A god^s body is complete ; a man's is only three-quarters thereof.
People run after wealth ; men and women are but dust.
People wander in both worlds after eating and spending their wealth in this.
When the world is destroyed every one goeth to sleep ; this is the answer to thy riddle, O child.
The princess was much pleased on receiving this answer, and with her father's permission went again to visit the Guru. When she made her obeisance before him he patted her on the shoulder with his bow. She said, ' I am thy worshipper ; why hast thou not patted me with thy hand ? ' The Guru repHed he never touched any woman except his own wives with his hand.
As the Guru was returning home from the fair, he was met by the Raja of Mandi who besought him to pay a visit to his capital The Guru readily accepted the invitation. During his stay the Guru
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 147
promised the raja that Mandi should for ever remain in his Une.
While the Guru was occupied with the hill chiefs, the Brahmans were counteracting his rehgious efforts. Sikhs who before their conversion had been Brahmans and Khatris now came in fewer numbers to visit him. They did not wish that their sacrificial threads should be thrown away among the bushes, or that they should have to part with their loin-clothes ^ It was in vain the Guru told them that Sikhs should spring from every bush on which their sacrificial threads had been thrown. He said that they who had no faith in him might or might not come as they chose. The paltry fellows who wore threads the Guru thought of no use to him. His Sikhs should become very powerful, if they freed themselves from Brahmanical prejudices and influences, and adopted the Sikh ritual when there were births, marriages, or deaths in their families.
The Guru upon this prepared a general feast both* for Sikhs and Brahmans, but the latter refused to attend, and reproached him with having taken away the distinguishing marks of the Hindus. When the Sikhs were feasting he said that as the Brahmans had forsaken him, so he would forsake them, and break off all relations with them. To some of his own people who manifested symptoms of dissatis- faction, he said that if they remained on good terms with the Khalsa, they should always be happy ; otherwise sorrow should be their portion. He had given everything to the Khalsa — spiritual and tem- poral power, enterprise, glory, self-devotion, skill in arms, and by these should they acquire empire. His speech was heard by his first wife, and when he went to his private apartments she inquired what he had left his family. He replied that he
^ For the dhoii or insecurely fastened loin-cloth worn by the Hindus the Guru substituted the short drawers called kachh.
L 2
had given to her children the stable empire of heaven.
His Sikhs were one day discussing idolatry. The Guru when asked to give his opinion said, * All worship is valueless without love. The worship of images is unreal : the worship of God alone is real. Nothing can be obtained by image-worship They who place images before them and worship them are fools. Let my Sikhs ever meditate on the Im- mortal God and worship none besides. Let them ever practise arms, that they may be enabled to defend themselves against their enemies.'
On another occasion the Guru gave the following reply to questions put him by his Sikhs : —
He who ever thinketh of the future is accepted as the Guru's disciple.
Famine is bad, and bad is cold ; bad is the love of a courtesan ;
Bad are debt and falsehood ; utter the truth, my friends.
The Guru further advised his Sikhs not to employ an enemy as a doctor, not to listen to astrologers, to avoid greed, and to consider wealth unreal as a dream. Winding up his discourse he said, ' Let my Sikhs eschew evil, adopt what is good, and have confidence in me.'
Bishambhar of Ujjain had once fallen under the influence of the Guru's teachng and made him an offering of one hundred rupees. He now sent his son, a Vaishnav called Har Gopal, with an offering of five times that amount. The son on seeing the Guru eat meat became disgusted. The Guru said in his presence, that all rehshes were pleasing to the mind. A Sikh replied that a relish was only pleasing to the tongue. Others also gave their opinions, and when it came to Har Gopal's turn, he said that the real reUsh was faith in Sikhism. The Guru knowing that he was not uttering his real sentiments, said, ' Thou enjoyest no such relish, for thou hast no
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 149
faith in the Sikh religion.' When the Guru addressed him further reproaches, he fell at his feet and im- plored his pardon. He then laid his father's present of five hundred rupees before the Guru. The Guru in return gave him a steel bracelet^ to wear, and promised that the love of God should abide in his family.
Har Gopal, not at all satisfied or convinced by the Guru's teaching or example, took his departure. On his way home he stopped at Chamkaur where he met an earnest Sikh named Dhyan Singh. He confided to him how he had wasted five hundred rupees in making a present to a Guru who ate meat. Dhyan Singh said he would restore him the money, if he in return gave him the steel bracelet and the love of God bestowed on him by the Guru. Har Gopal was dehghted on receiving such an offer, and took the money in exchange for what he beheved to be the worthless gifts of the Guru. He traded with the money and made a large profit. When he reached home he told his father Bishambhar all the events of the journey. Bishambhar was much dis- tressed at his want of faith in the Guru, and renrion- strated with him. Har Gopal continued his pecuniary speculations, and in the end lost all his money. He was then satisfied that this was the result of his want of faith in the Guru, and he prayed his father to take him again to the spiritual and temporal head of the Sikhs. The father was pleased to do so, and set out with his wife and all his family. On the way the party called on Dhyan Singh at Cham- kaur and induced him to accompany them on their journey.
