English: Bhai Mani Singh's letter addressed to Mata Sundari (widowed wife of the tenth Sikh guru) in April 1716 concerning the condition of the Sikhs and his mission of collecting Guru Gobind Singh's compositions.

Translation of the letter is as follows (taken from source):

"May the Almighty help us.

Mani Singh makes his humble prostration at the holy feet of his venerable mother. Further news is that the climate of this place has aggravated my rheumatism and my health deteriorates fast. I will have to listen to the healing parable of the tertian fever. But my illness has caused no slackness in the performance of the holy service of the Harmandir (Golden Temple). The Khalsa no more holds sway over the country and its power has waned. The Sikhs have migrated to the mountain retreats. The *Malechhas* (Indic term for foreign barbarians) reign supreme in the country. There is no security for the (Sikh) children and women in any habitation. They are hunted out and killed. The opposing states have also joined hands with them. The Hindalis (a heretical Sikh sect) spy on the Sikhs. All (the Sikhs) have deserted the Chak (The earliest name of Amritsar). The Mutsaddis (priests) have also fled. So far the Immortal Lord protects me. Tomorrow is uncertain. What is ordained by the Lord shall prevail. The adopted son of Binod Singh has passed away. Among the books I sent per Jhanda Singh, there is one entitled "303 Chritra Upakhyans" by the Lord (Guru Gobind Singh). Give that to Sihan Singh in the Mahal (Matia Mahal in the interior of Delhi City). So far there is no trace of the book "Nam Mala". I found the first part of "Krishna Avtar" but not the second. I shall send it when available. There is a rumour in the country that Banda (Bahadur) has made his good escape from the Emperor's jail. May the Guru protect him. The Guru's family (the descendants of the Guru) at Khandur have sent five tolas of gold as a gift for your son's bride (most likely referring to Ajit Singh Palit, an adopted son of Mata Sundari, as her biological child had been martyred already). Recover seventeen rupees from Jhanda Singh ; I gave him five rupees to meet the expenses of the journey…(?) These expenses will be incurred by him. The Mutsaddis have not yet settled accounts, otherwise I would have sent a draft from the city (presumably Lahore) . If my health improves I shall come in the month of Assu (seventh month of the Nanakshahi calendar).

Baisakh 22

Signed- Mani Singh,

Guruchak, Bunga

P.S. Reply in bamboo stick. (as being confidential)"

According to Robin Rinehart in 'Debating the Dasam Granth' (2011) on page 39, the letter first appeared publicly in the late 1920's and its style of writing and handwriting was analyzed by Rattan Singh Jaggi in the 1960's who concluded that it does not match with Bhai Mani Singh's time period, casting doubts on its authenticity.