The price that Guru Gobind Singh paid for Amrit

Here is a poem about Baisakhi ... The poet imagines a conversation between Guru Gobind Singh and Bhai Dayaa Singh and describes the price that Guru Gobind Singh paid for Amrit.  The guru gave up everything - his father, his sons, his kingdom, and in return he asked to the the servant of the khalsa. No wonder Bhai Nandlal calls him Baadhsah Darvesh Guru Gobind Singh: the king who was also the subject. 

Five Sikhs accepted a terrifying challenge from the Guru and offered their heads to become the the first ones to receive pahul. After giving pahul to the five, the Tenth Guru then requested pahul from Bhai Daya Singh ji, the head of the Panj Pyare. As the Guru had asked a price from his Sikhs, so did Bhai Daya Singh demand a price from the Guru in exchange of the pahul. In keeping with his position as the father of the Panj Pyare, the guru couldn’t just get away by offering merely his own head. In this imaginary conversation penned by the poet, the Guru is going through the offerings he shall make to earn the pahul. The poem is a reminder to us how incredibly valuable the pahul is. The Guru has granted us this priceless pahul for free; maybe that’s why we have lost appreciation of its value.

ਦਾਮ ਤੋ ਦੇ ਨਾਂ ਸਕੂੰ ਭੇਟਾ ਮੰਜੂਰ ਕਰੋ
Daam to de na saakun, Bheta manjoor karo
I am incapable of paying the price, but please accept a token offering instead
ਸੁਣੋ ਦਿਆ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਭੇਟ ਮੈਂ ਚੜਾਊਂਗਾ
Suno Daya Singh jo jo bhet mein charaunga
Listen to me O Daya Singh, the offerings I am going to make

ਪਿਤਾ ਕਟਵਾਕੇ ਜੈਸੇ ਖੂਨ ਕੀ ਖਿਲਾਈ ਹੋਲੀ
Pita katwake jese khoon ki khilai holi,
Getting my father slaughtered as I played Holi (the Hindu festival of throwing red colour on others) with his blood
ਵੈਸੇ ਹੋਲੀ ਬੇਟੋਂ ਕੇ ਖੂਨ ਸੇ ਖਿਲਾਊਂਗਾ
Vaise holi beton ke khoon se khilaunga
The similar Holi I shall play with the blood of my sons

ਸਿਹਰੇ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀਓਂ ਕੇ ਬਾਂਧ ਕਰ, ਕਰ ਸੰਗ
Sehre kurbanion ke baandh kar, kar sangh
Sacrifice of life shall be the wedding ornament which I will tie on their head
ਮੌਤ ਕੀ ਘੋੜੀ ਬੇਟੇ ਆਪਨੇ ਬਿਠਾਊਂਗਾ
Maut ki ghori bete aapney bithaunga
Death will be their wedding steed on which I will make my sons ride

ਦੋ ਚਮਕੌਰ ਮੇਂ ਕਟਾਊਂਗਾ ਕਟਾਰੋਂ ਸੇ
Do Chamkaur main kataunga kataron sang
Two of them I shall get slaughtered by daggers in Chamkaur
ਦੋ ਸਰਹੰਦ ਕੀ ਦਿਵਾਰੋਂ ਮੇਂ ਚਿਣਾਊਂਗਾ
Do Sirhind ki divaron mein chinaunga
The other two will I get buried alive in walls of Sirhind

ਕਿਸੀ ਤਰਫ ਮਾਤਾ ਔਰ ਕਿਸੀ ਤਰਫ ਬਾਪ ਹੋਗਾ
Kisi taraf mata aur kisi taraf baap hoga
Mother will be led in one direction, and father somewhere else
ਕਿਸੀ ਤਰਫ ਬੇਟੇ ਕਹੀਂ ਮਹਿਲੋਂ ਕੋ ਰੁਲਾਊਂਗਾ
Kisi taraf bete, kahin mehlon ko rulaunga
Sons sent separately, and I will get my wives harassed somewhere else

ਹਾਥ ਪੇ ਨਾਂ ਬਾਜ ਹੋਗਾ ਸੀਸ਼ ਪੇ ਨਾਂ ਤਾਜ ਹੋਗਾ
Haath pe na baaj hoga, seesh pe na taaj hoga
There will be no falcon on my arm, no crown shall adorn my head
ਖੁਸ ਗਿਆ ਰਾਜ ਹੋਗਾ ਲਾਵਾਰਿਸ ਕਹਿਲਾਊਂਗਾ
Khus gaya raaj hoga, lavaris kehlaunga
Banished will be my kingdom, and I will make people say that nobody is left to look after me

ਹੂਂਗਾ ਇਕੇਲਾ ਔਰ ਫਿਰੂਂਗਾ ਜੰਗਲੋਂ ਮੇਂ
Hoonga ikela aur phiroonga jungalon mein
Alone I will wander in the jungles
ਛਾਡ ਕੇ ਪਲੰਗ ਸੇਜਾ ਕਾਂਟੋ ਕੀ ਬਿਛਾਊਂਗਾ
Chhaad ke palang seja kanton ki bichhaunga
Abandoning my comfortable bed, I will lie on a bed of thorns

ਮਾਤਾ ਕਾ ਨਾਂ ਪਿਆਰ ਹੋਗਾ ਬੇਟੋਂ ਕਾ ਨਾਂ ਹਾਰ ਹੋਗਾ
Maata ka no piyar hoga beton ka na haar hoga
Taken away the affection of my mother, no garland of arms of my beloved sons around my neck
ਸੁੰਨਾ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਹੋਗਾ ਸਾਂਈ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਊਂਗਾ
Suuna sansar hoga, saaeen gun gaunga
Lonely will become this world, and I will sing songs of the Lord
ਸੁੱਖ ਕੇ ਸਮੇਤ ਸਰਬੰਸ ਸਭ ਭੇਟ ਕੀਆ
Sukh ke samet sarbans sabh bhet kiya
I am offering all comforts and my whole family in exchange
ਅਬ ਤੋ ਪਿਲਾਦੋ ਪਾਹੁਲ ਸੇਵਕ ਕਹਿਲਾਊਂਗਾ
Aab to pilado pahul sewak kehlaunga.
Now! will you please give me pahul to drink, I wish to be called your servant.

Guru Gobind Singh's Mittar Pyare Nu: