guru

RUTI (RUTTI), a composition by Guru Arjan in Raga Ramkali in the Guru Granth Sahib comprising eight six line stanzas, preceded by two slokas, each of two lines. Rutfi is the plural of rutt, Skt. rtu (season). The slokas introduce the theme briefly while the stanzas, called chhantshere, elaborate it. Generally, the hymn portrays the intense urge in man to meet the Supreme Being. The yearning sharpens from season to season.

SADHAURA, an old town 43 km east of Ambala (30"23`N, 76"47`E) in Haryana, has a place in Sikh piety, being the seat of Sayyid Shah Badr udDin, commonly known as Pir Buddhu Shah, a Muslim saint who became a devotee of Guru Gobind Singh. Pir Buddhu Shah took the part of the Guru in the battle of Bhangani in which two of his sons and several followers laid down their lives. While stopping over at Kapal Mochan on his way back from Paonta to Anandpur in 1688, Guru Gobind Singh visited the Pir at Sadhaura.

SAID BEG (d. 1703), a Mughal general, in company with another general, Alif Khan, was marching at the head of an army on his way from Lahore to Delhi when the Rajput hill rulers led by Raja Ajmer Chand of Bilaspur persuaded him to join them in an attack on Guru Gobind Singh, who, according to Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, was then camping at Chamkaur on his way back from Kurukshetra. As Said Beg saw Guru Gobind Singh majestically ride his steelblue steed, he felt deeply moved. He left his army and crossed over to the Guru`s side. Alif Khan. Surprised and dispirited by Said Beg`s action also withdrew from the contest. 

SALURI, a village 16 km north of Una along the Una Ambala road in Himachal Pradesh, is sacred to Guru Gobind Singh, who stayed here on his way to Nadaun early in 1691 AD. Gurdwara Patshahi Dasvin commemorating the Guru`s visit is situated on the left bank of the Suari, a tributary of the river Sutlej. The 2 metre square domed sanctum was built by the Sikh sovereign Ranjit Singh in 1829 through mason Naudh Singh. The Guru Granth Sahib is displayed on a 1.25metre square dais said to be built on the spot whereon Guru Gobind Singh alighted for rest. The Gurdwara is administered by Sevavale sanfs in the line of Sant Seva Singh of Qila Anandgarh.

SANSRAM, son of Baba Mohan and a grandson of Guru Amar Das. According to Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash, he lost his mother in infancy. His father being indifferent to worldly affairs, Guru Amar Das took him under his care. Sarisram grew up to be a gifted young man. He mostly remained in attendance upon Guru Amar Das or spent his time memorizing hymns coming down from the Gurus.

SARTHALI, a village 10 km south of Nurpur Bedi on Ropar Nurpur Bedi road in Ropar district of the Punjab, is sacred to Guru Gobind Sihgh, who arrived here from Anandpur on a brief visit. Gurdwara Ranthamba Sahib Patshahi Dasvin on the southern periphery of the village marks the spot where the Guru is believed to have stayed awhile. The sanctum is a 3.75metre square domed room in front of which a hall was built in 1970. A 21metrehigh Nishan Sahib stands on the left front of the main building. It is an unscheduled Gurdwara affiliated to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and is managed by a committee of the local sangat.

SHABAD HAJARE PATSHAHI 10 is the title by which a complement of 10 of Guru Gobind Singh`s sabdas in the Dasam Granth is known. In the text these sabdas appear under the individual rag"as in which they have been composed, carrying no specific title as such. Shabad Hajare is also the title of a collection of seven sabdas picked from five different rag"as in the Guru Granth Sahib. They appear under this title in breviaries and form part of the daily devotions of the Sikhs.

SIALKOT (32030`N, 74°32`N), an ancient town now in Pakistan, was visited by Guru Nanak more than once during his travels across the country. According to Gian Ratanavali, better known as Janam SakhiBhai Mani Singh, supported by local tradition, as he once arrived here travelling from his native Talvandi, via Saidpur, and took his seat under a ber tree southeast of the town across the Aik stream, he learnt that a Sun faqir, Hamza Ghaus, had laid the town under a curse of destruction and was undergoing a chalisa, or fortyday selfmortification, for the accomplishment of the doom he had invoked on the citizens.

SINGARU, BHAI, and his brother Jaita, both brave soldiers, received initiation at the hands of Guru Arjan. The Guru directed them to be in attendance upon his son, Hargobind. They continued to serve the latter and were happy to see him installed as Guru in 1606. According to Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Grantli, they were once on a visit to their native village when they were given by a yogi ash of mercury supposed to turn base metal into gold.

SOHILA or KIRTAN SOHILA is, in sequence, the fourth barn or composition entered in the Guru Granth Sahib. Sohila is the caption given in the scripture, though it is popularly known as Kntan Sohila, and is also sometimes so captioned in the gutkas or breviaries. The Sohila comprises five hymns first three contributed by Guru Nanak and the last two one each by Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan. Guru Nanak`s hymns have been selected from ragas, Gaiin Dipaki, Asa and Dha.na.sn, while the remaining two hymns have been taken from GaunPurabi. The selection of hymns for the Sohila was made in two or three phases.