Prithia's Evil Deeds

[Balait_da_Sher]

PRITHIA'S EVIL DEEDS

For long, no son had been born to Guru Arjan. His eldest brother, Prithia, and Prithia's wife, Karmo, were glad they had a son named Mehar-ban. They thought that after Guru Arjan their son would be the Guru. It was a pleasing thought for them. But then, by God's grace, a son was born to Guru Arjan Dev. He was named Sri Har Gobind. This event destroyed all their hopes. They were filled with grief. Their hearts began to burn.

Prithia was mean, evil and most selfish. His wife was even worse than he. She urged him to do something. He said to her, 'Don't lose heart. Our son shall be the Guru after Arjan. What if a son has been born to him? I will not allow the child to live.'

They put their heads together. 'What should be done,' said they to each other, 'to get rid of the hated child?’

Karmo made a plan. She sent for an old nurse. The nurse was known to the Guru's family. Karmo said to her, 'Go to the Guru's house. Pretend to be a friend of his family. Try to poison his newly-born son. If you succeed, you will get as much money as you please. At present, take this sum of a hundred rupees.'

The nurse agreed. She went home. She applied poison to the nipples of her breasts. She went to the Guru's house. She congratulated Mata Ganga- She said many sweet and pleasing things about the child. She did so in order to please his mother, Mata Ganga. The latter told her that the child was not well. He did not accept milk. The nurse said, 'Bring him to me I know how to cure such children. I shall make him take milk from my breast. I have a son of his age at home.'

She took Sri Har Gobind in her lap. She swayed him in her arms. She spoke soft, sweet words to him. Then she drew out one of her breasts. She offered it to him. 'Suck, my dear, suck,' said she. She tried to put the nipple of her breast into his mouth. But he kept his mouth tightly shut.

By then, the poison on the nipples of her breast had entered her blood. She was herself poisoned. She fainted, fell back and died. Who can kill him whom God decides to save?

The Guru thanked God for having saved his son. He composed a hymn for this purpose

Prithia and his wife were very sad.Their plan had failed. But they did not give up their purpose. They began to think of other plans.

Prithia sent for a snake-charmer. That man had with him many poisonous snakes like cobras. Prithia gave him some money. He promised to give him a much larger sum later. He said to him, 'Go to the Guru's house. There, let loose a very poisonous cobra in his son's bedroom. The cobra will bite him. He will die. I shall give you a large sum, a very large sum, as a reward.'

The snake-charmer agreed. He went to the Guru's house. He let loose a very poisonous cobra in Sri Har Gobind's bedroom. He did it very cleverly. He did not let anybody see what he was doing. He went away. But Sri Har Gobind's attendants saw the cobra in time. They killed it at once.

The Guru again thanked God for having saved his son's life. He composed a hymn for this purpose.

Thus, Prithia's second attack also failed. But he did not give up his evil purpose. He made another plan. He sent for Sri Har Gobind's Brahmin attendant He gave him a large sum. Then he said to him, 'If you do as I tell you, I shall give you a much bigger sum Take this poison. Mix it in some curd. Make the Guru's son take the curd. Then come to me, I shall make you rich.'

The Brahmin agreed. He went to wait upon Sri Har Gobind. He used to do so everyday. He mixed the poison in a cup of curd. He did so very cleverly. He did not let anybody see what he was doing. He took the child in his lap. He applied the cup of poisoned curd to the child's mouth. 'Take it, dear one,' he said. But Sri Har Gobind kept his mouth tightly shut. The wicked Brahmin tried again and again. But he did not succeed.

The Guru took the cup from the Brahmin's hand. He offered it to the child. But the latter did not accept it He kept his mouth tightly shut. He began to cry. The Guru suspected that there was something wrong with the curd. He put some of it before a dog. The dog ate it greedily. A little after that, the dog fell down dead.

The Brahmin saw this. He said to himself, 'The Guru has found out my wicked purpose. He might punish me.' He was filled with grief and fear. He told the whole story to the Guru and begged forgiveness. The Guru was calm. He felt no anger against the wicked Brahmin. He let him go in peace.

Soon after going home, the Brahmin had an attack of colic i.e. severe pain in the stomach. He died in a few minutes.

The Guru again thanked God for having saved his son. He composed a hymn for this purpose.

Source : Stories from Sikh History Book III

[pyaraji]

Can someone provide references for the shabads that are related to this sakhi?

[Vaheguru24/7]

These are the shabads that come to mind – there may well be more…..

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=2345

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=2348

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=2369

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=3029

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=2373

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=2374

Apologies if they are incorrect

[lowest of the low singhni]

The Guru took the cup from the Brahmin's hand. He offered it to the child. But the latter did not accept it He kept his mouth tightly shut. He began to cry. The Guru suspected that there was something wrong with the curd. He put some of it before a dog. The dog ate it greedily. A little after that, the dog fell down dead.

The Brahmin saw this. He said to himself, 'The Guru has found out my wicked purpose. He might punish me.' He was filled with grief and fear. He told the whole story to the Guru and begged forgiveness. The Guru was calm. He felt no anger against the wicked Brahmin. He let him go in peace.

Makes it sound like Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj didn't 'know' that the curd was poisoned. Guru Saheb is all-knowing.