Guru Gobind Singh (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ) (22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) born as Gobind Rai, was the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs. Gobind Rai was a spiritual master, warrior, poet, and philosopher. Gobind Rai’s father, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, was executed by cruel Mughal emperor Aurangzeb when he was a child.
The life example and leadership of Guru Gobind Singh Ji have been of historical importance to the Sanatana Dharma. Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s significance to the Sanatana tradition has been very important as he institutionalized the Khalsa (literally, Pure Ones). Guru Ji resisted the ongoing persecution by the Mughal Empire and continued the defense of Dharma, by which he meant True Religion, against the assault of Aurangzeb.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji institution of Khalsa played the key role in protecting the Dharma long after his death, such as during the nine invasions of Panjab and holy war led by Ahmad Shah Abdali from Afghanistan between 1747 and 1769.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji Religious Fight Against Barbaric Aurangzeb
Atrocities carried by Aurangzeb on Hindus are not a hidden fact. Some study has shown that during his time more than 20 million Hindus were killed when they were rejected to get converted to Islam and 10 million were forcefully converted to Islam.
Even when Guru Govind Ji was a child, his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, was also executed by Aurangzeb.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji introduced ideas that indirectly challenged the discriminatory taxes imposed by the Mughal authorities. For example, Aurangzeb had imposed different taxes Jizya which is the poll tax on Hindus, Pilgrim tax which is the tax on a visit to Hindu Pilgrimage, and Bhaddar tax which is to be paid by anyone following the Hindu ritual of shaving the head after the death of a loved one and cremation.
Guru Gobind Singh had institutionalized Khalsa and has a deep respect for the Khalsa. He had stated that there is no difference between the True Guru and the Sangat (Panth).
Before his founding of the Khalsa, Earlier Guru Ji movement had used the Sanskrit word Shishya (literally, disciple or student), but afterward, the term became Khalsa.
Guru Gobind Ji also finalized and enshrined “The Guru Granth Sahib”, the religious book followed by Sikhs and Hindus equally.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji “The Great Warrior”
Guru Gobind Singh Ji fought 13 battles against the heinous Mughal Empire and the kings of Shivalik Hills.
- Battle of Bhangani: Guru Gobind Singh Ji fought this battle in 1688., It is stated from chapter 8 of Gobind Singh’s Bichitra Natak, when local king Fateh Shah, along with mercenary Muslim commanders Hayat Khan and Najabat Khan attacked his forces without any purpose. Guru Ji was aided by the forces of Kripal (his maternal uncle) and a Hindu Brahmin named Daya Ram, both of whom he praises as heroes in his text The Guru’s cousin named Sango Shah was killed in the battle, a cousin from Guru Har Gobind’s daughter.
- Battle of Nadaun: This battle Guru Gobind Singh Ji fought in 1691, against the Islamic armies of Mian Khan and his son Alif Khan, who were defeated by the allied forces of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Bhim Chand, and other Hindu kings of Himalayan foothills. All Hindus were aligned to the Guru had refused to pay tribute to the Islamic officials based in Jammu.
In 1693, Aurangzeb was fighting the Hindu Marathas in the Deccan region of India, and he issued orders that Guru Gobind Singh and all Hindus should be prevented from gathering in Anandpur in large numbers. - Battle of Guler: In 1696, Guru Ji armies fought first against the Muslim commander Dilawar Khan’s son Rustam Khan, near Sutlej River, where the Guru teamed up with the Hindu king of Guler and routed the Muslim army. The commander sent his general Hussain Khan against the armies of the Guru JI and the Guler kingdom, a war fought near Pathankot, and Hussain Khan was defeated and killed by the joint forces.
- Battle of Anandpur: Guru Gobind Singh Ji in the year 1700 fought against the Mughal army of Aurangzeb. The cruel Mughal king Aurangzeb had sent 10,000 soldiers under his Muslim commanders Painda Khan and Dina Beg. In direct combat between Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Painda Khan, the latter was killed. His death led the coward Mughal army to flee the battlefield.
- Battle of Anandpur: The next year, in 1701, Guru Gobind Singh Ji fought against the neighboring kingdom chiefs who controlled the mountain kingdoms. This was accompanied by a battle wherein Jagatullah was killed by his forces The hill chiefs laid a siege of Anandpur, and Guru Ji had to leave Anandpur as a condition for peace. According to Louis Fenech, his wars with kings of the Himalayan kingdoms were likely triggered by the growing army of Sikhs, which then raided and plundered villages in nearby mountainous kingdoms for supplies. This led all the Hindu kings joined to join forces and blockade Anandpur.
