The seventh of the ten Sikh Gurus was Guru Har Rai. Even though he passed away at the early age of 31, during his brief life he made a number of important contributions to the Sikhism religion. He was regarded as being a very nice and sympathetic individual who cared about both the welfare of humans and animals. In fact, despite the Mughals’ enmity for the guru’s forerunners, he even assisted in curing Shah Jahan’s son of a condition that was on the verge of death. The sixth Sikh guru, Hargobind, had a grandson named Har Rai when he was born. He was Guru Hargobind’s favorite grandchild since he was wise and kind from a young age. When Guru Hargobind passed away, he proposed to him as his successor. Even though Guru Har Rai never engaged in a direct political or violent conflict with the Mughal Empire, he kept up the military tradition of doing so after becoming the Guru Gaddi. At Kiratpur Sahib, he also created a research facility and an ayurvedic hospital. Even though there had been tension between the Mughals and the Sikhs under his forebears, Guru Har Rai consented right away to help the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan heal one of his sons when Shah Jahan begged for assistance in a desperate manner.
Early Childhood & Life
The son of Baba Gurdita and Mata Nihal Kaur, Guru Har Rai was born on January 16, 1630, in Kiratpur Sahib, Rupnagar, Punjab, India (also known as Mata Ananti). Baba Gurdita was the son of Guru Hargobind, the sixth.
Har Rai was Guru Hargobind’s favorite grandchild; in fact, it was he who gave him his name.
He was a tender-hearted young man as he grew up. Once, a few roses were snapped off their stems when his robe got trapped in a rose bush. He began screaming out of distress at the sight of the blooms cut off from the vines.
Years Later
The gentleness and compassion of his grandson really touched Guru Hargobind. So, on March 3, 1644, before departing for his heavenly home, Jesus designated him as his successor.
When Guru Har Rai assumed leadership of the Sikhs, he was just 14 years old. He really carried on his grandfather’s tradition, nevertheless, and was remarkably knowledgeable and compassionate for his young age. Even though he never engaged in direct combat with the Mughals, he kept up the military legacy that Guru Hargobind had established by maintaining a powerful Sikh army.
The guru only employed the cavalry for defense. The guru’s party was once ambushed by Mohammad Yarbeg Khan, whose father had been murdered by Guru Hargobind in a battle, as they were returning from a tour of the Malwa and Doaba districts. Khan’s men suffered significant losses as a result of the Sikhs’ valiant resistance.
At Kiratpur Sahib, the guru set up an Ayurvedic hospital as well as a research facility. Many people came to the hospital seeking treatment for a range of illnesses. Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, once experienced a critical illness. He was treated by numerous reputable hakims and doctors, but to no avail.
Shah Jahan pleaded with the guru for assistance and asked him to supply some appropriate medication out of despair. Guru Har Rai sent the emperor’s envoy back with some unusual herbs that were only found at his research facility. The unexplained illness of the prince was soon cured, and Shah Jahan presented the guru with a jagir as a sign of appreciation. It was rejected by the guru.
The heir apparent to the Mughal throne, Dara Shikoh, was under threat by his younger brother Aurangzeb, who intended to assassinate him and succeed him. Dara Shikoh sought assistance from the guru and begged to be delivered from his brother as a result. The guru uses strategies to assist Shikoh in escaping safely from Aurangzeb’s army. The guru made sure that no firearms were fired in accordance with his pacifist views.
To reach as many people as possible with the Sikhism message, Guru Har Rai traveled extensively. He traveled to a number of locations, including Ramgarh, Sialkot, Pathankot, Lahore, and Samba. He constructed 360 Manji seats and expanded the Manji system started by the third Sikh Guru, Amar Das. He also made an effort to fix the corrupt Masand system that his forebears had established.
Guru Har Rai had a heart of gold toward animals. Although he frequently went hunting, he never killed an animal. In truth, he had a practice of capturing injured and ill animals and putting them in the zoo he had established. The animals would receive the proper care there before being reintroduced to the wild after they had recovered. He only ever murdered animals that were terminally ill or in excruciating pain with no chance of recovery. He would kill them in these circumstances to end their suffering.
Bigger Works of Guru Har Rai
Guru Har Rai was a deeply devoted follower of Sikhism and a very kind person. He constructed an Ayurvedic hospital and a research facility for the care of the ill and the underprivileged as part of his unwavering commitment to the people. It is also important to highlight his role in the Manji system’s growth.
Personal Legacy & Life
Mata Kishan Kaur, the daughter of Daya Ram and also known as Sulakhni, was the wife of Guru Har Rai. Ram Rai and Harkrishan, two sons of the couple, were born.
On October 6, 1661, the guru passed away at the age of 31. He designated his young son Harkrishan as his heir before passing away.