My view from another post:
COMPOSITION OF THE DASAM GRANTH
It is unclear where all the compositions of the Dasam Granth come from. Some may have been commissioned by Guruji from his court poets, while other parts may have been penned by Guruji himself..
Note Dasam Granth is not one work like Sri
Guru Granth Sahib ji, but a compilation of of writings recovered after the sacking of Anandpur Sahib. Many were lost.
Guruji specifically never included Dasam Granth literature in the
Guru Granth Sahib ji, so one can conclude it was for another purpose.
Most of Dasam Granth is written in Braj, Punjabi and Persian.
BELIEF IN HINDU GODS
A common misconception is that Dasam Granth praises Hindu Gods. This is not true. So why are they mentioned? For the following reasons:
1) Illustrative purposes : People must remember the Khalsa had just been formed or was in the process of being formed when this was penned. The
Sikhs of that time still understood things in terms of Hinduism and Hindu lore. So to describe concepts of God and complex
Sikh concepts Guruji had to use concepts that were familiar to the populace hence (hence tales of Hindu mythology).
An example of this is travelling to an island where there is no electricity......how would you describe it in concepts they understand....fire, water ?
2) The is Only one God: Guruji from the start spends pages upon pages (Japu) describing the form of God "Kaal and Akaal" ..."Salutation to the one Indestructible, Salutation to the indivisible" etc etc.
3) The Hindu Gods Are Not Gods: I Akal Ustati Guruji states
"He creates as well as destroys both Brahma and Shiva".......now is not a God immortal and Omnipitent? If Brahma and Shiva can be destroyed then they are not Gods. It futher says
"Shiva and Vishnu fail to comprehend him"....surely a God knows everything....if Shiva and Vishnu do not know the nature of God, they cannot be Gods.
It further states under Tomar Chand
"He created hundreds of Kings like Indra, many Brahmas and Vishnus, many Ramas, Krishnas and other prophets, but none is acceptable to Him without devotion". Guruji views these "Gods" as prophets and not Gods.
Under Kabitt it states
"Many Shivas came to the world and went; Many are incarnation like Krishna and Rama; innumerable are Brahmas and Vishnus, Vedas and Puranas; Many have been authors of Smirtis; They all came and went off; There have been numerous Madrarachal, innumerable Aswini Kumars and equally many progeny of incarnations, but they all have been prey to death."
How can a God die? Unless it is ofcourse not a God and a human. and mortal.
From
http://www.sridasam.org/dasam?Action=Page&...=t&id=64483
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਮਹੇਸਰ ਬਿਸਨ ਸਚੀਪਿਤ ਅੰਤ ਫਸੇ ਜਮ ਫਾਸਿ ਪਰੈਂਗੇ ॥
ब्रहम महेसर बिसन सचीपित अंत फसे जम फासि परैंगे ॥
Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and Consort of Sachi (Indra) would ultimately fall in the noose of death.
There are many other examples but one gets the picture that Guruji thought these so called Hindu "Gods" were just mortal, and therefore not Gods.
4) Specific Audience - The Dasam Granth (and Sri
Guru Granth Sahib ji) has a specific audience in mind. For most parts it is Hindu`s in Dasam Granth. In Chandi Di Var, Guruji is trying to inspire the low caste Hindu`s, from which
Sikh`s are made up of (Jats, Tarkhans, Kalal`s, Julaha`s, Chamar`s etc), to fight by telling them a story of Indian Lore that they will understand.
Epistle of Victory (or Zafarnama), is addressed to Aurengzeb and tell him of his treachery. What is remarkable about it is the Persian it is written in....apparently poetically and grammatically it is perfect.....something Persian`s for the most part cannot get right because it is such a subtle language....for example one could easily describe a cup a instead of an ocean with one misssed stroke.
WHY IS THE DASAM GRANTH IMPORTANT?
It is important because it describes some key events that occurred, for example the Battle of Bhanghani and Chamkaur. It also names specific
Sikhs and who was involved where.
It give`s us an insight into the infant
Sikh Nation.
It shows us what an accomplished intellectual Guruji was. In it he writes about the French, the Africans etc:
http://www.sridasam.org/dasam?Action=Page&...=t&id=66496
ਫਰਾ ਕੇ ਫਿਰੰਗੀ ਮਾਨੈਂ ਕੰਧਾਰੀ ਕੁਰੈਸੀ ਜਾਨੈਂ ਪਛਮ ਕੇ ਪੱਛਮੀ ਪਛਾਨੈਂ ਨਿਜ ਕਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥
फरा के फिरंगी मानैं कंधारी कुरैसी जानैं पछम के प्छमी पछानैं निज काम हैं ॥
Source::
Sikh Philosophy Network
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=25416 (My Views On Dasam Granth)
The people of France and England revere Thee, the inhabitants of Kandhaar and Quraishis know Thee; the people of western side recognize their duty towards Thee.
Tells us about the behaviour of
Sikhs and Guruji:
ਭਾਂਤਿ ਭਾਂਤਿ ਬਨਿ ਖੇਲ ਸਿਕਾਰਾ ॥ ਮਾਰੇ ਰੀਛ ਰੋਝ ਝੰਖਾਰਾ ॥੧॥
भांति भांति बनि खेल सिकारा ॥ मारे रीछ रोझ झंखारा ॥१॥
I went hunting various kinds of animals in the forest and killed bears, nilgais (blue bulls) and elks.1.
ਦੇਸ ਚਾਲ ਹਮ ਤੇ ਪੁਨਿ ਭਈ ॥ ਸਹਰ ਪਾਂਵਟਾ ਕੀ ਸੁਧਿ ਲਈ ॥
देस चाल हम ते पुनि भई ॥ सहर पांवटा की सुधि लई ॥
Source::
Sikh Philosophy Network
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=25416 (My Views On Dasam Granth)
Then I left my home and went to place named Paonta.
ਕਾਲਿੰਦ੍ਰੀ ਤਟਿ ਕਰੇ ਬਿਲਾਸਾ ॥ ਅਨਿਕ ਭਾਂਤ ਕੇ ਪੇਖਿ ਤਮਾਸਾ ॥੨॥
कालिंद्री तटि करे बिलासा ॥ अनिक भांत के पेखि तमासा ॥२॥
I enjoyed my stay on the banks of Kalindri (Yamuna) and saw amusement of various kind.
ਤਹ ਕੇ ਸਿੰਘ ਘਨੇ ਚੁਨਿ ਮਾਰੇ ॥ ਰੋਝ ਰੀਛ ਬਹੁ ਭਾਂਤਿ ਬਿਦਾਰੇ ॥
तह के सिंघ घने चुनि मारे ॥ रोझ रीछ बहु भांति बिदारे ॥
There I killed may lions, nilgais and bears.
READ WITH AN OPEN MIND AND UNDERSTANDING
Sikh writings must be understood in their specific, historical, sociological, and economical context. One then gets an image of what is going on:
For example:
1) Kabir writes at the time of the Invasion of Timur and the sacking of Delhi and Benares (which he witnessed), and the slaughter of many innocent Hindu`s.
2)
Guru Nanak writes at the time of the invasion of Babur. He witnessed many atrocities.
3) Guruji writes at a time of much strife caused by Aurengzeb
