☀️ JOIN SPN MOBILE
Forums
New posts
Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New resources
Latest activity
Videos
New media
New comments
Library
Latest reviews
Donate
Log in
Register
What's new
New posts
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
Sign up
Log in
Discussions
Hard Talk
Bachittar Natak
Dasam Granth - A Historical Perspective
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Admin" data-source="post: 115492" data-attributes="member: 1"><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Dasam Granth - A Historical Perspective</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong></strong></span><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">(Late) Principal Harbhajan Singh</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Introductory</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">It is admitted by all historians that in the lifetime</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">of Guru Gobind Singh, there existed no such</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">manuscript, now known as Dasam Granth. However, there</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">is a mention of a granth named Vidya Sagar, which is</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">supposed to have been a compilation of some writings</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">of the Guru and the poets at his court. This granth,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">if it ever existed, is said to have been lost at the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">battle of Anandpur Sahib in the year 1704 AD.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Therefore, to understand the issue of the Dasam</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Granth, one has to fall back on the writings of the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Guru's near contemporaries and, above all, on the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">irrefutable criterion of the ideology of Guru Granth</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Sahib. It is an established fact that Guru Gobind</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Singh, at the time of his demise, bestowed Guruship on</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Granth Sahib.-1 What is even more significant is that</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the Guru neither prepared any granth of his own,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">equivalent in holy status to Adi Granth, nor thought</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">it fit to include any composition of his own in the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">same.-2</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>How the title changed?</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The granth was given different names at different</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">times in the following</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">order:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> a) Bachittar Natak</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> b) Daswen Patshah ka Granth</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> c) Dasam Granth</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> d) Sri Dasam Granth</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> e) Sri Dasam Granth Sahib</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> f) Sri Dasam Guru Granth Sahib</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">These names are very misleading, and the pity is that</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">these have not been given by any responsible and</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">representative body, society, or the Panth as a whole,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">but just by individuals, small organizations or</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">publishers. According to Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi, "There</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">is no unanimity among the historians regarding the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">date of compilation of this granth, but according to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Sikh tradition the decision to compile it in one</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">volume was made conditional on the success of the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">mission of Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Mehtab Singh.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Later, it is said Baba Deep Singh and Bhai Sukha Singh</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">of Patna prepared their own Birs (volumes) by adding</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">more material to it. Uptil then, the granth was named</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">as Bachittar Natak, which later came to be named as</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the granth of the Tenth Guru."-3</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong></strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>As Bachittar Natak</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong></strong> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bachittar or Vachittar Natak, according to Mahan Kosh</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">of Bhai Kahan</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Singh, denotes one of the following:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">a) Wonderful or strange drama;</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">b) That part of Dasam Granth which pertains to the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">stories of Avtars (incarnations) and other historical</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">narratives, written in dramatic style;</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">c) Part of the granth comprising fourteen chapters,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">wherein some happenings in the life of Guru Gobind</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Singh have been incorporated.