Family and early life

Guru Gobind Singh's birthplace

Gobind Singh was the only son of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh guru, and Mata Gujri. He
was born in Patna while his father was on a preaching tour in Assam. A shrine, Takht Sri Patna
Sahib, marks the site of the house where he was born and spent his early childhood. In March
1672 the family moved to Anandpur, where his education included Punjabi, Persian, Sanskrit and
martial skills.[1][5]
After the execution of his father in November 1675, Gobind Singh was installed as Guru on
Vaisakhi in March 1676.
Guru Gobind Singh had three wives:[8]

Mata Jito,[9] married 21 June 1677 at Basantgah, 10 km north of Anandpur.

The couple had three sons: Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh.

Mata Sundari,[10] married 4 April 1684 at Anandpur.

The couple had one son, Ajit Singh.

Mata Sahib Devan,[11] married 15 April 1700 at Anandpur.

Mother of the Khalsa.

Leaving Anandpur Sahib and Return

Gobind Singh's father Tegh Bahadur founded the city of Chakk Nanaki, now known as Anandpur
Sahib, in 1665, on land purchased from the ruler of Bilaspur (Kahlur). Gobind Singh moved
there in March 1672. In April 1685, he shifted his residence to Paonta in Sirmaur state at the
invitation of Raja Mat Prakash of Sirmaur. According to the gazetteer of the Sirmur State, the
Guru was compelled to quit Chakk Nanaki due to differences with Bhim Chand, and went to
Toka.[12] From Toka, he was invited to Nahan, the capital of Sirmaur by Mat Prakash. From
Nahan, he proceeded to Paonta. Mat Prakash invited the Guru to his kingdom in order to
strengthen his position against Raja Fateh Shah of Garhwal. At the request of Raja Mat Prakash,
the Guru constructed a fort at Paonta with help of his followers, in a short time. The Guru
remained at Paonta for around three years, and composed several texts.
The hostility between Nahan King and Fateh Shah, the Garhwal king continued to increase
during the latter's stay at Paonta, ultimately resulting in the Battle of Bhangani near Paonta.
Fateh Shah attacked on 18 September 1688; the battle ended with the Guru's victory. In the

Battle of Nadaun in 1687, the armies of Alif Khan and his aides were defeated by the allied
forces of Bhim Chand, Guru Gobind Singh and other hill rajas. According to Bichitra Natak and
the Bhatt Vahis, Guru Gobind Singh remained at Nadaun, on the banks of the River Beas, for
eight days, and visited various important military chiefs. In November 1688 after the Battle of
Bhangani, at the request of Rani Champa, the dowager queen of Bilaspur, Gobind Singh returned
to Chakk Nanaki, which he renamed Anandpur, after one of the forts which he erected to guard
the city.[1]
In 1695, Dilawar Khan, the Mughal chief of Lahore, sent his son to attack Anandpur. The
Mughal army was defeated and Hussain Khan was killed. After Hussain's death, Dilawar Khan
sent his men Jujhar Hada and Chandel Rai to Sivalik Hills. However, they were defeated by Gaj
Singh of Jaswal. The developments in the hill area caused anxiety to the Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb, who sent forces under the command of his son, to restore Mughal authority in the
region.

