Picture representational only
02nd Jul 2013: The notion of “martyrdom” has a special place in Sikhism. A shahid or a martyr chooses to forsake life rather than renounce his/her faith.
In Sikh history, Guru Arjan, who stood for truth, was the first Sikh martyr. Fifth in the line of Sikh Gurus, Arjan became a guru at the age of 18. He not only formed the main pilgrimage centre of the Sikh religion, the Golden Temple on 1601, but also compiled the sacred Adi Granth.
Guru Arjan was a great poet. With 2,312 hymns to his credit, he was called “the ship of sacred poems” even when he was a young boy. Sukhmani Sahib is his most popular composition. A treasure of wisdom, Sukhmani Sahib, Psalm of Peace or the “Consoler of mind and heart”, has a soothing effect on the mind of the reader, listener.
While sitting on the banks of the Ramsar Sarovar, it is believed that Guru Arjan composed Sukhmani Sahib for a devotee who was suffering from great physical pain and mental anguish. After listening to it with devotion, the devotee was restored to calm and health. Hence, Sukhmani Sahib is regarded as the “jewel of bliss”.
Sukhmani Sahib comprises 24 astpadis or cantos, each comprising eight stanzas, all strung together by spiritual and ethical teachings of the Sikh faith. It starts with an invocation to the Supreme Being who is remembered as the only Truth existing since time immemorial — “adi gure, jugadi gure, sat gure and sri gurdeve”.
Namsimran or name meditation is considered the sole path to bliss as well as salvation. To be imbued with the divine word, one has to overcome ego and enter the gate of humility that is possible only through the grace or nadar of the Guru.
The company of holy men — sat-sangat — is a certain way of realising the highest truth. The Almighty, the Creator, is the only truth who controls the entire creation and we, His miniscule beings, should surrender to His will.
Guru Arjan, by sacrificing his life to uphold the sanctity of faith, completely surrendered to the hukam (will) of the God. He not only preached but set an example, too — He guided all humans to stand for truth.
He is called “Shaheeda de Sartaj”, the Crown of all Martyrs and “Sachcha Patshah” (the True King) because of his various social, spiritual, poetic contributions and his supreme sacrifice for his faith.
- Kulbir Kaur teaches sociology at Shyama Prasad Mukherji College, Delhi University