By Jaswinder Singh Chadha
Aurengzeb the Mughal
was vicious and cruel
a fanatic and a bigot
he was both fire and fuel
Hindus were regarded
as a hoard of infidels
who must be converted
or else gotton rid off
death and destruction
had become a norm
the Hindus wernīt safe
in this vicious storm
the schools and temples
symbols of Hindu culture
were particular targets
of the wayward Mughal
Vishwanath shrine at Benares
was levelled down
so was Keshvari temple
in the Mathura town
conversion to Islam
was a policy of the state
forced on pain of death
it was a dreaded fate
the cruel Iftikar Khan
the Governor of Kashmir
started the Hindu purge
and swung it into gear
the manīs killer instinct
needed no further urge
enough was his obsession
Hindus were a scourage
Brahamins of Kashmir
met at Amarnath shrine
where a dream revealed
a guidance divine
with Kirpa as a leader
and in circumstances grim
they met Guru Teg Bahadur
to state their case to him
sad tale of the Brahamins
was heard by the master
how Janeous in thousands
were being torn asunder
the Guru was distressed
and troubled in mind
when Gobind, barely nine
walked in from behind
amidst the Brahamins
sat his much worried dad
Gobind looked at him
and said "you do look sad"
" the earth is heavy
with tyranny and dread
a sacrifice is needed
of a great and noble head"
the brave lad responded
relieving his dadīs tension
" who is better than you
for a task of this dimension"
Brahamins were advised
to give Aurengzeb a bid
everyone shall accept Islam
If Guru Teg Bahadur did
the Guru then left for Agra
the king was expected here
Teg and his companions
were arrested over there
they were moved to Delhi
and kept under house arrest
then the torture started
it began with caging first
Teg was offered rewards
to accept the Islamic path
he should comply
or face the kingīs wrath
Teg Bahadur was solid
determined and steadfast
nothing could deter him
from his chosen path
they couldnīt break him
as they tortured his Sikhs
Bhai Matti Dass was the first
who went through this
Matti Dass was sawn
he was sliced into two
the cruel deed was enacted
infront of the Guru
Bhai Dyalla was next
he was boiled in a cauldron
the Sikh kept his faith
and he couldnīt be won
Teg was then to bear
Bhai Satti Dassīs ordeal
who was burnt alive
defending the Sikh ideal
both carrot and the stick
had failed in the end
the revered Guru
will neither yield nor bend
in Chandni Chowk Delhi
Teg was beheaded
a fate he met with calm
a fate he never dreaded
during that night
a dust storm had blown
in its blinding fury
the severed parts were gone
Lakhi Shah hid the body
in a cart of hay
brought it inside his home
and burnt the house away
the head was collected
by Bhai Jaita of Delhi
who took it to Anandpur
after a hazardous journey
the young Guru Gobind
put flame to the funeral pyre
and the sangats present
offered the prayers
ashes arrived from Delhi
with the brave Lakhi Shah
he recounted to the sangats
an account of what he saw
****************************
A Shabad from Guru Teg Bahadur's Gurbani
Ekonkar Satgur Parsad, Raag Gauri, Mehla 9,
Sadho, ye saintly folks
Abandon the urge of vanity
Keep away, night and day
From lust, anger
And the wicked company
If you will accept
Happiness and suffering
As if these were the same
And likewise feel alike
When honoured or brought to shame
And if you can stay detached
From joys of happiness
And pains of distress
You have then grasped
The essence of existence
Abandon flattery and slander
Give these two a miss
And look for Nirvana
The state of sublime bliss
Nanak, this game is difficult
A difficult game to play
A rare Gurmukh or the saintly
Comes to pass this way
SGGS, page 229