Honoring the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Sikh Master

Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born Gobind Rai on December 22, 1666 to the ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur, and his wife Gurji at Patna in India. And so, on November 22, 1675, the ninth Guru Teg Bahadur passed away a martyr, and his son Gobind Rai became the tenth Guru of the Nanak lineage.

In 1684, he composed “Var Sri Bhagauti Ji Ki,” also known as “Chindi Di Vaar,” or “The Ballad of Chandi.” This beautifully versed piece of writing evokes the Hindu epic “Markandeya Purana.” In 1699, large numbers of the Sikh community had congregated in Anandpur for the annual festival of Vaisakhi. Gobind Rai also announced that on this day, he himself had also been reborn, and from now on he was to be known as Guru Gobind Singh.

In 1708, the beloved Sri Guru Gobind Singh left his Earthly body. In his final moments, he asked for the sacred book that had now been completed, calling this collection of sacred texts the Guru Granth Sahib. He then declared that this holy book alone would be his successor, saying, “He who so acknowledges it will obtain his reward. The Guru will rescue him. Know this as the truth.”

During a 2010 teleconference in the United States, Supreme Master Ching Hai explained further about the Sikh Masters’ lineage, and why Guru Gobind Singh had it end with the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib.

“Very fresh, very new still and still full of blessing power. And also Master Gobind Singh, he’s the direct descendant from all the Masters, and the disciples are his direct disciples.”

“So, even without any successor, if they just every day study the Granth Sahib and remember all the Masters’ teachings, still fresh with blessing, then it’s okay.”