Guru Arjan Dev Ji is believed to be the first martyr of the Sikh religion and is known for his great work. He is the fifth of the ten Sikh gurus, and the one credited with compiling the Adi Granth that later expanded into the religion's holy book Guru Granth Sahib.
He was born on April 15, 1563, in Majha, a historical Punjab region split between India and Pakistan. He was the grandson of the Third Guru – and the youngest son of the Guru’s daughter Bibi Bani, whose husband Jetha Ji was eventually chosen to become the Fourth Guru, Guru Ramdas. Thus, he belonged directly to the lineage of the Third Sikh Guru, Guru Amardas.
A prolific poet
Guru Arjan was a prolific poet who composed 2,218 hymns. He included in the Adi Granth, the compositions of both Hindu and Muslim saints which he considered consistent with the teachings of Sikhism and the Gurus.
The sacred scripture which was very dear to the heart of Gurudev Sadhu Vaswani, the Sukhmani Sahib, happens to be Guru Arjan Dev’s personal composition.
Sedition charges
Emperor Akbar’s grandson, Khusro visited Amritsar to take Guru Arjan Dev’s blessings, as he fled through Punjab in fear of losing his life at the hands of fanatics. Guru Arjan Dev was summoned to the court at Lahore and accused of sedition, on the grounds of having received Prince Khusro. He was put to prison where he was subjected to severe torture.
Holy bathe
Guru Arjan Dev was days into his jail term when he was allowed to take bathe in the nearby river Ravi. As thousands watched the Guru taking a holy dip, he entered the river and was never seen again. Thus, the Fifth Guru is believed to have embraced martyrdom on May 30, 1606.
