In 1704, the combined forces of the Mughals and the Hill Chieftains raised conflict against the tenth Guru of the Sikh traditions, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The conflict had a vested interest in extinguishing the rising popularity of the Guru among the people after his call to them to join the Khalsa Panth and fight for their rights and for justice against repressive regimes.
The combined forces laid a siege on the fort of Anandpur Sahib where the Guru and his family were staying with a few soldiers of the Khalsa Army. The siege lasted several months which led to desperation in the enemy forces who vowed to give a safe passage to the Guru, his family and his followers. In violation of this agreement, Guru Sahib was attacked by the enemy forces while leaving the Anandpur Sahib Fort. In this ensuing battle and events thereof, Guru Sahib lost his two elder sons who fought bravely in the Battle of Chamkaur Sahib. Later, his two younger sons were also martyred in a brutal way by Wazir Khan, the Faujdar (Governor) of Sirhind and the arch-enemy of Guru Sahib.
Then followed a series of battles in which the armies of Wazir Khan desperately attempted to kill the Guru but remained unsuccessful. The Guru went deep into the Malwa region after winning decisively the Battle of Muktsar Sahib. The enemy gave up the pursuit since more and more people were joining the Guru and there was acute shortage of water and food in the remote areas for the sustenance of the enemy forces.
On reaching Village Kangar in the modern day Bhatinda district Guru Gobind Singh Ji decided to expose to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb the misdeed of his army and his officials in his name and under his watch. He decided to tell Aurangzeb about the violation of oath taken on the holy Quran for giving him a safe passage, the excesses committed by his army and several other acts of cruelty and injustice.
To do so he wrote a letter in Persian called ‘Zafarnama’ i.e. ‘Epistle of Victory’. He handed over the Zafarnama to Bhai Daya Singh and enjoined him to deliver the same to Emperor Aurangzeb personally. Aurangzeb was, at that time, fighting a debilitating war against the Marathas in the Deccan.
The Zafarnama- A Spiritual Victory Letter
Zafarnama (variously called “Declaration of Victory” and “Epistle of Victory”) was penned by Guru Sahib originally in the Persian language in 1705. Presently, it is available in Dasam Granth in Gurmukhi script and contains 111 metered verses including four in Braj Bhasha. Thirty-four verses are in the praise of God; 32 deal with Aurangzeb’s invitation for Guru Sahib to meet him and his refusal to meet the Emperor (instead Guru Sahib asks Aurangzeb to meet him); 24 verses describe the events in the Battle of Chamkaur Sahib; 15 verses reprove Aurangzeb for breaking written promises given by him to the Guru Sahib and six verses speak good of Aurangzeb. In verses 78 and 79, Guru Sahib warned Aurangzeb about the resolve of the Khalsa not to rest until the Mughal Empire was destroyed.
In Zafarnama, Guru Sahib reminds Aurangzeb how the Mughal soldiers had broken their oaths sworn upon the Quran when they promised safe passage to him but launched a hidden attack by a large army on the family of the Guru sahib and his famished soldiers. He reminds Aurangzeb that it was not a battle but a cowardly act on the part of his soldiers. Guru Sahib, in-spite of losing most of his soldiers in this attack, had won a moral victory over Aurangzeb who had broken his vows to Allah.
He also states that despite sending a huge army to capture or kill him, the Mughal forces did not succeed in their mission. Guru Sahib praised the valour of a small troop of Sikh martyrs who laid down their lives fearlessly during battle of Chamkaur Sahib, and praised his own courageous and martyred sons, the Sahibzade Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh. Inviting the emperor to come and resolve issues with him, Guru Sahib wrote a verse (22) which is most quoted: “Chun kar az hameh heelatae dar guzshat; Halal ast burdan ba shamsheer dast” meaning “When all modes of redressing the wrong having failed, raising the sword is pious and just”.
The Zafarnama, according to poet Sainapat, was sent to Aurangzeb through Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Dharam Singh, two of the Panch Pyaras. Sainapat in Sri Gur Sobha (a significant source of Sikh history) briefly mentions an abstract of the letter, but does not provide the full original text. Subsequently, a letter addressed to Aurangzeb in Persian verse, was found placed in the compilation of the Guru’s compositions which was prepared by Bhai Mani Singh and is now known as the Dasam Granth.
It can be deciphered from the account of Sainapat in Gur-Sobha that the letter sent by Guru Sahib to Aurangzeb was meant for acquainting him with the real situation regarding the struggle in the Sivalik Hills. Through the letter, Guru Sahib actually apprised Aurangzeb of the true implications of justice and asked for restoration of his ancestral home, Anandpur Sahib, and removal of corrupt officials for ensuring peace.
Guru Sahib also narrated the factual position that prevailed in the hilly areas of Northern India, and the excesses being committed by the Hindu Hill Rajas and the local bigoted Mughal officials like Wazir Khan of Sirhind. While replying to Guru Sahib, Aurangzeb, apart from making a fervent request to meet him in Southern India for talks, sent a condolence message to the Guru for the loss of his four sons.
Dr. Indubhusan Banerjee, in his book “Evolution of the Khalsa, Vol II” states that in Gur-Sobha, Sainapat writes that immediately after the battle of Khidrana, Guru Sahib thought that the time had come to acquaint Aurangzeb with the true accounts of what was happening. With this in mind, he deputed Bhai Daya Singh to handover a letter to Aurangzeb. Bhai Daya Singh was advised by Guru Sahib to handover the letter to Aurangzeb only and by no means to anybody else. Accordingly, Bhai Daya Singh hid the letter beneath his turban, started his journey, reached Delhi, then Agra and from there proceeded to South India through Gwalior, Ujjain (the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh)and reached Burhanpur. From there he finally reached Ahmadnagar via Aurangabad. Bhai Daya Singh attended a Sangat at Ahmadnagar and explained to the local Sikhs the purpose of his mission. Bhai Daya Singh finally managed to handover the letter to Aurangzeb through a Sikh who apparently had some influence in high quarters.
