Guru Gobind Singh- Encyclopaedia of Saints of India (Part-9)

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Guru Gobind Singh was the last Guru of the Sikhs who always preached piety, simple life, dedication to noble causes, truth and fearlessness. The great sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur generated the spirit of sacrifice in his mind and heart. He led a disciplined life and opposed violence and injustice along with the cooperation and support of his dedicated workers. The founder of the 'Khalsa' brought about the sense of confidence and bravery among the Sikhs. The theme has deep bearing, in twenty-three chapters, on his ideology-based on socio-economic, religious and political philosophy. People gathered in thousands to listen to his religious discourses.

This work would be useful for teachers, research scholars, students and all those who would be interested in the religious ideology of Guru Gobind Singh.

Contents include: Birth and Childhood; Sacrifice of the Father; A New Literary Metaphor; At Anandpur Sahib; A New Order; Blending with the Khalsa; Republicanism in Religion; The Moment of Creation; Anandpur Evacuated; "Sparrows" Meet "Hawks"; Repose at Damdama; Role in the National Movement; Victory by Akal's Favour; Guru Departs for the South; Banda Bahadur; As a Man and Scholar; Guru and the Disciple; On Human Piety; Confidence and Bravery; The Light is Out; Epilogue; Thus Spake Guru Gobind Singh; Chronology of Guru Gobind Singh.

Dr. S.R. Bakshi, Ph.D., D.Litt. is an eminent. scholar of Modern Indian History and is the author of several works on Indian nationalism and freedom movement. His recent works include 'Encyclopaedic History of Indian Culture and Religion' (in 5 Vols.), The Great Marathas' (in 5 Vols.), The Great Rajputs' (in 6 Vols.), 'B.R. Ambedkar: His Political and Social Ideology' (in 2 Vols.), 'Encyclopaedic History of The Sikhs and Sikhism' (in 6 Vols.), The Great Moghuls' (in 8 Vols.), and Development of Women, Children and Weaker Sections' (in 5 Vols.). Dr. Bakshi is member of several academic institutions having deep bearing on historical research.

Dr. Sangh Mittra, LL.B. Ph.D. from Lucknow University, is Dy. Director (Research) in Indian Council of Historical Research. Her Ph.D. thesis on 'Iconographic Study of Minor Brahmanical Deities in Northern India' is published along with more than 20 Research Papers in reputed historical journals. She is Life Member of several academic institutions and a reputed examiner of Ph.D. thesis of Universities of North India. Besides she has actively participated in numerous national and international Seminars.

Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last of the Sikh Gurus. Born at Patna, he succeeded his father, Guru Teg Bahadur, at the early age of fifteen. At the time of his succession to the pontificate in 1675, the community had gained many adherents in the East Punjab. It had also acquired considerable prestige among the Hindu population in the province of its continuous fight against the authority of the Muslim rulers.

Guru Gobind Singh was married to Sundari, daughter of Ram Charan of Lahore when he was eighteen. A son was born after four years. He was named Ajit. During the next twelve years, he had three sons from his first wife, Jito Devi; he was thirty-four then. He was a sholar of Sanskrit and wanted to popularize it amongst the Sikhs. For this purpose, he employed several Brahman Pandits and sent them to Banaras to become eminent scholars of Sanskrit, so that they could teach this language to their students.

He was a great devotee of Mother Goddess Durga and desired to invoke Her blessings, so that the Sikh community could be transformed into a heroic nation and be able to fight the Muslim Emperors. He gave full attention to the organisation of the army in order to fight the enemies who had made his life difficult. Every family was asked to nominate at least four men. Thus he had a strong army of eight thousand soldiers who were given proper training. Besides guns and other weapons were also contributed. At Anandpur Sahib a factory was built to manufacture arms and guns. Four fortresses were also built to provide shelter to the army. He aroused the spirit of the people by awakening their consciousness and resist the wrongs and injustice meted out to them.

**Contents and Sample Pages**