In Kiratpur, Guru Hargobind decided to stay out of the Mughal ruler's path, to avoid any further confrontation with them. He was well aware of the fact that Har Rai had been exposed to the viles and blood shed of war much before his time. He felt that Har Rai being a sensitive child would be quite affected if he saw any more sufferings.

There were times when he would be deep in thoughts, with that aggrieved and lost look in his child-like eyes that really touched Guru Hargobind. He felt deeply moved that Har Rai had not only seen death and destruction around him, but could also feel the pain of it. All this made him more determined to keep Har Rai away from any more sufferings. But it seems that their share of sufferings was not yet over.

On one unfortunate day, Bhai Gurditta passed away. He had gone hunting with his friends when one of his companions shot a cow mistaking it to be a deer. When the villagers heard of it they were wild with rage. They caught hold of the hunter and would have beaten him to death if Bhai Gurditta had not intervened. He explained to them in his calm and serene way that it was all an accident, and his friend had meant no disrespect to the sacred animal. He even offered to compensate for it, but the villagers would not hear of it. The situation had become so tensed and volatile that Bhai Gurditta, who had the ability to perform miracles, touched the cow with his cane and it came alive.

When Guru Hargobind heard of it, he was very upset. He rebuked his son for praying with god's work. Seeing his father so distressed, Bhai Gurditta felt really guilty and unhappy. He went to the shrine of a muslim saint, Buddhan Shah, and passed away. For Guru Hargobind, it came as a real shock. He had placed a lot of expectations and hopes on his saintly son, and had hoped that he would carry on his work after him. But all his hopes were shattered at the untimely demise of his son. Har Rai to felt the loss of his father very deeply. He had grown up admiring and emulating his grandfather and his father, and now suddenly his life felt incomplete. He had found as much love and support in his fatheras Guru Har Gobind had in his son. And now the death of their most beloved person in their lives, brought Guru Hargobind and Har Rai closer than ever before.

The Guru now began to see a clear reflection of Bhai Gurditta in Har Rai, and it gave him the strength to get over his son's death. Though Guru Hargobind did not consider Dhir Mal a part of his family anymore, but at Bhai Gurdittas death hour he felt that as per custom, Dhir Mal should accept the traditional turban since he was the elder son. They also asked him to get the Holy Granth which was to be read as Bhai Gurditta' Funeral service. Dhir Mal however, refused the invitation and did not send the holy book either. From then on, Dhir Mal was considered dead for the Guru. He now began to pull all his interest and concentration on Har Rai. He kept Har Rai always in his company, and includes him in all the work that he did. It was clear to everyone now that Guru Hargobind was going to make Har Rai his successor. Some even felt that he had wanted Bhai Gurditta to be the next Guru, but since he was dead, The Guru now wanted Har Rai to rake over what was due to his father.

This decision, however, did not make others in the family very happy. In fact, it was very much in keeping with the prophetic warning that Guru Amar Das had given his daughter Bibi Bhani that there would be unpleasantness and heartburning at every step in the succession of Gurus. Here too, Guru Hargobind's own wife pleaded him to consider his sons, Suraj Mal, Ani Rai and Tegh Bahadur, before his grandson Har Rai. But the Guru was adamant. Of one of his sons, Tegh Bahadur, he said that he would one day become a Guru, and his glory would spread far and wide, but for now Har Rai was the most deserving for the throne of a Guru.

Kiratpur, Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai, Bhai Gurditta, Villagers, Buddhan Shah, Guru Har Gobind, Dhir Mal, Holy Granth, Funeral, Bibi Bhani, Suraj Mal, Ani Rai, Tegh Bahadur