Bhai Vir Singh.pdf - Vidhia.com

Father of Modern Punjabi Literature / 39
unfortunate Khatri merchant looted of his wealth as well as of
his wife. Sundari brought him into the jungle taking the
precaution of bandaging his eyes lest he be a spy and carry
news of the whereabouts of the jatha. His sorry tale aroused
the sympathy and anger of thejatha anda decisionwas taken
to attack the Mughal officer's headquarters and rescure the
luckless woman.
The expeditionwassuccessful. The Mughalwasdefeated
andthecaptivesetatliberty. In addition, therewasmuchbooty
whichfell intolhehandsoftheJatha. Someofitwasdistributed
among the needy, Hindus and Muslims alike. Jathedar Sham
Singh spoke these words: "Our house is not partisan. We have
enmitytowards none--neitherHindu norMuslim. This is what
our Gurus taught us. All men are brothers to us. We fight only
tyranny and we must not be unjust:'}
The woman was restored to her husband. Both of them
received the baptism and joined the ranks of the Khalsa
warriors.
On anotheroccasion, Sundari, whilereturningfrom town,
fell into the hands of the Mughals and was carried off to the
officerfrom whosecaptivityshehadbeenreleased alongwith
herbrotherBalwant Singh. Her captor this time was the same
Mughal trooper whose life she had saved by picking him in a
wounded state and nursing him back to health in the jatha's
haunt in the jungle.
The jathcr sent out its star spy Bijla Singh in search of
Sundari. Disguised as a Muslim faqir and riding his lean,
underfed pony, Bijla Singh arrived at the bank of the stream.
Here he was hailed by a Muslim who told him: "Holy man, do
not go this side. Both points on the stream are occupied bythe
Sikhs and their army is crossing over. You don't go in that
direction." He pointedhimto anotherfording spotwheresome
Muslim sailors lay in hiding.
On reaching there, Bijla Singh mounted lhe boat along
with his lanky steed. On that boat was also a Mughal officer,
1. SUndari, 32nd edition, p.43.
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