Vol. III — Life of Guru Har Gobind
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The Guru, seeing the onslaught of the Muhammadans specially directed against himself,! addressed his troops, ‘ My brethren, the Turks are advancing ; I will now. myself fight and destroy those enemies who have without cause brought an army of thousands against God’s servant.’ Both armies then again hotly engaged. The Turks came as it were to offer themselves as sacrifice to the Guru. Abdulla Khan, maddened by the death of his sons, discharged flights of arrows, and heeded not whether he aimed at friend or foe. This was the most desperate portion of the conflict. None retreated, none sued for quarter.
Under the favouring glance of the Guru the Sikhs who had formerly been weak as hares now became strong as lions. No matter what their birth or previous calling, they all proved themselves gallant heroes in the field. Abdulla Khan resolved to conquer or die. He could not show himself again to the Emperor if his ten thousand troops were vanquished in vain. There would be no place in which to hide himself, and the earth would not open to receive him. It therefore would be better for him to receive death at the hands of the Guru. The Guru seeing Karm Chand and Ratan Chand in front addressed them, ‘What think you on? Now avenge your fathers. Retreat not like cowards. Be brave and stand before me ; otherwise go where your fathers have gone.’
The Guru let fly an arrow which disabled Ratan Chand’s horse. Then Karm Chand advanced, drew his. bow-string to his ear, and shot the Guru’sjiorse, the. famous charger sent from Kabul which the Guru had obtained with such difficulty. The Guru drew forth the arrow and pierced Karm Chand’s horse with it. Ratan Chand and Karm Chand had now to fight on the ground. Joined by their Chief they discharged flights of arrows at the Guru, who saved himself by his dexterity, The arrows fell like
showers of flowers around him, and it seemed as if the three men had been worshipping him and begging of him the gift of salvation. The Guru was left alone to contend against all three, as Bidhi Chand and his other heroes were engaged fighting in a distant part of the field. His enemies were very pleased to see the Guru alone and unhorsed, at the approach of evening too. He, however, felt that victory was ever on the side of religion, 1 God succoureth His servants,’ he thought, ‘ and the proud and the wicked shall be vanquished.’
The Guru on being closely assailed by Karm Chand struck him with his shield and made him stagger and fall. Ratan Chand seeing this ran to his aid. The Guru drew forth his pistol and shot him. Then fearing that his enemy might still escape, he discharged an arrow, which completed his discomfiture. Abdulla Khan now lost all command over himself, and struck out with his sword right and left, before and behind, above and below. The Guru at first received all his blows on his strong shield. Then gathering his strength he drew his falchion on the Chief, and severed his head from his body. By this time Karm Chand had recovered consciousness and rushed at the Guru saying,
‘ Whither goest thou after killing all my friends ? Deem not that by killing Ratan Chand the victory is thine.’
There ensued for a time a sword-play between the Guru and Karm Chand, until the sword of the latter was broken. The Guru as a holy man desiring to take no mean advantage of his adversary, put his own sword into his scabbard, and engaged with him in a wrestling combat. They were locked in one another’s arms, as if, after all the fighting, they had become fast friends. At last the Guru, seizing Karm Chand by both arms, swung him round as Krishan did his uncle Kans, and killed him by dashing his head on the ground. It had now become
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dark. The Chief and all his sardars were slain, his army had fled, the battle was ended, and victory remained with the Guru. Bidhi Chand lit a torch and passed through files of dead bodies in his search for his master, who was only found with delay and difficulty.
The Guru went to his tent and Bidhi Chand sought out the wounded and attended to them. The next day was occupied with the disposal of the slain. The Chief, his two sons, and his five generals were all put into one grave. The bodies of the fallen Sikhs were brought to the Guru and their names announced. The Guru blessed them one by one, and caused them to be thrown into the river Bias. The bodies of the fallen Muhammadans shared the same fate. A platform was erected near the place where they were buried. In after days the Guru used occasionally to go and sit on it, and point out to Bidhi Chand and his other officers the advantages of a just cause, by means of which they had destroyed their proud enemies, and saved their own brave and loyal co-religionists.
The Guru then delivered a funeral oration, in the course of which he said, ‘ Death is very potent and capable of altering human affairs in a moment. It maketh those who are laughing weep, and those who are weeping laugh.’ He then recited the following hymn of Guru Arjan :—
This perishable world was made like a house of sand ;
It is quickly destroyed like paper moistened with water,
O man,* behold and consider the True One in thy heart.
Sidhs, Strivers, householders, and Jogis have departed abandoning their houses and homes.
The world is like a nightly dream.
What we see shall all perish ; why attach thyself to it, O fool ?
desire, but it is used by the tenth Guru in the sense of conscience.
n8 THE SIKH RELIGION
Where are thy brothers and friends ? Open thine «y& and look.
One goeth, another shall go—each in his turn.
They who serve the perfect true Guru shall have a fixed place at God’s door.
The man Nanak is God’s slave, preserve his honour, O God . 1
And also the following:—
0 man, why art thou puffed up with pride ?
Within thee are bad odour, impurity, and uncleanness; what is visible is ashes.
O mortal, remember Him who made all things, and who supporteth life and soul.
The ignorant fool who forsaketh Him and attacheth himr self to other gods, shall be born again after death.
I am blind, dumb, crippled, devoid of understanding; 0 God, the Preserver, preserve me.
