The third terrible night passed off. The old lady's mind which had been clouded with doubts about the wisdom of the Divine will was now clear like the sky afterrain. A lurking doubt still hovered over her mind as to where the holy Guru would be
and what would have happened to his family. Her mind was devoted to the holy Name, but the cunlosity as to what would happen next again and again assailed her thoughts.
Faith would counsel her thus. “The Lord himself knows His mysterious ways. Those who enter into conflict, like the holy Guru, with earthly kings are indifferent to the misery of defeat. They are there to fulfil some Divine purpose, the mystery of which is known to them alone. The holy men are beyond birth and death and to them suffering and joy are alike. such ideas born out of faith remove any whiff of clouds of doubt. But now a few days after the last incident the clouds of doubt again began to appear. Some one brought the information that after leaving Anandpur the Guru came to Chamkaur where a terrible battle took place. The guru himself left the place safely at night, but the elder Sahibzadas had been martyred and devoted Sikhs like Bhai Sant Singh and Bhai Sangat Singh, | forty in number, found liberation from the shackles of birth and death while carrying out the Guru’s command.
This piece of news fell upon her with a sudden shock and left her dazed. While she was apprehensive as to what would: happen she had little imagined that the Sahibzadas would meet their martyrdom and half of her daughter's family would be no more. The news was for her like the fall of a heavy glacier. Her love for her family gave her a sudden jolt. She had little realized that family attachments would give ajolttofaith which will be like the shaking of a ship in the storm. She felt as if the “earth was slipping from under her feet and her whole world had become lifeless and she turned to stone. Tears welled up in her eyes, but stayed as though frozen. She was struck silent and motionless. The terrible news spread in the neighbourhood and friends of the family came visiting. The old lady was turned to stone. Some thoughtful people around were deeply worried. _ They proposed that a congregation be held in the courtyard of her house and hymns full of dispassion towards the world he sung. After an hour or so a tear fell from the lady’s eyes and heaving a deep sigh she uttered, “Beloved children, better far would it be for me to accompany you in death.” Tears continued to flow from her eyes.
The members of the congregation were themselves in deep sorrow. Finding her alone in suffering, some elderly lady gave her a wash and put her to bed. Sleep immediately came. Finding her asleep those assembled slowly left. The maidservant also closed the door and took rest. Soon after the ‘bellrang. This sound gave her a shock and a wrench. She said to herself, “Hours and days passed but my beloved children cut to pieces are waiting for the fire to consume their bodies. Why has this happened? All this is the wonder-play of the Lord. The only recourse for man is to bow in submission to Lord’s will. The Guru who alleviates the sufferings of others and yet sends his own sons in the battlefield to die, enshrines a divine mystery beyond the human mind’s understanding. Why did He not spare me like my daughter from witnessing this terrible happening?”
With this thought a flood of tears welled up in her eyes. On the onesidethesalt tears welled up in her eyes and on the other her mind was getting concentrated on God. thus this struggle continued. Sorrow and suffering enveloped her heart in a _ strange loneliness. The terrible December night appeared to ~ be unending. This terrible night would terminate only if the mind were in joy and devotion. After a short while as she woke up from her stupor she wailed and cried, “I am helpless, my household is ruined. Lord, have pity on me.” Then the thought came, “Who am to sit in judgement over the doings of God. When the Guru himself sent the young ones into the battle, who am Ito doubt the correctness of his action. What use is crying? Even a brief moment passed without the Name, is wasted.” She herself then fell to devotion. With a mighty effort she herself returned to the path of devotion. She felt peace coming over her; then sleep came. Suddenly she was shaken out of sleep and thinking of her situation began to sigh. Butthen devotion re-asserted itself. She strengthened herself. In the meantime the early morning bell rang. She entered the state of poise and her mind was singing and a strange Joy came over her. While absorbed thus, there was a knock at the door. As the door was opened, a figure appeared and announced, ‘Felicitate
me and Jfelcitate thee. thy humble daughter's off springs have entered the realm eternal, and my mother’s labourshave borne fruit.” Those noble words left the lady as though suffused in joy. The lady, from the voice, recognised that this vision was of the mother of Bhai Sant Singh who had heroically sacrificed his life for the Guru. He hadentreatedthe Guru at Chamkaurtoleave andnotfallinto the hands of the foes. BhaiSantSingh disguised himself as the Guru and met his martyrdom. His mother found a strange felicity in her son’s martyrdom. She was truly in the state where the mind bears the unbearable.
The old lady finding a mother bearing her grief so bravely got courage herself. Soon after the congregation she started chanting ‘Asa-di-Var’. The old lady’s consciousness entered the state of poise. Thus was passed her fourth night of sorrow.