| Dasam Granth ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ | |
|---|---|
 An early 19th-century Dasam Granth manuscript frontispiece (British Library MS Or.6298) | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Sikhism |
| Author | Guru Gobind Singh[1] |
| Language | Sant Bhasha (specifically predominantlyBraj,[2] with influences ofAwadhi,Punjabi,Kauravi,Arabic, andPersian)[3] |
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| Dasam Granth ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ |
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| Main compositions |
| Apocryphal compositions (Asfottak Banis) |
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| Poetical metres, modes, measures, and rhythms |
TheDasam Granth (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥdasama gratha) is a collection of various poetic compositions attributed toGuru Gobind Singh.[4][5][6][7] The text previously enjoyed an equal status with the Adi Granth, orGuru Granth Sahib, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and were installed side by side on the same platform.[8] TheDasam Granth lost favor during the colonial period when reformistSingh Sabha Movement scholars couldn't contextualize the reworkings of Puranic stories or the vast collection of 'Tales of Deceit'Sri Charitropakhyan.[9]
The standard edition of the text contains 1,428 pages with 17,293 verses in 18 sections.[6][4] These are set in the form of hymns and poems mostly in theBraj language (Old western Hindi),[6] with some parts inAvadhi,Punjabi,Hindi andPersian.[4] The script is written almost entirely inGurmukhi, except for the Guru Gobind Singh's letters toAurangzeb—Zafarnama and theHikaaitaan—written in thePersian alphabet.[4]
TheDasam Granth contains hymns, fromHindu texts,[5] which are a retelling of the feminine in the form of goddessDurga,[10][5] an autobiography, letter to theMughal emperorAurangzeb, as well as reverential discussion of warriors and theology.[6] The scripture was recited in full withinNirmala Sikhs in the contemporary era.[7][11] Parts of it are retold from HinduPuranas, for the benefit of the common man, who had no access to Hindu texts of the time.[7] Compositions of the DasamGranth includeJaap Sahib,Tav-Prasad Savaiye andKabiyo Baach Benti Chaupai which are part of theNitnem or daily prayers and also part of theAmrit Sanchar or initiation ceremony ofKhalsa Sikhs.[12]
Zafarnama andHikayats in a different style and format appended to it in the mid 18th century.[11] Other manuscripts are said to include thePatna Birs and theMani Singh Vali Bir all originated in mid to late 18th century. One of the 1698 CE Patna Manuscripts includes variousapocryphal writings such as theUgradanti andBhagauti Astotar.[11]
Although the compositions of theDasam Granth are traditionally accepted to be written by Guru Gobind Singh, there have been questions of the authenticity of the entirety ofDasam Granth from time of compilation. There are three major views on the authorship of theDasam Granth:[13]
In his religious court atPaonta andAnandpur, Guru Gobind Singh had employed 52 poets, who translated several classical texts into Braj Bhasha. Most of the writing compiled at Anandpur was lost while the Guru's camp was crossing theSirsa river before theBattle of Chamkaur in 1704.[14] There were copiers available at the Guru's place who made several copies of the writings, and other writings may have been included too which may have led to authenticity issues. There is a theory that later,Bhai Mani Singh compiled all the available works under the titleDasam Granth.[15]
Traditionalist scholars claim that all the works inDasam Granth were composed by the Guru himself, often on the basis of a letter attributed to Bhai Mani Singh. The veracity of this letter has been examined by scholars and found to be unreliable.[16] Some others dispute the claim of the authorship, saying that some of the compositions included inDasam Granth such asCharitropakhyan are "out of tune" with other Sikh scriptures, and must have been composed by other poets.[17] Syan (2013) notes, "Neither in colonial nor post-colonial Sikhism has the issue of the Dasam Granth authorship been satisfactorily resolved. What is germane, however, is that pre-colonial Sikh society wholeheartedly accepted the Dasam Granth as the work of Guru Gobind Singh."[18]
