Tunda Asraja

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ਵਾਰ ਸਲੋਕਾ ਨਾਲਿ ਸਲੋਕ ਭੀ ਮਹਲੇ ਪਹਿਲੇ ਕੇ ਲਿਖੇ ਟ੝ੰਡੇ ਅਸ ਰਾਜੈ ਕੀ ਧ੝ਨੀ


Vaar Tundey As Raje ki

Tunda Asraja was a King named Asa who had a maimed hand, who faught a battle with his step-brother because his father King Sarang desired to pass on the crown to him instead of to his senior son, Sardul Rai- the senior prince decided to claim the kingdom with the help of his maternal uncle Sultan Rai. Sardul Rai waged war against King Asa in which.

The court poetd composed a ballad to be sung in a particular dhuni(tune) in praise of King Asraja who was s symbol of the victory of virtue over vice. This var became very poplar and inspirational. Bards (Dhadhis) wrote a poem (vaar) on the story of the new pious king and sung it in public and received rewards and this vaar became very renowned.


Tunday Asraja ki Dhuni(ਟ੝ੰਡੇ ਅਸ ਰਾਜੈ ਕੀ ਧ੝ਨੀ) is a tune which Guru Arjan found a great resemblance between the five lined pauris of Guru Nanak's Asa di vaar and the vaar of Tunda Asaraja and prescribed the tune of the latter for the singing of the former.

Asa di var is to be sung in raga Asa which is classical, while the dhuni(Tune) is that of the popular var of Tunday Asraja. A var is generally intended to produce a heroic and martial feeling Bir rasa. Its diction is simple but emotional. Asa di var contains Pauris (of Guru Nanak) of five line each, along with his salokas. The salokas of Guru Angad were added later on to it by Guru Arjan. Chhants of Guru Ramdas were directed to be sung with Asa di var of Guru Nanak, by Guru Arjan on account of the similarity of contents. Just as the theme of the var of Tunday Asraja is the victory of good over evil, in the same way, the subject of Asa di var is spiritual evolution and fulfilment. Hurdles in the path of divinity, like ego, hypocrisy and evil thoughts are conquered by following the path of truth and meditation and the earning of God's grace.

Story of Raja Asa

Pundit Narayan Singh Gyani's Version

  • Acc. to Pundit Narayan Singh Gyani,

Asraj was King Sarang’s son. Raja Sarang married another woman after his wife passed away. King Sarang was elderly in age and his new wife was very young. His new wife fell for the handsome Prince Asraj but he never gave up to his step-mother and stayed firm in his faith and beliefs. When the queen’s motivations did not succeed she accused the prince of prostitution. The King got angered after hearing this from his wife and at once announced that his son be submitted to death and his body parts be brought back to him.

Bhai Sahib Singh in contradiction to this mentions that the prince was falsely accused by his step mother because she wanted her own sons to succeed the king in place of Asraj.

Pandit Narayan Singh continues and writes that the king’s advisor was a wise man so he decided to cut off a hand of the prince instead of getting him killed. After his hand was cut off he was left alone in a jungle near a well. Some merchants passed from that place and one of those merchants took Asraj along and sold him to a laundry man in another town.

Asraj started spending his time working in his owner’s home. The king of that province passed away without leaving anyone to succeed him. That king’s advisors then decided that whoever comes to the door of the province shall be crowned the next king.

The night the laundry man’s ox got untied and Asraj spent the whole night in search of it. The night passed and Asraj reached the door of the province. The king’s advisors announced Asraj as the next king according to the decisions that they had made.

And because Asraj was born to a king, he handled his kingdom with a lot of care and devotion. After sometime the neighboring countries underwent drought but Asraj’s country remained unaffected. Bhai Sahib Singh writes that the reason to this was that Asraj had saved up a lot of grain for his public just to be on the safe side. Merchants of other countries started coming to Asraj’s country to buy grain. The advisor of his father who saved Asraj from death also came and Asraj recognized him. Asraj met and served him with great love and friendliness. He also sent a lot of grain to his father without taking any price.

When that advisor reached his country he told the king the story of Asraj becoming the king and motivated him to transfer his kingdom over to Asraj. The kind had also realized the reality so he accepted his advisor’s virtuous advice and sent an invitation to his son.

When Asraj’s stepson ‘Sardool Rai’ found out of his father’s plan he took his forces without advising his father and went to stop Asraj. He also made his cousin ‘Sultaan Rai’ help him. A battle took place and Asraj came out victorious. After winning Asraj approached to meet his father and his father transferred his kingdom over to him. Asraj then ruled over both countries and spread the values of dharma.

Bards (Dtaadhis) wrote a poem (vaar) on the story of the new pious king and sung it in public and received rewards and this vaar became very renowned.

