Men of God

TEJ BAHADUR’S MARTYRDOM

These were perhaps the happiest years of his life under the fostering care of his father, mother, uncle, grandmother and other Sikhs who held him in loving adoration. But, alas! those days were soon to pass; for, Guru Tej Bahadur was well-known for his piety, holiness and heart-a heart which would not refuse help to any people in distress. He was now approached for advice by the Pandits of Kashmir who had been asked by their Viceroy to choose between Islam and death. It was a perplexing problem for the Guru and he thought that if a pure and holy person laid down his life in his endeavours to illuminate the darkened soul of the bigoted Emperor, it may awaken at least the sleeping soul of the people and have an ennobling effect on them. The Guru naturally thought that there were holier men than he, and that it is the holiest man that must offer himself for the sacrifice. His face betrayed care and anxiety to the smart intelligence of Govind. On learning the nature of his father’s problem, the young son solved it saying; "Father, who is holier in the land than you ?” This astonishing willingness of the son to sacrifice his father confirmed the Guru’s belief in the singular greatness of Govind Rai. He immediately addressed the Pandits assembled there: “Go and tell your Governor that you would embrace Islam, if I would do it.” The Pandits soon prepared a petition to that effect which was sent to the Emperor along with the report of the Viceroy of Kashmir.

The Guru’s presence was now desired in the Imperial Court at Delhi. He thought of reforming the oppressor by peaceful persuasion if possible, but was determined to lay down his life for the sake of the elementary human right of religious freedom that was being denied to the weak and oppressed people of the country. He started at once and reached Delhi after seeing his Sikhs on or near the way and infusing into them the spirit of suffering and sacrifice for the sake of justice and truth, freedom and God. The Great Moghul saw him: heard his counsels, remained firm, and offered the alternative, which in the words of Sri J.N. Sarkar, all Muslim theologians, except the great and liberal-minded Imam Hanifa laid down for the Hindus, namely, Islam or death. The Guru gave not his faith and resolve; he gave his head. We need not go into the details of this horror; suffice it to say that a daring Sikh took the body that was exposed in the street as an object lesson for the infidels and cremated it by setting fire to his house. The head was taken to Anandpur where Govind Rai cremated it. (1675 A.D.)

What words can describe the thoughts that revolved in his mind, the fire that was burning in his heart, when at the tender age of ten, Guru Govind was called upon to undertake the heroic mission of remedying the wrongs of the oppressive Emperor and the holy mission of loyally carrying out the social and religious reforms of the Gurus! He first spent some years in seclusion, devoted his time to poetry and literature and gathered round him an army of poets and scholars some of whom were employed to render into Hindi poetry from Sanskrit the inspiring stories of the ancient Hindus—especially of Sri Rama, Sri Krishna and Arjuna. He himself wrote and developed a style of Hindi poetry that remains unsurpassed to this day. Poetry was indeed a heritage from his fore-fathers. People assembled in his Durbar to listen to the recital of these poetic compositions that were attuned to martial music.