Dasam Granth

The Dasam Patishah Ji Da Granth (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਪਾਤਿਸ਼ਾਹ ਦਾ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ), commonly known as Dasam Granth (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ), is a religious text containing many of the texts traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. It is written primarily in Braj Bhasha, with Awadhi, Hindustani, Punjabi and Persian compositions written almost entirely in the Gurmukhi script except for the Fatehnama, Zafar Nama and Hikayat, which are in the Persian alphabet.[1]

The Dasam Granth is a separate religious text from the Guru Granth Sahib.[2]

Some compositions of the Dasam Granth such as Jaap Sahib, Tav-Prasad Savaiye and Benti Chaupai are part of the Nitnem or daily prayers and also part of the Amrit Sanchar or baptism ceremony.

Authorship

Although the compositions of the Dasam Granth are widely accepted to be penned by Guru Gobind Singh there are some that still question the authenticity of the Dasam Granth. There are three major views on the authorship of the Dasam Granth:[3]

  1. The historical and traditional view is that the entire work was composed by Guru Gobind Singh himself.
  2. The entire collection was composed by the poets in the Guru's entourage.
  3. Only a part of the work was composed by the Guru, while the rest was composed by the other poets.

In his religious court at Anandpur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh had employed 52 poets, who translated several classical texts into Braj Bhasha. Most of the writing compiled at Anandpur Sahib was lost while the Guru's camp was crossing the Sirsa river before the Battle of Chamkaur (1704). There were copiers available at Guru's place who made several copies of writings. Later, Bhai Mani Singh compiled all the available works under the title Dasam Granth.

The traditional scholars claim that all the works in Dasam Granth were composed by the Guru himself, on the basis of Bhai Mani Singh's letter. But the veracity of the letter has been examined by scholars and found to be unreliable. Any one even moderately acquainted with Hindi can tell from the internal evidence of style that Chandi Charitar and Bhagauti ki War are translations by different hands. Some others dispute the claim of the authorship, saying that some of the compositions included in Dasam Granth (such as Charitropakhyan) are "out of tune" with other Sikh scriptures, and must have been composed by other poets.[4] The names of poets Raam, Shyam and Kaal appear repeatedly in the granth. References to Kavi Shyam can be seen in Mahan Kosh of Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha, under the entry 'Bawanja Kavi' and also in Kavi Santokh Singh's magnum opus Suraj Prakash Granth.

Historical writings

The following are historical books after the demise of Guru Gobind Singh which mention that the compositions in the present Dasam Granth was written by Guru Gobind Singh:

  • Rehitnama Bhai Nand Lal mentioned Jaap Sahib is an important Bani for a Sikh.[5]
  • Rehitnama Chaupa Singh Chibber quotes various lines from Bachitar Natak, 33 Swiayey, Chopai Sahib, Jaap Sahib.[6]
  • In 1711, Sri Gur Sobha was written by the poet Senapat and mentioned a conversation of Guru Gobind Singh and Akal Purakh, and written three of its Adhyay on base of Bachitar Natak.[7]
  • In 1741, Parchian Srvadas Kian quoted lines from Rama Avtar, 33 Swaiyey and mentioned Zafarnama with Hikayats.[8]
  • in 1751, Gurbilas Patshahi 10 – Koyar Singh Kalal, mentioned Guru Gobind Singh composed Bachitar Natak, Krisna Avtar, Bisan Avtar, Akal Ustat, Jaap Sahib, Zafarnama, Hikayats etc. This is first Granth mentioned Guruship of Guru Granth Shahib.[9]
  • In 1766, Kesar Singh Chibber mentioned history of compilation of Dasam Granth by Bhai Mani Singh Khalsa on directions of Mata Sundri, as he was first who wrote history after death of Guru Gobind Singh.
  • In 1766, Sri Guru Mahima Parkash – Sarup Chand Bhalla, mentioned about various Banis of Guru Gobind Singh and compilation of Dasam Granth
  • In 1790, Guru Kian Sakhian – Svarup Singh Kashish, mentioned Guru Gobind Singh composed, bachitar Natak, Krishna Avtar, Shastarnaam Mala, 33 Swaiyey etc.
  • In 1797, Gurbilas Patshahi 10 – Sukkha Singh, mentioned compositions of Guru Gobind Singh.
  • In 1812, J. B. Malcolm, in SKetch of Sikhs mentioned about Dasam Granth as Bani of Guru Gobind Singh.

