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Guru Gobind Singh

The poet

BanjotKaur Bhatia, On 350th birth anniv, recalling Guru Gobind Singh the poet, Sep 24 2016 : The Times of India

Guru Gobind Singh was born in 1666 in Patna.

The 10th Sikh preceptor, Guru Gobind Singh, is known to the world as a warrior-saint. But not many outside the faith are aware that he wrote 17 verse collections that are part of the `Dasam Granth', a religious text separate from the Guru Granth Sahib.

Hindi litterateur Lal Manohar Upadhyaya said that of the 17 verse collections, only one is in Punjabi. The rest are in Hindi, Braj and Persian, among other languages. “This shows the versatility of the poet Guru,“ Upadhyaya said, adding that it was time the Dasam Granth was translated into other Indian languages.

Guru Nanak Dev University (Amritsar) academic H S Bedi said the first historical account of the Hindi language was by a Frenchman, who'd described the Sikh guru as its great poet.

Jaap Sahib

The Times of India, Dec 20 2016

Kulbir Kaur 

Jaap Sahib, composed by Guru Gobind Singh, is a salutation to the Almighty , the Creator as well as the Creation. Jaap Sahib is a celebration, a jalsa of the glory of God who, though He pervades even a blade of grass, cannot be comprehended, expressed, or understood ­ just like love. `Thou pervadest everywhere in the form of love,' says Guru Gobind Singh.

God, like love, is impossible to describe or define. `The One, true, wise and pure Guru has no contour, countenance, colour, caste or lineage. No form, complexion nor any lines by which one may describe him. A Being limitless in might, fearless, luminous and steady ...who can describe all Thy names? The wise recounts only such of Thy attributes as are revealed by Thy works.' Jaap Sahib, with its 199 pauris or verses, is the morning prayer of the Sikhs and the first Bani of the Dasam Granth. It is a tribute to God with 1,000 names. Jaap Sahib is one of the five Banis that a Sikh must recite every day .The recitation leads to an inexplicable state of vismad, wonder, with the realisation of the supreme power of God and us, human beings as minuscule particles of His creation.Indeed, God is the greatest mystery . `Thou art unascertainable ... Thou art unattainable and sublime ... Thou art hidden among the hidden ... To Thee who art eternal, who art merciful. To Thee I bow again and again,' says Guru Gobind Singh.

Why name Him? Why define Him? Why give Him any shape?

Why confine Him to any place? The Creator is Akal ­ timeless, formless, invisible. He is the King of kings, Moon of moons, God of gods, Sun of suns. He is eternal. He is constant. To identify Him with any religion, caste or sect is just unthinkable.

Jaap Sahib extols unity in diversity ­ anek hai phir ek hai ­ many forms yet One. All life, according to Guru Gobind Singh, is `Absolutely One'. Addressing God, he writes, `You appear in all forms and behold everything. You are like an ocean rippling with countless waves, unbroken and mysterious. You are the quintessence of all things yet unformed of the elements. You make all things flourish and then scatter away . To Thee I bow again and again. You are Almighty , Creator, whose hand is in all concerns of the world. You are multifarious and yet One.' `Jaap' means japna, to recite, repeat, chant; to utter His praises but also to understand and imbibe His attributes.A true Sikh tries to follow these in every day life. The Supreme Being is dayalam and kripalam ­ merciful. He is light, love, beauty , truth, energy . He is the support of the lowly . God is ever-calm, without anxiety , without desire, free from pain, enjoyer of bliss, like the sky above the earth, calm and deep. Why to embroil in rituals and ceremonies? Embrace naam-simran, charity, seva and remain in chardi-kala (high spirits). He, the Creator, is the highest ideal. He is the only Truth.

Jaap Sahib, a masterpiece of love, devotion and energy , is an utsav of emotions. The Jaap Sahib is recited while preparing amrit for the khandedi-pahul ceremony . It purifies you. `God is ever the Supreme Truth, Supreme Consciousness and Supreme Bliss,' exclaims Guru Gobind Singh. God is the ultimate friend and it is to Him that we should appeal in times of distress.

Saint Soldier

S Ujal Singh Tulla , Saint Soldier "Daily Excelsior" 5/1/2017

Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Gobind Singh Jee was born on 22nd December 1666 at “Patna Sahib now in Bihar. His father’s name was Guru Tegh Bahadur jee who is the 9th Guru of Sikhism. On his birth he was named “Gobind Roy.”

At his early age his parents shifted to Anandpur Sahib Punjab, where Gurujee learnt many languages like Sanskrit, Persian, Hindi and Punjbai. He also learnt so many skills, archery, horse riding Gatka etc., and became the master of these Skills in his early age.

During Guru Gobind Singh Jee’s life span India was ruled by different Pahari Rajas, small kings and Mughal Emperors.

The common men were victimized in different ways, conversion from one religion to another was practiced and had become a law and policy of the rulers of that time. They were converting poor and innocent people to other religion forcefully.

