AFTER staying for some time at Jatpura as Kalha’s guest Guru Ji moved to Dina (Tehsil Moga Distr., Ferozpur). There he was received by three brothers Shamira, Lakhmira and Takhat Mal. When Nawab of Sirhind came to know about this, he ordered Shamira to arrest Guru and bring him to Sirhind. Shamira ignored. At this place, he wrote his famous Zafarnama (Epistle of Victory). This showed his great confidence in the Almighty, his tough personality. He lost all his sons, his mother, most of his Sikhs, all his worldly riches but still he did not admit defeat. He made Aurangzeb aware of the situation, as to how unjustly he was ruling. How he deceived by his false oaths. He challenged him to fight. In the letter, he said “when all the peaceful means fail to get justice, it is right to draw the sword”. This letter was taken to Aurangzeb by Bhai Daya Singh and Dharam Singh to Deccan. They went in disguise of Muslim pilgrims. They were received with courtesy by Aurangzeb. By then he was an ill man. He promised to look into the matter and sent an invitation to Guru Ji to meet him personally. He also gave the two Sikhs a letter (Parwana) so that they could return safely. Guru Ji accepted his invitation and went to meet him but Aurangzeb died at Ahmad nagger on Feb. 20, 1707. So two could never meet.
While the above correspondence was going on, in Punjab the situation was still explosive. Wazir Khan decided to kill Guru Ji. After killing his two sons he was scared about his own life. His life was in danger as long as Guru lived, at least that is what he thought. So he planned to attack Dina. When Guru Ji came to know about it, he marched away with his Sikhs and received full information of the movement of Wazir Khan. Guru Ji decided to move on to Khidrana and face the approaching army there. There was a small seasonal lake (Dhab) at that place.
In the meantime Sikhs, who had deserted Guru Ji at Anandpur, when they went back to their village they were rebuked by their women and other relatives. Forty of them were from Majha. They came back to Guru Ji under the leadership of Mahan Singh and Mai Bhago. When they came to know that Guru Ji had gone to Khidrana, they rushed to that place. It was not easy for them to travel without being noticed, Army was everywhere. They were travelling in small batches during night via uncommon ways. Finally they reached Khidrana when they heard about the approaching army they decided to fight there. So that they would have allowed Guru Ji more time to move away. What else could have been the better way of repenting than dying fighting for their Guru. They spread sheets over the bushes. When Mughal army approached they thought the Sikhs were camping there in large numbers. Battle started. Sikhs fought bravely until their end, in small batches. Guru Ji had reached a small hill and from there he could see his brave Sikhs fighting. He and other Sikhs kept shooting their arrows at the attackers. Finally when all Sikhs had died, Wazir Khan reached the lake. It was dry. His soldiers were dying from thrust. There was water about 50 kms in front and 20 kms to the rear. To save himself his soldiers’ decided to retreat. Again the victory was of the Sikhs. Guru Ji came down and cremated the dead ones. Then he found Mahan Singh who was still breathing. On seeing Guru Ji he was happy. When Guru Ji asked him what he would like. He asked Guru Ji to destroy that “disclaimer” which was in Guru Ji’s possession. Guru Ji did that and Mahan Singh died in his Guru’s lap, peacefully. Mai Bhago was also wounded but alive. Guru Ji took care of her wounds. After that she spent all her life in Guru Ji’s service and went with him to the South, where she died in her old age. She was always dressed like a man.
Guru Ji called these 40 martyrs the “Mukatas” (the Saved Ones). Since then that place was called “Muktsar”. There is a shrine, today. (This shrine was also attacked and damaged by the Indian army in June, 1984). This battle was fought on April 18, 1705. That was the last battle that Guru Gobind Singh fought and won .After cremating the dead, Guru Ji moyed further into wilderness and spent some time in the Lakhi Jungle. There large number of Sikhs gathered again. Many Sikhs from Malwa and Brass were baptized. Leaving the Lakhi jungle, he reached Talwandi Sabo (now . known as Damdamma Sahib).He Stayed there for 89 months. There he also met his Devotee Dalla. Soon it became a center of learning.(It is also called Guru ki Kashi). He recited Guru Granth Sahib which he dictated| from his memory to Bhai Mani Singh. He added compositions of the 9th Guru and gave the form which we now have. Granth Sahib was copied by many others. Baba Deep Singh also wrote a few volumes of this Granth. They were lying in the Golden Temple library till June 84, (Original Granth Sahib written by Bhai Mani Singh was lost in the Holocaust). Guru Ji’s wives also came back from Delhi and joined him. When Mata Sundari asked about the sons, he pointed to his Sikhs and said, “for those sons I have sacrificed my four sons. If four have died, do not grieve as many thousands are living”.