Structure

The length of the printed version of Dasam Granth is 1428 pages.[10][11]

It contains the Jaap Sahib, the Akal Ustat or praise of the Creator and the Bachittar Natak, which gives an account of the Guru's parentage, his divine mission and the battles in which he had been engaged.

Next come three abridged compositions of the wars of Durga, called Chandi, with demons (Chandi Chritras: Chandi Chritra I, Chandi Chritra II, Chandi di Var).

Following this is the Gyan Parbodh, or awakening of knowledge; the Shabad Hazare; quatrains called savaiye (singular savaiya), which are hymns in praise of God and reprobation of idolatry and hypocrisy; the Shastar Nam Mala, a list of offensive and defensive weapons used in the Guru's time with special reference to the attributes of the Creator; the Kabiovach Bainti Chaupai, which will "absolve the suffering, pain or fear of the person, who will even once recite this Bani"; the Zafarnamah, containing the Tenth Guru's epistle to the emperor Aurangzeb; and hikayats, Persian language metrical tales.

Contents

These are the compositions included in Dasam Granth:

Compositions in Dasam Granth
No.Bani TitleCommon NameDescriptionPage No
1Jaap SahibJaap Sahiba meditational work.1
2Akal Ustat271 devotional verses on the divine.
3Bachittar NatakBachitar Natakautobiography of Guru Gobind Singh, including his spiritual lineage.
4Chandi Charitar Ukti BilasChandi Charitar 1a discussion of the mythological goddess, Chandi. As per internal references, it is based on the Sanskrit scripture Markandeya Purana.
5Chandi Charitar IIChandi Charitar 2a discussion of Chandi
6Chandi di VarChandi Di Vaara discussion of Chandi in Punjabi. Not based on any Purana, but an independent narrative.
7Gyan PrabodhGyan Prabodh, Parbodh Chandra Natak(The Awakening of Knowledge)
8Chaubis AvtarVishnu Avtar, Chaubis Avtara narrative of 24 incarnations of Vishnu that comprises one-third of the Dasam Granth
9Brahma AvtarBrahma AvtarNarrative on the seven incarnations of Brahma
10Rudra AvtarRudra Avtaran epic poem discussing Rudra.
11Sabad Patshahi 10Shabad Hazareten religious hymns criticising ritualistic practices by renunciates such as sannyasins, yogis and vairāgīs as well as idolatry
1233 Swayyee33 stanzas
13Swayyee
14Khalsa MahimaKhalsa Mahimatwo poetic compositions praising the Khalsa
15Ath Sri Shastar Naam Mala Purana LikhyateShastarnam Mala"Garland of the Names of Weapons"
16Sri CharitropakhyanCharitropakhyan, Triya Charitar(various character of men and women [details both negative and positive]). Includes Chaupai (Sikhism) (hymn of supplication)
17Chaupai SahibKabyo Bach Benti ChaupaiOne of the daily prayer of Sikhs
18Zafarnamah(epistle of victory, a letter written to Emperor Aurangzeb, includes Hikaaitaan)[12]
19HikayatHikayatTales which are part of zafarnama

Some birs (recensions) also include the following compositions:

Role in Sikh liturgy

The compositions within Dasam Granth play a huge role in Sikh liturgy, which is prescribed by Sikh Rehat Maryada:

  • Jaap Sahib is part of Nitnem, which Sikh recites daily in morning.[13][14]
  • Tav-Prasad Savaiye, again a bani of Nitnem, is part of Akal Ustat composition, which is recited daily in morning along with above.[13]
  • Benti Chaupai, is part of Sri Charitropakhyan, which is recited in morning as well as evening prayers.[14]
  • Jaap, Tav Prasad Savaiye and Chaupai are read while preparing Khande Batey Ki Pahul.
  • The first stanza of the Sikh ardās, an invocation to God and the nine Gurus preceding Gobind Singh, is from Chandi di Var.
  • As per Sikh Rehat Maryada, a stanza of Chaubis Avtar, "pae gahe jab te tumre", should be comprised in So Dar Rehras.[15]

Chandi di Var is important prayer among Nihang Sikhs.

