Guru Har Krishan
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| Guru Har Krishan | |
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 A fresco of Guru Har Krishan ca. 1745 |
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| Born | July 23, 1656 Kiratpur Sahib, Rupnagar, Punjab, India |
| Died | March 30, 1664 (aged 7) Delhi, India |
| Other names | The Eighth Master |
| Known for | Helping smallpox patients at Delhi |
| Predecessor | Guru Har Rai |
| Successor | Guru Tegh Bahadur |
| Parents | Guru Har Rai |
| Sikhism |
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Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ [ɡʊru həɾ kɾɪʃən]; 23 July 1656 – 30 March 1664) is the eighth of the eleven Sikh Gurus. He became Guru Ji on 7 October 1661, succeeding his father, Guru Har Rai. After his death from smallpox, his granduncle Guru Tegh Bahadur became the next Guru Ji of the Sikhs.
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Early days [edit]
Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji was born in Kiratpur Sahib, Rupnagar, Punjab, India to Guru Har Rai and Kishan Kaur (Mata Sulakhni Ji).[1] Before His death in March 1664, Guru Har Rai designated his younger son Har Krishan as the next Guru. Har Rai chose Har Krishan, rather than his elder son Ram Rai, because Ram Rai was in collusion with the Mughal Empire. Har Krishan was only five years old when he succeeded his father as Guru.
Attainment of Guruship [edit]
It is said that when Guru Har Rai was asked which of his two sons Ram Rai and Har Krishan would be the next guru, Har Rai asked the person insert a needle in the leg of the bed where the two sat and recited baani. The person did the same and was surprised to see that the needle went inside the bed when Guru Har Krishan Sahib was doing meditation but not when Raam Rai was doing it. The person obviously perplexed went to Har Rai to ask the meaning. Guru explained that although both of them were reciting the same baani, needle going inside the bed was symbolic of softness in the heart of Har Krishan and Ram Rai was rough in the heart. Since the child guru was to take up so many diseases on his own self, softness was of prime importance. Thus next Guru came to be Guru Har Krishan at the age of 5 years. Its the first time in the history when the light of the Guru had entered a small child.
Death [edit]
When they reached Delhi, Guru Har Krishan and his party were the guests of Raja Jai Singh. Every day, large numbers of Sikh devotees flocked to see the Guru. A smallpox epidemic was then raging in Delhi. Guru Har Krishan helped to heal many sick people. Coming into contact with so many people every day, he too was infected and taken seriously ill. On March 30, 1664, Guru Har Krishan decided to name his successor. He called for five coins and a coconut. He took them, and being too weak to move, waved his hand three times in the air, and said "Baba Bakala"(Punjabi: ਬਾਬਾ ਬਕਾਲੇ), meaning his successor was to be found in Bakala. Guru Har Krishan then died of smallpox at the age of nine.
One of the historic gurdwaras in India, the Bangla Sahib in Delhi was built on the site where Guru Har Krishan helped the sick, and he also died of smallpox at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.
References [edit]
External links [edit]
- Sikhs.org
- Sikh-History.com
- Sri Har Krishan Dhiaiyai - Video on Sri HarKrishan Sahib
- - Video on YouTube on Sri Guru HarKrishan Ji
| Preceded by: Guru Har Rai (26 February 1630 – 30 May 1661) |
Guru Har Krishan | Followed by: Guru Teg Bahadur (1 April 1621 – 11 November 1675) |
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