Dasam Granth

Part of a series on Sikh scriptures
Sikhism History of Sikhism Sikh beliefs Sikh
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Japji Sahib Shabad Hazaray Anand Sahib Rehras Sahib Kirtan Sohila Sukhmani Sahib Asa di Var
Dasam Granth Gur Mantar Jaap Sahib Benti Chaupai Amrit Savaiye
Varan Bhai Gurdas
Articles on Sikhism This box:  •  • edit

The Dasam Granth (Punjabi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ, dasama grantha) is a scripture of Sikhism, containing texts composed by 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh and his assembly of scholars. The Dasam Granth is believed to have been compiled after the Guru's demise by Bhai Mani Singh between the years 1730 AD and 1732 AD. Bhai Mani Singh tried to assemble all of the Guru's works from many different sources. Hand written copy of Dasam Granth Sahib is still available in Gurdwara Mehta - Dam Dami Taksal. Baba Deep Singh Ji shaheed has acknowledged each and every writing of Sri Dasam Granth.^[1]

Contents 1 Structure 1.1 Overview 1.2 Contents 2 Language and Literary Quality 3 Purpose of the Dasam Granth 4 Controversy 5 Audio 6 References 7 External links

Structure

Overview

The Dasam Granth contains 1428 pages and is the collection of writings of the of the 10th Patshah, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It contains Jaap Sahib, the Akal Ustat or praise of the Creator, the Vachitar Natak or Wonderful Drama, in which he gives an account of his parentage, his divine mission, and the battles in which he had been engaged. . Then come three abridged compositions of the wars of Durga with demons, (Chandi Chritras: Chandi Chritra I, Chandi Chritra II, Chandi Ki Var). These were written to instill the spirit of war among Sikhs. The first stanza of the Sikh ardaas is from Chandi Ki Var. Then follow the Gyan Parbodh, or awakening of knowledge; Chobis Avatar - accounts of twenty-four incarnations of the Vishnu, according to the Hindus, and Brahrnavatar and Rudravtdr, selected because of their warlike character; the Shabad Hazare; quatrains called Sawaiyas, which are religious hymns in praise of God and reprobation of idolatry and hypocrisy; the Khalsa Mahima, or words in praise of the Khalsa; 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 Tria Charitar, or tales illustrating the qualities, but principally the deceit of women; the Kabiovach Bainti Chaupai will "absolve the suffering, pain or fear of the person, who will even once recite this Bani"; the Zafarnama, containing the tenth Guru's epistle to the emperor Aurangzeb; and Hikayats, several metrical tales in the Persian language. The Dasam Granth is said to have been compiled by Bhai Mani Singh Ji a companion and disciple of the Guru, after the tenth Guru's death. It is understood that Bhai Mani Singh spent nine years at this task, by getting copies from other disciples and filling in some of the gaps from memory.

Contents

The Contents of the Dasam Granth are:

• 1. Jaap (meditation)
  2. Akal Ustat (praises of God)
  3. Bachitar Natak (autobiography of the Guru)
  4. Chandi Charitar I & II (the character of goddess Chandi)
  5. Chandi di Var (a ballad to describe goddess Durga)
  6. Gian Prabodh (the awakening of knowledge)
  7. Chaubis Avtar (24 incarnations of Vishnu)
  8. Brahm Avtar (incarnation of Brahma)
  9. Rudar Avtar (incarnation of Shiv)
  10. Shabad Hazare (ten shabads)
  11. Swayyae (33 stanzas)
  12. Khalsa Mehma (the praises of the Khalsa)
  13. Shastar Nam Mala (a list of weapons)
  14. Triya Charitar (the character of women)
  15. Zafarnama (epistle of victory, a letter written to Emperor Aurangzeb)

Language and Literary Quality

The Dasam Granth is all rhymed poetry. It was designed to be heard, so there is considerable repetition, and a variety of meters to hold the attention. The language of most of the Dasam Granth is largely Braj veering towards Sanskrit at one extreme and simple colloquial Hindi at the other. The Braj dialect is a variety of medieval Hindi with a mixture of Sanskrit, Persiona, and Arabic words. The Zafarnama and the Hikayats are in Persian using Gurmukhi characters and several passages in other works are in Punjabi. The 'author(s)' not only used this melange of languages but also coined words half Arabic half Sanskrit (and sometimes words without any meaning just to create a musical effect). Some of this kind of writing has great power and beauty. Most of the poetry of the Dasam Granth is hardly intelligible to the modern Punjabi reader without the aid of a commentary. Experts tell us that the Guru's poetry is of the highest order: From A Short History of the Sikhs, Ganda Singh & Teja Singh: "In Hindi he developed a style, which for martial cadence, variety of form and richness of imagination...has remained unsurpassed since his times. In lines ranging from monosyllabic verse to long and multiplied swayyas and kabits, we seem to hear the torrential flow of hill streams or the galloping sweep of cavalry on the march. His intellect quivers in emotion and breaks out against superstition and hypocrisy into humour, irony or banter. His emotion...is raised to the highest pitch of ecstasy when he communes with God." From Sikhan de Raj di Vithya (History of the Sikh Rule): "This Granth is very difficult, and is composed in the Hindi dialect in several kinds of verses. In it there is the teaching of several of the Shastars, the rules of warfare, the wiles and tricks of men and women, and some information on worship and religious knowledge. From that it is evident that Gobind Singh was very clever in writing poetry." The descriptions of scenes of battle are couched in extremely vigorous staccato rhyme often reduced to lines of one word each. The battles waged by Chandi and the Guru's encounters with the hill chiefs at Bhangani and Nadaun are among the most stirring that exist. The scenes of nature and love, particularly in the Krishna Avatar, are haunting in their loveliness:

