━━━━━✧❂✧━━━━━ ...continued from above The Tenth Guru This c | Spiritual Universe
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...continued from above
The Tenth Guru
This courageous young guru established himself at Anandpur and built forts at Pounta and Chamkaur. His inspiring leadership prompted his soldiers to exemplary bravado, earning them the distinguished title of ‘Sava Lakh’. In the ensuing battles, Guru Gobind Singh lost two of his sons in battle and other two, who retreated to Sirhind were captured and bricked alive by Wazir Khan, the Mughal governor of Sirhind. Guru Govind Singh retreated to Muktsar and after a fierce struggle, retired to Talwandi Sabo, Dam Damma Sahib, also known as the Kashi of Sikhs. He was stabbed and he passed away on October 7, 1708, at Nanded. He was succeeded by his chosen disciple, Banda Singh Bairagi, who carried out guerilla warfare against the Mughals, till he too was captured at his fort near Gurdaspur and killed.
The period between 1716 to 1738 was one of wilderness for the Khalsa Panth, but the faith survived. The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 started the gradual break-up of the Mughal Empire. Subsequently, the Sikhs reorganized themselves into confederacies called Misls. This rejuvenated Sikh Army or Dal Khalsa, and it withstood repeated invasions of Persians under Nadir Shah and Afghans under Ahmed Shah, till their man of destiny, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, came on the scene to lead them.
Guru Govind introduced a large number of social, religious and military reforms and stamped Sikhism with the mark of his personality. On Baisakhi we remember and re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals, ethos and values propagated by him and the Gurus.
Time For Celebration
So, year after year, Sikhs around the globe celebrate Baisakhi with great enthusiasm, gusto, hope, and all-night revelries called ‘Baisakhi di raat’. In the Punjab, the Rabi crop is ready for harvesting. This year too the COVID 19 pandemic may dampen the festivities but not their spirit and beliefs.
Baisakhi is a time for celebration, but it also reaffirms the faith in the teachings of Gurus -- oneness of God, social and economic equality and service to the community.
~ Prof Gopal K Piplani
Part 2 of 2
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