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During his lifetime Guru Hargobind, the Sixth Supreme Master of the Sikh religion, had to bear a few family bereavements.  One after the other, his wife and three of his sons left for their heavenly abodes.  ‘Of the two sons who survived him, Bhai Suraj Mal was fond of worldly pleasures, and (Guru) Tegh Bahadar, had retired into solitude.’  His eldest grandson, Dhir Mal had already turned a traitor (and until today his lineage is outcast from the Sikh folds).  His younger grandson, Har Rai, according to some records, was brought up by the grandfather and reared by him for the Guruship. He was consecrated as the Guru as soon as Guru Hargobind divined the approach of the time of his ecclesiastic journey.
This article needs a reference for the story of the illness of Dara Shikoh
  which was ended with the Guru's intervention


Guru Har Rai was born posthumously.  Mai Mihal Kaur gave birth to the future Guru on Saturday, January 26, 1630, shortly after the demise of her husband Baba Gurditta.  He was married to Krishan Kaur.  She was the daughter of Bhai Deya Ram, a resident of the Anoop city in the province of Uttar Pradesh.


Along with the Guruship, an armed cavalry of 2,300 horses was consigned to Guru Har Rai. He was enjoined to maintain the cavalry for the defence and hunting, but not to partake in any armed conflict.
'''[[Guru Hargobind]]''', the sixth Supreme Master of the Sikh religion, had to bear many family bereavements. One after the other, his wife and three of his sons left for their heavenly abodes.  Of the two sons who survived him, Bhai Suraj Mal was fond of worldly pleasures, and (Guru to be) Tegh Bahadur, had retired into solitude.  His eldest grandson, Dhir Mal had prooven himself a traitor (his lineage is '''still outcast''' from the Sikh folds). His younger grandson, Har Rai, according to some records, was brought up by the grandfather and reared by him for the Guruship. He was consecrated as the Guru as soon as Guru Hargobind divined the approach of the end of his ecclesiastic journey.


Guru Har Rai was endowed with a very soft and compassionate heart.  Once during his childhood, while passing through the garden, the flair of his coat got entangled in a plant and a flower fell down on the ground.  His tender heart could not bear the separation of the flower and started to cry.  He was, no doubt, very fond of going hunting; the habit he acquired from his grandfather.  But he never killed any creature.  He always captured the beautiful animals alive and established them in a private zoo; this was an important innovative enterprise of his life.
[[Guru Har Rai]] was born after his father's death.  Mai Mihal Kaur gave birth to the future Guru on Saturday, January 26, 1630, shortly after the demise of her husband [[Baba Gurditta]].  Guru Har Rai was married to [[Mata Krishen Kaur]] the daughter of Baba Daya Ram. The wedding took place on 19 June 1640. A cavalry of 2,300 horses was consigned to Guru Har Rai.  He was enjoined to use the cavalry for defence and for hunting only, but not to partake in any offensive armed conflict.


The country was effected with a famine during his pontification.  The arrangements made by the governmental agencies were very scant and tainted with malpractices.  Adhering to the benevolent tradition of the Sikh Gurudom, Guru Har Rai opened up all his resources, and directed his Congregationalist to the service of the needy.  At the same time, to help the sick and poor, he initiated medical care, and established a number of medical dispensaries.  He was foremost to render his assistance  whenever there was any epidemic such as cholera, plague or small-pox.  Very often he used to distribute food himself in his langar (the free kitchen).  And this humane venture enhanced, for a time, the respectability of Guru’s domain in the Mughal Court.
==Deathless Shikars==


Not only was Dara Shakoh the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan, he was a very favourite among the common folks too. He had greater chances of succeeding to the Kingdom.  Aurangzeb, younger in age (and when he was just a prince), wanted to annihilate all his family opposition to acquire the Kingship.  Through devious plans, engineered by him, he managed Dara to swallow a few pieces of hair from the moustache of a lion.  Dara fell seriously ill.  The Royal Hakims (Doctors) pronounced that the sickness could only be cured with the use of cloves.  The search for the cloves in all the Royal Hospitals proved futile.  The fame of the Guru Har Rai’s dispensary had gone far and wide and on approach by the Royal personnel, Guru’s ever benevolent perspective (in spite of Mughal atrocities in the past) made the cloves available and, consequently, Dara’s health was restored.
[[Guru Har Rai]] was endowed with a very soft and compassionate heart. Once during his childhood, while passing through the garden, the flair of his coat got entangled in a plant and a flower fell down on the ground.  His tender heart could not bear the separation of the flower and started to cry.  He was, no doubt, very fond of hunting, a habit he acquired from his grandfather.  But he never killed any creature.  He always captured the beautiful animals alive and established them in a private zoo. This was an important innovative enterprise of his life.
Later, when Aurangzeb chased Dara to eliminate him, Dara came to Punjab and he sought the protection of Guru Har Rai.  The Guru did not want to defy his grandfather’s tenet, and, therefore, would not enter into an armed confrontation.  But his tactical manoeuvres detained the Aurangzeb’s army away from crossing the river at Goindwal, and enabled Dara to escape. The Guru’s strong cavalry of 2,300 riders had taken possession of all the boats which the Mughal army needed to cross the river.


