Guru Arjan Dev
| Guru Arjan Dev | |
|---|---|
| |
| Guru Arjan Dev, fifth Sikh Guru and compiler of the Ādi Granth | |
| Tradition | Sikhism, Religious thinkers |
| Influenced by | Guru Ram Das, Guru Amar Das, Guru Nanak |
| Lifespan | 1563–1606 |
| Notable ideas | Compilation of the Ādi Granth (the core of the Guru Granth Sahib); promotion of community service (seva); martyrdom as witness to faith and justice |
| Occupation | Spiritual leader, Theologian, Poet |
| Influenced | Guru Hargobind, Sikh community and institutions, Sikh thinkers |
| Wikidata | Q369920 |
Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth of Sikhism’s ten Gurus. He is revered for establishing some of the faith’s most enduring institutions: he completed the Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple) in Amritsar, organized the community’s funds and administration, and compiled the first edition of Sikh scripture (the Adi Granth, later known as the Guru Granth Sahib). Born into a family of Gurus and living during a turbulent era in Punjab, Arjan’s leadership saw the Sikh community grow in faith and stature. However, he is perhaps best known as the first Sikh martyr: he died under torture in 1606 rather than renounce his beliefs. His life and death marked a turning point for Sikhism, transforming it from a largely spiritual community to one aware of political and military pressures.
Early Life and Succession
Guru Arjan Dev was born on 15 April 1563 in Goindwal (now in Punjab, India). His father was Bhai Jetha (later Guru Ram Das), the fourth Sikh Guru, and his mother was Bibi Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das (the third Guru). In other words, Arjan was both the youngest son of the fourth Guru and the grandson of the third Guru. He had two older brothers, one named Prithi Chand who resented his special status. From childhood, Arjan showed deep religious devotion and humility. His father favored him for his piety and sensitivity.
As a young man Arjan proved his dedication. Accounts say that in 1579 Ram Das sent Arjan to Lahore (in present-day Pakistan) to represent him at a family wedding and to preach Sikh teachings. Arjan remained in Lahore for about three years, leading congregations and writing spiritual verses to his father. When his father tested his readiness to be Guru, Arjan was recalled to Goindwal. On 16 September 1581, after Guru Ram Das’s death, the 18-year-old Arjan Dev was formally anointed the fifth Sikh Guru. (His elder brother Prithi Chand felt slighted, and in later years he led a rival Sikh faction; but Arjan’s succession was recognized by the main body of Sikhs.)
As Guru, Arjan inherited a largely rural community. He and his followers worked out of Goindwal and the newly founded city of Amritsar (which Guru Ram Das had laid out). Over the next 25 years, Arjan transformed Sikhs’ social and religious life. He remained based in central Punjab, but he also traveled widely (to places like Kartarpur, Tarn Taran, and Lahore) to teach devotees and oversee community projects. Devotees, called sangat, gathered around him throughout the region, drawn by his reputation for holiness, scholarship, and fairness.
Community Leadership and Institutions
Under Guru Arjan’s guidance, Sikhism took on a more organized structure. He encouraged agriculture and trade to give Sikhs economic stability. He set up local leaders called masands (official community representatives) who collected the dasvandh (the traditional one-tenth tithe) from Sikhs and distributed it for communal welfare. This system funded roads, wells, schools and community kitchens (langars) in many villages. Arjan himself encouraged Sikhs to work and give, and lived in simple poverty while spending generously on the needy.
A major achievement was the completion of Amritsar’s sacred pool and temple complex. Guru Ram Das had begun digging the Amrit Sarovar (the holy tank) in 1570; under Arjan’s supervision, it was finished by 1577 and enlarged. Arjan then commissioned a central shrine in the middle of this lake. The foundation stone of the Harmandir Sahib (Temple of God), later called the Golden Temple, was laid around 1588 or 1589. According to tradition, the Sufi saint Mian Mir of Lahore ceremonially placed it. Construction proceeded with volunteer labor and community donations, and the temple was completed by about 1601.
The design of the Golden Temple embodied Sikh ideals. Rather than orienting a single entrance to the east (as was common for Hindu temples), Guru Arjan placed four doors, one on each side, symbolizing that people of all castes, creeds, and regions were equally welcome. At the same time, the entire platform of the temple was built slightly below the ground level so that worshippers had to step down as they approached – a symbolic gesture of humility. The temple was surrounded by the Amrit Sarovar, and around it grew markets, rest-houses ( Dharamshalas ) and langars serving free food to all. A new town rose around the shrine, with housed settlements and pilgrims lodging nearby. Arjan also founded other charity reservoirs: for example, the tanks at Santokhsar and Ramsar. He helped establish an entirely new town, Tarn Taran Sahib (south of Amritsar), where he built both a pond and a shelter for pilgrims, especially serving the lepers of the region.
