Battle of Bhangani - First Victory

Dadi: "Come here, Guddu beta. Tonight I'll tell you about Guru Gobind Singh's very first battle - the Battle of Bhangani."

Guddu: "First battle? How old was he, Dadi?"

Dadi: "Just twenty years old, beta. Can you imagine? He was barely older than your cousin Rahul!"

Guddu: "Wow! What happened? Why did he have to fight?"

Dadi: "Well, it started with jealousy. There was a Raja named Bhim Chand who ruled the nearby hills. He became very jealous of Guru Ji. You see, devotees would come from far away places bringing beautiful gifts - a golden canopy, a magnificent war elephant named Prasadi, and special drums. Raja Bhim Chand wanted all these treasures for himself."

Guddu: "Did Guru Ji give them to him?"

Dadi: "No, beta. And this is an important lesson. These were gifts given with love by the sangat. Guru Ji said they weren't his personal property to give away - they belonged to the community. This made the Raja very angry."

Guddu: "That's not fair! The Raja was being greedy!"

Dadi: "Exactly. And it got worse. When another Raja had a wedding, Guru Ji sent gifts worth lakhs of rupees for the bride. But Bhim Chand was so jealous that he threatened to cancel the wedding if they accepted Guru Ji's gift! The bride's father got scared and refused the gift. Then Bhim Chand's soldiers attacked Guru Ji's men on their way home."

Guddu: "That's so mean! What did Guru Ji do?"

Dadi: "Guru Ji prepared for battle. But here's where things got difficult. Bhim Chand gathered many other hill Rajas and assembled an army of thirty thousand soldiers."

Guddu: "Thirty thousand! How many did Guru Ji have?"

Dadi: "Only about four thousand. And worse - some of those soldiers betrayed Guru Ji before the battle even started. They were bought by the enemy with promises of gold."

Guddu: "That's terrible! Did anyone stay loyal?"

Dadi: "Yes! And this is my favorite part of the story. There was a Muslim saint named Pir Buddhu Shah. When he heard that his own followers had betrayed the Guru, he was so ashamed. He immediately sent his brother with seven hundred of his best soldiers. And then Pir Buddhu Shah himself came to fight alongside Guru Ji."

Guddu: "A Muslim saint helped a Sikh Guru?"

Dadi: "Yes, beta! This shows that true friendship knows no religion. Pir Buddhu Shah and his followers fought so bravely. Two of his sons died in that battle. Many of his followers gave their lives. Guru Ji never forgot this sacrifice."

Guddu: "What happened in the battle?"

Dadi: "The armies met at a place called Bhangani. The battle was fierce - some say it lasted nine hours! Raja Hari Chand shot arrows at Guru Ji - one killed his horse, one nearly hit his ear, one struck his belt. But Guru Ji was protected by Waheguru. Then Guru Ji fought back with such power - his arrows flew like lightning. Raja Hari Chand was killed. Seeing this, the enemy army lost their courage and fled before sunset."

Guddu: "Guru Ji won! With only four thousand soldiers against thirty thousand!"

Dadi: "Yes! But here's what makes this story special, Guddu. After winning, Guru Ji didn't take any of the defeated Rajas' lands. He wasn't fighting for power or territory. He only fought to defend himself and his community."

Guddu: "Really? Most kings would have taken everything!"

Dadi: "That's right. And you know what else? Later, Raja Bhim Chand himself came to apologize to Guru Ji, and they made peace. Guru Ji forgave him."

Guddu: "Dadi, why did Pir Buddhu Shah help even though it wasn't his fight?"

Dadi: "That's the deepest lesson here, beta. He believed in standing up for what's right. When he saw injustice - many powerful kings attacking one young Guru - he couldn't just watch. His faith wasn't just about prayers; it was about action. True spirituality means defending the weak against the powerful."

Guddu: "Like standing up for a friend being bullied at school?"

Dadi: "Exactly like that, beta! Whether it's standing with a friend, speaking up against unfairness, or being brave when everyone else runs away - that's real courage. Bhangani teaches us that victory doesn't require the biggest army. It requires a pure heart, loyal friends, and the courage to stand for what's right. Now come, it's time for sleep."