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Zafarnama Zafarnama

Jul 30, 2004
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ZAFARNAMA - Waheguru is perfection personified. He is eternal and through His miracles
He shows His presence. He is generous in granting us His bounties. He is
compassionate and merciful.


KAMAAL-E KARAAMAT QAA-YEM KAREEM
RAZA BAKSH RAZAQ RAHAAQ-O RAHIM

Waheguru is perfection personified. He is eternal and through His miracles
He shows His presence. He is generous in granting us His bounties. He is
compassionate and merciful.

AMAAN BAKSH BAKSHINDEH-O DASTGIR
KHATAA BAKSH ROZI DEH-O DILPAZIR

He grants us the peace and security and is always merciful in forgiving us
for our sins. He holds our hand and guides us (in this world). He is provider of our sustenance and charms everyone.

SHEHANSHAH-E KHUBI DEH-O REH-NAMUN
KI BE-GOON-O BE-CHOON-O CHOON BE-NAMOON

He is the king of kings who is guiding us all the time. He showers his
benevolence on all. He is without colour, incomparable and is formless.

NA SAZ-O NA BAZ-O NA FAUJ-O NA FARSH
KHUDAVAND BAKSHINDEH-E AISH-O ARSH

He possesses no material things nor has he an army. He is merciful and
(grants us) all the pleasures of the heavens.

JAHAN PAAK ZEER AST-O ZAHIR ZAHOOR
ATAA MI-DEHAD HAM CHU HAAZAR HUZUR

The Pure one is above everything in this universe. His glory is all
pervasive. He bestows us with gifts. He is right before us all the time.

ATAA BAKSH O PAAK PARVARDIGAR
RAHIM AST-O ROZI DEH-AD HAR DIYAAR

The merciful grants us all the gifts and meets the needs of every one in
this world

KI SAHIB DIYAR AST AAZAM AZIM
KI HUSAN AL-JAMAL AST RAAZAK RAHIM

He is the greatest Lord of this universe. He is merciful and provides
sustenance to all. His charm and grandeur cannot be matched by anyone.

KI SAHIB SHA-OOR AST AAJIZ NAWAAZ
GARIB AL-PRAST-O GANIM ALGADAAZ
The Lord Almighty is intelligence personified. He protects the poor and the
helples and destroys their enemies.

SHARI-AT PRAST-O FAZILAT M-AAB
HAKIKAT SHANAS-O NABI AL-KITAB

The Virtuous One is the protector of the faithful. Nothing is hidden from
Him. He is the inspiration of Koran.

KI DAANISH PUYOH AST SAHIB SHA-OOR
HAKIKAT SHANAAS AST ZAHIR ZAHOOR

He is the Lord of the Universe who knows every thing .He seeks the learned, intelligent and truthful. He is present everywhere.

SHANASINDEH-E ILM-O AALAM KHUDA-E
KASHAA-END-E KAR-E AALAM KUSHA-E

He has the knowledge of everything in this universe. Every thing is being
kept in its place by His presence.

GUZARIND-EH-E KAR-E AALAM KABIR
SHANAAS-IND-EH-E ILM-O AALAM AMIR

Being the ultimate authority, He is regulating everything that happens in
this world about which He has full knowledge.

MARAA AITBAAR-E BAR EEN KASM-E NEEST
KE EIZAD GAVAH AST YAZDAN YAKEEST

I have no trust in this oath (of Aurangzeb) anymore (You have written that)
God is one and that he is witness (between us. Guruji also refers to this
oath in verses 45&46)

A KATREH MARAA AITBAAR-E BAR-OST
KI BAKSHI VA DEEWAN HAMEH KIZB GOST

I don’t have trust in you even equivalent to a drop (of water). Your army
general and advisor (who came to me with your oaths on Koran) were all
telling lies.

KASE KAUL-E KURAN KUNAD AITBAAR
HAMAN ROZ-E AKHIR SHAWAD MARD KHAWAR

If anyone trusts (you) on oath of Koran, that person is doomed in the end.

HUMA RA KASE SAA-EH AAYAD B-ZER
BAR-O DAST DARAD NA ZAAG-O DALER

If anyone comes under the shadow of Huma bird (for protection), even a
brave crow cannot come near him. (Aurangzeb! I am under the protection of
Waheguru Himself, who saved me and you could not even touch my single hairverse
44).

KASE PUSHT UFTAD PAS-E SHER NAR
NA GIRAD BUZ-O MEISH-O AHOO GUZAR

If a man stands behind the back of a lion, let alone (anyone) catching that
person, a goat or a sheep or a deer cannot even pass nearby (Aurangzeb! I
stand in shadow of the Almighty, and your men who are like goats, sheep and deer could not catch me in spite of your deceptions)

KASAM MUS-HAF-E KHUFI-AH GAR EEN KHORAM
NA FAUJ-E AZIZ-AM RA SUM AFGANAM

If I had cheated by taking oath on Koran, I would not have made my dear
(Khalsa) army lame (by bringing them out of Anandpur Sahib fort and
exposing them to an unequal battle).
In verses from 19 to 41 below, Guruji gives an account of the Battle of
Chamkaur fought on 22 December 1704 and the reasons that forced him to
take to the sword

GURESNEH CHI KAR-E KUNAND CHEHAL NAR
KI DEH LAK BAR AAYAD BAR-O BE-KHABAR

What could forty hungry persons do, when suddenly ten lac strong army came upon them? (Here ten lac has been used in a poetic sense and means “huge numbers “, as Guruji has again referred to the number of enemy forces as “beshumaar” in verse 41)

KE PEIMAN SHIKAN BE-DRANG AAMDAND
MI-AAN TEG-O TEER-O TUFANG AAMDAND

That the promise breakers launched a surprise attack with their swords and
arrows and guns.