In Amritsar he built the Harimander (inner sanctum) and completed the community kitchen tradition started by earlier Gurus. One biographer notes that he appointed “kslads” (volunteers) from all social strata to help feed the poor and sick. Malik — a humble devotee — recorded that “inside the temple, the chanting of hymns went on for most hours of day and night.” Sikh scriptures would be sung continuously, attended by sangat congregations. Again showing the faith’s openness, traders from different regions were invited to settle and establish markets in Amritsar.
Guru Arjan’s leadership was both spiritual and temporal. For the first time, a Guru was clearly the community’s supreme guide in worldly matters as well as religious ones. He was sometimes called Sachcha Padshah (“True King”) by his followers, not to claim worldly power but to recognize the Guru’s supreme authority in guiding society. When Sikhs made offerings, Arjan used them for public welfare – feeding the poor, caring for pilgrims, and maintaining infrastructure. He did not live in royal luxury, but rather in self-imposed austerity, mirroring his teachings of humility.
In addition to the Golden Temple, Guru Arjan touched many communities across Punjab. He rebuilt the village of Ruhela, renaming it Sri Hargobindpur (after his son), and developed it significantly. In Lahore he dug a baoli (stepwell) that still exists, to provide safe water, and he took measures to alleviate a famine in Punjab (helping with wells and fields) around 1600. Throughout his Guruship from 1581 to 1606, Arjan remained active in both growing Sikh institutions and serving people regardless of faith or station.
The Adi Granth: Scripture and Poetry
Guru Arjan’s most lasting legacy is the Adi Granth – the first codified scripture of Sikhism. By his time, the first three Gurus (Nanak, Amar Das, Ram Das) and many saint-poets had composed hymns, but these were recorded in various collections held by different people. Guru Arjan realized that these writings needed to be preserved in an authoritative volume as the Sikh community grew. So he set out to compile and edit a single holy book.
This major project unfolded from the late 1580s into the early 1600s. Arjan announced that just as the Panth (Sikh body) was now established in the world, the Granth (scripture) must also be made manifest. The task was enormous: he was gathering works from the first four Gurus, along with hymns by Hindu and Muslim saints whom Sikhs revered (like Baba Farid, Ravidas, Kabir, Namdev, Sain, etc.). He first obtained copies of Guru Ram Das’s and Amar Das’s writings (for instance, his maternal uncle Baba Mohan, son of Amar Das, lent his family’s pothi, or album of compositions). He then sent emissaries in all directions to seek every authentic hymn of the Gurus and Bhaktas.
Arjan weeded and arranged this material with great care. He edited some passages, put them to music, and set everything into thirty-one ragas (musical patterns), reflecting the Sikh tradition that sacred verses should be sung. The arrangement was precise: within each raga, hymns appear in the order of the Gurus (starting with Nanak) and then the Bhakti saints. He even composed some hymns himself as part of the collection. By around 1604 the work was complete: the Adi Granth contained nearly 6,000 hymns, over a third of them by Guru Arjan personally (more than 2,000 verses). The entire book was written in the Gurmukhi script.
The Adi Granth was installed with ceremony on 16 August 1604 in the inner sanctum of the Golden Temple at Amritsar. The celebrated elder Bhai Gurdas opened it, as Guru Arjan looked on. It became the centerpiece of Sikh devotion – effectively the living Siri Guru (True Guru) for the community. (Later, in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh would proclaim that the Guru Granth Sahib would henceforth be the final and eternal Guru of the Sikhs, a status the Adi Granth maintained as Guru Granth Sahib.) Guru Arjan’s editorial and poetic handiwork gave the Sikhs a unified scripture that defined their faith. It also cemented the continuity of the Gurus’ teachings – the word of the Gurus were seen as inseparable from the Gurus themselves.
In addition to spearheading this scripture, Arjan contributed many individual hymn compositions to it. His verses are noted for mystical imagery and a focus on inner devotion. A signature theme was that the Divine is one in all: he taught that God’s light resides “in high and low,” in “every creature,” so no one is truly inferior or superior (www.sikhnet.com). Another famous work is the Sukhmani Sahib (“Psalm of Peace”), a long devotional hymn divided into 24 sections and reflecting on meditative remembrance (Naam Simran) of God as the path to inner serenity. Arjan praised compassion, humility and equality; and his prolific writings emphasize seeking the divine within rather than through ritual. These poetic hymns – often chanting Swan (couplets) and Shabads (verses) – continue to be a core part of Sikh worship. Worshippers sing or recite Arjan’s compositions daily, and they are seen as articulating the vision of Sikh society.