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| Guru Granth Sahib |
| Dasam Granth |
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| Varan Bhai Gurdas |
The following are historical books after the demise of Guru Gobind Singh which mention that the compositions in the presentDasam Granth was written by Guru Gobind Singh:
The standard print edition of theDasam Granth, since 1902, has 1,428 pages.[6][4][26] However, many printed versions of the text in the contemporary era skip a major section (40%) because it is controversial.[27]
The standard official edition contains 17,293 verses in 18 sections.[6][4] These are set in the form of hymns and poems mostly in theBraj Bhasha (Old western Hindi),[6] with some parts in Avadhi,Punjabi,Hindi, and thePersian language.[4] The script is almost entirely the Gurmukhi script except for the letter of the Sikh Guru toAurangzeb –Zafarnama, and theHikayat in thePersian script.[4]
TheDasam Granth has many sections covering a wide range of topics:
| No. | Bani Title | Alternate Name | Native Script | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaap Sahib | Gobind Jaapji | ਜਾਪੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ | A prayer of 199 verses dedicated to formless, timeless, all-pervading god.[28] |
| 2 | Akal Ustat | Sri Akal Ji Ki Ustat | ਅਕਾਲ ਉਸਤਤਿ | A praise of the timeless primal being Akal Purakh (god), explaining that this primal being takes numerous forms of gods and goddesses, listing most frequently Hindu names of these, but also includes a few Muslim epithets.[28] Criticizes overemphasis on rituals related to the devotional worship of god.[28] |
| 3 | Bachittar Natak | Bachitra Natak | ਬਚਿੱਤਰ ਨਾਟਕ | Partly an autobiography that states he was born in Sodhi lineage, tracing it to the lineage ofRama andSita ofRamayana;[29] mentions Guru Nanak was born in the Bedi clan and how the next eight Gurus came to lead the Sikhs; describes the persecution and execution ofGuru Tegh Bahadar calling him the defender ofdharma who protected the sacred threads and the tilaks (forehead mark of devout Hindus);[29] he mentions his own rebirth in Patna after God explained to him that he had sent religious leaders to earth, in forms such as Muhammad but these clung to their own self-interest rather than promote devotion to the true God;[29] He took birth to defend and spread the dharma, and was blessed by god to remember his past births;[29] the Bachitra Natak criticizes those who take pride in their religious rituals, mentions his own hunting expeditions, battles and journeys in Punjab and the Himalayan foothills.[29] It states the author wasmeditating in the Himalayan foothills meditating onMahakala and Kalaka before being called to take birth.[30] The entire work is fourteen chapters in length, with one section namedApni Katha ("my story"), which is an autobiographical account of the tenth Guru's life up til the year 1696.[30] The appellationBachitar Natak is sometimes confusingly only applied to that one specific section rather than the entire fourteen chapter composition in whichApni Katha constitutes a single section of.[30] Sometimes a huge chunk of the Dasam Granth is termedBachitar Natak Granth, containing Chandi Charitars 1 and 2, Chaubis Avtar, Brahma Avtar, and Rudra Avtar.[30] Most Western and Sikh scholars accept the work as a genuine composition of the tenth Guru, even deriders of the Dasam Granth.[30] |
| 4 | Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas | Chandi Charitar 1 | ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ (ੳਕਤਿ ਬਿਲਾਸ) | A discussion of the Hindu goddess,Durga in the form ofChandi; this section of theDasam Granth declares that it is based on theSanskrit textMarkandeya Purana; it glorifies the feminine with her fighting the mythical war between good and evil, after the gods have admitted their confusion and weakness, she anticipating and thus defeating evil that misleads and morphs into different shapes.[29] |