BA LACHAARGI DARMIAN AAMDAM
BA TADBIR TEER-O KAMAAN AAMDAM

It was out of sheer helplessness that I came in the battle field (since I
was surrounded from all sides at Chamkaur). But having decided to battle
with your forces, I came with all the battle plans and munitions.

CHU KAR AZ HAMEH HEEL-TE DAR GUZASHT
HALAL AST BURDAN B-SHAMSHIR DAST

When all the stratagem employed for (solving) an affair or problem are
exhausted,(only) then taking your hand to the sword is legitimate.

CHE KASM-E KURAN MAN KUNAM AITBAAR
VAGARNA TU GOI MAN EEN RAH CHIKAR

What trust can I have on your oath (you took on Koran)? Otherwise you tell
what I have to do by taking this path (of disbelieving you).

NA DAANAM KI EEN MARD ROBAH-E PEECH
VAGAR HARGIZ EEN RAH NIYAYAM B-HEECH

I do not know that this person (Aurangzeb) is cunning like a fox. Otherwise
I would never have come to this place i.e. Chamkaur (by vacating Anandpur
on the false oaths of Aurangzeb and his men).

HAR AAN KAS KI KAUL-E KURAAN AAIDASH
NA ZAD BASTAN-O KUSHTAN-O BAYAD-ASH

If any person believes one’s oath on Koran, he should neither be attcked nor tied (arrested) nor be killed. (Aurangzeb! I believed your oath on Koran
that if I leave Anandpur, you would give me safe passage. You still
attacked and broke your oath).

B-RANG-E MAGAS SEE-AH POSH AAMDAND
B-YAK BARGI DAR KHAROSH AAMDAND

They (the enemy) dressed in black and like coloured flies came suddenly
with a great uproar.

HAR AAN KAS Z DEEWAR AAMAD BEROON
B-KHURDAN YAK-E TEER SHOD GARK-E KHOON

Any person who came out from behind the wall, took one arrow (on his body) and was submerged in blood.

KE BEROON NI-AAYAD KAS-E ZAAN-E DEEWAR
NA KHURDAND TEER VA NA GUSHTAND KHAWAR

Any person who did not come out from (behind) that wall, he did take an
arrow and (hence) did not become miserable (die).

CHU DEEDAM KE NAHAR BI-AAMAD B-JUNG
CHASHEED-EH YAK-E TEER TAN BE-DRANG

When I saw that Nahar had come out from behind the wall for battle, he was immediately struck with an arrow .

HAM AAKHIR GUREZAD B-JAYE MUSAF
BA-SE KHAN KHURDAND BEROON GAZAF

Many Afghans who used to tell tall stories (about their bravery) also ran
away from the battlefield.

KE AFGAAN DEEGAR BI-AAMAD B-JUNG
CHU SEIL-E RAWAAN HAMCHU TEER-O TUFANG

That large number of other Afghans came for the battle like a flood with
arrows and guns .

BA-SE HAMLEH KARDAND B-MARDANGI
HAM AZ HOSHGI HAM Z DEEWANGI

They launched many a brave attacks. (However) some of these were
intelligently launched and some were sheer madness.

BASE HAMLEH KARDAND BASE ZAKHM KHURD
DO KAS RA B-JAN KUSHT V JAAN HAM SPURD

They launched many attacks and they took many wounds upon themselves. They killed two (of my) men and also gave their own lives as well.

KE AAN KHWAJA MARDOOD Z SAA-EH DEEWAR
B-MEIDAN NI-AAMAD B-MARDAANA VAAR

That coward Khawaja ( One of the Mughal generals ) hid himself behing the
wall and did not come out in the battlefield like a brave man .

DAREGA AGAR ROO-E O DEEDAM-E
B-YAK TEER LAACHAR BAKSHEEDAM-E

Alas! If I had seen his (Khawaja’s) face, I would have sent him to the other world just with one arrow.

HAM AAKHAR BA-SE ZAKHM TEER-O TUFANG
DO SU-E BA-SE KUSHTEH SHOD BE-DRANG

In the end many from both sides were killed quickly after being wounded by
arrows and (bullets of) guns.

BA-SE BAAN BAA-REED TEER-O TUFANG
ZAMIN GASHT HAMCHU GUL-E LALEH RANG

Many arrows and (bullets of) guns rained and the battlefield turned red
(with blood) like the red coloured laaleh flowers.

SAR-0 PAA-E ANBOH CHANDAAN SHUD-EH
KI MEIDAAN PUR AZ GO-I CHOGAN SHUD-EH

The battlefield was full of (severed) heads and legs, which gave the impression as if these were ***** and sticks.

TARANKAAR TEER-O TARANG-E KAMAAN
BAR-AAMAD YAK-E HA-O HU AZ JAHAN

The shooting of arrows and vibrations of the strings of bows produced huge
commotions. And cries of “hai-hu” were coming from the whole world.

DIGAR SHORESH-E KAIBAR-E KEENEH KOSH
Z MARDAAN-E MARDAAN BEROON RAFT HOSH

And the dreadful noises of weapons had their affect on the bravest of brave
men who gave the impression as if they had lost their mental balance.

HAM AAKHAR CHE MARDI KUNAD KAR ZAAR
KI BAR CHEHAL TAN AAI-DASH BE-SHUMAR

And finally what could the bravery (of my warriors) do when countless (of
these Afghans) fell upon those forty men.

