Page 19 - Gurmat Book 4

Lesson 8: Guru Arjan Dev Ji

Guru Arjan Dev Ji was born on April 15, 1563, in the house of Guru Ramdas,

the fourth Guru. He was the youngest of the three sons of Guru Ramdas Ji.

Guru Ramdas saw divine qualities in his youngest son Arjan Dev. Almost

since his birth it seemed that the Guruship was destined to be bestowed

upon him. One day baby Arjan had crawled up onto the pIVHw of his

grandfather, Guru Amardas the third Guru, and sat there comfortably.

Seeing this, the Guru Amardas Ji smiled and knew that he would be the
guru one day. Prithi Chand, his older brother, was quite jealous of Arjan

Dev Ji.

Arjan Dev Ji was compassionate. He did all he could do to help the poor and

the needy, without expecting any reward for his actions. As a child, Guru
Arjan possessed a sharp and intelligent mind. He used to play the musical

instrument Saranda. He was also an expert in horse riding and in the art of

spear throwing. Although he was the son of the Guru, Arjan Dev Ji

distributed Langar and washed the dishes.

Arjan Dev Ji was sent to Lahore to take charge of the needs and education

of the Sikhs in Lahore, his father's ancestral home. He had to stay there

until Guru Ramdas Ji would call him back. Two years passed. He really

missed his father and Guru. He felt homesick. He wrote letters to his
father. But he did not hear back. Then he wrote a Shabad of love and

devotion and sent it to his father Guru Ramdas Ji. Still he did not hear

back from his father. Then he wrote a third poem marking it with the

number 3 and gave strict instructions to the messenger to give it to the

Guru personally. When Guru Ramdas Ji received this poem, he asked his

older son Prithi Chand about the previous two. Prithi Chand confessed that
he hid them because he didn’t want Arjan Dev to come back. Guru Ramdas

Ji was very angry at Prithi Chand for his actions. But Arjan Dev Ji had no

Stepping Stones Gurmat Sikhia Book 4G 2023 Edition Page 17