Guru Har Gobind
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Guru Har Gobind (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ) (19 June 1595 - 03 March 1644) was the sixth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 25 May 1606 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Arjan Dev. Before he died, he nominated Guru Har Rai, his grandson as the next Guru of the Sikhs.
Guru Har Gobind combined in his personality a saint, sportsman and a soldier. His father Guru Arjan Dev was a true saint but the boy Har Gobind had perceived his father's saintliness suffer and erode at the brutal hands of Mughal tyranny. When yet a little more than a child Guru Har Gobind was convinced that for sustaining the Panth sword was as essential as sainthood. He hence advocated that a Sikh Guru would represent both the Miri and Piri, the Shakti and Bhakti and the Tegh and Degh. He decided to wear on his waist two swords instead of one, that is, one to chastise the oppressor and the other to protect the innocent. ", He declared that the Guru's house would henceforth combine the spiritual and the mundane powers, his rosary would serve also as his sword-belt and an emblem of regality would crown his turban. He would sit in a regular court with regalia around. Sikhs were commanded to keep a sword and maintain a horse. The aureole of Guru Nanak's Sikhism and the humming melodies of his sangats had with Guru Har Gobind combined with them the dazzling brilliance and the deafening sound of swords.
The following is a summary of the main highlights of Guru Hargobind's life:
- Transformed the Sikh fraternity by introducing martial arts and weapons for the defence of the masses following his father's martyrdom.
- Militarised the Sikh movement – Carried 2 swords of Miri and Piri.
- Built the Akal Takht in 1608 – which now one of five Takhts (“Seat of Power”) of the Sikhs.
- Founded the city of Kiratpur in District Jalandhar, Punjab.
- He was imprisoned in the fort of Gwalior for one year and on release insisted that the other 52 fellow prisoners be freed as well. To mark this occasion the Sikhs celebrate Diwali (bandi chod divas).
- The first Guru to engage in warfare.
- Fought 4 battles with the Mughal rulers.
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| Preceded by: Guru Arjan Dev (15 April 1563 - 30 May 1606) |
Guru Har Gobind | Followed by: Guru Har Rai (26 February 1630 - 30 May 1661) |
| The Ten Gurus of Sikhism | ||
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Guru Nanak Dev | Guru Angad Dev | Guru Amar Das | Guru Ram Das | Guru Arjun Dev | Guru Har Gobind | Guru Har Rai | Guru Har Krishan | Guru Teg Bahadur | Guru Gobind Singh | (Followed by Guru Granth Sahib, Perpetual Guru of the Sikhs) |
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| Gurus: | Nanak Dev | Angad Dev | Amar Das | Ram Das | Arjun Dev | Har Gobind | Har Rai | Har Krishan | Teg Bahadur | Gobind Singh | Guru Granth Sahib | Sikh Bhagats |
| Philosophy: | Beliefs and principles | Underlying values | Prohibitions | Technique and methods | Other observations |
| Practices: | Ardās | Amrit Sanskar | Chaṛdī Kalā | Dasvand | Five Ks | Kirat Karō | Kirtan | Langar | Nām Japō | Simran | Three Pillars | Vaṇḍ Chakkō |
| Scripture: | Guru Granth Sahib | Adi Granth | Dasam Granth | Bani | Chaupai | Jaap Sahib | Japji Sahib | Mool Mantar | Rehras | Sukhmani | Tav-Prasad Savaiye |
| More: | History | Ek Onkar | Gurdwara | Harmandir Sahib | History | Khalsa | Khanda | Literature | Music | Names | Places | Politics | Satguru | Sikhs | Waheguru | Bhagat Farid | Bhagat Kabir | History of the Punjab | Sardar | Takhat |
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