A deputation of Sikhs came to the Guru from Kashmir and represented to him that the pandits of that country had advised them to discontinue the reading of the Guru’s hymns and turn their attention to Sanskrit sacred compositions and Hindu worship, otherwise they would have no communication with them. They therefore prayed the Guru to send a competent Sikh to Kashmir to silence the pandits [ p. 67 ] and extend the Guru’s faith in that direction. The Guru accordingly sent Madho on that important errand. He commissioned him to instruct the Kashmiris to rise before day, perform their ablutions, repeat and sing the Gurus’ hymns, associate with holy men, observe the Gurus’ anniversaries, distribute sacred food, give a tithe of their earnings to the Sikh cause, share their food with others, speak civilly, live humbly, and adopt the other rules and observances of the Sikhs.
Numerous stories are told by the author of the Suraj Parkash to illustrate the miraculous power and teachings of the Guru. A Sikh called Tiloka, an officer in the Kabul army, had thoughtlessly killed a female deer. On opening the animal two embryos were discovered. Tiloka was much distressed at his inhumanity in killing the animal, and vowed never to go hunting again. In furtherance of his humanitarian vow he resolved to wear a wooden sword for the future. When the king heard of this, and held a parade for the purpose of examining the officers’ arms, Tiloka’s sword was, as the result of his invocation of the Guru, changed into polished steel, and he thus escaped punishment for what would otherwise have been a grave military offence.
One Kataru, the king’s weighman, also came from Kabul. When he solicited instruction from the Guru, he was told to use just weights and discharge his duties honestly. When he returned to his office in Kabul, a bania, or petty shopkeeper, with evil and malicious intent, placed in his shop a false weight, which he unknowingly used. The bania went to the king to lay information against Kataru. The king proposed to inspect the weighing apparatus, and Kataru, hearing this, prayed to the Guru to protect him. The Guru, who was in Amritsar, knew by his occult power of his distress. At that moment a poor Sikh came to the Guru with a small offering of five paise. The Guru took the coins, passed them from [ p. 68 ] one hand to the other simultaneously with the king’s inspection, so when the king tried both scales the weights appeared correct. The Guru explained the meaning of his act to an inquiring Sikh. The king of Kabul was satisfied with his inspection, and Kataru on paying a second visit to Amritsar attested the Guru’s explanation in every respect.
One Chuhar, a chaudhri, went to the Guru for religious instruction. The Guru told him ever to speak the truth. The village dignitary said it was impossible for a man in his position to avoid speaking falsehood. The Guru directed him to depart, and keep an account of his les and of his good acts, and bringit to him at the endof every month. The first month the good acts were nil, and the lies many. The Guru obliged him to read out the account in open darbar, and thus publicly confess his sins, whereat he was much ashamed. The second month the account showed better. There was steady progress in virtue until the eighth month, when no lies appeared, and there was a clean sheet. The Guru then absolved him and granted him release from transmigration.
Lalu, Balu, and Haridas asked the Guru to tell them how they could be saved. He replied, ‘ Banish pride, worldly love, and envy. Bear not ill-will to others, so shall others bear not ill-will to you. Cheerfully meet and salute with both hands the Guru’s Sikhs. Walk humbly and speak civilly to all. When you eat, share your food with others, and live by honest labour. By observing these instructions you shall obtain all happiness.’
The following was the Guru’s instruction to a soldier who went to him for spiritual advice : ‘He who exerciseth bravery shall be fearless in the battlefield. He who resolveth to conquer or die in arms, and who, when dying, claspeth the True Name to his heart, shall efface the sins of many births and obtain deliverance. Without remembering God [ p. 69 ] none shall obtain a place in the heroes’ heaven. He who fearlessly challengeth the foe and falleth amid the clash of arms, shall feel the ecstasy the Jogis long for, and arrive at a permanent abode of bliss. Many pleasures shall await him as he abideth in the realms of the brave. The greatest merit of a soldier is not to show his back to the enemy. A hero obtaineth for himself bliss both here and hereafter by the might of his arms. If he conquer he obtaineth the sovereignty of the earth, while if he die celestial happiness is his portion. Fight for him whose salt thou hast eaten. Give thy life for thy sovereign, and great shall be thy fame in both worlds.’ [1]
Bhai Lalu and Bhai Nihalu were very successful preachers and expounders of God’s word. The Guru, on being asked how this result was achieved, replied as follows : ‘ When the preacher practiseth what he preacheth, his words make an impression on all. People treasure them in their hearts and thus obtain salvation. The tree must put forth roots before it can afford shade to the wayfarer. He who readeth and preacheth and yet doeth not good acts himself, shall produce no impression on others. They may listen to his words, but will never act on them.’