Founding the Khalsa

Keshgarh Sahib Gurudwara at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, the birthplace of Khalsa
Old Fresco of Guru Gobind Singh and The Panj Piare found in Abandoned Gurdwara Bhai Than
Singh built in the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
An inscription naming the five members of the Khalsa Panth, at Takht Keshgarh Sahib, the
birthplace of Khalsa on Baisakh 1, 1756 Vikram Samvat.
Silver coin issued by Guru Gobind Singh, Indian Museum
In 1699, the Guru sent hukmanamas (letters of authority) to his followers, requesting them to
congregate at Anandpur on 30 March 1699, the day of Vaisakhi (the annual harvest festival).[13]
He addressed the congregation from the entryway of a small tent pitched on a small hill (now
called Kesgarh Sahib). He first asked everyone who he was for them? Everyone answered - "You
are our Guru." He then asked them who were they, to which everyone replied - "We are your
Sikhs." Having reminded them of this relationship, He then said that today the Guru needs
something from his Sikhs. Everyone said, "Hukum Karo, Sache Patshah" (Order us, True Lord).
Then drawing his sword he asked for a volunteer who was willing to sacrifice his head. No one
answered his first call, nor the second call, but on the third invitation, Daya Ram (later known as
Bhai Daya Singh) came forward and offered his head to the Guru. Guru Gobind Rai took the
volunteer inside the tent. The Guru returned to the crowd with blood dripping from his sword. He
then demanded another head. One more volunteer came forward, and entered the tent with him.
The Guru again emerged with blood on his sword. This happened three more times. Then the five
volunteers came out of the tent in new clothing unharmed.
Guru Gobind Singh then poured clear water into an iron bowl and adding Patashas (Punjabi
sweeteners) into it, he stirred it with double-edged sword accompanied with recitations from Adi
Granth. He called this mixture of sweetened water and iron as Amrit ("nectar") and administered

it to the five men. These five, who willingly volunteered to sacrifice their lives for their Guru,
were given the title of the Panj Pyare ("the five beloved ones") by their Guru.[13] They were the
first (baptized) Sikhs of the Khalsa: Daya Ram (Bhai Daya Singh), Dharam Das (Bhai Dharam
Singh), Himmat Rai (Bhai Himmat Singh), Mohkam Chand (Bhai Mohkam Singh), and Sahib
Chand (Bhai Sahib Singh).
Guru Gobind Singh then recited a line which has been the rallying-cry of the Khalsa since then:
'Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji Ki Fateh' (Khalsa belongs to God; victory belongs to God).
He gave them all the name "Singh" (lion), and designated them collectively as the Khalsa, the
body of baptized Sikhs. The Guru then astounded the five and the whole assembly as he knelt
and asked them to in turn initiate him as a member, on an equal footing with them in the Khalsa,
thus becoming the sixth member of the new order. His name became Gobind Singh. Today
members of the Khalsa consider Guru Gobind as their father, and Mata Sahib Kaur as their
mother.[13] The Panj Piare were thus the first baptised Sikhs, and became the first members of the
Khalsa brotherhood. Women were also initiated into the Khalsa, and given the title of kaur
("princess").[13] Guru Gobind Singh then addressed the audience -

From now on, you have become casteless. No ritual, either Hindu or
on the pyre of her spouse (sati). He who kills his daughter, the Khalsa

Five K's

Kesh: uncut hair is a symbol of acceptance of your form as God intended it to be, and to
give an unmistakable visual identity to the Khalsa.

Kangha: a wooden comb, a symbol of cleanliness to keep one's body and soul clean.

Kara: an iron or steel bracelet worn on the wrist, to remind the Khalsa of their vows and
as a mark of iron self-restraint.

Kirpan: a sword to defend oneself and protect the poor, the weak and the oppressed,
regardless of religion, race or creed.

Kacchera: shorts, which are riding breeches cut off at the knee, to keep the soldiers of
the Khalsa always ready to go into battle on horseback

Kanga, Kara and Kirpan three of the five Ks

Smoking being an unclean and injurious habit, you will forswear. You
'Singh' and women 'Kaur' and greet each other with 'Waheguruji ka K

A result of the Guru's actions is arguably that the strength of Sikhi in the 18th and 19th centuries
was based on the third, fourth, and fifth orders of Indian society, even though some of its leaders
still came from the Kshatriya varna. An interesting representation of the first amrit ceremony is
found in the paintings that show two dead hawks, lying on their backs on the ground, while their
killers, two doves, sit upon the bowls of amrit. Symbolically, the Sikhs, the doves, had gained the
strength of hawks, the strong, militant people who lived on all sides of them.[15]
Guru Gobind Singh's respect for the Khalsa is best represented in one of his poems:[16]

All the battles I have won against tyranny

I have fought with the devoted backing of the people;
Through them only have I been able to bestow gifts,
Through their help I have escaped from harm;
The love and generosity of these Sikhs
Have enriched my heart and home.
Through their grace I have attained all learning;
Through their help in battle I have slain all my enemies
I was born to serve them, through them I reached emin
What would I have been without their kind and ready h
There are millions of insignificant people like me.
True service is the service of these people.
I am not inclined to serve others of higher caste:
Charity will bear fruit in this and the next world,
If given to such worthy people as these;
All other sacrifices are and charities are profitless.
From toe to toe, whatever I call my own,
All I possess and carry, I dedicate to these people.