Bishambhar on reaching the Guru begged forgive- ness for his unworthy son. The Guru baptized
* In the time of ihe Guru men who could afford the expense, wore gold and silver ornaments. The Guru desired to wean his followers from the practice, and counselled them to depend on steel both for ornaments and defensive weapons.
them all, and thus addressed Har Gopal — 'Thou oughtest to have had confidence in my words. He who believeth that the ten Gurus are all the same is a Sikh of mine. Look on the hymns of the Granth as the embodiment of the true Guru. Put faith in the Guru, and becoming a Sikh perform thy worldly duties. With humble words induct others into the faith, and give thy daughter to a Sikh. Let him who is a Sikh according to the old rites, marry his daughter to him who is a Sikh according to the new rites. If a Sikh cannot find a husband according to the new rites for his daughter, then let him give her to him who is a Sikh according to the old rites, but willing to receive Sikh baptism. Let a Sikh receive instruction from another Sikh, and not consider whether he is of high or low degree. Look on him as a good Sikh who thinketh not of caste or lineage. Let a Sikh be honest in his dealings, and pray for him who affordeth him maintenance. Whoever of the rank of Sikh committeth treachery shall find no place of rest.
' Love the Name ; repeat it in thine innermost heart ; teach the Name. In the Name is happiness ; the Name is a generous companion. He who liveth for his religion, who eateth only to support his body, who walketh in the Guru's way, and who is not enamoured of the world, is my friend. As when a traveller goeth to a foreign land and is ever hoping for the end of his journey, so should man hope for his soul's final repose by doing good works and remaining estranged from the world. Listen to me, my friend, and be ever ready to leave this life. Thou and I shall depart. This is not a new ordinance.'
After this the father and son proceeded rejoicing to their home. In the course of a short time their wealth increased, and Har Gopal recovered all that he had lost. Dhyan Singh told the Guru that, as he was ploughing in his field on the day after he
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 151
had received the bracelet and God's love from Har Gopal, his plough exposed a buried treasure of great value. The Guru congratulated him and called him a devout Sikh who would always possess God's love and favour.
One day Mata Jito, the Guru's wife, appeared before him and said, ' Thou bestowest on thy Sikhs deliverance, union with God, and worldly blessings. Let me also be a partaker of thy gifts.' The Guru told her to continually repeat Wahguru with fixed attention, and she should obtain what her heart desired. After some time she acquired by her devotion a knowledge of the future, and went to the Guru in great tribulation. She said, ' Mercifully save thy children, for I foresee thou art going to make them martyrs to thy cause.' The Guru replied, * Is it to reverse God's decree thou didst receive instruction from me ? I intended that thou shouldst abandon worldly love, but it hath increased all the more. I have already granted thy sons high rank in God's court. Wherefore anticipate not their fate.' Jito, understanding that the Guru did not intend to save the lives of his children, said she was going to abandon her body for she could not bear to behold their death. The Guru replied, * It is well ; thou mayest go ; thy children shall follow thee. Death is the law of all bodies. Some may perish four days before and some four days after ; but all must sooner or later pay the debt they owe.' Upon this, it is said, Jito permanently suspended her breath, and her soul took flight to heaven.
One day the conversation turned on an expression used by Guru Har Rai, that the vessel which Baba Nanak had constructed for the salvation of the world had almost foundered. Guru Gobind Singh vowed that he would repair it for the deliver- ance of his Sikhs. On that occasion he gave the following instruction to his assembled Sikhs — ' I have estabhshed the Khalsa for the advancement
of true religion. Let not my Sikhs live on religious offerings. He who bound by greed obeyeth me not in this, shall be born again as a hog. Religious offerings have the same dissolving effect on men's minds as borax on gold.' He then quoted the fol- lowing Hues from Gur Das : —
As it is the custom of Hindus to abstain from the flesh of kine,
As swine and interest are solemnly forbidden the Muham- madans,
As it is sinful for a father-in-law to drink even water in his son-in-law's house,
As even a sweeper though hungry will not eat hare's flesh,!
As a fly gaineth no advantage but dieth in the clasp of honey,
So is greed for sacred offerings which are hke poison coated with sugar.^
' Let those who are baptized according to my rites bear arms and live according to their means. Let them remain true to their sovereign in the battle- field, and not turn their backs to the foe. Let theni face and repel their enemies, and they shall obtain both glory in this world and the heroes' heaven in the next. He who fleeth from the battle- field shall be dishonoured in this world, and when he dieth shall be punished for his cowardice, and nowhere shall he obtain a state of happiness. Let the members of the Khalsa associate with one another and love one another irrespective of tribe or caste. Let them hearken to the Guru's instruc- tion, and let their minds be thoroughly imbued with it.'
