(181) Question:- |
Give an introduction of the compositions of Guru Tegh Bahadur as are enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib. |
Answer:- |
There are only 116 hymns as composed by the 9th Master which are enshired in Guru Granth Sahib. These include 57 couplets. The hymns apart from couplets, are composed in 15 musical measures. There is one Raaga Jaijawanti in which only Guru Tegh Bahadur's Baani is available. The theme of Guru's hymns relates to the reality of life, the ultimate aim of which was to attain the Divine union i.e. Moksha or Mukti. With this union with the divine soul, one is redeemed from the circle of births and deaths. The Guru emphasised that every thing in this world is temporary and the truth is only the Name of God. Sometimes there appears a melancholic tinge but the spiritual discipline and the philosophic wisdom contained therein make his hymns the poetic compositions of a high spiritual and literary value. He has used Braj Bhasha to give expression to his deeper ideas. Some of his verses are quoted hereunder as illustrations.
ਜਗਤ ਮੈ ਝੂਠੀ ਦੇਖੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ॥
ਅਪਨੇ ਹੀ ਸੁਖ ਸਿਉ ਸਭ ਲਾਗੇ ਕਿਆ ਦਾਰਾ ਕਿਆ ਮੀਤ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ (ਅੰਗ 536)
Jagat mai jhoothee dekhee preet.
Apne hee sukh sio sabh Iaage kiaa daara kiaa meet
All worldly love is false,
Every body is devoted to his own enjoyment.
Whether it is wife or a friend. (Page 536)
ਰੇ ਮਨ ਰਾਮ ਸਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ॥
ਸ੍ਰਵਨ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਗੁਨੁ ਸੁਨਉ ਅਰੁ ਗਾਉ ਰਸਨਾ ਗੀਤਿ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ (ਅੰਗ 631)
Re man Raam sio kar preet.
Sarwan Gobind gun suno ar gaao rasana geet.
0 my mind ! Love God.
Hear His praises with ears and sing them with your tongue.
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(182) Question:- |
Can it be said that Guru Tegh Bahadur's poetry is pessimistic or gloomy? |
Answer:- |
Although, the Guru has reminded us of the temporary nature of human life and has made us to remember the fast approaching old age followed by death, it cannot be said that his Baani is pessimistic or gloomy. The Guru has not belittled human life, which according to him, is priceless gift of God to man. Like his predecessors, he has only made us wiser as not to waste our life in useless pursuits but to devote it to a higher cause of remembrance of God. When he reminds us that all the relationships in the world are short-lived, he is only revealing the truth. There are many verses included in his compositions which provide us that wisdom with which we can lead a better life. For example. at one place, he says that one should not frighten others nor one should be afraid of any one. Says he :-
ਭੈ ਕਾਹੂ ਕਉ ਦੇਤ ਨਹਿ ਨਹਿ ਭੈ ਮਾਨਤ ਆਨ।।
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਨਿ ਰੇ ਮਨਾ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਤਾਹਿ ਬਖਾਨਿ ॥16॥(ਅੰਗ 1427)
Bhai kaahoo ko det neh, neh bhai maanat aan.
Kaho Nanak sun re mana giaani tahe bakhaan.
Whosoever frightens none, nor is afraid of anyone
0 Nanak! Perceive him in mind an enlightened one.
In another couplet, he advises us not to worry about death.
In his words:-
ਚਿੰਤਾ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਕੀਜੀਐ ਜੋ ਅਨਹੋਨੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਇਹੁ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਕੋ ਨਾਨਕ ਥਿਰੁ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਇ ॥51॥(ਅੰਗ 1429)
Chinta taaki keejeeai jo anhooni hoe.
lh maarag sansaar ko Nanak thin nahee koe.
One should worry only if something unexpected happens.
This is the way of the world.
None is ever stable, o Nanak. |
(183) Question:- |
When and where Guru Gobind Singh was born? What was his childhood name? |
Answer:- |
The tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, whose childhood name was Gobind Rai, was born on Posh Sudi Saptami Sambat 1723 [22 December 1666] to Sh. Guru Teg Bahadur and Mata Gujri in Patna Sahib City in Bihar.