Pilgrimage from Anandpur Sahib to Talwandi Sabo

Conflicts with the rajas of Sivalik Hills
The formation of the casteless military order Khalsa did not go well with the Hindu rajas of the
Sivalik Hills, who in turn got united to evict the Guru from the region. After seeing the rajas'

desire to become the Guru's disciples,[who?] told the hill rajas that fighting alongside the low-caste
members of the Sikhs would pollute their Khatri caste status.[17] The hill rajas' expeditions during
1700-04 were unsuccessful.
Balia Chand and Alim Chand - two of the hill chieftains made a surprise attack on the Guru,
while he was on a hunting expedition.[18] In the ensuing combat, Alim Chand managed to escape,
while Balia Chand was killed by Guru's aide Ude Singh.
After several failed attempts to check the rising power of the Sikhs, the hill chiefs petitioned the
Mughal rulers for help. The Mughal emperor of Delhi sent his generals Din Beg and Painda
Khan, each with an army of five thousand men.[19] The Mughal forces were joined by the armies
of the hill chiefs. However, they failed to defeat the Guru's forces, and Painda Khan was killed in
the First Battle of Anandpur (1700).
Alarmed at the Guru's rising influence, the rajas of several hill states assembled at Bilaspur to
discuss the situation. The son of Bhim Chand, Raja Ajmer Chand of Kahlur, suggested forming
an alliance to curb the Guru's rising power. Accordingly, the rajas formed an alliance, and
marched towards Anandpur. They sent a letter to the Guru, asking him to pay the arrears of rent
for Anandpur (which lay in Ajmer Chand's territory), and leave the place. The Guru insisted that
the land was bought by his father, and is therefore, his own property. A battle, dated from 1701 to
1704, followed. The hill rajas were joined by a large number of Gujjars, under the command of
Jagatullah. Duni Chand led five hundred men from Majha region to assist the Guru.
Reinforcements from other areas also arrived to help the Guru. The conflict, known as the First
Battle of Anandpur resulted in retreat of the hill rajas.[20]
Later, the hill rajas negotiated a peace agreement with the Guru, asking him to leave Anandpur.
Accordingly, the Guru left for Nirmoh village.[21] Meanwhile, Raja Ajmer Chand had sent his
envoys to the Mughal viceroys in Sirhind and Delhi, seeking their help against the Guru. The
army of Sirhind viceroy Wazir Khan arrived to assist the hill rajas. Seeing that Nirmoh was not
fortified, Raja Ajmer Chand and the Raja of Kangra and the Mughal force launched an attack on
the Guru's camp, but were repulsed. After that the Guru withdrew to Basoli. An alliance of the
hill rajas, led by Ajmer Chand, made a heavy attack, but were driven off in the Battle of Basoli,
(1702).[22]
After repeated pleas for assistance from the hill rajas, the Mughal emperor sent an army under
Saiyad Khan's command. Saiyad Khan was a brother-in-law of Pir Budhu Shah, and defected to
the Guru's side, after the Pir spoke highly of him. Ramzan Khan then took the command of the
imperial army, and allied with the hill rajas to attack Anandpur in March 1704. It was the cropcutting time of the year, and the majority of the Guru's followers had dispersed to their homes.
Guru was assisted by two of his Muslim admirers, Maimun Khan and Saiyad Beg, however his
men were outnumbered, and decided to vacate Anandpur.[23] The Mughal army plundered the
city, and then proceeded to Sirhind. On their way back, they were caught in a surprise attack by
the Guru's forces, who recovered the booty captured from Anandpur. The Guru then returned to
Anandpur.
See also: First Battle of Anandpur and Second Battle of Anandpur

Evacuation from Anandpur

The hill chiefs then decided to approach the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, through his Governor
in Punjab, Wazir Khan, to help them subdue the Sikhs. Their memorandum spoke of his
establishing the new order of Khalsa