CHIRAG-E JAHAAN CHUN SHOD-E BURKA POSH
SHAH-E SHAB BAR-AAMAD HAMEH JALWA JOSH

When the lamp of the world (the Sun) had covered itself (had set), the king
of the night (the Moon) came out with all its glory (through this verse,
<a href="http://www.sikhism.us">Guru</a> Ji has described the night scene when he came out of the Chamkaur
Garh. Description of some authors that it was dark and raining at that time
should be viewed in the light of this verse)

HAR AAN KAS KI KAUL-E KURAN AAI-DASH
KI YAZDAN BAR-O REHNUMA AAIDASH

God Almighty becomes the guide of the person who trusts someone’s oath
taken on Kuran (Aurangzeb! The Supreme Being in whom I have total faith,
showed me the way from Chamkaur even though I trusted your word given on Kuran that you will not attack me if I leave Anand Garh Fort)

NA PECHEEDEH MU-E NA RANJEEDAH TAN
KI BEROON KHUD AAWARD DUSHMAN SHIKAN

And so without a scratch on my body or twist of my hair, He Himself brought
me out (of the siege at Chamkaur) after killing the enemy

NA DAANAM KI EEN MARD PAIMAAN SHIKAN
KE DAULAT PRAST AST EEMAAN SHIKAN

Aurangzeb! I did not know that you are a perjurer; that you are mere
worshipper of wealth and breaker of your faith

NA EEMAN PRASTI NA AUZAA-E DEEN
NA SAHIB SHANAASI NA MOHKAM YAKEEN

You neither have faith in your religion nor you understand its meaning. You
even do not understand the Almighty and you do not firm faith in Him .

HAR AAN KAS KI EEMAAN PRASTI KUNAD
NA PEIMAAN KHUDASH PEISH-O PASTI KUNAD

Any one who believes in his religion, he does not look here and there
(while fulfilling) his own promises

KE EEN MARD RA ZARRA EITBAAR-E NEEST
CHI KASM-E KURAN AST YAZDAAN YAKEEST

This man(Aurangzeb)can not be trusted even equivalent of a speck and who
swears by Koran and says that God is one.

CHEH KASME KURAN SAD KUNAD IKHTI-AAR
MRAA KATREH NI-YA-YAD AZ-O EIT-BAAR

(So now) if you swear hundred times on the Koran, I do not have any trust
in you even equivalent of a drop of water (The Master is responding to the
third letter of Aurangzeb that he received at Dina village inviting him to
meet Aurangzeb. The earlier two letters were received by him at Anandpur)

AGARCHEH TURA EIT-BAAR AAMAD-E
KAMAR BASTEH-E PESH-VAAZ AAMAD-E

If you had trust ( in your own promise of meeting me ), you would have
come here (to meet me)and I would have welcomed you

KE FARZ AST BAR SAR TURA EEN SUKHAN
KE KAUL-E KHUDA AST KASM AST MAN

It is incumbent on you now to keep your word (and come and meet me). At
that time you had given word in the name of God and had said, “ I swear “
(to keep your word of coming and meeting me personally)

AGAR HAZRAT-E KHUD SITAD-EH SHAWAD
B-JAAN-O DIL-E KAR VAAZEH SHAWAD

If your majesty presents yourself here, any activity (undertaken) either
by heart or by life will be clarified (whatever has happened will be
discussed)

SHUMA RA CHU FARZ AST KAR-E KUNI
B-MOOJAB NIVESHTEH SHUMAAR-E KUNI

It is your duty to fulfil the task undertaken by you and stick to whatever
you have written in your letter.

NIVISHTEH RASEED-O B-GUFTAN ZUBAAN
B-BAAYED KI EEN KAR RAAHAT RASAAN

I have received your communication and also heard your message (through
your representative who met me here in Dina). You should complete this work to bring peace and tranquillity.

HAMU MARD BAA-YED SHAWAD SUKHANVAR
NA SHIKM-E DIGAR DAR DAHAAN-E DIGAR

A man should also keep his word. (He should not say) something with his
mouth and (have) something else in his stomach.

KE KAZI MARAA GUFT BEROON NA AM
AGAR RASTI KHUD B-YARI KADAM

What your representative has said, I agree with that . If you are truthful,
you will yourself come here in the spirit of friendship (This verse shows
that Aurangzeb not only had written letter, he had also sent his agent to
meet the Master personally for discussions)

TURA GAR B-YAAYED B-KAUL-E KURAN
B-NAZD-E SHUMA RA RASAANAM HAMAAN

Should you want, I can also have the copy of Koran delivered to you, which
has the (false) written promises ( ie; Guruji will be given safe passage
out of Anandpur fort. Important agreements amongst the Moslems were usually written, on oath, on the blank pages in the copy of Koran to give them authenticity)

KE TASHREEF DAR KASBEH KANGAR KUNAD
VAZAAN PAS MULAAKAT BAAHAM SHAWAD

If your majesty visits Kangar village (where I am staying) then we both can
meet each other

NA ZARRA DAREEN RAH KHATREH TURAST
HAMEH KUAM-E BIRAD HUKM-E MARAST

(If you decide to come here) there will be no danger to your person at all
since the Birad people (of Kangar area) are all under my command.

BI-AA TA B-MAN KHUD ZUBAANI KUNAM
B-ROO-E SHUMA MEHARBAANI KUNAM

Aurangzeb! Come here and I will talk to you face to face and this way I
will show my compassion for you (by showing you the right path to follow)

YAK-E ASP SHAYESTEH-E YAK HAZAAR
BI-AA TA B-GIRI B-MAN EEN DAYAAR

(Aurangzeb! you have written to me) to bring one expensive horse whose cost should be one thousand and that in return I can take this territory (of
Anandpur. (This verse confirms that <a href="http://www.sikhism.us">Guru</a> Ji had received a letter from
Aurangzeb while at Dina where he wrote Zafarnama )
One author has translated this verse conveying a challenge from <a href="http://www.sikhism.us">Guru</a> Ji in
that he ( <a href="http://www.sikhism.us">Guru</a> Ji) has a select horse out of 1000 horses and which he will
set free and invited Aurangzeb to catch it and hence fight with him to take
the area where <a href="http://www.sikhism.us">Guru</a> Ji was residing at that time ie at Dina)

SHAHAN-SHAH RA BANDEH-E CHAAKAR-AM
AGAR HUKM AA-YED B-JAAN HAAZAR-AM

I am the menial servant of the Almighty, and only if His command comes to
me, I will present myself personally.