| 5 | Chandi Charitar II | Chandi Charitar 2 Chandi Charitar Trambi Mahatam[31] | ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ (ਭਾਗ ੨) | A retelling of the story of the Hindu goddess, Durga again in the form of Chandi; it again glorifies the feminine with her fighting the war between good and evil, and in this section she slays the buffalo-demon Mahisha, all his associates and supporters thus bringing an end to the demonic violence and war.[29] Authorship is generally and traditionally attributed toGuru Gobind Singh.[32][33] This composition was written inBraj Language atAnandpur Sahib,Punjab. It has eight cantos, contains 262couplets and quatrains, mostly employing Bhujang prayat and Rasaval measures, divided into 8 chapters.[34][35] This work was composed at Anandpur Sahib, sometime before AD 1698, the year when theBachitar Natak was completed. According toMax Arthur Macauliffe, the language of this composition is not original Sanskrit. He believes it to be written by bards in employ ofGuru Gobind Singh and translation ofDurga Saptashati, but could not ascertain, whether principles of Sikhism imbibed in Chandi Charitras or flavor of Hinduism is still in it.[36] It differs from Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas in that it does not reference the chapters within the Markandeya Purana, but still tells the same story.[37] The work contains 262 verses in total.[38][39] |
| 6 | Chandi Di Var | Var Durga Ki | ਚੰਡੀ ਦੀ ਵਾਰ | The ballad of Hindu goddess, Durga, in Punjabi; this section of theDasam Granth states that it is based on the Sanskrit textDurga Saptasati;[40] The opening verses from this composition, states Robin Rinehart, have been a frequently recitedardas petition or prayer in Sikh history;[40] it is also a source of controversy within Sikhism, as the opening verse states "First I remember Bhagauti, then I turn my attention to Guru Nanak"; the dispute has been whether one should interpret of the word "Bhagauti" as "goddess" or a metaphor for "sword".[41] |
| 7 | Gyan Prabodh | Gyan Prabodh | ਗਿਆਨ ਪ੍ਰਬੋਧ | The section title means "the Awakening of Knowledge", and it begins with praise of God; it includes a conversation between soul and God, weaves in many references to Hindu and texts such as theMahabharata;[42] the section summarizes thoseparva of the Hindu epic which discuss kingship and dharma; the role of Brahmins and Kshatriya varnas.[42] This composition contains 336 verses in total.[38][43] |
| 8 | Chaubis Avtar | Vishnu Avtar | ਚੌਬੀਸ ਅਵਤਾਰ | TheChaubis Avatar (24 avatars) section is aboutVishnu's 24 avtar which includeRama,Krishna, andBuddha. It is divided into 24 sections for each of the 24 avatars. |
| 9 | Brahma Avtar | Avatars of Brahma | ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਅਵਤਾਰ | Narrative on the seven incarnations ofBrahma, who is already mentioned in the Chaubis Avatar section[42] |
| 10 | Rudra Avtar | Avatars of Rudra (Shiva), Ath Rudra Avtar Kathan(n) | ਰੁਦਰ ਅਵਤਾਰ | A poem that narratesRudra (Shiva) and his avatars, also already mentioned in the Chaubis Avatar section[42] |
| 11 | Shabad Hazare Padishah | Sabad Patshahi 10 | ਸ਼ਬਦ ਹਜ਼ਾਰੇ ਪਾਤਿਸ਼ਾਹੀ ੧੦ | Thousand hymns actually contains nine hymns, each set to araga (melody), with content similar toChaubis Avatar section; the sixth is filled with grief and generally understood to have been composed by Guru Gobind Singh after the loss of all four sons in the wars with theMughal Empire;[42] this section is missing in some early manuscripts ofDasam Granth.[42] |
| 12 | 33 Savaiye | 33 Savaiye | ੩੩ ਸਵਈਏ | Thirty-three verses that praise a god; asserts the mystery of god who is beyond what is in the Vedas and Puranas (Hindu), beyond the one in Quran (Muslim) and famously the Bible (Christian).[44] |
| 13 | Khalsa Mahima | Praise of Khalsa | ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਮਹਿਮਾ | A short passage that explains why offerings to goddess Naina Devi by the general public are distributed to theKhalsa soldiers rather than Brahmin priests.[44] |