Which is contrary to all our cherished beliefs and customs. He (Gobin

to march upon Delhi itself.[24][25]

At the plea of Raja Ajmer Chand, the Mughal emperor ordered the viceroys of Sirhind, Lahore
and Kashmir to proceed against the Guru. The Mughal forces were joined by the armies of the
hill rajas, the Ranghars and the Gurjars of the area. The Guru also made preparations for the
battle, and his followers from Majha, Malwa, Doaba and other areas assembled at Anandpur.
The imperial forces attacked Anandpur in 1705, and laid a siege around the city. After a few days
of the commencement of the siege, Raja Ajmer Chand sent his envoy to the Guru, offering
withdrawal of the siege, in return for Guru's evacuation from Anandpur. The Guru refused to
accept the offer, but many of his followers, suffering from lack of food and other supplies, asked
him to accept the proposal. As more and more followers pressured the Guru to accept Ajmer
Chand's offer, he sent a message to Ajmer Chand offering to evacuate Anandpur, if the allied
forces would first allow his treasury and other property to be taken outside the city. The allied
forces accepted the proposal. The Guru, in order to test their sincerity, sent a caravan of loaded
bullocks outside the fort. However, the allied forces attacked the caravan to loot the treasure. To
their disappointment, they found out that the caravan carried no treasure. The Guru then decided
not to vacate Anandpur, and refused to accept any further proposals from the allied forces.
Finally, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb sent a signed letter to the Guru, swearing in name of
Quran, that the Guru and his followers would be allowed a safe passage if he decided to evacuate
Anandpur. The Guru, hard pressed by his followers and his family, accepted the offer, and
evacuated Anandpur on 2021 December 1705.
On the first night after they left Anandpur, the Guru's contingent was attacked by the imperial
forces. Following a few skirmishes, the Guru and his followers reached the banks of Sirsa river.
The group could not keep together while crossing the flooded Sirsa (or Sarsa) river. The Guru's
mother, and his two younger sons, Fateh Singh and Zorawar Singh, strayed away from the main
group. Guru's old servant, Gangu, escorted them to his village, Kheri. His wife Mata Jito, was in
another group that also included Mata Sahib Kaur; this group was escorted to Delhi by Jawahar
Singh. The floods in the river resulted in loss of several of the Guru's followers.
The Guru, with his two elder sons, and some other Sikhs, managed to cross the river, and reached
the Ghanaula village. He instructed a band of hundred followers under Bachitar Singh to march
to Rupar. The Guru, with the remaining followers, marched towards Kotla Nihang near Rupar, to
stay with his trusted acquaintance Pathan Nihang Khan. From there, he proceeded to

Machhiwara and Raikot, halting at Bur Majra. He was informed that a large body of troops from
Sirhind was chasing him. He decided to face the enemy troops at the fortress of Chamkaur.
The imperial troops besieged the fortress at Chamkaur in December 1704, leading to the battle of
Chamkaur. The two elder sons of Guru Gobind Singh, Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh, died in the
battle. The Guru asked the remaining disciples to get ready for the final charge, and die fighting.
However, his disciples insisted that the his survival was necessary for the survival of the Khalsa,
and planned his escape from Chamkaur. It was decided that Sant Singh and Sangat Singh would
stay in the fortress, while Daya Singh, Dharam Singh, and Man Singh would accompany the
Guru out of Chamkaur. The Guru gave his kalghi (plume used to decorate headgear) and his
armor to Bhai Sangat Singh, a Sikh who resembled him. Sangat Singh was seated in the upper
room where Guru was stationed. The Guru marched out of Chamkaur in the night, along with
some followers. Next day, the Mughal army, which still believed that the Guru was inside the
fortress, attacked the fortress, and killed all the Sikhs inside the fortress.
The Guru separated from his companions, and reached Machhiwara, after passing through
Jandsar and Behlolpur. There, his three companions, Daya Singh, Dharam Singh and Man Singh
rejoined him. Gulaba, an old masand of Machhiwara, gave them shelter, but feared for his own
safety. Two Pathan horse merchants, Nabi Khan and Ghani Khan, decided to help him. The
Khans, who were old acquaintances of the Guru, disguised him as the Pir (Sufi saint) of Uchh
village, and carried him to safety, in a palanquin. At Alam Gir, Nand Lal, a zamindar decided to
help the Guru. From Alam Gir, the Guru proceeded to Raikot. At Silaoni, Rai Kalha III, the
Muslim chief of Raikot state, received him warmly. The Guru stayed there for some time.
Meanwhile, Guru's mother Mata Gujri and the his two younger sons were captured by Wazir
Khan, the governor of Sirhind. The two boys were executed after refusing to convert to Islam,
and Mata Gujri died soon after hearing of her grandsons' death. Rai Kalha's servant Noora Mahi
brought this news to the Guru from Sirhind.Mata Sundari and Mata Sahib kaur escaped towards
Delhi escorted by bhai Mani Singh .

