Born: 15 April 1563

Place of birth-Goindwal

Parents: Sri Guru Ramdas Ji and Bibi Bhani Ji 

Spouses: His first marriage was with Mata Ram Devi of village Maur. His second wife was Mata Ganga Ji of village Mau. Phillaur

Children: Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji

Period: During the reign of Mogul emperor Jehangir

Compilation of Guru Granth Sahib: Guru Arjan Dev Ji installed Guru Granth Sahib in Harimandir Sahib in 1603

Martyrdom: 30 May 1606 on the banks of river Ravi

Teachings: Service and worship, patience -contentment -belief, goodwill, self-confidence, the will to sacrifice oneself for courage and truth.

Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji was born on 15 April 1563 to Mata Bhani and Guru Ramdas Ji in Goindwal. The third guru Amardas Ji was his maternal grandfather. Right from his early childhood he was a serene and prodigious child of healthy body. One day while playing he reached the quarters of Guru Amardas Ji and tried to climb on to his bed but Mata Bhani stopped him from doing so. Meanwhile, Guru Amardas Ji also arrived and said, " Son, you want to take my place right away? This you may get only when the time will be ripe for it." He picked him up with affection and said, " Dohita bani ka bohitha" (My grandson is the one who will spread the wisdom of gurbani).

When Arjan Dev Ji grew up he married Ram Devi, daughter of Chandan Das but she expired before producing an offspring.

His second marriage was with Mata Ganga Ji daughter of Kishan Chand Khatri of village Mau. She gave birth to Guru Hargobind Ji.Guru Arjan Dev’s older brother Prithi Chand had become rancorous with greed and he disapproved of Guru Ji throughout his life. However Guru Arjan Dev Ji ignored it with poise and continued his mission of serving others.

His greatest contributions were establishment of Sri Harimandir Sahib and other pilgrimage centres and compilation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. After becoming the Guru he shifted to Amritsar in year 1638 of Bikrami calendar. First of all he started the project of reinforcing the Amrit sarovar (as the pool is called where Harimandir Sahib now stands). He used to personally participate in this project carried out by volunteers from the community. He also had Darshani Deodhi (main view entrance), Guru Bazar and Guru’s Palace constructed. In 1643 of Bikrami calendar he had the Santokhsar sarovar also reinforced.

Sri Harimandir Sahib - On the 5th day of Kartik month in 1645 of Bikrami calendar Guru Arjan Dev Ji had the foundation stone of Sri Harimandir Sahib laid in the middle of the Amrit sarovar by the Moslem Sufi saint Miyan Mir. This was an exemplary attempt to demolish all religious divisions. Sri Harimandir Sahib became a shrine for the entire humankind and Guru Arjan Dev Ji himself had conceived its concept. In fact this great temple is a fusion of Hindu and Islamic art. The temple has four entrances signifying the acceptance of all four castes and welcoming people from all four directions. There is no discrimination here on the basis of caste, colour or creed.

"Hari mandir hari jio sajia mere lal jiyo hari tis meh rahiya samai jio"

(Harimandir has been built by the creatures of God; God Himself is enshrined here)

Day and night recitals of Gurbani were started and the message of oneness of all humankind was disseminated from here. In 1647 of Bikrami calendar Taran Taran was founded at a distance of 14 miles from Amritsar. A sarovar was dug there too and a gurudwara built by its side.

On the invitation of Sardar Azim Khan, the then Moslem chief of Kartarpur (Jalandhar), Guru Arjan Dev Ji toured the Doaba area and founded the city of Kartarpur. Even today the first copy of Guru Granth Sahib is in the possession of the Sodhis of Kartarpur, descendants of Dhir Mal. At the beginning of each month of Bikrami calendar it is taken out to allow the followers to have a glimpse Besides this Guru Arjan Dev Ji founded Cheharta town, Baoli sahib (Lahore), Guru ka Bagh (in Majha), Ramsar and Sri Hargobindpur.

