Guru Ram Das: Difference between revisions

   

Guru Ram Das (1534 to 1581)
Full Name :	Bhai Jetha
Personal Details
Birth :	24 September 1534, Chuna Mandi, Lahore, Punjab
Guruship :	30 August 1574, When his age was 40 years
Joti Jot :	1 September 1581
Family
Parents :	Haridas & Mata Anup Devi
Brother/Sisters :	-N.A-
Spouse :	Bibi Bhani
Children :	Sons - Baba Prithi Chand ji, Baba Mahan Dev Ji, Guru Arjan Dev
Other Details
Bani in GGS:	{{{Bani in GGS}}}
Other Info:	Laava, 688 Shabads/hymns, founded the city of Amritsar

Guru Ram Das Ji (Gurmukhi: ਗ੝ਰੂ ਰਾਮ ਦਾਸ) (24 September 1534 - 1 September 1581) was the fourth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 30 August 1574 following in the footsteps of Guru Amar Das ji. The Guru original name was Bhai Jetha.

Before Guru Ji died, he nominated Guru Arjan Dev ji, who was his youngest son as the next Guru of the Sikhs.

• Birth Place: Chuna Mandi, Lahore, Punjab (Present day Pakistan)
• Father: Haridas Ji
• Mother: Mata Daya ji (also known as Anoop Davi)
• Wife: Mata Bhani Ji
• Daughters: None
• Sons: Baba Prithi Chand ji, Baba Mahan Dev Ji, Guru Arjan Dev Ji
• Became Guru at age 40 years and had life span of 47 years.
• Gurbani: The Guru contributed a total of 688 Shabads/hymns to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

The fourth Sikh Guru contributed the following to the people of the world:

• Author of Laava, the hymns of the Marriage Rites
• Designed the Golden Temple
• Planned & created the township of Ramdaspur (later Amritsar)
• Organisation Structure of Sikh Society

Hymn by Guru Ram Das – SGGS Page 305

“One who calls himself a Sikh of the True Guru shall get up early morning and meditate on the Lord’s Name. Make effort regularly to cleanse, bathe & dip in the ambrosial pool. Upon Guru’s instructions, chant Har, Har singing which, all misdeeds, sins and pains shall go away.”

Detailed Account

Guru Ram Das ji was born at Chuna Mandi Bazaar, Lahore at the site of present shrine on 24th September 1534 and spent the first seven years of his life here. Soon after birth, he was given the name Jetha, meaning the first born.

Jetha's simple and God-fearing parents, Hari Das and Anup Devi of Lahore were delighted at this precious gift from Waheguru. As he was growing up and in his teens, he could always be found in the company of religious men. Jetha became a handsome young man. One day Jetha came across a party of Sikhs who were on their way to Goindwal to pay homage to Guru Amar Das ji. Jetha decided to join them and also travel to Goindwal. Upon their arrival and meeting, Guru Amar Das ji at once noticed the young Jetha with his pleasant manner and sense of devotion. While his fellow travelers returned to Lahore, Jetha decided to stay and become a disciple of Guru Amar Das ji. His hard work, and devotion eventually won him the hand of Guru Amar Das's younger daughter, Bibi Bhani. They went on to have three sons, Prithi Chand, Mahadev and Arjan Dev.

Jetha became a trusted disciple of Guru Amar Das ji. He undertook many sewas and also successfully represented Guru Amar Das ji before the Mughal royal court to defend charges by the jealous Hindus that Sikhism maligned both the Hindu and Muslim religions. The following is a translation of what Jetha said in the Court of Akbar:

"Birth and caste are of no avail before God. It is ones deeds which make or unmake a man. To exploit ignorant people with superstitions and to call it religion is a sacrilege against God and man. To worship the infinite, formless and absolute God in the form of a totem, an image or an insignificant time-bound object of nature; or to lead people to beleive that they can wash away their sins, not through compassion and self-surrender, but through ablutions; to insist upon special diets-what to eat and what not to eat, languages and dress and to condemn masses of human beings, men, women and children, to the status of sub-humans never allowed to read the scriptures, enter a house of worship or to give them only the lowest degrading work, is to tear apart man from man. This is not religion, nor is it religion, to deny the world by taking the path of an ascetic, for it is in the world alone that man can find his spiritual possibilities."

The Emperor Akbar was greatly impressed by the tenets of Sikhism as explained by Bhai Jetha and dismissed all of the charges.

Eventually Bhai Jetha was ordained as Guru Amar Das's successor and named Guru Ram Das ji. Ram Das means servant of God. Guru Ram Das ji now eagerly continued the building of the city of Ramdaspur (the abode of Ram Das) by the digging of the second sacred pool as he had been instructed by Guru Amar Das ji. Pilgrims came in ever growing numbers to hear the Guru and to help in the excavation work of the tank. The holy tank would be called Amritsar meaning pool of nectar. Today the city of Ramdaspur, which now is the holiest center of Sikhism has come to be know as Amritsar. Guru Ram Das ji urged his Sikhs that one could fulfill one's life not merely by quiet meditation but in actively participating in the joys and sorrows of others. This is how one could also rid oneself of the prime malady - Ego, and end their spiritual loneliness.

