Guru Arjan Dev Ji Martyrdom Day 2024
The year 2024 Marks the 418th Anniversary of the Fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev Ji Shaheedi Diwas. Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji born on 2 May 1563 A.D. in Goindwal Panjab, was the Sahibzada (son) of the fourth Guru, Guru Ram Das Ji, and Bibi Bhaniji.
He was the first martyr Guru of Sikh Panth, known as 'Shahidan De Sartaaj', and his sacrifice initiated the development of martial traits in Sikhs after that. He was martyred at the hands of Mughal Officials on May 30th, 1606 under the rule and orders of Emperor Jehangir.
| Shaheedi Gurpurab of | Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji |
| Date | June 10th, 2024 |
| Day | Monday |
Contemporary Causes of Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji
The Sikh movement has been a revolution aimed at transforming society by eradicating falsehood and hypocrisy, inequality and injustice, oppression, and exploitation. It endeavoured to erect a social order wherein prevailed the values of equality and love, compassion and philanthropy, truth, and righteousness. The task was enviable but fraught with challenges. Guru Arjan took up the challenge, struggled strived, and became the first martyr in the history of Indian religions. Below we have listed some contemporary circumstances that led to Guru Arjan Dev Ji's Martyrdom.
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Rejecting Some Muslim Poet's Compositions
At the time of the compilation of Guru Granth Sahib, the composition of many poets like Kahna, Chajju, Peelu, and Shah Hussain was refused by Guru Arjan Dev Ji to be included in this Holy Scripture because their composition was not in alliance with the concepts of Guru Nanak Sahib. Due to this reason, these poets opposed Guru Sahib and they started supporting the slanderers of the Guru's court.
Guru Arjan turned down the Relationship with Chandu
The Diwan of Delhi Court, Chandu sent his priest to look for a suitable bridegroom for his daughter. The priest was aware of the impact of Guru's Court, he found ( Guru) Hargobind Ji as an able bridegroom from all angles and he fixed the marriage of Chandu's daughter with Guru Arjan Dev Ji's Sahibzada.
At the time of sending some gifts from Delhi, Chandu also invited some respected Sikhs and spoke some words full of arrogance. He said to this extent that the priest has put my daughter, who is like a brick of the palace in the hole of a porter. He also called them to be faqir as compared to himself, being the Diwan. Hearing these words, the Sikhs, who were present there, approached Guru Sahib and requested not to approve of this relation. So, Guru Sahib refused to accept the gifts and turned down the relationship. After that, Chandu sent one lakh rupees to Guruji to accept the relationship but Guru Ji refused. Due to this disapproval, Chandu was angry and he started backbiting Emperor Jahangir. Chandu easily influenced Jahangir.
Poetry on Guru Arjan Dev Ji Shaheedi
ਨਾ ਯਾਦ ਕਰਾਣੀ, ਉਹ ਦਰਦ ਕਹਾਣੀ।
ਉਹ ਲੋਹ ‘ਅੱਗ-ਤੱਤੀ’, ਉਹ ਅੱਗ, ਅੱਗ ਲਾਣੀ।
ਇਕ ਸੋਹਣੀ ਸੂਰਤ, ਇਕ ਮੋਹਣੀ ਮੂਰਤ।
ਅੱਗ ਨੂੰ ‘ਜਲ’ ਜਾਣੇ, ਪਈ ਮੌਜਾਂ ਮਾਣੇ।
ਵਿੱਚ ਅੱਗ ਦੇ ਬੈਠੀ, ਕਹਿ “ਰੱਬ ਦੇ ਭਾਣੇ”।
‘ਆਸਨ’ ਉਹ ਅਨੋਖਾ, ਉਹ ਮਗਨ ‘ਸਮਾਧੀ’।
ਉਹ ‘ਹਰਿ ਦਾ ਹਿਮਾਲਾ, ਜਿਸ ਸਾਧਨਾ ਸਾਧੀ।
‘ਲੋਹ’ ਚੇਤੇ ਕਰਕੇ, ਮੇਰਾ ਲੂੰ ਲੂੰ, ਕੰਬੇ।
ਨਾੜਾਂ ‘ਚੋਂ ਨਿਕਲਣ, ਪਏ ਅੱਗ ਅਲੰਬੇ। .. Read More
Staunch Mullahs against Non-Muslims
The people related to the Naqshbandi sect were staunch preachers of the Islam religion, who believed in the destruction of non-Muslims and their head was Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi. An influential courtier of Akbar's Court, Murtaza Khan was his devotee, through whom Sarhindi had made many supporters in the royal court, who were fanatics. These people were very upset with the growing impact of the Sikhs in Punjab. These fundamentalists could not tolerate any religion prospering other than Islam. They used to say that respect for Islam lies in the degradation of disbelievers and atheists.
