Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji

Guru Arjan Dev Ji Shaheedi History

Khusrau Mirza vs Jahangir

The Mughal Emperor Akbar wanted to make his grandson Khusrau his successor in his last days. His own son, Shahzada Salim (Jahangir who was a very drunkard), also wanted to get the throne under any circumstances.

So he revolted with the help of one of his confidants, a distinguished military officer, Sheikh Farid Bukhari. But he had to be defeated in this rebellion. Therefore, there was no other way left for him except to throw the weapon and surrender to his father. Due to this terrible mistake of his, he had to remain in prison.

Jahangir’s mother apologized to his militant father for this terrible mistake by pleading for blood relations. Now Jahangir started motivating the courtiers, officers and Maulvi, Qazi, etc. in his favor, in which He got a lot of success because some fundamentalists were against the militant system. Then his confidant Sheikh Farid Bukhari again advised him that only military power will not make a difference, you need to prove your effect in public also.

For this task, being a Sheikh himself, arranged his meeting with Peer Murshid Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi. Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi is also known as Sheikh Majhad Alif Sani. Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi was already seeking someone in power to spread the words of the prophet with more intensity. So, taking full advantage of the time, sectarian Muslims like Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi and Sheikh Farid Bukhari made a secret treaty with Jahangir, with the help of which the propagation and spread of Islam could be accelerated.

Under this, with the sympathy of the subjects he received from Fakiri, they will return the crown to Jahangir. In return, Jahangir would have to use administrative force for the propagation and propagation of Islam.

Apart from Sheikh Farid Bukhari, Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi also started considering him as his Pir-Murshid. Thus both of them took the responsibility of getting Jahangir to the throne. When the faith of these people became firm in Jahangir, Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, with the sovereignty of his Piri, influenced Akbar to announce his great prince as his successor as he had the right to the throne.

The killing of Khusrau Mirza

Akbar gave the throne to Jahangir under pressure. After the death of Akbar, Jahangir started giving a lot of respect to Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi and since then his advice in all government works would be the order or law. In this way, gradually Jahangir became a puppet and Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi became the uncrowned emperor.

In other words, all the policy decisions of the government would have been made by Sheikh Ahmed Sirhandi while Emperor Jahangir would have been immersed in alcohol living a life of opulence and luxury. In such a situation, Prince Khusro revolted against his own father to get the throne. His general Sheikh Fareed Bukhari also took the initiative to suppress this rebellion, and with military force, the Khusro and his supporters were driven out to Kabul. The Khusrau was caught while crossing the Chenab river and was executed on the arrival of Jahangir to Lahore.

False Accusations on Guru Arjan Dev and Court Trial

Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi now planned to take undue advantage of this account of Khusrau. According to which he made the idea to eliminate Sahib Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, an obstacle in the development of Islam.

By adding Gurudev Pancham Patshah Arjan Dev Ji in the Khusro rebellion case, he blamed that Arjan (Guru) helped Khusrau’s army by serving them with food, langar, etc. And he has written blasphemy against Islam in his book. Therefore, he should be summoned and should also bring his new book for inspection.

On the issuance of this order, Gurudev took Adi (Guru Granth Sahib and some special Sikhs) along to take care of the service and he himself reached Lahore. There he was declared a rebel on the charge of patronizing the rebel Khusrau. In the second charge, it was said that he preached against Islam.

In response, Guru Arjan Dev told that Khusrau and his companions were fed in the Guru’s Langar at Goindwal (Sahab). But he himself was not present and was in Tarantaran on that day. Any person can come to get food at the Langar of Guru Nanak. At the Guru’s premises, there is no distinction between king and indigent. So there is no restriction on anyone and the question of halting anyone does not arise at all.

Your father Emperor Akbar had come on his own time to this place and felt satisfied after taking food. Emperor Jahangir was satisfied after hearing this answer, but Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi and his companions said that Why has he insulted the religion of Islam in his book when Hazrat Muhammad Sahib should be praised in it. On this, Guru Arjun Dev Ji ordered the Sikhs who came together to take a decree by lighting the Pothi Sahib (Guru Granth Sahib now). They read the following hymn:

Jahangir liked this hymn very much, but Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi felt losing his bet and started saying that this Kalaam has been kept by these people as per their own choice, so he has read it from the intended place. He must read it from some other place and see it. On this Jahangir ordered to read again by turning some pages with his hands. The decree that came this time also is like this:

Hearing this word, Jahangir was pleased again, but the wicked devil again said that this word also seems to have been memorized by these people. He asked to call a person who has knowledge of Gurmukhi alphabets so that they can get an accurate idea of ​​this Kalaam. Then a non-Sikh person (A man who knew how to read Gurmukhi) was called. He was ordered to read the text from the Guru Granth Sahib. When that person started reading the text from the Guru Granth Sahib, the following decree came:

Hearing this order, Jahangir was completely satisfied, but the evil man was not ready to accept defeat. He said it is fine, but in this book, praise of Hazrat Muhammad Sahib and Islam has to be written. In response to this, Guru Arjan Dev Ji said that in this book, everything has been written on the basis of secularism and equality. Praise of any particular person cannot be written nor praise of any particular sect can be written in the Pothi Sahib. Only the formless God is praised in this book.

