Introduction
Guru Har Krishan Ji (1656–1664) became the eighth Sikh Guru at the age of just five years, known affectionately as Bal Guru. Despite his tender age, he radiated supreme spiritual wisdom, pure love, and boundless healing compassion.
Healing the Sick in Delhi
When invited to Delhi by Raja Jai Singh in 1664, Delhi was gripped by a catastrophic smallpox and cholera epidemic. Guru Har Krishan Ji stayed at Raja Jai Singh’s bungalow (now the historic Gurdwara Bangla Sahib) and personally tended to the suffering, poor, and outcast victims with love and clean water from the well.
Humbling the Proud Pandit Lal Chand
At Panjokhra (near Ambala), an arrogant Brahmin scholar named Lal Chand challenged the young Guru to explain the complex Sanskrit Bhagavad Gita. In response, Guru Har Krishan Ji blessed a mute and illiterate water-carrier named Chhajju with his stick, who astonished all by delivering profound philosophical interpretations of the Gita.
“Baba Bakale” and Legacy
While nursing smallpox patients, the young Guru contracted the disease himself. Before breathing his last at age eight, he whispered the words “Baba Bakale” (meaning his successor would be found in the village of Bakala), passing the light of Guruship to his grand-uncle, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age did Guru Har Krishan Ji become Guru?
He became the eighth Sikh Guru in 1661 at the age of five years and three months.
What historic Gurdwara in Delhi commemorates Guru Har Krishan Ji?
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in New Delhi stands on the site of Raja Jai Singh's palace where the Guru healed smallpox victims.
What does "Sri Har Krishan Dhyaiye Jis Dithe Sabh Dukh Jaye" mean?
It is a revered verse from Ardas meaning: "Remember Guru Har Krishan, by whose sight all sorrows vanish."
What did the words "Baba Bakale" signify?
They revealed that the next Guru (Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji) resided in the village of Bakala in Punjab.