Tale of King of Sirmaur
Tale of King of Sirmaur, a Historical Event, 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 tale
This particular Chariter tells us of the political skills and love of hunting of Guru Gobind Singh.
History
After Battle of Bhangani, Guru Gobind Singh thought that it was not good to stay at Paunta due to tension with hill Rulers as they could attack in future and will destory peace. So Guru Gobind Singh came to Kapal mochan which was in Buria State. It was not part of Sirmaur. It was under Delhi. So Hill rulers could not attack on Guru in this state. There were many Sikhs of guru living here. Guru Nanak also visited this place during his travels.
Problem at Kapal Mochan
They spoiled the sanctity of the place. Guru sahib saw The people use to urinate around Sarovars at Kapalmochan. So when it rained the whole faecal matter and waste came into those Sarovars and other water bodies. Those Sarovars and ponds were used to drink water, people bath in them and Even Hindu Priests also do their pooja taking water from them and they put same water on Devi Devtas.
Guru ji was against all this and asked priests, to which they replied that they always say this to people but no one listens.
Arrival of Sikhs
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 Paonta and Buria to purchase robes, but their efforts were in vein, as no robes were available in any shop of the city. Now it was a problem. However, the behavior of some dolts and thoughtless people soon provided the guru with a solution. Guru Ji Played a Charitar(staying in limits of religion).
Turban Snatching Issue
Wanting to teach them a lesson, Guru Sahib told his Sikhs, that if they found any person urinating/or passing stool on banks of the Sarovars, they should remove his turban and send them back without turban. 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 told so that they would not do the same in the future. (When such people go to their places and when people asked where is your turban then such people replied that Sikhs snatched. Why? because they were ruining sarovars.) Guru's warriors started taking turban off. watching this people started running, It was stampede in which many turbans fell off people head.
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 ignorants on the right track, while he also got robes for honouring sikhs. So after some sewadars washed and cleaned the turbans, the Guru was able to honor his sikhs with Robes of Honor when only a few days before none could be found.
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