AGAR-CHEH BI-AA-YAD B-FURMAAN-E MAN
HAZOORAT BI-AA-YAM HAMEH JAAN-O TAN

If I get the command of the Almighty, (only then) I will come to you

AGAR TU B-YAZDAAN PRASTI KUNI
B-KAR-E MARA EEN NA SUSTI KUNI

If you worship the Almighty God, then you will not show any laxity in this
affair (ie; you will not delay in coming and meeting me)

TU BAYED KE YAZDAAN SHANAASI KUNI
NA GUFTEH KASAN KAS KHARAASHI KUNI

You should recognise the Lord Almighty and, stop harming and tormenting the people on the advise of others

TU MASNAD NASHEEN SAR-VAR-E KAA-E NAAT
KE AJAB AST INSAAF EEN HAM SIFAAT

You are occupying the throne in the name of the Lord of the universe. But
strange is your justice and strange are your attributes.

KE AJAB AST INSAAF-O DEEN PARVARI
KE HEIF AST SAD HEIF EEN SARVARI

That strange is your justice and strange are the ways of (your) religion.
And your lordship? What a pity! It is pitiable hundreds of times.

CHE AJABAST AJABAST FATWA-E SHUMA
B-JAZ RAASTI SUKHAN GUFTAN ZIYAAN

Strange are your religious proclamations (which are against the shariat).
You speak anything but the truth and that will ultimately hurt you.

MAZAN TEG BAR KHOON KAS BE-DREG
TURA NEEZ KHOON AST BA CHARKH-E TEG

You are shedding the blood of people without any reason. Remember! Your
blood will also be shed by the heavenly sword.

TU GAAFAL M-SHOO MARD YAZDAAN SHANAAS
KE O BE NIAAZ AST O BE-SAPAAS

Aurangzeb! Don’t be unaware of the Almighty for He is free from want and
does not need any flattery.

KE O BE-MOHABAA-ST SHAHANE-SHAH
ZAMEEN O ZAMAAN RA SACHAA PATSHAAH

Waheguru is the king of kings and no one can be equal to Him. He is the
emperor of the universe and true sovereign

KHUDAVAND EEZAD ZAMIN-O ZAMAAN
KUNAND AST HAR KAS MAKIN-O MAKAAN

He is the master of the earth and the sky. He is the creator of all men and
the universe.

HAM AZ PEER MOR-O HAM AZ PEEL TAN
KE AAJIZ NAWAAZ AST-O GAFIL SHIKAN

He is the creator of (all things from) ants to elephant and (from children)
to old men. He is protector of the meek and destroyer of the non-believers

KE O RA CHU ISM AST AAJIZ NAWAAZ
KI O BE-SPAAS AST-O O BE-NE-AAZ

His name means “protector of the meek“.He does not need any self-praise
from any quarter nor does He need any material things.

KE O BE-NAGOON AST O BE-CHAGOON
KE O REH-NUMAA AST-O O REH-NAMOON

He is without any shape or colour or any form. He is the guide who leads

KE BAR SAR TURA KARZ KASM-E KURAN
B-GUFTEH SHUMA KAR KHOOBI RASAAN

You have the burden of the Koran’s oath on your head. You should now fulfil
all that you have said earlier in a befitting manner

B-BAAYED TU DANISH PRASTI KUNI
B-KAR-E SHUMA CHEEREH DASTI KUNI

You should (at this time) show wisdom and handle the task taken up by you
skilfully (to visit my place for discussions)

CHIHA SHUD KI CHUN BACHGAN KUSHTEH CHAR
KI BAKI B-MAAND AST PECHIDA MAAR

What happened that you have killed four children (my sons), the coiled
snake (in the form of my Khalsa) still remains (to confront you).

CHEH MARDI KI AKHGAR KHAMOSHAN KUNI
KI ATASH DAMAN RA B-DOSHAN KUNI

What manliness you have shown by extinguishing a few sparks (sahibzadas).
You have made the conflagration brighter and more furious.

CHE KHUSH GUFT FIRDOSI-E KHUSH ZABAAN
SHITAABI BAWAD KAR AHRIMAN-AN

How nicely the sweet-tongued poet Firdosi has said that to act in haste is
the work of a devil (here the Master is referring to the hasty attack
authorised by Aurangzeb against him while at Anandpur fort and on the
representation made by the Hill Chieftains and the summary execution of the young Sahibzadas).

KE MAA BAARGAAH-E HAZRAT AAYAM SHUMA
VAZAAN ROZ BAASHI TU SHAAHED HAMAAN

When I meet you in the court of the Lord, that day you will become a
witness (and answer all the crimes committed by you)

VAGARNAA TU EEN HAM FARAMUSH KUNAD
TURA HAM FARAMUSH YAZDAAN KUNAD

Now you do not overlook this (ie to fulfil the word given by you) otherwise
the Lord Himself will overlook you also.

AGAR KAR-E EEN BAR TU BASTI KAMAR
KHUDAAVAND BASHED TURA BEHRA VAR

If you fulfill this task (and come here), God will grant you prosperity
(and overlook your misdeeds)

KE EEN KAR NEK AST DEEN PARVARI
CHU YAZDAAN SHANAASI B-JAAN BAR-TARI

This act on your part ( of meeting <a href="http://www.sikhism.us">Guru</a> Ji ) will be as per your religion
since keeping of word ( given in name of Almighty Himself) is above one’s
own life.

