When Guru Hargobind Sahib found out an army from Lahore was descending upon Amritsar, they summoned their generals and discussed the plan: ਨਿਜ ਸੈਨਾਪਤਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਹੇਰੇ । ਸਾਦਰ ਕਰੇ ਬਿਠਾਵਨਿ ਨੇਰੇ । "ਸਭਿ ਸੋਂ ਕਹ੍ਯੋ 'ਕਰੈ ਮਤ ਕੌਨ । ਲਰਨਿ ਭਲੋ ਨਹਿਂ ਅੰਤਰ ਭੌਨ ।੪੧। Satiguru Hargobind looked at his generals, who were respectfully seated close, and then said, "What should our strategy be? It is not appropriate to fight within the Amritsar complex. ਪੁਰਿ ਕੋ ਤ੍ਯਾਗ ਚਲਹਿਂ ਅਬਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ । ਥਿਰਹਿਂ ਹੇਰਿ ਮੈਦਾਨ ਸੁ ਠਾਹਰਿ । "ਰਾਤਿ ਅੰਧੇਰੀ ਸੂਝਤਿ ਨਾਂਹੀ । ਆਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਵੇਸ਼ਹਿਂ ਰਿਪੁ ਘਰਿ ਮਾਂਹੀ ।੪੨। We should now leave the city, to go outside and look for a place to fight, it's night and with the darkness perception is difficult, we do not want them to *come within the city* and into the houses. ਅਪਨੋ ਪਰ ਕਾ ਲਖ੍ਯੋ ਨ ਜਾਈ । ਆਪਸ ਬਿਖੈ ਘਾਵ ਤਨ ਘਾਈ । ਦੂਰਿ ਦੂਰਿ ਜੋਧਾ ਘਿਰਿ ਜਾਇਂ । ਤਬਿ ਲਰਿਬੋ ਕੋ ਹ੍ਵੈ ਨ ਉਪਾਇ ।੪੩। *With the darkness outside the city* they will not be able to see if they are fighting themselves, amongst themselves they will inflict great pain. But if go too far and get separated we will be surrounded, then there will be no way that we can fight. ਪੁਰਿ ਮਹਿਂ ਲਰਨਿ ਦੋਸ਼ ਸਮੁਦਾਈ । ਹਮਰੋ ਮਤ ਹ੍ਵੈ ਵਹਿਰਿ ਲਰਾਈ । ਚਢੇ ਹਯਨਿ ਪਰਿ ਰਿਪੁ ਗਨ ਮਾਰੈਂ । ਕਰਹਿ ਜੰਗ ਅਰੁ ਰਹੈਂ ਕਿਨਾਰੈ ।੪੪। It is a great sin to fight within the city of Amritsar, it is my strategy to fight outside. Mounting our horses we will kill the enemy and we will continue to fight outside *of Amritsar*. Gurpratap [[Suraj]] Prakash, Raas 6, Chapter 6. Author: the Great Poet Santokh Singh ![[akal takht.png]]