Guru Arjan gave the following instructions to Nanu and Kalu: ‘He who liveth honestly, who with good intentions readeth or listeneth to the Guru’s words, who pondereth on their meaning, who divesteth himself of evil inclinations, and who devoutly repeateth the True Name, shall be freed from transmigration and obtain an abode in Sachkhand; but he who readeth for the sake of gain doeth evil and shall not be honoured. When the snake obtaineth the light of the jewel in his head, he availeth himself of it to pick up and eat insects by night. Such is the man who for gain readeth sacred texts. He committeth sinful acts, [ p. 70 ] adultery with other men’s wives, and respecteth not the most excellent True Name. He shall receive no assistance from the Guru, but proceed to hell and suffer the punishment there provided for the wicked.’
Setha, Gobinda and Bhaga, residents of Chaniot in the Jhang district of the Panjab, went with troubled minds to the Guru to inquire whether the corn they had distributed in alms for the repose of the souls of their ancestors ever reached them. The Guru replied in the negative, quoting in support of his decision the seventeenth slok of the Asa ki War. The Guru added that they could not know whether their ancestors were in heaven or hell, so it was of no avail to make them offerings.
Paira and Jetha one day visited the Guru, and said it was their custom to throw some of their cooked food into the fire before eating. The Guru denied the necessity of throwing food into the fire. Men need only repeat God’s name, ‘ Wahguru! Wahguru!’
In the time of Guru Arjan crowds were converted to Sikhism in the Panjab, Hindustan, and all the neighbouring countries. It is said that the hill rajas of Kulu, Suket, Haripur and Chamba visited the Guru, and became his followers, as the Raja of Mandi had previously done.
At that time Chandu Shah was the Emperor’s Diwan or Financial Minister. He was a native of the Panjab, but his official duties necessitated his residence in Dihli. He possessed wealth, learning, and various accomplishments, youth, high caste, and above all, power in the land. He had a young daughter seven years of age called Sada Kaur, to whom God had given extreme beauty without the good fortune which so often accompanies inferior natural gifts. One day her mother, as she saw her playing, said to Chandu: ‘ Our daughter is growing to maturity. We ought to search for a husband for her. The Turks now hold sway. They practise oppression and dark deeds, among which is the [ p. 71 ] forcible abduction of Hindu virgins. It hath therefore become a practice of the Hindus to marry their daughters when very young, so it is our duty to provide for Sada Kaur, and form an alliance with some respectable family.’
Chandu was of the same opinion, and sending for his family priest and his barber[2] ordered them to go and search for a suitable husband for his daughter. The detailed instructions usual in such cases were duly given. The priest and the barber searched in every city as far as Peshawar, but could find no suitable mate for Sada Kaur. They then returned and duly informed their employer of their ill-success. The matter remained in abeyance for a time.
One of the main objects of an Oriental woman’s anxiety is to procure the marriage of her children. She thinks and dreams of her supposed duty in this respect almost from the time of their birth. Chandu’s wife again addressed him: “We must no longer keep our daughter in our house. Thou art all day occupied with affairs of state. I can go nowhere, I sit at home and think of our daughter’s future. The more I see her, the more I sink into the pit of anxiety.’ Chandu explained that he had already done his best but failed. “ Where there was a boy of suitable age, his family was not good enough ; and where the family was good enough the boy was not of a suitable age. He admitted that his daughter was a thorn in his side. She was too old to be put to death.[3] At the same time he could find no family equal to his own. His wife replied, ‘Take God’s name and kill not our daughter. No [ p. 72 ] such dark deed could be concealed. We must be humble, for it is usual for the father of the bride to bow before the father of the bridegroom.
