Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji- Jag Ki Chaadar

A very few days ago, Shaheedi Purab of Guru Tegh Bahdaur Patshah Ji passed. Guru Patshah sacrificed his life not his family, friends, country, not even Sikhs but for whole humanity.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji accounts it in his autobiography as

ਤਿਲਕ ਜੰਞੂ ਰਾਖਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਤਾਕਾ || ਕੀਨੋ ਬਡੋ ਕਲੂ ਮਹਿ ਸਾਕਾ ||

ਸਾਧਨਿ ਹੇਤਿ ਇਤੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਕਰੀ || ਸੀਸ ਦੀਆ ਪਰ ਸੀ ਨ ਉਚਰੀ ||੧੩||

ਧਰਮ ਹੇਤ ਸਾਕਾ ਜਿਨਿ ਕੀਆ || ਸੀਸ ਦੀਆ ਪਰ ਸਿਰਰੁ ਨ ਦੀਆ ||

ਨਾਟਕ ਚੇਟਕ ਕੀਏ ਕੁਕਾਜਾ || ਪ੍ਰਭ ਲੋਗਨ ਕਹ ਆਵਤ ਲਾਜਾ ||੧੪||

(ਸ੍ਰੀ ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ, ਅੰਗ ੧੩੧)

He protected the forehead mark and sacred thread (of Hindus) which marked a great event in the Iron Age. For the sake of saints, he laid down his head without even a sigh.13. For the sake of Dharma, he sacrificed himself. He laid down his head but not his creed. The Saints of the Lord abhor the performance of miracles and malpractices.14. (Sri Dassam Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 131)

ਠੀਕਰਿ ਫੋਰਿ ਦਿਲੀਸਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਪੁਰ ਕੀਆ ਪਯਾਨ ||

ਤੇਗ ਬਹਾਦਰ ਸੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਆ ਕਰੀ ਨ ਕਿਨਹੂੰ ਆਨ ||੧੫||

ਤੇਗ ਬਹਾਦਰ ਕੇ ਚਲਤ ਭਯੋ ਜਗਤ ਕੋ ਸੋਕ ||

ਹੈ ਹੈ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਜਗ ਭਯੋ ਜੈ ਜੈ ਜੈ ਸੁਰ ਲੋਕ ||੧੬||

(ਸ੍ਰੀ ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ, ਅੰਗ ੧੩੧)

Breaking the potsherd of his body, head of king of Delhi (Aurangzeb), He left for the abode of Lord.15. The whole world bemoaned the departure of Tegh Bahadur. The whole world grieved at the Guru's departure but the gods hailed at the Guru's arrival in Heavens.16.(Sri Dassam Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 131)

It is the law of Guru Nanak's Darbar that no one will go empty handed from Guru's Darbar.

But there is a common misinterpretation of Guru Sahib as "Hind Ki Chaadar" or "Shield for Hindus". (Explanation for this misinterpretation will be given soon in some future post). Guru Sahib was Guru not only of Sikhs but for whole world.

He could have laid down his life even if Muslims would have been in same situation.

When Emperor Aurangzeb asked Guru Sahib, "Why do you need to sacrifice for Hindus"? Guru Sahib replied, " O Aurangzeb, if Muslims were also tortured in the same way to embrace another religion and if they had came to me, then I would have done the same for them".

Guru Sahib laid down his life not for Hindus but for whole Humanity.

Sainapati, one of the 52 poets of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's court, calls Guru Sahib as "Jag Ki Chaadar" or "Shield for Humanity".

ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਭਏ ਗੁਰੁ ਤੇਗ ਬਹਾਦਰ|| ਸਗਲ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਪੈ ਜਾਕੀ ਚਾਦਰ ||

ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਕੀ ਜਿਨਿ ਪਤਿ ਰਾਖੀ || ਅਟਲ ਕਰੀ ਕਲਿਜੁਗ ਮੈ ਸਾਖੀ ||੧੪||

ਸਗਲ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਜਸ ਭਯੋ ||ਜਿਹ ਤੇ ਸਰਬ ਧਰਮ ਬੰਚਯੋ ||

ਤੀਨ ਲੋਕ ਮੈ ਜੈ ਜੈ ਭਈ|| ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪੈਜ ਰਾਖਿ ਇਮ ਲਈ ||੧੫||

(ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੁ ਸੋਭਾ, ਪੰਨਾ ੧੦-੧੧)

Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib appeared. Sheild for whole Humanity. Who protected Karma and Dharma. In the Dark Age.14. He became famous in the whole world. Who saved all religions. All the Three Worlds, started singing His praises. Satguru saved the weaker ones in this way.

(Sri Gur Sobha, Page 10-11)

So, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji should be called as "Jag Ki Chaadar" or "Shield for Humanity" not as "Hind Ki Chaadar" or "Shield for Hindus".