guru

UDA, BHAl (d. 1688), a Sikh of the Rathaur Rajput clan, was among those who had witnessed Guru Tegh Bahadur`s execution at Delhi. He returned in distress to Dilvali Mohalla where Sikhs from the neighbourhood assembled in the house of Bhai Nanu, the calico printer, to consider how they could recover the Guru`s body and cremate it. They decided to seek assistance from Bhai Lakkhi Shah, an affluent trader and a Sikh by faith.

VAHIGURU JI KA KHALSA VAHIGURU JI KI FATEH, form of Sikh salutation, was made current among the Sikhs by command of Guru Gobind Singh at the time of the manifestation of the Khalsa in 1699. The salutation used in the days of Guru Nanak was Sati Kartar (Hail the Creator, the Eternal). This is how he, according to the Puratan Janam Sakhi, his oldest biography, greeted those he met. Some accounts of his life, such as that by Hariji, mention other similar forms of greeting, one among those being Raja Ram Sati (Hail the Holy Creator !) In the hukamnamas or letters sent to sangats by the Gurus prior to Guru Gobind Singh`s time, the opening greeting used to be : Guru Sati (Hail the Eternal Lord !) which is only an inverted form of Satiguru.

VARAN BHAI GURDAS is the title given to the collection of forty vars or "ballads" written in`Punjabi by Bhai Gurdas (d. 1636) much honoured in Sikh piety and learning. These forty vars comprise 913 pauris or stanzas, with a total of 6,444 lines. There is no internal or external evidence available to determine the exact time of the composition of these vars, but it can be assumed that vars (Nos. 3,11,13,24,26,38,39) which have references to Guru Hargobind who came into spiritual inheritance in 1606 after the death of Guru Arjan, his predecessor, might have been composed sometime after that year, and the others implicitly prior to that date.

YOGA, derived from Sanskrit root yuj having its equivalent in Latin as jugum, in Gothic as juk, in German as jock, is the equivalent of yoke in English. Yoga refers to yoking or harnessing of mind in order to cultivate paravidya or higher knowledge, the result of those psychical and physical processes which are employed to discover man\'s supereme inner essence through samadhi. Samadhi being the ultimate stage, certain other ascetic practices precede it in the different varieties of Yoga such as Mantra, Hatha, Laya and Rajyoga.

ACHAL SAHIB, GURDWARA. sacred to Guru Nanak, is located on the boundary of Salho and Chahal villages along the Jalandhar Batala road, 6 km south of Batala (31M9\'N, 75°12\'E) in Gurdaspur district of the Punjab. The low mound on which the Gurdwara is situated, in close proximity of the ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Kartikeya, son of Lord Shiva, is popularly known as Achal Vatala. The Achal temple had since old times been a place of pilgrimage visited by sadhus from distant parts, especially during the annual fair held on the occasion of Sivaratri festival.

AHRAURA, a small town in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, 40 km south of Varanasi (25°20\'N, 8205-81 E). has a Sikh shrine called Gurudwara Bagh Shri Guru Tegh BahadurJi Ka. Guru Tegh Bahadur visited Ahraura in 1666 in the course of his journey in the eastern parts. It is said that he told a devotee, Bhai Sadhoji, to plant a tree. This was the beginning of a garden which still exists. From this garden (bagh), the Gurdwara derives its name. A closet called Nivas Sthan marks the room in which Guru Tegh Bahadur is said to have stayed.

AKAL MURATI, a composite term comprising akal (non temporal) and murati (image or form), occurring in the Mul Mantra, the root formula or fundamental creed of the Sikh faith as recorded at the beginning of the Japu, composition with which the Guru Granth Sahib opens, literally means `timeless image`. Elsewhere, in the compositions of Guru Ram Das (GG, 78), and Guru Arjan (GG, 99, 609, 916 and 1082), the expression Akal Murati reinforces the original meaning of Divine Reality that is beyond the process of time, and yet permeates the cosmic forms. The non temporal Being transcends the space time framework and, as such, is Formless. However, in its manifest aspect, the same Being assumes the cosmic Form.

ALAM SINGH NACHNA (d. 1705), a warrior in the retinue of Guru Gobind Singh, was the son of Bhai Durgu, a Rajput Sikh of Sialkot. He earned the popular epithet Nachna (lit. dancer) because of his uncommon agility. Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash, describes him as one of Guru Gobind Singh\'s constant companions. Possessing pluck as well as skill, he once killed a tiger single handed. On another occasion when during the chase Guru Gobind Singh was suddenly attacked by two hill chiefs, Balia Chand and Alam Chand, with a force far out numbering his own, Alam Singh Nachna showed exemplary courage.

AMIA, BHAI (d. 1635). a devoted Sikh of the time of Guru Hargobind. He was one of the five disciples sent to supervise the inhabitation of the village of Ruhela, renamed after Guru Hargobind. Bhai Amia took part in the battle of Amritsar (1634). According to Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahf, he commanded, jointly with Bhai Mihara, a contingent of 500 Sikhs in the battle of Kartarpur fought in April 1635. He was killed in action and Guru Hargobind had the cremation rites performed, before leaving for Kiratpur the following day.

ANANTA, BHAI, son of Bhai Kuko, a Vadhavan Khatri, was a devoted Sikh of the time of Guru Hargobind (1595-1644). According to Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, he once earned the Guru`s displeasure for wantonly hitting a crow which became lame as a result of the injury. He was, however, repentant and was pardoned through Bhai Bidhi Chand`s intercession. Bhai Ananta laid down his life fighting for the Guru in the battle of Amritsar (1629).