Guru Gobind Singh Ji

Guru Gobind Singh Ji—born Gobind Das on 22 December 1666 in Patna Sahib, Bihar—was the tenth and last human Guru of Sikhism. He stands at the meeting point of spiritual authority, poetry, and statecraft. As a child he witnessed the martyrdom of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, who gave his life in Delhi for religious freedom.

At just nine years old (Vaisakhi, 29 March 1676), he accepted the mantle of Guru and began shaping a community that would be fearless in conscience and disciplined in action.

Personal life
Born
Gobind Das

22 December 1666
Patna Sahib, Bihar Subah, Mughal Empire

Died7 October 1708 (aged 41)
Hazur Sahib, Nanded, Bidah Subah, Mughal Empire
Cause of deathAssassination
SpouseMata Ajeet Kaur
Mata Sundar Kaur
Mata Sahib Kaur
Children
  • Ajit Singh
  • Jujhar Singh
  • Zorawar Singh
  • Fateh Singh
  • Zorawar Singh Palit (Adopted)
Parents
  • Guru Tegh Bahadur
  • Mata Gujri
Known for
  • Founding the Khalsa
  • Dasam Granth
  • Composing the Sikh national anthem Deh Shiva Bar Mohe Eha
  • Zafarnamah "a letter of victory" to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb after the Battle of Chamkaur
  • Founded the Sikh festival of Hola Mohalla
  • Establishing a Democratic quintet Panj Pyare
  • Giving 52 Hukams at Nanded The 52 Hukams of Guru Gobind Singh
  • Ordaining the Five Ks
  • The jaikara or slogan Bole So Nihal
Other namesTenth Nanak
Tenth Master
Dashmesh Pita
Pen nameShyam
Ram
Kaal
Gobind Das
Nanak
Gobind Singh
Shah Gobind
Religious life
ReligionSikhism
Founder of Khalsa Khalsa Fauj
Religious career
Period in office1675–1708
PredecessorGuru Tegh Bahadur
SuccessorGuru Granth Sahib
Military service
CommandsSupreme Commander of Akal Sena (1675–1699)
Supreme Commander of Khalsa Fauj (1699–1708)
Supreme Commander of Khalsa Panth (Eternal)
Battles/wars

Wars

  • Mughal-Sikh Wars
  • Hill States-Sikh Wars

Battles

  • Battle of Anandpur (1682)
  • Battle of Anandpur (1685)
  • Battle of Bhangani
  • Battle of Nadaun
  • Battle of Guler (1696)
  • Battle of Anandpur (1699)
  • Battle of Anandpur (1700)
  • First siege of Anandpur
  • Battle of Taragarh
  • Battle of Basoli
  • First Battle of Chamkaur
  • Battle of Anandpur (1703)
  • First Battle of Anandpur (1704)
  • Second siege of Anandpur
  • Battle of Sarsa
  • Second Battle of Chamkaur (1704)
  • Battle of Muktsar
  • Battle of Baghaur
  • Battle of Jajau

His life’s work culminated in three enduring pillars of Sikh history:

  • Founding the Khalsa (1699)—the saint-soldier order devoted to dharam, justice, and equality.
     
  • Establishing the Five K’s and the Khalsa Rehit (code) to anchor Sikh identity in daily practice.
     
  • Sanctifying the Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru, placing scripture and the Guru Panth (the collective) at the heart of decision-making.

Along the way, he guided communities, wrote stirring martial and devotional poetry, led defensive campaigns against oppression, and endured devastating personal losses: all four sons (Chaar Sahibzaade) died during his lifetime—two martyred in battle and two executed at Sirhind by Wazir Khan.

Early Life and Formation (1666–1676)

  • Birth & Ancestry: Born Gobind Das in Patna to Guru Tegh Bahadur and Mata Gujri, of the Sodhi clan. His birth site is the revered Takht Sri Patna Sahib.
     
  • Return to Punjab: The family moved back to Punjab in 1670, later settling at Chakk Nanaki (Anandpur region) in the Sivalik Hills.
     
  • Education: He studied Gurbani, Indic classics, and Persian; trained in horsemanship, archery, and arms—a synthesis of devotion and disciplined strength.
     
  • Turning Point (1675): When Kashmiri Pandits sought help against persecution, the young Gobind Das encouraged his father to stand for freedom of conscience. Guru Tegh Bahadur was martyred on 11 Nov 1675 at Chandni Chowk for refusing conversion—an event that forever framed Guru Gobind Singh’s mission.
     
  • On Vaisakhi 1676, he became Guru Gobind Singh, assuming spiritual leadership and the responsibility to protect, educate, and organize the Sikh Panth.

Anandpur Years, Scholarship, and Community Building (1676–1698)

At Anandpur, Guru Gobind Singh deepened the Panth’s institutions:

Learning & Letters: He fostered a court of scholars and poets. By age 18, he composed Chandi di Var, a Punjabi work evoking righteous struggle (inspired by the Markandeya Purana)—not as myth-making, but as ethical metaphor: courage must serve dharam, not conquest.

 

Marriages & Children:
 

Mata Jito (Ajit Kaur)—m. 1677; children: Jujhar Singh (1691), Zorawar Singh (1696), Fateh Singh (1699)
 

Mata Sundari—m. 1684; child: Ajit Singh (1687)
 

Mata Sahib Devan—m. 1700; no biological children, honored as “Mother of the Khalsa.”
 

Community Reforms: He cultivated langar, expanded sangat networks across Punjab and the hills, and confronted corruption by later abolishing the Masand system, returning accountability to the Guru and Khalsa.

Founding of the Khalsa (Vaisakhi 1699): A New Moral Order

On Vaisakhi at Anandpur, the Guru called for a volunteer willing to give his head for truth. Five stepped forward—later revealed alive as the Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones). He prepared Amrit (sweetened water stirred with a khanda, the double-edged sword), initiated them in khande di pahul, and then asked them to baptize him. This reversal codified equality and shared leadership.

The Five K’s and the Khalsa Rehit

  • Kesh (uncut hair): acceptance of the Creator’s will
     
  • Kangha (comb): order and cleanliness
     
  • Kara (iron/steel bracelet): restraint and righteous action
     
  • Kirpan (sword): duty to defend the weak and uphold justice
     
  • Kachera (short breeches): modesty and self-discipline
     

He prohibited tobacco, fornication/adultery, and halal (jhatka permitted), and rejected intermediaries and caste barriers. Women and men of all castes could enter the Khalsa, a direct challenge to social stratification.

Why It Mattered

The Khalsa transformed the sangat from a devotional fellowship into a disciplined, ethical community—saint-soldiers who pray, serve, and when necessary defend. It gave the Sikhs a distinct identity recognizable by principles, not just appearance.

Scriptures, Authorship, and Authority

  • Guru Granth Sahib as Eternal Guru: Guru Gobind Singh finalized the Adi Granth, adding Guru Tegh Bahadur’s hymns, and invested Guruship in the Guru Granth Sahib and the Guru Panth. From then on, scripture and collective deliberation guide the community.
     
  • Dasam Granth: Traditionally attributed to him, it includes Jaap Sahib, Tav-Prasad Savaiye, Benti Chaupai, and other compositions central to Nitnem and initiation. Scholars discuss its compilation history, but its devotional and martial ethos continue to inspire Khalsa discipline.
     
  • Pen and Sword: The Guru valued learning and courage together—ethics must shape power, and power must serve justice.

Conflicts, Ethics of War, and the Zafarnama

  • Dharamyudh—War as Last Resort

Guru Gobind Singh’s campaigns were defensive and principled. He forbade targeting civilians and never harmed places of worship. Major episodes include:

  • Bhangani (1688)
  • Nadaun (1691)

Multiple Anandpur sieges and battles (1695–1704)
 

  • Chamkaur (1704)—where Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh were martyred
  • Muktsar (1705)—with the Chali Mukte (Forty Liberated Ones)

The Zafarnama to Aurangzeb

After betrayals during the sieges, the Guru wrote the Zafarnama (Persian, “Epistle of Victory”)—a fearless indictment of falsehood and tyranny, asserting that moral victory belongs to truth even when the sword appears to favor an empire. It is a masterpiece of ethics and statesmanship.

The Sirhind Tragedy and the Cost of Conscience

During the chaos after Anandpur, Mata Gujri and the younger Sahibzaade—Fateh Singh (6) and Zorawar Singh (9)—were captured at Sirhind. Offered life for conversion, they refused and were executed by Wazir Khan. The Guru responded with grief-tempered resolve, reminding the Panth that sacrifice feeds the flame of freedom.

Final Years and Passing (1705–1708)

  • After Aurangzeb’s death (1707), succession struggles gripped the Mughal court. The Guru supported Bahadur Shah I at Jajau.
  • Invited south, he camped near the Godavari at Nanded. Agents of Wazir Khan attacked; the Guru killed one assailant but succumbed to wounds on 7 October 1708.
  • His final directive vested authority in the Guru Granth Sahib and Guru Panth. He was cremated at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded—today a major Sikh pilgrimage site.

Why Guru Gobind Singh Still Matters

  • He completed the Sikh canon and ended the line of human Gurus to prevent personality cults.
     
  • He created a durable identity that blends devotion, ethics, and civic courage.
     
  • He made equality practical—Khalsa initiation open to all, regardless of caste, gender, or background.
     
  • He set a global example of religious freedom, human rights, and communal accountability guided by scripture.

Expanded Timeline (Quick Reference)

  • 1666: Birth at Patna Sahib
     
  • 1670–72: Family settles near Anandpur (Chakk Nanaki)
     
  • 1675: Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur; Gobind Das assumes leadership
     
  • 1677–1700: Marriages to Mata Jito, Mata Sundari, Mata Sahib Devan
     
  • 1688: Battle of Bhangani
     
  • 1691: Battle of Nadaun
     
  • 1699: Khalsa founded on Vaisakhi at Anandpur
     
  • 1704–05: Sieges of Anandpur; Chamkaur, Muktsar; martyrdoms of the Chaar Sahibzaade
     
  • 1707: Supports Bahadur Shah I
     
  • 1708: Assassination attempt at Nanded; Joti Jot (passing) on 7 Oct 1708; Guru Granth Sahib affirmed as eternal Guru

References 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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