Teachings and Philosophy
Guru Arjan’s philosophy extended and unified the values of the Gurus before him. He continued to teach that there is one God and that devotion (bhakti) plus righteous living unite a believer with that God. Like Guru Nanak, he supported an egalitarian society: caste divisions were meaningless before the divine. The architecture of the Golden Temple (with its four doors) formally embodied this inclusiveness. Arjan preached that all honest devotees, Hindu or Muslim or any background, who glorify the divine, are part of the Sikh family. He famously embraced the writings of many Hindu and Muslim saints into Sikh scripture, indicating that genuine spiritual truth transcends communal labels.
Arjan often emphasized Naam Jiwan (life through the Divine Name) and Naam Simran – constant remembrance of God’s name – as the true practice of Sikhism. He contrasted this with empty rituals or blind ritualism. One of his hymns says that meditation on the Name is the path of true yoga, leading the soul’s inner transformation rather than going through outward ceremonies. Humility (nimrata) was also central to Arjan’s teaching: he led by example, living modestly and serving others. A Sikh writer later interpreted one of his couplets to mean that all grass and trees breathe in God as we breathe air, implying that holiness pervades everything.
At the same time, Guru Arjan fully recognized the material context of his people’s lives. He introduced or formalized some administrative measures: for instance, he was the first Guru to institutionalize dasvandh, the practice that each Sikh would donate 10% of earnings to the community treasury. He set standards for communal worship – in gurdwaras (Sikh temples) henceforth only the Guru’s hymns were sung, and the building always had a scripture present. Under his leadership, the concept emerged that the Sikh faith was as much a community or panth as it was a set of personal beliefs. In later Sikh thought, Guru Arjan’s life would be cited as an example of bhana (acceptance of God’s will) – he bore whatever trials came without losing faith.
Martyrdom and Aftermath
Guru Arjan Dev’s life came under tragic circumstances after the death of the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1605). Akbar himself had been friendly toward the Sikhs; he had in fact visited Guru Arjan in 1598 and granted him tax relief for Punjab’s farmers. But Akbar’s son and successor Jahangir was less tolerant. From the start of his reign, Jahangir (born Prince Salim) turned against groups he saw as rivals or heretical. A major flashpoint was the rebellion of Jahangir’s own son, Prince Khusrau, in 1605. Khusrau had gone to Guru Arjan (in Goindwal) seeking blessings and even financial help for his cause. Arjan treated him with compassion but did not actively join the revolt. When Jahangir’s forces captured Khusrau, the emperor surmised that artery of rebellion ran through the Guru.
At about the same time, some local officials and religious figures stirred trouble. One was a Hindu banker named Chandu Shah, who had long harbored a grudge against Guru Arjan (stories say the Guru had declined a marriage proposal for his son). Another was Shah Jahani (farid), a Mughal in charge of Lahore who also disliked the Sikh influence. And Sunni Muslim clerics, including Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi of Sirhind (a leader of the Naqshbandi order), saw the growing Sikh community as a religious threat. Through these channels, an official complaint reached Jahangir: it charged that the Adi Granth contained verses offensive to Islam (for example, verses including the word “Allah”).
Jahangir summoned Guru Arjan to Lahore in 1606. According to later records (including Jahangir’s own memoir, the Tuzk-i-Jahangiri), the emperor confronted Arjan about his alleged “heresy” and support for Khusrau. Jahangir placed a fine of 200,000 rupees on him, which Arjan refused to pay, and then ordered that he be brought before the royal court. Jahangir wrote that many Hindus and even some Muslims were “fascinated” by the Guru’s teachings, and that he had been considering putting an end to this “false traffic” or converting the Guru to Islam. (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com). Eventually Jahangir decided that Guru Arjan should be executed with torture.
The execution was carried out over several days in May 1606. Contemporary Sikh tradition and the Mughal record agree on little except that he died in Lahore. According to Punjabi histories and later Sikh biographies, Arjan was helplessly interrogated and then subjected to severe torment. The accounts describe him being forced to sit on a red-hot iron plate while burning sand was poured on his body, and boiled water was applied to his skin (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com). Throughout this agony, it is said he chanted God’s name and recited hymns. The final humiliation was to carry him bound to the River Ravi. Parched and blistered, he reportedly asked to be given water from the river to drink, but as he bathed even this small relief proved too much. Guru Arjan Dev passed away on 30 May 1606 (Jeth sudi 4, 1663 Bikram Samvat). Legend holds that after his death his body was immersed in the river and, as a miracle, a pot of flour and water he had carried turned to butter – a sign to his followers of his sanctity (www.bbc.co.uk) (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com).
