Tunda Asraj: Even if the world turns against you

Have you ever been let down by someone you trusted?
Faced loss—of dignity, stability, or a rightful place—because of betrayal or sheer bad luck?
Stood powerless against forces bigger than you?

The story of Tunda Asraj is a good reminder for such times.

The Young Prince of Sarang

Asraj was the only son of King Sarang and his first queen—a wise, virtuous woman who raised him with great care. Under her guidance, Asraj grew into a strong, principled young man. He studied scripture and statecraft, learned the art of war and the responsibilities of leadership.

But when his mother passed away, life took a turn. King Sarang remarried, bringing a new queen to the palace—a woman much younger than him.

The Turning Point

The queen’s interest was not in the aging king but in the young, noble-hearted Asraj. One day, when the king was away, she tried to seduce him. Asraj firmly stepped back, reminding her that as the wife of his father, she was like a mother to him.

Humiliated and afraid of exposure, the queen flipped the story. She screamed, accused Asraj of trying to violate her, and demanded his arrest.

The king, returning to this chaos, was enraged. He didn’t pause to investigate. Blinded by his emotions, he ordered Asraj’s execution—without trial, without question.

A Minister’s Dilemma

The king’s trusted minister looked on helplessly. He couldn’t believe the allegations because he had watched Asraj grow from a boy into a man of integrity. But he couldn’t defy the king openly. He came up with a scheme. He offered to the king that he will take the prince into the forest and kill him there. The king couldn’t see a problem with that – except – that he wanted proof that the prince had been killed. The minister agreed to bring him proof. 

In the forest, the minister asked Asraj to speak. But the young prince remained silent. Perhaps out of pain. Perhaps to protect the dignity of the queen. Perhaps because truth, when twisted, can’t be defended in the moment.

The minister had to carry out the king’s command. But something in him resisted. His conscience stirred—this was not justice. This was a betrayal of an innocent boy. He couldn’t bring himself to take Asraj’s life. Instead, with a heavy heart, he raised his sword and severed the boy’s arm—just enough to serve as “proof.”

From Prince to Washerman’s Helper

Bleeding and broken, Asraj fell into a dry well. A group of traders passing through heard his groans. They pulled him out, bandaged his wound, and handed him over to a washerman in a neighboring kingdom who needed help.

With only one arm, the prince-turned-helper began a new life. Every day, he carried clothes to the river, washed them, and returned with the washerman by evening.

The washerman, childless and kind-hearted, grew very fond of him. He often told his wife, “This boy isn’t ordinary—he moves like royalty.”

Fate Takes a Turn

One day, the king of this kingdom died. He left no heir. The ministers consulted among themselves and decided that the first person to open the town gates in the morning would be their new king.

Asraj had been entrusted by the washerman to tether the bullocks at night. That night, the bullocks got untied. Asraj spent the entire night wandering through the dark, trying to find them. Just as the sun began to rise, he arrived at the town gates, still searching.

The ministers, waiting at the gates, saw him approach. According to their decision, he was to be crowned king.

And so, by a strange twist of fate—or perhaps divine design—the exiled prince with one arm became king.

A Just Ruler

Asraj turned out to be a wise and just ruler. The teachings of his mother began to bear fruit, and the kingdom flourished under his care. People praised their one-armed king for his fairness and foresight.

Meanwhile, back home, King Sarang had two sons from his second marriage—Khan and Sultan. When a famine struck the region, his kingdom, like many others, was left struggling. In contrast, Asraj’s land had surplus grain, thanks to his wise and careful rule.

One day, a minister from Sarang’s court arrived to request grain. As he entered the court, his eyes fell on the king—and he froze. There was something familiar about the man on the throne, his arm hidden under a cloth.

Trembling, he stepped forward and asked, “Asraj… is that you?”

Grace in the Face of Betrayal

Asraj recognized the minister at once. The man, still haunted by the past, asked softly, “Why did you remain silent that day?” Asraj explained to him the turn of events that fateful day. And the unfolding of life thereafter.

Then he asked after his parents. The minister shared the difficult state of King Sarang’s kingdom. Asraj was deeply moved. There was no bitterness in him—only compassion. He immediately ordered cartloads of grain to be sent, free of cost. He bid the minister farewell with respect and sent his regards to his parents.

Back at Sarang’s court, the minister revealed the truth about his son’s innocence. The king was filled with a mix of guilt and relief—guilt for punishing his son wrongly, and relief at hearing he was still alive. The minister spoke highly of Asraj’s ability as a ruler and advised King Sarang to transfer his kingdom to Asraj.

When the younger sons heard of these plans, they jailed King Sarang to protect their claim to the throne.

Full Circle

King Sarang wrote a desperate letter to Asraj, seeking his help. Upon receiving the letter, Asraj led his army and defeated the younger sons. Father and son were reunited—in the very court where the young Asraj was once disgraced and banished from the kingdom. Now, he stood in glory. Whole in spirit. Maimed in body, perhaps—but untouched in his dignity.

The minstrels sang a ballad in praise of Asraj—what is now immortalized as Tunde Asraje ki Dhuni, a song of the victory of virtue over vice.

Sources

• Giani Pinderpal Singh ji on Tunde Asraj Katha: YouTube
  
• SikhiWiki: Tunda Asraja

Reflection

Have you ever been wronged, yet chose the quiet path of dignity over revenge? What helped you stay steady in that storm?