Guru Arjan

Guru Arjan (born April 15, 1563, Goindwal [now in Punjab], India—died May 30, 1606, Lahore, India [now in Punjab, Pakistan]) was an Indian spiritual leader, revered as the fifth Sikh Guru (1581–1606). He is considered to be the first Sikh martyr, executed by the Mughal ruler Jahangir. He was also the father of the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind. Guru Arjan took over the leadership of the Sikh community from his father, Guru Ram Das, and successfully expanded it by developing several spiritual centers of Sikhism.

Early life and times

Guru Arjan was born to the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das, and his wife, Bibi Bhani, in the sacred town of Goindwal, in what is now Punjab, India. He was the youngest of their three sons. Arjan spent his childhood in Goindwal with his parents and his maternal grandfather, Guru Amar Das (the third Sikh Guru). While living in a family that was basically an institution of Sikhism, he learned the Sikh values of service, humility, love, and truthfulness, among other things. He was taught the Gurmukhi script, a writing system developed by the Sikhs for their sacred literature. It is believed that he received an education in Persian and Islamic studies. He also received training in music, including Sikh hymns and Indian classical music.

In Sikhism it was not uncommon for the Guruship to pass through successive generations. However, Guru Amar Das’s decision to appoint his son-in-law, Guru Ram Das, as his successor rather than one of his sons sparked a dispute. In a society where primogeniture was the norm, this decision led Mohan, one of Guru Amar Das’s sons, to establish another seat in Goindwal. When Arjan was 11, his father, newly installed as the fourth Sikh Guru, was tasked with creating a new spiritual center. The family, with their disciples, then moved to Guru Ka Chakk (“Guru’s village”), which later became known as Ramdaspur and is now called Amritsar. In 1579, at age 16, Arjan married Ganga Devi.

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Sikhism: Guru Arjan

While Sikhism as a religion was taking shape, the Mughal Empire was strengthening under the emperor Akbar in India. During this time Arjan was sent to Lahore (now in Pakistan) to set up a Sikh congregation in the region. Lahore, which was the principal center of Sufi orders, provided ample opportunity for Arjan to learn about other religions, which is evident in some of his writings. After about two years there, Arjan was recalled to Ramdaspur by his father.

Installation as Guru

Arjan was installed as Guru in September 1581 by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das. The news of his installation was controversial because he was the youngest son and, according to the rules of primogeniture, the seat should have been passed down to the eldest son, Prithi Chand. This caused disharmony among the siblings. Guru Arjan consolidated his authority through hymns emphasizing humility and by mobilizing loyal followers against Prithi Chand’s opposition.

In his role as a spiritual leader, Guru Arjan guided the community to adhere to the principles of Guru Nanak. His role was formative in shaping and consolidating Sikhism in its early stages.

Contributions to Sikhism

Sikh sacred sites

Following in his father’s footsteps by developing spiritual centers of Sikhism, Guru Arjan completed the construction of the sacred pools (sarovars) in Santokhsar, Ramsar, and Amritsar. In 1588 Guru Arjan laid the foundation stone of the Golden Temple, also called Harmandir, at Amritsar, where all Sikhs could worship. This gurdwara is now the most important pilgrimage site of Sikhism. Further he established the town of Kartarpur, where a Sikh congregation was set up to attract more people to settle there. He also expanded the Sikh center commercially. Guru Arjan strengthened the institutional, scriptural, and economic foundations of the community, thus making his role both organizational and spiritual. He extended the social reform and missionary efforts of earlier Gurus.

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The Guru’s martyrdom

Guru Arjan and the Sikh community prospered until the Mughal emperor Akbar died and his successor, Jahangir, began to oppress the Sikhs. Rumors against the Guru were spread by persons jealous of Arjan’s popularity, and he was taken before Jahangir, who fined him 200,000 rupees and ordered the elimination of all sections of the Adi Granth that gave offense to either Hinduism or Islam. Guru Arjan refused and was tortured to death. From that time on, the Sikhs, recognizing that they would be subject to further persecution by Mughal rulers, became more militaristic. Building on the growing spiritual and temporal authority under Guru Arjan, his 11-year-old son and successor, Guru Hargobind, organized the Sikh community for self-defense. Guru Hargobind also instituted the doctrine of miri-piri, meaning that temporal and spiritual authority go hand in hand.