What was the immediate cause of Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji's martyrdom?
Answers
On 16 June of every year since 1606, the Sikhs have commemorated the martyrdom of Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru and the first Sikh Martyr. Before the arrest, torture and martyrdom of Guru Arjan, the Sikhs had nothing to do with weapons or violence. All the previous Sikh Gurus had taught the message of compassion, love, dedication, hard work, the worship of one God and the commitment to peace and harmony for all the peoples of the world.
The story of the execution of the Sikh Guru, under the orders of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir has suffered at the hands of poet, street entertainers and historians who have allowed the fullest play of their imagination and have introduced a good deal of fiction to make it more appealing to the subjective minds of the Sikhs and other others for their own benefit. In this article we discuss the main causes of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan. The main reasons for the execution of the Guru can be listed under three headings - Religious, Personal and Political.