Guru Gobind Singh jee and Baba Raam Rai

Baba Raam Rai has been called Baba in history because in the end he admitted his mistake and was taken back into Sikhi by Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee.

Baba Raam Rai was a Gursikh of amazing avastha. He and his sibling – Bibi Roop Kaur were brought up in great Gurmat atmosphere and were great gursikhs. Baba Raam Rai had a high spiritual state and it is said that both he and his sister were very beautiful. Their natural beauty got greatly enhanced by the effect of their spiritual state.

Bhai Gurdaas jee writes:

BIGDARAI CHAATA DUDH DAA, KAANJI DEE CHUKHAI ||
(To spoil a pot of milk one needs only a drop of kaanji i.e. citric acid)

SAHAS MANAAN ROOYEEN JALAI, CHINGAAREE DHUKHAI ||
(To burn hundreds of tons of cotton, only a small flame is enough)

Sometimes kamaayee of a person can get destroyed with one mistake only. Exactly the same tragedy occurred in Baba jee’s life. Enemies of Guru Ghar, said many bad things about Guru Har Rai jee. They also accused him of helping Dara Shikoh, the brother of Aurangzeb who was also a contender of Mughal Emperor. Sometimes I wish Dara Shikoh had succeeded Shah Jahan instead of Aurangzeb. The history would have been totally different if this had occurred. Anyway, coming back to this topic, Aurangzeb called upon Guru Har Rai jee to Delhi.

Guru Har Rai jee sent his son Baba Raam Rai jee to represent him. Baba jee was a player of high spiritual states. He was only fourteen years old but age has nothing to do with spiritual advancement. He was very wise and intelligent. Guru Har Rai jee instructed his son to stay in Gurmat. He further told him to rest assured as he had totally loaded him with shakti. He told his son that he will have abundant shakti but he also told him not to misuse it.

Baba jee went to the darbar of Aurangzeb and many unusual things happened there. The enemies of Gurughar wanted to humiliate Guru Sahib and planned many ways to do that. They placed Baba jee’s seat on a deep pit, by covering the pit with a sheet. They wanted Baba jee to fall right in the pit and become a laughing stock of all. But Baba jee had the hand of Guru Sahib on his head. As he approached his seat in the Mughal Darbaar, he found out with his extra sensory power what he was getting into. He did not hesitate and saying Mool Mantr, sat right on his seat. Everyone in the darbaar were amazed when his seat or chair did not fall in the pit. The seat stayed in hanging in air, without any support from underneath. Many such incidents took place.

Baba jee stayed in Delhi for many days and with each day, the Mughal emperor got more and more fond of Baba jee. Baba jee too got embroiled in the web of haume. He was getting so much praise from everyone in Delhi. The emperor used to make him sit right beside him. One day, the enemies of the Panth, found a way to put Baba jee on spot. They asked him to explain the meaning of the following pankiti:

MITTI MUSSALMAAN KEE PERE PAYEE KUMIYAAR||

By this time Baba jee had become weak as a result of constant feeding of praise and lack of Sangat. Also we should realize that such events took place during the times of Guru Sahib to teach all of us important lessons in life.

Anyway when Baba jee was asked to interpret this pankiti, Baba jee thought that if he told them the truth, some Moslems including the emperor may get offended and he may lose the respect he enjoys now. It is written in history that he interpreted the pankiti as only Be-Imaan Muslims will burn in their graves. Another version written in our history is that he changed the pankiti written above by writing "Be-Imaan" instead of "Mussalmaan". Whether he misinterpreted the pankiti or changed the pankiti; either way, he committed a transgression.

As soon as Baba jee did this, he felt a loss of power or energy he had inside him. He realized that he had made a great mistake. But it was too late to retract his mistake. He left the court deeply depressed.

Siri Guru jee found out what Baba Raam Rai had done and was deeply upset at this. When Guru Sahib heard that he had disrespected gurbani, he ordered Baba jee never to see him again and ordered all his Sikhs to cease all dealings with Baba jee. Guru Sahib said that when Baba jee was given all the powers then he should have explained the meanings of this pankiti and if required he could have shown Aurangzeb how this pankiti is true. He had shakti and could have shown him the truth of this pankiti. All he had to do was, show Aurangzeb the burning souls of Muslims in their graves.

Baba jee still tried to approach Guru Har Rai jee and went to see him. As he neared Kiratpur, where Siri Guru jee was stationed, he sent his loyal gursikh friend to get permission from Guru Sahib. Siri Guru jee had deep affection for Baba Raam Rai but the sin that Baba jee had committed was not an ordinary one. Guru jee wanted to set an example for his Sikhs as to how important and respectable baani is.

Guru Sahib in response told him to not come to see him. Baba jee’s companion then asked Siri Guru jee as to what Baba Raam Rai should do then. At this Siri Guru jee told him to tell Baba jee to just go in the direction he would be facing at the time her hears this response.

The sewak told him this hukam of Guru Sahib, Baba jee came in bairaag and started crying but still obeyed Guru Sahib’s hukam. He was only 14-15 years old at that time. Imagine how a child would feel parting from a father like Guru Har Rai jee. Anyway, since he was facing Lahore at that time, he went there. There he did sewa of sangat for some time and eventually he settled down in Dehradun.

As he parted from Siri Guru jee and settled in Dehradun, he faltered from his path a little bit. He had some issues with Siri Guru Har Kishan jee, his younger brother.He himself never directly interfered with the Guru Sahib as Dheer Mal did but nevertheless, he was still excommunicated from Panth and led a life away from Guru Sahib.

He felt empty inside and many times thought of approaching Guru Sahib but failed to do so. In the end, as he grew older, he felt his urge to get pardoned by Siri Guru jee. At that time, Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee was sitting on the throne of Guru Nanak Dev jee. When Siri Guru jee went to Paunta Sahib area, Baba Raam Rai expressed his desire to see Siri Guru jee.

He met Siri Guru jee in the middle of a river. Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee came in a boat from one side of the river while Baba jee came from the other side. In the middle of the river they both came into one boat and Baba jee fell at the lotus feet of Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee. He asked for forgiveness. Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee maharaaj, pardoned him and accepted him back into Sikhi. With Siri Guru jee’s will, he was accepted back into Sikhi and Baba jee got back his great spiritual state.

During this meeting Baba jee expressed his suspicion at the activities of some of his masands and feared for his life. Siri Guru jee was due to see him shortly to fix his masands but before that Baba jee was burnt alive.

Baba jee was sitting in samaadhi one day and did not come out of it. The masands knew that Baba jee used to stay in samaadhi for days. It is said that they deliberately declared that Baba jee had died and cremated him while he was in samaadhi.

Some gursikhs ask, why Guru Gobind Singh jee accepted him back when Siri Guru Har Rai jee had excommunicated him. We should not forget that Guru Gobind Singh jee was Guru Har Rai jee himself. He had the authority to baksh or release Baba Raam Rai jee from tankhaah that he got from Guru Har Rai jee. Baba jee truly felt that he had committed a blunder and he had suffered enough as a result of this. It was time for him to get accepted back into Sikhi. For this reason he sent a message to Guru Gobind Singh jee and asked for forgiveness. It is a known fact that Baba jee was indeed accepted back into Sikhi by Guru Sahib and his last rites too were performed by Guru Sahib himself (after his cremation). He was cremated before Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee could reach him.

Daas,

Kulbir Singh