भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

Hindu world. Naturally, throughout the whole of India, the Hindus too, opposed him violently. Aurangzeb, particularly, aimed at the top-ranking Brahmins of Kashmir, and enforced on them the Jizia tax, if they did not opt for conversion. This caused a great commotion everywhere. At this time, Guru Teg Bahadur told the Hindus boldly not to pay any such taxes and preached that they should sacrifice their lives rather than forsake their religion. When the Hindus began to give such bold replies, Aurangzeb was aflame with rage. He captured Guru Teg Bahadur and commanded him to court Islam on pain of death. Guru Teg Bahadur thereupon staunchly refused to be a Muslim and defied Aurangzeb, who immediately had him beheaded. This horrible tragedy took place in A.D. 1675. Along with Guru Teg Bahadur, several of his Hindu disciples also were caught and they all suffered horrible deaths after all sorts of atrocities and torments, but they defied the tyrannical Muslim emperor by boldly refusing to be Muslims. The heads of some of the prominent Hindus were actually cut asunder with a big saw. Among these martyrs was Bhai Matidas, whose family was lovingly given the title ‘Bhai’ by the Sikh Gurus and in this very family was born the latter day Hindu patriot, Bhai Parmanand. The son of this very brave Guru was the holiest of the holies, the Hindu national hero, Shree Guru Govind Singh! The Hindu National Hero—Shree Guru Govind Singh 964. To Shree Guru Govind Singh goes all the credit of militarizing Sikhism and to create out of that sect, a militant and invincible organization, which gave a strong impetus to the establishment of a strong and independent Hindu government in Punjab at the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He was called Tenth Emperor— दशम बादशाह —because he was the Tenth Guru from Shree Guru Nanak, not only by the Sikhs but even by all the Punjabi Hindus. From innumerable daring and thrilling events in his life, which well illustrate the above remark, only one might suffice here for want of space for others! 965. As inevitably happens in the case of every big religious organisation, Guru Nanak’s disciples also came to be divided into many sections and sub- sections, but they were all living a Hindu way of life. In respect of marriages and other religious rites and social customs, they were not in any way separated from the Hindu society. In the ‘Gurugranth’ itself, the sayings of Hindu saints like Sant Namdev and Kabir were incorporated along with those of Guru Nanak himself. And from the beginning till this