The neighboring Hill chiefs began to despise the Guru over his growing popularity.

[2] On the 23rd of June 1699, the Guru was on a hunting trip in the Dun when Balia Chand and Alim Chand, two hill kings, seeing him with only a small retinue, launched a surprise attack in a bid to capture the Guru.

[citation needed] The combined forces of the 2 kings far outnumbered the Sikhs.

[3] Soon, reinforcements under Bhai Uday Singh reached and the tables were turned.

The defeat of the 2 kings unnerved the hill Rajas, who met in a council and decided to send a letter to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb for help.