After the battle the Guru went to where lay the bodies of Sango Shah, Jit Mal, and his other brave fallen Sikhs. He ordered the slain on both sides to be disposed of. The bodies of the Sikhs were cremated, of the Hindus thrown into the adjacent river, and of the Musalmans buried with all solemnity. Bards assembled and chanted their praises. Saiyid Budhu Shah presented himself and his two surviving sons to the Guru. The Guru said, ‘I hail thee as a true priest of God. Thy human life is profitable unto thee. Deem not that thy sons are dead. Nay, they shall live for ever. Only those die who despise God’s name and turn cowards on the field of battle.’ Budhu Shah replied, ‘ True king, I mourn not for my sons who are slain, because, in the first place, they have gone to enjoy seats in paradise, and, secondly, because they have lost their lives in defence of thee. Such a boon is not obtained even by the greatest austerities.’
The Guru considered how he should requite Budhu Shah for his supreme devotion to his cause. He decided that, as worldly possessions were fleeting, the gift of God’s name was the highest reward of all, and so that inestimable boon he duly conferred on him. But he made him other gifts also. The Guru at the time was combing his long hair, and a servant stood by holding his turban. When the Guru had performed his toilet, he laid his comb with loose hair in it upon the turban and presented them to Budhu Shah to preserve in remembrance of him. He also gave him a small knife which Sikhs usually carry, and finally a sum of five thousand rupees to distribute among his disciples. The Guru’s turban, [ p. 46 ] his comb, hair, and knife are preserved as relics in the Sikh state of Nabha. They were acquired from Budhu Shah’s descendants by Raja Bharpur Singh.
The Guru remembered his cousins Sango Shah and Jit Mal, and proclaimed them brave and puissant warriors who had taken their seats in heaven. He bade their brothers not mourn for them. The brothers replied, ‘For whom should we mourn? Sango Shah and Jit Mal have fought and obtained the dignity of salvation. War means either to kill or be killed, and there is no need to mourn the consequences.’ The Guru rewarded all those who had risked their lives for him and contributed to his signal and decisive victory.
When the Guru’s fame extended after his recent success and prowess in arms, he was visited by many accomplished persons. Poets, singers, and musicians flocked to his court, and all who visited him he endeavoured to suitably reward. Now that the war was over, the Sikh soldiers formed various projects to occupy their time for the future. They would go and seize Raja Fatah Shah, and make him bow at the Guru’s feet. And they would conquer and obtain the freedom of the country between Paunta and Anandpur, so as to remove the obstacles interposed in marching hither and thither. This last enterprise, as being the one that affected them most closely, they specially urged on the Guru’s consideration.
The Guru remonstrated and restrained them. He bade them bide their opportunity. Their empire should yet extend far and wide. He knew, however, that his troops would not sit down idle, flushed as they were with their recent victory. Accordingly he gave them an order to return to Anandpur, an order with which they were delighted. They all set forth accordingly, taking their wounded and their baggage.
[ p. 47 ]
The Guru marched by way of Sadhaura and Laharpur. He encamped at the latter place, and was there met by the envoy of the Raja of Nahan, who desired to come to meet him. The Guru sent his army to Anandpur, and remained himself with only a few followers to meet the Raja. The Guru was fain to divert himself with the chase after his recent warfare, and ample opportunities were afforded him in that part of the country. During his stay in Laharpur, Budhu Shah often visited him, and held religious conversations with him. Though the Raja of Nahan very much desired to entertain the Guru, yet he apprehended the wrath of the other hill chiefs if he were known to be still on amicable terms with the high priest of the Sikhs, who had inflicted on them such a signal defeat. The Raja used to send a messenger daily to say that he was coming; but somehow he was accidentally prevented. He would, however, come on the morrow. The Raja carried on this method of procrastination from day to day. At last he asked the advice of his ministers, whether it was proper for him to meet the Guru or not. They advised him that it was not, seeing that the Guru was at enmity with all the hill chiefs. Were he now to meet the Guru, the chiefs would resent it and probably make war on him. On this the Raja sent a messenger to say he was very busy and could not go himself to meet the Guru, but he would send his chief minister to do him the honours of the state. The Guru did not conceal his knowledge of the Raja’s motives, and sent him a message that he would now continue his journey to Anandpur, and the Raja need not give himself any further concern on the subject of an interview.
The Guru stayed altogether thirteen days at Laharpur. The principal inhabitants were Kanghars, thieves by instinct and profession, who stole two of his camels. When the Ranghars refused to give up the booty, the Guru sent for a faqir who lived near, [ p. 48 ] and told him to go, under pretence of begging, to the house of a certain Ranghar, and see whether the camels were there. The faqir went, saw the camels, and duly reported his discovery. The Guru sent for the Ranghar in possession, and told him to act as an honest man, and give up the camels, otherwise he would oust him from house and home. On this the Ranghar parted with the stolen property. The Guru called the Ranghars’ village counterfeit, and the faqir’s village genuine, and said the faqir’s village should ever gain and the Ranghars’ ever lose. The prophecy of the Guru has been fulfilled. A temple called Toka was subsequently constructed in Laharpur in honour of the Guru’s visit.
