SIRI GURU JEE’S AVTAAR

According to the English calender Siri Guru jee took avtaar on January 5, 1666 and according to the Bikrami calender Siri Guru jee took avtaar on Poh Sudi Saptmee Sammat 1723. Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee at that time was in Dhaka (now Bangladesh) when he received the news of Siri Guru jee’s avtaar. Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee named his son Gobind Rai (Gobind Daas). It is written that Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee physically saw his son in 1670 i.e. 4 years after his avtaar. Then too he stayed at Patna Sahib for few days and had to leave for Siri Anandpur Sahib to build this city.

Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee Maharaaj stayed at Patna Sahib for 6 years and in these six years, Patna became heaven like. It became a centre of Sikhi in those days. The whole city of Patna fell in love with Siri Guru jee. Siri Guru jee did great choj (mystical works) in this city.



SAAYEEN BHEEKHAN SHAH’S REALIZATION

A Very mystical and amazing incident occurred after the avtaar of Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee. Saayeen Bheekhan Shah, a renowned Sufi saint of his time saw a great vision while he was in meditation. Such was the impact of this vision on Saayeen Bheekhan Shah that he changed the direction of performing Nimaaz (prayer of Muslims).

Normally Muslims perform Nimaaz facing towards Mecca Sharif but Bheekhan Shah started doing nimaaz facing east i.e. toward Patna Sahib. His followers were surprised but Bheekhan Shah did not care. He decided to go to Patna Sahib. Before we proceed further and narrate the events that took place at his arrival at Patna Sahib, let us explore the background of Bheekhan Shah.



BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON BHEEKHAN SHAH

Sayeen Bheekhan Shah was born in a Sayyad family (family that can trace it’s roots to Prophet Mohammad) in village Siyaana, town Kainthal and district Karnal (now Haryana, India) in 1637. When he grew older he moved to a town called Thaska and for this reason people started calling him Thaska Meer jee.

Saayeen jee commanded great respect in his area. Once he witnessed some police constables taking away a prisoner to carry out the death sentence against him. Saayeen jee saw the prisoner and felt sorry for him. The prisoner was feeling genuine remorse for what he had done and begged Saayeen jee to get him released. Saayeen jee sent a note to the ruler of Sirhind and got the prisoner released. He was one of the most famous Sufi Saints of this time. In village Ghudaam, there is a huge fort-like dargaah (religious place) in memory of Saayeen jee.



BHEEKHAN SHAH TRAVELS TO PATNA SAHIB

Saayeen jee could not control his urge to get darshan of Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee. His vision in meditation was such that he had to get darshan of Siri Guru jee to elevate further in spirituality. He had reached the top level of spirituality following the faith he was following at that time and now needed someone to guide him to the next step. He arrived at Patna Sahib and asked for permission to get darshan of Siri Guru jee.

He decided to test Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee. Siri Guru jee was only few months old at that time. Saayeen jee bought two small clay pots and put sweets in each of them. Then he took two bowls and put water in one and milk in the other one. He was looking for guidance from Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee about the two main faiths in India – Islam and Hinduism. He had two questions:

1) Followers of which religion would get Siri Guru jee help.
2) Which religion would he adopt and recognize.

He placed different sweets in both pots, each representing the two main faiths of India at that time, in front of Siri Guru jee, who was only few months old at that time.

Siri Guru jee placed his hands on both pots and then looked at Saayeen jee with meaningful gaze. Saayeen jee lowered his eyesight and removed the pots.

Then Saayeen jee placed two bowls, one filled with water and the other with milk. The one with water represented Islam and the one with milk represented Hinduism. Siri Guru jee this time did not move this hands forward but with his two tiny feet pushed the bowls down from the table, spilling milk and water in the two bowls. After throwing the two bowls on the floor, Siri Guru jee smilingly looked at Saayeen Bheekhan Shah jee. Saayeen jee could no longer resist. He moved forward and kissed the feet of Siri Guru jee.

