In episode [4 of the Suraj Podcast](https://soundcloud.com/surajpodcast/spx-szn-2-episode-4-guru-gobind-singh-composing-his-bani), which relates to Chapter 4 of Season (rut) 2 of Guru Gobind Singh's stories within the [[Suraj]] Prakash, we hear how the Guru is composing his Krishnavatar along with his journey to [Kapal Mochan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapal_Mochan). The Guru himself records this story within his Charitropakhyan composition which has been translated below, this is the 71st Charitar (story of deceit): ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥ ਨਗਰ ਪਾਵਟਾ ਬਹੁ ਬਸੈ ਸਾਰਮੌਰ ਕੇ ਦੇਸ ॥ ਜਮੁਨਾ ਨਦੀ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਬਹੈ ਜਨੁਕ ਪੁਰੀ ਅਲਿਕੇਸ ॥੧॥ In the region of Sirmaur (Nahan), there was a bustling city Paonta. The Yamuna river flowed nearby, it looked so beautiful, as if it was the city of [Alaka](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaka) (a mythological city in the Himalayas, known as the residence of Kubera, the god of wealth). ਨਦੀ ਜਮੁਨ ਕੇ ਤੀਰ ਮੈ ਤੀਰਥ ਮੁਚਨ ਕਪਾਲ ॥ ਨਗਰ ਪਾਵਟਾ ਛੋਰਿ ਹਮ ਆਏ ਤਹਾ ਉਤਾਲ ॥੨॥ Near by the Yamuna river there was a pilgrimage city named Kapal Mochan. We left the city of Paonta and quickly arrived there. **Note: Here the frame narrative (the minister narrating stories to the king) of the Charitropakhyan breaks, with the author, Guru Gobind Singh, describing the story in the first person tense (ham ਹਮ). ਚੌਪਈ ॥ ਖਿਲਤ ਅਖੇਟਕ ਸੂਕਰ ਮਾਰੇ ॥ ਬਹੁਤੇ ਮ੍ਰਿਗ ਔਰੈ ਹਨਿ ਡਾਰੇ ॥ ਪੁਨਿ ਤਿਹ ਠਾ ਕੌ ਹਮ ਮਗੁ ਲੀਨੌ ॥ ਵਾ ਤੀਰਥ ਕੇ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੀਨੌ ॥੩॥ Along the way we delighted in hunting, killing wild boars and striking down many deer. Then we got on the path to obtain the sight of the pilgrimage site Kapal Mochan. ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥ ਤਹਾ ਹਮਾਰੇ ਸਿਖ੍ਯ ਸਭ ਅਮਿਤ ਪਹੂੰਚੇ ਆਇ ॥ ਤਿਨੈ ਦੈਨ ਕੋ ਚਾਹਿਯੈ ਜੋਰਿ ਭਲੋ ਸਿਰਪਾਇ ॥੪॥ There countless Sikhs of ours had arrived. It became necessary to bestow upon them many sirpoas [robes of honor] ਨਗਰ ਪਾਵਟੇ ਬੂਰਿਯੈ ਪਠਏ ਲੋਕ ਬੁਲਾਇ ॥ ਏਕ ਪਾਗ ਪਾਈ ਨਹੀ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਪਹੁਚੇ ਆਇ ॥੫॥ We called and sent people to Paonta and Buria, But they unsuccessfully came back without even one turban. ਚੌਪਈ ॥ ਮੋਲਹਿ ਏਕ ਪਾਗ ਨਹਿ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਤਬ ਮਸਲਤਿ ਹਮ ਜਿਯਹਿ ਬਨਾਈ ॥ ਜਾਹਿ ਇਹਾ ਮੂਤਤਿ ਲਖਿ ਪਾਵੋ ॥ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਛੀਨ ਪਗਰਿਯਾ ਲ੍ਯਾਵੋ ॥੬॥ Not one turban was able to be purchased, so I came up with a plan in my mind, "If you find anyone urinating here, then remove and take their turban." ਜਬ ਪਯਾਦਨ ਐਸੇ ਸੁਨਿ ਪਾਯੋ ॥ ਤਿਹੀ ਭਾਤਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਭਨ ਕਮਾਯੋ ॥ ਜੋ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਤੀਰਥ ਤਿਹ ਆਯੋ ॥ ਪਾਗ ਬਿਨਾ ਕਰਿ ਤਾਹਿ ਪਠਾਯੋ ॥੭॥ When the infantry troops heard this they merged into the crowd and got to work. Any person who came to the pilgrimage site [and urinated at the site], he was sent back without his turban. ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥ ਰਾਤਿ ਬੀਚ ਕਰਿ ਆਠ ਸੈ ਪਗਰੀ ਲਈ ਉਤਾਰਿ ॥ ਆਨਿ ਤਿਨੈ ਹਮ ਦੀਹ ਮੈ ਧੋਵਨਿ ਦਈ ਸੁਧਾਰਿ ॥੮॥ In that night 800 turbans were snatched from them. They were brought to me and I gave them to be washed and cleaned. ਚੌਪਈ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਾਤ ਲੇਤ ਸਭ ਧੋਇ ਮਗਾਈ ॥ ਸਭ ਹੀ ਸਿਖ੍ਯਨ ਕੋ ਬੰਧਵਾਈ ॥ ਬਚੀ ਸੁ ਬੇਚਿ ਤੁਰਤ ਤਹ ਲਈ ॥ ਬਾਕੀ ਬਚੀ ਸਿਪਾਹਿਨ ਦਈ ॥੯॥ The next morning they were washed and brought back, they were bestowed upon all the Sikhs. The left over turbans were quickly sold and the rest were given to the soldiers. ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥ ਬਟਿ ਕੈ ਪਗਰੀ ਨਗਰ ਕੋ ਜਾਤ ਭਏ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਭੇਦ ਮੂਰਖਨ ਨ ਲਹਿਯੋ ਕਹਾ ਗਯੋ ਕਰਿ ਰਾਇ ॥੧੦॥ After bestowing all the turbans we went back to our city in comfort. The ignorant didn't realize the secret of what the King did before he left. ![[gurudwara-kapal-mochan.jpg]] Gurdwara Kapal Mochan marking the visits by Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh.