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“If you desire to play this game of love with Me, Then step onto My Path with your head in hand. When you place your feet on this Path, Give Me your head and do not pay any attention to public opinion.” - Guru Nanak Dev Ji1
The first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, chose his successor based on the message contained within this quotation. The story goes that one day Guru Nanak Dev Ji had an intense look in his eyes and told his Sikhs to walk with him. As they walked, followers noticed Guru Nanak dropping valuable coins. Some Sikhs began picking up the copper, silver and gold coins. They thought they were being rewarded by Guru Nanak. However, those who stopped to pick up the coins quickly lost sight of Guru Nanak. The only two people who had not stopped to pick up coins were a yogi, and a devoted Sikh named Bhai Lehna. Guru Nanak, the yogi and Bhai Lehna came upon what looked to be a corpse covered in a sheet. Guru Nanak ordered them to eat it. The yogi backed out, but Bhai Lehna asked Guru Nanak, “Where shall I start?” Guru Nanak told him to start from the middle. Bhai Lehna lifted the sheet to find that there was no corpse, but rather a large amount of food, known as prashad. Guru Nanak told the yogi, “See, I have many followers, but only one true student.” The yogi said, “This man is like your ‘ang’, a limb of your own body, he is a part of you.” Bhai Lehna was then named Angad and later became the second Guru of the Sikhs.2In reference to the opening quotation by Guru Nanak, the story teaches that, under any circumstances, a true Sikh will always have full trust and devotion for the Guru. Even though Bhai Lehna was asked to do the unthinkable, he sacrificed his ego and followed his Guru’s instructions without questioning him. Who else knows better than the Guru? In the story, the general thinking of the public was to pick up the coins and assume that Guru Nanak was rewarding them. Ultimately, by being swayed by their own minds and temptations, they lost sight of the Guru’s path.
In addition to calling for full devotion and trust in the Guru, the words of Guru Nanak quoted at the outset of this essay are also the foundation of the Sikh tradition of martyrdom. In regards to martyrdom, this essay seeks to answer the following question: What is behind Sikhs’ willingness to sacrifice their lives in defense of their principles, even in the face of extreme torture? Although there are thousands of Sikh martyrs, to thoroughly explore the above question, this essay will focus on the martyrdom of the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, and his four grandsons, known as the Char Sahibzade. This essay will ultimately illustrate that the Sikh tradition of martyrdom is clearly born from, and guided by, the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, which are contained within the pages of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, including this essay’s opening quotation and other supporting passages from Sikh scripture.
During Guru Tegh Bahadur’s Guruship, the Mughal Emperor of Hindustan (India), Aurangzeb, was forcibly converting all non-Muslims to Islam. The Pandits from Kashmir were given an ultimatum to convert to Islam or face death. History says that to save their religion the Pandit sprayed to Lord Shiva at Amarnath Temple. They asked Lord Shiva for help. At the Temple, Lord Shiva appeared in a dream asking them to go to Guru Tegh Bahadur. They all went to seek the Guru’s help as he was the only one who could protect their faith and honour.3
The Kashmiri Pandits, led by Pandit Kirpa Ram reached the city of Anandpur Sahib on May 25, 1675.They met with Guru Tegh Bahadur to discuss their plight. After hearing about their grave situation, Guru Ji went into deep thought. Suddenly, his son, eleven-year-old Gobind Rai (who later became Guru Gobind Singh), asked his father what made him look pensive. Guru Ji answered, “To save their religion from persecution a holy soul must lay down his life.” Gobind Rai replied, “For such a noble act, no one could be worthier than you, Father.” After hearing his son’s extraordinary reply, the Guru resolved to lay down his life for freedom of religion. Guru Tegh Bahadur told the Pandits, “Tell the emperor that if Guru Tegh Bahadur converts then all of us will convert to Islam.”3 Gurbani says, “To court death for an approved cause, is the right of every true Hero.”4 Relating to the opening quotation by Guru Nanak, saving the religion of another was the task placed on Guru Tegh Bahadur by his Guru, Waheguru. Guru Tegh Bahadur was the epitome of being egoless. His mind and soul was one with Waheguru. Thus it was his mission to protect freedom of religion for all those Waheguru loves, no matter what faith they belong to.
