Guru Har Rai

Guru Har Rai

Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji (Punjabi: ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਇ ਜੀ ; 26 February 1630 – 6 October 1661) was the seventh of The Eleven Guru Ji' of Sikhism|Ten living Guru Ji' of the Sikhs]] who became Guru Ji on 8 March 1644 following in the footsteps of His Grandfather, Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji, nominated Five year old Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji, His youngest Son as the next Guru Ji of the Sikhs. The following is a summary of the main highlights of Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji' life:

• Continued the military traditions started by His Grandfather Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji.
• Maintained a cavalry of 2,200 soldiers throughout His Guruship.
• As a very young child he was disturbed by the suffering of a flower damaged by his robe in passing. Though such feelings are common with children, Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji would throughout His life be noted for His compassion for life and living things. His Grandfather who was famed as an avid Hunter is said to have saved the Moghul Emperor Jahangir's life during a tiger's attack. Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji continued the hunting tradition of His Grandfather, but He would allow no animals to be killed on His grand Shikars. The Guru Ji instead captured animals, adding them to His zoo.
• Made several tours to the Malwa and Doaba regions of the Punjab.
• His son Ram Rai, seeking to assuage concerns of Aurangzeb over one line in Guru Nanak Dev Ji's verse (Mitti Musalmaan ki pede pai kumhar) suggested that the word Musalmaan was a mistake on the copyist's part and substituted wording that placated Auranzeb's concerns, therefore distorting Bani. His father, Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji refused to ever meet with him again. The Guru Ji is believed to have said, "Ram Rai, you have disobeyed my order and sinned. I will never see you again on account of your infidelity." It was also reported to the Guru Ji that Ram Rai had also worked miracles in the Mughal's court against His father's direct instructions. Sikhs are constrained by their Guru Ji' to not believe in, magic and myth or miracles.

Just before the Guru Ji' death at age 31, Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji passed the Gaddi of Nanak on to His Younger Son, the five year old—Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji.

Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji was the Son of Baba Gurdita and Mata Nihal Kaur (also known as Mata Ananti Ji). Baba Gurdita was son of the Sixth Guru Ji Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji married Mata Kishan Kaur (sometimes also referred to as Sulakhni) the daughter of Sri Daya Ram of Anoopshahr (Bulandshahr) in Uttar Pradesh on Har Sudi 3, Samvat 1697. Guru Har Rai had one daughter and two sons: Baba Ram Rai and Sri Har Krishan.

Although, Guru Har Rai Ji was a man of peace, he never disbanded the armed Sikh Warriors (Saint Soldiers), who earlier were maintained by his grandfather, Guru Hargobind. He always boosted the military spirit of the Sikhs, but he never indulged in any direct political or armed controversy with the Mughal Empire. Once, Dara Shikoh (the eldest son of emperor Shah Jahan), came to Guru Har Rai asking for help in the war of succession launched by his half-brother the murderous Aurangzeb. The Guru had promised his grandfather to use the Sikh Cavalry only in defense. He, nevertheless, helped him to escape safely from the bloody hands of Aurangzeb's armed forces by having his Sikh warriors hide all the ferry boats at the river crossing after they had been used by Dara Shikoh in his escape.