After the death of Akbar, Jahangir sat on the throne. The staunch Muslims of Ulemava (priest class) had a huge impact and influence in the court of Jahangir. They poisoned Jahangir's ears against the Sikhs and on the other hand, Murtaza Khan was also inciting Jahangir. They all wanted to see the influence of Islam on the entire of India. Jahangir decided to act at the instigation of these people.
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Guru Arjan Supported Prince Khusro?
Besides this, the revolt of Jahangir's son, Prince Khusro was cleverly linked with Guru Arjan Dev Ji by Shaikh Ahmad and Murtaza Khan; and they complained to Jahangir that Guru Sahib had supported, helped, and blessed Khusro by putting a mark on his forehead so that he could encounter Jahangir. Khusro was a person of religious thoughts and he may have met Guru Sahib before because the door of Guru Sahib was opened for all. Due to this, this incident has been mentioned by Jahangir and other historians.
The incident of putting a mark on the forehead of Khusro cannot be accepted from the historical aspect because Guru Sahiban had never applied a mark on anyone's forehead as per the Hindu tradition. Besides this, Jahangir while trailing Khusro was punishing all those who had helped Khusro on the way. But while trailing, when Jahangir reached Lahore, he crossed the river Beas after passing through Taran-Taran and Goindwal and stayed at Jhabbal for three weeks. Then Jahangir would have punished Guru Arjan Dev Ji for helping Khusro at that time only. But after 20 days of arresting Khusro, Jahangir suddenly while leaving Lahore ordered to arrest Guru Arjan Dev and kill him as per the rule of 'Yasa' (a kind of sentence) for helping Khusro. This sudden order to kill Guru Sahib seems to be the result of some instigation.
Sikh historian Pr. Teja Singh, Dr. Ganda Singh, and Pr. Satbir Singh stated the fact that Khusro had never met Guru Sahib after Jahangir sat on the throne. The story of the meeting of Khusro with Guru Sahib seems to be created afterward, due to which Jahangir got the excuse.
Arrest of Guru Arjan and Martyrize
As the news of the orders of the arrest reached Guru Sahib, he called upon all the leading Sikhs Bhai Gurdas Ji, Baba Budha Ji, and others and bestowed the responsibilities of Guruship upon Guru Hargobind Sahib in the Sangat. The Var sung by contemporary Dhadis Natha Mall and Abdul, at the time of be-seating on the throne is crucial to be described here:
Adorned two swords, One of Miri and the other of Piri,
One for grandeur, and rule, and the other for the protection of ministership.
As per Guru's order, Guru Hargobind Sahib left for village Dalla after this. Guru Arjan Dev Ji was arrested from Amritsar by Murtaza Khan. The five Sikhs - Chaudhari Langah, Bhai Bidhi Chand, Bhai Paira, Bhai Jetha, and Bhai Piraga accompanied Guru Sahib to Lahore, but Guru Sahib ordered these Sikhs to return and proceed to Guru Hargobind Sahib.
The majority of Sikh historians have stated that Guru Sahib was martyred through the punishment of Yasa'. According to this, no drop of blood should fall, put the fire beneath after sitting on the iron plate, pouring hot sand on the head and naked body, and be-seating in the vessel of boiled water. All this went on for five days and on the sixth day, on 16 June 1606 A.D., Guru Sahib was put to more torture, and his body was immersed in the flowing water of the river Ravi.
During all these tortures, the consciousness of Guru Sahib remained attached to the Lord and he continuously recited the Bani. He practiced the belief that Your actions seem so sweet and proved that the blood of the martyrs is the foundation of the religion. The writer of Umadeh-Twarikh' has also written that while stating the martyrdom, the pen spills the drops of blood, the eyes weep, the heart sinks, and consciousness is petrified.
