Reasons for the martyrdom of Guru Arjan: Difference between revisions
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After executing [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]] and ordering numerous attacks on Guru Gobind SIngh and fighting an endless campaign against Shiva ji Bonsali and the Marathas that drained the collected wealth of his forefathers from the Mughal treasuries, leaving the once Great Mughal Empire in ruin, Aurangzeb, after reading the [[Zafarnama]], which Sikhs believe caused Aurangzeb to realize his mistakes and lose the will to live, died in 1707. In the end he had come to question his whole life, he too like many Mughal rulers before him had asked to meet with a Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. | After executing [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]] and ordering numerous attacks on Guru Gobind SIngh and fighting an endless campaign against Shiva ji Bonsali and the Marathas that drained the collected wealth of his forefathers from the Mughal treasuries, leaving the once Great Mughal Empire in ruin, Aurangzeb, after reading the [[Zafarnama]], which Sikhs believe caused Aurangzeb to realize his mistakes and lose the will to live, died in 1707. In the end he had come to question his whole life, he too like many Mughal rulers before him had asked to meet with a Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. | ||
That meeting never happened, but he was was | That meeting never happened, but he was was succeded by his son Bahadur Shah who the Sikhs helped to win the Mughal throne. He together with Guru Gobind Singh traveled to the Deccan where Bahadur Shah's personal Physicians were sent to to the Guru's wound after assasins had been dispatched, most likely by Wazir Khan who had been responsible for the deaths of the Guru's youngest sons and the Guru's mother, to kill Guru Gobind Singh. | ||
Revision as of 22:07, 17 July 2010
...........Article under construction
The first Sikh Martyr
Guru Arjun Dev ji was martyred in 1606 by Mughal Authorities.
Why was such a champion of peace and holiness arrested and dragged before the Darbar (Court) of the newly installed Mughal Emperor Jahangir? Jahangir's father Akbar who was the emperor of India during the time of Guru Amar Das ji, had been a virtuous ruler who respected holy men and had a love for divine teachings. Akbar's grandfather Babar had met with Guru Nanak Dev during his invasion of the Panjab and his father Humayun had met with Guru Angad Dev ji.
Akbar had respected the Sikh Gurus for their sensible practises and their fair and just teachings. In the year 1569, Akbar came to the Punjab and wanted to see the Sikh Guru. So when he sent a message to Guru Amar Das ji that he was coming to visit him, the Sikhs were very happy at the news. Some thought that special arrangements should be made to welcome the king, but the Guru said:
- "Akbar is as much a human being as others are. The Guru's place is open to all. The king and his subjects, the Hindus and the Muslims, the rich and the poor are all equal here. So Akbar will be welcomed like all other visitors to the Guru's place and special arrangements need not be made."
Akbar and the Guru's Langar
The king, along with the Rajah of Haripur, arrived in Goindwal where the Guru lived. They were shown round the place and Akbar was interested to know how the Guru's Langar was run. Simple food was served to all in the Guru's Langar. It remained open day and night. Travellers, beggars, and strangers, as well as the followers of the Guru, were all served with food.
The Guru had given an order that all persons coming to visit his place must have their food in the Langar (when hungry). There they were to sit in rows (Pangat) as equals and were to be served simple food in turn. Akbar and the Rajah of Haripur sat in Pangat (rows, as is still the custom today). They sat among the common people in a row as other Sikhs served them food.
Impressed with the Guru's Langar, Akbar said to the Guru, "I like Guru Nanak's religion very much and I respect you for your teachings. I want to make a grant of land for running the Langar. Would you mind it!".
The Guru is said to have replied, "Dear Akbar, I am very glad you like the path of Baba Nanak. I am also grateful to you for your offer of a grant of land for the Langar, but I am sorry I cannot accept it because the Guru likes all to work hard to earn (Kirt Karni) and to share their honest earnings (Wand Chakna) with others, by giving something to the Langar from their honest earnings to help others. As such, the Guru's langar is the people's (Sangat's) Langar and it must be run on people's free gifts and not on a royal grant. That is why all share equally in the Guru's Langar and no one is looked upon as an outsider. In the Guru's Langar, each gives as much as we can spare and takes as much as he/she needs. Here, there is no difference between kings and beggars. All sit together; and eat simple food served with loving care."
Admiration to Denigration
So how could the son of Akbar, who history tells us managed to give his gift anyway in the form of a Jagir, as a wedding gift for Bibi Bhani and Bhai Jetha (who later became Guru Ram Das ji, the parents of Guru Arjan Dev) that is said by many to have become Amritsar, come to order the arrest of Guru Atjan? What earthly mundane reasons could have moved Jahangir (later to be known as Jahangir the Just) to order the arrest of Guru Arjan Dev?
Thesis
Some of the contributing reasons:
- Creation of the Adi Granth: Was this the basic and main reason of the Guru's martyrdom. Guru Arjun Dev ji had collected the Bani's of many of God's devotees (Hindu Muslims, Upper Caste, Lower Caste etc.) and put them into the Guru Granth Sahib, which makes one proper institution of Gurmat, which have totally new philosphy and was against many philosphies of Hinduism and Islam. Many people started following this philosphy. Even Saints such as Mian Mir had become friends and Mureed of Gurmat. This had stunned the Muslim Ulema, which had long chaffed under the liberal and tolerant policies of Akbar. The Hindu priests were also against the philosphy of Guru Granth Sahib, which threatened the caste system that kept them at the top of Hindu society.