Emperor Shah Jehan had promulgated to demolish all the newly built Hindu temples, and banned the construction of new ones in the future.  This order specifically targeted the temples with idols in them.  The Sikh faith did not allow the idol-worship and, therefore, Mughal orders did not preclude the flourishing Sikh pursuits and the Gurdwaras.  Consequently, for four years, Guru Har Rai travelled across Punjab unhindered, and he visited most of the sacred places.  In Amritsar he stayed for about six months.  Bhai Kala, a village head and an ardent devotee, presented his half-naked orphan nephews, Phool and Sandly, to the Guru.  When the children displayed their deprived state of nourishment, Guru Har Rai bestowed them with a prophecy that their descendants would rule the area between the rivers Satluj and Jamuna.  The prophecy came true with the formation of the Phulkian States - Patiala, Nabha, and Jind.
==Medical Care==


Dara’s escape had already developed bitterness in Aurangzeb’s mind against the Sikhs.  Both, the humane treatment of Guru Har Rai, and the Mughal Rulers atrocities, had initiated a lot of Hindus and Brahmins to come under the folds of Sikhism instead of accepting Islam. Guru Har Rai’s endeavours were soaring the Muslim clergy around Aurangzeb.  They instigated him against contents of the Holy Granth Sahib and asked him to summon the Guru to Delhi to explain certain references denoted to the Quron and the Muslim doctrine.
When the Guru took the Seat of Nanak the country was suffering from a severe famine.  The arrangements made by the governmental agencies were very scant and riddled with corruption.  Adhering to the benevolent tradition of the Sikh Gurudom, Guru Har Rai freely used all his resources directing his Congregationalists to do so, as well, in the service of the needy.  At the same time, to better help the sick and poor, he initiated medical care and established a number of medical dispensaries. He was foremost in rendering his assistance whenever there was any epidemic such as cholera, plague or small-pox. Often he would personally distribute food in his [[langar]] (the free kitchen). These humane ventures enhanced, for a time, the respectability of the Guru’s domain in the Mughal Court.


Guru Har Rai, disillusioned with the intolerant attitude of the Mughal Ruler, resolved never to see his bigoted face.  However, to elucidate the piety of the celestial Gurbani of the Granth Sahib, he sent his elder son Ram Rai to Delhi Darbar.  After prolonged discourses Ram Rai did manage to convince the Emperor of the impartiality of the Gurbani.  But this could not satisfy the preconceived contemptuous attitude of the Muslim Court Clergy.  They incited the King to ask Ram Rai to explain why the earth from the grave of a Muslim was demeaned in such a way, “Miti Musalman ki perre pai ghumiyar...”.  Ram Rai, instead of getting involved in further discussions once again, told that there had been an error in writing the hymn, instead of Musalman it should have been “Be-iman, the deceitful”.  This no doubt pleased Aurangzeb and he showered Ram Rai with mundane honours.
==Dara Shikoh and Guru Har Rai==
One Guru Har Rai, lying on his bed, heard chanting of the Gurbani by a group of his devotees coming towards his household.  He was delayed in getting up in reverence.  But when he did stand up, he tripped over and hurt his leg.  He construed this as the punishment for still relaxing on the bed while the Gurbani was enunciated.  he decided, then on ward, to sit on the floor only during the day times when the followers were coming in or going out reciting the Gurbani.  The Guru, who revered the Bani so much, could not acquiesce to the action of Ram Rai.  He disowned his son and debarred him from Guruship.  (Ram Rai remained in agony throughout his life at Dehradoon.  When he met Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Master, at a right old age, he begged to be pardoned and he was, then, blessed by the Guru with the deliverance.)