Prof. Sahib Singh's Version

ਅਸਰਾਜ ਇਕ ਰਾਜੇ ਦਾ ਪ੝ੱਤਰ ਸੀ, ਜਿਸ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਸਾਰੰਗ ਸੀ। ਆਪਣੀ ਇਸਤ੝ਰੀ ਮਰ ਜਾਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਰਾਜਾ ਸਾਰੰਗ ਨੇ ਪਿਛਲੀ ਉਮਰੇ ਇਕ ਹੋਰ ਵਿਆਹ ਕਰ ਲਿਆ। ਨਵੀਂ ਰਾਣੀ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਤ੝ਰੇਝ ਪ੝ੱਤਰ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਤੇ ਰੀਝ ਪਈ, ਪਰ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਆਪਣੇ ਧਰਮ ਤੇ ਕਾਇਮ ਰਿਹਾ। ਜਦੋਂ ਰਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਚਾਲ ਪ੝ੱਤਰ ਨੂੰ ਧਰਮ ਤੋਂ ਡੇਗਣ ਵਿਚ ਕਾਮਯਾਬ ਨਾਹ ਹੋਈ, ਤਾਂ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਰਾਜੇ ਪਾਸ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਉਲਟ ਝੂਠੇ ਦੂਸ਼ਣ ਲਗਾ ਦਿੱਤੇ। ਰਾਜੇ ਨੇ ਕ੝ਰੋਧ ਵਿਚ ਆ ਕੇ ਪ੝ੱਤਰ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਫਾਂਸੀ ਦਾ ਹ੝ਕਮ ਦੇ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਰਾਜੇ ਦਾ ਵਜ਼ੀਰ ਸਿਆਣਾ ਸੀ। ਉਸ ਨੇ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਨੋਂ ਤਾਂ ਨਾਹ ਮਾਰਿਆ ਪਰ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਇਕ ਹੱਥ ਕੱਟ ਕੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਸ਼ਹਿਰੋਂ ਬਾਹਰ ਕਿਸੇ ਉਜਾੜ ਵਿਚ ਇਕ ਖੂਹ ਤੇ ਛੱਡ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਉੱਥੋਂ ਦੀ ਵਣਜਾਰਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਇਕ ਕਾਫ਼ਲਾ ਲੰਘਿਆ। ਉਹਨਾਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਇਕ ਵਣਜਾਰੇ ਨੇ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਨਾਲ ਲੈ ਲਿਆ। ਵਣਜਾਰੇ ਕਿਸੇ ਹੋਰ ਰਾਜੇ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਦੀ ਲੰਘੇ। ਉਥੇ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਇਕ ਧੋਬੀ ਦੇ ਪਾਸ ਵੇਚ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਅਸਰਾਜ ਉੱਥੇ ਧੋਬੀ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਰਹਿ ਕੇ ਸੇਵਾ ਵਿਚ ਆਪਣੇ ਦਿਨ ਬਿਤਾਉਣ ਲੱਗ ਪਿਆ। ਸਮਾ ਪਾ ਕੇ ਉਸ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਦਾ ਰਾਜਾ ਸੰਤਾਨ-ਹੀਨ ਹੀ ਮਰ ਗਿਆ। ਵਜ਼ੀਰਾਂ ਨੇ ਆਪੋ ਵਿਚ ਫ਼ੈਸਲਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਿ ਸਵੇਰੇ ਜੋ ਮਨ੝ੱਖ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਦਾ ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ਾ ਖੜਕਾਝ, ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਝ। ਅਸਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਭਾਗ ਜਾਗੇ ਧੋਬੀ ਦਾ ਬਲਦ ਖ੝ਲ੝ਹ ਗਿਆ ਬਲਦ ਦੀ ਢੂੰਡ ਭਾਲ ਵਿਚ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਸਵੇਰੇ ਹੀ ਉਠ ਤ੝ਰਿਆ ਤੇ ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ਾ ਜਾ ਖੜਕਾਇਓਸ੝। ਇਸ ਤਰ੝ਹਾਂ ਉਸ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦਾ ਰਾਜ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਗਿਆ। ਰਾਜੇ ਦਾ ਪ੝ੱਤਰ ਹੋਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਰਾਜ-ਪਰਬੰਧ ਵਾਲੇ ਸੰਸਕਾਰ ਮੌਜੂਦ ਸਨ; ਸੋ ਝਸ ਨੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਪਰਬੰਧ ਨੂੰ ਚੰਗੀ ਤਰ੝ਹਾਂ ਸੰਭਾਲ ਲਿਆ। ਕ੝ਝ ਸਮਾ ਪਾ ਕੇ ਗ੝ਆਂਢੀ ਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਕਾਲ ਪੈ ਗਿਆ, ਪਰ ਅਸਰਾਜ ਦੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵਿਚ ਚੰਗਾ ਸ੝ਕਾਲ ਸੀ। ਦੂਸਰੇ ਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੇ ਲੋਕ ਇਸ ਦੇ ਰਾਜ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਅੰਨ ਦਾਣਾ ਮ੝ੱਲ ਲੈਣ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਆਉਣ ਲੱਗ ਪਝ। ਇਸ ਦੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਦਾ ਵਜ਼ੀਰ ਭੀ ਆਇਆ। ਅਸਰਾਜ ਨੇ ਵਜ਼ੀਰ ਨੂੰ ਪਛਾਣ ਲਿਆ। ਆਪੋ ਵਿਚ ਦੋਵੇਂ ਬੜੇ ਪ੝ਰੇਮ ਨਾਲ ਮਿਲੇ। ਅਸਰਾਜ ਨੇ ਵਜ਼ੀਰ ਦੀ ਬੜੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਕੀਤੀ, ਤੇ ਕ੝ਝ ਦਿਨ ਕੋਲ ਰੱਖ ਕੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਦੇ ਦੇਸ਼-ਵਾਸੀਆਂ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਬਹ੝ਤ ਸਾਰਾ ਅੰਨ ਮ੝ੱਲ ਲੈਣ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਹੀ ਭੇਟ ਕੀਤਾ। ਵਜ਼ੀਰ ਨੇ ਵਾਪਸ ਆ ਕੇ ਇਹ ਸਾਰਾ ਬ੝ਰਿਤਾਂਤ ਰਾਜੇ ਨੂੰ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਤੇ ਪ੝ਰੇਰਿਆ ਕਿ ਆਪਣੇ ਪ੝ੱਤਰ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਰਾਜ ਭੀ ਸਉਂਪੇ। ਰਾਜੇ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਪ੝ੱਤਰ ਦੇ ਨੇਕ ਆਚਰਨ ਦਾ ਪਤਾ ਲੱਗ ਚ੝ਕਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਸੀ। ਉਸ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਵਜ਼ੀਰ ਦੀ ਇਹ ਭਲੀ ਸਲਾਹ ਮੰਨ ਲਈ ਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਪ੝ੱਤਰ ਨੂੰ ਸਦਵਾ ਕੇ ਆਪਣਾ ਰਾਜ ਭੀ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਹਵਾਲੇ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਢਾਡੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਇਹ ਸਾਰਾ ਬ੝ਰਿਤਾਂਤ 'ਵਾਰ' ਵਿਚ ਜੋੜ ਕੇ ਰਾਜਾ ਦੇ ਦਰਬਾਰ ਵਿਚ ਗਾਂਵਿਆ ਤੇ ਇਨਾਮ ਹਾਸਲ ਕੀਤੇ। ਤਦੋਂ ਤੋਂ ਢਾਡੀ ਇਹ ਵਾਰ ਗਾਂਵਦੇ ਚਲੇ ਆ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਸਤਿਗ੝ਰੂ ਜੀ ਨੇ 'ਆਸਾ ਦੀ ਵਾਰ' ਭੀ ਇਸੇ 'ਵਾਰ' ਦੀ ਸ੝ਰ ਉਤੇ ਗਾਉਣ ਦੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਕੀਤੀ ਹੈ।

