Tale of King of Sirmaur: Difference between revisions

This article contains explanation of one of Charitar from the work Charitropakhyan by Guru Gobind Singh ji which is contained in Dasam Granth. The explanation presents the view of the kathakaar and one may not agree to this. The article is for information purpose. Please do not amended this article. If you have any comments, please discuss them here

Tale of King of Sirmaur is one of 405 tales written in Charitropakhyan, bani by Shri Guru Gobind Singh. This is the Seventy First (71st) Charittar of Charitropakhyan. This tale is presumably from guru's own life. It is set around the time when guru sahib was in Paunta Sahib. The events in the tale includes Guru Sahib visit to Kapal Mochan, hunting, punishing the manmukhs and arrangement of robes for honouring sikhs. The Chariter shows political, warrior life of Guru Gobind Singh.

Gurdwara Kapal Mochan Sahib

The chariter mentions, that guru sahib went to Kapal Mochan, many Sikhs arrived to meet guru sahib. Guru Sahib wanted to give robes of honour, as this was a ritual followed, and still follow all over. Guru ji sent some of his sikhs to paunta to bring robes but they came in vein as no robes were available in city in any shop.

Some dolt and ignorant people use to urinate on the pious place of paunta. They spoil the sanctity of place. Guru Sahib wanted to teach them a lesson so he planned with his Sikhs that if they would find any person urinating on the pious place, remove his turban and punish him. Sikhs did as guru sahib said. The turbans of those persons were removed who urinated at that place and were punished so that they would not do the same in future and they collected many turbans, which shows the counting of ignorant people. So this is called to kill two with one arrows. Guru sahib, where brought ignorants on right track, there he got robes for honouring sikhs. so after washing and cleaning those turbans, sikhs were honoured.

Many Scholars criticize this chariter, that guru sahib could not do this. how can he remove turban from any urinating man but they do not understand the last line of guru sahib, ਭੇਦ ਮੂਰਖਨ ਨ ਲਹਿਯੋ ਕਹਾ ਗਯੋ ਕਰਿ ਰਾਇ , that all this game was played for sanctity of place and for arranging the robes this tale also shows that guru sahib was politically strong too.

The Chariter is as under:

ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥
Dohira

ਨਗਰ ਪਾਵਟਾ ਬਹ੝ ਬਸੈ ਸਾਰਮੌਰ ਕੇ ਦੇਸ ॥ ਜਮ੝ਨਾ ਨਦੀ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਬਹੈ ਜਨ੝ਕ ਪ੝ਰੀ ਅਲਿਕੇਸ ॥੧॥
Paonta City was established in the country of Sirmaur, It was on the bank of River Jamuna and was like the land of gods.(1)

ਨਦੀ ਜਮ੝ਨ ਕੇ ਤੀਰ ਮੈ ਤੀਰਥ ਮ੝ਚਨ ਕਪਾਲ ॥ ਨਗਰ ਪਾਵਟਾ ਛੋਰਿ ਹਮ ਆਝ ਤਹਾ ਉਤਾਲ ॥੨॥
The pilgrim place of Kapaal Mochan was on the banks of the Jamuna. Leaving the City of Paonta, we came to this place.(2)

ਚੌਪਈ ॥
Chaupaee

ਖਿਲਤ ਅਖੇਟਕ ਸੂਕਰ ਮਾਰੇ ॥ ਬਹ੝ਤੇ ਮ੝ਰਿਗ ਔਰੈ ਹਨਿ ਡਾਰੇ ॥ ਪ੝ਨਿ ਤਿਹ ਠਾ ਕੌ ਹਮ ਮਗ੝ ਲੀਨੌ ॥ ਵਾ ਤੀਰਥ ਕੇ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੀਨੌ ॥੩॥
While hunting, we had killed many deer and boars,Then we had taken the road to that place and paid obeisance to that pilgritn entity.(3)

ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥
Dohira

ਤਹਾ ਹਮਾਰੇ ਸਿਖ੝ਯ ਸਭ ਅਮਿਤ ਪਹੂੰਚੇ ਆਇ ॥ ਤਿਨੈ ਦੈਨ ਕੋ ਚਾਹਿਯੈ ਜੋਰਿ ਭਲੋ ਸਿਰਪਾਇ ॥੪॥
At the place, a number of our Sikh volunteers arrived. There arose the need of giving them the robes of honour.(4)

