[ p. 76 ]
Sudden intelligence arrived that the Emperor Jahangir had died in Kashmir, whereupon his son Shah Jahan immediately assumed regal power. The Guru knowing the future addressed Strife, as an evil agency. ‘Go where thy companions . falsehood, worldly love, and pride, have their dwellings, and be happy with them. Thou shalt have enough blood’ there to fill the skull thou carriest.’
When Damodari’s daughter was to be married to the son of Dharma, she wished to invite all her relations on the occasion, but the Guru would not agree, because he had a presentiment of hostilities on the part of the new Emperor. He knew that Mihrban (Prithia’s son) and Karm Chand (son of Chandu) had poisoned Shah Jahan’s mind against him. The Sikhs were all distressed at this, and said to him,‘ If thou invite not thy relations at such a time, how shall they be known as thy relations?’ The Sikhs not knowing the Guru’s real motive considered that he was too much occupied with Muhammadans and military exercises. It is true that he excessively pampered Painda Khan in every way, and used frequently to present him with offerings made by the Sikhs. This caused great heart-burning to others. It was decided that a deputation consisting of Bhais Tilak, Tirath, Niwala, Krishan, Tulsi, Yakhtu, amd others should wait on Bhai Gur Das, now an old man, possessing much influence with the Guru, and endeavour to persuade him to remonstrate with the Guru on his general conduct. On this cccasion Bhai Gur Das composed the following :—
People say the former Gurus used to sit in the temple ; the present Guru remaineth not in any one place.
The former Emperors used to visit the former Gurus ; the present Guru was sent into the fortress by the Emperor. [ p. 77 ]
In former times the Guru’s darbar could not contain the sect; the present Guru leadeth a roving life and feareth nobody.
The former Gurus sitting on their thrones used to console the Sikhs ; the present Guru keepeth dogs and hunteth.
The former Gurus used to compose hymns, listen to them, and sing them; the present Guru composeth not hymns, or listeneth to them, or singeth them.
He keepeth not his Sikh followers with him, but taketh enemies of his faith and wicked persons as his guides and familiars.
I say, the truth within him cannot possibly be concealed ; the true Sikhs like the bumble-bees are enamoured of his lotus feet.
He supporteth a burden intolerable to others and asserteth not himself.[1]
Bhai Gur Das told the Sikhs that, though the Guru was blameless, yet in order to silence his detractors it was advisable to send for Bhai Budha to apprise the Guru of the scandal that had arisen. The Sikhs accordingly went to Bhat Budha in the forest and represented to him the state of affairs. They found him already prepared to set out for Amritsar. The Guru treated him with marked respect and seated him near him. He said ‘ Bhai Budha, thy body is old, but thy love is ever young. Why hast thou undertaken such a journey in this hot month of Jeth? Tell me thine object.’ Bhai Budha replied, “Thou art like the Ganges, like the sun, and like the fire. The Ganges swalloweth corpses and bones of the countless dead, and yet remaineth pure; the sun draweth towards it noxious vapours, and yet remaineth pure; fire burneth and consumeth the dead, and yet remaineth pure. Thou art like all three. The Sikhs seeing thy love for sport and military exercises fear for thee. Wherefore abandon them.’ The Guru laughed and replied, ‘ I have done [ p. 78 ] nothing improper ; I am only obeying thine orders with my life, and improving the condition of my Sikhs.’ Upon this Bhai Budha returned to his forest dwelling.
The Guru once in a vision beheld his father Guru Arjan surrounded by his saints. He thought that Guru Arjan thus addressed him—‘ As Guru Nanak on receiving God’s order resigned the supply office in Sultanpur, travelled in foreign countries, and preached the true Name, so the saints who are annoyed by the unjust acts of the Turks, pray thee to gird on thine arms, and make use of them to good effect against thine enemies, that the Sikhs may abide in peace.’ Guru Har Gobind replied, ‘The words of the saints are immutable. What they propose God accomplisheth. I shall be engaged in many battles in which enemies and oppressors shall perish. The Guru on awaking took his bow and quiver, girded on his two swords, his daggers and other arms, and distributed horses, uniforms, armour, shields, and guns among his soldiers.
