Tale of King of Sirmaur
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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.
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Tale of King of Sirmaur is one of 405 tales written in the Charitropakhyan, bani by Shri Guru Gobind Singh. This tale is the Seventy-first (71st) Charittar of the Charitropakhyan. This tale, is presumably taken from the events in the guru's life, during the years that he spent in Paunta Sahib. The events in the tale recounts the reception that the people Guru Sahib gave to the Guru, his family and the many Sikh devotees on their arrival at Kapal Mochan, a 'shopping' trip to Nathan and the bounteous hunting that he had enjoyed along the way. It also relates a plan by which the Guru and his Sikhs were able to punish some punish some manmukhs who had come to to the area 'disguised' as pilgrims, while at the same time his plan provided 'Robes of Honor' for the crowds of devotees that came for Darshan of the Patishah.
This particular Chariter tells us of the political skills and love of hunting of Guru Gobind Singh. The moral of the tale is not to spoil pilgrimages.
This chariter mentions, that guru sahib arrival in Kapal Mochan, where many Sikhs arrived to meet guru sahib. Guru Sahib wanted to give robes of honour, a custom still practiced in Panjab to this day. Guru ji sent some of his sikhs to Nahan, the capital of Sirmaur to purchase robes, but their efforts were in vein, as no robes were available in any shop of the city.
However, the behavior of some dolts and thoughtless people soon provided the guru with a solution. These men, without any thought of the sanctity of the Pilgrimage site on the bank of the rushing river Yamuna, would urinate on the pious place of paunta. They spoiled the sanctity of the place.
Wanting to teach them a lesson, Guru Sahib told his Sikhs, that if they found any person urinating on the pious site, they should remove his turban and punish him. The Sikhs did as guru sahib said and many turbans of those men who were caught urinating at that place were taken as the men were punished so that they would not do the same in the future. Many, many turbans were taken, which tells us the huge number of men without proper respect. This tale is to kill two with one arrow. Guru sahib, was able to put the ignorant on the right track, while he also got robes for honouring sikhs. So after some sewadars washed and cleaned the turbans, the Patishah was able to honor his sikhs with Robes of Honor when only a few days before none could be found.
Many Scholars have criticized this chariter, arguing that guru sahib would not do this. How could he justify taking a turban from a man just because he was urinating, 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 in Gurbani script, with each line translated into English:
ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥
Dohira
ਨਗਰ ਪਾਵਟਾ ਬਹ ਬਸੈ ਸਾਰਮੌਰ ਕੇ ਦੇਸ ॥ ਜਮਨਾ ਨਦੀ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਬਹੈ ਜਨਕ ਪਰੀ 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 ਜਮਨ ਕੇ ਤੀਰ ਮੈ ਤੀਰਥ ਮਚਨ 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 ॥ ਬਹਤੇ ਮਰਿਗ ਔਰੈ ਹਨਿ ਡਾਰੇ ॥ ਪਨਿ 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 ਸਿਖਯ 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 ਬਲਾਇ ॥ ਝਕ ਪਾਗ ਪਾਈ ਨਹੀ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਪਹਚੇ 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 ਲਯਾਵੋ ॥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 ਸਨਿ ਪਾਯੋ ॥ ਤਿਹੀ ਭਾਤਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਭਨ ਕਮਾਯੋ ॥ ਜੋ ਮਨਮਖ 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 ਸਧਾਰਿ ॥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
ਪਰਾਤ ਲੇਤ ਸਭ ਧੋਇ ਮਗਾਈ ॥ ਸਭ ਹੀ ਸਿਖਯਨ ਕੋ ਬੰਧਵਾਈ ॥ ਬਚੀ ਸ ਬੇਚਿ ਤਰਤ 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 ਸਖ 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 ਸਰੀ ਚਰਿਤਰ ਪਖਯਾਨੇ ਪਰਖ ਚਰਿਤਰੇ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਭੂਪ ਸੰਬਾਦੇ ਇਕਹਤਰੌ ਚਰਿਤਰ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ ਸਤ ਸਭਮ 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. would add his katha shortly
