Tempo:
CHAP. Ill
SIKH GURUS; HAR RAI
o5
Har Rai, the new Guru, remained at Kiratpur for a 1645-61. '^ time, until the march of troops to reduce the Kahlur Raja to obedience induced him to remove eastward
—
into the district of Sarmor.^ There he also remained in peace until he was induced, in 1658-9, to take part, -Becomes a of a nature not distinctly laid down, with Dara Shikoh, political in the struggle between him and his brothers for the partisan, empire of India. Dara failed, his adherents became rebels, and Har Rai had to surrender his elder son as a hostage. The youth was treated with distinction and soon released, and the favour of the politic Aurangzeb is believed to have roused the jealousy of the father.^ But the end of Har Rai was at hand, and he died at Dies a. d. Kiratpur in the year 1661.^ His ministry. was mild, i^ei. yet such as won for him general respect; and many of
the 'Bhais', or brethren, the descendants of the chosen companions of a Guru, trace their descent to one disciple or other distinguished by Har Rai.^ Some sects, also of Sikhs, who affect more than ordinary precision, had their origin during the peaceful supremacy of this
Guru.^ life. His father reproved him, saying Gurus should display their powers in purity of doctrine and holiness of living. The youth, or child as some say, replied as Gurditta had done, and died. His tomb is in Amritsar, and is likewise a place
to
deemed sacred. Gurditta's younger son was named Dhirmal,. and his descendants are still to be found at Kartarpur, in the JuUundur Doab. 1 See the Dabistan, ii. 282. The place meant seems to be Taksal or Tangsal, near the present British station of Kasauli to the northward of Ambala. The important work of Muhsin Fani brings down the history of the Sikhs to this point only. - The Guru's leaning towards Dara is given on the authority of native accounts only, it is highly probable in itself, considering Dara's personal character and religious principles. ^ The authorities mostly agree as to the date of Har Rai's death, but one account places it in a. d. 1662. The Guru's birth is differently placed in 1628 and 1629. 4 Of these Bhai Bhagtu, the founder of the Kaithal family, useful partisans of Lord Lake, but now reduced to comparative insignificance under the operation of the British system of escheat, was one of the best known. Dharam Singh, the ancestor of the respectable Bhais of Bagrian, a place between the Sutlej and Jumna, was likewise a follower of Har Rai. Nowadays the title of Bhai is in practice frequently given to any Sikh of eminent sanctity, whether his ancestor were the companion of a Guru or not. "The Bedis and Sodhis, however, confine themselves to, the distinctive names of their tribes, or the Bedis call themselves Baba or father, and the Sodhis sometimes arrogate to themselves the title of Guru, as the representatives of Gobind and Ram Das. 5 Of these sects the Suthris or the Suthra-Shahis are the best known. Their founder was one Sucha, -a Brahman, and
SIKH GURUS; HAR RAI
o5
Har Rai, the new Guru, remained at Kiratpur for a 1645-61. '^ time, until the march of troops to reduce the Kahlur Raja to obedience induced him to remove eastward
—
into the district of Sarmor.^ There he also remained in peace until he was induced, in 1658-9, to take part, -Becomes a of a nature not distinctly laid down, with Dara Shikoh, political in the struggle between him and his brothers for the partisan, empire of India. Dara failed, his adherents became rebels, and Har Rai had to surrender his elder son as a hostage. The youth was treated with distinction and soon released, and the favour of the politic Aurangzeb is believed to have roused the jealousy of the father.^ But the end of Har Rai was at hand, and he died at Dies a. d. Kiratpur in the year 1661.^ His ministry. was mild, i^ei. yet such as won for him general respect; and many of
the 'Bhais', or brethren, the descendants of the chosen companions of a Guru, trace their descent to one disciple or other distinguished by Har Rai.^ Some sects, also of Sikhs, who affect more than ordinary precision, had their origin during the peaceful supremacy of this
Guru.^ life. His father reproved him, saying Gurus should display their powers in purity of doctrine and holiness of living. The youth, or child as some say, replied as Gurditta had done, and died. His tomb is in Amritsar, and is likewise a place
to
deemed sacred. Gurditta's younger son was named Dhirmal,. and his descendants are still to be found at Kartarpur, in the JuUundur Doab. 1 See the Dabistan, ii. 282. The place meant seems to be Taksal or Tangsal, near the present British station of Kasauli to the northward of Ambala. The important work of Muhsin Fani brings down the history of the Sikhs to this point only. - The Guru's leaning towards Dara is given on the authority of native accounts only, it is highly probable in itself, considering Dara's personal character and religious principles. ^ The authorities mostly agree as to the date of Har Rai's death, but one account places it in a. d. 1662. The Guru's birth is differently placed in 1628 and 1629. 4 Of these Bhai Bhagtu, the founder of the Kaithal family, useful partisans of Lord Lake, but now reduced to comparative insignificance under the operation of the British system of escheat, was one of the best known. Dharam Singh, the ancestor of the respectable Bhais of Bagrian, a place between the Sutlej and Jumna, was likewise a follower of Har Rai. Nowadays the title of Bhai is in practice frequently given to any Sikh of eminent sanctity, whether his ancestor were the companion of a Guru or not. "The Bedis and Sodhis, however, confine themselves to, the distinctive names of their tribes, or the Bedis call themselves Baba or father, and the Sodhis sometimes arrogate to themselves the title of Guru, as the representatives of Gobind and Ram Das. 5 Of these sects the Suthris or the Suthra-Shahis are the best known. Their founder was one Sucha, -a Brahman, and
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