A company of Sikhs came from the West to behold the Guru, and present him with offerings. As they were hungry and weary, the Guru desired to give them their dinner. The Guru’s servants represented that dinner had already been served, the fires were extinguished, the cooks had all dispersed, and even if they could be found, it would be very late to retire for rest after a second dinner had been prepared. The Guru then bethought him ofa room full of sweets collected for the marriage of his daughter, and ordered that they should be given to his visitors. The key of the room was with Damodari, the Guru’s wife, but she refused to give it up or bestow the sweets on any one till the bridegroom’s party had partaken of them. The Guru sent to her several times, but she obstinately adhered to her determination. The Guru then gave vent to his sentiments—‘ My Sikhs are dearer to me than [ p. 79 ] life. Were they the first to taste the sweets, all obstacles to the marriage should be removed, but now the Muhammadans shall come and possess themse ves of them. My Sikhs are hke a garden. If its trees remain green they yield flowers, leaves, and wood for all purposes. Wherefore we should ever take care to foster Sikhs, and promote their comfort. From the days of Guru Nanak down to my father the fifth Guru, it hath ever been the practice to entertain five Sikhs, whenever anything of importance was to be done, and all efforts should thus prove successful. When wandering Sikhs come to my house and go away disappointed, it is but a just requital that the sweets should fall to the Muhammadans, and the marriage be interrupted.’ The bystanders began to tremble, but none of them durst beg the Guru to recall his curse. Fortunately, however, at that time a Sikh came with five mans of sweets as a contribution to the marriage feast. The Guru distributed the offering among the Sikhs who had come from the West, and thus succeeded in discharging the duties of hospitality.
The Emperor Shah Jahan went hunting from Lahore in the direction of Amritsar. The Guru at the same time was similarly occupied. Both hunting parties unconsc‘ously approached each other, but without meeting. The Emperor had a white hawk which had been sent him as a rare present from the King of Iran. As the Emperor was on the point of returning to Lahore, a Brahmani duck rose, and he with his own hand let fly the hawk in pursuit. The hawk which had been over pampered refused to strike, but began to play with the bird. The Emperor felt tired and did not wait to capture it, but hasted on his way to Lahore. He sent his huntsmen with some. troops to search, and concluded that they would bring him back his treasure. They went wherever they saw the duck rising before the hawk. The bird and the hawk eventually fled in the direction of the [ p. 80 ] Guru’s party. The Sikhs at once let fly a hawk of their own which seized the duck. The Emperor’s hawk then joined in the seizure, and the Sikhs caught them both. They were pleased to behold such a beautiful hawk, and congratulated themselves on the acquisition. They decided that they would keep it for themselves since it had sought their protection.
When the royal huntsman and his troopers arrived and saw the hawk, they told the Sikhs that it was theirs, and asked that it should be given them. The Sikhs refused to admit the ownership of men who were strangers to them, and said that, as they had caught the bird with difficulty in the forest, and it had no owner, they claimed it as their prize. The huntsman replied, ‘ Shah Jahan whose glory is great, is king of the whole world. The kings of all lands bow before him, and fear him. He hath left nowhere a rebel, and hath subjected all men to his authority. Know you him not? We are his servants. The hawk alighted here before our arrival. You have caught him, and made him your own. Give him up quickly, displease us not, or the Emperor will be angry. The Sikhs rejoined, ‘We will not give up the hawk through fear of the Emperor. Go and make a complaint to him whose power you so vaunt.’
The head huntsman renewed the remonstrance. ‘ Fear you not the Emperor? Since you are within his cable-tow, why desire to behold a real exhibition ? You speak like intoxicated persons, and know not what you say. Even kings who have thousands of fighting men stand with clasped hands before the Emperor, and fear him in their hearts. If you give not up the hawk, how shall you escape ? Whither will you flee? When the Emperor’s army cometh and falleth on you with violence, who will fight on your side? Then you and the hawk will be captured and taken away. Ponder on my words.’