Later travels
Stay at Dina
Guru Ji's letter written to Rama and Tiloka. Dated 2 August 1696.
Realizing that Rai Kot was not a suitable place to stage resistance against the Mughals, Guru
Gobind Singh left Raikot, and spent two days at Hehar with Mahant Kirpal Das (who had earlier
participated in the Battle of Bhangani). He then marched to Lamma Jatpura, where his
companion Rai Kalla took leave. The Guru moved southwards, accompanied by three Sikhs. On
the way he passed through the villages of Manuke, Mehdiana, Chakkar, Takhtupura and Madhe
and finally reached Dina (now in Moga district) in Malwa (Punjab). The people had heard that
the Guru had been killed at Chamkaur, but the truth began to be known when he reached Dina.
He was received warmly at Dina by Shamira, Lakhmira and Takht Mal, the three grandsons of
Rai Jodh, a devotee of Guru Har Gobind.[26]

While at Dina, the Guru received a concilatory letter from Aurangzeb, asking him to come to
Deccan to discuss the situation. The Guru was wary of Aurangzeb, who had beheaded his father.
The Guru rejected the emperor's offer, and wrote a famous letter in Persian, titled 'Zafarnamah
(the Epistle of Victory). In the letter, the Guru reminded Aurangzeb of his misdeeds, and
condemened the treacherous acts of the Mughals. He sent a group of Sikhs, consisting of Daya
Singh, Dharam Singh, and some guards, to despatch the letter to Aurangzeb, who was camping
in Ahmednagar.
Guru Gobind Singh moved onto Talwandi Sabo and was at place called Rohi when a group of
forty Sikhs from Majha area of Punjab region accompanied by Mata Bhag Kaur, also known as
Mai Bhago, visited him. They had come to offer their condolences over the death of his four sons
and his mother, and also offered to effect a compromise between the Guru and Mughal
authorities. The Guru narrated to them the atrocities of Mughals from the time of martyrdom of
Guru Arjan to the laying of the siege of Anandpur. He rebuked them for their behaviour and put
them to shame for talking like that. One of the leaders of the Jatha (group), Bhag Singh Jabhalia,
said that it was not in their means to have more faith in the Guru. The Guru said that he had not
called for them and they should write a disclaimer, which was signed by Bhag Singh Jabhalia
and another four. The remaining thirty five did not sign the disclaimer.[27] The Guru at the
moment got the information of advancing Mughal forces led by Wazir Khan. He along with those
accompanying him moved on to take positions by the side of a mound, which incidentally was
also the only water source in the area.
At this stage Mata Bhag Kaur criticised the forty Sikhs for deserting Guru Gobind Singh at such
a crucial stage. Her challenge made the forty to face the oncoming Mughal force led by Wazir
Khan. In the Battle of Muktsar.[28] that occurred on 30 poh 1972 (29 December 1705), beside the
forty Sikhs and Mata Bhag Kaur from Majha, Guru Gobind Singh and those accompanying him
also participated. By sunset most of warriors were killed or seriously injured. Of the forty only
three Sikhs (Rai Singh, Sunder singh and Mahan singh) were in their last breath, while Bhag
Kaur lay seriously injured. At their request Guru Gobind Singh tore the disclaimer and blessed
them as Muktas (emanicipated). He also changed the name of the place, Ishar sar or Khidrana,
to Muktsar in their honour.