As the Guru proceeded to Anandpur he was met by the Rani of Raipur,[1] who waited for him on his route. After making her obeisance she asked him to take rest at her capital. The Guru gladly accepted her invitation. She showed him the greatest hospitality and sent her son to him with an offering of a bag of rupees. At a subsequent interview she entreated the Guru to pray that her son’s line might permanently endure. The Guru said that her son ought to allow his hair to grow and perfect himself in the practice of arms. The Rani replied that the Turks were in power, and she was afraid to allow her son to dress differently from them. The Guru exhorted her not to be afraid. The rule of the Turks should only last for a brief period. ‘When my sect groweth more numerous and obtaineth possession of the empire of the Turks, it shall then adopt long hair as a distinction. And when the line of the Turks is extirpated, thine shall [ p. 49 ] remain in undiminished dignity. It shall then unite with the Khalsa and obtain all happiness.’
Upon this the Guru took his sword and shield and presented them to the Ramni’s son. He said, ‘ Take them and treat them with respect, so that when the time of trouble ariseth, thy wishes may be fulfilled, and thy life and property preserved.’ The Rani was delighted with the Guru’s presents and words, and thus addressed him: ‘Great king, great are thy gifts. Who can deprive us of them? It is thy unswerving duty to hold thyself bound by the bonds of love for the human race, and thou art, moreover, merciful and compassionate.’ The Rani, seeing that the Guru had made the gift with his own sacred hands, was filled with delight, and taking the sword and shield put them respectfully on her head and then touched her son’s head with them. She bound a coverleton a couch and placed the weapons reverently on it. After this the Guru continued his journey to Anandpur.
On the way the Guru halted at Kiratpur, where Gulab Rai and Sham Das, the grandsons of Guru Har Gobind, came to visit him. He there visited the shrines of his ancestors. When it became known that the Guru was returning to Anandpur, the inhabitants of that city came forth to receive him, and there were unusual rejoicings on his safe and glorious return.
Not long afterwards complaints began to be made against the Guru’s troops to Raja Bhim Chand. Whenever the Guru’s men did not accompany him to the chase, they used to go hunting in detached groups by themselves. The Guru at that time set about the construction of a fort, and made a strong and lofty battlement around it.
Raja Bhim Chand was greatly irritated by the numerous complaints he continually received against the Sikhs. He took counsel with his minister, ‘ What shall we do? We are not strong enough to contend [ p. 50 ] with the Guru, but how long are we to endure this annoyance ?’ The minister replied, ‘O Raja, I see no solution of the difficulty except reconciliation with the Guru.’ All the other principal state officers who were consulted gave similar replies. Bhim Chand then decided that he would send an envoy to ascertain if the Guru had any intention of making an abiding peace with him.
The envoy, who was selected from the most polished officials of the state, duly delivered his master’s message praying for peace and forgetfulness of the past. The Guru replied, ‘I have not fallen out with Raja Bhim Chand, but he hath fallen out with me. See what deceit he exercised in his efforts to obtain my elephant. When his marriage procession went to Srinagar, he endeavoured to kill my minister and his troops. It was only by God’s special favour they escaped. Even then thy Raja left nothing undone against us, for he incited Fatah Shah who had been my friend to make war on us. Here again God protected us and we obtained the victory. O envoy, our army hath taken possession of no fort or village of yours. My troopers are grievously in want of grass for their horses, and goats’ flesh for themselves. These can only be obtained from your villages. If we do not obtain them on payment we must starve, but we do not desire to accept anything else from you.’
The envoy smiled and said, ‘ Consider Raja Bhim Chand’s country as thine own. He is very anxious to meet thee, and if thou permit me I will conduct him here.’ The Guru replied, ‘In Guru Nanak’s house men meet their deserts. If any one with lowly mind enter therein, he shall be happy ; but if any one, lifting his head-too high, enter it, his life shall pay the forfeit. Then plainly tell thy Raja that if he entertain friendly intent, he may come to me, and he shall be received with due consideration.’ The Raja was very pleased on receiving this message, [ p. 51 ] and at once made elaborate preparations for his visit to the Guru.
When Bhim Chand was introduced into the Guru’s presence he said, ‘ O true Guru, thy name is cherisher of those who seek thy protection. I pray thee to pardon and forget any foolish words I might have uttered or any foolish acts I might have done.’ The Guru replied, ‘ O Raja, I have not been thine aggressor. The aggression hath been all on thy side. If thou act fairly towards the Guru, he will act fairly towards thee.’ Bhim Chand promised to act for the future according to the Guru’s wishes. Upon this the Guru gave him a magnificent robe of honour, and dismissed him highly delighted with the interview.
The Guru’s wife Sundari now presented him with a son named Ajit Singh on the fourth day of the bright half of Magh, Sambat 1743 (A. D. 1687),
Raipur is in the sub-collectorate of Nardingarh in the present district of Ambala in the Panjab. To Raipur are attached about twenty-three villages, yielding a yearly income of Rs. 18,000. The present proprietor is Rao Baldev Singh, a Hindu Rajpit. His grandfather was a Sikh, In the fort of Raipur is a Gurdwara on the spot where Gobind Rai dined as the R&ni’s guest. There is also a Gurdwara outside the fort on the spot where his tent was pitched. The Granth Sahib is kept in both Gurdwaras. ↩︎