God is omnipotent to act and cause others to act; Nanak, what a wretched creature is man ! 2
‘ His evil fate urged Abdulla Khan so that without cause or provocation he marched against us with ten thousand men. Besides his two sons he hath lost his state, authority, and prosperity, and become himself the prey of death. It hath so disposed of him that no trace of him remaineth. There is no reliance to be placed on life. We know not when the last hour shall come The only gain is worship, and repetition of God’s name.’ Hymns were then recited and prayers offered for the repose of the souls of all who had fallen in the battle.
Chapter XII
To the masands was entrusted the construction of the city of Sri Har Gobindpur. The surrounding walls were to have five gates; streets and marketplaces were to be laid out; and houses constructed
LIFE OF GURU HAR GOBIND
for those who thronged to offer homage to the Guru. Gkerar’s son having been killed, all his; relations fled, and the Guru remained in peaceable possession. Heiprojected the construction of a Sikh temple, but it occurred to him that his Muhammadan troops and labourers would also require a temple for their worship. He therefore constructed with thoughtful impartiality both a temple and a mosque. He purchased horses for his men to replace those which had been killed in action. His soldiers now considered where they should find a horse worthy of being ridden by the Guru himself. Inquiries were made even in distant countries, but no horse could be found to take the place of the Guru’s famous steed, killed by an arrow from Karm Chand’s bow.
While the minds of the Sikhs were thus exercised a rich contractor called Subhaga came from the west of the Pan jab with an offering of five horses. The Guru selected the best among them for his own use. He gave the second to his son Gurditta, the third to Bhai Bidhi Chand, the fourth he sent to Painda Khan, and the. fifth he kept in his stable to be subsequently disposed of as might be deemed expedient or necessary.
One day as the Guru sat in the midst of his Sikhs he said, ‘ According to the rules of our religion the repetition of the Gurus’ hymns with due understanding and with a pure heart is God’s real worship.’ The Sikhs represented that they all read the Gurus’ hymns daily. The Guru replied, ‘ He who can repeat the Japji and understand the divine knowledge contained therein, shall have his desires fulfilled, and obtain deliverance hereafter.’ A Sikh named Gopal undertook the task. The Guru having caused his feet to be bathed, seated him on a lofty throne in front of him. Gopal then began to repeat the Japji. When he had nearly finished, the Guru began to consider what present he should make him. The wealth of the
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world would be insignificant for a man of perfect piety. The Guru seriously intended to offer haul the Guruship, and sent for five paise and a
coco-nut to perform the ceremony of his appoint* ment. When Gopal came to the line, ‘ God dwelleth in Sach Khand,’ in the thirty-seventh pauri of the great Sikh morning religious service, the Guru moved his feet to stand up and * do obeisance to the reader as Guru. At that moment Gopal’s thoughts turned away from God, and he said to himself, ‘ Will the Guru reward me with his spare horse or not ? ’ The Guru read his thoughts, disclosed them to him, and informed him that but
for his mental wanderings he should receive the Guruship. The Guru gave him the fifth horse as his reward, but he lost the Guruship, which would be superior to the wealth of the world. So difficult is it to pray with attention.
The party of Sikhs who had come with Subhaga received the Guru’s permission to visit the shrines and places sacred to the Gurus. They proceeded to Goindwal, and bathed in its Bawali. Thence they visited Khadur and Tarn Taran. From there they proceeded to the Guru’s forest to see Bhai Budha. They found Gur Das with him. Subhaga and his party told them who they were, and related all the incidents connected with the Guru’s occupation of land on the margin of the Bias and the subsequent battle with the Muhammadans. As Subhaga and his party were departing for Amritsar, Bhai Budha and Bhai Gur Das accompanied them* Subhaga and his friends after visiting Amritsar and beholding God’s temple returned to their own country. Bhai Budha, Bhai Gur Das, and three other Sikhs named Jiwa, Ajitta, and Jodha, who joined them in Amritsar, all proceeded to sOe the Guru at Sri Har Gobindpur. When Bhai Budha had inspected the Guru’s city he said that as he was now old, it was necessary for him to retire from the
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active service of religion and return to his village Raraadas. He requested the Guru’s permission to do: so, and at the same time prayed him to appoint a Successor who would manage the villages granted to Bibi Bhani by the Emperor Akbar. His heart was sad at parting from the Guru, and he begged him to show himself to him whenever he invoked him. Bhai Gur Das remained with the Guru in Sri Har Gobindpur.
A man called Khwaja had accompanied the Guru as groom from Kashmir, and was very attentive and faithful in the discharge of his duties. The Guru once seeing him, while running by his horse’s side* perspiring profusely, invited him to ask a favour. Khwaja only requested that he might ever have the privilege to behold him. The Guru gave him the true Name, and made him happy. His understanding then became enlightened, the veil of falsehood dropped from his eyes, and he saw God, first in the world and then in himself, but informed no One of his spiritual happiness.
One Jani a Saiyid—or reputed descendant of the prophet Muhammad—chanced to turn his attention to religion and became a faqir. He resided among faqirs in the hope of meeting some religious men who would give him spiritual consolation. In his wanderings he met some very eloquent men, but none of heroic devotion. Having heard of Khwaja’s spiritual attainments he went to him for information, * 0 Khwaja, how hast thou escaped from the snares of the evil one ? When I try to fix my mind on God, I am beset with lust, wrath, avarice, worldly love, and pride. Howshall I free myself from these deadly sins ? ’ Khwaja replied, ‘The true Guru hath banished my evil thoughts, and made me happy. Go thou and stand at his door. The Guru hath said :—
If thou efface 1 thyself and serve the Guru, thou shaft obtain some honour.