Jahangir, doubtless after endless complaints and demands, recorded his thoughts on the matter in his autobiography, the Tuzak-e-jahangiri [1], in which he wrote:
: "At Goindwal on the banks of the river Beas, lived a Hindu, Arjan by name, in the garb of a Pir or Sheikh. Thus, many innocent Hindus and even foolish and ignorant Muslims were brought into his fold, who beat the drum noisily of his self-appointed prophethood. He is called Guru. From all sides, worshippers came to offer their homage to him and put full trust in his word. For three or four generations, they have warmed up this shop. For a long time I have harbored the wish that I should set aside this shop of falsehood or I that should bring him into the fold of Islam."
- Jahangir further wrote; "In these days, Khusro (his rebellious son) passed through this way. This foolish person (Guru Arjan) resolved to call on him. Khusro halted for a time at this place and this man came to see him and discoursed with him on many matters and also applied with saffron on his forehead what the Hindus call kashkeh (tilak) that the Hindus consider a good omen. When I heard this account personally, I knew about his false pretenses. So I ordered that he be brought into my presence, that his property be confiscated and his sons and other possessions be made over to Murtaza Khan and that he be dealt with in accordance with the political and common law of the land."
- Minas: Minas were against Guru Arjun Dev from starting Prithi Chand and High Hindu priests started playing tactics against Guru Arjun Dev. Prithi Chand wanted to take possesion of the granth compiled by the guru, in hopes that by doing this he would be able to clam the Guruship for himself. He and many others played an important role in misguiding Jahangir. After the death of GUru Arjun Dev, he took possesion over Guru Granth Sahib. His desendents keep on protecting granth and claim themselves guru and followers of them are called Minas
- Governer Chandu Shah: He also became hostile of Guru Arjun Dev as Guru Arjun Dev ji rejected his proposal of marriage, for his daughter. Sikh Sangat at that time forced Guru Arjun Dev ji to not accept this proposal as they were against tactics of Chandu, whose aim was to misuse Guru Ghar after marriage.
- Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi: It is also Said that Sheikh Ahmad Sarhindi was very much revered by Muslims. He presented himself to be Islam's Prophet of the second millennium; the first millennium belonging to Prophet Muhammad. He asserted that his status was higher than the Sikh Gurus. This was emphatically rejected by Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Sheikh Ahmad had great influence on Jehangir. Citing the Guru’s blessings bestowed upon Prince Khusro he instigated the Emperor against Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Jehangir wrote in his biography: A Hindu named Arjan lived at Goindwal...simple minded Hindus and ignorant and foolish Muslims have been persuaded to adopt his ways... this business has been flourishing for three generations. For a long time it had been in my mind to put a stop to this affair or to bring him into the fold of Islam...
- Jahangir: many Muslim Rulers worked to increase the Muslim fold, by just changing their way of life they thought one becomes muslim. Did they understand the tenants of their own religion? They thought that by doing the Hajj, keeping a beard and being circumcised and by proclaiming Muhammad as the last messenger of the One Sole God of all creation, called by them Allah, one became a Muslim. When Jahangir came to know the truth of Sikhi, he became a friend of Guru Hargobind ji, Guru Arjun Dev's son.
Finally the cry of, our religion over all, raised its greatest Mughal champion - Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb, whose education was given over to the Muslim Ulema, wrested the rule of the Mughal Empire (Hindustan as they called it - still the common name for India in Pakistan) from his father, Shah Jahan whom he had locked up until his death. Unlike his brother Dara Shikoh, the heir aparent, who was educated by the more tolerant Sufis, he sought, once again to turn all of India and all of its people, whether Hindu, Christian or Sikh into Muslims.
After executing Guru Tegh Bahadur and ordering numerous attacks on Guru Gobind SIngh and fighting an endless campaign against Shiva ji Bonsali and the Marathas that drained the collected wealth of his forefathers from the Mughal treasuries, leaving the once Great Mughal Empire in ruin, Aurangzeb, after reading the Zafarnama, which Sikhs believe caused Aurangzeb to realize his mistakes and lose the will to live, died in 1707. In the end he had come to question his whole life, he too like many Mughal rulers before him had asked to meet with a Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.
That meeting never happened, but he was was succeded by his son Bahadur Shah who the Sikhs helped to win the Mughal throne. He together with Guru Gobind Singh traveled to the Deccan where Bahadur Shah's personal Physicians were sent to to the Guru's wound after assasins had been dispatched, most likely by Wazir Khan who had been responsible for the deaths of the Guru's youngest sons and the Guru's mother, to kill Guru Gobind Singh.
Article under developement
References
- Developed by one of the user/contributors here at Sikhiwiki, this article makes use of the work of:
- Stories from Sikh History Book 2, Hemkunt Press, A-78 Naraina Ind. Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110028
