The Source Book On Sikhism

Guru Amar Das Ji (1479 - 1574)

Born in Basarke, in the District of Amritsar, Guru Amar Das was a farmer-trader and a strong Vaishnavite before he met Guru Angad at a fairly advanced age. He used to visit the places of Hindu pilgrimage every year. He too was a householder, and had two sons and two daughters. Hearing once the Word of the Guru being recited, he expressed a desire to see the Guru and when he did so, he offered himself body and soul to the service of his Master. He would fetch water for the Guru from the nearby river each morning in spite of his old age, and obeyed him so well that Guru Angad, leaving out his sons, appointed him to be his successor.

His contribution to the Sikh movement are manifold. He not only extended the institution of the community kitchen, but also fought against Purdah and Sati. He collected the works of his two predecessors and got them written out by his grandson, Sahsar Ram, in two volumes, which later formed the main source for the compilation of the Guru-Granth. He also added some of the sayings of the Hindu Bhaktas to these volumes, adding his comments wherever he differed with them.

Hearing his repute, even Akbar the Great came to visit him, and offered a handsome grant for the community kitchen, but the Guru declined the offer, saying, “The Guru’s kitchen must depend on small voluntary offerings of the devotees and not on the imperial gifts.” He had also to contend with the hostility from Guru Angad’s son, Datu, and Guru Nanak’s ascetic son, Sri Chand. People were being attracted, as they often are in India, to the asceticism of Baba Sri Chand, to which the Guru was leading a strong opposition. But the hostility of Datu became so pronounced, that the Guru had to leave one place after another to be at peace. Once Datu came to see him and kicked him off his seat, but the Guru was unprovoked, and started pressing the feet of the offender, saying, “I am old, my bones are dry and hard. Your tender feet must have been hurt by them!”

Guru Amar Das founded the city of Goindwal and dug up a well there with 84 steps leading down to it. He visited the placed of Hindu pilgrimage as a Guru and preached to large audience the meaning of this new mission. His faith had now spread far and wide and to minister to its needs he established 22 seats (Manjis) for missionary work and appointed one of his leading followers to be in charge of each. It was he who initiated reform in the marriage and death ceremonies, making these both occasions for quiet recitation of the Name of God.

Guru Amar Das’s compositions in the Guru-Granth are known for their simplicity of language and for the thoroughness of interpretation of the metaphysical terminology used therein.

Guru Amar Das also emphasized the need and sanctity of secular activity amongst his Sikhs.