1 42 A Short History of the Sikhs.
2 that he compiled the Baswin pddshah kd Granth.
3 Damdama became the centre of Sikhism, and a
4 place of resort for learned men from all parts
5 of the country. Numbers of new recruits joined
6 the ranks of the Khalsa, and the position of Govind
7 Singh became stronger than it had ever been.
8 In 1707, he received a summons to appear
9 at the court of Aurangzeb. This he refused to
10 comply with, and in reply sent a letter setting
11 forth the persecutions which he and his community
12 had suffered at the hands of the imperial govern-
13 ment. The result of this letter was a second
14 summons, couched in more conciliatory terms, and
15 assuring the guru of a friendly reception. To this
16 Govind Singh deemed it expedient to send a favour-
17 able reply, and escorted by a strong bodyguard he
18 set out for Agra. But the days of Aurangzeb were
19 numbered ; and before the guru reached the im-
20 perial court, the sceptre was in the hands of his
21 successor, Bahadur Shah.
22 The new emperor received the guru with distinc-
23 tion, and having at that time more use for a power-
24 ful ally than for a dangerous foe, offered him an
25 honourable post in the imperial service. Whether
26 Govind Singh was actuated by a similar motive,
27 or whether he foresaw in the service of his enemy
28 greater opportunities for advancing the cause of
29 the Khalsa than he would be likely to get by open
30 hostility, history does not relate. But whatever
31 his reasons, he accepted the offer, and marched at
32 the head of his own troops for the Deccan on
33 the emperor's business. As to the nature of his