SKETCH OF TKE SIKHS. 220 



^' never can reap advantage from such an unequal war." He was stop- 

 ped b}^ AjiT SiNH, the son of Govind, from saying more. That youth, 

 seizing his scymiter, exclaimed, " If you utter another word, I will hum- 

 " ble your pride : I will smite your head from your body, and cut you to 

 *' pieces, for daring to speak such language before our chiefs." The 

 blood of the envoy boiled with rage, and he returned with this answer to' 

 his master. 



This eflbrt to subdue tlie fortitude and faith of Govind, having failed, 

 the siege commenced with great vigor. A long description is given hy 

 B'hai Gu'ru' Da's B'hale' and other Sikh authors, of the a6lions that 

 were performed. A-mongst the most distinguished, were those of the 

 brave but unfortunate Ajit Sinh,* the son of Gu'ru' Govind, whose 

 death is thus recorded: " A second time the Khdn advanced, and the 

 '^* battle raged. Some fought, some fled. Ajit Sinh, covered with glory, 

 " departed to 5'w2zrg-a (heaven). iNDRAj-f first of the gods, (Devatds) 

 ** advanced with the celestial host to meet him ; he conducted him" to De- 

 " vapitr, the city of the gods, and seated him on a celestial throne: 

 ** having remained there a short time, he proceeded to the region of the 

 " sun. Thus" he concludes, " i^jix Sinh departed in glory, and his 



♦ In the Penjabi narrative of B'iiai Gu'ru' Da's B'hale', tHe actions of Ajit SInh 

 p^^ Ra^ijijit Sinh, soivs of Go'vind, are particularly describeol ; and, from one poxt of the 

 descrijrtion, it would appear that the fkmily of Govind, proud of their descent, had not 

 laid aside the Zunnr^ or holy cord, lo which they were, as belonging to the Cshalrii/a race, 

 entitled. Speaking of these youths, (Ke author says : *' Slaughtering every Turk and 

 .** Pohtan whom they saw, they adorned their sacred strings, by converting thera into sword- 

 ,*.' .bcKs. Returning frona the field they sought their father, who bestowed a hundred blessings 

 ,** on their scyinitcis." 



+ The Hikli aulljor, though he nmy reject the superstitious idolatry of the Hindus, adorns 

 ^is descriptions with every image its mythology can furnish ; and claims for his hero the same 

 kigh houors in Swarga, that a Braltmen would expect for one of the Pdndu race. 



K k fc 