Dara Shikoh the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan was a favorite of the common people. Educated, he was a lover of art and poetry who was tolerant of the many religions of India. He was a student of Mian Mir ([[Mian Mir]] who layed the cornerstone of the Harimandir) and had funded the Vedas' translation to Persian. He had come to believe that the Vedas pointed to the belief in one God as did the Qur'an. He thought that all the Murtis of the various Hindu sects were simply attempts by the many Purohits and Brahmins to keep themselves employed. By keeping the people of the lower varnas uneducated they could all retain their high status. Greately admired by his father Shah Jahan he was favored by his father to next sit on the Moghul throne. His youngest brother Prince Aurangzeb was educated by the fundamentalist [[Ulema]], who saw in their young student a chance to avenge their being ignored by the previous Moghul Emperors. With a rigid view of Islam he plotted to kill his own brother and clear his way to the throne. He engineered a devious plan whereby a few pieces of stiff hair, from the moustache of a lion, were added to Dara's food. Dara fell gravely ill and the Royal Hakims (Doctors) said that only cloves could save Dara's life. The search for cloves in all the Royal Hospitals proved futile. The fame of the Guru Har Rai’s dispensary was known far and wide and so Royal personnel were sent to ask for the Guru's help. In spite of the Mughal's atrocities of the past, the Guru with an ever benevolent perspective made the cloves available and, consequently, Dara’s health was soon restored.
==Gurdwaras Flourish==
Shah Jahan had ordered all newly built Hindu temples to be demolished, banning the construction of any new ones. This order specifically targeted any temples with murtis (idols) in them.  As the Sikh faith does not allow idol-worship the Emperor's orders did not hinder the flourishing of Sikh pursuits and the buildings of new Gurdwaras.  Consequently, for four years, Guru Har Rai travelled across the Punjab unhindered, visiting most of the sacred sites. He stayed in Amritsar for about six months. Bhai Kala, a village head and ardent devotee, presented his half-naked orphan nephews, Phool and Sandly, to the Guru. Seeing the children, obviously malnourished, Guru Har Rai bestowed them with a prophecy that their descendants would rule the area between the rivers Satluj and Jamuna. The prophecy came true with the formation of the Phulkian States - [[Patiala]], [[Nabha]], and [[Jind]].
==Ulema Jealousy of the Sikhs==
Later, when Aurangzeb's forces chased Dara seeking his death before he could rally forces to retake the Mughal throne, Dara Shikoh came to the Punjab and sought the protection and help of Guru Har Rai. The Guru not wanting to defy his grandfather’s tenets would not allow the Sikhs to aid in an armed confrontation. But his tactical manoeuvres delayed the crossing of the river at [[Goindwal]] of Aurangzeb’s army, thus enabling Dara to escape. The Guru’s strong cavalry of 2,300 riders had removed all the boats which the Mughal army had needed to cross the river.
The Sikhs aid in Dara’s escape had already developed bitterness in Aurangzeb’s mind against the Sikhs. The humane practices of Guru Har Rai as opposed to the atrocities of the Mughals, had led to many Hindus whether Dalit or Brahmin to turn to Sikhism instead of accepting Islam. Guru Har Rai’s accomplishments were angering the Muslim clergy around Aurangzeb. They incited the Emperor claiming that lines in the Holy Granth Sahib disparaged the Holy Qur'an and Muslim doctrine. They asked him to summon the Guru to Delhi to explain these phrases.
==Ram Rai Bends the Words of The Granth Sahib==
Guru Har Rai, disillusioned with the intolerant attitude of the Mughal Ruler, resolved never to see his bigoted face. However, to elucidate the piety of the celestial Gurbani of the Granth Sahib, he sent his elder son [[Ram Rai]] to the Delhi Darbar.  After prolonged discourses Ram Rai did manage to convince the Emperor of the impartiality of the Gurbani. But this could not satisfy the preconceived contemptuous attitude of the Muslim Court Clergy. They incited the King to ask Ram Rai to explain why the earth from the grave of a Muslim was demeaned in such a way, “Miti Musalman ki perre pai ghumiyar...”.  Ram Rai, instead of getting involved in further discussions once again, said that there had been an error in writing the hymn, instead of Musalman it should have been “Be-iman, the deceitful”.  This no doubt pleased Aurangzeb and he showered Ram Rai with worldly honours.
The Guru, who revered the Bani so much, could not acquiesce to the action of Ram Rai.  He disowned his son and debarred him from Guruship. Ram Rai remained in agony throughout his life at Dehradoon.  When he met Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Master, at a ripe old age, he begged to be pardoned and he was, then, blessed by the Guru with his deliverance.
Once Guru Har Rai, lying on his bed, heard chanting of the Gurbani by a group of his devotees coming toward his household. He was delayed in getting up in reverence. But when he did stand up, he tripped  and hurt his leg. He construed this as the punishment for still relaxing on the bed while the Gurbani was enunciated.  Therefore, he decided in the future to sit on the floor only during the day time when his followers were coming in and out reciting the Gurbani.
Guru Har Rai, the great apostle of mercy, lived nearly thirty-two years of his life imbued with the Gurbani and its celestial, humane and compassionate teachings.  He commenced his journey for his heavenly abode on October 6, 1661, after endowing Guruship to his young son, Guru Harkrishan.
Guru Har Rai, the great apostle of mercy, lived nearly thirty-two years of his life imbued with the Gurbani and its celestial, humane and compassionate teachings.  He commenced his journey for his heavenly abode on October 6, 1661, after endowing Guruship to his young son, Guru Harkrishan.
*Please refer to a more extensive article on [[Guru Har Rai]]


