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Firstly he wanted to see Banda Bairagi and secondly there were eight
Ashrams of different religious sects. The Guru wanted to enter into a
dialogue with the leaders of the holy camps to show them the true path
and to convert them to his own viewpoint. It was perhaps because of
this that he immediately started addressing congregations. Crowds of
people seeking spiritual light flocked to him. Soon it was indeed a
model of 'Anandpur' reproduced in the Deccan.
A News reached here that
the Emperor's army had ransacked Sadhaura and treated Pir Budhu Shah
as a rebel, for having faith in Guru Gobind Singh whom they considered
as a 'Kafir' or infidel.
 One day the Guru went to the place of Bairagi Madho Das, a hermit.
Finding the Bairagi absent, and on hearing that he possessed
supernatural powers who could overthrow any one who sat on his couch,
the Guru took comfort in sitting on it. The Guru's followers killed a
goat and had cooked it in the forbidden square of the Bairagi. A
disciple went to inform the Bairagi of the Guru's actions. It was a
sacrilege to kill an animal at the Bairagi's place and another
sacrilege to take possession of the couch which served him as a
throne. Bairagi was mad with anger and violently moved headlong
towards the Guru. He tried all his powers to hurt him but in vain.
When he found himself helpless, he asked the Guru who he was. The Guru
replied that he was Gobind Singh. Bairagi was pacified and his anger
suddenly transformed into worship. The Divine Light from the Guru's
eyes dispelled all darkness from the mind of the Bairagi who
immediately knelt before the Master and in total submission admitted
that he was his (Guru's) Banda- a slave.
The Master then instructed him on the tenets of Sikh religion and
baptized him. He was named GurbakhshSingh but continued to be known as
Banda or Banda Singh. He had heard from the Sikhs the atrocities of
the Muslim rulers in the Punjab including the massacre of Guru's
innocent children, thus, became ready for any service he could perform
for the Master. Upon this the Guru instructed him to proceed to the
Punjab and fight oppression of the rulers upon the Khalsa. Saying this
he presented him with his bow and five arrows and addressed," As long
as thou remainest continent, thy glory shall increase. He who is
content, turneth not away from the combat, his opponents cannot
withstand him. Once thou forsakest the Khalsa principles and associate
unlawfully with woman, thy courage shall depart." The Guru despatched
some Sikhs to assist him in this enterprise. Banda took the oath,
bowed and departed. This was an outstanding example of Guru Gobind
Singh's power to make sparrow to hunt the hawk and make one Sikh fight
with one hundred twenty five-thousand. Banda Bahadur who was a hermit
wedded to the creed of non-violence, was made into the greatest
general of the time by the Guru's power.
"After Banda's departure the Guru lived at various places in the
neighbourhood called Shikar Ghat where he used to go hunting, at Nagina
Ghat where a Sikh presented him with a valuable signet ring which he
threw into the river. At the Hira Ghat where he disposed of a similar
valuable diamond, and also at a spot now called Sangat Sahib
where he used to give religious instructions to his followers.
When it was clear to him that the call of the Father from Heaven had
come and he, therefore, gave his last and enduring message of his
mission to the assembly of the Khalsa. He then opened the Granth
Sahib, placed five paise and a coco-nut before it and solemnly bowed
to it as his SUCCESSOR, GURU GRANTH SAHIB. Saying 'Waheguru ji ka
Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh', he circumambulated the sacred volume
and proclaimed," O beloved Khalsa, let him who desireth to behold me,
behold the Guru Granth. Obey the Granth Sahib. It is the visible body
of the Gurus. And let him who desireth to meet me, diligently search
its hymns." He then sang his self-composed hymn:
"Agya bhai Akal ki tabhi chalayo Panth
Sabh Sikhan ko hukam hai Guru manyo Granth
Guru Granth Ji manyo pargat Guran ki deh
Jo Prabhu ko milbo chahe khoj shabad mein le
Raj karega Khalsa aqi rahei na koe
Khwar hoeae sabh milengae bache sharan jo hoeae."
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 Khalsa shall rule, and its opponents
will be no more, Those separated will unite and all the devotees shall
be saved."
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