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">A careful analysis of the inner evidence of the granth</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">helps us to find out which meaning of Bachittar Natak,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">given in Mahan Kosh, is appropriate or inappropriate</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">for different parts of the granth. In the first place,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">those portions of the granth about the authorship of</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">which there are no two opinions among Sikh scholars,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">do not have any internal indication anywhere, showing</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">them as Bachittar Nanak.-4</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Secondly, fourteen chapters, wherein some happenings</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">of the life of Guru Gobind Singh have been</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">incorporated, are clearly marked as Bachittar Natak,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">both as a sub-heading and at the end of each chapter.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Thirdly, Charitro Pakhyan and Hakayats (stories in</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Persian) are so obscene that they are not worthy of</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">even being spoken of as Bachittar Natak, which has not</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">been done in the granth either.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Fourthly, the rest of the writings can be called</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bachit1ar Natak, and they have been so indicated at</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the end of most of the writings, in the sense, that</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">these are mythical and dramatic narratives.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>As Dasam Granth</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The contents of the so-called Dasam Granth may be</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">divided broadly into the following categories for the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">purpose of our study:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> Pages</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">i) Hymns, considered by all to be compositions of</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Guru Gobind Singh 50</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">ii) Bachittar Natak (14 Chapters) 36</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">iii)Both of the Chandi Charittras and Chandi Di Var 53</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">iv) Chaubis Avtars, etc. 674</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">v) Charittro Pakhyan and Hakayats in Persian 615</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">(Note: The total number of pages indicated in this</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">article are taken from the published volume of Dasam</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Granth as available in 1428 pages).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Out of 1428 pages, the Guru's hymns occupy only 50</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">pages and Charittro Pakhyan and Hakayats (which</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">neither claim to be Bachittar Natak, nor can their</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">contents entitle them to be so), cover 615 pages. The</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">composition that has been given the heading of</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bachittar Natak comprises only 14 chapters and each</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">chapter ends with the remark, "Iti Bachittar Natak</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Granthe ...." (Here ends the Bachittar Natak Granth).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">In the rest of the writings, Bachittar Natak is not</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">given as a heading of any composition, but "Iti</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bachittar JVatak Granth..." occurs at the end of most</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">of the chapters related to Avtar stories.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The picture that emerges clearly is that, whereas</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bachittar Natak Granth is referred to many times</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">within the so-called Dasam Granth, there is not a</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">single instance where Dasam Granth, as such, is</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">mentioned within its text. It is an established part</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">of Sikh tradition that the different portions of this</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">granth lay scattered at different places, and were</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">collected together to form one volume -5 some decades</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">after the demise of the Tenth Master and consequent to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the success of the mission of Bhai Sukha Singh and</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bhai Mehtab Singh. It did not end here. To the first</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">collection were added, later on, more writings, and it</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">is these collections which came to be named first as</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bachittar JVatak then as Daswen Patshah ka Granth,-6</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">still later as Dasam Granth, and recently by some</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">publisher as Sri Dasam Guru Granth Sahib.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Decision for Compilation</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">What is an even more significant part of the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">established Sikh tradition is that when the decision</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">to compile the different pothis or writings for the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">first time into one volume was made, there was a</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">serious debate at Damdama (Bathinda), as to whether</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the different parts of this granth merited at all to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">be joined together in a single volume.-7 The</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">overwhelming opinion in this debate, even then, was</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">not in favour of compiling the different pothis or</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">writings in a single volume; only the minority opinion</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">favoured different pothis to be compiled toghether.8</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Hence, there is not even a prima facie case for</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">assuming this granth to be an integrated, single</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">one-piece work, much less can it to be regarded as the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">composition of a single author. A summary reference to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the analysis of the contents of the granth by Dr Jaggi</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">would confirm this conclusion.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Here it is relevant to state that Dr Ashta has</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">attributed the collection of the granth to Bhai Mani</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Singh. This he bases primarily on a letter purported</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">to have been written by Bhai Sahib to Mata Sundri. Dr</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Jaggi, whose thesis Dasam Granth ka Kartritva, which</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">has been commended by Dr H.P. Dwivedi, has examined</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">this issue in det" il and comes to the conclusion that</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the letter is fake.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong></strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Internal Evidence</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">a) There are only four extant manuscripts of the Cii</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">anth which are recognized by scholars. All these</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">differ malc.ria]ly even as regards the subject matter,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">number of pages, the headings of the chapters, the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">number of verses in them, and their sequences and</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">arrangements, etc. There are too many variations to be</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">recounted here. 9</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">b) Pen-names of Ram, Sham, Kali and Gobind are found</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">in different compositions indicating them to be the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">poet-authors of these.'10</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">IdeoIogical Contradictions</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">a) Within the granth</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">There are glaring contradictions within the text</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">itself on ideological issues which are fundamental to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Sikhism. For example, Sikhism stands for unalloyed</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">monotheism:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"0 man, worship none but God,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> not a thing made by Him.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> Know that He Who was in the beginning,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> Unborn, Invincible, and Indestructible is God.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> What if Vishnu, coming into this world</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> killed some of the demons,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> And exercising great deceit</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> induced every one to call him God.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> Hear, O fool !</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> How can he who was drowned in the ocean</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> of the world save thee?"11</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> "One Shiv was born, one died,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> and one was born again;</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> There have also been many incarnations</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> of Ram Chander and Krishan.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> How many Brahmas and Vishnus there have been !</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> How many Veds and Puranas !</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> How many collections of Sirnritis</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> there have been and passed away !..."12</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Some fasten an idol firmly to their breasts;</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> Some say that Shiv is God; ...</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> Some say that Ram is God; some say Krishan;</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> Some in their hearts accept</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> the incarnations as God;</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> But I have forgotten all vain religions</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> and know in my heart</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">That the Creator is the only God."13</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">As against this clear-cut ideology of Guru Gobind</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Singh himself, 455 pages have been devoted in the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">granth to idolise Chaubis Avtaars and 99 pages to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">idolise the Avtaars of Brahma, Rudra, and other.