TURA MAN NADAANAM KE YAZDAAN SHANAAS
BAR-AAMAD Z TU KAR-HA DIL KHARAASH

I do not know if you believe in the Almighty since you have performed too
many deeds that were tyrannical

SHANAASID HAMEEHN TU BA YAZDAAN KARIM
NA-KHAWAHAD HAMEEN TU B-DAULAT AZEEM

The bountiful Almighty knows your (evil) deeds well. He does not want you
to continue having this great wealth ( Aurangzeb! Your kingdom is coming to
an end by the will of Almighty ).

AGAR SAD KURAN RA B-KHORDI KASAM
MARA EITBAAR-E NA YAK ZARRA DAM

Now if you swear a hundred times on Koran, I will not trust you for a
moment even equivalent to a single speck

HAZOORI NI-AAYAM NA EEN RAH SHAWAM
AGAR SHAH B-KHAWAHAD MAN AANJAH RAWAM

I will not come to your court. Neither I will take the way (that leads to
your court). I will go where ever the Almighty wishes me to go.
In the following six verses , <a href="http://www.sikhism.us">Guru</a> Ji has even praised Aurangzeb

KHUSH-ASH SHAH-E SHAHAAN AURANGZEB
KE CHALAAK DAST AST CHABAK RAKEB

Aurangzeb, the king of kings is having a cheerful disposition. He is a good
swordsman and an agile horseman.

KE HUSN AL-JAMAAL AST-O ROSHAN ZAMEER
KHUDAVAND-E MULK AST-O SAHIB AMEER

Aurangzeb is beauty personified. He is bright minded ie; quick thinker and
he is the lord of his kingdom;

B- TARTEEB DAANISH B-TADBEER TEG
KHUDAVAND DEG-O KHUDAVAND TEG

Aurangzeb is wise and knowledgeable and is skilful wielder of the sword. He
is the provider of all the necessities of the people and lords over the
world with his military might.

KE ROHAN ZAMEER AST-O HUSN AL-JAMAAL
KHUDAVAND BAKHSHINDEH-E MULK-O MAAL

He is handsome and possesses a brilliant mind. He is bountiful in
distributing the riches of his kingdom.

KE BAKSHASH KABIR AST DAR JANG KOH
MALAAYEK SIFT CHU SUR-RYAA SHAKOH

His magnificence is great. In war he is like a mountain. He has the
attributes of angels and his splendour matches the pleiades (“seven
sisters” in the constellation Taurus).

SHEHAN-SHAHE AURANG ZEB AALAMIN
KE DARA-E DAUR AST-O DOOR AST DEEN

Aurangzeb is the king of kings. He is the lord of the world and has all the
riches of this age. But he is far from religion.

MANAM KUSHTEH AM KOHI-AAN BUT PRAST
KE O BUT PRASTAND-O MAN BUT SHIKAST

I am also the annihilator of the hill rajas, the idol worshippers. They are
idol worshipers and I am the idol breaker.

B-BEEN GARDISH-E BE-WAFAA-E ZAMAAN
PAS-E PUSHT UFTAD RASAANAD ZIYAAN

Look at the turn of unfaithful world. When it sets itself after some one,
it inflicts injury and harm.

B-BEEN KUDRAT-E NEK YAZDAN-E PAAK
KE AZ YAK B-DEH LAK RASAANAD HALAAK

Look at the power of the pure and good Lord. His reach is such that He can
get ten lac annihilated by only one.

CHE DUSHMAN KUNAD MEHARBAAN AST DOST
KE BAKSHINDAGI KAR BAKSHINDEH OST

What can the enemy do to anyone when the Almighty Lord is kind to him ?
That He is generous and always forgiving.

RAHAAI DEH-O REHNUMAAI DEHAD
ZABAAN RA B-SIFT AASHNAAI DEHAD

He gives us guidance all the time and ultimately delivers us from this
world. And He lets us sing praises for His benevolence showered on us.

ADU RA CHU KOR O KUNAD WAKT-E KAR
YATEEMAN BEROON BURD BE-ZAKHM KHAAR

In time of need, He blinds the enemy and takes out the helpless without the
slighest injury to them even from a thorn.

HAR-AAN-KAS KAZ-O RAST-BAAZI KUNAD
RAHIM-E BAR-O REHAM SAZI KUNAD

Every person who follows the path of truthfulness, the compassionate
Almighty always showers mercy on him

KAS-E KHIDMAT AAYAD BAS-E DIL-O JAAN
KHUDAWAND BAKSHEED BAR-O AMAAN

Anyone who serves the Almighty with his heart and soul, He showers upon him all the peace and tranquillity.

CHE DUSHMAN BAR-AAN HEEL-EH SAAZI KUNAD
BAR-O KHUD KHUDA CHAAREH SAAZI KUNAD

What deception can an enemy inflict on a person who is provided protection
personally by the Almighty?

AGAR BAR YAK AAYAD DEH-O DEH HAZAAR
NIGEH BAAN ORA SHAWAD KIRDGAAR

If one lac strong enemy attacks a single (loved one) person,God protects
and does not allow any harm to visit him

TURA GAR NAZAR AST LASHKAR VA ZAR
KE MARA NIGEH AST YAZDAAN SHUKAR

You are proud at your military might and all the wealth at your disposal.
On the other hand I am looking towards the Almighty to whom I am always
grateful.

