The Source Book On Sikhism

Padma, Daughter of the Rajah of Naham

There was a large gathering of the hill Rajahs at Riwalsar, where they had invited the Master to see the floating island in the lake of Riwalsar. The Master went with his disciples. The Rajahs had come thither with their queens, each of whom had a private audience with the Master. Padma, the talented daughter of the Rajah of Nahan, saw the Guru here, and entered the path of the discipleship. Padma's devotion to the Guru took a fatal turn; her tender soul blended with the light she beheld, so that to be separated from it was death; yet Padma must go back to Naham. The air was thick with rumours that the Hill Rajahs were being compelled by Aurangzeb to fight against the Guru and to annihilate the Khalsa. Padma had heard this from her father, and had already tried her best to avert the danger, but some of the Rajahs were too cowardly to stand against the prestige of Aurangzeb. Naham was a small estate and did not count for much. The Rajah of Bilaspur was already jealous of the Guru’s rising power. Padma knew that a war was imminent between the treacherous hosts and the glorious guest at Riwalsar. Before she left, she prayed to the Master that she might not live to see this cruel war against him and he told Padma’s mother, the Rani of Mahan, that the remaining days of her illustrious daughter were few. So it happened. Padma died soon after he left Riwalsar, and never saw the cruel war waged by the Hill Rajahs against him.