Historians note that the exact details are not uniformly recorded. Mughal chroniclers were often vague about executions; Jahangir did not relish killing a holy man. A Jesuit missionary, Father Jerome Xavier, wrote in a 1606 letter that Arjan “died overwhelmed by the sufferings and torments” he endured (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com). In any case, the outcome was clear: Guru Arjan became a martyr (shaheed) for the Sikh community. His death was seen as unjust persecution of a peaceful spiritual leader. It is recorded that even Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi, who had opposed the Guru, later wrote boastingly of the “execution of the accursed [infidel] of Goindval” (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com).
Within the Sikh tradition, the martyrdom of Guru Arjan is held as the fulfillment of the Gurus’ teachings about courage and self-sacrifice. It galvanized the community. Guru Arjan’s only surviving son, Guru Hargobind, who was then a young boy, took up his father’s mantle. Soon after, on the rooftop of the Golden Temple, Hargobind installed two swords representing Miri (temporal power) and Piri (spiritual authority), signaling that Sikhs must also learn to defend themselves. This marked the beginning of a more militarized phase in Sikh history. Sikh chronicler Bhai Gurdas wrote a moving praise of Arjan’s steadfastness during torture, comparing him to a fish becoming one with the river or a moth merging into flame (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com). From then on, Sikhs regarded martyrdom in just causes as honorable and even normative. Guru Arjan’s execution is commemorated every year as a solemn martyrdom anniversary in May or June (depending on the lunar calendar).
Historical Interpretations
Scholars agree that Guru Arjan’s execution was ordered by Emperor Jahangir, but the reasons have been much debated. Sikh tradition emphasizes Jahangir’s bigotry: it paints a picture of a fanatic ruler pressured by orthodox priests to eliminate the Guru’s egalitarian influence. Some older sources blame Hindu conspirators like Chandu Shah. Modern historians, working from primary sources like Jahangir’s memoir and Persian chronicles, offer a nuanced view. Jahangir himself cited Arjan’s “heresies” and support for Khusrau as provocation. The army defeat of Khusrau, and local officials’ reports, likely pushed Jahangir’s hand (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com). Others note that during this period Jahangir was responding harshly to any challenge to imperial order. The fact that Jahangir treated Arjan differently from Akbar’s more lenient attitude to the Sikh Gurus suggests that religious-politico tensions had heightened.
A key point of contention is the role of the Adi Granth. Some argue Jahangir targeted Arjan specifically for the scripture’s references, e.g. verses praising “Allah” or even verses naming Akbar (the emperor’s father) in a way that seemed subversive. Allied with this is the narrative that Jahangir demanded the removal of such verses and Arjan’s refusal triggered the punishment (www.britannica.com). However, others think Arjan’s steadfast refusal to alter the Gurus’ writings is emphasized more by later hagiography than by contemporary evidence. In fact, Jahangir’s own diary blames Arjan’s popularity among “foolish” Hindus and some Muslims for causing trouble (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com). Academic historians like Pashaura Singh and Louis E. Fenech have examined economic, social, and political factors in 1600s Punjab: for example, conflicts over land revenue, the Guru’s rising treasury, or broader Mughal-Sikh competition. One earlier scholar, K.S. Lal, argued that Punjabi converts to Sikhism were seen as dangerous, while others highlight Aryan versus Muslim religious conflict.
What is agreed is that Guru Arjan’s torture and death were pivotal. The emperor’s own words leave little doubt that he meant to make an example: “…I fully knew of his heresies and I ordered that he should be put to death with torture” (www.thesikhencyclopedia.com). Many Sikh historians see Arjan’s refusal to capitulate as heroic. Some critics of modern Sikh studies note that while recent scholarship (from the 1990s onward) has tried to “demythologize” the narrative, none challenge the fact of his martyrdom itself. Instead, they refine how and why it happened. Whether one emphasizes Jahangir’s fear of rebellion, a personal vendetta by Chandu Shah, or growing sectarian pressure, the outcome was that a peaceful saint was executed. Sources differ on small points – for instance, some say Jahangir offered Arjan the choice to convert to Islam or pay a larger fine, others do not mention a choice. But the consensus is that Guru Arjan did not break down or betray his faith, and thus is venerated by Sikhs as a martyr who upheld the integrity of the Guru’s word at the ultimate cost.