He decided to move to South to see Aurangzeb. While he was at Baghor (in Rajasthan) he came to know about Aurangzeb’s death. He came back to Delhi. There was fight among the Aurangzeb’s sons for the throne. Bahadur Shah asked Guru Ji to help which he did by sending his 500 Sikh soldiers under the command of Bhai Dharam Singh. When Bahadur Shah became Emperor, he invited Guru Ji to Agra and received him with great honor and gave precious gifts. Though Bahadur Shah remained busy fighting against the rebellions, his relations with Guru Ji remained friendly. Mata Sundari Ji was left in Delhi and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji accompanied Guru Ji to the Deccan. Guru Ji and his soldiers did not take part in any other battle. In the beginning of Sept. 1707, he reached Nander. When he saw Bahadur Shah was too preoccupied with the rebellions and had no time to look into the Punjab matters, he left the Emperor and settled in a beautiful place on the banks of Godavar. There lived a hermit name Madho Das. He was a Rajput of Kashmir and had renounced the world after he killed a pregnant deer. When he came in contact with Guru Ji, his whole life was changed. He did find the peace of mind after seeing the Guru and became his disciple. When Guru Ji asked him “What is your name”, he said, “I am your Banda (Slave)”. Guru Ji instructed him to Sikh teachings and he was baptized and named “Banda Singh”. Guru Ji sent him along with some of his Sikhs back to Punjab. He gave him his five arrows, instructing him to punish the enemies of the Sikhs which he did. He also established and found Sikh empire, thought ii was short lived, Mata Sahib Kaur was also sent to Delhi to give company to Mata Sundari. Gus | spent most of his time in mediation. Wazir Khan wanted to kill Guru Ji.
He could not kill him in the war, so he conspired to get him murdered: He hired two pathans who followed Guru Ji to Deccan and finally came to Nander. They started coming to the daily prayers. One day after the evening prayer (On Sept. 1st, 1708) one of the Pathans (Jamshed Khan) stabbed Guru Ji. Guru Ji killed him at the spot and his companion was killed by a Sikh. Guru Ji had a deep wound. Bahadur Shah sent his personal physician, Mr. Cole who stitched the wound. It started healing. It was not fully healed yet when Guru Ji tried to bend a stiff bow and the wound started bleeding again. When he saw his worldly end near, he requested the Sikhs to bring Granth Sahib. Guru Ji put five paisas and a coconut in front of Granth Sahib and told the Sikhs that from then on Guru Granth Sahib will be the Guru of the Sikhs Thus he gave spiritual powers of the Guru to the Granth Sahib. He said:
“So does the Akal Pursha (A\ Mighty) ordain ‘The Word’ is master now. The Song of Nan, the Guru Granth, All Khalsa should seek the Master in the Word And bow to Guru Granth as my successor”.
Since then Guru Granth Sahib is the Sikh’s only and sole Guru and will be till the end of this world. Any decision taken by Five Sikhs (Guru Khalsa) in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib is called “Guru Mata” (Guru’s decision). Every Sikh is supposed to follow that without any question.
After leaving the Sikhs under the guidance of the Granth Sahib, he bade farewell to the earthly body on Oct. 7, 1708, Mata Sahib Kaur died soon after his death in Delhi. Mata Sundari Ji lived for a while. After Guru Ji’s death, she along with Bhai Mani Singh and Banda Singh guided the Sikhs. Mata Sundari Ji adopted a son and named him Ajit Singh. He started claiming himself to be the Guru and was very arrogant. He killed one man and for that crime he was executed by the authorities.
Guru Gobind Singh was less than 42 yrs. of age. He was a Saint, a Soldier, a Poet and an excellent commander and leader. One writer (T.L. Wasvani) wrote about his personality as follows: “He had humility of Nanak, virtues of Jesus, wisdom of Buddha, bubbling energy, of Muhammad, Sun kissed glory of Krishna and homely grandeur of Rama. Even these words cannot describe his personality. Though he wished all the time to die in the battle field, his wish was not fulfilled by the Almighty. He always accepted the will of God. He never called himself God. In fact, he said that whosoever calls me God will go to hell. He was not enemy of the Muslims or a friend of the Hindus, as most of the historians wanted to show it. He was against “injustice” whether that was done by a Hindu or a Muslim. He had great many Muslim friends and followers who gave their lives fighting for him. Many Hindu Chiefs and men like Gangu Brahamin and Suchanand were thirsty for his and his family’s blood. He did not hesitate to help Bahadur Singh (whose father had destroyed Guru Ji’s whole family and killed the 9th Guru). Because he knew it was Bahadur Shah’s. right to be the emperor.
During his fight (he fought about fourteen battles) he and his Sikhs never got an inch of soil or a penny for their personal use. It was fight for justice, fight for righteousness and fight for truth. Sikhs had been fighting for their cause and will keep on fighting for their principles as long as they live. Which will be till end of this world, till the end of the mankind. They have blessings of the Gurus and Guru is with them all the time. So no enemy can destroy them. Those who tried to destroy the Sikh themselves got destroyed.
In their efforts. Wether it was Aurangzeb, Nadir or Indira. Those who are still trying to destroy the Sikhs will also meet the same fate. Unfortunately some of the enemies also are Sikhs by name. (They cannot be Guru’s Sikhs). They are like Sucha Nands going after their own brothers to please their masters, therefore, be aware of Sucha Nands.
“NO KAHUN AABAKI NA KAHUN TABAKI AGAR NO HOTE GURU GOBIND SINGH TO SUNAAT HOTI SABAKI”’
But for Guru Gobind Singh, all the Indians would have been converted to Islam by Aurangzeb). Perhaps Indians have forgotten this.
Guru Ji fought all the time against heavy odds and never accepted defeat. “His Khalsa” won’t also be defeated, no matter how heavy the odds may appear. KhaIsa will be victorious.
KHALSA SHALL PERVAIL KHALSA SHALL RULE GURU JIIS WITH US
Article extracted from this publication >> February 6, 1987
