Guru Har Krishan
Guru Har Krishan ([ɡʊru həɾ kɾɪʃən]; 23 July 1656 – 30 March 1664) was the eighth of the ten Sikh Gurus. At the age of 5, he became youngest Guru in Sikhism on 7 October 1661, succeeding his father, Guru Har Rai.
He is also known as Bal Guru (Child Guru). He died at age eight during a smallpox epidemic in Delhi, and his granduncle Guru Tegh Bahadur became the next Guru of the Sikhs. He had the shortest tenure as Guru, lasting only 2 years, 5 months and 24 days.
Early days
Har Krishan was born in Kiratpur Sahib, Rupnagar, Punjab, India to Guru Har Rai and Kishan dei (Mata Sulakhni).
Before His death in October 1661, Guru Har Rai designated his younger son Har Krishan as the next Guru. Har Rai chose Har Krishan, rather than his elder son Ram Rai, because Ram Rai was in collusion with the Mughal Empire. Har Krishan was only five years old when he succeeded his father as Guru.
Attainment of Guruship
It is said that when Guru Har Rai was asked which of his two sons Ram Rai and Har Krishan would be the next guru, he said that although both of them followed the same religion and recited the same bani, there was softness in the heart of Har Krishan and Ram Rai was rough from the heart.
