120 W. Irvine —Guru Gobiud Sijjgh and Bandah. [No. 3, 
There are several accounts of Guru Gobiud Siggh’s death, but the 
two more usually received agree in stating that it was a death by vio¬ 
lence. 1 Of these stories, one is that an Af gh an horse-dealer had sold 
some horses to the Guru. Payment was delayed. One day, the dealer 
clamoured for his money with angry gestures. Provoked by the man’s 
words, Gobind Siijgh cut him down. Some time afterwards the 
Af gh an’s sons found their opportunity and stabbed the Guru mortally, 
when asleep or unguarded. This story is also slightly varied. The 
Guru, in this version, is supposed to have repented of his violence and 
showed favour to the murdered man’s son. One day, when they were 
alone together, the Guru taunted the youth for his cowardice in not 
revenging his father. The boy struck him with his dagger, inflicting a 
slight wound, through which the entrails protruded. The wound was 
sewn up and was healing, when Gobind Siijgh, in attempting to string 
his bow, burst the stitches, the bowels again protruded, and lie died 
almost immediately. 
The tradition in the Sikh books 2 is somewhat different. The mur¬ 
derer is stated to be the son of Said Khan, and the grandson of Paindah 
Khan. Possibly the latter was the opponent whom Guru Har Gobind 
slew. In opposition to his own precept, which prohibited all friendship 
with Muhammadans, Gobind Siijgh allowed this boy to come about him. 
One day, after they had played at chaujpar , a sort of draughts, Guru 
Gobind lay down to rest, two daggers recently given to him being by 
his side. The boy took up one of the daggers and inflicted three 
wounds. Gobind Siijgh sprang up, crying out, “ The Pathans have 
attacked me.” One Lakha Siijgh ran in and cut off the boy’s head. 
The wounds were sewn up, and for fifteen days all went well. Then, on 
the 2nd of some lunar month, two bows were brought to the Guru. In 
trying to bend them, the Guru’s wounds opened, during the 3rd and 
4tli he was insensible, and on the 5tli of that month he expired. 3 
Gobind Siijgh had three wives, Jltu, Sahib Kuar, and Sundaii. 4 
He had four sons; one, Jhujhar Siijgh, by Jltu; two, Zorawar Siijgh 
and Jit Siijgh, by Sahib Kuar; and one, Fath Siijgh, by Sundarl. 
According to the Sikh writings, all his sons pre-deceased him, and 
according to them he left no male descendants. There was, however, 
the adopted son, Ajlt Siijgh, of whom we learn from Muhammadan 
sources. 6 
1 McGregor, I, 99, Cunningham, 79. The Sairu-l-Mutdkharin (Briggs, 114) 
says that G5bind died of grief for his children 
2 SakhI Book, 198. 
8 Katik, Sudi 5th, 1765 S., s oe ante, p. 119, note 4. 
4 Sakhi Book, 97. 
6 See ante, p, 119, note 7. 