When Jahangir heard this answer, he became silent. But Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi and Sheikh Farid Bukhari who was already sitting in a rage said that it is insulting to the emperor and the words of Guru Arjun smacks of rebellion. Therefore it should not be forgiven. In this way, the emperor, trapped in the clutches of sycophants, also started pressuring Gurudev that he must write something in praise of Hazrat Muhammad Sahib and Islam in that Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Arjan Dev categorically refused, showing his inability to do so.

The wicked got a chance. He compelled the emperor that Guru Arjan is a rebel who is not ready to accept even a small matter of the emperor’s order, so he should be given a death sentence.

In this way, the emperor ordered a penalty of one lakh rupees on Guruji and he himself left from there and went towards the Sindh region because he knew that the sycophants had provoked him to pass wrong orders. After the emperor left, the wicked reached Lahore and demanded from the governor Murtaza Khan that he should recover the amount of punishment from Guru Arjan.

Guru Arjun Dev Refuses to Pay Penalty

Gurudev Ji categorically refused to pay the penalty because why should the punishment be paid when no crime has been committed? Some of the rich Sikhs from the Sangat of Lahore wanted to pay the amount, but Gurudev refused the Sikhs and said that it is a crime to use the money of the Sangat for personal purposes. It is improper to misuse the money of the Sikh Sangat for self-protection or personal self-interest.

Gurudev Arjan Ji ordered the Sikh servants who had come together at the same time to return to Amritsar, taking care of the form of ‘Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib’. Guru Arjan had realized that the people of the wicked group would try to destroy the glory of the Supreme Lord by adulterating the Baani of the Adi Guru Granth Sahib, as his popular Baani seemed to be a hindrance in Islamic preaching.

In fact, they did not want that spiritual knowledge should be distributed in the language of the common man because their so-called Piri-Fakiri (Guru Dum’s shop) was being exposed. By God’s grace only, wicked people did not succeed in their conspiracy. Although they did not leave any stone unturned on their part to fetch and mix Gurbani with their devil filth. Therefore, before any new scandal, it was necessary to transport the form of Guru Granth Sahib to a safe place.

Murtaza Khan and Dewan Chandu Mal

For a long time, Murtaza Khan was the governor of Lahore. During the reign of Akbar, when there was a famine in Lahore, and from time to time there was a lot of loss due to diseases like smallpox, cholera, plague, gout, heat, etc. At that time Murtaza Khan had seen the selfless service rendered by Gurudev Ji to the public without any discrimination. Guru Arjun Dev’s popularity there and Sai Miyan Mir Ji’s close friendship with Gurudev were not hidden from him.

He was greatly indebted to Gurudev because, at the time of severe drought, Gurudev had asked Emperor Akbar to forgive the farmers’ Lagaan. He did not want to commit such a terrible mistake by his own hands.

On one side there was the order of the Pir and Murshid of the emperor, whose position at that time was no less than that of an uncrowned emperor, and to defeat him directly meant losing the governorship.

Murtaza Khan was still in this dilemma that his problem was solved by Dewan Chandu Mal. Chandu said, hand over Guru Arjun Dev to me. I have to settle my old account with him because he had rejected my daughter’s marriage to his beloved son on the advice of some people. Now I will force him to re-accept the relationship by pressurizing him. That I will deposit the amount of punishment in the treasury assuming that the girl has been given dowry. Murtaza Khan immediately agreed to this proposal and handed over Gurudev to Chandu Mal.

Proposal of Chandu Mal to Guru Arjan Dev

Thought was going on in the evil mind of Chandu that fearing the administration, Guru Arjun Dev will accept his daughter’s relationship and his personal success lies in helping Murtaza Khan at this time. By doing so, he may get a promotion in the government too, He thought.

Chandu brought Guru Arjun Dev Ji to his mansion. He started trying to persuade Gurudev with many different methods so that family ties could be established. He offered Guru Arjan freedom and respect in his community plus administration, but Guru Arjan Dev Ji remained firm on his determination. He did not even accept food and water from his house. Guru Ji only replied that he is abode by the orders of the Sangat not to accept the relation of his daughter because he had called the house of Guru Nanak Dev Ji a small ‘brick’ and expressed himself as ‘Chaubara’.

