Historical Facts
The Eighth Guru of the Sikhs is Bal Guru, Guru Harkrishan ji. in 1661, Guru Harkrishan ji was annointed as a Guru at the age of 5 years, by Guru Har Rai Ji, and was constantly challenged by many, maily outside of Sangat, to prove his spiritual mettle. In a balanced manner, like a true saint not affected by ustat/nindya sometimes, he would help the shaking faith of devotees, by demonstrating some unique strengths. One of it, illustratively, was a test of a very egoistic Pandit who wanted to know whether young Guruji was familiar with traditional spiritual literature of India. The story is well known that the Pandit deliberately chose a deaf and dumb, uneducated, illiterate person, Chajju, to test the Guru. Lo behold, Guru simply touched the head of Chajju with the end of his chari, the stick, and suddenly, knowledge and wisdom, was visible in every word uttered in interpreting the Gita. The Pandit was astounded, puntured of ego and fell on the
feet of Guru Harkrishan, pleading forgiveness with folded hands. The mature, benovelent and beloved Guru, smiled and blessed even that Pandit. The sangat saw the ‘miracle’ and appreciated how the Guru had dispelled the doubt in mind of a arrogant Pandit in such a simple manner, without hampering any law of nature. Such was the astounding wisdom and maturity of our Bala Pritam, eighth Guru of the Sikhs.
The popularity of the Guru was obviously expanding, and people flocked to him from all directions. Guru Harkrishan preached the universal message of Guru Nanak, and the message contained in Adi Guru Granth Sahib, compiled by Guru Arjan Dev.
Role of Guru and Pandemic of 1664
In 1664, Guru Harkrishan ji was on a short visit to Delhi at the invitation of the Emperor, Aurangzeb, for a brief interaction. He was just 8 years, and then Delhi was suddenly caught in the grip of cholera and small pox pandemic. There were no modern medicines and no hospitals. Delhi was mainly old congested city where the outbreak was severe, especially people of all walks of life, incuding the muslims. The Guru, could have chosen to go back to comforts at Kiratpur as his official engagement in Delhi, and brief interaction with the Emperor was satisfactorily over. Moreover, Kiratpur, and Punjab were not in the grip of any pandemic and were safer places to continue to do parchar of Sikhi. But, No, the young Guru felt he was more needed in Delhi to serve humanity to the best of his capability. He, a spiritual teacher, cannot lose an opportunity to serve other humans in distress. Guru plunged whole-heartedly in sewa, nursing and tending to ailing people in person. The water tank of Bangla Sahib became a hospital point with sick people coming there to meet Guru Harkrishnan, and to get blessings, medicines and treatment. Tirelessly, confidently, Guru interacted with people, giving them hope in midst of fear, despair and helplessness.
The Bal Guru was not a child, he had taken tough decisions, and lived each day with it. Finally, one day, he was diagnosed with the symptoms himself. The sangat despaired, but Guru was steadfast any human body is prone to disease he said, and accepting even this ailment as will of God, Guru retired to the banks of Jamuna for his last hours. He was confident and composed till the end, and discussed matters of court and Guruship. Final decision of succession was also planned well – The next Guruship was to go to Baba at Bakala, where Guru Tegh Bahadur ji resided, and who had met him, a few months earlier in Delhi.
Conclusion
The last few days of Guru Harkrishan ji was an example of how Guru deliberately chose and immersed into sewa of human race, in total faith of Almighty without worrying about his personal health, welfare and well-being. What mattered to Guru was the interest of human race, even if he had to sacrifice his life in pursuing this effort. It was a clear demonstration to all concerned as to what the priority of a young spiritual – Guru, whom many dismissed simply as a – child, was.
This special role of Guru Harkrishan, Bala Prtiam but with ideal objectives of a very mature spiritual master has not been shared with the world by we Sikhs. How, despite the choice, Guru stayed back with the ailing population of Delhi, nurtured them, stood by them in difficult times, and served them at the cost of his own precious life. How lucky the sangat of Delhi was, and
Guru, simply a visitor in Delhi, chose to dedicate his life for the sick, ignoring healthier environment available at Kiratpur.
Are we Sikhs of Delhi, satisfied that we have done sufficient enough for the gestures of Guru Harkrishan Ji? We dont have a state-of-the-art Medical College and Hospital nor a world renowned university in the name of Guru Harkrishan, not even an iconic Musuem celebrating exclusively the life and sewa of the Guru. We dont even have Research lab dedicated to pandemic reserach in the name of our Guru, the only spiritual master who gave up his life serving the people of city, where he came as a short
term visitor to meet the Emperor. And the state of Guru Harkishan Public Schools is known to all of us. Is this our dedication to our Bala Pritam?
Truely, however, in the traditional spirit of the Gurus teachings, Sikhs have worked tirelessly in the Covid crisis of 2021. This reflects, how the setting of ideals by the Guru in 1664, are still operational in the Sikh community. And hence my suggestions that before next generations forget it, let us institutionalise the Guru’s unique message to prioritise only service to human race as ideal objective of Sewa.
Courtesy: The Sikh Review
PROF. CHARAN SINGH
