Lehal Library

From the Pacifist Sikh to the Militant Khalsa 91 to punish Wazir Khan. Gobind left Dam Dama to go and see Aurangzeb himself. He got as far as Rajputana when he heard of the death of the Emperor at Ahmednagar on 2 March 1707. The battle for succession started between Aurangzeb's sons. Bahadur Shah had shown consideration to Gobind in his troubles with the hill chiefs. The Guru felt it was his turn to help the prince and be sent a detachment of Sikh horsemen who fought in the battle ofjajau on 8June 1707. WbenBahadur Shah was firmly in the royal seat, Gobind came to Agra to pay him a formal visit. He was welcomed and given a jewelled scarf and presents worth Rs 60,000.39 Gobind stayed in Agra for four months, but the Emperor did not take any action on behalf of the Guru against Wazir Khan, and left for Rajputana. Gobind and his retinue of horsemen accompanied the imperial troops without participating in any of their battles. Bahadur Shah turned towards the Deccan to suppress the rebellion of his brother Kam Baksh. Gobind and his band also went south. They arrived in Nanded, a small town on the banks of the Godavari, in September 1707, and encamped there. All along the march the Guru continued instructing his followers and those who cared to come to his prayer meetings. 40 His guards were not allowed to question or stop anyone. One evening two young Pathans entered his tent and, finding the Guru alone, stabbed him in the abdomen. The motive for the murderous assault was never known, since the assassins'0 were slain immediately. The Guru's wounds were stitched and it was hoped that he wou1d recover. But the stitches burst a few days later and Gobind realized that his end was near. He assembled his followers and told them the line of Gurus was to end with him 40 'At this time the army was marching southwards towards Burhanpur. Guru Gobind Singh, one of the descendants of Nanak, had come into these districts Lo uavel and accompanied the royal camp. He was in the habit of constantly addressing assemblies of worldly persons, religious fanatics, and all other sorts of people.· ( Tiirilwi-Bahad.ur Shahi Elliot and Dowson, VIL, 566.) 41 There is little doubt that the assassins were hirelings ofWazir Khan, who wanted to prevent the Guru from turning the Emperor against him.