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(184) Question:- |
Why did Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib go to Patna from Anandpur Sahib? |
Answer:- |
Guru Tegh Bahadur was on a religion propagation tour. His wife Mata Gujri had also gone with him. He left his family and some attendants at the residence of some relative at Patna and went ahead. He was on his way to Dhaka when his son Gobind Rai was born. |
(185) Question:- |
When and where Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib saw his son for the first time? |
Answer:- |
At the time of the birth of Gobind Rai, his father Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib was on his tour to Dhaka. Although there is a divergence of opinion among the scholars on the issue of the first meeting of the father and the son, most of them hold the view that Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib met his son Gobind Rai at Patna Sahib only. Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh situated at Patna Sahib provides evidence in this regard. It is said that when Gobind Rai was about 4 years old, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib came to the garden of Rahim Baksh and Karim Baksh and the first meeting of the father and the son took place there.
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(186) Question:- |
Describe briefly the childhood time spent in Patna by Gobind Rai. ( Later on Guru Gobind Singh) |
Answer:- |
Gobind Rai spent a minimum of the initial 6 years of his life in Patna. Many stories are in vogue about his childhood in Sikh literature. One is related to a Muslim Faqir Sayeed Bhikan Shah, who got intuition about an incarnation of the divine child in the world and he came all the way to Patna to obtain a glimpse of the divine child. Another story is that of a Pandit whose prayer offerings Guru Ji used to take away and one day according to his will, he appeared before him as Lord Rama. Gurdwara Bal Lila Maini Sangat, which is situated near his birthplace tells us another tale of his childhood. According to this tale, Raja Fateh Chand Maini and his wife lived childless at this place. They were a God-fearing couple. One day Guru Ji sat in the lap of the wife of Fateh Chand and asked for some thing to eat. Fateh Chand's wife felt very happy and gave boiled grams to child Gobind Rai. Even now boiled gram prasad is distributed in this Gurdwara. One more story is regarding the loss of a gold bangle which Guru Ji had thrown into the river, when he was asked about this bangle, he threw the second one also to point out where the first had been lost. All these stories show that how as a child he had cast a spell of charm by his sweet nature and endeared himself.
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(187) Question:- |
What was the age of Gobind Rai when he came to Anandpur Sahib for the first time? How long did he stay in Anandpur? |
Answer:- |
Gobind Rai was only 6 years old when he came to Anandpur Sahib along with his family from Patna. He stayed there from 1672 to 1685 A.D. When he anticipated a confrontation with the hill rulers, he then shifted to a place of natural beauty falling in the area of Raja Medani Parkash, the ruler of Nahan. He had gone there on the invitation of the ruler. The beautiful spot selected by the Guru on the banks of river Yamuna for settling down, later on, came to be known as Paonta Sahib.
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(188) Question:- |
Give brief introductions about the marriages of Guru Gobind Singh? |
Answer:- |
Guru Gobind Singh Ji had three marriages. First marriage as with Mata Jeeto Ji which was solemnised on 21st June 1677. Mata Jeeto Ji was the daughter of Bhai Harjass Ji of Lahore. Bhai Harjass Ji wanted the bar to come to Lahore, but due to the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the marriage took place at village Basabt Nagar (near Anandpur Sahib). Afterward, this marriage place was known as Guru Ka Lahore. At the time of the creation of Khalsa Panth, Mata Jeeto Ji mixed pataashas in the holy water.
Second marriage of Guru Ji took place at Anandpur Sahib in Sambat 1741 with Sundri Ji daughter of Ram Sharan Kumar Khatri of Lahore.
Third marriage of Guru Ji took place at Anandpur Sahib in Sambat 1754 with Mata Saahiba Devi Ji daughter of Ramu Bansi of Rohtas.
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(189) Question:- |
What the child Gobind Rai said when petitioners from Kashmir came to Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib with their petition? |
Answer:- |
When Baal Gobind asked the reason for his father's reflection then the Guru told him that tale of these Brahmins oppressed by the fanaticism of the Mughal Satrap Iftikhar Khan in Kashmir was very painful. Their problem could be solved only if some noble soul could give a sacrifice. Bal Gobind Rai said innocently that nobody else could be worthier than the Guru for such a sacrifice. Guru Tegh Bahadur made a decision to help Kashmiri Pandits after hearing this reply from his son. |
(190) Question:- |
What was Guru Gobind Singh Ji's blessing when Bhai Jaita Ji came to Anandpur Sahib with the head of Guru Tegh Bahadur? |
Answer:- |
After hearing the story of the martyrdom of Guru Ji from Bhai Jaita Guru Ji hugged Bhai Sahib and honoured him with the title of Guru Ka Beta, Guru Ji remained peaceful from the outside but made up his mind to finish the tyrant Mughal Rule. |