Upon this Chandu again sent his family priest and his barber with instructions as before. They travelled as far as Lahore, but could not find a suitable bridegroom. There they heard the good report of Guru Arjan’s son in Amritsar, and thither they proceeded. On arriving they were astonished at the regal state and retinue of the Guru of whom the bard Mathura had sung :—
In this world there is no such great saint as he ; he assumed birth to lighten the darkness of the age.
Millions of troubles have departed from those, O Mathura, who through him have quaffed the nectar of the Name.
Miss not the road to him, O man; think not of any other.
God the Omnipresent Brahm hath in person taken His dwelling in Guru Arjan’s heart.
Until good fortune appeared on man’s forehead, he roamed and wandered long in transmigration.
He was drowning in the terrible ocean of this Kalage ; but now no regret remaineth him.[4]
The main thing is this, Mathura, that Guru Arjan assumed birth to save the world.
They who repeat his hymns shall not again suffer the pain of birth.[5]
The matchmakers’ admiration of Har Gobind and of the respect in which he and his father were held, exceeded all bounds. They thought of proposing the marriage to Guru Arjan themselves, but on second thoughts decided on first consulting Chandu.
The priest and the barber reported to Chandu that they had seen the Guru’s son in the new city of Amritsar, and thought that he would be a suitable parti for Sada Kaur. They dilated to Chandu on [ p. 73 ] the excellences of Har Gobind, whose lineage they gave, on the enormous respect in which his father was held, and on the splendour they had witnessed in the Guru’s city. Chandu was not pleased at hearing the Guru’s praises, and said, ‘Do you think him equal tome ? What if he hath many followers ? He liveth on offerings, which is an ignominious form of livelihood. If the offerings come, the cup is held straight ; if they do not it is reversed. He sitteth and watcheth, and even if wealth cometh, his kitchen can with difficulty be supplied. He hath no store of money. Such wealth is like a mountain stream. Whatever he appeareth to possess, he is in reality only a beggar, while I am the Emperor’s Minister by whom millions of money are collected and millions of law-suits decided. What power hath he ? while on the contrary none can reverse my order. Moreover the Guru’s caste is inferior to mine. O Brahman, I have tested thy wisdom and knowledge in this matter. Thou desirest to put the ornamental tile of a top story into a gutter. Where am I, imperial Financial Minister ? and where is the Guru, though he may be an object of veneration to his followers ? I think he must have stuffed you both with sweets[6] that you come to me and propose an alliance with his family.’
Chandu’s wife who had been listening said, ‘My lord, we have been searching for a husband for our daughter for the last two years, and no family hath yet pleased thee. Of the boys thou hast seen none hath remained unbetrothed or unwedded. At last we must wed our daughter somewhere. She cannot always remain with us. Wherever she is married, it must be into a family beneath ours. Thou art the greatest minister in this empire. As everybody boweth before thee, so doth everybody bow before the Guru. Therefore let the matter be now concluded. If our daughter enter the Guru’s house she shall be called the revered [ p. 74 ] wife of the Guru ; and obtain the happiness which God destined her.’
Chandu still urged his objections: ‘The Guru acteth not in conformity with the customs of the Khatris. He shaveth not, he eateth from the hands of men other than Brahmans and Khatris, and he hath adopted a new form of religion.’ After the husband and wife had wrangled the whole night over the matter, it was at last decided that Sada Kaur should be given in marriage to Har Gobind, and the marriage presents duly dispatched to Amritsar.