On July 11, 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur along with Bhai Mati Das, Sati Das and Bhai Dyal Das set out by foot to Delhi, the capital of the Mughal Empire. They were arrested along the way and held in captivity for three months. When no amount of torture could force them to embrace Islam they were taken to Chandni Chowk in Delhi where they were put in separate cages on November 4, 1675.3 The first to undergo torture was Bhai Mati Das. He was asked, “Do you accept Islam?” Hearing, “No,” the Mughals tied him between two upright logs with his face towards Guru Ji. The Mughals proceeded to saw Bhai Mati Das from head to toe. During the execution he continued reciting the Japji prayer until his last breath. Next was Bhai Dyal Das. The same question was put to him. After hearing, “No,” the Mughals placed him in a large boiling vessel filled with water. Bhai Dyal Das also sang the Guru’s Hymns showing no hint of pain. Then Bhai Sati Das refused to convert. The Mughals wrapped him in cotton and lit him on fire. Bhai Sati Das also sang the Guru’s Hymns cheerfully. They all attained martyrdom on November 11, 1675.5Guru Arjan Dev Ji (known as Shaheedan de Sirtaj ‘the Supreme Martyr’) says in Guru Granth Sahib Ji, “All pains and afflictions run away from those, whose minds are filled with the Word of the Guru’s Bani.”1 Relating to the opening quotation by Guru Nanak, Bhai Mati Das, Sati Das and Dyal Das Ji were unaffected by torture, remaining focused on love for their Guru. The martyrs were fully devoted to their Guru’s righteous cause: freedom of religion.
The Mughals hoped that by torturing the three Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadur would break his resolve. However, they failed to break the Guru’s spirit. Aurangzeb told Guru Ji to prove he was a holy man by performing a miracle or else renounce his faith. Guru Ji replied, “I will tie a charm around my neck and your sword will not be able to harm me!” Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded before thousands of spectators. Afterwards, the Mughals opened the charm and it read, “I gave my head, but not my faith!”6 Guru Ji did not perform any miracle to save himself. Instead he used the strongest power of all: love. He handed his head to Waheguru, completing his mission to save a religion that was not his own. For his sacrifice, Guru Ji is revered in history as, “Dharam Di Chadar ‘Saviour of Religion’.”3 During Guru Ji’s execution, a brave Sikh named Bhai Jaita stood in the crowd. Immediately after the execution, he took Guru Ji’s head and fled from Delhi to Anandpur. Five days later he reached Anandpur and respectfully gave the Guru’s head to his son, the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Rai. Guru Gobind Rai asked, “Was there any Sikh in the crowd?” Bhai Jaita replied, “There were Sikhs. But they were not visible.” Guru Ji then exclaimed, “I will make my Sikhs visible from a crowd of thousands!”7 This statement by Guru Gobind Rai later manifested into Sikhism’s final form, known as the Khalsa.
Guru Gobind Rai sent word far and wide for Sikhs to gather in Anandpur on April 13, 1699. Followers were to come with unshorn hair. When the day arrived, Guru Ji unsheathed his sword asking all who had assembled, “Is anyone ready to sacrifice his head to protect his faith?” For awhile there was silence until a man named Daya Ram raised his hand. Guru Ji took him inside a tent, then came out alone with his sword stained with blood. Everyone was in shock. The question was asked four more times. The other four volunteers to offer their heads to the Guru were Dharam Das, Himmat Rai, Mohkam Chand and Sahib Chand.9 Each time, Guru Ji exited the tent alone with an increasing amount of blood on his sword. The crowd was in disbelief. But then it happened. Guru Ji brought the five men out from the tent, unharmed and dressed in new clothing. Guru Ji said, “These are my Five Beloved. You all thought I was actually killing these brave Sikhs, and they themselves thought I was demanding their lives. Yet they came forward in answer to my call.”8Heeding the words of Guru Nanak quoted at the outset of this essay, the Five Beloved abandoned their ego to sacrifice their lives for their Guru. The Guru baptized the Five Beloved, uniting them into the order of the Khalsa, giving men and women the names Singh and Kaur respectively. The Guru then asked them to baptize him. The Five Beloved asked Guru Ji what he would give up, as they had given up their head for Guru Ji. He replied, “My family.” So selfless was Guru Ji! He gave up everything dear to him. He did not care for land or wealth, only to vanquish tyranny. And so he became Guru Gobind Singh, and his four sons, the Char Sahibzade, were also baptized into the new Sikh nation known as the Khalsa. However, this transformation of the Sikh nation did not happen overnight. For years, Guru Ji carefully articulated his vision for the Khalsa. Whereas the opening quotation by Guru Nanak was the wood that laid the foundation for the Sikh tradition of martyrdom, it was up to Guru Gobind Singh to light the match to inspire his Sikhs to even greater heights of selfless sacrifice.
Hindustan was still under the tyrannical rule of the Mughal Empire. Feeling threatened by this new Khalsa nation and jealous of the Guru’s popularity, the Mughals, aided by the Hindu Hill Kings, waged war against the Guru. The war was at its peak from summer to winter of1704 when the enemy had cut supplies to Anandpur where the Guru resided. Although the Khalsa lacked sustenance, they did not surrender their fight. The Mughals and Hill Kings, in contrast, were eager to retreat. They had suffered heavy losses, and they also suffered from the hot summer followed by the monsoon season. To save face, the Mughals gave Guru Gobind Singh a sacred oath from the Quran signed by Aurangzeb, and the Hill Kings gave a cow (a sacred animal for Hindus),promising to allow the Khalsa a safe exit out of Anandpur. Guru Ji did not trust them. However, due to the deteriorating conditions, he followed the Khalsa’s advice that everyone should leave Anandpur on December 20, 1704. But the enemy broke its promise as soon as the Khalsa departed. The Khalsa was ambushed and while crossing the river Sirsa, the tides were high and rapid, pulling everyone in different directions.9 This caused Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh to be separated from their father and elder brothers. Sahibzada Zorawar and Fateh Singh were accompanied by their grandma, Mata Gujari Ji, and headed to the village, Kheri, staying with a servant named Gangu.10 Guru Gobind Singh and his elder sons, Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh, along with a band of forty Sikhs, headed towards the fort of Chamkaur.9
Shortly after setting up camp at Chamkaur, Guru Gobind Singh and his Khalsa were attacked again by the Mughals, led by Wazir Khan of Sirhind. The Mughals were about ten lakhs strong. The forty Sikhs, although vastly outnumbered, still demonstrated unlimited courage.9 When the Mughals launched their attacks, Guru Gobind Singh sent out five soldiers at a time. At one point, Sahibzada Ajit Singh asked his father’s permission to fight, “Dear father, my name is Ajit or Unconquerable. I will not be conquered. And if conquered, I will not flee or come back alive. Permit me to go father.” Guru Ji considered all those Sikhs who had died before his eyes to also be his sons. He did not show favouritism. And so, he blessed Sahibzada Ajit Singh along with four other Sikhs to charge against the Mughals. Guru Ji saw his son fiercely slay many soldiers. When 18-year-old Sahibzada Ajit Singh attained martyrdom, Guru Ji thanked God that his son achieved eternal life.5 Inspired by his older brother, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh sought permission to fight by saying, “I shall die fighting with God and Guru on my lips and in my heart.” Guru Ji blessed his 16-year-old son, and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh fought as bravely as his older brother. He too attained martyrdom and Guru Ji once again thanked God.5 Bhagat Kabir Ji in Guru Granth Sahib says, “He alone is known as a spiritual hero, who fights in defense of religion. He may be cut apart, piece by piece, but he never leaves the field of battle.”1 In relation to Bhagat Kabir’s hymn, both Sahibzadas fought in defense of freedom of religion, like their grandfather. Sahibzada Ajit Singh never left the field of battle, remaining unconquerable as he had told his father he would. Relating to the opening quotation by Guru Nanak, he gave up his ego and manifested the trust and devotion for his Guru within his mind and heart to remain valiant on the battlefield. Similarly, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh followed through on the game of love by defending his father, who was also his Guru. Both Sahibzadas attained martyrdom on December 22, 1704. Two centuries later, a Muslim Poet, Jogi Allah Yar Khan, wrote the following verses about the Battle of Chamkaur: “There is only one place for pilgrimage in India/ Where the father sacrificed his sons at the altar of God/ Every spot of the earth at Chamkaur shines with God’s glory!”9
Meanwhile, in Kheri, the greedy servant Gangu had Mata Gujri Ji and her grandsons arrested. The chief of Kheri handed them to the Governor of Sirhind, Wazir Khan, who locked them up in an extremely cold tower. The next day, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were taken to the court of Wazir Khan without their grandmother.10 Guru Ram Das Ji(fourth Sikh Guru) says in Guru Granth Sahib, “Those who meditate on the Fearless One, on the Fearless Lord – all their fears are dispelled.”1 The brave young souls embodied their Guru’s teachings by shedding their ego to walk the Guru’s path and radiate confidence in the court of Sirhind. They were offered a luxurious lifestyle to embrace Islam. But the courageous cubs of the brave lion, Guru Gobind Singh, flatly refused and said, “We are ready for all sacrifices for the protection of our faith.”10 Following the words of Guru Nanak and Guru Ram Das, they had no fear to give their heads. Wazir Khan was fed up with their stubbornness and ordered them to be bricked alive in the middle of Sirhind, for all to see. After they were cruelly encased head to toe by bricks, the wall collapsed. When the executioners checked on them, they were still breathing, so their throats were ordered to be cut in the Halal manner of slaughter.10 Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh attained martyrdom on December 26, 1704. At nine and seven years old, they are the youngest martyrs in history.11 All four Sahibzadas are reverentially called ‘Baba,’ meaning ‘wise old soul,’ as they embodied the spiritual wisdom – and courage – of their Gurus. As Jogi Yar Allah Khan fittingly wrote, “Yaqub cried bitterly as Yusuf was separated from him. Has there ever been a prophet who sacrificed all the four sons and didn’t shed a tear?”9
In conclusion, “a martyr, in Sikh philosophy, is a person who bearing witness to the truth of his faith and tohis own unwavering commitment and allegiance to it tries to protect his or anybody else’s rights and suffers privation and/or courts death in the process.”3 But how can one show “unwavering commitment and allegiance” to the Guru when you do not have the courage to stand up for your Guru? This paradox led to Guru Gobind Singh creating the Khalsa, so that Sikhs, out of true love for the Guru, will do whatever the Guru instructs, including giving their lives. The example of the family of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib – all of whom practiced to perfection what is preached within Guru Granth Sahib Ji – was engrained in the psyche of Sikhs throughout the 18th century, and beyond, when thousands went on to follow their brave path, attain martyrdom, and become immortalized. Today, Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib stands in commemoration at the spot where Guru Tegh Bahadur achieved martyrdom in Chandni Chowk.3Gurdwara Sri Katalgarh Sahib, situated on the battlefield of Chamkaur, commemorates the sacrifices of Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh. And Gurdwara Sri Fatehghar Sahib honours the ultimate act of love by Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, where they were bricked alive as they followed the Gurus’ teachings till their last breaths.
