Bidhi Chand Duel with Sultan Beg
During Guru Hargobind's first battle of Lohgarh, Bidhi Chand gets into a duel with Sultan Beg a Mughal commander. ਬਰਛਾ ਉਭਾਰਿ ਤਬਿ ਆਇ ਧਾਇ । ਤਕਿ ਬਿਧੀ ਚੰਦ ਕੈ ਲਾਇ ਘਾਇ ।੪੧। Sultan Beg advanced, raising his spear, aiming at Bidhi Chand he thrusted to kill. ਕਰਿ ਚਪਲ ਤੁਰੰਗ ਆਗੇ ਚਲਾਇ । ਲਗਿ ਭੁਜਾ ਬੀਚ ਭਾ ਤਨਕ ਘਾਇ । ਗੁਰੁ ਹਾਥ ਦੇਯ ਰਾਖ੍ਯੋ ਬਚਾਇ । ਜਬਿ ਚਲ੍ਯੋ ਮੁਗਲ ਹਟਿ ਪਾਛਿ ਧਾਇ ।੪੨। Bidhi Chand quickly maneuvered his horse forward [to avoid full force of the strike], but the spear still pierced his arm, causing only a minor wound. The Guru, having his hand on Bidhi Chand, blessed and saved him. After thrusting his spear the Mughal, Sultan Beg, backed off. ਕਹਿ ਬਿਧੀ ਚੰਦ ਕ੍ਯੋਂ ਜਾਤਿ ਕੂਰ । ਇਮਿ ਜੰਗ ਰੀਤਿ ਨਹਿਂ ਕਰਤਿ ਸੂਰ । ਲਲਕਾਰਿ ਖੜਗ ਖੈਂਚ੍ਯੋ ਚਲਾਇ । ਤਬਿ ਮੁਗਲ ਢਾਲ ਆਡੀ ਅਗਾਇ ।੪੩। Bidhi Chand [seeing his retreat] yelled, "What cowardly caste are you from? This is not the way of a warrior in battle [to retreat]." Provoking Sultan Beg by saying this, he unsheathed his sword, striking at the Mughal who blocked it placing his shield forward. ਨਹਿਂ ਲਗਯੋ ਘਾਇ ਬਡੀ ਜਾਨਿ ਦਾਇ । ਤਬਿ ਬਿਧੀ ਚੰਦ ਬਹੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਪਾਇ । ਚਪਿ ਗਯੋ ਦੂਰ ਲਿਯ ਚਾਪ ਬਾਨ । ਕਰਿ ਓਜ ਐਂਚਿ ਕਰ ਲਾਗਿ ਕਾਨ ।੪੪। Sultan Beg knew well the intricacies of fighting and didn't allow the strike to hit, Bidhi Chand then became extremely enraged, he created distance between him and Sultan Beg while he drew his bow and arrow, with full force he drew the arrow back towards his ear. ਬਿਨੁ ਕਵਚ ਖੋਦ ਤੇ ਗ੍ਰੀਵ ਹੇਰਿ । ਤਹਿਂ ਤਾਕਿ ਤੀਰ ਹ੍ਵੈ ਕੈ ਦਲੇਰਿ । ਛੁਟਿ ਚਲ੍ਯੋ ਧਨੁਕ ਤੇ ਮਨਹੁਂ ਨਾਗਿ । ਬਡਿ ਬੇਗ ਸੰਗ ਤਿਹਿ ਕੰਠ ਲਾਗਿ ।੪੫। In seeing a vulnerable spot, where his helmet and chainmail wasn't present, around the neck of Sultan Beg, he aimed at this spot and fearlessly shot his arrow. The arrow shot off from the bow like a flying snake, with great velocity it struck Sultan Beg's neck. ਸੁਲਤਾਨ ਬੇਗ ਲਾਗੇ ਖਤੰਗ । ਗਿਰ ਪਰ੍ਯੋ ਭੂਮ ਤਜਿ ਕੈ ਤੁਰੰਗ । ਦੁਇ ਦਿਸ਼ਨਿ ਪਿਖਤਿ ਭਟ ਬ੍ਰਿੰਦ ਤਾਂਹਿ । ਤਜਿ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਗਯੋ ਤਬਿ ਭਿਸਤ ਮਾਂਹਿ ।੪੬। Being struck by the arrow Sultan Beg was wounded and fell off his horse on the ground. Warriors from both armies saw the dual. Sultan Beg then died and proceeded to heaven.
Gurpratap Suraj Prakash Granth (1843), Raas 6 Chapter 16 Author: the Great Poet Santokh Singh