ਨਗਰ ਪਾਵਟੇ ਬੂਰਿਯੈ ਪਠਝ ਲੋਕ ਬ੝ਲਾਇ ॥ ਝਕ ਪਾਗ ਪਾਈ ਨਹੀ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਪਹ੝ਚੇ ਆਇ ॥੫॥
Some persons were sent to the city of Paonta. But could not find even one turban and they came back disappointed.(5)

ਚੌਪਈ ॥
Chaupaee

ਮੋਲਹਿ ਝਕ ਪਾਗ ਨਹਿ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਤਬ ਮਸਲਤਿ ਹਮ ਜਿਯਹਿ ਬਨਾਈ ॥ ਜਾਹਿ ਇਹਾ ਮੂਤਤਿ ਲਖਿ ਪਾਵੋ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਛੀਨ ਪਗਰਿਯਾ ਲ੝ਯਾਵੋ ॥੬॥
As no turbans were available to buy, we thought of a plan, ‘Whosoever you find urinating there, snatch his turban away.’(6)

ਜਬ ਪਯਾਦਨ ਝਸੇ ਸ੝ਨਿ ਪਾਯੋ ॥ ਤਿਹੀ ਭਾਤਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਭਨ ਕਮਾਯੋ ॥ ਜੋ ਮਨਮ੝ਖ ਤੀਰਥ ਤਿਹ ਆਯੋ ॥ ਪਾਗ ਬਿਨਾ ਕਰਿ ਤਾਹਿ ਪਠਾਯੋ ॥੭॥
When the policemen heard thus, they all agreed upon the scheme. Any apostate who came on pilgrimage, he was sent back without the turban.(7)

ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥
Dohira

ਰਾਤਿ ਬੀਚ ਕਰਿ ਆਠ ਸੈ ਪਗਰੀ ਲਈ ਉਤਾਰਿ ॥ ਆਨਿ ਤਿਨੈ ਹਮ ਦੀਹ ਮੈ ਧੋਵਨਿ ਦਈ ਸ੝ਧਾਰਿ ॥੮॥
In one night alone, eight hundred turbans were taken away. They brought and gave them to me and I handed over to be washed, cleaned and straightened out.(8)

ਚੌਪਈ ॥
Chaupaee

ਪ੝ਰਾਤ ਲੇਤ ਸਭ ਧੋਇ ਮਗਾਈ ॥ ਸਭ ਹੀ ਸਿਖ੝ਯਨ ਕੋ ਬੰਧਵਾਈ ॥ ਬਚੀ ਸ੝ ਬੇਚਿ ਤ੝ਰਤ ਤਹ ਲਈ ॥ ਬਾਕੀ ਬਚੀ ਸਿਪਾਹਿਨ ਦਈ ॥੯॥
In the morning all the washed and the cleaned ones were brought and were worn by the Sikhs.The left over were sold and the remaining were given out to the policemen.(9)

ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥
Dohira

ਬਟਿ ਕੈ ਪਗਰੀ ਨਗਰ ਕੋ ਜਾਤ ਭਝ ਸ੝ਖ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਭੇਦ ਮੂਰਖਨ ਨ ਲਹਿਯੋ ਕਹਾ ਗਯੋ ਕਰਿ ਰਾਇ ॥੧੦॥
After selling the turbans, headed towards their towns, achieving due bliss. Foolish people could not discern what game the Raja had played.(10)(1)

ਇਤਿ ਸ੝ਰੀ ਚਰਿਤ੝ਰ ਪਖ੝ਯਾਨੇ ਪ੝ਰਖ ਚਰਿਤ੝ਰੇ ਮੰਤ੝ਰੀ ਭੂਪ ਸੰਬਾਦੇ ਇਕਹਤਰੌ ਚਰਿਤ੝ਰ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ ਸਤ੝ ਸ੝ਭਮ ਸਤ੝ ॥੭੧॥੧੨੫੮॥ਅਫਜੂੰ॥
Seventy-first Parable of Auspicious Chritars Conversation of the Raja and the Minister, Completed with Benediction. (71)(1256)

References

• The content of this explanation is inspired from the katha by Bhai Mehtab Singh of Karnal, Haryana.