KE O RA GAROOR AST BAR MULK-O MAAL
VA MARA PANAH AST YAZDAAN AKAAL

That you are proud of the strength of your empire and the wealth, while I
am under the protection of the Supreme Being

TU GAAFAL MASH-OO ZEEN SEPANJI SARA-E
KE AALAM B-GUZRAD SAR-E JA B-JA-E

Aurangzeh! Be aware that this world is like an inn where each person comes to stay just eight days. And once his time is over, he yields his place to others.

B-BEEN GARDISH-E BE-WAFAA-E ZAMAAN
KE B-GUZASHT BAR HAR MAKEEN-O MAKAAN

Look at the unfaithfulness of the world that everyone is crossing the house
of others without any restriction ie forcibly snatching other’s possessions

TU BA JABR AJIZ KHARAASHI MAKUN
KASM RA B-TEESHEH TARAASHI MAKUN

Aurangzeb! Stop using your force to torment and maiming ( the innocents ).
Do not oppress these hapless people on (false) oaths.

CHU HAK YAR BAASHAD CHE DUSHMAN KUNAD
AGAR DUSHMANI RA B-SAD TAN KUNAD

What can the enemy do even if he sends hundreds of men when the God
Almighty is one’s friend?

KHASAM DUSHMANI GAR HAZAAR AAVURD
NA YAK MU-E O-RA AAZAAR AAVURD

If the enemy brings thousands of his men against an individual,(who has the protection of the Lord ) not even the slightest harm will visit him
 
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Gyani Jarnail Singh

Sawa lakh se EK larraoan
Mentor
Writer
SPNer
Jul 4, 2004
7,706
14,381
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KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA
This Literary Arrow of TRUTH hit Aurengzeb in his heart .."bulls eye"...and he saw the wrong actions he had taken all along. He immediately despatched a message to guru Ji to please bless him with Drashan...but his life was at its end and he passed away soon after without blessings of Guru Ji. His son Bhadur Shah cultivated Guru Ji's friendship to win the Throne of the Moghuls..

Shows the Spiritual High of Guur Gobind Singh ji inspite of having faced so many difficulties, having had to vacate his father's Free Hold Properties in Anandpur sahib, having lost all his literary works prepared over 22 years, having lost so many of his beloved Sikhs, having lost his entire family....Guur Ji wrote this Letter of VICTORY.... Charrddikala....a Lesson for us all.
Jarnail Singh
 
Jun 1, 2004
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BA LACHAARGI DARMIAN AAMDAM
BA TADBIR TEER-O KAMAAN AAMDAM

It was out of sheer helplessness that I came in the battle field (since I
was surrounded from all sides at Chamkaur). But having decided to battle
with your forces, I came with all the battle plans and munitions.

CHU KAR AZ HAMEH HEEL-TE DAR GUZASHT
HALAL AST BURDAN B-SHAMSHIR DAST

When all the stratagem employed for (solving) an affair or problem are
exhausted,(only) then taking your hand to the sword is legitimate.

Vijaydeep Singh Ji, thanks for sharing this gr8 translation of Zafarnamah, i enjoyed each word of it.

Warm Regards
 

shekhalsa

SPNer
Mar 29, 2007
2
0
fatehnama

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh

These days i m learning gatka. We are supposed to do 'fatehnama' before we actually start playing .I asked my instructor what is the purpose of fatehnama and paintra, he replied , " Its a tradition that before we start any shastar vidya, we r supposed to do fatehnama" .But acc. to me every tradition has history behind.Can anyone let me know what the purpose of doing fatehnama is? Is it an act of warming up? or from certain people i have heard that its doing namaskaar to the shastars....if this is the case,plz let me know how?

Manpreet Kaur
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
Re: fatehnama

Fateh!

You know that fateh means victory, and Fatehnama means Epistle of Victory or Letter of Victory. Here is brief and simple background piece. If you want to know more just type Fatehnama in the Google search engine. The original name by the way was Zafarnama, with the name changed in a subsequent era.

Fatehnama

From Sikh-heritage -- this little bit of a longer document

The 'Fatehnama' was read by Aurangzeb, and he deeply regretted his actions and the unjust orders and counsels which he had given to the Subas of Lahore and Sirhind and the hill Warlords, to destroy Guru Ji and Anandpur. So he immediately ordered that no one should stand in the Guru's way. Aurangzeb stating his remorse at the false information relayed to him, against Guru Ji, wrote a reply to the 'Fatehnama'. He also desired to meet Guru Ji. This letter of Aurangzeb reached Guru Ji at Kangar, and it pleased Guru Ji, who wrote another letter to Aurangzeb which is know as "Zafarnama" (Epistle of Victory). Only a few parts of this letter "Fatehnama" are available, the translation of which is given here under.
 

