1 imsrfiy
2 One of his fql
3 lowers aacri-
4 Iked,
5 Collects tile
6 Sikhs,
7 72 HISTORY OR THE SIKHS.
8 your fire is out, cast your head here.” Govind re¬
9 plied, “ If I do so, what shall I gain ?” The Brahmin
10 said, “ Your son’s head will answer equally well.”
11 Now Govind had four sons, named Zoojar Singh,
12 Ajeet Singh, Futteh Singh, and Zorawur Singh.
13 Govind on hearing the Brahmin’s words sent a
14 messenger to his mother Goojuree, requesting that
15 she would send one of his sons, in order that he
16 might sacrifice him as an offering to the gods,
17 Goojuree replied, “ My son Govind is mad: am I
18 a fool to murder his child ? I will never consent to
19 this.” She immediately concealed herself and the
20 four boys in the fort of Mukhowal. Govind hear¬
21 ing that his mother disobeyed his orders, swore
22 that if she did not comply he would murder the
23 four children before her eyes; so that he should
24 have no descendants. Finding that Goojuree was
25 obstinate, and that there was no hope of obtaining
26 one of his sons, he addressed Ms followers with a.
27 view of inducing some one to offer himself as a
28 sacrifice. His appeal was for a long time fruitless,
29 and Govind was so exasperated that he cursed
30 them all.
31 At length his entreaties and imprecations were
32 effectual, and five and twenty men offered their
33 heads. Govind cut off one, and threw it into the
34 fire ; and after loading the Brahmin with presents
35 he dismissed him.
36 Govind then collected his followers and began to
37 preach. He sent his disciples in every direction,
38 and gave them orders to bring to him the followers