Guru Arjan Dev
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Compiler and editor of the Adigranth
Guru Arjan Dev is the fifth in the line of Sikh masters, starting from Guru Nanak Dev. The construction of Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar, the compilation of the Adi Granth, the establishment and development of new townships, the extension and consolidation of the Sikh faith and sacrifice of his own life for a righteous cause are some of his exemplary achievements. The Golden Temple at Amritsar is an immortal tribute to his superb genius.The Guru Granth Sahib, which has been accorded the unique honour of `Guru' in Sikh circles, was compiled and edited by Guru Arjan Dev and it continues to command the reverence of generations of countless disciples everywhere. The scripture is an invaluable treasure of Indian spirituality , culture, literature and language. The company that Arjan Dev enjoyed from his early days consisted, apart from near relatives, Bhai Guru Das, a nephew of Guru Amar Das. His unique personality was the result of his own genius which evolved and flowered in the suitable atmosphere around him.An in-depth study of spiritual and philosophical literature gave a fillip to his scholarly attitude.
Guru Arjan not only undertook to study spirituality, but he also examined and evaluated the message of spirituality. He led his life in the tradition of Nanak Bani and supported it with the strength of his genius. Its most outstanding example is the compilation of the Adi Granth. The establishment of townships, construction of the Harmandir, pools, baolies and wells all these projects required a steady flow of money . In order to meet this requirement, another plan was mooted that proved highly successful. This was the custom of Daswandh one-tenth contribution of one's income to such endeavours. This custom served to organise and unite the Sikh people.
Jahangir, who ascended the Mughal throne during the lifetime of Guru Arjan, in his `Tuzaki-i-Jahangir' in reference to the Goindval settlement of the Guru makes a mention of the Guru in terms of “Pir“ and “Sheikh“ and he presents him as leader of Hindus and Muslims. But Shaikh Ahmed Srihindi calls the Guru a qafir of Goindval and expresses happiness at his martyrdom.
On the other hand, people in close contact with the Guru and his followers have expressed their highest regard and respect for his genius and spirituality .Bhai Guru Das rates him as the “loftiest light“, the true creator, the transcendent knower and a being beyond the reach of human intellect and language.Bhai Guru Das had watched Arjan Dev from close quarters, and he had assisted in the compilation of the Adi Granth. In Bhai Guru Das's estimation, Guru Arjan was a great hero who did not fall short of Mahabharata's Arjuna or Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna in terms of spiritual heights.
In short, we can say that Guru Arjan Dev was not only the compiler and editor of the Adi Granth but an apostle.He promoted social equality , because he not only included the sayings and verses of the four Gurus and his own, but gave the same respect and regard to the Bani and verses of several other saints and sevaks. In his view, all men are equal because the spiritual jyoti (light) of Almighty God shines in every heart.
Gave Sikhs real identity
Dr.Mandeep Singh Azad , Guru Arjan Dev "Daily Excelsior" 16/6/2018
The contribution of all the 10 Gurus in Sikhism is exceptional but fifth Guru made some unique contribution which is worth mentioning on his martyrdom day. At the time of Guru Arjan Dev, other religions taunted his followers by remarking “You have neither a holy book nor a center of pilgrimage (Shuma na ahli Kitab ast na ahli Makam)”. He gave us not only a center of pilgrimage, Harimandar Sahib, which is open to all and a unique holy scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib which has universal appeal. He also left us the tradition of selfless sacrifice for a noble cause. Guru Arjan Dev elevated the concept of martyrdom to new heights. He sacrificed his life knowingly and voluntarily for selfless and noble causes such as truth, righteousness, freedom of belief and resistance to tyranny. He did not attach any importance to his physical mortal existence or desire for any reward after death. He courageously stuck to his principle against heavy odds and unbearable tortures, and sacrificed his life, but did not bow to Jahangir’s unjust demands. Guru Arjan Dev proved his faith in his principle of ‘Sweet is Thy Will’ and accepted God’s will.
Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, was the embodiment of Godly devotion, Selfless Service and Universal Love. He was the treasure of celestial knowledge and spiritual excellence. Although he ascended the throne of Guru Nanak at the age of 18, he was far more advanced in wisdom than normal for his years not to mention his angelic qualities.
The basics of the new religion had been defined by Baba Nanak, and the groundwork was carried out by three of his successors. Guru Arjan Dev Ji set upon a mission of putting it on a solid footing. As ordained by his predecessors, Guru Nanak through Guru Ram Das Ji, he took the task of the completion of the place where his father had constructed a clay tank of Nectar. In the true spirit of “I am neither Hindu, nor Muslim…” Guru Arjan Dev Ji invited Mian Mir, a Muslim Saint from Lahore to lay the cornerstone of the foundation of the Harmandar, the present Golden Temple. The doors on all four sides of the building signified its acceptance of all the four castes and every religion. Contrary to the requests of the congregation, the floor of the Harmandar Saheb was kept lower than the surrounding area; as the water flows downward so would the seekers of God’s blessings.
The preparation of the Holy Book is the most valuable achievement of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. With three things in his mind he initiated the compilation of the Holy Book, the present Guru Granth Sahib. Unfortunately the hymns and teachings of the first four Gurus were being added to and even distorted by impostors. Seeing such things going on Guru Arjan wanted to preserve these original treasures. Not only fixing the path of the efforts of his predecessors, but also bestowing, on the Panth, an ever-lasting guiding light that was to serve as both a physical and spiritual phenomenon. And most of all he wanted to establish the credibility of the Sikh religion as a casteless and secular society. Laced among the hymns of the earlier Nanaks he added his own compositions as well as, the celestial utterances of Sheikh Farid and Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Ravi Das, Dhanna Namdev, Ramannand, Jai Dev, Trilochan, Beni, Pipa and Surdas. All of whom belong to different times, beliefs, sects, and castes from high and low.The poetic revelations of Guru Arjan are of the greatest aesthetic calibre. More than half of the Guru Granth Sahib is constituted of his own holy renderings.