Stay at Talwandi Sabo

From Muktsar, the Guru moved to Rupana, Bhander, Gurusar, Thehri Bambiha, Rohila, Jangiana
and Bhai Ka Kot. At Chatiana, the Brars who had fought for him at Muktsar, threatened to block
his march as the Guru had failed to disburse pay arrears to them. A Sikh from the neighborhood
area brought enough money, which enabled the Guru to pay off all the arrears. However, the
leader of the Brars, Chaudhri Dana apologized to the Guru on behalf of his people, and refused
to accept any payment for himself. At his request, the Guru visited his native place Mehma Swai.
The Guru continued his travel, passing through Lakhi Jungle (Lakhisar). From Lakhi, he visited
nearby areas and initiated large number of people into Khalsa.
A landowner called Chaudhari Dalla welcomed the Guru to his estate, and took him to Talwandi
Sabo (aka Talwandi Sabo Ki). On his way he passed through Chatiana, Kot Sahib Chand, Kot
Bhai, Giddarbaha, Rohila, Jangirana, Bambiha, Bajak, Kaljhirani, Jassi Bagwali, Pakka Kalan

and Chak Hira Singh. Guru Gobind Singh arrived at Talwandi Sabo on 20 January 1706, and
stayed there for several months. The place is now called Damdama Sahib (the resting place). The
Guru made a tour of the neighbouring villages, and initiated several people into the Khalsa.
When Wazir Khan learned that the Guru was at Sabo Ki Talwandi, he sent a letter to Chaudhri
Dalla asking him to hand over Guru Gobind Singh to him. However, the Chaudhari refused, in
spite of Wazir Khan's threats and promises of reward. Wazir Khan complained to the Emperor,
who was in the Deccan. The Emperor received Dalla's letter written to Wazir Khan and also the
Guru's Zafarnamah at about the same time. He ordered Wazir Khan to remove all restrictions
imposed on the Guru and stop harassing him.
The Guru's literature had been destroyed as he crossed the river after evacuating Anandpur. He
dictated the Guru Granth Sahib to Bhai Mani Singh. A number of poets and scholars gathered
around the Guru at Talwandi Sabo, and the place came to be known as Guru's Kashi (Varanasi).
The Guru's wife, who had separated from him at Anandpur, also reunited with him at Damdama
Sahib. The Guru also reorganized his forces at this place, and took many Dogras, Rathores and
Brars into his service.

After Aurangzeb's death

After completing the composition of the Guru Granth Sahib, at Damdama Sahib, the Guru left
for Deccan to visit Nanded, nowadays known as Hazur Sahib in October 1706.
After the emperor's death, a war of succession broke out between his sons. The third son,
Mohammad Azam (or Azim), declared himself the Emperor. The second son Muazzam (later
Emperor Bahadur Shah) set out from Peshawar to claim the throne. The Guru's follower Bhai
Nand Lal (who had earlier served in Muazzam 's court) brought a letter written by Muazzam, to
where the Guru was temporarily encamped at Bhagora (Rajasthan). Muazzam had sought Guru's
help in securing the throne, and had promised to pursue a policy of religious tolerance towards
the non-Muslims. The Guru sent a band of his followers under the command of Bhai Dharam
Singh, to help Muazzam and changed his course of journey towards Agra.[29][30] Muazzam's forces
defeated Azam Shah's forces in the Battle of Jajau near Agra on 12 June 1707 with the help of
the Guru.
Muazzam ascended the throne as Bahadur Shah. He invited Guru Gobind Singh for a meeting
which took place at Agra on 23 July 1707. The Guru was received with honour and was given
the title of Hind Ka Pir (the Saint of India). The Guru stayed with the Emperor in Agra till
November 1707. He made Dholpur a center of his missionary activities, and toured nearby areas
for many days, before proceeding to Deccan. In November 1707, the Emperor had to march into
Rajputana against the rebel Kachwahas. He requested the Guru to accompany him. From
Rajputana, the emperor marched to the Deccan to suppress the rebellion of his brother Kam
Bakhsh, and the Guru accompanied him.
Guru Gobind Singh was not happy with Bahadur Shah's friendly attitude towards Wazir Khan of
Sirhind. He parted ways with the Emperor at Hingoli, and reached Nanded in July 1708. At

