Bhai Jiwan Singh

Not to be confused with Bhai Jetha, the birth name of Guru Ram Das.

Baba Jiwan Singh (Gurmukhi: ਬਾਬਾ ਜੀਵਨ ਸਿੰਘ; born Jaitha; 13 December 1661 – 22 December 1704) was a Sikh general and companion of Guru Gobind Singh.

Baba Jiwan Singh
ਬਾਬਾ ਜੀਵਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਭਾਈ ਜੈਤਾ
Fresco painting of the scene from Anandpur Sahib where Guru Gobind Singh bows to the head of Guru Tegh Bahadur which was brought in palanquin, led by Bhai Jaita
Born	Jaitha (1661-12-13)13 December 1661 Patna, Bihar Subah, Mughal Empire (present-day Bihar, India)
Died	7 December 1704(1704-12-07) (aged 43) Chamkaur, Lahore Subah, Mughal Empire[1] (present-day Rupnagar district, Punjab, India)
Spouse	Raj Kaur
Children	Bhai Gulzar Singh Bhai Gurdayal Singh Bhai Sukha Bhai Sewa Singh
Parent(s)	Sada Nand Mata Premo
Relatives	Bhai Khazan Singh (father-in-law)

Early life

Bhai Jaita was born in 1661 at Patna, Bihar (India) to Sada Nand and mother, Mata Premo transcendence and immanence, in pantheism and nondualism.^{[2][citation needed]} He grew up at Patna where he got training in various weapons and learned the art of warfare. In addition, he learned horse-riding, swimming, music, and Kirtan.^[3] When Sikh families staying at Patna returned to Punjab Bhai Jaita and his family went to Ramdas village and lived with Bhai Gurditta, the great-grandson of Baba Buddha. Later, Jaita married Bibi Raj Kaur, daughter of Surjan Singh.^[4]

When Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru of Sikh, was martyred by the Mughals at Chandni Chowk, Delhi, Bhai Jiwan Singh along with two other Sikhs, recovered his dismembered body from a crowd and brought it back to his son, Guru Gobind Singh.^[5][6]

Painting of the head of Guru Tegh Bahadar being brought to Anandpur, where Guru Gobind Singh pays obeisance, circa 19th century

There after Guru Gobind honoured them with the title Mazhabi ("faithful")^[7] and said loudly, "Rangrete Guru Ke Bete"(The Rangretas are the Guru's sons) to the all Mazhabi Sikhs. After that, Bhai Jiwan Singh was instructed by his father to behead him in order to swap the head of his father for that of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. Bhai Jiwan Singh carries out his father's wish and carried the head of Guru Tegh Bahadur from Delhi to Gobind Rai in Anandpur Sahib.^[8][9]

Battles and Death

Baba Jiwan Singh was with the Guru during the evacuation of Anandpur Sahib^[10] and fought the battles of Bhangani, Nadaun, Anandpur Sahib, Bajrur, Nirmohgarh, all four wars of Anandpur Sahib, Bansali/Kalmot , Sarsa and the battle of Chamkaur.^[11][12]

Bhai Jiwan Singh also wrote about the exploits of Guru Gobind Singh, in his magnum opus the Sri Gur Katha.^[13]

After his death in 1704 or 1705 a tomb was erected to honor him at Gurudwara Shaheed Burj Sahib at Chamkaur.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Martyrdom in Sikhism
• Shaheed