Guru Har Krishan the eighth Guru of the Sikhs and the youngest one amongst all others. He was born on July 7, 1656, at Kiratpur Sahib in Punjab which is now home to the Gurdwara Patal Puri where many believers of the faith take the ashes of their deceased.
Sikh Guru at the age of five
Ever since he was a child, Har Krishnan was engaged in spiritual practice. His father was the seventh Guru of Sikhism, Guru Hari Rai Ji. When the latter declared that his younger son Har Krishan would be the next Sikh Guru, he ascended to the throne of Guru-ship in 1661. During then, he was a five-year-old child.
Commentaries, charity and spreading love
Despite his young age, Guru Sahib used to captivate the hearts of his disciples with his commentaries on the passages from the holy scripture. He urged people to cherish One God alone, asking them to discard passions and learn the virtues of patience, charity, and love.
During Guru Har Krishan Sahib's visit to Delhi in 1663, cholera and smallpox epidemic broke out. With complete devotion, the seven-year-old Guru attended to and served the suffering people.
The lake at Bangla Sahib, by his grace, provided a cure for thousands of people. While serving the sick, the Guru became ill with a high fever and a case of smallpox, eventually dying on March 30, 1664, at the age of eight years.
Mention in Ardas
The Guru urged that no one mourn his death, instead directing Sikhs to sing Gurbani melodies. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, the Tenth Nanak, later paid honour to Guru Har Krishan Sahib by saying, "Let us think of the holy Har Krishan, whose sight dispels all sorrow," which is included in the daily Sikh prayer Ardas.
