Gurudwara Hemkunt in the Himalayas is
also regarded as one of the holiest places of the Sikhs.
It was there that Sri Guru Gobind Singh the tenth and
last Guru of the Sikhs is reported to have meditated in
his previous life.
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In 'Bachitar Natak' the great Guru
relates his story in the following words- "I
shall now relate my own story, how God sent me
into this world. I was busy performing penance on
the hills of 'Hemkunt' where seven peaks are
prominent. The place is called 'Sapt Shring’
where King Pandu had performed Yoga, there I
practiced austerity and worshipped the god of
death.
He writes in his autobiography that Ram
Chander son of Raja Dasrath had two sons Lava and
Kushu. Lava and Kushu ruled over
Northern India for many years. They remained good
friends during their rule and they colonized two
important cities Lahore and Kasur in
Punjab. But when they died their sons could not
tolerate each other. They became great enemies. In
order to get their supremacy they quarreled
with each other, One grand son of Lava named Sodhi
won the battle and became the king of Punjab. The
grandsons of Kushu being defeated took shelter at
Banaras. There they learnt the Vedaas. |
Due to their knowledge of Vedaas, they were
nick named as Bedees. The Guru writes
“Lavee sarab jeete
Kushee sarab haare.
Bache je balee praan
lai kai sidhaare.
Chattur bed pathiyang
keeyo Kashi basing.
Ghanai barkh keene
tahaan hee niwasing. (52)”
One-day king Sodhi remembered his
relatives living at Banaras. He made up his mind to call
them. He sent a messenger and all Bedees reached in the
Darbar of King Sodhi at Lahore.
King Sodhi asked them to recite the four Vedaas
according to the divine process. When the Bedees recited
three Vedaas and started to read the fourth Vedaa, the
King Sodhi got up from his throne. He asked the leader
of the Bedees to take his royal seat. He offered his
kingdom to the Bedees with great honor. He himself
decided to go to forests in order to contemplate the
Name of God.
When king Sodhi got prepared for his new abode, the
newly crowned king Bedee said, "As you have gifted
us the worldly kingdom after hearing three Vedaas,
similarly in Kalyug we would offer you the Divine
Kingdom in our third incarnation. In Kalyug Guru Nanak
was born as first Divine master. He was called the true
Patshah. After reigning as the Divine King in the form
of Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Angad Dev and Guru Amar Dass, he
offered his Divine kingdom to Sodhi Patshah Guru Ram
Dass Ji.
The Sodhi king grandson of Lava proceeded towards
jungles and he selected a very beautiful place for his
abode. He worshiped there the name of God for many
thousand years.
About his own life Guru Gobind Singh writes in his
auto-biography as under: -
Ab main apnee katha
bakhaano.
Tap saadhat iih bidh
muhe aano.
Hemkunt Parbat hai
jahaan,
Sapt sring sobhit hai
tahaan.
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The Guru Ji tells us about his previous incarnation,
that in the Himalayan range, where there is Sapt Sring
Mountain, on that hill he meditated the Name of God. In
his meditation when he became one with God, then the
Almighty ordained him to take birth in India in order to
crush the cruel rulers.
"My father and mother meditated on the
incomprehensible. They both practiced the highest yoga
through diverse spiritual efforts. Their devout service
in the love of God pleased the Almighty who commanded me
to take human form in this world. I did not like to
come. God sent me into the world with a mandate saying,
'I cherish thee as my son and send thee to establish the
path of truth. Go into the world and establish virtue
and keep the people, away from evil.'When my father
came to Triveni (Allahabad) he daily devoted himself to
meditation and charity. There at Allahabad the dazzling
light manifested itself into human form."
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Ih bidh karat tappsaya
bhayo
Davai te ek roop havai
gayo.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
Chit na bhayo hamro
aavan kaih
Chubhi rahee srut
Prabhu chaman maih
Jio tio Prabh ham ko
samjhaayo.
Im Kaih kai ih lok Pathaayo.
The Guru was so much engrossed in the Name of God,
that he did not want to take re-birth. But some how the
Almighty, persuaded him and he was born at Patna Sahib.
His mother was Mata Gujri and his father was ninth Guru
Tegh Bahadar Sahib.
As Guru Gobind Singh had mentioned, the place of his
previous incarnation in his auto-biography, many sikh
scholars tried very hard to locate the exact place. In
this field the names of Sant Sohan Singh, Hawaidar Moan
Singh, Sant Thandi Singh and Sant Surat Singh are taken
with great respect. They dedicated their whole life to
locate the exact place in order to construct the
Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib. In this field the services of
the Hem Kunt-Trust are laudable. The Trust has
constructed roads leading towards Hemkunt Sahib and for
the benefit of the travellers it has built big Gurdwaras
on the way.
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