| 14 | Shastar Naam Mala | Shastar Nam Mala Purana | ਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਮ ਮਾਲਾ (ਪੁਰਾਣ) | The section title means a "garland of weapon names", and it has 1,300 or 1,323 verses;[44][38][45] it lists and exalts various weapons of violence, declaring them to be symbols of God's power, states Rinehart;[44] it includes the names of Hindu deities and the weapon they carry in one or more of their hands, and praises their use and virtues; the list includes weapons introduced in the 17th-century such as a rifle; some of the verses are riddles about weapons.[44] |
| 15 | Sri Charitropakhyan | Charitropakhyan, Pakhyan Charitra, Tria Charitra | ਪਖ੍ਯਾਨ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ, ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰੋਪਾਖ੍ਯਾਨ, ਤ੍ਰਿਯਾ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ | The largest and most controversial part of theDasam Granth; it includes material which is not in tune with Guru Gobind Singh's writings, casting its authenticity into question.[46] it includes 405 character features and behavioral sketches;[46] these are largely characters of lustful women seeking extramarital sex and seducing men for love affairs without their husbands knowing; the characters delight in gambling, opium and liquor;[46] these stories either end in illustrating human weaknesses with graphic description of sexual behavior, or illustrate a noble behavior where the seduction target refuses and asserts that "he cannot be a dharmaraja if he is unfaithful to his wife";[46] the section is controversial, sometimes interpreted as a didactic discussion of virtues and vices; the charitras 21 through 23 have been interpreted by some commentators as possibly relating to Guru Gobind Singh's own life where he refused a seduction attempt;[46] the finalcharitra (number 405) describes theMughals andPathans as offsprings of demons, details many battles between gods and demons, ending with the victory of gods; theBenti Chaupai found in this lastcharitra is sometimes separated from its context by Sikhs and used or interpreted in other ways;[46] Many Sikh commentators have questioned the authorship of Dasam Granth in significant part because of this section, while others state that the text must be viewed in the perspective of the traumatic period of Sikh history when Guru Gobind Singh and his soldier disciples were fighting the Mughal Empire and this section could have been useful for the moral edification of soldiers at the war front against the vice.[46][48][note 1] |
| 16 | Chaupai Sahib | Kabiyo Baach Benti, Benti Chaupai | ਕਬਿਯੋਬਾਚ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਚੌਪਈ, ਚੌਪਈ ਸਾਹਿਬ | The reflection of the poet on the 405th charitar. A part of the lastcharitra of the Charitropakhyan section, it is sometimes separated and used independently.[46] |
| 17 | Zafarnama | Epistle of victory | ਜ਼ਫ਼ਰਨਾਮਾ | A letter written in 1706 by Guru Gobind Singh to EmperorAurangzeb in Persian language;[50] it chastises the Mughal emperor for promising a safe passage to his family but then reneging on that promise, attacking and killing his family members;[51] In this Guru Gobind Singh talks about how if the Holy Prophet were at Chamkaur in person then Aurangzeb wouldn't have lied. |
| 18 | Hikayats | Hikaitan | ਹਿਕਾਇਤਾਂ | Usually grouped with the Zafarnama section, these are twelve tales unrelated to Zafarnama but probably linked because some versions have these in Persian language; the content of this section is closer in form and focus to the Charitropakhyan section above;[51] |
Ugardanti (Punjabi:ਉਗ੍ਰਦੰਤੀ, pronunciation:[ʊɡɾd̪aɛt̪iː]) is a poetic composition said to be written byGuru Gobind Singh, after the creation of theKhalsa Panth atAnandpur Sahib. The composition is present in Dasam Granth Bir Patna Sahib. Thebani contains information about the creation of theKhalsa Panth, the dress code of theSikhs, and is strictly against ritualism.[52]
Etymologically, Ugardanti is a feminine term made of two words, Ugar means Fierce and Danti means Tooth.[53] One having Fierce Tooth, is called Ugardanti. Guru Gobind Singh Ji invokes Adi Shakti in the form of the Fierce Toothed Ugardanti, writing various attributes of Ugardanti and asking for blessings and protection for the prosperity of the new Panth which is free from hypocrisy, ritualism,casteism, human worship andworships only One Non-Dual God.