The Sikhs angrily retorted, ‘ Coward, why quarrel thus? Go off with thine arms in safety. Why provoke [ p. 81 ] chastisement for thine insolence? We shall see if the hawk belongeth to the Emperor or to us. Go before him and complain, and do what he will tell thee. Stand not quarrelling here. If thou desire to retain thy self-respect, abandon the hawk and go. Otherwise thou shalt leave thine arms behind thee,and suffer the disgrace thereof.’ As the altercation waxed hotter and more angry language was exchanged, the Sikh warriors called to arms, and inflicted severe chastisement on the Muhammadans. They who survived hastened their steps to Lahore to report to the Emperor the seizure of the hawk and the violence of the Sikhs. Other enemies of the Guru thought it a good opportunity to revive the charges against him, and to remind the Emperor of his alleged misdeeds. ‘The Guru,’ they said, ‘hath now crowned the measure of his iniquity by misappropriating the Emperor’s favourite hawk, and his Sikhs have slain several of the bodyguard.’ The Emperor was taunted with apathy and advised to arrest the Guru at once, lest he should seize some fort, rise 1n rebellion and defy constituted authority.
The Emperor sent for Mukhlis Khan, one of his trusty general officers, seated him near him, gave him a dress of honour of great value and a swift and powerful charger with golden trappings, and ordered him to organize a military expedition to punish the Sikhs. Mukhlis Khan already commanded an army of seven thousand men, and he was empowered to take with him any further forces he might require. He was to bring the leader of the Sikhs and the hawk by any means he thought expedient to the Emperor ; and he should then be promoted to even a higher position than he had previously occupied. Mukhlis Khan told the Emperor that it was a very easy matter. At the very moment of his arrival in Amritsar he would arrest the Guru, and bring him before his Majesty without having to resort to force of arms.
The Sikhs of Lahore hearing of the contemplated [ p. 82 ] military expedition against the Guru sent a swift messenger to apprise him of it. The messenger reached Amritsar in the evening. There was a place called Lohgarh, or the iron (strong) fortress, outside the city. It was really a platform raised to resemble a species of tower, where the Guru used often to hold his court in the afternoon. He hada high wall built round it, prepared it in other ways for defence, and posted within the enclosure a small detachment of twentyfive men in anticipation of attack. He took out all his weapons, cleaned and sharpened his swords, and distributed them among his troops. Meantime, there were great rejoicings in the Guru’s palace on account of his daughter’s approaching marriage, and women sang the marriage songs composed by the Gurus.
His S.khs told the Guru that a big gun was necessary for the defence of Lohgarh. The Guru replied, ‘There is a hollow tree lying there which will serve as acannon.’ It is said that from the hollow tree thus converted into a weapon of artillery the Sikhs subsequently discharged stones in such a manner as to dismay their adversaries and seriously thin their ranks.
The Sikhs and their officers made preparations, and were soon ready for the fray. The Guru addressed his commander-in-chief Bhanu: ‘It is not good to have the fighting near our homes, let the battle be fought outside our city. In the first place, the enemy may enter our houses and plunder our property, and secondly, we may kill our own brave men in the darkness. It is better, too, that our families be removed for safety outside the city. They must only take with them the first articles on which they can lay their hands.’
Bhai Niwala, who appears to have been an elderly man, went into the Guru’s private apartments and brought forth his wives and children. For the approaching marriage everything that was necessary had been stored up, but there was no time now to [ p. 83 ] make a nice selection, and many valuables must be left behind. The twenty-five brave Sikhs on duty in Lohgarh restrained the imperial host, but were unable to cause much destruction among them owing to the darkness of the night. The defenders of the fort said, that in the morning they would show their strength to the Turks, that they would fight their way to Lahore, capture and bring back the Emperor, and thus prove to the world that they really were the Guru’s soldiers. Meanwhile the Guru’s wives and children were all removed to a house near Ramsar. The Guru went to the temple and there fervently prayed for victory. He repeated on the occasion these lines of Guru Arjan :—
Wicked men and enemies are all destroyed by Thee, O Lord, and Thy glory is manifested.