The caste system had destroyed the whole society, low caste people were treated worst than animals. They were not allowed to worship in temples or pray God at their own will. They were not allowed to pass through high caste areas, bazzars and roads freely.

The women were treated badly as slaves of men. The female child were brutally killed. They were also not allowed to worship or pray.

In short this was the situation before the birth of Dashmesh Pita Guru Gobind Singh Jee Maharaj. It is a fact that whenever cruelty crosses its limits, people suffer badly. As Almighty hears the voice of poor and innocent, it becomes legitimate to send such a personality, messenger or an Angel on this Earth who saves them, so was Guru Jee who sacrificed his whole family and himself for the whole country, for the nation and for the religion.

During that period Kashmir suffered the most as it was epicenter from where the conversion of religion took place as ordered by the Mughal Emperor.

At last a group of people from Kashmir decided to meet Guru Teg Bahadur the ninth Guru of Sikhs at Anandpur Sahib for help. Guru Jee was hurt to hear this story. He was disappointed and thought how to help them. It was not an easy job (the king was in full power), to fight against the king as it was to invite death at his door. In this moment Guru Gobind Roy a, 9 years old child entered the room. His father narrated him the whole story and said that it was a difficult task and needs great “sacrifice” of a great person as the king is very cruel and does not understand the language of truth, peace and humanity. Guru Gobind Roy smiled and replied,” if it needs a great sacrifice then father (pitajee) why you are not accepting it, who is superior than you? We have to save their lives and religion at any costy”. Guru Jee smiled at his son’s reply and promised to help the needy. On knowing that Guru Teg Bahadur was planning like this, the King was very angry with Gurujee. The king called Guru jee to Delhi, where their was exchange of words between Guru jee and the king and his courtiers. Guru jee replied politely, but the king became furious and ordered to behead Guru jee at Chandni Chowk Delhi where a big Gurdawara “SEIS GUNJ” is situated now a days. With the death of Guru ji all the responsibilities were on the shoulders of a young child Gobind Roy. It was clear that sovereignty is never handed over, it is realized through strength and when all means against tyranmy, oppression fail, it is legitimate to take sword to uproot the crime. To start his mission he collected people of different religions/ sects and exhorted them to fight against the crime and injustice. The duty of his followers was to defend the weak and innocent, to obey the saint and punish the Devil. Guru Gobind Roy said that brave is one who fights for Dharma (righteousness) peace, brother hood and humanity with any caste, colour creed and sex. He embraced the low caste sects of people and said,” I belong to these sects. It is because of this that in Sikhism there is no caste system.

One day a group of Sikhs came and told Gurujee to protect them. They told him that they found it very difficult to approach thee on account of the violence of king and his men. Some of our members were killed on the way, others were wounded and returned to their homes. To whom can we look for assistance but thee. This narration and supplication of those Sikhs was the clarion call to the conscience of Guru Gobind Singh the Great. The Guru invited all his followers to attend the great Baisakhi Fair at Anandpur Sahib.

Thousands of Sikhs all over country reached to attend this Baisakhi, what happened there is a well known miracle of 13th April 1699. On this day Guru Jee prepared the holy Amrit after the surprise sacrifice of Panj Piyara’s (five beloved persons one by one. It was a unique type of initiation in the religious history of the world.

Guru Gobind Singh Jee made five things essential to wear for a Sikh who shares Amrit, starting with the word “K” Kaish, Kanga, Kara, Karpan, Kacha each having its own meaning and function.

Guru Jee’s followers were increasing day by day and now he was able to fight against the cruel king and other small kings. It was due to Guru Jee mission that a Muslim peer Budhoo Shah along with his two brothers four sons and seven soliders joined Guruji’s company. Guru Jee fought so many battles, one among them was named ‘WAR OF BAINGANE” where Guru jee lost his two elder sons in the battle field and younger two were arrested put in Jail with their old grand mother and were finally brick walked till death. Guru jee throughtout his life fought against cruelty, uprooted crime. He preached man’s desire of salvation through struggle for the whole mankind. He said, “dying is the privilege of brave person, provided if they die for humanity acceptable to God and not for their self benefits.”

Guru jee was a great saint and a messenger of God with unlimited hidden spiritual power but never tried to expose it as he was thinking it a great sin and weakness of a person and showed the world to live like a common man.

Her was a great philosopher military genius, a legislator, statesman, and religious guide. In the struggle and endeavours of his whole life, he did not seek any reward or profit nor left any property for his heirs and not allowed any construction at his birth or death place.

Guru jee wrote many religious books in different languages like, Jap Sahib, Chopayee Shbadhajaray and Dasam Granth but put separated Sh. Guru Granth Sahib for its respect and honour.

At last he ordered that Guru Granth Sahib shall be the last Guru of Sikhism and stopped the race of Guru Sahiban to avoid conflicts and doubts.

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