The Source Book On Sikhism

The Hill Rajahs, the Tools of the Moghal Empire

Gobind Singh had come to know of the evil intentions of Aurangzeb and how he was not pitting the Hill Rajahs against him. But nothing would disturb the peace of the City of Joy. The Rajah of Assam, a disciple, came on a pilgrimage, and, amongst many other valuable offerings, he brought a trained elephant named Pershadi for the Master. This elephant had a white stripe from the tip of his trunk all along his back, right to the end of his tail. He was trained to hold a fan in his trunk and wave it, and to do a hundred other feats. The Rajah of Bilaspur in whose territory lay the city of the Guru, asked him to lend this elephant, but he declined as the Master would not part with a gift brought with so much devotion.

The Khalsa used to go for fuel and grass into the State forest, and many a time there were small skirmishes with the hill men, but the Rajahs never thought of disturbing the Master at Anandpur. They had already tasted the steel of the Guru’s disciples, and they thought it best to leave the Khalsa alone.

But then came an unexpected turn of trouble. The Hill Rajahs came with their combined arms to attack the Master when he was on holiday at Paonta, hoping to surprise him and to take him prisoner; and there was fought a most deadly battle between the Guru’s chosen few and the Hill Rajahs. The latter were finally routed; but Imperial hordes joined with them and there ensured many actions against the Guru, with a like result. Pir Buddhu Shah of Sudhora came to fight on the Master’s side, and in one of these battles many of his followers and two of his sons were killed. Pir Buddhu Shah was a great devotee of the young Guru and carried his glorious image in his inmost Dhyanam.