Sahibe Kamal - 3

In dedication to Guru Gobind Singh ji

At the tender age of nine years Guru Gobindji inherited the house of Nanak and with that the responsibility of guiding the Sikh faith and fulfilling teachings of Guru Nanak were transferred on these young shoulders.Such responsibilities makes you even more responsible person whatever the age. For this an utmost discipline in life is necessary. After attending to his duties towards community matters,he gave full attention to his physical training and enhancing his skills in warfare, marshal games and hunting. He maintained a strict discipline of getting up early morning for meditation and contemplation, then attending to the assembly for congregational hymn singing by the musicians and he himself explained the verses from Gurbani. Rest of the day was spent in the recitation and composing of heroic poetry and attending to the problems of disciples. In the evening assembly political excesses by the rulers and how the other Gurus dealt with the problems were discussed. His growing years were spent in training and learning of all types of classical literature. This is evident at his prowess of learning so many languages and mastering them. At the age of 11 he was married to Jitoji daughter of Harjas from Lahore.

He received an invitation from Raja Medini Prakash of Sirmour with Nahan its capital. After staying for few days at Nahan Guruji left it and came upon a beautiful spot where his horse refused to move further. Guruji admired the spot and asked for the permission from Raja Medini Prakash to put his camp. Guruji named the place Paonta - foot of the horse, because his horse had put his foot firmly there and refused to move. This place on the bank of Jamuna river is serenely beautiful and very inspiring. At this captivating beautiful place Guru ji spent many years and they were the most creative years of his life. He could sit for hours on the bank of Jamuna and contemplate while his disciples were receiving training in religious and marshal arts. Here in Paonta he contemplated on the state of country and in his mind prepared a grand design for the recovery and rehabilitation of the lost and suppressed vigour and vitality of the Hindu Society. His poetic expositions found the best expression at this place. He wrote poetry to inspire spirit of courage and heroism. In his composition he has named sword as sarbloh i.e. all steel and also called God as Sarbloh. This was intended to give a new direction to the minds of people subdued to passivity. People needed a new vocabulary and new principle of faith. God and sword became interchangeable words. In his invocation he says;" I bow with love and devotion to the Holy Sword, Assist me so that I may be able to complete this task." -Bachhitra Natak.