In the end, he started threatening in various ways, but even then the matter did not appear to be working. He got fed up and locked Gurudev Ji in a room of his mansion, hungry and thirsty, during the hot summer days of Jeth month. Thereafter, finding solitude in the night, Chandu’s daughter-in-law, who was a Sikh disciple of the Guru’s house, appeared for Guru Arjan Dev with sherbet. She begged that Guruji should take water and grant pardon to his father-in-law because he was not aware of what he is disobeying. Gurudev consoled her and said – daughter, I am constrained, due to the orders of the Sangat, I cannot take this water.

Death Penalty to Guru Arjan Dev and Martyrdom

In the morning, when the government servant (Kotwal) came to Chandu to inquire about his condition, Chandu handed over Guru Arjan Dev Ji to him saying that Arjan did not accept my condition. So now I am ready to hand it over to you.

He immediately took Chandu into his confidence and took Guru Arjun Dev Ji in his custody and brought him to the royal fort of Lahore. In this way, Sheikh Ahmed Sirhandi, staying under the veil, got the Shahi Qazi issued a fatwa (accusation) in the name of Guru Arjan Dev. It was written in the fatwa that Guru Arjan could not pay the amount of punishment. So he should accept Islam or else he should be ready for death. Gurudev Ji then replied that this body is mortal. He is not in the love of his body. The law of nature is immutable, whatever is born must be destroyed. To die and live is in the hands of God, so the question of accepting Islam does not arise. Do whatever you want to do.

On this, the Qazi gave the death penalty under the law of ‘Yasa’ according to Islamic rules and said – Just like other rebels have been put to death by being locked in a leather shell, in the same way, this rebel (Guruji) too Finish by covering it in cow’s leather.

Before the fresh-skinned cow’s skin could be found, Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi planned to torture Gurudev and convert him to Islam, as per his plan. He made Gurudev Ji stand in the scorching sun in the courtyard of the fort. Gurudev Ji was hungry and thirsty for the whole night because he did not accept food and water at Chandu’s place. In such a situation, the body started feeling very weak, but he was standing immovable with the help of self-power.

Tortures to Physical Body of Guru Arjan

The executioner was also pressurizing Guru Ji, ‘Accept Islam, why do you lose your life in vain.’ But Gurudev Ji was categorically denying all this. The wicked then started intimidating Gurudev and made him sit on a very big ‘Tawa’ or ‘Loh’ for making bread, which was hot like fire in the hot sun of the month of Jeth. Gurudev Ji remained adamant even on iron. Like a man is not sitting on the pan but on the carpet.

When the information of such atrocities on Gurudev reached the people of Lahore city, Sai Mian Mir Ji, and many other Sangat reached near the fort, they found that it was impossible to go inside because of the tight guard around the fort. Only Sai Miyan Mir Ji could get permission. Seeing Gurudev Ji suffering tortures, Sai Ji expressed his surprise. Then Gurudev said, ‘That one day you had asked the meaning of Brahmagyani according to ‘Baani of Sukhmani’?. Today I am trying to live according to the meaning of those lines. Everything is happening according to the Hukam of that Lord. Don’t hold grudges against anyone. Only a mystic can understand the secret message of another mystic. In this way, Sai Miyan Mir Ji returned after taking the teachings of Brahmagyan.

Physical Death of Guru Arjan Dev Ji

When there was no effect on Gurudev Ji, the executioners once again challenged Gurudev and said that there is still time, think carefully, still, life can be spared, accept Islam and save a life. Gurudev Ji again rejected his proposal and the executioners started pouring hot sand on Gurudev Ji’s head. Due to the hot sand falling on his head, Gurudev’s nose started bleeding and he became unconscious.

When the executioners saw that their work was being done against the Yasa law, they poured water on Gurudev’s head so that the criminal’s blood should not flow while giving punishment according to Yasa. When even pouring water in the head did not yield any result, the executioners got upset and made them sit in a boiled deg. According to the Mahavakya of ‘

when Gurudev left the body, the tyrants threw the body of Gurudev Ji in the water of the Ravi river in the dark of night to hide this heinous massacre.

To hide this accident, Kotwal immediately called Dewan Chandu and took him by his side. Dewan Chandu was told that because we had taken Arjan into custody from your place, so urge people by spreading rumors that Guru Arjan Dev Ji had expressed a desire to take a bath, so he might have drowned or got washed away in the river.

Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi may have failed in the actual plan of getting Gurudev to accept Islam, but he was satisfied with the martyrdom of Gurudev Ji. He started trying to avoid being revealed as the main responsibility of this martyrdom incident was upon him. He was terrified of Sai Mian Ji’s arrival there and he could clearly see that the governor of Lahore, Murtaza Khan, and the Public had great reverence for Guru Arjan.

In fact, he knew that it was because of his pressure that Jahangir had punished Gurudev. He was calm in the situation of not paying the punishment, but he himself was the real culprit of converting Jahangir’s silence into the death penalty. To prove his innocence, he linked the martyrdom of Gurudev with Chandu’s personal enmity.