It came to the ears of the Sikhs of Dihli that Chandu had used injurious expressions regarding the Guru. They also knew that he did not really desire the alliance, but only consented in order to save himself from his wife’s importunity. The Sikhs met to consult over the matter, and it was decided to inform the Guru of Chandu’s utterances. Accordingly the following letter was dispatched, ‘O true Guru, great king, Chandu is very proud. He hath likened his house to a top story and the Guru’s to a gutter. He hath called himself the head and thee the feet. He styleth himself a great minister and thee a mendicant. When he uttereth such insolent language beforehand, what will he not do in the future ? His words are not only slander of thee, but of Guru Nanak on whose throne thou sittest. Even if he be a rich man or a diwan, what carest thou for him? In the Guru’s house rich and poor are alike. The Sikhs cannot endure his insulting expressions. As Guru Amar Das hath said :—
Nanak, it is wise to break with the perverse to whom worldly love is dear.[7]
If thou consent to an alliance with such a haughty man, thou shalt lay up for thyself enduring misery. Thou wantest for nothing. Thou art king of kings. [ p. 75 ] Our urgent request is that thou pay no regard to the Financial Minister, and that thou reject his alliance.’
The messenger entrusted with this letter was ordered to speed night and day so that he might arrive before Chandu’s priest and barber had concluded the contract of betrothal. He succeeded in doing so. The Guru, who was a searcher of hearts and knew the future, was aware that this letter sowed the seed of strife and had been dispatched to him with inconsiderate zeal ; but at the same time he felt obliged to accept the advice of the Sikhs of Duihli. He accordingly rejected the marriage presents, telling the priest and the barber that an ornamental tile should not be put into a gutter. The matchmakers, astonished to hear these words repeated, defended their master and remonstrated to the best of their ability, but in vain. The Guru repeated to them what the Dihli Sikhs had written and said, ‘I am contented with my humble lot, and desire not an alliance with the great. Ifa man’s foot slip on the brink of a lofty tower, he falleth to the ground a shapeless mass; but if a man slip on a mat he sustaineth no injury. Guru Nanak hath said regarding himself :—
Nanak is with those who are low-born among the lowly ;
Nay, who are lowest of the low: how can he rival the great ?’[8]
The Guru also quoted from one of his own hymns :—
He who riseth high falleth into the pit—
Death reacheth not those who remain on the ground.[9]
While the priest and the barber were further remonstrating, a Sikh rose in the assembly and addressed the Guru: ‘ Great king, put not acid into milk. Spurn an alliance with that dog of a Karar.[10] [ p. 76 ] Let him knock his head against his top story. That consumer of wealth of the impure who revileth thee hath gone mad. Why demean thyself? Thou art king of kings. What need hast thou of such an alliance ?’
The Guru chid the Sikh for this language and quoted from the twentieth slok of the Asa ki War :—
Nanak, the mind and bodyof him who talketh evil areevil:
He is most evil, and most evil is his reputation.
The evil person is rejected in God’s court; his face is spat upon.
The evil person is a fool, and receiveth shoe-beatings as punishment.
‘Wherefore,’ said the Guru, ‘it is not proper for Sikhs to use bad language. I am not proud; the proud please not God. Iam Hisslave. Our honour, strength, trust, and support are in the Creator. Ever fear Him.’
Then in full assembly uprose a native of Dalla, one Narain Das, a grandson of Bhai Paro, who had been a Sikh of Guru Amar Das. Putting his sheet round his neck in the manner of a lowly suppliant, he said : ‘True Monarch, I am the slave of thy feet. I have a daughter whom my wife and I have vowed to offer thy son. If thou make her too the slave of thy feet, I shall be very fortunate. I am a poor unhonoured Sikh. Thou art the honour of the unhonoured. Make thy servant happy, and send me not disappointed away.’ The Guru replied, ‘If thou have love in thy heart, then is thy proposal agreeable to me. The seventh day of the light half of the month of Maghar, fixed on by Chandu as an auspicious date for offering the marriage presents, hath not been in vain.’ Upon this Narain Das went off at once and purchased marriage presents in the city. They were put into Har Gobind’s lap, and a saffron tilak as a symbol of the completion of the betrothal was affixed to his forehead.
[ p. 77 ]
Upon this another Sikh called Hari Chand stood up, and said, ‘O true king, I have also decided to give my daughter to thy son. If my petition please thee, I will give my daughter as a servant to Har Gobind, and thy reputation as cherisher of the poor shall shine the brighter.’ Guru Arjan, also, though at first unwilling to accept a second wife for his son, felt he could not reject the offer of a faithful Sikh, and so agreed to the marriage of the young people. Moreover Hari Chand had refused all other alliances for his daughter, and vowed to bestow her only on the young Guru.[11] Hari Chand went immediately and brought the marriage presents. These were placed in Har Gobind’s lap and a patch attached to his forehead as before. All this took place in the presence of Chandu’s priest and barber, who returned sad and disappointed to their master.
