Guru Arjun – Martyrdom Day Tribute

Mann bach kram prabhu apna dhiaaee;

Nanak daas tayree sarnaaee (M: 5, p 200)..

For ever in Your Divine sanctuary,

I remember my Creator in thought, word and deed..

The above verse of Guru Arjun the fifth Guru appropriately describes his personality. He was the epitome of self effacement and lived according to what he taught. It was a life that created the tradition of self sacrifice in Sikh history which has continued for centuries. He also gave the Sikhs their holy book which was to become their eternal Guru.

Guru Arjun was the youngest of the three sons of Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru. The eldest named Prithi Chand was a scheming type with his eye on guruship after his father. The middle son Mahadev showed no interest in the activities of his father. Arjun Dev on the other hand took active interest in all activities out of devotion and that gave him satisfaction. Serving the Guru is the way is what he practised, and taught after he became the Guru.

His devotion oozes from many of his Shabads like this one:

ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਲੋਚੈ ਗੁਰ ਦਰਸਨ ਤਾਈ ॥ ਬਿਲਪ ਕਰੇ ਚਾਤ੍ਰਿਕ ਕੀ ਨਿਆਈ ॥

ਤ੍ਰਿਖਾ ਨ ਉਤਰੈ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਦਰਸਨ ਸੰਤ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਜੀਉ ॥੧॥ ੫ ੯੬

Mayra mn lochai gur darsan taaee; bilp kray chaatrik ki niaaee;

Trikha na utrai saant n aavai binu drsn sant piaaray jeeo (M:5, p 96)

My soul yearns for the vision of the Lord, my Guru.

My mind is restless like the rain bird waiting for rain;

ਦਰਸਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਦੇਖਣ ਕੈ ਤਾਈ ॥

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਹਿ ਤਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮੇਲਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Drsn hri daykhan kai taaee;

Kripa kreh taa satguru maylih hri hri naamu dhiaaee. Pause.

I yearn for the vision of the Master;

ਜੇ ਸੁਖੁ ਦੇਹਿ ਤ ਤੁਝਹਿ ਅਰਾਧੀ ਦੁਖਿ ਭੀ ਤੁਝੈ ਧਿਆਈ ॥੨॥

Jay sukhu deh ta tujheh araadhee duhki bhi tujhai dhiaaee.2.

I remember you both in happiness and pain..

Guru Arjun had to go through multiple tribulations in life but never lost fortitude. His wife did not bear a child for quite some time. On this Prithi Chand’s started saying that the next guru would be his son Meherbaan. However after some time son Hargobind was born to Guru Arjun. After this Prithi Chand made all efforts to have the young child killed. This included unleashing a snake on him and trying to poison him. Otherwise also the young child was struck by small pox. Guru Arjun only depended on the Almighty under all these circumstances and did not complain. Once a Muslim warrior Zakariya Khan embarked on a mission to attack the Guru. The latter being sure of Divine protection brushed aside suggestions to do something in defence. Zakariya’s horse bolted on the way, he fell into a brick kiln and died.

ਜੇ ਭੁਖ ਦੇਹਿ ਤ ਇਤ ਹੀ ਰਾਜਾ ਦੁਖ ਵਿਚਿ ਸੂਖ ਮਨਾਈ ॥੩॥

Jay bhukh deh ta it hi raja dukh vichi sookh mnaaee.3.

If I am deprived of food, I will still be happy in this adversity.

When Arjun became the Guru, Prithi Chand tried in every way to make his life difficult. The offerings meant for the Guru were garnered by him so much that at times it became difficult even to run the Guru Langar, the kitchen meant for the congregations. Guru Arjun made no efforts to tell other people about this as he was sure that righteousness would ultimately triumph.

 ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਕਾਟਿ ਕਾਟਿ ਸਭੁ ਅਰਪੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਅਗਨੀ ਆਪੁ ਜਲਾਈ ॥੪॥

Tn mn kaati kati sabh arpi vic agni aapu jlaaee. 4.

