Home page image - detail from painting by the Singh Twins, Amrit & Rabindra Kaur Singh. Above, from painting by Sobha Singh. Below - the Nishaan Sahib from a painting by Kanwar Singh Dhillon.
Poetry
His Last Words
by Prof. PURAN SINGH
Guru Gobind Singh - at Nanded, Hyderabad, on October 7, 1708 :
" ... Always abide in cheerfulness and never give way to mourning.
"God is ever the same. He is neither young nor old. He is not born, nor doth He die. He dealeth not pain nor poverty. Know that the true Guru abideth as He. His creatures who are steeped in bodily pride are very unhappy, and night and day subject to love and hate. Ever entangled and involved in the deadly sins, they perish by mutual enmity and at last find their abode in hell. Yet for the love of such creatures, the Guru assumeth birth to deliver them. He hath instructed them in the true Name and very fortunate are they who have received and treasured His instruction.
"By it, they are enabled to save themselves and others from the perils of the world's ocean. And, when after drought, rain falleth and there is abundance, the Guru seeing human beings suffering and yearning for happiness, comes to bestow it on them and remove their sorrows by His teachings. And as the rain remaineth where it falleth, so the Guru's instruction ever abideth with His disciples.
"The Sikhs who love the true Guru are in turn loved by Him.
"O Khalsa! Remember the true Name.
"The Guru hath arrayed you in arms to procure you the sovereignty of the earth. Those who have died in battle have gone to an abode of bliss. I have attached you to the skirt of the Immortal God and entrusted you to Him. Read the Granth Sahib or listen to it, so shall your minds receive consolation and shall undoubtedly obtain an abode in the Guru's heaven.
"They who remember the true Name render their lives profitable and, when they depart, enter the mansions of eternal happiness.
"I have entrusted you to the Immortal God. Ever remain under His protection and trust none besides. Wherever there are five Sikhs assembled who abide by the Guru's teachings, know that I am in the midst of them. He who serveth them shall obtain the reward thereof - the fulfillment of all his heart's desires.
"Read the history of your Gurus from the time of Guru Nanak.
"Henceforth, the Guru shall be the Khalsa and Khalsa the Guru. I have infused my mental bodily spirit into the Granth Sahib and the Khalsa".
He then put on a muslin waist-band, hung this on his bow on his shoulder and took his musket in his hand. He opened the Granth Sahib and placing a coconut before it, solemnly bowed to it as his successor.
Then uttering "Wah Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wah Guru Ji Ki Fateh", he circumambulated the sacred volume and said, "O Beloved Khalsa! Let him who desireth to behold me, behold the Granth Sahib, obey the Granth Sahib. It is the visible body of the Guru. And let him, who desireth to meet me, diligently search its hymns. And lastly, keep my kitchen ever open and receive offerings for its maintenance".
March 28, 2008
Conversation about this article
1: Inni Kaur (Fairfield, CT, U.S.A.), March 29, 2008, 7:59 AM.
Just exquisite!
2: Satvir Kaur (Boston, U.S.A.), March 31, 2008, 8:29 AM.
Prof. Puran Singh is a magician with words!
3: Ajeet Singh Nahal (Flushing,New York, U.S.A.), July 29, 2008, 12:28 PM.
"So does the Akal Purkh ordain, The Word is Master now - / The song of Nam, the 'Guru Granth',/ All Khalsa should seek the Master in his Word,/ And bow to 'Guru Granth' as my successor." [The Book of the Ten Masters, pp 126-127]