Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji
The tenth and the last Guru of the Sikhs, was born Gobind Rai Sodhi on December 1666 at Patna, in Bihar. The house at Patna in which Gobind Rai was born and where he spent his early childhood now stands a sacred shrine, Takhat Sri Harimandar Sahib, one of the five most honored seats of religious authority for the Sikhs. His early education included reading and writing of Punjabi, Braj, Sanskrit and Persian. He was barely nine years of age when a sudden turn came in his life and he was destined to lead. A group Kashmiri Brahmans, drivels to desperation by the religious
fanaticism of the Mughals General, Iftikar Khan, visited Anandpur to seek Guru Tegh Bahadur's intercession. As the Guru sat reflecting what to do, young Gobind Rai, arriving there in company With his playmates, asked Why he looked so preoccupied. The father replied, "Grave are the burdens the earth bears. She will be redeemed only if a truly worthy person comes forward to lay down his head. Distress will then be expunged and happiness ushered in." "None could be worthier than yourself to make such a sacrifice," remarked Gobind Rai in his innocent manner.
Guru Tegh Bahadur soon afterwards went towards Delhi, and courted death on 11 November 1675. Guru Gobind Singh was formally installed Guru after him. He gave attention to the mastery of physical skills.
He had a natural genius for poetic composition. The Var Sri Bhagauti Ji Ki, popularly called Chandi di Var was his first composition written in 1684. The poem depicted the legendary contest between the gods and the demons. Much of Guru Gobind Singh's creative literary work was done at Paonta which he had founded on the banks of the River Yamuna. Through his poetry he preached love and equality and a strictly ethical and moral code of conduct. He preached the worship of the One Supreme Being.
His increasing influence among the people and the martial exercises of his men excited the jealousy of the neighbouring Rajput hill rulers who led by Raja Fateh Chand of Garhval collected a host to attack him. But they were worsted in an action at Bhangam.
Soon there after Guru Gobind Singh left Paonta and returned to Anandpur which he fortified in view of the continuing hostility of the Rajput chiefs as well as of the repressive policy of the imperial government at Delhi. The Guru and his Sikhs were involved in a battle with a Mughal commander, Alif Khan, at Nadaun on the left bank of the Beas, about 30 km southeast of Kangra. Describing the battle in stirring verse in Bachitra Natak, he said that Alif Khan fled in utter disarray "without being able to give any attention to his camp." Among several other skirmishes that occurred was the Husaim battle fought against Husain Khan, an imperial general, which resulted in a decisive victory for the Sikhs.
On the Baisakhi day of the year 1699 A.D. Guru Gobind Singh held a big gathering at Anandpur. It was held at the place where now stands the gurudwara name Keshgarh Sahib. After the morning service, he stood up, drew his sword and said aloud, 'Is there anyone here ready to lay down his life at my call? The sword of mine is crying for the blood of a dear Sikh of mine
At this call, the whole assembly was filled with terror and amazement. The Guru went on repeating his demand for the head of a dear Sikh. At the third call Bhai Daya Ram got up and offered his head. The Guru pulled him into a nearby tent. The sound of a blow, as of sword cutting off a man's head, was heard from inside the tent. A stream of blood flowed out of the tent. The Guru came out. He waved his sword dripping with blood. He called for another Sikh's head. At this Bhai Dharam Das stood up and offered his head to the Guru. He was taken into the tent. Again the sound of a sword-blow and a body falling to the ground were heard from inside the tent. A fresh stream of blood was seen to come out. In the same three other Sikhs stood up, one after the another and offered their head to the Guru. They were Bhai Mohkam Chand, Bhai Himmat Rai and Bhai Sahib Chand.
Then dressing the five in handsome new clothes, the Guru brought them before the assembly. He then baptized them with his Amrit-Sweetened water stirred with a two-edged sword called Khanda. He called them his Beloved five. He made their names end in 'Singh'. They became Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh, Bhai Mohkam Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh and Bhai Sahib Singh.
Then the Guru desired his Beloved Five to prepare Amrit (nector) in the same way as he had done. They obeyed. When it was ready, he stood up before the them with folded hands and said 'Now, my Dear Ones, baptize me as I have baptized you. Make me a Singh as I have made you Singhs. Don't feel puzzled. Don't hesitate. My dear ones are my Guru. I am your disciple. They batized him as he had said and he thanked them by saying 'Now my name is not Gobind Rai,But Gobind Singh'.
The Guru also gave his new Khalsa a unique identity. He also offered five emblems of purity and courage. These symbols are worn by both men and women ane are popularly known today as Five Ks: Kesh, unshorn hair; Kangha, the wooden comb; Karra, (made of steel or iron) Kirpan, the sword; and Kachera, the underwear.
These developments alarmed the casteridden Rajput chiefs of the Shivalik hills and under the leadership of the Raja of Bilaspur, in whose territory lay Anandpur, to forcibly evict Guru Gobind Singh. Their repeated expeditions during 1700-04 however proved abortive . They at last approached Emperor Aurangzeb and under imperial orders by the governor of Lahore and those of the faujdar of Sirhind, they marched upon Anandpur and laid a siege to the fort. Over the months, the Guru and his Sikhs firmly withstood their successive assaults despite dire scarcity of food resulting from the prolonged blockade. The besiegers offered, on solemn oaths of Quran, safe exit to the Sikhs if they quit Anandpur. But soon, as the Guru and his Sikhs came out, the hill monarchs and their Mughal allies set upon them in full fury. In the ensuing confusion many Sikhs were killed and all of the Guru's baggage, including most of the precious manuscripts, was lost. The Guru himself was able to make his way to Chamkaur, 40 km southwest of Anandpur, with barely 40 Sikhs and his two elder sons. There the imperial army, following closely on his heels, caught up with him. His two sons, Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh and all but five of the Sikhs fell in the action that took place on 7 December 1705. The five surviving Sikhs bade the Guru to save himself in order to reconsolidate the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh with three of his Sikhs escaped into the wilderness of the Malva, two of his Muslim devotees, Gani Khan and Nabi Khan, helping him at great personal risk.
Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh and his mother, Mata Gujari, were after the evacuation of Anandpur betrayed by their old servant and escort, Gangu, to the faujdar of Sirhind, who had the young children executed on 13 December 1705. Their grandmother died the same day. Befriended by another Muslim admirer, Ral Kalha of Raikot, Guru Gobind Singh reached Dina in the heart of the Malva. There he enlisted a few hundred warriors of the Brar clan, and also composed his famous letter, Zafarnamah or the Epistle of Victory, in Persian verse, addressed to Emperor Aurangzeb. The letter was a severe indictment of the Emperor and his commanders who had perjured their oath and treacherously attacked him once he was outside the safety of his fortification at Anandpur. It emphatically reiterated the sovereignty of morality in the affairs of State as much as in the conduct of human beings and held the means as important as the end. Two of the Sikhs, Daya Singh and Dharam Singh, were despatched with the Zafarnamah to Ahmadnagar in the South to deliver it to Aurangzeb, then in camp in that town.
From Dina, Guru Gobind Singh continued his westward march until, finding the host close upon his heels, he took position astride the water pool of Khidrana to make a last-ditch stand. In spite of their overwhelming numbers, the Mughal troops failed to capture the Guru and had to retire in defeat. The most valorous part in this battle was played by a group of 40 Sikhs who had deserted the Guru at Anandpur during the long siege, but who, chided by their womenfolk at home, had come back under the leadership of a brave and devoted woman, Mai Bhago, to redeem themselves. They had fallen fighting desperately to check the enemy's advance towards the Guru's position. The Guru blessed the 40 dead as 40 mukte, i.e. the 40 Saved Ones. The site is now marked by a sacred shrine and tank and the town which has grown around them is called Muktsar, the Pool of liberations.
After spending some time in the Lakkhi Jungle country, Guru Gobind Singh arrived at Talvandi Sabo, now called Damdama Sahib, on 20 January 1706. During his stay there of over nine months, a number of Sikhs rejoined him. He prepared a fresh recension of Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, with the celebrated scholar, Bhai Mani Singh, as his amanuensis. From the number of scholars who had rallied round Gura Gobind Singh and from the literary activity initiated, the place came to be known as the Guru's Kashi or seat of learning like Varanasi.
The Zafarnamah sent by Guru Gobind Singh from Dina seems to have touched the heart of Emperor Aurungzeb. He forthwith invited him for a meeting. But the Guruji had already left for the South on 30 October 1706. He was in the neighbourhood of Baghor, in Rajasthan, when the death news of the Emperor arrived to him at Ahmadnagar on 20 February 1707. The Guru there upon decided to return to the Punjab, via Shahjahanabad (Delhi) . That was the time when the sons of the deceased Emperor were preparing to contest succession. Guru Gobind Singh despatched for the help of the eldest claimant, the liberal Prince Muazzam, a token contingent of Sikhs which took part in the battle of Jajau (8 June 1707), decisively won by the Prince who ascended the throne with the title of Bahadur Shah. The new Emperor invited Guru Gobind Singh for a meeting which took place at Agra on 23 July 1707.
Emperor Bahadur Shah had at this time to move against the Kachhvaha Rajputs of Amber (Jaipur) and then to the Deccan where his youngest brother, Kam Baksh, had raised the standard of revolt. The Guru accompanied him and the two camps crossed the River Tapti. Arriving at Nanded, Bahadur Shah proceeded towards South and Guru Gobind Singh decided to stay a while at Nanded. Here Guruji met Madho Das, and converted him to a Sikh with a new name Gurbakhsh Singh (popular name Banda Singh Bahadur). Guruji gave Banda Singh five arrows from his own quiver and an escort, including five of his chosen Sikhs, and directed him to go to the Punjab and carry on the campaign against the tyranny of the provincial overlords.
The Emperor's conciliatory treatment and growing frienship with Guru Gobind Singh Ji made Nawab Wazir Khan of Sirhind jealous, and he send his two trusted men to murder the Guru before this increasing friendship resulted in any harm to him. These two pathans Jamshed Khan and Wasil Beg pursued the Guru secretly and overtook him at Nanded, where one of them stabbed the Guru in the left side below the heart as he lay one evening in his chamber for resting. Before he could deal another blow, Guru Gobind Singh struck him down with his sahre, while his fleeing companion fell under the swords of Sikhs who had rushed in on hearing the noise. The wound was stitched and appeared to have healed quickly but, as the Guru one day applied strength to pull a stiff bow, the wound opened again and bled profusely. This weakened the Guru beyond cure and he passed away on Kattak on october 1708. Before the end came, Guru Gobind Singh had asked for the Sacred Volume to be brought forth. In obedience to his orders, Daya Singh brought Sri Granth Sahib. The Guru placed before it five pice and a coconut and bowed his head before it. He said to the sangat, "It is my commandment: Own Sri Granthji in my place. He who so acknowledges it will obtain his reward. The Guru will rescue him. Know this as the truth".
Guru Gobind Singh thus passed on the succession with due ceremony to the Holy Book, the Guru Granth Sahib, ending the line of personal Gurus. "The Guru's spirit," he said, "will henceforth be in the Granth and the Khalsa. Where the Granth is with any five Sikhs representing the Khalsa, there will the Guru be." And from that day onwards Sri Guru Granth Sahib become the Guru of the Sikhs.