
There were blisters on his feet and
he couldn't even walk properly "Sweet
is Your will, O God; the gift of your
Name alone I seek." said the Guru
again and again.
VErA BANA mITA lAgE
nAm pdArW nAnc mA:gE
if you cannot read the above line in
Punjabi, then download punjabi fonts
by clicking here.
As he reached the river, he bade farewell
to the bewailing multitude and walked
into the water as serene and as calm
as ever. It is said that it was the
last glimpse his devotees had of the
Guru. He never came out of the river.
River was flowing at very fast pace
and with blisters on body, it was very
tough for Guru to hold on against the
tide. The tide bore him in her longing
lap and he was gone forever. Guru Arjan
was only forty-three years old at the
time of his supreme sacrifice on 30
May 1606. Sikhs celebrate that day every
year with Sweetened buttermilk Stalls
called Chhabil all over Punjab.
Thus a magnificent life was brutally
cut short at the hands of tyranny. The
way in which Guru Arian gave his life
for the values that he cherished is
of far-reaching significance. With his
martyrdom the attitude of the Sikhs
toward life changed. Emulating their
Guru, they would readily give their
lives for any cause dear to them, whether
it was a fight with the bigoted Mughals
for the protection of their faith, or
with the British for the freedom of
the country, or even Congress after
Independence for the Puniabi-speaking
State. Guru Arian's humility is almost
unparalleled. There was no trace of
self; he emphasized with actions that
more important than the Guru, were the
Guru's Sikhs. Since the Delhi Sikhs
did not want the Guru's son to be married
to Chandu Shah's daughter because of
his arrogance, The Guru respected their
wishes, even when his life was at stake.
Guru Arjan has left a massive volume
of 2218 hymns marked their musicality
and richness of imagery. They have continued
to be popular with the Sikh musicians
generation after generation. He wrote
in a simple, conversational language,
reflecting the various stages of thc
spiritual journey of the human soul.
His magnunn opus is the Sukhmani. the
Psalm of Peace, is a long poem, ranking
next only to the Jap ji of Guru Nanak
in popularity with the devout. Though
it doesn't form part of the essential
set of five hymns enjoined upon the
Sikhs to be recited every day, the Sukbmani
is recited by a large number of devotees
every morning and also at the hour of
anxiety in the family. In Guru Arjan
we have the culmination of all that
Guru Nanak and the three Gurus following
him stood for. They combined in themselves
the best of Islam and Hinduism. Rather
than alienating anyone, they strove
for mutual understanding. Venerated
equally by the Muslims and the Hindus,
they were peace-loving, devoted to meditation
and prayers, and service of their fellow-beings.
In Sikhisnn the stress is on universal
truth. All rites, rituals, and worship
of god and goddesses have been dispensed
with. Sikhism comprises love of God
and service of humanity.
Wahe guru ji Ka Khalsa Wahe Guru ji
ki Fateh
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Copyright © K.S. Duggal"Sikh
Gurus"
Copyright © Harbans Singh "Heritage
of the Sikhs"
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