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">One item that requires particular notice relates to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the worship of gods and goddesses, particularly that</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">of Durga, Bhawani, Kali, Shiva, Sitla, etc., which are</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">all supposed to be the incarnation of Parbati Devi, or</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Shiva, meaning the spouse of Shivji and not Shivji</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">himself. What has been said about the condemnation of</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the Avtaars of Vishnu and the Devi, applies equally to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the mythical incarnation of other gods and goddesses.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">In addition, we have the hymn clearly condemning the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">worship of Devi by name, "Boundless is His Form, and</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">boundless His Voice; in the shelter of His Feet</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">dwelleth Bhavani."14</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">b) With the hymns of Guru Granth Sahib</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">i) Whereas in Guru Granth Sahib the invocation is</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">invariably to God alone, here the invocations are to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bhagauti, Durga, etc.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">ii) By far the most weighty objection for not</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">considering this granth to be a unified work, is</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">ideological. For the largest portion of it cuts across</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the fundamentals of the Sikh ideology, as enshrined in</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Guru Granth Sahib.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The Gurus are categorical on this point. "May that</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">mouth burn, which says that God incarnates."15</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"0 Brother, fools worship gods and goddesses. They</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">know not that these mythical deities can give them</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">nothing. To beg anything from them is just like</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">putting stone idols in water, where they only sink.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">How can they enable anyone else to swim across the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">water?"16</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Bhagat Namdev in Guru Granth Sahib also says,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"They who worship Bhairav, shall become sprites; they</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">who worship Sitla, ride donkeys and scatter dust. For</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">myself I take the name of One God."17</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Except for 50 pages, the granth contradicts the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">ideology of Guru Granth Sahib. As 674 pages are</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">devoted to extolling Avtaars, etc. and 53 pages praise</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Chandi and Durga (Chandi Chritras and Var Durga ki).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">And, 615 pages relate to the utterly obscene Charittro</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Pakhyan.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The conclusive evidence is that whereas the 50 pages</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">in every way synchronise with the bani of Guru Granth</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Sahib, the main body of the granth relating to Devis</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">and Avtaars and Charittro Pakhyan are evidently in</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">contradiction to that ideology. Hence, when the acid</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">test is applied, except the 50 pages of the bani, the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">writings in the granth are difficult to accept as</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">creations of the Tenth Master.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong></strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">First, this is a granth which never existed as such in</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the time of the Tenth Master, nor is there any</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">verifiable injunction by the Master in this regard.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Second, it was decades after the demise of Guru Gobind</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Singh that it was joined together in one volume, just</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">because of a chance development.