Shaheediyan

SPNer
Jun 10, 2006
66
3
Re: fatehnama

ZAFARNAMA & FATEHNAMA
Guru Gobind Singh Ji had spent about 33 years of his life at Anandpur Sahib. Right from his adolescent years till he left the place in 1704, the Hill Rajas were constantly harassing him. They resented his religious and social reforms and could not relish his leveling of all castes and raising of Shudras to a position of equality with the Brahmins and Kashatriyas. Their aim was to dislodge him from Anandpur Sahib. The harassment, which started with pin pricks, culminated in open hostilities beginning with the battle of Bhangani in 1689 which resulted in total rout of the Hill Rajas. In every subsequent battle, the Sikhs inflicted crushing defeat on their combined forces. Having miserably failed in their nefarious aim, Raja Ajmer Chand of Kehlur and his cohorts from the area submitted a petition to Aurangzeb representing Guru Gobind Singh as a mortal foe of Mughal empire, Islam and Hindu religion. They sought the help of Imperial forces to exterminate the dangerous common enemy.
The emperor was infuriated; he felt that the Guru was becoming a real potent danger for the Mughal rule. Consequently in 1704, a large Imperial force was sent to Punjab to subdue Guru Ji; they were supported by the Pahari Rajas in this endeavour. The Sikhs met this combined force near Ropar and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. At the end of the day's fighting, the Imperial Commanders and the Pahari Rajas had realized that it would not be possible to defeat the Sikhs in open battle. They, therefore, decided to lay siege to the city of Anandpur; this was in summer of 1704. After a long siege, which lasted for many months, Guru Gobind Singh Ji left Anandpur Sahib during the night of 20 December 1704. A solemn promise was made to him earlier under oath on Cow and Quran that he will not be molested if he did so. But the enemy did not keep their word and attacked the Sikhs who bravely checked their advance. Guru Ji reached Chamkaur by the evening of 21 December, after crossing Sirsa stream which was in spate on that day, and took defensive position in a raised mud house (Garhi) with his 40 surviving Sikhs. A battle ensued in the morning next day morning ie 22 December 1704. But in spite of heavy odds against them, the Sikhs showed exemplary courage in repulsing the attacks of the enemy forces. By the evening, most of the defenders of Chamkaur had attained martyrdom. Guru Ji managed to leave the Garhi during the night after the surviving Sikhs within the Garhi caused confusion amongst the enemy forces.
After passing through Machhiwara, Hehar in Ludhiana district, Jatpura, and Rajkot, Guru Ji reached Dina village ,where he was welcomed by many Sikhs. Here, in March 1705, he wrote the famous " Zafarnama" or "Letter of Victory" to Aurangzeb and sent it to him through Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Dharam Singh. The emperor was camping in South India at that time. Even though Guru Ji had lost every thing (his four sons, his mother, his fighters), he felt that in spite of his apparent reverses he had won a moral victory over the crafty Mughal who had broken all his vows. The whole letter reads like a rebuke addressed by a superior personality to the one on a lower place, rebuking him for his weaknesses and excesses. The tone of the letter is in keeping with its title.
The Zafarnama has been written in exquisite Persian verse, composed of 111 verses. At mentioned above he wrote this letter during his stay at Dina which is about two miles from Kangar; he has referred to the latter place in verse 58. Guru Ji has devoted 34 verses of Zafarnama in praise of God, 20 verses describe the battle of Chamkaur, 15 verses convey rebuke to Aurangzeb for breaking oath by him and by his agents, 36 refer to his shortcomings as a just ruler and his invitations to Guru Ji for discussions. He had also warned Aurangzeb about the resolve of the Khalsa not to rest till his evil empire is brought to an end (verses 78 and 79). Guru Ji has also written six verses (89 to 94) in praise of Aurangzeb, which shows that he was not against the individual or his religion but against his policy of oppression. Guru Ji was not in favour of war, which was forced on him (verse 21). In fact all battles in which he was engaged, were fought in self-defence; he never attacked anyone for territorial or military gains. After defeating the Pahari Rajas in the battle of Bhangani, he did not confiscate their land and property (Is there any parallel example in the history of world where a victor has treated the vanquished in such a manner?) He has even laid down that war should be the last resort when all other means to solve a problem are exhausted (verse 22). Lastly Guru Ji has referred to the other enemy viz the Pahari Rajas, whom he was trying to emancipate from the Mughal yoke but instead was forced to take up the sword against them (verse 95). If these Hill Rajas had not played into the hands of the Mughals and joined forces with the Guru Ji and accepted him as their guide and liberator, the Mughal power would have been broken effectively sooner. There would have been no tyrants like Mir Mannus, and Furrukhsiyars later and further conversion campaigns would have ended. In fact there would been altogether a different India today (Life of Guru Gobind Singh by Prof Kartar Singh).
How did the Zafarnama, in its present form, reach us? Original letter written in the hand of Guru Ji in not available. However it is said that a copy of Zafarnama, written in the hand of Guru Ji, was found with the Mahant of Patna Sahib in 1890 and one Babu Jagan Nath made a copy; this copy was somehow misplaced by him. Since Babu Jagan Nath was himself a scholar in Persian language, he could reproduce it from his memory and got it printed in Nagri Parcharni Patrika in Benaras. He is also believed to have sent a copy to Sardar Umrao Singh Shergill in Amritsar who is said to have given it to Khalsa college and which in turn reproduced in Makhz-e Twarikh Sikhan. In Punjab newspapers, it first appeared in the Khalsa Samachar of 16 July 1942. Then in 1944, Sardar Kapur Singh ICS published it in Urdu Ajit of Lahore under the heading "Fatehnama". It is quite possible that in the process of translations and publications of Zafarnama at different stages, some verses were not reproduced correctly and what we have today is not the original Zafarnama of Guru Ji in its entirety. The abrupt end of Zafarnama also indicates that it is not complete and that some verses have been left out. Objections raised by some scholars on the authenticity of a few verses may be viewed in this context.
