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Sikh Research and Education Center: Articles on Sri Dasam Granth Sahib:

Did Guru Gobind Singh Really Meditate at the Hemkunt? Editorial by Principal Harbhajan Singh

Did Guru Gobind Singh Really Meditate at the Hemkunt? Editorial by Principal Harbhajan Singh

Did Guru Gobind Singh Really Meditate at the Hemkunt?
Principal Harbhajan Singh, Spokesman, Januaray 1996

"....Let us now briefly examine the veracity of this story [of Dusht Daman]. In order to help the gods in the Satyug, the Aad Shakti (Durga) was tired after killing ten thousand billion (10000000000000000) demons on the Hemkunt mountains and hid herself in those mountains. But two demons, Bel and Subel, who were left alive, started searching for her with their armies. When they asked a Brahmin hermit who was meditating on the hemkunt about the whereabouts of the Devi....the hermit reprimanded the demons....The demons ran towards the hermit in order to kill him. The hermit flicked off his mat of the lion's skin out of which a big and magnificient person came out who went on fighting with the above-mentioned demons for many years, and finally they were killed by the Devi. Aad Shakti (Durga) was greatly pleased with the brave person who was born from the lion's skin.....[she further said] From now on your name will be Dusht Daman.. Since you were born from the lion's skin, the name of your Panth shall be Khalsa.

"The readers can see how the creator of these improbable, baseless and false writings could be the follower of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. Has the Khalsa created by Guru Gobind Singh been born from the lion's skin placed under a Brahmin hermit?

"[this is how Dusht Daman did his meditation] Having matted hair, naked, closed eyes, fasting and observing silence, standing on one leg, raising both of his hands, [he] undertook such a difficult penance for centuries in the desolate waterless jungle that he was reduced to a sketeton.

"...there is also one more thing to be noted that from the beginning to the present age, the names of all the ascetics and hermits, etc., especially the famous ones, have been mentioned in Hindu granths, such as 24 avtaars, 16 devis, 9 munis, 7 rishis, 9 naths, 84 siddhas and 6 chiranjivis, jatis, etc.....Dusht Daman who lived for many centuries meditating on Mahakaal and Kalika, would have been definitely mentioned in some Hindu granth. But there is no reference to him. Even Ved Vyas, who is believed to be the writer of the 18 Puranas, has not mentioned the name of Dusht Daman."

Reply

The story in first 5 verses of Chapter 6 of Sri Bichittar Natak, requires some intellect to unfold the reality what the Guru was conveying in his superb masterly way, unheard of. This Principal was not blessed with such a depth of understanding to understand such highly scholarly writings.

For more information on the significance of Hem Kunt please read the following article - Hem Kunt