To help us carry on this service for many more years, please Click on "Make a Donation" on this page: http://tinyurl.com/Daswand Generously now. Thank you ji.
Guru Har Rai Ji (1630 - 1661)
The seventh Guru of the Sikh faith, was the son of Baba Gurditta and grandson of Guru Hargobind, Nanak VI. He was born on 16 January 1630 at Kiratpur, in present-day Ropar district of the Punjab. In 1640, he was married to Sulakkhani, daughter of Daya Ram of Anupshahr, in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh. He was gentle by nature and had a devout temperament. He was Guru Hargobind's favourite grandchild, and he had been given the name of Har Rai by the Guru himself. Once, record old texts, Har Rai was returning home after his riding exercise. From a distance he saw Guru Hargobind sitting in the garden. He at once got off his horse to go and do him homage.In this hurry, his robe was caught in a bush and a few of the flowers were broken from their stems. This pained Har Rai's heart. He sat down on the spot and wept bitterly. Guru Hargobind came and consoled him. He also advised him: "Wear your robe by all means, but be careful as you walk. It behoves God's servants to be tender to all things." There was a deeper meaning in the Guru's words. One must live in this world, and yet be master of oneself.
Guru Hargobind knew Har Rai to be the fittest to inherit the "light" from him. He nominated him as his successor and consecrated him Guru before departing this life on 3 March 1644. Guru Har Rai kept the stately style Guru Hargobind had introduced. He was attended by 2,200 armed followers, but no further conflict with the ruling power occurred. He established three important preaching missions called bakhshishes for the spread of Guru Nanak's teaching. First was that of Bhagvan Gir, renamed Bhagat Bhagvan, who established missionary centres in eastern India. The second was that of Sangatla, renamed Bhai Pheru, who preached in Rajasthan and southern Punjab. Guru Har Rai also sent Bhat Gonda to Kabul, Bhai Nattha to Dhaka and Bhai Jodh to Multan to preach. The ancestors of present-day families of Bagarlan and Kaithal preached in the Malva region. Guru Har Rai himself travelled extensively in this area and a large number of people accepted his teaching. He confirmed the blessing earlier bestowed by Guru Hargobind on a poor boy, Phul, who became the founder of the families of Patiala, Nabha and Jind. These families ruled in their territories in the Punjab until recent years.
Kiratpur was Guru Har Rai's permanent seat. Here disciples and visitors came to seek blessings and instruction. The Guru kept the daily practice of his predecessors. The institution of langar, community eating, continued to flourish. Guru Har Rai chose himself the simplest fare which was earned by the labour of his own hands. In the morning, he sat in the sangat and explained the Sikh doctrine. He did not compose any hymns of his own, but quoted those of his predecessors in his discourses. He often repeated to his followers the following verses of Bhal Gurdas,Varan (XXVIII. 15):
A true Sikh rises before the night ends,
And turns his thoughts to God's Name,
To charity and to holy bathing.
He speaks humbly and humbly he walks,
He wishes everyone well and he is joyed to
give away gifts from his hand.
He sleeps but little,
And little does he eat and talk.
Thus he receives the Guru's true instruction .
He lives by the labour of his hands and he does good deeds.
However eminent he might become,
He demonstrates not himself.
He sings God's praises in the company f holy men.
Such company he seeks night and day.
Upon Word is his mind fixed,
And he delights in the Guru's will.
Unenticed he lives in this world of enticement
Guru Har Rai was at Goindval when Dara Shukoh, heir apparent to the Mughal throne, entered the Punjab fleeing in front of the army of his brother, Aurangzab, after his defeat in the battle of Samugarh on 29 May 1658 At Goindval, where he arrived in the last week of June 1658, he called on Guru Har Rai, and sought the consolation of his blessing The prince was of a liberal religious disposition, and had a natural inclination for the company of saintly persons He was especially an admirer of the famous Muslim Sufi, Mian Mir, who was known to the Sikh Gurus Sikh tradition also recalls how Dara Shikoh had once been cured of a serious malady with herbs sent to hint by Guru Har Rai in his affliction now he readily took the opportunity of having an audience with the Guru According to Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash, Guru Har Rai deployed his own troops to delay Aurangab's army which was pursuing Dara close at his heels.