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Third, the very naming of the granth has been varying,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">and the first name, Bachittar Natak, supported by</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">internal evidence, hardly suggests that the graiith</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">has a religious import. These names have been changed</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">from time to time. Fourth, the different jarts of it,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">especially the 50 pages and the bulk of the granth</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">relating to Avtaars, Devis and lhe Charittro Pakhyan</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">are entirely contradictory in content. In fact, about</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the Charittro Pakhyan, the S.G.P.C. has conveyed that</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">it is not the writing of Guru Gobind Singh, but is a</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">reproduction of some mythical stories." According to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">known tradition, even originally the majority opinion</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">was against the different pothis being compiled into</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">one volume. Hence, it passes one's comprehension how</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">this granth can logically be regarded as a single</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">piece of work or the composition of a single author,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">much less of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">It is obvious that the material of the granth needs to</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">be sifted in order to separate the grain from the</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">chaff, and the only criterion for that is t.he bani of</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Guru Granth Sahib. But this sifting should not he left</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">to the judgement of an individual or an organisation,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">howsoever respected and highly placed it may be. It is</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">a matter of vital importance, and a decision on it.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">should be the responsibility of the Panth.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong></strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"><strong> NOTES</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">l. Wahi (Record) of Narbudh Bhatt; Koer Singh,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Gtirbilas Patshahi Das (1745 AD), Chapter 21; Kesar</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Singh Chhiber, Bansawlinama, (1769 AD), Chapter 10;</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Sarup Das Bhalla, Mehma Parkash (1776 AD), p. 459</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">2. Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi in his scholarly thesis Dasam</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Granth ka Kartritva, (i.e., Authorship of Dasam</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Granth) has conclusively shown that Guru Ciobind Singh</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">did not give an equal status to his own writings with</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">that of the Adi Granth. He described his composition</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">as a play.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">3. Rattan Singh Jaggi: Dasam Granth ka Kartritva, p.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">13</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">4. Jap, Akal Ustat minus 20 stanzas (211 <a 230) in</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">the praise of Devi Durga; Swavyas; Shabads, and</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Zaffarnama.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">5. Bhai Kahn Singh: Mahan Kosh, p. 6! 6</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">6. Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi: op. cit., p. 13</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">7. Bhai Kahn Singh: op. cit, p. 616</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">8. Ibid.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">9. Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi: op. cit., Chapter 4 and</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Appendix, pp. 100-101</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">10. Ibid., pp. 49-66</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">11. Macauliffe, M.A.: The Sikh Religion, Vol. V., pp.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">325-326. Shabad Hazare</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">12. Ibid., Akal Ustat, p. 272</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">13. Ibid., Swayyas, pp. 318</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">14. Ibid., Akal Ustat, p. 262</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">15. Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1136</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">16. Ibid., p. 637</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">17. Ibid., p. 874; Macauliffe, Vol. VI., p. 57</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">18. Letter No. 36672, dated 3.8.1973, from the Dharam</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Parchar Committee of the S.G.P.C., Amritsar.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px"> AOSS Jan-Mar !999</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Admin, post: 115492, member: 1"] [SIZE=4][B]Dasam Granth - A Historical Perspective [/B][/SIZE][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2](Late) Principal Harbhajan Singh [B]Introductory[/B] It is admitted by all historians that in the lifetime of Guru Gobind Singh, there existed no such manuscript, now known as Dasam Granth. However, there is a mention of a granth named Vidya Sagar, which is supposed to have been a compilation of some writings of the Guru and the poets at his court. This granth, if it ever existed, is said to have been lost at the battle of Anandpur Sahib in the year 1704 AD. Therefore, to understand the issue of the Dasam Granth, one has to fall back on the writings of the Guru's near contemporaries and, above all, on the irrefutable criterion of the ideology of Guru Granth Sahib. It is an established fact that Guru Gobind Singh, at the time of his demise, bestowed Guruship on Granth Sahib.-1 What is even more significant is that the Guru neither prepared any granth of his own, equivalent in holy status to Adi Granth, nor thought it fit to include any composition of his own in the same.