Was the Zafarnama as we know today ever sent to Aurangzeb? Scholars have different views on this. While most agree that Zafarnama in the present form in verse was indeed sent, others have strong reservations. Dr Mohan Singh MA Ph D writing in the "Spokesman" of November 1956 has gone to the extent to state, "the belief that Zafarnama was ever sent to Aurangzeb through Bhai Daya Singh is a figment of imagination". Some believe that a diplomatic communication, in prose, was indeed sent by Guru Ji (not the Zafarnama as we know), which gave the details of excesses committed by the Nawab of Sirhind in collusion with and on the instigation of Pahari Rajas. The Zafarnama in the present form is the versified form of this diplomatic communication by Bhai Nand Lal who was a great scholar of Persian language (Life of Guru Gobind Singh Ji by Dalip Sing). This argument suffers from the infirmity that Bhai Nand Lal, along with other poets, had left Anandpur before the siege of the city began in 1704 (Kalam Bhai Nand Lal by Piara Singh Padam). After that he met Guru Ji in 1707 seeking his help for Prince Bahadur Shah against his brother Azam in the war of succession for the Mughal throne after the death of Aurangzeb (Life of Guru Gobind Singh by Prof Kartar Singh). All the historical incidents mentioned in the Zafarnama cover a period of a few months ie from end of December 1704 to the beginning of 1705 when Bhai Nand Lal was nowhere near Guru Ji.
A number of studies have been done on the compositions of Guru Gobind Singh Ji like Jap, Akal Ustat, Bachitar Natak, Zafarnama etc; these all together are known as Dasam Granth. Gurmat Granth Parcharak Sabha Amritsar in its report of 1897 clearly stated that all these compositions of Dasam Granth including Zafarnama are in fact written by Guru Ji; many other Sikh scholars have confirmed this. Many students from 1955 onwards have received doctorates on their research work on Dasam Granth; barring one or two all have confirmed that Dasam Granth, including Zafarnama has indeed been composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Dasam Granth Sahib by Dr Ratan Singh Jaggi and Dr Gursharn Kaur Jaggi, published by Gobind Sadan, New Delhi). This should remove all doubts of the sceptics regarding the authorship of Zafarnama. Having established that it is indeed composed by Guru Ji, the next question is : was it sent to Auranagzeb through Bhai Daya Singh? It may be quite difficult to convince the likes of Dr Mohan Singh since there is no reference to it in the Emperor's court records. One can only conjecture that if it was indeed written by Guru Ji, it must have been sent. Guru Ji had castigated the emperor for the cold blooded murder of the young Sahibzadas at Sirhid; the Quazi there had quoted Kuran in support their execution. Since this act was in fact against the holy Kuran , it was more prudent for the emperor to have it just ignored by his paid court historians.
There are a number of translations available which have clubbed Zafarnama with 11 Hikayats. Zafarnama has been given the title " Hikayat No 1" in these translations. Hikayat is a Persian word which means "a story" or "a work of fiction". Referring to Zafarnama, which indicts Aurangzeb's oppressive rule in strongest language as "a story" or "fiction" does not only lower the high moral standing of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, but also trivializes a great historical and literary work. The eleven Hikayats deal with the low level of morality of some women. Guru Ji had written these Hikayats or stories for the benefit of Sikhs so they could draw appropriate lessons for developing a strong moral character. These Hikayats in Persian language are like the stories of Charitropakhian (both are included in Dasam Granth) which are also stories of women with low moral values and which were written by Guru Ji for the same purpose . Such stories must have had a profound supplementary effect on the moral character of Sikhs. Quazi Nuruddin who accompanied Ahmed Shah Abdali to India writes in his historical account " Jangnama" that "these dogs (Sikhs) will not cast an evil eye on the women of their enemy nor will attack a fallen opponent. These dogs (Sikhs) had high moral character". (Zafarnama by Gurdial Singh Bhola Advocate and printed by Allahabad Press Delhi).
Scholars who have clubbed the Zafarnama with the eleven Hikayats have allowed their imagination to run wild. They hold the view that Guru Ji sent the entire composition including the Hikayats to Aurangzeb through Bhai Daya Singh. According to them, the Emperor was supposed to draw appropriate lesson from the stories of these women of ill repute! At the end of each Hikayat, such appropriate lesson has in fact been summarised for the benefit of the reader! The question arises: was it physically possible for the emperor to go through (or be read) these additional 767 verses of the Hikayats and comprehend their meaning when he was bed ridden. It appears that these scholars have erred in clubbing these Hikayats with Zafarnam since these were also composed in Persian language. It was a matter of convenience for them to put all works of Guru Ji in Persian language together and give them all a common title "Hikayats" including the Zafarnama.
There is another work of Guru Ji in Persian language known as "Fatehnama" also meaning a "letter of victory". There are 24 verses of this letter. Here again there is difference of opinion amongst scholars. Some opine that this letter was sent before the Zafarnama while according to some, this is in fact a part of Zafanama itself. The latter have started the Zafarnama with the 24 verses of Fatehnama; first verse of traditional Zafarnama becoming verse 25 in such compositions (Zafarnama by Nanak Chand Naaz). I have followed the traditional view and have not clubbed the two; Fatehnama appears separately on this web site.
There is an another controversy about the year in which Guru Ji had left Anandgarh fort. According to some scholars this happened in December 1704 while others feel that Guru Ji left the fort in November 1705. As per SGPC website, the battle of Chamkaur was fought on 22 December 1704 and the young Sahibzadas were martyred four days later ie on 26 December 1704. The Sikh scholars, historians and intelligentsia owe it to the Sikh masses to get together and remove this minor controversy about these dates.
The layout of the translation is as follows: each verse of Zafarnama and Fatehnama appears in Gurumkhi, Persian and Roman scripts, followed by the meaning of each word in English and finally the meaning of the entire verse in English (in bold letters). Wherever required I have given a small commentary after some verses either to explain the meaning of the verse in detail or to compare the translation with others; this appears in English language, in italics.
Persian, the medium used by Guru Ji in composing Zafarnama and Fatehnama, is a beautiful language. It is quite easy to understand since it generally follows a set pattern in changes in its verbs, nouns etc. For ease of understanding of the language, I have attached a " Note on Persian Language" which, I trust, the reader will find quite useful.
This website ie Zafarnama was first hoisted on 20 December 2001. This site has now been updated on 24 December 2005.
I shall welcome suggestions for improvement of the translation at info@zafarnama.com


New Delhi
Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh (Retd)​

Source for this article: Zafarnama
 
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