Compilation of Guru Granth Sahib - The greatest contribution of Guru Arjan Dev Ji was to get the utterances of all predecessor gurus collected in one anthology. This is the main religious book of Sikhs and has the status of a Guru. The holy book conveys the message of spiritual improvement and the spread of truth and virtue to entire humankind. This holy book has been called the bohitha (carrier) of gurbani. Guru Ji had the anthology written by Bhai Gurdas sitting on the banks of Ramsar. Then the perceptive Guru Ji corrected and edited the entire compilation. It is written in thirty ragas and starts with raga Sri. According to Guru Ji this is not any divine revelation or afflatus. Instead this is the expression of experience and knowledge gained by the gurus and sages during their temporal travels. It is said that Guru Granth sahib is the most scientific of all religious texts of the world. Wherever Guru Ji had a difference of opinion with the sayings of the sages, he has very subtly recorded his observations and amendments. Gurbani proves that Sikhism shows the path of worldly life and labour instead of negating it.

There are twenty three hundred hymns by Guru Arjan Dev Ji himself in the bani. These include Barah Mah, Bawan Akhari, Gauri Thitti, Sukhmani Sahib and Gatha. Sukhmani Sahib is a remarkable piece of work.

"Sukhmani sukh amrit nam, bhagat janan ke man bisram"

(Sukhmani is the nectar of succour, it instils tranquillity in worshippers).

In the Bhadra month of 1661 Bikrami Guru Granth sahib was installed and recited in Harimandir sahib for the first time and Baba Budha Ji was appointed the first granthi. Guru Gobind Singh Ji later added the bani of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to the Granth sahib.

The leading Sikhs of Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s time were: Bhai Gurdas Ji, Bhai Manjh Ji, Bhai Behlo Ji, Bhai Kalyan Ji, Bhai Tilku Ji, Bhai Hema Ji, Bhai Bahor Ji, Bhai Bidhi Chand and Bhai Budhhu Ji. His followers from the Moslem community were Sanyin Miyan Mir, Vazir khan and Sayyad Azim Khan.

Martyrdom - A man is not afraid of martyrdom when he is ready to stand by the truth, die for his ideals and sacrifice his own self for the cause of the exploited and underprivileged. The religious prejudices and political suspicions of Jehangir, the intrigues of the Lahore rulers and the conspiracies of Prithi Chand, Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, Meharban and Chandu caused Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s martyrdom. However the main reason was the then Emperor Jehangir himself. His son Khusro had rebelled against him and Jehangir suspected that Sikhs were aiding and abetting him. In Tauzik-e-Jehangir he describes the mission of Sikh gurus as ‘propagation of lies’. Guru Ji and his Sikhs were tortured and executed at Jehangir’s command. During his visit to Lahore, Jehangir instructed Murtaza Khan to initiate proceedings against Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi was also a party to that.

When Guru Arjan Dev Ji was summoned to Lahore he grasped the situation and bequeathed the seat to Guru Hargobind Sahib before leaving. He also directed Bhai Budha Ji and Bhai Gurdas Ji to take care of daily matters. Before proceeding he told Mata Ganga Ji;

"Jo aya so chalsi, sabh koi aayi variye"

(All who come have to depart too, each being gets his turn).

He arrived in Lahore along with five Sikhs and was incarcerated in the fort there. The Kazi ordered him to pay a fine but he refused. He also refused to make any alterations in Guru Granth sahib. Under Chadu’s supervision, they started torturing Guru Ji. He was made to sit in a cauldron of hot water, scorching sand was poured over his head, and he was put on heated metallic sheets. When Miyan Mir came to know of it he was extremely distressed; the Sikhs too were intensely agitated. However Guru Ji advised everybody to keep calm and conveyed his message in the following manner:

"aape har ikk rang hai aape bahurangi, jo tis bhave Nanaka sayi gall changi"

(He is the manifestation of each colour; He is also multicoloured Whatever He wills O Nanak, must be accepted with open heart)

This is a unique example of endurance, equanimity, resolve and self-respect. After enduring five days of unrelenting torture Guru Ji indicated to Sikhs that his time has come. The executioners took him to the waters of Ravi. Guru Ji chanted Japji Sahib there and with a tranquil mind left for his heavenly abode on 30 May 1606.

Famous Gurudwaras -

1. Diwankhana and Martyrdom Memorial in Chuna Mandi, Lahore

2. Ram Bagh Cheharta (Guru ki vadali) 

3. Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar 

4. Manji Sahib in Amritsar and Taran Taran

5.. Kartarpur, Guru ke Mahal and Thum Sahib in Jalandhar 12 11