One of the new entries into the Sikh fold at this time was Bhai Gurdas Bhalla, the son of the younger brother of Guru Amar Das ji. Bhai Gurdas ji was a superb poet and scholar of comparative religion who would later go on to become the scribe of the first edition of the Guru Granth Sahib ji. Guru Amar Das ji was impressed with Bhai Gurdas's existing knowledge of Hindi and Sanskrit and the Hindu scriptures. Following the tradition of sending out Masands across the country Guru Amar Das ji deputed Bhai Gurdas to Agra to spread the gospel of Sikhism.

The standard Sikh marriage ceremony known as the Anand Karaj is centered around the Lawan, a four stanza hymn composed by Guru Ram Das ji. The marriage couple circumscribe the Guru Granth Sahib ji as each stanza is read. The first round is the Divine consent for commencing the householders life through marriage. The second round states that the union of the couple has been brought about by God. In the third round the couple is described as the most fortunate as they have sung the praises of the Lord in the company of saints. In the fourth round the feeling of the couple that they have obtained their hearts' desire and are being congratulated is described.

When the aged son of Guru Nanak Dev ji, Baba Sri Chand, who had chose to become an ascetic (Baba Sri Chand is the founder of the 'Udasis' sect), came to visit Guru Ram Das ji he asked him why he kept such a long beard? Guru Ram Das ji replied; "To wipe the dust off the feet of holy men like yourself" and then proceeded to perform this supreme act of humility. Sri Chand held his hand and embraced Guru Ram Das ji saying; "It's enough. This is the kind of character by which you have deprived me of my ancestral heritage. Now, what more is left with me that I could offer you for your piety and goodness of heart?"

Guru Ram Das's first cousin Sahari Mal came to invite the Guru to visit Lahore in connection with the marriage of his son. The Guru being much too busy with his work promised to send one of his sons instead. Guru Ram Das ji asked his eldest son Prithi Chand to attend on his behalf, but he refused. Prithi Chand found a reason to avoid the trip, perhaps, he feared that his father would, in his absence, install his youngest brother, Arjan Dev as the next Guru, Prithi was sure that Arjan was the favorite son of his father. Next the Guru asked his next eldest son Mahadev to attend the wedding, but Mahadev was a recluse and excused himself on the ground that he was not interested in the affairs of the world. The Guru therefore asked his youngest son Arjan Dev to attend, which he agreed to do with such grace and humility, that Guru Ram Das ji was very pleased.

Arjan Dev proceeded to Lahore where, his father had asked him to remain until called for and to take charge of the needs and education of the Sikhs in Lahore, his father's ancestral home. Two years later, feeling intensely homesick, Arjan Dev composed a poem of love and devotion and sent it to Guru Ram Das ji. This poem along with another one, sent a few month's later were intercepted by the Guru's jealous son Prithi Chand who made sure his father never received them. Finally Arjan wrote a third poem marking it with the number 3 and gave strict instructions to the messenger to give it to the Guru personally.

My mind longs for the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan.

It cries out like the thirsty song-bird.

My thirst is not quenched, and I can find no peace, without the

Blessed Vision of the Beloved Saint. ||1||

I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice,

To the Blessed Vision of the Beloved Saint Guru.

(SGGS, Raag Maajh, Pannaa 96)

Receiving this poem, Guru Ram Das ji seeing the number 3 sensed that there must have been two earlier letters, knowing the jealousy of his eldest son he confronted Prithi Chand, asking him if he knew anything about previous letters. At first, Prithi Chand denied everything, but seeing the insistence of the Guru and the consequences of refusal to obey him, he finally confessed his treachery and produced the other two letters. (Another story often told has the Guru sending someone who finds the letters in Prithi's clothing at his home.) When Guru Ram Das ji read them, he was moved to tears by the humility and sincerity of his son Arjan's compositions.

Guru Ram Das ji immediately sent for Baba Buddha to journey to Lahore and to bring back his son Arjan Dev with full honours. The Guru then declared him his successor. Prithi Chand never accepted his fathers choice and continued to misbehave and abuse Guru Arjan Dev ji. Guru Ram Das ji had to publicly condemn his son Prithi Chand for his actions. Shortly thereafter Guru Ram Das ji left his physical form on September 1, 1581.

Based on an article by sikhlionz the sewadar of SikhSangat.com www.SikhSangat.com and it's websites.

External Links

• Sikh Missionary Society

 History of the Sikhs  

Gurus:	Guru Nanak Dev · Guru Angad Dev · Guru Amar Das · Guru Ram Das · Guru Arjan · Guru Hargobind · Guru Har Rai · Guru Har Krishan · Guru Tegh Bahadur · Guru Gobind Singh · Guru Granth Sahib
Bhagats:	Beni · Bhikhan · Dhanna · Farid · Jaidev · Kabir · Namdev · Parmanad · Pipa · Ramanand · Ravidas · Sadhana · Sain · Surdas · Trilochan
Sakhis:	Bhai Lalo · Dhanna · Durga Worship · Kartarpur · Village of Children · Dukh Sukh · 3 Days in the River · Darshan · Duni Chand · Platforms · Farm · Bhai Manjh · Guru Ji's Sickness · At School · Sewa · Moola · Sacred Thread · Kaligidhar · No Hindu & No Musalman · Star is Born · Makhan Shah
Events:	Bandi Chhorh Divas · Baba Bakala · Pandit Kripa Ram · Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadar · Pir Bhikan Shah · Martyrdom of Guru Arjan · Hola Mahalla · Vaisakhi · Misls · Army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh · Anglo Sikh War I · Anglo Sikh War II · Battle of Saragarhi · Jallianvala Bagh · Komagata Maru