Compilation

Letter of Bhai Mani Singh discussing the compilation of various banis of Dasam Granth

The Guru by his time at Damdama Sahib, around 1705, assembled a large set of literature on bramvidiya and other topics much was formed by his 52 poets and some say that these 52 poets also contributed directly to the Dasam Granth.[16]

The earliest surviving full manuscript of the Dasam Granth dates to 1713,[12] although it appears not to have been publicly available. In 1721, Mata Sundari commissioned Bhai Mani Singh with compiling a volume of the Dasam Granth.[17] He completed his manuscript after collecting and sifting through material collected from a number of Sikhs. "Minor textual variation" exist between the early manuscripts.[12]

Giani Gian Singh claims that the full copy of the Dasam Granth was in possession of the Budha Dal, an 18th-century Sikh army, at the Battle of Kup and was lost during the Second Sikh Holocaust (1762)[18] During the 1890s the text was standardized into its current two-volume 1,428 page print version.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Singha, H. S. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 Entries). Hemkunt Press. ISBN 978-81-7010-301-1. , p. 54
  2. ↑ McLeod, W. H. (1990). Textual Sources for the Study of Sikhism. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-56085-4. , page 67
  3. ↑ McLeod, W. H. (2005-07-28). Historical dictionary of Sikhism. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-8108-5088-0. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  4. ↑ Amaresh Datta, ed. (2006). The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature (Volume One (A To Devo), Volume 1. Sahitya Akademi. p. 888. ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1.
  5. ↑ Rehitnama Bhai Nand Lal
  6. ↑ Rehitnama Chaupa Singh Chibber
  7. ↑ Sri Gur Sbha Granth, Poet Senapat, Piara Singh Padam
  8. ↑ Parchi Sevadas Ki, Poet Sevada, Piara Singh Padam
  9. ↑ Gurbilas, Patshahi 10, Koer Singh, Bhasha Vibagh, Punjabi University
  10. ↑ Page 52, The A to Z of Sikhism (Google eBook), W. H. McLeod, Scarecrow Press, 2009
  11. ↑ Page 6, Dasam Granth, Dr. S. S. Kapoor, Hemkunt Press
  12. 1 2 3 4 Britannica, Inc Encyclopaedia (2009). Encyclopedia of World Religions. Encyclopædia Britannica. p. 279. ISBN 978-1-59339-491-2. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  13. 1 2 Page 133, Sikhs in the Diaspora, Surinder Singh bakhshi, Dr Surinder Bakhshi, 2009
  14. 1 2 The Japu, the Jaapu and the Ten Sawayyas (Quartets) – beginning "Sarwag sudh"-- in the morning.: Chapter III, Article IV, Sikh Rehat Maryada
  15. ↑ iii) the Sawayya beginning with the words "pae gahe jab te tumre": Article IV, Chapter III, Sikh Rehat Maryada
  16. ↑ Johar, Surinder (1999). Guru Gobind Singh: A Multi-faceted Personality. Publications Pvt. Ltd., Publications Pvt. Ltd.,. p. 119. ISBN 9788175330931.
  17. ↑ Mansukhani, Gobind Singh (1993). Hymns from the Dasam Granth. Hemkunt Press. pp. 10–. ISBN 978-81-7010-180-2. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  18. ↑ Giani Kirpal Singh (samp.), Sri Gur Panth Parkash, Vol. 3 (Amritsar: Manmohan Singh Brar, 1973), pp. 1678–80, verses 61-62

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