GURU
RAM DAS ( 1534-1581, Guruship, 1574-1581 )
The early history of Guru Ram Das is referred to in the previous
chapter.
Many
writers have expressed their opinion that Akbar granted the land
only to Guru Ram Das on which he founded the city of Ramdaspur
(later known as Amritsar), and so they contend that the city of
Amritsar was not founded during the time of Guru Amar Das. It
is also a well-known fact of Sikh history that Emperor Akbar came
to Goindwal and he dined with the common people in the Guru's
langar before he could see the Guru. It seems that the Emperor
granted the estate in the name of Bibi Bhani at that time, and
Jethaji being her husband, was made incharge of the estate by
Guru Amar Das. Guru Nanak awarded the Guruship to Bhai Lehna and
not to his sons, and it is quite obvious that in order to avoid
hostility of his sons towards his successor, he asked Guru Angad
to move to Khadur instead of continuing to live in Kartarpur.
The same circumstances prevailed during the reign of second and
third Gurus. It is, therefore, quite likely that the planning
of a new city was called for during the reign of Guru Amar Das
as mentioned in the previous chapter.
Guru
Ram Das left Goindwal for his new colony. Many Sikhs followed
the Guru and settled there. At first this city was called Ramdaspur,
which is now called Amritsar.
A
revenue collector of Patti in district of Lahore had five daughters,
the fifth daughter was very religious. One day the father asked
who gave them to eat and drink. The first four daughters said
that it were their parents who had provided them with food and
other necessities of life, but the fifth daughter told her parents
that God was the only Cherisher of His creation. On hearing this
reply her father got very angry and remarked,"I shall see
if God will protect you."
One
day a crippled leper came to the town and the father married his
fifth daughter to him to teach her a lesson. She willfully accepted
him as her true husband. She put him in a basket and carried him
on her head, and begged from door to door to maintain their livelihood.
One day she left him under a tree near a pool of water and went
to the nearby colony to beg for food. The leper saw some crows
(black in color) dipping in the water and they turned white when
came out of the water. The leper thought that the water had some
miraculous healing property. So he left his basket and crawled
into the water, and lo, the leprosy at once disappeared from the
body except one finger which was left out of water. When the lady
came back, she did not believe the story of the healed leper.
Ultimately they went to Guru Ram Das, who confirmed saying that
the pool possesseth such extraordinary efficacy which the man
alleged. Upon this the couple became Guru's followers and they
worked in the excavation of the tank later on.
The
tree under the shade of which she left her husband, is still standing
there and is called 'Dukhbhanjni Beri'. The pool was known as
Amritsar- tank of nectar, the place itself came to be known as
the city of Amritsar. The work was not finished by Guru Ram Das
but it was completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev.
GURU RAM DAS AND SRICHAND:
Baba
Srichand, the eldest son of Guru Nanak, had founded a religious
sect of his own known as Udasis. He visited Amritsar and came
to see Guru Ram Das. On seeing Guru's long flowing beard, Baba
Srichand asked him jocularly why he grew it that long. The Guru
replied,"To wipe the dust from the holy feet of the saints
like you." 'Your this sweet humility is the magic that makes
you so great and makes me feel so small,' replied Srichand.
Baba
Srichand promised the Guru his co-operation. After that the Udasis
spared no pains to serve Sikh religion. It is said that after
the death of Banda Bahadur, when the Mughal rulers decided to
root out Sikh religion, it was the Udasis who kept the Divine
spark of the Sikh faith alight.
FREE KITCHEN (GURU KA LANGAR):
Like
his predecessors, Guru Ram Das carried on the work of Langar in
a more elaborate and methodical way. As in the past strict adherence
was made to the term 'Pangat' in Langar. Anybody irrespective
of race, caste, creed, religion or sex, could partake of food
without any hesitation. The caste system and pilgrimages were
decried and superstitions were denounced.
NEW CUSTOMS:
Guru
Ram Das composed a hymn known as 'Lawan' in Suhi Mohalla 4, page
773 of Guru Granth Sahib, and asked his Sikhs to recite them to
solemnize marriages. The Sabad 'Lawan' embodies in itself a lesson
for the couple to develop true love for each other. In reality
this Sabad is for a human being to develop love for the divine
bridegroom.
The
Guru composed the following Sabad to instruct his Sikhs in the
practice of their religion:
"He
who calleth himself a Sikh of the true Guru, should rise early
and meditate on God;
He should make an effort early in the morning, bathe in the inner
tank of nectar;
Repeat God's Name under Guru's instruction, and all his sins and
transgressions shall be erased;
At sunrise he should sing the Guru's hymns, and whether sitting
or standing meditate on God's Name;
The disciple who at every breath meditateth on God, will be dear
to the Guru; The Guru imparteth instruction to that disciple to
whom my Lord bestows His grace;
The servant Nanak prayeth for the dust of the feet of such a disciple
of the Guru who himself repeateth God's Name and causeth others
to do so."
(Gauri Ki Var- Mohalla 4, p-305-6)
SELECTION OF GURUSHIP:
Sahari
Mal, Guru's cousin from Lahore, invited the Guru to grace his
son's marriage. For some reason the Guru could not go, but he
asked his eldest son, Prithi Chand to attend the marriage. Prithi
Chand refused to go. His refusal is attributed to possibly two
motives. It is said that he was incharge of the offerings that
were made to the Guru and was able to furtively set aside much
wealth for himself. If he had gone to Lahore, this illicit gain
might have fallen in somebody else's hands. Secondly he thought
that the time was fast approaching for the selection of a person
to succeed his father as Guru and so he should remain in Amritsar.
Mahadev, the Guru's second son, did not want to go because of
his indifference to worldly affairs. The third son, Arjan Dev
agreed to attend the marriage. He was instructed to stay on in
Lahore after the marriage to look after the affairs of the Sikh
Sangat of that place.
After
some time he started feeling the pangs of separation for his father
and the Guru, and wrote three letters, two of which were intercepted
by his elder brother, Prithi Chand. A letter marked '3', reached
the Guru and Arjan Dev was immediately recalled from Lahore. On
his return he told his father that he had sent three letters.
The truth came to light and Prithi Chand was forced to produce
the other two letters. Thus Prithi Chand's actions were exposed.
Guru
Ram Das embraced Arjan Dev, sent for five paise and a coco-nut,
and placed them before him. He descending from his throne, seated
him there before the whole assembly of the Sikhs. Bhai Buddha
affixed the tilak of spiritual sovereignty to Arjan Dev's forehead,
and thus he was proclaimed as Guru Arjan Dev. This happened in
August, 1581.
Prithi
Chand became so mad that he addressed his father in abusive language.
He told Bhai Buddha that his father acted improperly in giving
Guruship to his younger brother. He vowed that he would remove
Guru Arjan and would seat himself on the Guru Gaddi (throne).
The Guru counselled him not to quarrel about it, but Prithi Chand
refused to submit and adopted an attitude of open defiance.
Having
nominated Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Ram Das left for his old headquarters
at Goindwal. After a few days He left this world on the first
of September, 1581.