Thou didst immediately destroy those who annoyed Thy saints.[2]
Several other verses of the Guru’s father recurred to his memory at the time :-—
God the Destroyer of fear removeth pride.[3]
They who harbour it shall drop and fall on the ground like leaves.[4]
It was discovered at Ramsar that the Guru’s daughter Viro, whose marriage had been thus rudely interrupted, was missing. At this her mother began to weep and wail. Singha and Babak were sent to search for her. It appears that when the Guru’s family were leaving their abode, the girl was accidentally left in the upper story of the house. The Guru gave Singha and Babak his rosary to satisfy her that they had been really commissioned to search for her, and that no treachery was contemplated. —
The Sikh detachment in Lohgarh, though courageous [ p. 84 ] to the last degree, were too few to cope with the Muhammadan host, and after destroying hundreds of the enemy fell martyrs to the Guru’s cause. The Muhammadans proceeded to the Guru’s palace in search of him, and on finding it empty became furious. They took possession of the house in which the sweets had been stored for the marriage feast, and gorged themselves to repletion. Viro remained silent in the upper story, and would not through fear open the door even when invited to do so by Singha and Babak. When, however, her father’s rosary was shown her by the light of a lamp, she became satisfied that no deceit was intended. She then descended, and Singha put her on horseback in front of him. The horse, which used to be kept at Ramsar, knew his way through the city, and so Singha gave him free rein that he might make his way in the dark. Mukhlis Khan, who was standing on the brink of the holy tank, on hearing a horse pass, challenged the rider. Babak, who was walking by the horse, replied in Mukhlis Khan’s Turkish dialect, “We belong to you. We have grown weary of searching for you, but did not know where to find you. If you have seen the Guru anywhere pray tell us, and if not, then be on the alert.’ They were on the point of passing on when their movements were heard by one of the Muhammadan soldiers, who shouted aloud, ‘The Guru’s family is escaping, seize them.’ Upon this a Pathan soldier put his lance in rest for attack. Babak, noticing his action, discharged his musket, and the soldier fell like a plantain tree before a gale of wind. The Guru, hearing the report, sent Bidhi Chand and Painda Khan to assist Viro’s rescuers ; and they all made their way in safety to him and received countless congratulations.
Three hours of night now remained. The Guru, feeling that his family would not be safe in Amritsar after daybreak, decided on at once sending them to Goindwal. It happened, too, that the coming day [ p. 85 ] was the one fixed for Viro’s marriage. He ordered that his family and all the non-combatants of the city should halt at Jhabal, a town about seven miles to the south-west of Amritsar. They would spend the day there, and he would join them in the evening, when they would celebrate the marriage without interruption, and thence proceed to Goindwal. This was all arranged, and the Guru dispatched a guard of soldiers for the protection of his people. He took the precaution of sending two soldiers to stop the bridegroom’s procession, lest it might fall into the hands of the enemy.
The enemy, wearied by the forced march of the previous day and their sleepless bivouac, and surfeited by the Guru’s sweets, were sleeping on beds they had seized from the citizens. When they lay down they thought that the Guru had either been killed in the fight or had absconded. They were awakened by an unmistakable sound of muskets. Then began the conflict, the clashing of swords, and the hissing of bullets. Brave men fell and died, blood flowed in profusion, corpses were piled on one another, the wounded uttered piercing cries ; heads, bodies, arms, and legs were separated, and horses without riders careered round the city.
Mukhlis Khan, on seeing his soldiers giving way, thus addressed them, ‘ Are you not ashamed to run away before a few Sikhs ? Charge, and either capture or kill the Guru.’ The Turks, supposing that Bhai Bhanu, the Guru’s commander-in-chief, was the Guru himself, advanced against him. They were further incited to the combat by the shouts of Shams Khan, an officer of the imperial guard, and rushed on with drawn swords. Bhai Bhanu, too, cheered on his men, ‘ Advance, O Sikhs ; fight, and fear not. The Guru our preserver is with us. If your heads fly off, let them fly, but never allow yourselves to be called cowards. Charge in a body, strike and rout the enemy.’ On hearing these words of their chief, [ p. 86 ] the Sikhs set their teeth and charged, crying, ‘ Smite ! smite !’ and challenging the enemy. Such was their onslaught that Shams Khan and his troops fled precipitately. Mukhlis Khan sent Anwar Khan to Shams Khan’s assistance. Anwar Khan addressed him, “O Shams Khan, thou hast disgraced the names of Mughal and Pathan. Think of thine ancestry, stand and fight the enemy, and lose not heart. Even if thou save thyself for a moment by flight, that shall not long avail thee, for Mukhlis Khan will afterwards put thee to death, and thou shalt then burn in hell-fire.’