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 153
It is said that, as the Guru was one da;y hunting, he came on a field of tobacco. He reined in his horse and gave expression to his hatred of the plant. He maintained that it burned the chest, induced ner- vousness, palpitation, bronchitis, and other diseases, and finally caused death. He therefore counselled his Sikhs to abstain from the destructive drug, and thus concluded his discourse — ' Wine is bad, bhang destroyeth one generation, but tobacco destroyeth all generations.'
The custom of sale and barter of horses and other animals at religious fairs prevailed even in the time of the Guru. He went to a fair held in Kurkhetar on the occasion of a solar eclipse in order to purchase horses to replace those which had been stolen or killed in the previous warfare. Among other ad- mirers Madan Nath, a superior of Jogis, waited on him. On seeing the Guru he remarked that he had the external appearance of a lion, but that he was inwardly a saint. The Guru explained that his external appearance had been assumed with the object of inspiring terror into the Turks, who had inflicted great misery and hardship on his country.
Chapter XIX
Two Muhammadan generals, Saiyad Beg ^ and Alif Khan, were on their way from Lahore to Dihli. They were each in command of five thousand men. Raja Ajmer Chand having heard of them thought he would try to secure their assistance to attack the Guru. The generals on receiving a promise of one thousand rupees a day promised Ajmer Chand their assistance. Saiyad Beg, however, on subse- quently hearing favourable accounts of the Guru
^ The word vSaiyid (j^*-) is different from satjdd (.>U-<»), which literally means a hunter, and forms the first part of the name of the general above mentioned.
and his Sikhs, changed his determination and with- drew from the Muhammadan army. The battle which ensued began with great fury between the Guru's and AHf Khan's troops. At a critical moment Saiyad Beg approached the Sikhs, and said that as they believed in the Guru, so did he, and he would therefore fight on their side. Alif Khan, on seeing that Saiyad Beg had joined the Sikhs, concluded that he had no chance of victory, and retired from the contest. He was hotly pursued by the Sikhs and Saiyad Beg. On the return of the latter from the pursuit, he ahghted from his horse and went to offer his obeisance to the Guru. Having broken with the Emperor, whose servant he had been, he threw in his lot with the Sikhs, gave them all his wealth to assist them in their struggles with the Muhammadans, and remained with the Guru as a trusty and powerful ally.
A Brahman appeared one day in the Guru's court, and with a loud voice invoked his assistance against some Pathans who had forcibly abducted his bride at Bassi near Hoshiarpur. The Guru directed his son Ajit Singh to go with one hundred horse, fall suddenly on the Pathans at night, and restore the Brahman his bride. The expedition was carefully planned and courageously executed. In the early morning Ajit Singh produced before the Guru the Brahman's bride and the offending Pathans. The latter received condign punishment.
Raja Ajmer Chand again summoned his alHes with the object of chastising the Guru. There came to him Raja Bhup Chand, Raja Wazir Singh, and Raja Dev Saran. Raja Ajmer Chand made a speech in which he warned his brother chiefs of the fate in store for them from the Guru, and advised them to join him in another expedition to crush him. They all expressed themselves in favour of immediate measures, and addressed the Guru a joint letter to the effect that they had Hved peace-
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 155
ably for some time, but found he would not cease his aggression, and they were therefore obliged to declare war against him. The Guru briefly repUed — ' My Sikhs have only come into collision with those who wantonly annoyed them. The Khalsa are ever awaiting battle. To fight and die is the duty of the brave. Come and see the power of the Khalsa.'
The hill chiefs on receiving this reply took the field without delay. It is said that they marched against Anandpur with ten thousand men. Saiyad Beg had not been able to induce his large force to remain with him, so the Guru's available force at this time did not exceed eight hundred men. In the former battles of Anandpur the Sikhs appear to have remained behind their battlements and embrasures. On this occasion different tactics were adopted. They met the enemy in the open field outside Anandpur. The Sikhs fought with their usual courage and determination. Raja Ajmer Chand, on witnessing their prowess and the carnage they caused, retired from the battle in despair. The other hill chiefs continued the fight, but put themselves in the rear of their troops. Alim Singh and Ude Singh displayed their usual valour on behalf of the Guru. They wished to charge the hill hosts, but the Guru restrained them, and ordered them to use their muskets and arrows from where they stood. They obeyed the Guru, and plied their offensive weapons with signal success. The hill troops on seeing their own van stricken down retreated.
The Guru surveyed the battle from a distance. He was delighted as he saw the enemy fleeing in every direction. The Sikhs now flushed with victory forgot his orders and pursued the retreating hill troops. The Guru was displeased at the temerity of his men, and mounting his horse rode back to Anandpur. The Sikh force, on finding the Guru had left them, lost heart, retreated, and were in