[ p. 331 ]
GURU TEG BAHADUR, youngest son of the sixth Guru, Har Gobind and his wife Nanaki, was born in what is now called Guru ke Mahal, Amritsar, in the Panjab on Sunday, the fifth day of the dark half of the month of Baisakh, a watch and a quarter before day in the Sambat year 1679 (A. D. 1622).
Immediately after the child’s birth Guru Har Gobind with five Sikhs went to see him. On contemplating him the Guru knew that his son would be a great hero, powerful to endure the sword, and so he called him Teg Bahadur.[1] He _ prophesied that the boy should have a son who would develop a third religion distinct from those of the Hindus and Musalmans, and who would also destroy the reign of tyranny in Hindustan.
When Teg Bahadur was five years of age, he used to indulge in trains of thought, during which he would speak to no one. His mother Nanaki inquired of his father why he tolerated this conduct on the part of his son. Guru Har Gobind consoled her by telling her that Teg Bahadur should become a Guru, prove very powerful, and sacrifice himself for the Sikh religion.
Teg Bahadur was, as already stated, married to Gujari, daughter of Lal Chand, a native of Kartarpur in the Jalandhar District. After the death of Guru Har Gobind, Teg Bahadur with his mother and wife went to live in Bakala, where Guru Har Krishan subsequently said his successor should be found.
[ p. 332 ]
When the Sodhis of Bakala heard of the last words of Guru Har Krishan, twenty-two of them claimed the right to succeed him. These self-made gurus forcibly took the offerings of the Sikhs who came to see the real Guru, with the result that true worshippers suffered great hardship for a considerable time. At last a Sikh called Makkhan Shah of the Labana tribe came from Gujrat in the Dakhan[2] with an offering of five hundred gold muhars which some time previously he had vowed to make to the Guru on escaping shipwreck. What was his surprise when he found that twenty-two Sodhis had installed themselves as gurus! In this state of confusion and uncertainty he resolved to make trial of the pretenders. He visited them all, and made them offerings of two gold muhars each. None of them knew that he had brought five hundred muhars for the real Guru. Every one of them extolled himself, and said the others were hypocrites and deceivers. He thought of the words of Guru Arjan in the Sukhmani :—
Goodness shall not even approach him
Who calleth himself good.
And again :—
He who considereth himself lowl
Shall be deemed the most exalted of all ;
and he came to the conclusion that these twenty-two men only claimed to be gurus in order to plunder the Sikhs.
He then inquired if there were any one else in Bakala who claimed to be the Guru. He was told there was another man popularly called Tega, son of Guru Har Gobind, who dwelt there in silence and retirement, but had no ambition to undertake the onerous duties of the position. The masands told Makkhan Shah that if he desired to interview Tega [ p. 333 ] he might go with them. Makkhan Shah on arriving — at Teg Bahadur’s house requested an interview. Teg Bahadur told his servant to inform Makkhan Shah that if he wanted to see him he must come alone. When he presented himself unaccompanied by the masands, Teg Bahadur reflected that as he had saved Makkhan Shah from shipwreck, so he must now disclose himself. ‘Makkhan Shah hath made trial of all the pretenders,’ thought Teg Bahadur, ‘but found not the true Guru, and no pretender hath been able to satisfy him by telling him the object of his visit. If I now conceal myself from him he will lose faith in the Gurus. He hath placed great reliance on the last words of Guru Har Krishan, ‘“ Baba Bakale’’, and if his desires be not fulfilled, he will die. Moreover he hath come from a great distance. Itis therefore on every account necessary that I should receive him and tell him his thoughts.’ Makkhan Shah was highly pleased on obtaining permission to interview Teg Bahadur, and concluded that he must be the true Guru of whom he had been in search. On being ushered into his presence, what did he see? The Guru was in deep contemplation holding his senses under complete restraint. Makkhan Shah, however, fell at his feet, and placed his offering of two gold muhars in front of him. When the Guru saw the two coins and found Makkhan Shah seated near him, he said, ‘ How now, O Sikh, thou art trying to wheedle the Guru by presenting him with two gold muhars? Where are the five hundred gold muhars thou didst promise when thy vessel was sinking.’ Makkhan Shah was delightfully surprised—‘O Great King, it is true. When my vessel full of merchandise was sinking, I invoked Guru Nanak, and vowed I would offer him five hundred gold muhars if it ever reached the shore.’ Makkhan Shah prostrated himself before Teg Bahadur, hailed him true Guru and searcher of hearts, and presented him the five hundred gold muhars [ p. 334 ] of his vow. He then ascended a house-top and, waving a flag, proclaimed from there, ‘ I have found the Guru! I have found the Guru!!’ On hearing this the Sikhs assembled from every quarter, and with all due formalities and observances placed Teg Bahadur, then in his forty-third year and the very image of Guru Nanak, on the Guru’s throne. On being installed he conferred robes of honour on his Sikhs. The twenty-two false gurus hid themselves as darkness vanishes before the sun’s rays.