Guru Gobind Singh ji, in the letter, asked Aurangzeb whether he considered these developments fair and just. He further says that a true man of honour always keeps his words even at the cost of his life. Contrarily, a treacherous man says one thing and does another and Aurangzeb’s officials acted like the latter. The responsibility of these misdeeds is to be borne by Aurangzeb. Guru Sahib reprimanded Aurangzeb that, as a religious man, what answer he would give to God for all his misdeeds. Guru Sahib concludes his letter by stating that he wanted to see Aurangzeb personally, with a retinue of one thousand horsemen, and told him that no obstacles should be created on his way.
After reading the letter, and after hearing a detailed account from Bhai Daya Singh, Aurangzeb expressed his wish to meet Guru Sahib and gave orders to his subordinates that he should be allowed to move freely to meet him. The point to remember is that it is not only the atrocities of Aurangzeb but also the behaviour of the Hill Kings which Guru Sahib had mentioned in Zafarnama.
As per the existing version of Zafarnama, Aurangzeb himself is accused of having broken his oath on the Quran and he is painted as a faithless man and a worshipper of wealth and perjure. Aurangzeb is told point-blank that he is not aware of the ground reality. He may be very affluent as a monarch, but in the context of religion he seems to be bankrupt. The whole letter is written in this tone and it is not difficult to guess whether it was likely to produce indignation or repentance in Aurangzeb’s mind. However, it is a fact that a few months before the death of Aurangzeb, Guru Sahib started moving freely and this can be best explained on the supposition that something like what poet Sainapat relates must have happened.
Dr. R.R. Sethi, in his ‘Foreword’ to a book on ‘Guru Gobind Singh’, written by J.S. Grewal and S.S. Bal, states: “The Guru’s old antagonist, the Raja of Bilaspur, could not idly watch the growing numbers of the Khalsa who appeared to threaten his jealously guarded temporal authority and integrity of his ancient dominions.” With the help of some neighbouring chiefs, he demanded the evacuation of Anandpur Sahib. It took them four years to enforce the will of the Raja. In this process the lives of many of the devoted Khalsa, four sons and mother of the Guru were lost.
Guru Sahib’s response to this situation brings out the main traits of his character and personality. In spite of all these developments, he established his contacts with the Khalsa, continued the process of Amrit Sanchar for the Sikhs, defended himself against the cruelty of Wazir Khan, the Faujdar of Sirhind, finalised the Adi Granth, and wrote a historical letter to Aurangzeb taking a firm stand on moral grounds demanding justice.
The Fatehnama- A Letter of Victory
There are two different views about Fatehnama. Some resources describe that this letter is a part of 24 verses of Zafarnama, in which Guru Sahib highlighted the real face of Aurangzeb and showed him his weaknesses. Another view claims that this was a different letter with the same content written to Aurangzeb by Guru Sahib. Proclaiming victory even though he had lost his two sons in the Chamkaur Sahib Battle, the Guru rebuked and challenged Aurangzeb, through Fatehnama, to come with his troops and meet him face to face on the battlefield.
In Fatehnama, Guru Sahib reminded Aurangzeb that his rule rested on unchecked loot, plunder and deceit; that the rosary in his hand was just a fraud; that the blood of his father and brother was smeared on his face; that his dismal failure in Deccan and Mewar was just a warning to him against the maltreatment of his subjects. Guru Sahib cautioned him not to cast his evil eye on Punjab, where he would not get even a drop of water to drink or a single moment’s rest. He also warned him that his end was near and he would be duly punished in the Almighty’s Court for his misdeeds.
Conclusions
Zafarnama is not merely a letter but an intellectual creation which lays down moral and ethical principles for not only Aurangzeb but for the entire humanity to emulate. The basic tenor of this communication is one of defiance against repression and courage highlighting the glory and ultimate victory of truth and trust in the Almighty. This communication is, in fact, a reprimand by a spiritual entity, Badshah Darvesh Guru Gobind Singh, who possessed a higher moral and ethical stature as compared to a cruel and distorted inhuman, Aurangzeb.
Zafarnama inspires us that in-spite of extreme adverse conditions and huge personal loss, we should not get vanquished and rather should have confidence, courage and faith to chastise deceitful activities by others.
It created a demoralising effect on Aurangzeb who realized that Guru Sahib is the only hope to lead him to the path of truth, and aroused the urge in him to meet the Guru. Unfortunately, the meeting did not materialise owing to the demise of Aurangzeb. As a result, humanity missed an opportunity for access to yet another inspirational and spiritual conversation between the two for enlightenment of mankind.
The struggle of Guru Sahib was actually against oppression and deception. He endeavoured to strengthen the oppressed masses of India through the concept of determination, courage, confidence and communication. It can be safely said that the life history of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji is one of the most inspirational ones during the entire course of human civilization. He started a new discourse on martyrdom by sacrificing his entire family including his mother. As a divine messenger, a warrior, a philosopher, social reformer and a great patriot and nationalist, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji provided an exemplary purpose of life. The splendour of Dashmesh Pita’s magnanimity and glory will always provide guidance to the future generations.
(The author is Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab)
Comments