Nanded, the Guru camped on the banks of the river Godavari. Saiyad Khan, the former general
of the imperial forces, resigned from his post and came to Nanded from Kangra, to see the Guru.
During a trip, the Guru met a bairagi (hermit) called Madho Das, whom he initiated into Khalsa
as Gurbakhsh Singh. Gurbakhsh Singh, popularly known as "Banda Singh" or "Banda Bahadur",
soon became his most trusted general.
While in Nanded, the Guru received in a letter from Saiyad Khan's sister Nasiran, the wife of Pir
Budhu Shah of Sadhaura. The letter informed him that the Emperor's army had ransacked
Sadhaura and hanged Pir Budhu Shah as a rebel, for having faith in Guru Gobind Singh, whom
they considered as a Kaffir ("infidel").
The Guru assumed that the Emperor had fallen prey to Wazir Khan's propaganda, and was
plotting to kill all of his supporters. He sent a letter to the emperor, demanding an explanation for
Pir Budhu Shah's death. There was no reply from the emperor. Instead, the Guru heard rumors
that the emperor was planning to wage a battle against him. The Guru appointed Banda Singh as
the commander of the Khalsa, and asked him to march towards Punjab.

Final days
Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded, built over the place where Guru Gobind Singh was cremated in
1708, the inner chamber is still called Angitha Sahib.
Wazir Khan, the Nawab of Sirhind, felt uneasy about any conciliation between Guru Gobind
Singh and Bahadur Shah I. He commissioned two Pathans, Jamshed Khan and Wasil Beg,[31] to
assassinate the Guru. The two secretly pursued the Guru and got an opportunity to attack him at
Nanded.[32]
According to Sri Gur Sobha by the contemporary writer Senapati, Jamshed Khan stabbed the
Guru in the left side below the heart while he was resting in his chamber after the Rehras prayer.
Guru Gobind Singh killed the attacker with his Talwar (traditional Sikh curved sword), while the
attacker's companion tried to flee but was killed by Sikhs who had rushed in on hearing the
noise.
The European surgeon sent by Bahadur Shah stitched the Guru's wound. However, the wound reopened and caused profuse bleeding, as the Guru tugged at a hard strong bow after a few days.
Seeing his end was near, the Guru declared the Guru Granth Sahib as the next Guru of the Sikhs.
[33]
He then sang his self-composed hymn:
"Agya bhai Akal ki tabhi chalayo Panth Sabh Sikhan ko hukam hai Guru Maneyo Granth,
Guru Granth Ji manyo pargat Guran ki deh Jo Prabhu ko milbo chahe khoj shabad mein
le"
Translation of the above:

"Under orders of the Immortal Being, the Panth was created. All the Sikhs are enjoined to
accept the Granth as their Guru. Consider the Guru Granth as embodiment of the Gurus.
Those who want to meet God, can find Him in its hymns.
The Guru reportedly left the visible body, along with his horse Dilbagh (aka Nila Ghora) on 7
October 1708 at Nanded, before which he had declared the Guru Granth Sahib as his successor.
[34]

Mughal accounts of Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Gobind Singh, gave the Sikhs their very distinctive symbols the uncut hair, the dastar,
the pure iron kara, and the sword. After ceaseless battles local landlords allied themselves to the
Mughal governor Wazir Khan, who himself requested assistance from the Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb when the local Muslim rulers was consecutively attacked by the Sikh rebels who rose
up against the oppression of the state.[35][36][37]

Battles by Guru Gobind Singh

1. Battle of Bhangani,
2. Battle of Nadaun,
3. Battle of Guler (1696),
4. First Battle of Anandpur,
5. Battle of Anandpur Sahib (1701),
6. Battle of Nirmohgarh (1702),
7. Battle of Basoli
8. Battle of Anandpur (1704)
9. Battle of Chamkaur (1704)
10. Battle of Bichhora Sahib,
11. Battle of Muktsar.