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ਅੱਗ ਸਾੜੇ ਖਲੜੀ ਨੂੰ,
ਸਭ ਛਾਲੇ ਪੈ ਜਾਂਦੇ।
ਤਾ ਲਗਦਾ ਹੋਰ ਜ਼ਰਾ,
ਫੁਲਦੇ, ਫਿੱਸ ਬਹਿ ਜਾਂਦੇ।
ਲਹੂ ਲੱਖਾਂ ਰੋਮਾਂ ਥੀਂ,
ਸਿਮ ਸਿਮ ਕੇ ਵਗਦਾ ਏ।
ਪਰ ਭਾਣਾਂ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਦਾ,
ਮਿੱਠਾ ਹੀ ਲਗਦਾ ਏ।.. READ MORE
Historians' Point of View
On May 30, 1606 ( Jeth Shudi Chauth Sammat 1663 Bikrami), a significant event took place in Sikh history: the event of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev.
Historians have differing opinions about the nature of this martyrdom. This is a fact stated by J. N. Sarkar, who is an authority on medieval Indian history:
Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru, supported Khusro, who was one of the contenders for the Mughal throne and even provided him with money. After Khusro was defeated, Jahangir punished the Guru by levying a fine of two lakh rupees for his betrayal. Guru Arjan did not pay the amount, was imprisoned and subjected to torture which was standard practice for those who did not pay their revenues during that period.
According to Sarkar, some scholars claim that the Mughals regarded Guru Arjan as a rebellious figure who backed Khusro’s rebellion. S. M. Latif brings the charge of treason against Guru Arjan for having prayed for Khusro’s success. He states that Guru Arjan was arrested and subjected to severe torture and that he succumbed to heat stroke due to his inability to pay the amount Jehangir wanted him to pay. His biographer, Beni Prasad also points out that the political motive was the cause of his execution because no other Sikhs were persecuted and Sikhism was not prohibited.
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji: What He did for India and Mankind at Large?
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Read moreDetailsS. R. Sharma has similar views and he says that if Jahangir was religious in his persecution, he would have persecuted all Sikhs. Since he did not, he implied that it was political. According to some scholars, the death of Guru Arjan was political more than anything else because he did not pay the fine and neither did he allow anyone to pay it for him.
However, this political view does not fit Jahangir’s account of the political state of affairs as described in his autobiography, Tuzuki-Jahangiri. Jahangir himself writes about Guru Arjan as a Hindu who has become powerful and had followers among Hindus and Muslims. Jahangir acknowledges that at one point he thought of either halting Guru Arjan’s activities or even baptizing him into Islam. This proves that Sikhism was expanding, and the people especially Hindus and Muslims, following Guru Arjan were becoming a problem for Jahangir as it exposed his bigotry towards the Sikh movement.
From Jahangir's words, we learn two key points: Sikhism was growing under Guru Arjan people were joining the faith in large numbers and this caused Jahangir concern. This implies that Guru Arjan’s death was not only a political affair but also a result of the intolerance of religious extremism.
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The writer of Jahangir's court has written in Tuzk-e-Jahangir that the Emperor does not have eyes. He acted upon the reports received by him about Guru Arjan Dev and ordered accordingly. It is very clear from this that he did not investigate Guru Sahib but decided to enact it based on the statements of his courtiers. But the movement of human equality and making humans fearless, started 150 years ago by Guru Nanak had made such an impact on the Sikhs, that instead of being crushed by the Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev ji, the Sikhs became more determined and it was revealed to them that they have to put forth firm steps to maintain their self-respect, glory, and faith. It was the prospering of Sikhism from the time of Guru Nanak Sahib and the establishment of Guru Granth Sahib as the universal Holy Scripture, which became irksome in the eyes of the Mughal Empire and it became the main reason for the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev.
Guru Arjan Vitoh Kurbani Lyrics
The Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji PDF Book Free Download
In commemoration of the martyrdom of Guru Sahib, Gurdwara Dehra Sahib has been constructed in Lahore (now in Pakistan). To Read the History of Guru Arjan Dev Ji Shaheedi in detail please click the button below: Read More