-2 [B]How the title changed?[/B] The granth was given different names at different times in the following order: a) Bachittar Natak b) Daswen Patshah ka Granth c) Dasam Granth d) Sri Dasam Granth e) Sri Dasam Granth Sahib f) Sri Dasam Guru Granth Sahib These names are very misleading, and the pity is that these have not been given by any responsible and representative body, society, or the Panth as a whole, but just by individuals, small organizations or publishers. According to Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi, "There is no unanimity among the historians regarding the date of compilation of this granth, but according to Sikh tradition the decision to compile it in one volume was made conditional on the success of the mission of Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Mehtab Singh. Later, it is said Baba Deep Singh and Bhai Sukha Singh of Patna prepared their own Birs (volumes) by adding more material to it. Uptil then, the granth was named as Bachittar Natak, which later came to be named as the granth of the Tenth Guru."-3 [B] As Bachittar Natak [/B] Bachittar or Vachittar Natak, according to Mahan Kosh of Bhai Kahan Singh, denotes one of the following: a) Wonderful or strange drama; b) That part of Dasam Granth which pertains to the stories of Avtars (incarnations) and other historical narratives, written in dramatic style; c) Part of the granth comprising fourteen chapters, wherein some happenings in the life of Guru Gobind Singh have been incorporated. A careful analysis of the inner evidence of the granth helps us to find out which meaning of Bachittar Natak, given in Mahan Kosh, is appropriate or inappropriate for different parts of the granth. In the first place, those portions of the granth about the authorship of which there are no two opinions among Sikh scholars, do not have any internal indication anywhere, showing them as Bachittar Nanak.-4 Secondly, fourteen chapters, wherein some happenings of the life of Guru Gobind Singh have been incorporated, are clearly marked as Bachittar Natak, both as a sub-heading and at the end of each chapter. Thirdly, Charitro Pakhyan and Hakayats (stories in Persian) are so obscene that they are not worthy of even being spoken of as Bachittar Natak, which has not been done in the granth either. Fourthly, the rest of the writings can be called Bachit1ar Natak, and they have been so indicated at the end of most of the writings, in the sense, that these are mythical and dramatic narratives. [B]As Dasam Granth[/B] The contents of the so-called Dasam Granth may be divided broadly into the following categories for the purpose of our study: Pages i) Hymns, considered by all to be compositions of Guru Gobind Singh 50 ii) Bachittar Natak (14 Chapters) 36 iii)Both of the Chandi Charittras and Chandi Di Var 53 iv) Chaubis Avtars, etc. 674 v) Charittro Pakhyan and Hakayats in Persian 615 (Note: The total number of pages indicated in this article are taken from the published volume of Dasam Granth as available in 1428 pages). Out of 1428 pages, the Guru's hymns occupy only 50 pages and Charittro Pakhyan and Hakayats (which neither claim to be Bachittar Natak, nor can their contents entitle them to be so), cover 615 pages. The composition that has been given the heading of Bachittar Natak comprises only 14 chapters and each chapter ends with the remark, "Iti Bachittar Natak Granthe ...." (Here ends the Bachittar Natak Granth). In the rest of the writings, Bachittar Natak is not given as a heading of any composition, but "Iti Bachittar JVatak Granth..." occurs at the end of most of the chapters related to Avtar stories. The picture that emerges clearly is that, whereas Bachittar Natak Granth is referred to many times within the so-called Dasam Granth, there is not a single instance where Dasam Granth, as such, is mentioned within its text. It is an established part of Sikh tradition that the different portions of this granth lay scattered at different places, and were collected together to form one volume -5 some decades after the demise of the Tenth Master and consequent to the success of the mission of Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Mehtab Singh. It did not end here. To the first collection were added, later on, more writings, and it is these collections which came to be named first as Bachittar JVatak then as Daswen Patshah ka Granth,-6 still later as Dasam Granth, and recently by some publisher as Sri Dasam Guru Granth Sahib. [B]Decision for Compilation[/B] What is an even more significant part of the established Sikh tradition is that when the decision to compile the different pothis or writings for the first time into one volume was made, there was a serious debate at Damdama (Bathinda), as to whether the different parts of this granth merited at all to be joined together in a single volume.-7 The overwhelming opinion in this debate, even then, was not in favour of compiling the different pothis or writings in a single volume; only the minority opinion favoured different pothis to be compiled toghether.8 Hence, there is not even a prima facie case for assuming this granth to be an integrated, single one-piece work, much less can it to be regarded as the composition of a single author. A summary reference to the analysis of the contents of the granth by Dr Jaggi would confirm this conclusion. Here it is relevant to state that Dr Ashta has attributed the collection of the granth to Bhai Mani Singh. This he bases primarily on a letter purported to have been written by Bhai Sahib to Mata Sundri. Dr Jaggi, whose thesis Dasam Granth ka Kartritva, which has been commended by Dr H.P. Dwivedi, has examined this issue in det" il and comes to the conclusion that the letter is fake. [B] Internal Evidence[/B] a) There are only four extant manuscripts of the Cii anth which are recognized by scholars. All these differ malc.ria]ly even as regards the subject matter, number of pages, the headings of the chapters, the number of verses in them, and their sequences and arrangements, etc. There are too many variations to be recounted here. 9 b) Pen-names of Ram, Sham, Kali and Gobind are found in different compositions indicating them to be the poet-authors of these.'10 IdeoIogical Contradictions a) Within the granth There are glaring contradictions within the text itself on ideological issues which are fundamental to Sikhism. For example, Sikhism stands for unalloyed monotheism: "0 man, worship none