The sangat watching this event very keenly was surprised and did not know what to make out of it. But Saayeen jee moved forward and kissed the lotus feet of Siri Guru jee. He had received his answers. The answer to first question was the Siri Guru jee would help followers of any religion who came to him for help and the answer to second question was the Siri Guru jee rejected both faiths of India at that time.

Siri Guru jee in his baani very clearly has explained this:

RAAM RAHIM PURAAN KORAN, ANAIK KAHAIM MATT, AIK NAA MAANIYO||
(Puraans the Hindu religious books and Koran etc. explain different matts i.e. religious but I don’t recognize any of them)

Saayeen jee clearly felt elevated spiritually after getting darshan of Siri Guru jee. It is not clear that how long he stayed alive after this. Pir Budhu Shah who was also from the same area as Saayeen Bheekhan Shah was greatly influenced by Saayeen jee and became a Sikh of Siri Guru jee.

Siri Guru jee was a born Brahmgiyaani as his great grandfather – Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee. It is written in Gurbani that Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee realized Vaheguru as soon as he received Naam from Siri Guru Amardaas jee, at his birth.


THE FAQIR MEETS GURU SAHIB AGAIN IN HIS HOMETOWN

Saayeen Bheekhan Shah met Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee Maharaaj again, when Siri Guru jee reached the age of 6. As per hukam from his father and Guru – Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee – he started his journey from Siri Patna Sahib to Siri Anandpur Sahib. We will cover the details of Siri Guru jee’s journey in another article, here we will cover his stay in the town of Lakhnaur.

When Siri Guru jee arrived in this town, Saayeen Bheekhan Shah came to Siri Guru jee like a thirsty person goes to the well. He met Siri Guru jee with great respect and love. From there, he requested Siri Guru jee to visit his dera in the town of Thaska. Ignorant historians have called Saayeen Bheekhan Shah a Muslim but the reality is that he became a Sikh after his vision in meditation. What Muslim would do his nimaaz facing the direction opposite of Mecca Sharif? Sayeen Bheekhan Shah used to do his nimaaz facing the direction Guru Gobind Singh jee stayed i.e. towards Patna Sahib.



GURU SAHIB REJECTS THE CORRUPT MASAND

In this area there was a masand by the name of Ghogga. He was a very corrupt person and invited Siri Guru jee to his house. Jaanee-jaan (all knowing) Siri Guru jee refused to visit his house and did not even drink water from his house. He called him ‘Ghogga – Kapat ka Mogga (Ghogga you are full of deceit). Siri Guru jee was enlightened right from the time of his birth just like his great grandfather Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee who according to Gurbani became a Brahmgyani right at the time of birth and when his grandfather Siri Guru Amardas jee whispered Naam in his ear - "Tain Janmat Gurmat Brahm Pachhaniyo".


AN INTERESTING INCIDENT

A very interesting incident occurred, when Siri Guru jee was in Lakhnaur. The famous Sufi saint Faqir Aarifu-deen was travelling in his palanquin (paalki) that he saw Siri Guru jee (who was only 6 years old at that time) playing gatka (martial arts) with children. Faqir Arifudeen had some bhagtee and he felt getting drawn towards Siri Guru jee.

He ordered his mureeds (disciples) to stop the palanquin and he started walking towards Siri Guru jee. He could not take his eyes off Siri Guru jee. He saw something special in Siri Guru jee. Without thinking he placed his head in the lotus feet (charan kamal) of Siri Guru jee. He went further and kissed the lotus feet of Siri Guru jee. He felt great mystical pleasure in doing so. Kanniya Laal an eminent scholar and historian has written about this incident in detail.

He made the following comment before departing – “I have envisioned that the key to the treasure of Allah is in the hands of this child”. Saying this he started walking to his Dera. He did not use Palanquin till Siri Guru jee stayed in his sight. He gave so much respect to Siri Guru jee.

Historians write that at that time that even in his childhood, Siri Guru jee was like Vaheguru (partakh Har). One striking thing is that like Siri Guru Harkishen jee, Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee had such sweet personality that anyone who saw Siri Guru jee got bewitched by him. It is hard to imagine what Siri Guru jee looked like. Lucky are those people who saw Siri Guru jee.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2007 07:11AM by admin.

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