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The line of personal (human) Gurus of the Sikhs was ended, and the Guru Granth Sahib was declared the eternal Guru, by:
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Answer: Option C — Guru Gobind Singh
Detailed Solution
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, ended the line of personal (human) Gurus and declared that, after him, the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture) would be the eternal Guru of the Sikhs.
How it happened:
- Before his death at Nanded (in the Deccan) in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh declared that there would be no more human Gurus.
- He vested spiritual authority in the Guru Granth Sahib (Guru Granth) and temporal authority in the Khalsa Panth (the community of initiated Sikhs).
- This is called the doctrine of "Guru Granth" and "Guru Panth".
- Since then, Sikhs have regarded the Guru Granth Sahib as the living Guru, and treat it with great respect.
Why he did this:
- His four sons had died during the conflicts with the Mughals and the hill chiefs, so there was no natural successor.
- More importantly, he wanted to prevent disputes over succession and the rise of false claimants.
- He wanted the community to be guided by the scripture and by collective decisions of the Khalsa.
About Guru Gobind Singh:
- He was born in 1666 at Patna, the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
- He founded the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi day in 1699.
- He gave the Sikhs a distinct identity, including the surname "Singh" for men and "Kaur" for women.
- He fought against the Mughals and the hill rajas, in battles such as those at Bhangani, Anandpur, Chamkaur and Muktsar.
- He was assassinated (stabbed) at Nanded in 1708 by Afghans, believed to have been sent by the Mughal governor of Sirhind, Wazir Khan.
After him:
Banda Singh Bahadur, a follower appointed by Guru Gobind Singh, led the Sikhs in a military struggle against the Mughals in Punjab, until he was captured and executed in 1716.
The final version of the Guru Granth Sahib:
Guru Gobind Singh prepared the final version at Damdama Sahib, adding the hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur were earlier Gurus.
- ✗Banda Singh Bahadur was a military leader, not a Guru.
Quick tip
Remember: Guru Gobind Singh ended the line of human Gurus (Guru Granth Sahib = eternal Guru; Khalsa Panth = community); died at Nanded (1708).
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Sikh Gurus & Maratha Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Sikh Gurus & Maratha Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the ten Sikh Gurus, from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind Singh, and their contributions, the rise of the Sikh state under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and the Maratha Empire from Shivaji to the Peshwas, including Maratha administration and the Anglo-Maratha wars. Questions often ask which Guru compiled the Adi Granth (Guru Arjan Dev), founded the Khalsa (Guru Gobind Singh, 1699) or introduced the Gurmukhi script (Guru Angad Dev). On the Marathas, expect questions on Shivaji's Ashtapradhan council, his coronation at Raigad in 1674, the Peshwas, and the Third Battle of Panipat (1761). Practise the Sikh Gurus and Maratha Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.