I shall kill my ego, cut my body to make an offering of it or have myself burnt in fire.

People are subjected physical suffering to break their will power.. The Muslim authorities of the time did this to the Guru to stop him from propagating his faith and embrace Islam. He was made to sit on a hot plate and hot sand poured over him. When this did not work, he was placed in a cauldron of water and boiled. That also did not work. When some well wishers could not bear this and asked his permission to use violence against the Mughals he advised them not to do so. He knew for what he was going through all this. He had taught:


ਦੁਖੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਸਭੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੀ ਹੈ ਰੇ ਏਕੈ ਏਕੀ ਨੇਤੈ ॥

ਬੁਰਾ ਨਹੀ ਸਭੁ ਭਲਾ ਹੀ ਹੈ ਰੇ ਹਾਰ ਨਹੀ ਸਭ ਜੇਤੈ ॥੧॥

ਸੋਗੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਸਦਾ ਹਰਖੀ ਹੈ ਰੇ ਛੋਡਿ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਿਛੁ ਲੇਤੈ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਹੈ ਕਤ ਆਵੈ ਕਤ ਰਮਤੈ ॥੨॥੩॥੨੨॥ ੫ ੧੩੦੨

Dukh naahi sbhu sukhu hi hai ray ekai eki netai;

Bura nhi sbhu bhla hi hai ray har nhi sbh jaytai.1.

Sogu nahi sda hrkhi hai ray chhodi nahi kich laytai;

Kahu Nanak jn hri hri hri hai kt aavai kt rmtai. 2. 3. 22. (M: 5, p 1302).

There is no pain, only peace when the eyes see only the One Master;

There is no evil, all is goodness, no defeat only victory.

There is no sorrow, only bliss, this cannot be forsaken for any thing else;

Such a servant of God is like God and does not suffer death and rebirth.

How were the Gurus and Sikhs able to go though all this? Guru Arjun says that the first thing that happens to one who remembers God is that the body does not feel pain:

ਪ੍ਰਥਮੇ ਮਿਟਿਆ ਤਨ ਕਾ ਦੂਖ ॥ ਮਨ ਸਗਲ ਕਉ ਹੋਆ ਸੂਖੁ ॥

ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਗੁਰ ਦੀਨੋ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਬਲਿ ਬਲਿ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਉ ਜਾਉ ॥੧॥ ੫ ੩੯੫

Prthmay mitiaa tn ka dookh;

Mn sgl kau hoaa sookh;

Kri kirpa gur deeno naau;

Bli bil tisu stigur kau jaau (M: 5, p 395)

The Guru was kind to put me on the path of Naam i.e. praising the Master;

First of all physical pain was no longer felt;

The mind became totally peaceful;

I adore the Guru.

Despite having gone through the torture the Guru’s mind remained conscious. He was finally put in the river where he shed the mortal frame and merged in the Almighty.

Continuing with the original Shabad,

ਪਖਾ ਫੇਰੀ ਪਾਣੀ ਢੋਵਾ ਜੋ ਦੇਵਹਿ ਸੋ ਖਾਈ ॥੫॥

Pkha phayree paani dhova jo deveh so khaaee.5.

I shall wave the fan and carry water in service; and eat what is given.

The news of Guru Arjun becoming the Guru was received with pleasure and enthusiasm. Hosts of devotees started coming to have a vision of the Guru. One such congregation was from Kabul and Peshawar. The guru came to know about this and decided to make arrangements for their food and water before they reached Amritsar. The last staging camp was to be at the place where Gurduara Pipli Sahib now stands on the Taran Taaran road a few miles from Darbar Sahib Amritsar. The Guru requested his wife Mata Ganga Ji to prepare plenty of food which they carried with them to serve the congregation. On arrival at the site Mata Ji served food while Guru Sahib waved the fan in service of the congregation. The congregation was impressed and was eager to know who the Sikh was.. They were to know the real identity of the man the next day when he presided over the congregation.

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਗਰੀਬੁ ਢਹਿ ਪਇਆ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਮੇਲਿ ਲੈਹੁ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥੬॥ ੪ ੭੫੭

Nanak ghareeb dheh peiaa duaaray hri mayl laihu vadiaaee.6. (M: 4, 757).

This poor man has fallen in front of you; kindly unite me with You; that is Your nature.

Longing to be with the Creator abounds in Guru Arjun’s Baani. He says elsewhere:

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮਿਲਬੇ ਕਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਮਨਿ ਲਾਗੀ ॥

ਪਾਇ ਲਗਉ ਮੋਹਿ ਕਰਉ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਕੋਊ ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਬਡਭਾਗੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਮਨੁ ਅਰਪਉ ਧਨੁ ਰਾਖਉ ਆਗੈ ਮਨ ਕੀ ਮਤਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਸਗਲ ਤਿਆਗੀ ॥

ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਹਰਿ ਕਥਾ ਸੁਨਾਵੈ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਫਿਰਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਪਿਛੈ ਵਿਰਾਗੀ ॥੧॥ ੫ ੨੦੪

Prabh milbay kau preet mni laagi;

Paaaey lgau mohi krau baynti kouoo santu milai badbhaagi. Pause.

Mn arpau dhn raakhau aagai mn ki mati mohi sgl tiaagi;

Jo prbh ki hari ktha sunaavai andinu phirau tis pichhai viraagi (M: 5, p204).

I yearn to meet my Creator;

If by good fortune I meet the true guru I shall fall at his feet and beseech him;

I shall make offering of my mind and wealth, and think of nothing else

I shall ever seek one who tells me about the Master (A5, p 204).

To achieve this union the Guru advocates that one should give up ego:

ਖੁਦੀ ਮਿਟੀ ਤਬ ਸੁਖ ਭਏ ਮਨ ਤਨ ਭਏ ਅਰੋਗ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟੀ ਆਇਆ ਉਸਤਤਿ ਕਰਨੈ ਜੋਗੁ ॥੧॥ ੫ ੨੬

Khudi miti tab sukh bhaey mn tn bhaey arog;

Nanak dristi aaeiaa ustati krnay jogu

When ego is given up there is peace; all afflictions leave the mind and body;

And vision of the praiseworthy Lord is received (M: 5, p 260).

Equally important is Guru Arjun’s compilation of the Sikh Holy book now called Sri Guru Granth Sahib. This was in line with the teaching that the word of God revealed to the Guru has more value than the person of the Guru.

Guru Nanak taught:

ਸਬਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਧੁਨਿ ਚੇਲਾ ॥ ੧ ੯੪੩

Sbd guru surt dhun chayla (M: 1, p 943).

The word is Guru and consciousness in tune with it is the disciple.

The third Guru said:

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਨੋ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਵੇਖਦਾ ਜੇਤਾ ਜਗਤੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥ ਡਿਠੈ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜਿਚਰੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਨ ਕਰੇ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ ੩ ੫੯੪

Satguru no sbhu ko vaykhda jayta jagat sansaaru;

Dithai mukti na hovaee jichr sbd na karay veechharu (M: 3, p 594).

Very one goes to see the guru; but

Salvation does not come by mere seeing unless one contemplates on the word.

Keeping these in mind Guru Arjun compiled the Baanis of the predecessor Gurus, his own, those the saints and some bards. He called it Pothi Sahib and gave it status higher than himself. When it was carried for installation at Har Mandar Amritsar, by Baba Buddha Ji the Guru waved the whisk from behind in reverence. The tenth Guru later added the Baani of the ninth guru to give final first shape and anoint it as the Guru. We thus got Sri Guru Granth Sahib the holy book.