- Battle of Nirmohgarh: In 1702, Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his army fought 3 battles. The first battle was fought against the forces of Muslim Emperor Aurangzeb, which was led by his Muslim commander Wazir Khan and reinforced by the hilly Rajas of the Shivalik Hills on the banks of Nirmohgarh. The battle continued for two days, with heavy losses on both sides, and again Wazir Khan’s army fled the battlefield after losing the war.
- Battle of Basoli: The second battle in 1702 was again fought against the Mughal army. This battle was named after the kingdom of Basoli whose Hindu Raja Dharam Pal supported Guru Ji in the battle. The Mughal army was supported by the rival kingdom of Kahlur. The battle ended when the two sides reached a tactical peace.
- First Battle of Chamkaur: This is the third battle that was fought in 1702.
- Battle of Anandpur: In the year 1704, the Guru Ji army again fought against, the Mughal army led first by his Muslim Commanders Saiyad Khan and then by Ramjan Khan.
- Second Battle of Anandpur: In the same year, 1704, Guru Gobind Singh Ji army fought against the Mughal generals, who were fatally wounded by Sikh soldiers, and the Muslim army finally withdrew. In May 1704 Cruel Aurangzeb then sent a larger army with his two Muslim generals, Wazir Khan and Zaberdast Khan, to destroy the Sikh resistance. The approach the Islamic army took in this battle was to lay a protracted siege against Anandpur, from May to December, cutting off all food and other supplies moving in and out, along with repeated battles.
It is also said that some Sikh men deserted Guru Ji during the Anandpur siege in 1704 and escaped to their homes where their women shamed them, and then they rejoined the Guru’s army and died fighting with him in 1705. Towards the end, the Guru, his family, and followers accepted an offer by Aurangzeb of safe passage out of Anandpur. However, as they left Anandpur in two batches, they were attacked, and one of the batches with Mata Gujari and Guru’s two sons – “Zorawar Singh” aged 8 and “Fateh Singh” aged 5 – were taken captive by the Mughal army. Both his children were executed by burying them alive into a wall. The grandmother Mata Gujari died there as well.
- Battle of Sarsa: Again in the year 1704, Guru Ji fought against the Mughal army led by Muslim general Wazir Khan. The Muslim commander had conveyed Aurangzeb’s promise of a safe passage to Guru Gobind Singh and his family in early December. However, when the Guru accepted the offer and left, Wazir Khan took captives, executed them, and pursued the Guru. The retreating troops he was with were repeatedly attacked from behind, with heavy casualties to his strong Army, particularly while crossing the Sarsa river.
- Second Battle of Chamkaur: In 1704, this battle was regarded as one of the most important battles of the “Dharma Saving History”. It was against the Mughal army led by Muslim Commander Nahar Khan. The Muslim commander was killed, while on Guru Ji’s side the remaining two elder sons of the Guru – “Ajit Singh” and “Jujhar Singh”, along with other Sikh soldiers were killed in this battle.
- Battle of Muktsar: In 1705, the Guru’s army was re-attacked by the Mughal army, being hunted down by Muslim general Wazir Khan, in the arid area of “Khidrana-ki-Dhab“. The Mughals were blocked again, but with many losses of army men’s lives – particularly the famous “Chalis Mukte”, literally, the “Forty Liberated Ones“, and this was the last battle led by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The place of battle called Khidrana was renamed about 100 years later by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to “Mukt-Sar”, meaning, “Lake of Liberation“, after the term “Mukt“, a Sanskrit meaning “Moksha”, of the ancient Indian tradition, in honor of those who gave their lives for the cause of liberation.
Despite fighting throughout his life against brutish Muslims, Guru Gobind Sahib Ji was always without “Nirvair”, meaning “Without Any Differences”, and without “Nirbhau”, meaning “Hatred”. This can be reflected through the instance from history when Guru Sahib allowed “Bhai Kanhaiya Ji” to offer water and medicine to both enemies and friends on the battlefield of Anandpur Sahib. Guru was so humble and compassionate that his arrows had tips made of gold. This was done so that the families of the men killed or injured would be cared for after death, or pay the healing cost.
I pray to Waheguru, in today’s Tyrant world for the bunch of hate-filled people who for their own self-centered agenda is misleading the courageous, pious Sikh community against Sanatana Dharma, should learn from their 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who fought throughout his life against Barbaric Mughals for saving Sanatana Dharma.
ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ ! ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਹਿ !!!
WaheGuru Ji ka Khalsa ! WaheGuru Ji ki Fateh !!!
