These are epistles addressed to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir. They are in Persian, then the court language. Zafarnama begins with an invocation to God and proceeds to give the raison d’etre of Guru’s compulsions for resisting oppression of the powers that be. He is incisive in his sarcasm yet writes with graceful felicity. The contents so impressed the Emperor, then in the Deccan, that he, it is said, invited the Guru with a view to concluding peace. The poetic verses of the letters reveal Guru’s unaffected style of writing and complete mastery over Persian language and phrases. He wielded his pen with ease and eloquence in Hindi, Punjabi, Prakrit, Braj and Persian alike and his knowledge of men and matters was unique.

In his poetic works, Guru Gobind Singh figures as a prodigy of the age. Ignoring nine years of childhood, make believe he ran an earthy sojourn of 33 years which ‘was crowded with traumatic experiences, gory battles and exilic days. He had little leisure yet he snatched some precious moments to compose works, which stirred life in sagging hearts and left for posterity an inspiring littera- Scripta. His contemporary adherents were not fired with a burning passion to lead self-reliant and self-respecting lives of neither fear nor frighten.

They were exhorted to rise above selfishness and stake their all to uphold righteousness and uproot evil. Such people go to constitute a nation. It was in this way that the Great Guru was fathering and fostering the concept of nationhood in India. Such a nation was to comprise God fearing men and women who must be ready to defend them by the sword as a last resort. In his considered views Bhakti and Shakti were to go hands in glove, the Miri and Piri concept of the Sixth Guru were to be happily blended thus by giving a practical shape to this ethos, he gave a distinct dimension to a movement which determined the fate of India in the times to come.

The “tryst with destiny” on the mid-night of 15th August 1947, did not come about only by the efforts of men of mid twentieth century. Credit will have to be given to the labors of Sikh Gurus who tore to shreds the might of the mighty, awakened people from stupor, placed a goal before them and mapped out the essential contours of the struggle. There is absolutely no in- congruity between the works of early Gurus and those of Guru Gobind Singh. They prepared the ground and the work of the Tenth Master marks the consummation of the process.

As a poet too Guru Gobind Singh towers high. “He developed a style of Hindi poetry” acknowledges Dr. Gokal Chand Narang, which has remained un-surpassed since his time. His style is chaste, diction appropriate images graphic, metaphors suitable and rhythm perfect. He is a poet of sharp sensitivity and rich imagination, who makes profuse use of Hindu mythology and mysticism to arouse an impulse of revolt among people known for their passivity and inertia. In doing so he does not abandon his moorings, i.e., the gospel of Guru Nanak. In fact that remains the pivot and that is why rather than incorporating his own work in the Guru Granth Sahib or impinging its invisibility, the absolute finality of it by passing on the pontificate of the Sikhs to the Holy Book till eternity.

Guru Gobind Singh inherited the gift of poetry from his illustrious predecessors whose sublime wisdom is enshrined in Adi Guru Granth Sahib. They had adopted the MUSE to instill firm faith in one Supreme Being and remove cobwebs of the then rampant superstitions. The leadership of the Gurus and the magic of “Nam” had brought into being a casteless Brotherhood believing in the unity of God, chanting his Name with devotion, earning by the sweat of their brow, sharing mutual woes. And worries, fearing none but Him and forging and egalitarian society. With the holy Granth as their Armour they had withstood the stresses and strains imposed on them by the bigoted rulers and with the hymns on their lips two of the Gurus smilingly faced death.

With such a powerful fraternity to follow him, the Tenth Master set himself to the task of avenging the wrongs inflicted on his countrymen for centuries and salvaging the image of the nation. While Adi Guru Granth Sahib was to remain the only pivot from which mankind would draw inspiration for all times to come, Guru Gobind Singh brought out epic works to achieve the grandiose gold that he had placed before himself. It is not possible to calculate exactly the total number of verses poured out by him, as much was lost at the battle fields as also washed away by the flooded Sarsa. All that survived was compiled by Bhai Mani Singh in a volume called Dasam Patshah Ka Granth, containing 17,377 verses in Braj, Hindi, Punjabi and Persian. The most important sections of it are the following

Jaap Sahib

One Supreme Being who controls the destiny of the universe has been portrayed by His attributes. As Sikhism is opposed to the concept of “Personal God” the Almighty can only be known through His characteristics, the meter captures the heart and sends the mind into ecstasy.

Akal Ustat

It is in precise of the Deathless One. Devotion to Akal purkh forms the bedrock on which Sikhism stands and sustains itself. In Shabad Hazare Patshahi Dasvin to the praises of one Lord are sung.

Swayyas

They exhort the supremacy of God over myriads of Devi Devattas and the ephemeral character of worldly things. Besides, there is Shri Mukhvah Swayyas, wherein the shortcomings in Vedas, Puranans and the Quran are given. Word-combination produces a ringing accent at once thrilling and exhilarating.

Bachittar Natak

Most important from historical point of view this Wondrous Drama gives an auto-biographic account of the Guru, his prenatal existence as a yogi on the heights of Hem Kunt (abode of snow) his mythological line of ancestors down to his birth, the mission of his life as also his classic fight with the Hill Rajas. The battle of Bhangani, Nadaun and one with Khanzada are so lively that the reader hears the clanging of swords and the defending war cries.

Chandi Charitra

Guru Gobind Singh made use of the ancient lore of the country to assert the righteousness of cause he was fighting for. Goddess Chandi (Durga or Bhawani) had fought defeated and killed eight demons (Rakshas). Similarly Guru Gobind Singh had been called upon to give a relentless fighting to forces of tyranny, fanaticism and intolerance. What the mythological Durga did in stories. Guru Gobind Singh did in practice.

Chandi Ki Var

Recapitulates the deeds of valor of Chandi (Goddess of Virtue) against evil forces. The aura of the Goddess is felt as one study. The lyrical music is enchanting and captivating and situations depicted are graphic as well as vivid,

Gian Probodh Granth

Is based on the tales from Mahabharta and recounts the exploits of Rajas of yore, who ultimately had to bow their heads to the destinies mapped out for them by the All-Omnipotent. The account imparts lessons in buoyant optimism, a distinctive feature of the author’s character and a virtue he strove to inculcate in his followers.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 5, 1990