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Primary sourceLetter1705

Zafarnamah

Guru Gobind Singh · 1705

A Persian verse letter sent by Guru Gobind Singh to Aurangzeb in 1705, accusing the emperor of breaking his sworn oaths.

This letter directly accuses Aurangzeb of breaking an oath and attacking the Sikhs, offering a view of him from an opponent.

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Open manuscript on reddish-brown paper with dense black Persian-style script in vertical columns. On the right page, an ornate gold and floral illuminated frame with a blue arched panel surrounds a small text box.
Zafarnama, letter from Guru Gobind Singh to Aurangzeb, 1705. Later copy attributed to Bhai Daya Singh.

About this source

What it is

The Zafarnama ('Epistle of Victory') is a Persian verse letter sent in 1705 by Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikh leader, to Emperor Aurangzeb. It was written after the Battle of Chamkaur and delivered to the emperor by two of the Guru's followers. The copy shown is a later second-hand copy, said to have been prepared by Bhai Daya Singh.

Why it matters

In the letter, Guru Gobind Singh accuses Aurangzeb and his forces of breaking an oath, sworn on the Qur'an, to let Sikh soldiers leave the fort of Anandpur safely, before attacking them. The Guru calls this a slaughter rather than a battle, and claims a moral victory over the emperor despite his own heavy losses. The Zafarnama is the central Sikh source on Aurangzeb and reveals how Mughal rule looked from the point of view of a resisting religious community, offering a sharp contrast to the official Mughal chronicles.

Look closer

  • Why does the Guru say he won a victory even though he lost most of his soldiers?
  • How might Aurangzeb's own chroniclers have described this same episode differently?
  • What does this letter tell you about trust and honour between rulers and the communities they govern?

This letter is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Aurangzeb on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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