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Q. Under the leadership of Kirpa Ram, what
did the Brahmins from Kashmir request of Guru Tegh Bahadur and what
was his reply?
A. The Brahmins from Kashmir,
under the stewardship of pandit Kirpa Ram, came to Anand Pur and
placed the following request before Guru Tegh Bahadur:
"Please help us, O' son of Guru Har Gobind".
They further said, "Master! All our physical and spiritual
strength has failed and we are helpless. It is you who saved the
elephant from the tentacles of the giant octopus*. You also protected
the honor of Dropadi (a story from the Hindu epic, Maha Bharat,
wherein Lord Krishna saved Dropadi when her clothes were being forcibly
removed by an order of king Duryodhan) and improved the life of
Sudama (another story from Maha Bharat wherein Lord Krishna helped
his childhood friend Sudama who was very poor). You are the (ninth)
form of Guru Nanak and in this age of Kali you are Lord Krishna
for us. We have come to your refuge; we have no where else to turn
to". (shaheed bilaas)
In reply to the request of the Brahmins, Guru Tegh Bahadur said
the following, as documented by Bhatt Chaand:
"In ones mind one should focus on the lotus feet of God because
He is the ultimate protector. The mind tends to drift towards evil
thoughts. One should prevent it to do so by the help of Guru's word.
Once you decide to help someone, do so even at the cost of your
head. Says Guru Tegh Bahadur, lay down your life rather than forsaking
your Dharma."
* According to this Hindu mythological story an
elephant on entering a sea for a bath was caught by a giant octopus.
When the elephant realized that its force could not free it from
the octopus' tentacles it prayed to God who came to help and freed
the elephant.
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