InBansavalinama Dasan Patshahian ka (1769), the author Kesar Singh Chibbar explains and quotes a few passages from Guru Gobind Singh's Ugardanti.[54]
InHum Hindu Nahi(1898 ), the authorBhai Kahn Singh Nabha, believed that Ugardanti Bani was not written by Guru Gobind Singh but by Bhai Sukha Singh, a priest at Patna.[55] However, Sukha Singh's works came into being after the Bansavalinama of Kesar Singh Chibbar.
Nihang andNamdhari Sikhs believe it to be written by Guru Gobind Singh and is part of their daily liturgy. It was and is read to inspire warriors to stand up for truth and righteousness in the face of tyranny and oppression. The Composition is divided into six verses called Chhands in which the syllables and the rhythm are arranged in a precisely controlled pattern. The Type of Chhandd used is Bhagvati Chhand.
Tav-Prasad Savaiye (Punjabi:ਤ੍ਵਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਸ੍ਵਯੇ, pronunciation:[t̪ʋᵊəpɾʱəsäːd̪sʋⁱ˸je], lit. ‘exclusively you, in war song meter’) is a short composition of 10 stanzas which is part of daily liturgy amongSikhs (Nitnem). It was penned down byGuru Gobind Singh and is part of his compositionAkal Ustat (The praise of God).[56] This is an important composition which is read duringAmrit Sanchar. ThisBani appears in the Dasam Granth on pages 13 to 15, starting from Stanza 21 of Akal Ustat.
Tavprasad meanswith thy grace.[57] This composition strongly rejectsidolatry,pilgrimages,grave worshiping,samadhis ofyogis and other ritualistic beliefs ofHinduism,Jainism andIslam as being of no use in attaining God if performed without the love of God and all his creation . It is included inNitnem, the daily morning prayers of Sikhs, and recited after completingJaap Sahib. It starts withSravag Sudh Samuh Sidhan Ke and goes up toKoor Kriya Urjheo Sab Hi Jag. Among many famous quotes from Tav-Prasad Savaiye,"Jin Prem Kiyo Tin Hi Prabhu Paayo" is widely quoted by different scholars of different religions. InDialogues on Universal Responsibility and Education, theDalai Lama quoted it while giving lessons on love.[58]
Tav-Prasad Savaiye is very important part of theNitnem. Among other thingsNitnem works as a shield for the Khalsa(Khalsa is a perfect human being, which is the vision of Guru Gobind Singh by the orders of Akal Purkh. Such a human is perfectly capable of defending himself and others from the attacks of enemy(both spiritual and temporal)). Specifically Savaiye act as a shield against the attacks of Pride, Ignorance, Hatred, Hypocrisy and Delusions.