Different Version

An outline of the story of Asaraja (meaning the king named As) is given below. As (pronounced 'Us') was a son of Raja Sarang in ancient times. His step-mother-the King's second wife-fell in love with him but he refused her advances. The lady out of spite blamed him of incest. Raja Sarang ordered his execution at the insistence of his wife.

He told his minister to carry out the order of execution of As. The minister was a wise man. He took As to a jungle and ordered the executioner to cut one hand of As a proof of his death. After cutting his hand, they left him in the jungle. A party of traders soon passed through the jungle and heard the cries of As. They atteneded to his wound and took him to a neighbouring country. They sold him as a slave to a washerman. As had lost his hand and was called As the cripple (Tunda-As).

He was given the duty of loading a bull with dirty clothes and bringing back the washed clothes to his master-the washerman. Unfortunately the king of the town died suddenly, without leaving any heir.The ministers decided that the man who passed through the city gates first the next morning, would be crowned as King. As usual Tunda-As who went out early morning with his bullock to the rivulet (outside the city) with his load of dirty clothes, happened to be the first man to pass through the city gate. He was crowned and called Tunda Asraja(King Asa the cripple).

Soon thereafter the crops failed on account of drought. Asaraja had bought a lot of grain in advance to feed his people. Raja Sarang-the father of Asraja-had two other sons who were given to hunting and pleasure. Raja Sarang felt the effects of famine and sent his minister to buy grain from the neighbouring country. The minister came to Asaraja's town for purchase of grain and met him and recognised him. Asraja gave the minister a lot of grain free.

Raja Sarang come to know of the generosity of Asraja. He also became aware of the bad character of his second wife. He called Asraja to his palace and desired to pass on the crown to him instead of to his senior son. Sardul the senior prince decided to claim the kingdom. With the help of his maternal uncle Sultan Rai, he waged war against Raja Sarang and Asaraja. The court-poet composed a var to be sung in a particular dhuni (tune) in praise of King Asraja who was s symbol of the victory of virtue over vice. This var became very poplar and inspirational.

Guru Arjan found a great resemblance between the five-lined pauris of Guru Nanak's Asa-di-var and the var of Tunda-Asaraja and prescribed the tune of the latter for the singing of the former.

A quote from Vaar of Tunda Asraja

bhabkio sher sardool vich ran maru vajje
khan sultan bad soormey vich ran de gajjey
khat likey Tunde Asraj noo patshahi ajjey
tikkey sarang baap ne ditta bhar lajjey
fateh paye asraj ji shahi ghar sajjey“

References