Guru Har Rai left Goindval on a tour of the districts where the Sikh faith had taken root in the time of his predecessors. He travelled further on to Kashmir. The Baisakhi of 1660 was celebrated at Sialkot in the home of Nand Lal Puri, grandfather of Haqiqat Rai, the martyr The journey was resumed in the company of Sikhs such as Makkhan Shah, the Lubana trader, and Aru Ram, father of Kirpa Ram Datt who later led to the presence of Guru Tegh Bahadur group of Kashmiri pandits driven to dire distress by State persecution Guru Har Rai arrived at Srinagar, via Martand, on 19 May 1660, and visited Mota Tanda, the village to which his disciple, Makkhan Shah belonged. On his way back, he stopped at Akhnur and Jammu. At the latter place, the local masand, Bhat Kahna, waited on him with the sangat.
Empror asked Raja Jai Singh of Amber to have Guru Har Rai brought to Delhi. The Raja's envoy, Hari Chand, who reached Kiratpur on the Baisakhi day of 1661, presented the royal summons. Guru Har Rai wondered why he had been called to Delhi and, to quote Bhat Santokh Singh," Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, he said, "I rule over no territory, I owe the king no tax, nor do I want anything from him. There is no connection of teacher and disciple between us, either of what avail will this meeting be?" He sent instead his elder son, Ram Rai, his minister Diwan Dargah Mall, escorting him According to the Guru kian Sakhian, Guru Har Rai blessed his young son as he seated him in the carriage and exhorted him "Answer squarely and without fear any questions the Emperor may ask. Exhibit no hesitation. Read the Granth attentively as you make halts on the way. The Guru will protect you wherever you might be." Gurdas, of the family of Bhai Bahilo, was asked to accompany Ram Rai with a copy of the (Guru) Granth Sahib in order to please the Emperor, Ram Rai deliberately misread one of the lines from the (Guru) Granth Sahib. This was reported by the Sikhs accompanying him to Guru Har Rai, who anathematized him for altering Guru Nanak's utterance . Debarred from presence before the Guru, Ram Rai retired to Dehra Dun. Guru Har Rai chose his younger Son, Har Krishan, to be his successor and had him anointed as Guru. If you find this service Helpful to You, please Donate any amount you like to Help Us keep it going for many more years to come. A Heartfelt Thank You for your Kind generosity. May Guru Ji Bless You in Everyway.
Read more wonderful messages at: http://ArdasHukamnama.com and be Blessed. All the Kirtan you hear on these pages can be obtained from http://KirtanShop.comTo learn more about Sikhism and how relevant it is to the 21st Century and Beyond, Come to http://UniversityOfSikhism.com now. Watch inspiring videos and programs on http://www.TheSikhChannel.TV and be moved to higher spiritual heights.
Testimonials on the Power of Ardas:
"With the answer I got for my prayer at http://ArdasHukamnama.com, Waheguru Ji did not just answer my personal question. He gave me a profound healing. With His words of the most profound wisdom, love, and understanding that I have ever heard or read, Waheguru Ji helped me to see myself, my health, and my family in a new light. With this new understanding, my problems began to fade away, and, with it, many of my old fears."- B.K.
"I did an Ardas at http://ArdasHukamnama.com that my mothers pain would be lessened during her cancer. Not only has the pain lessened but tests have showed that the current treatment is buying her some time and they will continue with it for now. Thank you for the blessings."- M.
"I wish to offer a prayer of thanks to the Our Lord for a year of good health. I asked for prayers at http://ArdasHukamnama.com prior to getting a mammogram this month, that it would be OK. I have been six years free of breast cancer."- E.R.
"Back in May I had asked for prayer at http://ArdasHukamnama.com for my son who had no friends. Over the summer he made at least 3 good friends. I thank all of you who prayed and I give thanks to my Beloved God, Waheguru Ji."- Anonymous
"I did an Ardas at http://ArdasHukamnama.com and prayers for my son who was being tested for kidney problems. We received the results today and they were normal. Thank you for your grace, God."- R.
"My Daughter, Gurdev asked for prayer to save her marriage at http://ArdasHukamnama.com. She and Baldev were separated and he was straying. God has restored that family! Thank you, Waheguru Ji."- a Happy mother
"...just how many miracles the team has experienced of people being blessed when they do an Ardas at http://ArdasHukamnama.com. No one has kept count (that I am aware of anyway), but practically story we hear, every email we receive and testimony given... contains at least one true story of answered prayer, and often several... of God's blessings when an a Ardas is done at http://ArdasHukamnama.com Come, do your Ardas Prayer here today and be Blessed."
No comments:
Post a Comment