but God, not a thing made by Him. Know that He Who was in the beginning, Unborn, Invincible, and Indestructible is God. What if Vishnu, coming into this world killed some of the demons, And exercising great deceit induced every one to call him God. Hear, O fool ! How can he who was drowned in the ocean of the world save thee?"11 "One Shiv was born, one died, and one was born again; There have also been many incarnations of Ram Chander and Krishan. How many Brahmas and Vishnus there have been ! How many Veds and Puranas ! How many collections of Sirnritis there have been and passed away !..."12 "Some fasten an idol firmly to their breasts; Some say that Shiv is God; ... Some say that Ram is God; some say Krishan; Some in their hearts accept the incarnations as God; But I have forgotten all vain religions and know in my heart That the Creator is the only God."13 As against this clear-cut ideology of Guru Gobind Singh himself, 455 pages have been devoted in the granth to idolise Chaubis Avtaars and 99 pages to idolise the Avtaars of Brahma, Rudra, and other. One item that requires particular notice relates to the worship of gods and goddesses, particularly that of Durga, Bhawani, Kali, Shiva, Sitla, etc., which are all supposed to be the incarnation of Parbati Devi, or Shiva, meaning the spouse of Shivji and not Shivji himself. What has been said about the condemnation of the Avtaars of Vishnu and the Devi, applies equally to the mythical incarnation of other gods and goddesses. In addition, we have the hymn clearly condemning the worship of Devi by name, "Boundless is His Form, and boundless His Voice; in the shelter of His Feet dwelleth Bhavani."14 b) With the hymns of Guru Granth Sahib i) Whereas in Guru Granth Sahib the invocation is invariably to God alone, here the invocations are to Bhagauti, Durga, etc. ii) By far the most weighty objection for not considering this granth to be a unified work, is ideological. For the largest portion of it cuts across the fundamentals of the Sikh ideology, as enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib. The Gurus are categorical on this point. "May that mouth burn, which says that God incarnates."15 "0 Brother, fools worship gods and goddesses. They know not that these mythical deities can give them nothing. To beg anything from them is just like putting stone idols in water, where they only sink. How can they enable anyone else to swim across the water?"16 Bhagat Namdev in Guru Granth Sahib also says, "They who worship Bhairav, shall become sprites; they who worship Sitla, ride donkeys and scatter dust. For myself I take the name of One God."17 Except for 50 pages, the granth contradicts the ideology of Guru Granth Sahib. As 674 pages are devoted to extolling Avtaars, etc. and 53 pages praise Chandi and Durga (Chandi Chritras and Var Durga ki). And, 615 pages relate to the utterly obscene Charittro Pakhyan. The conclusive evidence is that whereas the 50 pages in every way synchronise with the bani of Guru Granth Sahib, the main body of the granth relating to Devis and Avtaars and Charittro Pakhyan are evidently in contradiction to that ideology. Hence, when the acid test is applied, except the 50 pages of the bani, the writings in the granth are difficult to accept as creations of the Tenth Master. [B] Conclusion[/B] First, this is a granth which never existed as such in the time of the Tenth Master, nor is there any verifiable injunction by the Master in this regard. Second, it was decades after the demise of Guru Gobind Singh that it was joined together in one volume, just because of a chance development. Third, the very naming of the granth has been varying, and the first name, Bachittar Natak, supported by internal evidence, hardly suggests that the graiith has a religious import. These names have been changed from time to time. Fourth, the different jarts of it, especially the 50 pages and the bulk of the granth relating to Avtaars, Devis and lhe Charittro Pakhyan are entirely contradictory in content. In fact, about the Charittro Pakhyan, the S.G.P.C. has conveyed that it is not the writing of Guru Gobind Singh, but is a reproduction of some mythical stories." According to known tradition, even originally the majority opinion was against the different pothis being compiled into one volume. Hence, it passes one's comprehension how this granth can logically be regarded as a single piece of work or the composition of a single author, much less of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. It is obvious that the material of the granth needs to be sifted in order to separate the grain from the chaff, and the only criterion for that is t.he bani of Guru Granth Sahib. But this sifting should not he left to the judgement of an individual or an organisation, howsoever respected and highly placed it may be. It is a matter of vital importance, and a decision on it. should be the responsibility of the Panth. [B] NOTES[/B] l. Wahi (Record) of Narbudh Bhatt; Koer Singh, Gtirbilas Patshahi Das (1745 AD), Chapter 21; Kesar Singh Chhiber, Bansawlinama, (1769 AD), Chapter 10; Sarup Das Bhalla, Mehma Parkash (1776 AD), p. 459 2. Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi in his scholarly thesis Dasam Granth ka Kartritva, (i.e., Authorship of Dasam Granth) has conclusively shown that Guru Ciobind Singh did not give an equal status to his own writings with that of the Adi Granth. He described his composition as a play. 3. Rattan Singh Jaggi: Dasam Granth ka Kartritva, p. 13 4. Jap, Akal Ustat minus 20 stanzas (211 <a 230) in the praise of Devi Durga; Swavyas; Shabads, and Zaffarnama. 5. Bhai Kahn Singh: Mahan Kosh, p. 6! 6 6. Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi: op. cit., p. 13 7. Bhai Kahn Singh: op. cit, p. 616 8. Ibid. 9. Dr Rattan Singh Jaggi: op. cit., Chapter 4 and Appendix, pp. 100-101 10. Ibid., pp. 49-66 11. Macauliffe, M.A.: The Sikh Religion, Vol. V., pp. 325-326. Shabad Hazare 12. Ibid., Akal Ustat, p. 272 13. Ibid., Swayyas, pp. 318 14. Ibid., Akal Ustat, p. 262 15. Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1136 16. Ibid., p. 637 17. Ibid., p. 874; Macauliffe, Vol. VI., p. 57 18. Letter No. 36672, dated 3.8.1973, from the Dharam Parchar Committee of the S.G.P.C., Amritsar. AOSS Jan-Mar !999[/SIZE][/FONT] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Discussions
Hard Talk
Bachittar Natak
Dasam Granth - A Historical Perspective
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top