The seventh day of the light half of the month of Magh, Sambat 1661, was fixed for Narain Das’s daughter’s marriage—practically a betrothal—to Har Gobind; Narain Das went to his village and made all preparations for the wedding. Songs expressing a hope that the bridegroom may outlive the bride, were sung by the women of his household. The following hymn, setting forth the humility of the bride and her devotion to the bridegroom, was also sung on the occasion :—
O God, Thou hast no love for me; Thou hast so many handmaidens like me.[ p. 78 ]
Thou art an ocean and mine of jewels; I know not Thy worth.
I know not Thy worth ; Thou art very wise ; be gracious unto me, O Lord.
Mercifully grant me wisdom to meditate on Thee during the eight watches of the day.
O my soul, be not proud, become the dust of men’s feet, and thou shalt obtain deliverance.
Nanak’s God is over all; He hath many handmaidens like me.
Thou art the jewel of a very deep and profound sea ; Thou art my husband, I am Thy bride.
In proportion as Thou art very great—yea, more exalted than the great—I am small.
I am nothing ; Thou art the only One ; Thou art wise of Thyself.
O God, if Thou cast on me even for a moment Thine ambrosial glance, I shall survive and enjoy all delights and sweetness.
I, the slave of Thy slaves, am under the protection of Thy feet ; my soul bloometh and my body groweth young.
Nanak’s Lord is contained in all things: He doeth what He pleaseth.
Thou art my pride ; Thou art my strength.
My understanding, intellect, and skill are Thy gifts ; what Thou causest me to know I know.
It is he on whom the Creator casteth a look of favour who knoweth and understaadeth.
The perverse woman hath gone astray on many paths, and hath been ensnared by worldly occupations.
She who is virtuous is pleasing to God ; she enjoyeth all pleasure.
O Lord, Thouart Nanak’s support; Thouart Nanak’s pride.
I am a sacrifice, I devote myself to Thee; Thou art my shelter firm as a mountain.
I am hundreds of thousands of times a sacrifice to him who hath removed the curtain of error from before me.
My darkness is dispelled ; I have renounced sin, and m soul is reconciled with the Lord.[ p. 79 ]
I have pleased the Lord ; I care for no one; my life hath been profitable and I am accepted.
I have become a priceless jewel of great weight ; the gate of happiness in this world and the next hath opened for me.
Saith Nanak, I have become fearless ; God hath become my shelter.[12]
Suraj Parkash, Ras I, Chapter 60. ↩︎
It is customary in India to send the family priest and family barber on such errands. ↩︎
In former times Indians of high family frequently killed their daughters to avoid the necessity of giving them in marriage to men of inferior birth. The Sikh Gurus resolutely set themselves against the practice. At the time of administration of the Pahul or Sikh baptism, one of the obligations imposed on neophytes is not to kill their daughters, and to avoid all association with those who do. ↩︎
Literally, regret that his life was not profitable. ↩︎
Sawaiyas of the bard Mathura in praise of Guru Arjan. ↩︎
This is a euphemism for a bribe. ↩︎
Bihagre ki War. ↩︎
Sri Rag. ↩︎
Asa. ↩︎
Karar, above called a Janta, means a petty Hindu shopkeeper. ↩︎
Up to the time of Guru Arjan the Gurus were so trusted and held in such high estimation that religious people frequently thought it their duty to vow to them their lives, their children, and their property. Several Sikhs used on the birth of daughters to register oaths that they would only bestow them on the Guru or his relations. Girls so dedicated were always styled mothers by the Sikhs, and none might marry them except those to whom they were vowed. The Guru therefore felt bound to meet the wishes and vows of the Sikhs so solemnly made. This to a large extent will explain the polygamy of some of the Gurus. ↩︎
Guru Arjan, Sihi Chhant. ↩︎