Dhir Mal, the eldest son of Gurditta, seeing the offerings made to Guru Teg Bahadur and the honours he received, became violently jealous. One day he communicated his feelings to his masand, Sihan, who bade him be of good cheer, and promised that he would put a bullet through his enemy. The masand accordingly took about a score of men to kill the Guru. He fired and the bullet struck his intended victim, but did not prove fatal. The masand seized the opportunity to pack up and take away the Guru’s movable property. The Guru in his affliction retained his composure and evenness of mind. He felt no pleasure at access of wealth, nor grief at its departure, or at the bodily harm caused him, but was happy in the contemplation of God’s goodness.
When Makkhan Shah heard of this occurrence from the Guru’s mother, he with the Sikhs proceeded in a body to the Guru to condole with him. They found him absorbed in contemplation. Then with loud cries they went off to Dhir Mal’s residence. He closed his door against them, but they burst it open, seized him and his accomplices, and tying his masand’s hands behind his back, took him off to the Guru. They also recovered and restored to the Guru all the property which Dhir Mal and his men had taken away. Not only that, but they took Dhir Mal’s own private property also, including the Granth Sahib, and placed all at the Guru’s disposal. [ p. 335 ] The masand professed great contrition, and with much show of humility bent his head on the Guru’s feet. He said he had erred and asked pardon for his offence. ‘I am under thy protection; have mercy on me; O cherisher of the poor, hear the prayer of a sinner. Though I am a bad son, it is incumbent on thee, who art to me a father, to preserve mine honour.’
The Guru on seeing the masand so humbled and distressed ordered him to be released. Makkhan Shah remonstrated, and said that the man had only met his deserts. The Guru however was firm, and ordered all the property taken from Dhir Mal to be restored to him. He preached to Makkhan Shah and his Sikhs that the holy Guru Nanak gave them the wealth of the Name which was sufficient for all their wants— ‘In anger man committeth evil deeds. He loseth at once his senses and his religion. When anger springeth up in a man’s heart, what crime is there he will not perpetrate? He thinketh nothing of sinning against his parents and his holy Guru. He taketh the life which he ought to protect, anduttereth nothing but harsh language. He will not refrain from any act even though he sacrifice his life in its execution. There is no greater sacrifice than life, and yet the foolish person will deliberately make it. The angry man’s soul burneth if he obtain not his desires. He cannot eat or sleep. Day and night he is tortured by his passion, and formeth endless plans for its gratification. In this way he passeth his time in misery.
‘To exercise forgiveness is a great act. To exercise forgiveness is to give alms. Forgiveness is equal to ablutions at all places of pilgrimage. Forgiveness ensureth man’s salvation. There is no virtue equal to forgiveness. Wherefore generously exercise it. Never abandon this virtue, but ever preserve it in your hearts. You are ordered in the Granth Sahib to lay up the wealth of the Name, so [ p. 336 ] that it may accompany you in this world and in the next. This wealth is only found in the companionship of good men, and cannot be obtained by any other means. My followers possess this wealth which is superior to all jewels and gems. The saints hoard it day and night. It cannot be purchased, no thief can steal, no fire consume, no water drown it, whereas worldly wealth is generally accumulated by sin. Thieves can steal it, pickpockets purloin it, kings seize it, fire burn it, and earth rot it. At the hour of death this sinful wealth only causeth regret, and, through man’s desires being fixed on it, his soul falleth into terrible hell.’