The first five Gurus of the Ten Guru tradition, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Angad Dev Ji, Guru Amardas Ji, Guru Ramdas Ji, and Guru Arjun Dev Ji, composed the Bani. It was Guru Arjun Dev Ji who edited all the Bani according to the Ragas and composed the Adi Granth, which later became popular as the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. In addition to the Bani of the Gurus, Guru Ji also incorporated the Bani of contemporary devotees and Bhatts. Following him, the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, and the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, composed the Bani. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s Bani consists of 57 verses and 59 stanzas, which Guru Gobind Singh Ji included when he re-edited the Guru Granth Sahib at Talwandi Sabo. These Bani words are set in various ragas, primarily Ragas Varan, Raga Basant, Raga Ramkali, Raat Dhanasari, Raga Asa, etc.
The Concept of Happiness
The focus of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji’s teachings is the ideal life of a householder, life’s priorities, and the definition of true happiness. All human beings engage in various activities in pursuit of happiness, ultimately suffering in one form or another. This is the popular saying of Nanak: “The whole world is suffering,” and a person seeking happiness ends up suffering.
To clarify the concept of happiness, Gurudev Kaur, referring to Guruji’s verse, writes that humans always desire happiness. Their entire working energy is focused on freeing themselves from suffering and attaining happiness. According to Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, happiness can only be achieved through the meditation of the name of God (Akal Purakh).
Regarding this, Guruji writes: Hari ko Naam sada sukhdaee, Jako simar ajaamal udhariyo ganka hu gati page. Jeep nar jaisi gaseous kripanidhi Tako bhaeeo sahaii, kahu Nanak main ehii bharosee gahi can sarnaaee (Meaning: True and lasting happiness lies in chanting Hari’s name. Chanting Hari’s name and the happiness it brings signify liberation from the cycle of birth and death. To attain salvation, one must do spiritual practice in this world. Happiness lies not in any material thing but in the state of mind. The name of Hari controls the state of mind, which undoubtedly leads to happiness).
According to the Bhagwat Puraan, Dhruva was fighting against the tyrannical rule of Hiranyakashipu. He, too, gained strength by chanting Hari’s name. This very belief defeats sorrow. According to time, there was Hiranyakashipu and here is Aurangzeb. Therefore, religious conduct and the name of Hari alone have the power to defeat all kinds of suffering and oppression.
The Practice of Purusharth
In the Indian tradition, the practice of Purusharth is the root of happiness and the foundation of an ideal life. These Purusharth are Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. It is essential to strive for the happiness of these material things. Artha satisfies the hunger of the body, and Kama satisfies the hunger of the mind, but both practices must be performed within the bounds of Dharma. Social norms are Dharma. Every person’s ultimate goal in life should be to attain Moksha; this is what Mahatma Buddha called the Salvation System.
Philosophical scriptures describe two paths to attain Moksha. One is to renounce the world by remaining celibate and attaining Moksha by going to the Himalayas. The other is to live in society and pursue Artha and Kama. Only then will prosperity accrue, which is the path to a life of suffering. Being afflicted with greed is a departure from the path of Dharma. Acquiring wealth is not prohibited; it is essential for the family, but accumulating wealth through the path of greed is prohibited.
In the present times, there is a pressing need to understand and follow this principle of Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Currently, the two models governing economic pursuits worldwide are Marxism and Capitalism. Both models believe that a person becomes happy if their material needs are met, and they consider the fulfilment of intellectual resources to be the key to happiness. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya presented the concept of Integral Humanism as an alternative to Marxism and Capitalism, whose roots lie in the words and resolve of Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, the ninth Guru of the Ten Guru tradition.
Search for Ideal Leadership
Guru Teg Bahadur Ji was searching for a leader who could lead the country in this time of crisis. For this purpose, Guru Nanak Dev Ji travelled and called upon the sages residing in the Himalayan ranges to join forces for social protection. The main reason for the slavery and decline of the country and culture was the lack of an ideal, or the right, abode. Guru Nanak Dev Ji gave this message almost a century ago.
What Guru Nanak Dev Ji had said during the time of Babar became more severe with the arrival of Aurangzeb, the effects of which are visible only in the fatwa Aurangzeb issued to wipe out the cultural identity of Bharat.
Jo nar dukh mein dukh nahi manee, sukh saneh Aurangzeb bhay nahi Jake, Kanchan Matti Jane।।
According to Pyara Singh Padma, this is an ideal personality who can face every kind of crisis. Only he who is not afraid of the praise of people, whether they are happy or sad, can sacrifice his life for the protection of freedom of worship.
Just as Chanakya, in ancient times, set out in search of an ideal king to protect the nation, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, following the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, also set out in search of an ideal personality and was ultimately prepared to sacrifice himself.
Practicing Dharma
Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji is one of the best examples of Dharma. Explaining the true meaning of the word Dharma, he lived his entire life accordingly. The word Dharma is originally a Sanskrit word, meaning to adopt or to understand one’s responsibility. Similarly, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s strong determination to stop the Islamization of the world, especially India, was awakened by the sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
According to British historians, the main reason for the decline of the Mughal Empire in India was the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and the rise of the Hindavi Empire.
The Idea of religious conversion was to reject the change in worship practices and to sacrifice within the Indian sect. Guru ji’s sacrifice was given to protect Tilak and janeu (Sacred Thread) later became the foundation of the Khalsa sect, whose revolution disturbed the sleep of the Mughals. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, cites the immortal sacrifice of the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji:
Tilak janjhu rakha prabh taka, keeno bado Kalu meh Saka.
Sadhana hetu eeti jeenh Kari, sis deeya par See namaste uchari.
Dharam hetu Saka jinh Kiya, Sis Deea path sirup naa deea.
The immense scale of the wave of social consciousness ignited by Guru Nanak Dev Ji inspires the ninth and tenth Gurus to sacrifice. Guru Ji’s self-sacrifice, understood as the command of Akal Purakh, awakened the entire society against unrighteousness, the result of which can be seen in the downfall of the Mughals. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji also performed the fundamental work of establishing social harmony and goodwill. Even today, Guru Ji’s teachings and conduct continue to provide meaningful direction to society.