The compositions withinDasam Granth play a huge role in Sikh liturgy, which is prescribed bySikh Rehat Maryada:
In theNihang tradition – considered heretical by the Khalsa Sikhs,[62] theDasam Granth is given equal scriptural status as theAdi Granth (first volume).[63]Chandi di Var is also an important prayer amongNihang and Namdhari Sikhs.[citation needed]
Except for the liturgical portions and some cherrypicked verses of theDasam Granth that are widely shared and used, few Sikhs have read the completeDasam Granth or know its contents.[64] Most do not have access to it in its entirety, as the generic printed or translated versions do not include all its sections and verses.[46] In its history, the entire text was in the active possession of the Khalsa soldiers.[note 2]
The oldest manuscript ofDasam Granth is likely the Anandpuri Hazuri Bir (Not to be confused with the Anandpuri MarcoAdi Granth). It is dated to 1698 CE. A few folio pages were definitely added later (Zafarnama and Hikayats), because they were composed after 1700 (circa 1705 CE), and are in a different style and format, and lack the folio numbers present on all pages elsewhere. These letters of Guru Gobind Singh may have been appended in the early 18th century.[11] According to another view, the earliest surviving manuscript of the complete text is dated to 1713 CE (Bhai Mani Singh's manuscript), and the early manuscript versions have minor variations with apocryphal writings.[64]
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Other important manuscripts include two Patna manuscripts both from 1698 CE found in Bihar, and the Mani Singh Vali Bir (1713 CE) in New Delhi. The Mani Singh Bir is a combined recension of theAdi Granth and Dasam Granth. It presents the Zafarnama and Hikayats in thePerso-Arabic Nastaliq script.[11]
The early Anandpuri, Patna, and Mani Singh manuscripts include writings that are disputed in the contemporary era, as well as sections such as theUgradanti andSri Bhagauti Astotra that were removed from theDasam Granth codified in the 20th century by theSodhak Committee.[11] There is also a manuscript of the Dasam Granth attributed to Bhai Daya Singh with many Apocryphal Writings, as well as the 1765 IlluminatedPatna Missal manuscript fromJammu.
According to the IndologistWendy Doniger, many orthodox Sikhs credit the authorship and compilation of the earliestDasam Granth manuscript to Guru Gobind Singh directly, while other Sikhs and some scholars consider the text to have been authored and compiled partly by him and partly by many poets in his court at Anandpur.[64]
Prior to 1902, there were numerous incomplete portions of manuscripts ofDasam Granth in circulation within the Sikh community along with the complete, but somewhat variant, major versions such as the Anandpuri and Patna birs.[66] In 1885, during theSingh Sabha Movement, an organization called the Gurmat Granth Pracharak Sabha was founded by Sikhs to study the Sikh literature. This organization, with a request from Amritsar Singh Sabha, established the Sodhak Committee in 1897.[66] The members of this committee studied 32 manuscripts ofDasam Granth from different parts of the Indian subcontinent. The committee deleted some hymns found in the different old manuscripts of the text, merged the others and thus created a 1,428-page version thereafter called the standard edition of theDasam Granth. The standard edition was first published in 1902.[66] It is this version that has predominantly been distributed to scholars and studied in and outside India. However, the prestige of theDasam Granth was well established in the Sikh community during theSikh Empire, as noted in 1812 by colonial-era scholar Malcolm.[66] According to Robin Rinehart – a scholar of Sikhism and Sikh literature, modern copies of theDasam Granth in Punjabi, and its English translations, often do not include the entire standard edition text and do not follow the same ordering either.[6]
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A Das Granthi (ਦਸ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੀ) is a small religious booklet containing only few selected compositions from Dasam Granth. Das stands forTen and Granthi stands forbooklet. It means Booklet of 10th Guru of Sikhism. This booklet was created for beginners and lay readers for reading these compositions in daily liturgy for proper understanding.[67][68][69]
There is no standardization of this booklet and various sects in Sikhism have their own versions. TheShiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee contains eight texts namely,Jaap,Bachitra Natak,Chandi Charitra I,Shabad Hazare Patshahi 10,Akal Ustati,Chandi Charitra 2, Gian Prabodh andChandi di Var.[70]
There are a plethora of writings attributed to Guru Gobind Singh that are not in the standardized Dasam Granth. These select writings are sometimes found in certain early manuscripts.[71] These include but are not limited to:[72]
A portion of Akaal Ustat appointed as a part of early morning order of nitnem
ਤੇਰੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ. ਤੇਰੀ ਦਯਾ ਦ੍ਵਾਰਾ.