Legacy and Influence
Guru Arjan Dev’s legacy is foundational to Sikh identity. His compilation of the Adi Granth fixed the core scripture of the faith – a text that remains the spiritual center for all Sikhs worldwide. The Golden Temple, which he designed and built, remains the holiest shrine of Sikhism, symbolizing openness and universal brotherhood. Langar kitchens and communal worship in gurdwaras around the world follow the model he solidified. His emphasis on selfless service, humility, and equality continues to define Sikh values.
The memory of his martyrdom is also deeply influential. It established the principle that a Sikh should be willing to endure suffering rather than abandon Hukam (the divine command) and truth. The story of Arjan’s martyrdom inspired later Sikhs in battles against Mughal oppression and is cited as a moral anchor. For example, his son Guru Hargobind built the Akal Takht (Throne of the Timeless One) opposite the Golden Temple as a center of authority that also reminds Sikhs of their warrior spirit. Through the centuries, every Sikh learns of Guru Arjan’s death as a turning point – a moment when the community realized it must defend its faith actively.
Across India and in the Sikh diaspora, Guru Arjan is honored in memorials and festivals. Many gurdwaras commemorate his Shaheedi Divas (martyrdom day) with langar and prayer, recalling his teachings. His own hymns, such as the Sukhmani Sahib, are regularly sung for their poetic beauty and spiritual depth. In art and literature, he is often portrayed as serene under torture, embodying meekness and steadfastness. Interfaith respect for him is also noted; for instance, the layout of the Golden Temple is sometimes cited as an early symbol of religious harmony.
Guru Arjan’s impact can be seen in later Sikh history as well. The military and administrative reforms that followed in the 17th century often reflected lessons from his life: that spiritual order needed material organization, and that the community must adapt to changing times. In modern culture, he is still revered as a pioneer of pluralism (including hymns of saints from diverse backgrounds) and social justice. His date of death, May 30, is observed as a national day of remembrance in India for interfaith harmony by the Indian government. In sum, Guru Arjan Dev is remembered not just as a great saint and scholar, but as a martyr whose sacrifice shaped Sikh destiny.
Selected Works
- Adi Granth (1604) – Guru Arjan’s compilation of Sikh scripture, combining the hymns of the first four Gurus and many Hindu and Muslim saints. This volume forms the basis of the Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal Sikh scripture.
- Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple, completed c.1601) – The gilded central shrine at Amritsar, founded by Guru Arjan to be a house of worship open to all faiths. It houses the Guru Granth Sahib and is the focal point of Sikh devotion.
- Hymns and Bani in Guru Granth Sahib – Guru Arjan’s own poetic compositions, numbering over 2,000 verses, are included in the Sikh scripture. Notable works include the Sukhmani Sahib (Psalm of Peace) and numerous saloks and swaiyas. His hymns emphasize meditation on the Divine Name, compassion, and the oneness of God in every being.
- Gurdwara Establishments – Though not “works” in the writing sense, Guru Arjan established many Sikh centers of worship. Besides the Golden Temple, he completed his father’s projects like the Amrit Sarovar tanks and built new shrines at Kartarpur (Jalandhar Doab) and Tarn Taran.
Timeline of Key Events
- 1563 (15 April) – Birth of Guru Arjan Dev at Goindwal, Punjab.
- 1581 (16 September) – Guru Arjan succeeds his father, Guru Ram Das, as the fifth Sikh Guru.
- 1589–1601 – Construction of the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar under Arjan’s direction; foundation laid by Sufi saint Mian Mir circa 1588–89, main structure completed by 1601.
- 1601 – Amritsar city and sacred pool are expanded; Tarn Taran Sahib town established.
- 1604 (August 16) – Completion and installation of the Adi Granth, the Sikh scripture compiled by Guru Arjan, in the Golden Temple. Emperor Akbar is said to have approved of the scripture.
- 1605 – Death of Emperor Akbar; accession of Jahangir. Political climate for Sikhs grows hostile.
- 1606 (May 30) – Guru Arjan Dev is executed under orders of Prince (later Emperor) Jahangir in Lahore. He becomes the first Sikh martyr.
- 1606 (Čarh 1606) – Guru Hargobind, Arjan’s son, succeeds as the sixth Sikh Guru; Sikh community begins to organize militarily with the construction of Akal Takht.
(Note: A useful companion figure could be a timeline table listing these dates with events, and a map showing locations like Goindwal, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Lahore, etc., to illustrate Guru Arjan’s life in geographical context.)