In the annals of India’s rich history, the region known as Sapta Sindhu stands as a testament to the spiritual, worldly, and religious activities dating back to the Vedic period. Sapta Sindhu, translated as the ‘Land of Seven Rivers,’ refers to a significant part of the Indian subcontinent that witnessed the flourishing of Vedic culture
India has been the center of the highest culture prevalent since time immemorial, Sanatan Dharma. From here the path of spirituality was paved to the whole world with the lamp of knowledge. Chinese philosophers Fa Heen and Huen Tusang, who came to India from Afghanistan for the knowledge of Buddhism, again seeing the glory of India, addressed the Nation of India as the Divine land.
The nation of India is the only nation whose mention is also contained in the religious and spiritual texts of that place, Sri Vishnu Purana, one of the 18 Puranas of Sanatan Dharma, has the account of Bharat (India) in the following verse:
‘Uttaram Yatsamudrasaya Himadreshchaiva Dakshinam. Varsham Tad Bharatam Naam, Bharati Yatra Santati.’
That is, the country which is situated to the north of the ocean, to the south of the Himalayas is called Bharat, the children of this Bharat are called Bharati.
There is such a part of this great nation of India, which has been the center of spiritual, worldly and religious activities since the Vedic period, which was known as Saptasindhu. The Vedic land is described as the land of seven rivers (Sapta Sindhav) flowing into the sea, which are as follows: Indus, Sutlej, Ravi, Chenav, Jehlum, Beas, Saraswati. It includes the northwestern Indian subcontinent from Gandhara to Kurukshetra, which includes Punjab (India and Pakistan), Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, etc. in the current map view.
In the Vedic period, Saptasindhu was dominated by different kingdoms on different parts of the country, the main kingdoms were Bahalika, Kaikeya, Madra, Trigrata and Sivi, who ruled for religious work by following the Vedas through democratic means according to Janapada-Ganasangha. .
In this same Saptasindhu region, Rigveda, the world’s first written book, was included in the form of Vedanta by Maharishi Ved Vyas, on the banks of river was called Vyas river. In ‘Vyas Cave’, a historical place in the Saptasindhu region, Maharishi Vyas, through his meditation, gave the beginning and end of all the events of Mahabharata orally in the form of a poetic composition, which was given in written form by Shri Ganesha, which took him a total of 3 years. Mahabharata, the ‘fifth Veda’ of Sanatana Dharma, is the longest literary, philosophical and religious text in the world with 1,10,000 verses.
The Takshashila University, the world’s first university in the Middle Vedic period, was located near the city of Takshashila on the banks of the Indus River, which is a testimony to the spiritual and Vedic center of the Saptasindhu region.
Along with cultural background, Sapt Sindhu Punjab also had a brave history. Sikandar, who dreams of conquering the world, fights with the king of Sindh, Porus, and due to the bravery of Porus, Sikandar could never establish his supremacy over this Indus region.
Punjab is an integral part of India and Sword Arm which always protected India from toxic elements and from time to time inspired India to walk on the spiritual path. Since ages, the true meaning of religion was explained to the society by the origin of spiritual texts and spiritual great men on the land of Punjab. In ancient times this work was done by sages who followed the Vedas.
About 553 years ago, the light of cosmic energy powered by God incarnated in the form of Guru Nanak, freed the society from various kinds of evils and gave supernatural knowledge of Brahma. The pearls in the form of a society divided into different religious sects were threaded into a garland by making the thread of Brahma knowledge, which emphasized Indianness through social coordination and harmony. The society at the time of Guru Nanak’s birth was described by a poet as follows:
‘Satguru Nanak Pragatiya, Miti Dhund Jag chanan hora, jiyo Kar Suraj niklea, tare chupe haner paloa.’
Just as the darkness and stars in the sky are hidden by the light of the sun in the morning, in the same way, the darkness of ignorance of social evils ended with the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the incarnated form of Akal Purukh. Guru Nanak Dev chose the spiritual path to counter the harmful forces of the cruel and negative social outlook of the time. The meaning of spirituality by Vedas is such a path, which establishes a union with the divine power by channeling the inner positive energy of man in the right direction. Guru Nanak Dev ji also resolved social disorders through his speech and also opposed the poisonous seed of Mughal Empire flourishing on the soil of India.
Gurmukhi script, which is basically a part of Sanskrit language, was used by the second Guru, Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji to save and collect Brahmagyan and Nanak Vani from the Mughals. The Gurmukhi script is of great importance in the Punjabi language. Paved on the spiritual path, Sikhism continued to work for public welfare by following the path shown by the Gurus with full devotion, but the evidence of spiritual strength was found at the time of the martyrdom of the fifth Guru, Shri Guru Arjun Dev Ji. Tolerated the atrocities committed by the Mughal rulers but did not accept the religious conversion.
Shri Guru Arjun Dev Ji became the first Guru of Punjab to give martyrdom for the protection of religion of the land. After the martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev Ji, the spirit of the Guru tradition shifted towards spirituality as well as Shaktya (power) practice. In Shaktya practice, the Sikh Gurus made Khadga, a symbol of power, a part of the lifestyle. Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind ji adopted two weapons called Miri Piri, one for social and the other for religious protection, through which he emphasized on the use of power for the protection of society and religion.
This Shaktaya practice was preserved by his son, the ninth Guru, Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, and also by his grandson, the tenth Guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It was the effect of Nanak Swarupi Jyot of Akal Prabhu, due to which Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji and Gobind Singh ji came forward as national heroes for the duty of protection of India’s nation during the highest period of Mughal ruler.
The energy and cosmic knowledge of all the Gurus was given in the form of a book, which becoming famous by the name of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is spreading light by becoming a lamp of knowledge on subjects like social welfare and unity.
Saptasindhu Punjab, used to be the centre of spiritual and religious knowledge by obeying the teachings of Vedas and The sacred text Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Some poisonous ideologies tried to harm the unity and brotherhood of Punjab, that kept burning the land of Punjab in the fore of hatred for almost three decades. When the social conditions of Punjab became normal, then some political parties for the allurement of power, have made Punjab, apuppet of foreign countries which turned the land of Punjab, a anti-national issue.
In order to crush their harmful imagination related to Punjab, the society of Punjab needs to regroup and establish the feeling of brotherhood, harmony and coordination among all, irrespective of their caste,creed and religion. We can turn Punjab again into golden bird by doing such friendly practices.
‘Nanak Naam chardi kalan, tere bhane sarbat da Bhala’
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