==References==
==References==
* By Pritpal Singh Bindra
* By Pritpal Singh Bindra
[[Category:Gurus]]

Latest revision as of 15:39, 8 October 2007

This article needs a reference for the story of the illness of Dara Shikoh
which was ended with the Guru's intervention


Guru Hargobind, the sixth Supreme Master of the Sikh religion, had to bear many family bereavements. One after the other, his wife and three of his sons left for their heavenly abodes. Of the two sons who survived him, Bhai Suraj Mal was fond of worldly pleasures, and (Guru to be) Tegh Bahadur, had retired into solitude. His eldest grandson, Dhir Mal had prooven himself a traitor (his lineage is still outcast from the Sikh folds). His younger grandson, Har Rai, according to some records, was brought up by the grandfather and reared by him for the Guruship. He was consecrated as the Guru as soon as Guru Hargobind divined the approach of the end of his ecclesiastic journey.

Guru Har Rai was born after his father's death. Mai Mihal Kaur gave birth to the future Guru on Saturday, January 26, 1630, shortly after the demise of her husband Baba Gurditta. Guru Har Rai was married to Mata Krishen Kaur the daughter of Baba Daya Ram. The wedding took place on 19 June 1640. A cavalry of 2,300 horses was consigned to Guru Har Rai. He was enjoined to use the cavalry for defence and for hunting only, but not to partake in any offensive armed conflict.

Deathless Shikars

Guru Har Rai was endowed with a very soft and compassionate heart. Once during his childhood, while passing through the garden, the flair of his coat got entangled in a plant and a flower fell down on the ground. His tender heart could not bear the separation of the flower and started to cry. He was, no doubt, very fond of hunting, a habit he acquired from his grandfather. But he never killed any creature. He always captured the beautiful animals alive and established them in a private zoo. This was an important innovative enterprise of his life.

Medical Care

When the Guru took the Seat of Nanak the country was suffering from a severe famine. The arrangements made by the governmental agencies were very scant and riddled with corruption. Adhering to the benevolent tradition of the Sikh Gurudom, Guru Har Rai freely used all his resources directing his Congregationalists to do so, as well, in the service of the needy. At the same time, to better help the sick and poor, he initiated medical care and established a number of medical dispensaries. He was foremost in rendering his assistance whenever there was any epidemic such as cholera, plague or small-pox. Often he would personally distribute food in his langar (the free kitchen). These humane ventures enhanced, for a time, the respectability of the Guru’s domain in the Mughal Court.

Dara Shikoh and Guru Har Rai

Dara Shikoh the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan was a favorite of the common people. Educated, he was a lover of art and poetry who was tolerant of the many religions of India. He was a student of Mian Mir (Mian Mir who layed the cornerstone of the Harimandir) and had funded the Vedas' translation to Persian. He had come to believe that the Vedas pointed to the belief in one God as did the Qur'an. He thought that all the Murtis of the various Hindu sects were simply attempts by the many Purohits and Brahmins to keep themselves employed. By keeping the people of the lower varnas uneducated they could all retain their high status. Greately admired by his father Shah Jahan he was favored by his father to next sit on the Moghul throne. His youngest brother Prince Aurangzeb was educated by the fundamentalist Ulema, who saw in their young student a chance to avenge their being ignored by the previous Moghul Emperors. With a rigid view of Islam he plotted to kill his own brother and clear his way to the throne. He engineered a devious plan whereby a few pieces of stiff hair, from the moustache of a lion, were added to Dara's food. Dara fell gravely ill and the Royal Hakims (Doctors) said that only cloves could save Dara's life. The search for cloves in all the Royal Hospitals proved futile. The fame of the Guru Har Rai’s dispensary was known far and wide and so Royal personnel were sent to ask for the Guru's help. In spite of the Mughal's atrocities of the past, the Guru with an ever benevolent perspective made the cloves available and, consequently, Dara’s health was soon restored.

