Guru Har Krishan’s elder brother, Sri Ram Rai, made an application to Emperor Aurangzeb. In it he said that the Guruship was his right but it had been unjustly passed onto his younger brother. Aurangzeb decided to see and hear Guru Har Krishan, before deciding on Sri Ram Rai’s applicant, He therefore desired Raja Jai Singh to call the Guru to Delhi. The Guru was unwilling to go. He had been advised by his father not to see the Emperor. He did not want to act against his father’s advice or orders. But Raja Jai Singh removed the difficulty. He said to the Guru, “I humbly beg to invite you to my house. Come to my bungalow. Be my honored guest. The Sikhs of Delhi are thirsting to see you. You may or may not see the Emperor. Nobody will force you to see him.”
When Guru Har Krishan reached Delhi, Raja Jai Singh went forth barefooted to receive him. He took the Guru to his own bungalow; there he made every arrangement for the Guru’s comfort. At the place now stands the grand Gurdwara called Bangla Sahib.
Emperor Aurangzeb wished very much to see the Guru. He conveyed this wish of his to the Guru through a special messenger. Thereupon, the Guru desired Raja Jai Singh to speak to the Emperor on this point. He said to the Raja, “You know my father’s last words to me. I cannot go against them. I cannot see the Emperor. Persuade him. Not to insist on seeing me.”
The Raja succeeded in persuading the Emperor to accept the Guru’s wishes. The Emperor sent son of his to meet and talk with the Guru. The prince said to the Guru, “Your elder brother, Ram Rai, has made a complaint against you. He says that the Guruship was his right. It has been unjustly made over to you. What have you to say about that matter? The Emperor wants to know that before deciding the matter.
The Guru replied, ‘The Guruship is nota Jagir. It is not a form of worldly property. No one can claim it as a matter of right. It goes the fittest person. The departing Guru makes the selection. His elections final. No one can question it Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, and Guru Amar Das rejected their own sons, they chose their best Sikhs to occupy the Guru’s seat after them. Guru Ram Das chose his younger son to be the Guru after him. Guru Har Gobind left out his sons and selected his younger grandson to be the Guru; similarly, my father chose me, and not my elder brother, for the Guruship. His choice cannot be questioned; The Emperor should not interfere in this matter. It is a domestic matter of the Sikh Gurus.’ On hearing this, the prince said, ‘I fully agree with you. I shall explain the whole matter to the Emperor. He will not trouble you anymore; Ram Rai’s claim is false. His complaint will be dismissed.
Crowds of Sikhs came every day to see and pay respects to the Guru. It so happened that a severe form of cholera broke out in Delhi. Many died of cholera every day. People prayed to the Guru Lo save them. The Guru sent for a jug of water. He touched it with his hands and toes. He said a short prayer. Then he said, “Mix this water with the water in the reservoir. Everyone who takes a sip of it will be cured.’ This was done. All who took Sips of the water were cured of cholera. The Emperor wanted to test the Guru’s intelligence and spiritual powers. He desired Raja Jai Singh to do so in some manner, The Raja promised to try. He and his head queen made a plan. She was to dress herself as a maidservant, so dressed; she was to sit among her maidservants, behind the other queens. Some other women were also to dress themselves as queens and sit among them. The Guru was to be invited, if he recognized the head queen, it would be a proof of his spiritual powers. Raja Jai Singh went to the Guru. He said, ‘My queens are very eager to see you. The head queen is particularly eager todo so, do kindly go with me.” The Guru guessed the Raja’s plan. He did not like to make a show of his spiritual powers in this way. But the Raja begged him, again and again, to accept the invitation. The Guru agreed. He went with the Raja.
When he reached the Raja’s palace, the Guru saw the queens and maidservants ready to receive him. The Guru touched the front queen with his stick and said, “You are not the head queen!” In this way, he touched the other ladies dressed as queens. He rejected them all. Then he went among the maidservants. The head queen was among them, dressed like them. The Guru went up to her. He touched her with the end of his stick and said, “Here is the head queen.
The Emperor was informed of the success of the plan. He said, “I admit that the Guru is what his followers believe him to be. He is the rightful Guru. His father’s choice of him was wholly right. Ram Rai’s claim is false, it is dismissed. Guru Har Krishan may return to his place as soon as he wishes.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 3, 1996
