The Inspiring Life of Bhai Daya Singh |
 Bhai Daya Singh was the first one to rise to the occasion and offer his head when Guru Gobind Singh Ji asked for a head on the momentous occasion of creation of Khalsa during the Baisakhi of 1699. While others were scared, surprised and shell shocked and looking for escape route; he had the fortitude to offer his head as Guru Ji asked for. Since that day he has been with Guru Ji for the rest of his life. He was with Guru Ji during the siege of Anandpur fort, which began on May 3rd, 1704. He evacuated Anandpur fort with Guru Ji on the fateful chilly, wintery night of December 20th, 1704. In fact he was with Guru Ji during the most trying period after evacuation from Anandpur fort, until the time Guru Ji left for his heavenly abode in Nanded. He also served as the leader of Punj Pyaras who issued an edict to Guru Ji to leave Chamkaur Garhi on the night of December 22th, 1704. He was also designated by the Sikhs to accompany Guru Ji after evacuation from Chamkaur Garhi.
During the barefoot escape from Chamkaur Garhi in the pitch darkness of the cold wintery night Guru Ji got separated from Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh and Bhai Man Singh. Fortunately, they were reunited back with him on December 25th, 1704 in Machiwara. From there the whole group moved to Dina. At Dina a devout Sikh named Rama, presented Guru Gobind Singh Ji with an excellent horse for his personal use, so Guru Ji gifted his former horse to Bhai Daya Singh. It was from Dina only Guru Ji dispatched Bhai Daya Singh to deliver the Zafarnama - the epistle of victory, to Emperor Aurangzeb in Deccan, South India. These little details portray the special trusting and close bond between the two. Due to the sudden demise of Aurangzeb, the Zafarnama could not be personally delivered to him; so Bhai Daya Singh decided to return back to Punjab. On his return journey he met Guru Ji at Narainpur in Rajasthan. As Guru Ji was proceeding towards Deccan, so Bhai Daya Singh rejoined Guru Ji's team heading south again. In July 1708 Guru Ji came to Nanded, which is located on the banks of river Godavari and decided to camp there. One day, Guru Ji picked up a rock, tossed it in his hands from left to right and then all of a sudden hurled it into the majestically flowing river Godavari where it sank. Then Guru Ji turned to Bhai Daya Singh and posed a question as to "why did that rock sink?" His reply was that it sank because it left your hand, your care and protection. This was an interesting response to a question to which a rational mind would have justified simply with the principle of gravity and the density of the rock. What Bhai Daya Singh said reflected the essence of Guru Ji's teachings. Guru Nanak Dev Ji has said the following words in the form of a prayer: Bhai Daya Singh understood this principle very clearly. A life which is rock like can be saved from sinking in water with Guru Ji's mercy. His name is Daya and he understood the significance of daya or mercy needed to cross the ocean of life. It is precisely for this reason alone, he was the first to offer his head to Guru Ji during the historic Baisakhi of 1699 of creation of Khalsa. He wanted to be under the grace of Guru Ji. Similar sentiments of prayer were also expressed by Bhagat Namdev Ji when he asked the Lord to save him. "mo kau qwir ly rwmw qwir ly ] Guru Arjan Dev Ji also prays in a similar vein in the following lines: Now let us understand how Guru Ji can help carry us (the stones) across. Guru Ji has provided the answer in these words: With the grace from God one meets the Guru. Then with the holy word or teachings of the Guru Ji a sinking stone like human life can be saved. Reexamining the answer provided by Bhai Daya Singh we can see that if the rock had been in the hand of Guru Ji, there was no chance of its sinking. The reply from Bhai Daya Singh educates us of the following lessons:
Bhai Daya Singh didn't just understand this lesson; but also had put it into practice in his life and in the process he became closest to Guru Gobind Singh Ji. He was one of the five beloved of Guru Ji and yet he was first among the equals in every respect. From the time he offered his head in Anandpur in 1699, he was with Guru Ji until Guru Ji left for his heavenly abode on October 7th, 1708 in Nanded. Even after that Bhai Daya Singh resided in Nanded and became the leader of the Sikhs, providing support, strength and a rallying point. When his time to leave this world came, he left his body very close to the site of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's "angeetha". Today, an angeetha memorial in his loving memory exists next to Takht Shri Hazoor Sahib. His life was spent in the company of Guru Ji and even in death his companionship of Guru Ji is eternal. This memorial which is next to Guru Gobind Singh Ji's memorial is a reminder of the faith of a Sikh should have in his Guru and how that faith can ferry a Sikh across the ocean of life. This shrine serving as a pinnacle of relentless faith is an inspiration for all the coming generations. Every time one visits Takht Shri Hazoor Sahib, a visit to this site is a necessary reminder of the quality of faith that needs to be cultivated. For those of us who are unable to visit this memorial, the remembrance should come from our daily prayer, where we all remember the five beloved ones after remembering the Gurus. Bhai Daya Singh is thus a true role model and an ideal Sikh, worthy of our emulation. Let us take the first step and ask Guru Sahib for the grace so that we too can be ferried across this ocean of life. |
