"Give me blood, I will give you freedom", said, Subash Chander Bose to the enslaved Indian People. "Though I do not agree with your views but I will sacrifice my life to get you a right to express your views with freedom" such is a slogan written on the main gate of the House of Commons in England.[1] Guru Tegh Bahadur neither sought the blood of the people, nor simply assured them that he will give his blood but actually gave the supreme sacrifice for the religion or the religious faith or values of those with whom he and his forefathers right from Guru Nanak did not agree.
It is well known that Guru Nanak, the first Guru, declined to wear the sacred thread (Janeou), so essential for a person to be baptized as a Hindu, He said that he did not believe in rituals, which fade away and were not everlasting. He asked the priest to give him some such thread which did not fade away, was never broken, neither got dirty nor burnt by fire. The priest showed his helplessness, as he did not have any of the type asked for. Again it is also recorded that after coming in his touch and after listening to his views several persons discarded the same at Hardwar and became his followers. Pandit Lal Chand, who took a test of Guru Harkrishan Sahib at Panjokhra about his knowledge of Gita the sacred scripture, discarded the Janeou and came to his fold.
Is it not a strange paradox that when he had a faith to the contrary, Guru Tegh Bahadaur told the delegation of Pandits that came to him under the leadership of Pandit Kirpa Ram, that he would make the supreme sacrifice for defending their religion and for the values and rituals they cherish and sent them back to tell Aurangzeb, the Emperor, that in case Guru Teg Bahadur embraced Islam, they all would follow. At the congregation, when, Gobind Rai, his only young son (Then at the age of nine years) seeing him in a pensive and 'deep thinking' mood, asked the cause of his agony and anxiety, he said, that saving of their religion, pointing to the deputation, needed the sacrifice of some divine soul.
After getting reply from his young son, as to which is the bigger, higher and supreme soul, than that of his own, he directed the deputation to the Emperor with the above message. Hitherto fore it was known that there were supreme sacrifices for the cause endeared to one self but none has heard of giving one's life and put the life of his dear one's and followers in jeopardy for those values and faith, which one oneself discarded long ago. He gave his life to save the spirit of Hindus that was dying under the oppressive and fanatic policies of the ruler.
The ruler who had annexed the throne of Delhi by defrauding his own father by putting him in Jail, and by slaughtering his own brothers, wanted to gain the sympathy of the Mohammedans, clergy and the masses by converting all non believers or 'infidels' in his language to the ford of Islam. Those who did not succumb to the pressure, had to face the sword and were to be annihilated under the royal orders. In these circumstances Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, Nanak in his 9th incarnation, came forward to hold the hand of the poor victims and depressed ones in their hours of agony. His was the first supreme sacrifice for the cause of freedom of religion and faith which to date is unparallel in human history.
The Youngest son of Guru Har Gobind Sahib and Mother Nanaki had his advent on 1st April 1621 A.D. He was initially named as Tyag Mal. (But when Guru Har Gobind saw him fighting in the battle of Kartar Pur against the enemy, displaying his skill, art of fighting and sword-unleashing power, he observed that he was not Tyag Mal, but he was Teg Bahadur – a brave, a warrior of sword. So he was subsequently known as Teg Bahadur). While in battlefield he justified his name as Teg Bahadur, yet, as we shall see during the course of this chapter, in practical life, though not a recluse, he was a picture, a model of 'Tyag, of sacrifice only, throughout his life. Tyag Mal, as he was named, had a very tender heart since his early childhood and he could not bear the agonies of others and was always ready to sacrifice his all, for them.
One incident though appears to be of very small significance when seen from a cursory look, turned out to be of great importance and ramifications. It revealed his vision and focus to the problems he was going to face in life ahead. It was revealing his mind, the mind of the 9th Nanak; that he was going to be. Just at the age of four, he was going with the marriage party of his elder brother BABA GURDITTA Ji, wearing his new costly silken costumes, a necklace around his neck and gold bangles in the arms. On seeing a naked boy of his age in the way, he removed his clothes and other belongings and gave them to that child and walked naked to his mother who just asked in curiosity about who had removed his belongings. He said he had given the same to that needy child, pointing towards the child, as no one else would have given him any and she, the mother would get him (the child Tyag Mal) new ones again. The historians and the theologians have interpreted the incident and rightly too, that at the tender age of four he could not bear the nakedness of a small child, when grown older how could he bear that Mother India be de-clothed by the then cruel, merciless, fanatic and theocratic rulers. He is also known in history as Dharam Da Rakha and Hind Di Chadar meaning thereby the protector of religion and the Cover of Mother India.
[1] BADDO KALU MAEN SAKA –PRINCIPAL SATBIR SINGH PP 841
[2] (GUR BILAS PATSHAHI 6th)
[3] ibid