Gurdwaras Flourish

Shah Jahan had ordered all newly built Hindu temples to be demolished, banning the construction of any new ones. This order specifically targeted any temples with murtis (idols) in them. As the Sikh faith does not allow idol-worship the Emperor's orders did not hinder the flourishing of Sikh pursuits and the buildings of new Gurdwaras. Consequently, for four years, Guru Har Rai travelled across the Punjab unhindered, visiting most of the sacred sites. He stayed in Amritsar for about six months. Bhai Kala, a village head and ardent devotee, presented his half-naked orphan nephews, Phool and Sandly, to the Guru. Seeing the children, obviously malnourished, Guru Har Rai bestowed them with a prophecy that their descendants would rule the area between the rivers Satluj and Jamuna. The prophecy came true with the formation of the Phulkian States - Patiala, Nabha, and Jind.

Ulema Jealousy of the Sikhs

Later, when Aurangzeb's forces chased Dara seeking his death before he could rally forces to retake the Mughal throne, Dara Shikoh came to the Punjab and sought the protection and help of Guru Har Rai. The Guru not wanting to defy his grandfather’s tenets would not allow the Sikhs to aid in an armed confrontation. But his tactical manoeuvres delayed the crossing of the river at Goindwal of Aurangzeb’s army, thus enabling Dara to escape. The Guru’s strong cavalry of 2,300 riders had removed all the boats which the Mughal army had needed to cross the river.

The Sikhs aid in Dara’s escape had already developed bitterness in Aurangzeb’s mind against the Sikhs. The humane practices of Guru Har Rai as opposed to the atrocities of the Mughals, had led to many Hindus whether Dalit or Brahmin to turn to Sikhism instead of accepting Islam. Guru Har Rai’s accomplishments were angering the Muslim clergy around Aurangzeb. They incited the Emperor claiming that lines in the Holy Granth Sahib disparaged the Holy Qur'an and Muslim doctrine. They asked him to summon the Guru to Delhi to explain these phrases.

Ram Rai Bends the Words of The Granth Sahib

Guru Har Rai, disillusioned with the intolerant attitude of the Mughal Ruler, resolved never to see his bigoted face. However, to elucidate the piety of the celestial Gurbani of the Granth Sahib, he sent his elder son Ram Rai to the Delhi Darbar. After prolonged discourses Ram Rai did manage to convince the Emperor of the impartiality of the Gurbani. But this could not satisfy the preconceived contemptuous attitude of the Muslim Court Clergy. They incited the King to ask Ram Rai to explain why the earth from the grave of a Muslim was demeaned in such a way, “Miti Musalman ki perre pai ghumiyar...”. Ram Rai, instead of getting involved in further discussions once again, said that there had been an error in writing the hymn, instead of Musalman it should have been “Be-iman, the deceitful”. This no doubt pleased Aurangzeb and he showered Ram Rai with worldly honours.

The Guru, who revered the Bani so much, could not acquiesce to the action of Ram Rai. He disowned his son and debarred him from Guruship. Ram Rai remained in agony throughout his life at Dehradoon. When he met Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Master, at a ripe old age, he begged to be pardoned and he was, then, blessed by the Guru with his deliverance.

Once Guru Har Rai, lying on his bed, heard chanting of the Gurbani by a group of his devotees coming toward his household. He was delayed in getting up in reverence. But when he did stand up, he tripped and hurt his leg. He construed this as the punishment for still relaxing on the bed while the Gurbani was enunciated. Therefore, he decided in the future to sit on the floor only during the day time when his followers were coming in and out reciting the Gurbani.

Guru Har Rai, the great apostle of mercy, lived nearly thirty-two years of his life imbued with the Gurbani and its celestial, humane and compassionate teachings. He commenced his journey for his heavenly abode on October 6, 1661, after endowing Guruship to his young son, Guru Harkrishan.

References

  • By Pritpal Singh Bindra
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