Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom

 

Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom

Dr. Vivek Arya

Guru Arjan Dev, fifth in succession is honoured as the founder of Shri Hari Mandir, the Adi Granth and his martyrdom. Guru had good relations with Akbar but His son Salim later known as Jahangir was just opposite to Him. Salim even once tried to poison Akbar but failed. Jahangir later sat on the Mughal throne. He faced revolt from his son Khusrau. He was responsible for killing his own son.

Jahangir's hatred for the Guru

Jahangir hated Guru Arjan for several reasons. First he was opposed to all those who had been in Akbar's good books. Secondly, Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi (Sufi) incited Jahangir against Guru Arjan when he halted at Sarhind in pursuit of Khusrau. Thirdly, Shaikh Farid Bukhari was leading the vanguard of the army which was pursuing the Prince. He was the first leader to know about Khusrau's visit to the Guru He declared that the Guru should have captured him and ought to have handed him over to the Emperor. He therefore considered the Guru a rebel. Jahangir also took the same view. He wrote in his autobiography,

"A Hindu named Arjan lived at Goindwal on the bank of river Beas in the garb of a Pir and Shaikh. As a result many of the simple- minded Hindus as well as ignorant and foolish Muslims had been persuaded to adopt his ways and manners, and he had raised aloft the standard of sainthood and holiness. He was called Guru. From all sides cowboys and idiots became his fast followers. This business had been flourishing for three or four generations. For a long time it had been in my mind to put a stop to this vain affair (dukān-e-bātil) or to bring him into the fold of Islam. In these days when Khusrau passed along this road, this foolishly insignificant fellow (mardak-e- majhul) proposed to wait on him. Khusrau happened to halt at the place where he lived. He came and met him. He discussed several matters with him and made on his forehead a finger-mark in saffron. In the terms of Hindus it is called Qashqa and is considered propitious."

In pursuit of Khusrau Jahangir halted at Goindwal while his army had gone ahead to capture Khusrau. Jahangir writes, 

"I call God to witness that while at Goindwal, at this perilous crisis, I experienced some strong forebodings that Khusrau was coming to my presence."

 Just then the news came that royal forces were victorious and Khusrau had been taken prisoner.

Jahangir summons the Guru to Lahore

Khusrau was arrested on the eastern bank of river Chenab on April 26, 1606. He was produced before Jahangir on May 1 and was partially blinded. The Emperor then summoned Guru Arjan to Lahore. The Guru had realized that being surrounded by enemies on all sides his end was near. Before his departure he consoled his wife Ganga thus,

 "This body abideth not for ever. Wherefore a wise person should not love it Whatever is born perisheth, and whatever is high falleth sooner or later. This is nature's law. . . Live thou when I am gone, mourn not for me, and make no effort of thine own to separate thy soul from thy body."

Jahangir first punish him with death. But later commuted it by a fine of two lakhs of rupees, and ordered him to efface certain verses in the Adi Granth. Guru Arjan refused to pay the fine. The Guru was imprisoned in the Lahore Fort. May-June are the hottest months there. He was chained to a post in an open place exposed to the sun from morning to evening. Below his feet a heap of sand was put which burnt like a furnace. Boiling water was poured on his naked body at intervals. His body was covered with blisters all over. In this agony the Guru used to utter. 

Terā kiyā mitha läge. Nām padārath Nanak mänge

[Whatever you ordain appears sweet. I supplicate for the gift of Name.]

The Guru's death

The Guru suffered from 'heat apoplexy.' Sewing up political prisoners in fresh hides of animals seems to be a general practice in those days. A month earlier two main supporters of Khusrau had been treated similarly. Husain Beg was sewn in a fresh ox hide and Abdur Rahim in the green skin of an ass. The same punishment was now proposed for the Guru. When the raw hide of a cow was brought before him, he shuddered at its sight. The Guru asked permission to bathe in the Ravi as he did not want to die unclean. He was sent thither with a strong escort, but the swift current owing to the melting of snow carried away his weak and emaciated body. This took place on 30 May, 1606. The Guru was only 43 years old. His smadhi was later on erected at the site on the bank of river Ravi opposite to the Fort of Lahore.

Shaikh Ahmad of Sarhind expressed utmost delight at Guru Arjan's murder. In a letter written to Shaikh Farid Bukhari entitled Murtza Khan, the Governor of Panjab, he said,

"The execution at this time of the accursed Kafir of Goindwall with whatever motive. . . is an act of the highest grace for the follo- owers of Islam."

 He added that the Hindus should be treated as dogs. Jazia should be imposed upon them and cow slaughter should be allowed in the open.

Trumpp says that,

 "Guru Arjan's death is the great turning point in the development of Sikh community, as from that time the struggle commenced that changed the entire character of reformatory religious movement."

Guru Hargovind was appointed after his father martyrdom. He was imprisoned in the Gwalior fort for 12 years by Mughals. His Son Guru Teg bahadur was beheaded in Chandni Chowk. All these atrocities enabled the need for armed struggle and later for the establishment of Khalsa and downfall of cruel Mughals. 

(Hariram Gupta, vol.3 p.148-153)