Hearing Anwar Khan’s reproaches, Shams Khan returned and roared defiance at his opponents. This produced some confusion in the Sikh ranks. On observing this, Bhai Bhanu rushed with great velocity to the protection of his troops, and caused them to fire a volley which killed Shams Khan’s horse. Bhai Bhanu then dismounted, and he and Shams Khan engaged in single combat. Bhai Bhanu said to him, ‘I will not suffer thee to escape now.’ Shams Khan replied, ‘ Defend thyself, IJ am going to strike.’ Bhai Bhanu received the sword on his shield, and then putting forward all his force, beheaded his adversary with one blow. The Muhammadans, seeing their commander slain, rushed in a body on Bhai Bhanu, and assailed him on all sides. He, however, lost not heart, but cut down the enemy as if they were radishes. Observing him springing and roaring like a tiger, all feared to approach him. At last he received two bullets which passed through and through his body. With Wahguru on his lips the brave commander of the Guru’s army went to his repose at Guru Nanak’s feet.
When Mukhlis Khan heard of Shams Khan’s death he dispatched a thousand horse under the command of Saiyid Muhammad Ali to the part of the field in which he had been slain. Muhammad Al’s troops fought with great determination, and [ p. 87 ] inflicted appalling loss on the Sikhs. Heads and legs flew off until heaps were formed on the plains. Kites uttered shrieks of joy, and the demonesses attendant on the goddess of war belched on receiving such a surfeit of flesh and gore. The marksmen Bhai Tota, Nihalu, Tiloka, Ananta, and Nivala, killed many Musalmans. Singha, too, did good service in encouraging the Guru’s men, ‘ Fight now ; remember, my friends, this opportunity will not come again.’ A Muhammadan trooper in the Guru’s army represented to him that his men were too few to cope with the thousands of brave troops against him. The Guru replied that he was not responsible for the war; they who sought it should perish therein. His helper was God. In the words of the Sukhmani :—
If God infuse power into a little ant,
It can reduce to ashes armies of hundreds of thousands and millions of men.
He is the Preserver of all creatures.
Singha continued valorous to the last. He advanced with five hundred warriors, fought like a tiger, and put the Muhammadan hosts to flight, as if they were so many jackals. Muhammad Ali, seeing his army fleeing, pressed to the van and endeavoured to rally them. He fired at Singha and wounded both him and his horse. His adversary, seeing that Singha was not yet dead, fired again but missed him. Singha recovered consciousness, drew forth an arrow as he lay on the ground, and taking steady aim drove it through Muhammad Ali’s chest. The imperial army, on seeing him fall, fought with desperation to avenge him. Bhai Tota and Bhai Tiloka, who were so eager for the combat that they pushed others aside to reach the front, both fell mortally wounded. In the mélée that ensued the Sikhs and the Turkish army became blended like two torrents. The soldiers of both armies wrestled [ p. 88 ] with one another. The Muhammadans rushed on shouting ‘ Ya Ali! Ya Ali!’ The brave Singha in the conflict died a hero’s death.
When the news of Singha’s death reached the Guru he dispatched the powerful Painda Khan against the Muhammadans. Painda Khan advanced with his troops like a hawk moving amongst quails. The Guru himself, too, went into the thick of the fight, and adjusting his arrows to his bow discharged them hissing like snakes, and killed countless Muhammadans. These fell to the earth as if they were drunkards intoxicated with wine or bhang. When Mukhlis Khan heard that the Guru had personally taken the field, and was destroying his army, he ordered all his troops to charge, and not allow the Sikh priest to escape, as they had done on the previous night. ‘God’, the Muhammadan chief said, ‘ hath now given the Guru into our hands ; we will send him to the Emperor and receive rewards and honours for his capture.’
Upon this the Imperial army in a body plied their arrows, swords,.and muskets, and rushed like clouds in the month of Sawan to the capture or destruction of the Guru, but the Guru’s arrows dispersed them like a westerly wind. When struck by him they lay on the ground like men in the deep sleep of indigestion induced by a surfeit of sweets. Those still able to fight advanced gnashing their teeth with rage, but on meeting the Guru wrung their hands in sorrow. The Guru in order to draw them on used sometimes to retire a little. The Turks would then advance and receive their death at his hands. Bhai Jaita and Takhtu thinking that the Guru’s retreat was due to weariness, prayed him to take a brief respite, and they would in the meantime hold the enemy in check. The Guru replied, ‘No; I have retreated ae they may advance and be all destroyed in a body.’