1 Hurao assists
2 Dura.
3 Aarungzsebe
4 'resolves to pu¬
5 nish lntn.
6 Sends his son
7 flnm Rao to
8 Pt/lhi.
9 Is retained at
10 court.
11 ■ ■' aA I- 1 "■ V : : 'T • ;'V: jio
12 62 HISTORY' OR THE 'SIKH'S.
13 At this time the Emperor Aurungzebe was at war
14 with his brother Dara. The latter came to Lahore,
15 where be raised an army, and Hurao joined him
16 with his troops ; but on the defeat of the prhlce,
17 and .his flight to Mooltan, his allies the Sikhs re¬
18 turned to their homes, and Hurao went to Hberut-
19 poor. When Aurangzebe slew Dara and impri¬
20 soned his- father, he ascended the throne of the
21 Moguls, and reigned happily. Recollecting''the
22 aid which Hurao had given, to Dara, he resolved to
23 punish him, and despatched the following message
24 to the Gooroo. “If you have the power of raising
25 yourself and becoming king, it is necessary that
26 you answer my challenge.” Hurao, after medi¬
27 tating on these words,'was convinced that he could
28 not meet the emperor with any chance of success,
29 and resolved to send his son back with the mes¬
30 senger to Delhi. To Ram Rao, his eldest son, he
31 entrusted the following humble epistle in reply to
32 the royal challenge: “ I am a fukeer, and have no
33 other employment save that of praying for your
34 majesty. I send ray son as the bearer of this, as 1
35 I cannot go myself, being at present engaged with
36 business of importance. I hope your majesty will
37 forgive me, and treat my son kindly.”
38 When Ram Rao reached the imperial city,
39 and appeared before the emperor as the beat'er of
40 his father’s letter, Aurungzebe appeared pleased
41 with its contents; and also with the ready an¬
42 swers given to all his questions by Ram Rao.