Written by - Bayantseva Singh Pandher
Glossary
Prashad: anoffering of food from the Guru
Bhai: Panjabi termof respect for a man
Guru Granth SahibJi: holy scripture of the Sikhs
Pandit: a learnedperson with specialized knowledge of Hindu philosophy
Gurbani: sacredteachings from Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikh scriptures
Waheguru: God;literally means wonderous enlightener and destroyer of darkness
Japji: first Sikhprayer composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Quran: Muslim holybook
Ten Lakhs: onemillion
Sahibzada: respectedterm for the sons of Guru Gobind Singh
Mata: respectedterm for revered mothers in Sikh history
Wazir: minister
Works Cited
[1] Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Sections: SalokVaran Thay Vadhekh: Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Ang 1412, Raag Prabhaatee: Guru Arjan Dev Ji Ang1340, Raag Maru: Bhagat
Kabir Ji Ang 1105, So Purakh: Guru Ram Das JiAng 10.
2 Khalsa,Gurutej Singh. “Bhai Lehna’s Devotion.” SikhNet, 6 Mar. 2024,
www.sikhnet.com/stories/audio/bhai-lehna-jis-devotion.
3Dr. Dharam Singh & Dr. Paramvir Singh. Guru Tegh BahadurHis Life, Travels And
Message (Publications Divisions:The Director General, Publications Division,
Ministry ofInformation and Broadcasting India) p. 158, 162, 163, 157.
4 Principal Satbir Singh. Illustrated Martyrdom Tradition (ShiromaniGurdwara Parbandhak Committee, S. ManjitSingh Calcutta Secretary, Shiromani Dharam
ParcharCommittee (SGPC), Sri Amritsar Golden Offset Press (SGPC)) p. 2.
5 Kartar Singh M.A. & Gurdial Singh Dhillon. Storiesfrom Sikh history book V (Hemkunt
Press 1971, Twenty ThirdImpression 1998 Reprinted 1999 ISBN 81-7010-010-0)
Chapter 3 p.33 and Chapter 5 p. 48 –50.
6 Mala Singh.Guru Gobind Singh (Amar Chitra Katha) p. 3.
7 Kesar Singh Chibber. Bansavalinama Dass Patshahian Ka p.122.
8 Jaya Thadani. When Sparrows Killed Hawks. (FirstEdition – December, 1966. Second
July, 1971. Published bythe Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Chandigarh and
Printed at Nav Yug Press,Chandni Chowk, Delhi) Chapter 6: The Birth of the Khalsa p. 35.
9 Prof. Jagdish Singh. The Immortal Story of Chamkaur Sahib:The Martyrdom of Elder
Sahibzadas (Secretary, ShiromaniGurdwara Prabhandak Committee, Amritsar)
p. 1 – 2, 7 – 10, 11 – 14, 23, 37.
10 Prof. Jagdish Singh. Supreme Sacrifice of YoungSouls: The Martyrdom of the Younger
Sahibzadas (SGPC Amritsar: GoldenOffset Press, SGPC Amritsar) p. 6, 9 – 32.
11 Sikh Entrepreneur. “Sahibzada Fateh Singh - the Youngest Martyr inthe World.” Sikh Entrepreneur, 2024 © SikhEntrepreneur.com, 14 Dec. 2023,
www.sikhentrepreneur.com/youngest-martyr-in-the-world/.
