By Sukhjit Tony Singh

May is a solemn reminder of the price that truth often has to pay to endure. It was in this month, more than four centuries ago, that the fifth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, chose martyrdom rather than compromise the integrity of the sacred scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev compiled the Adi Granth, the first rendition of what is now known as Sri Guru Granth Sahib, a scripture regarded as the eternal Guru of the Sikhs. The scripture includes original hymns by the Sikh Gurus and spiritual insights from various saints, including Hindu and Muslim mystics. The Adi Granth was installed at the Golden Temple, locally known as Temple of Almighty, in Amritsar, which Guru Arjan Dev had recently constructed as a symbol of spiritual unity and devotion.

The universality and inclusiveness of the scripture began drawing seekers of truth from all walks of life, regardless of religious background. This posed a threat to the orthodox religious authorities of the time, who saw in it a challenge to their dogmas and power. Under their influence, the Mughal emperor demanded Guru Arjan Dev expunge certain hymns considered objectionable by some Hindu and Muslim leaders and to pay a heavy fine.

Guru Arjan Dev refused both demands. He declared that the Adi Granth contained the revealed Word of God and that no alteration could be made. Nor would he use funds meant for public welfare to pay a fine he deemed unjust.

For this defiance, in May 1606, Guru Arjan Dev was arrested and brought to Lahore (present-day Pakistan). There, he was subjected to days of unbearable torture. Made to sit on a burning iron plate while hot sand was poured over his body, he endured the ordeal with spiritual resolve. When finally allowed to bathe his blistered body in the River Ravi, he immersed himself in its waters and never emerged again.

Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom marked the first in Sikh history and set a powerful precedent. Before his death, it is said that Mian Mir, a revered Muslim Sufi saint and close friend of the Guru, offered to intervene. But Guru Arjan Dev forbade him, saying it was the divine will that the truth should triumph—even at the cost of one’s life.

His sacrifice echoes other pivotal moments in human history where truth was met with cruelty but endured nonetheless. It brings to mind the crucifixion of Jesus Christ around 30 AD and the martyrdom of Imam Husayn in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Each stood against injustice and upheld spiritual integrity in the face of oppressive power.

Such legacies remind us that living a truthful life is often a difficult path—one that may come with sacrifices. As a Sikh, I often bow before Sri Guru Granth Sahib and pray for the wisdom to live by its universal teachings of love, equality, and righteousness.

Nobel Laureate Pearl S. Buck was presented with English Version of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, translated and annotated by Dr. Gopal Singh, while visiting India in 1962. Upon reading the scripture in her quiet Pennsylvania home, Pearl S. Buck wrote, “The Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a source book, an expression of man’s loneliness, his aspirations, his longings, his cry to God and his hunger for communication with that Being.”

These words resonate deeply in today’s world, where humanity continues to face complex challenges like poverty, conflict, inequality, and mental distress.

Living truthfully in such a world may exact a cost—but it is a price worth paying to keep the light of truth, love, and spiritual courage alive.