The Guru had a well-organised central establishment which included the maintenance of a contingent of horses and elephants. He encouraged his followers to trade in horses from Central Asia. For his personal maintenance, the Guru also took up the trade. As such, the Sikhs became good horsemen and formed later the nucleus of military power. All these features were important developments because they were clear preparation for the military organisation that was to follow from the time of the Sixth Guru. It was in the lifetime of Guru Arjun that his son, Hargobind, started learning to wield the sword and hunting.
In 1598, the Guru interceded on behalf of the local peasantry with Emperor Akbar to get the excessive levy of land revenue reduced. These activities of the Guru gave him a new status. It was at this time that the Guru came to be called by the Sikhs as Sacha Patshah (True Emperor). The Guru had come to guide, govern and influence the lives of the Sikhs both in the temporal and the spiritual fields.
The system of contributing something for the common good was further extended and organized by the Guru. He made it absolutely compulsory for his Sikhs to abide by the institution of “Daswandh” which was introduced by Guru Ramdas. He laid it down that every Sikh should set aside at least one-tenth of his income for the national purposes.
This increase in popularity of Guru Arjan caused jealousy and grave concern among the strict and fundamentalist Muslims at the Mughal court in Delhi, who started being hostile towards the house of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. This great doubt, concern and wrong suspicion about the Guru in the minds of the Mughal leader was being flamed by the enemies of the house of Nanak. The Guru was imprisoned and excessively tortured. His body was exposed in the scorching heat of May-June sun. He was made to sit on the red-hot sand, and boiling hot water was poured on his naked body. On 30th May 1606, Guru Arjan enveloped his blistering body in the cool waves of the River Ravi and journeyed to his heavenly abode
While we celebrate his martyrdom every year by visiting Gurdwaras, having Akhand Paatths and taking out religious processions (Nagar Kirtans), but we are forgetting his teachings because we only bow to Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji and do not care to understand his teachings and rarely try to follow them.Understanding Gurbani and following its teachings is more important than any other method of celebrating the Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev. May Waheguru give us wisdom and strength to understand and apply his teachings to our daily life.
Prayers
Sukhmani sahib
Inder Raj Ahluwalia, May 23, 2023: The Times of India
Simarao simar simar sukh pavau… Sukhmani sukh amrit prabh nam… Bhagat jana kai man bisram’ – Meditate, meditate, meditate in remembrance of God, and find peace… Sukhmani: Peace of mind, the nectar of the name of God… the minds of devotees abide in a joyful place. These are verses from the Sukhmani Sahib, a composition which is part of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Hailed as the ‘consoler of the mind’ and the ‘jewel of peace’, the ‘Sukhmani Sahib’ prayer is a priceless legacy bequeathed to us by Guru Arjan Dev.
Right from the time of its creation, the prayer has been recited worldwide by devotees, as a form of devotion to Guru Arjan Dev, thanksgiving and faith, and particularly as an invocation for health and well-being.
Apparently, the Guru wrote the prayer as a healing and calminginfluence, in response to myriad circumstances around him. The immediate trigger was a devotee’s physical pain and mental anguish. And the Guru’s response, Sukhmani Sahib prayer, is said to have had an instantaneous and miraculous effect on the devotee. His health and mental peace were restored.
From that moment on, Sukhmani Sahib’s phenomenal positive powers were recognised. Throughout the prayer, the Guru is omnipresent. He pours into this composition, his very spirit, which is peace itself. ‘Ih phal tis jan kai mukh bhane. Gur Nanak nam bachan man sune’ – these blessings come to one who, through Guru Nanak, chants the naam with his mouth, and hears the words with his ears.
For millions, the prayer is a focused spiritual journey and powerful prescription for peace, calm and bliss. The entirejourney is undertaken with the Guru himself being the guide, mentor, and benefactor.
‘Sukh’ denotes comfort and peace, and ‘mani’ is the mind. Reciting the prayer soothes tired nerves and rejuvenates the mind and soul. Removing all sorrows, it dispels pain and anguish through sincere remembrance of God, making us physically healthy and morally strong. It engenders in us inner strength to devote ourselves to the greater public good and develop the strength to overcome worldly problems.
‘Sabh te uch ta ki sobha bani’ – His glory becomes the highest of all.
‘Nanak in gun nam Sukhmani’ – O Nanak, for these virtues, this is named Sukhmani. Above all, this prayer of peace helps one become a better person. It enables one to reach a high spiritual state through meditation. Most significantly,it is the path to self-realisation, teaching us how to lead our lives and reach God through acts of charity, prayer, and love. This is its core essence. Alifetime spent without meditating on God is a wasted one.
Entrapped by wealth, we devote ourselves to the pursuit of greed and wealth accumulation, not realising that death will inevitably snatch it all away. Prayer makes us ‘human’. Sukhmani Sahib makes us realise that everything follows God’s order. In this poem, Guru Arjan Dev has imparted a deep understanding of the world. Espoused in the prayer are several key issues, such as faith, acceptance, trust, kindness, humility, tolerance, and forgiveness.
Despite going through great suffering at the hands of his enemies, the Guru only said: ‘Tera keeta meetha laage’ – your doings are sweet to me. While healing and protecting, Sukhmani Sahib also adds ‘sweetness’ to devotees’ lives.
