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Confrontation With Datu

Guru Amar Das had firmly established himself in Goindwal, as his beloved Guru had wished. He devoted all his time and energy in doing the work entrusted to him, by Guru Angad. He had succeeded in bringing the Sikhs together and unified them as a whole. Under his leadership, they were stronger and more powerful as a group than ever before.

Guru Amar Das passed on Guru Angad's teachings, and guided his people along the right path. Soon Sikhs from all over were drawn to him. His popularity began to grow day by day, with everyone singing his praises. People admired and respected his devotion and humility. All this made Guru Angad's elder son, Datu, very angry. Datu was kept duly informed by his spies of the reverence in which Guru Amar Das was held by his followers. He felt that he had been deprived of his birthright by Guru Amar Das, and was very jealous of the Guru's glory and popularity which he believed was rightfully his.

Datu Assaults Guru Amar Das

After Guru Angad, Datu proclaimed himself as Guru at Khadoor but the Sikhs did not recognise him as such. One day some Sikhs, who had not heard of Guru Amar Das's change of residence, arrived in Khadoor. As they were leaving for Goindwal, Datu's followers asked how a servant had risen above his former masters. In a fit of rage, Datu decided to confront Guru Amar Das.

Datu arrived in Goindwal and walked straight into Guru Amar Das's chamber. At the time, Guru Amar Das was listening to divine hymns when suddenly, a raging Datu stood before him. He began yelling and abusing Guru Amar Das, saying that a man who was till yesterday a mere servant of the house, could not become the Guru, and take what was rightfully his.

Datu even told Guru Amar Das that since he was his father's servant, he would henceforth become his servant. Datu then kicked Guru Amar Das who lost his balance and fell on the ground. Datu seated himself in Guru Amar Das's place, claiming that from then onwards he was to be the Guru of the Sikhs.

Guru Amar Das Leaves Goindwal

Guru Amar Das who had been hurt by the fall, got up and instead of getting angry, he went over to Datu. In a remarkably humble gesture, Guru Amar Das caressed Datu's foot softly and apologised for the hurt that his stiff old bones must have caused his foot. Then saying goodbye to Data, Guru Amar Das left Goindwal and returned to his ancestral village of Baserke Gillan.

At Baserke Gillan, Guru Amar Das locked himself in a house and placed a sign outside with a warning that whoever opened this door would not be his Sikh anymore, nor he his Guru. In this manner, the Guru shut himself away from the world completely.



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