Hayat Khan

Hayat Khan (d. 1688), one of the disbanded officials of the Mughal army who, along with five hundred Pathan soldiers, was recruited by Guru Gobind Singh at Paonta Sahib, on the recommendation of Pir Buddhu Shah of Sadhaura. On the eve of the Battle of Bhangani, he however deserted the Guru and joined the hill chiefs against him. Hayat Khan was challenged in the battle by Mahant Kirpal Das, the head of the Udasi sadhus, the only one of the many Udasis who had been asked to fight in the battle by the 'Neelay ghoray they swaar'. The rest of the sect had ran away in the night.

Flourishing his heavy club he charged at Hayat Khan, who dealt him a heavy blow with his sword. Kirpal Das received it on his club. Then rising in his stirrups and shouting loudly, "Sat Sri Akal", he struck Haiyat Khan's head with his club so mightily that his skull was cleaved.

The scene is described by Guru Gobind Singh in the, Bachitra Natak in an eloquent simile.

He wrote:

"Mahant Kirpal, raging, lifted his club and struck the fierce Hayat Khan on his head, upon which his brains spilt forth as butter flowed from the Gopi's pitcher broken by Damodara."

Damodara (lit. Rope around the stomach) is a name by which the young Khrishna who had to be tied to keep him out of the Gopi's butter, was called.

References

1. Bachitra Natak.

2. Kuir Singh, Gurhilns Patshahi 10. Patiala, 1968

3. Senapati, Kavi, Sri Gur Sabha. Patiala, 1968

4. Sanlokh Singh, Bhai, Sn Cur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-33