Beside the sparkling waters of the river,
On the bank in silver moonlight bathed
Were strewn jasmine pearls as if to make a bed
And blossoms twined overhead to make a bower.
Krishna took Radha by the hand,
tilted up her face
And gazed upon her beauty. Then clasped
The damsel fair in his dark arms
As a black shade eclipses the moon.
Spoke Krishna: "Maiden fair, I sent not for thee.
I am as a deer wounded by the hunter's dart.
Thy love-lorn eyes have pierced my heart.
Beloved mine! Thy wrath's burning fire
Hath singed my limbs but I wished not to depart.
I came not at thy command, but to soothe
My burns before the warmth of they love.

Purpose of the Dasam Granth

A Punjabi historian of the last century explains the Guru's purpose as follows (from Sikhan da Raj di Vithya) "The Guru discovered that from reading the Ad Granth the Sikhs became feeble-hearted. Therefore (said the Guru), I myself will prepare such a Granth that the Sikhs from reading it will learn the art of ruling, the use of weapons, and other skills so that they will become fit for warfare; so from that very day he began the compositions of a huge volume, and when it was completed on Sunday, on the eighth day of the new moon in the month of Bhadon 1753 Bikrami (1696) he named it "The Granth of the Tenth Sovereign." At the end of the Krishan Avtar, the following stanza of the Guru is written (verse 2491): I have rendered in the vernacular the tenth chapter of the Bhagavat with no other purpose than to arouse desire for a holy war (a righteous war of the Lord). Macauliffe gives three reasons for the translations from Hindu mythology and the Hindu epics:

• to dispel cowardice and incite to bravery by filling the mind with heroic examples;
• by showing what a brave woman (the goddess Chandi) could achieve in battle to spur brave men on to surpass her achievements;
• that his Sikhs might see the inferiority of the Hindu sacred writings and so appreciate those of their own Gurus more.

This militant purpose should not say that the Guru was a vengeful militarist. His wars were wars of defense; and his own poetry as well as his conduct shows a longing for peace and harmonious fellowship, which sometimes extended even to his former enemies.

Controversy

M.A. McAuliffe, the British Deputy Commissioner of Punjab, was the first scholar to raise questions about the Dasam Granth. He states^[2]:

"It seems, at any rate politic to place before the Sikh soldiery their Guru’s prophecies in favor of the English and the texts of their sacred writings which foster their loyalty."

He along with some Sikh scholars, help create the Tat Khalsa movement ^[3]. This included Giani Gian Singh who expressed in his book the Panth Prakash published in 1880 AD that the style expression in some of the works does not match that of the Guru. Sarup Das Bhalla also expressed similar views in his book Mahima Prakash. From 1892 to 1897, scholars assembled at the Akal Takht, Amritsar, to study the various printed Dasam Granths and prepare the authoritative version. They concluded that the Dasam Granth was entirely the work of Guru Gobind Singh. Further re-examinations and reviews took place in 1931, under the aegis of the Darbar Sahib Committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee they too vindicated the earlier conclusion (agreeing that it was indeed the work of the Guru) and its findings have since been published. Following were the members of the 1895-1897 Sodhak Committee (along with their credentials) that was formed for analysis of Dasam Granth^[4]

1. Mana Singh Hakim, known for correct recitation
2. Bhai Narain Singh, Teacher
3. Bhai Thakar Singh, Clerk Municipal Committee
4. Bhai Hajura Singh, Secretary Lakar Mandi
5. Dharam Singh, Famous for Chhabil Sewa
6. Bhai Sant Singh, Gurmukhi Teacher (Son of Giani Gian Singh)
7. Bhai Darbara Singh with education of Giani
8. Jaidial Singh, Middle pass
9. Gurdial Singh, Gurmukh Person
10. Kishan Singh Ji, Rice Dealer
11. Naran Singh, Thakur Singh Rice Dealer,
12. Makhan Singh, Sweet Maker

On 20 February, 2000, at Gobind Sadan, Virsa Singh released the first complete Punjabi translation of the writings of Guru Gobind Singh, plus other scholarly works about the life and teachings of Guru Gobind Singh. "Jaap Sahib" "Tawprasad Sawayeya" and "Kabiobach Bainty Chawpaye" are compulsory for reciting in nitnem of a Khalsa (baptised Sikh) every morning. These writings are also recited during Sikh baptism.

Audio

• Jasbir Singh (Paonta Sahib Waley) - Shabad Gurbani from Sri Dasam Granth Sahib Ji 1
• Jasbir Singh (Paonta Sahib Waley) - Shabad Gurbani from Sri Dasam Granth Sahib Ji 2

References

External links

• Writings, Audio and Video related to Sri Dasam Granth
• Video Lectures by Sikh Scholars and Academicians on the Banee of Sri Dasam Granth
• Video: Dr. Jodh Singh, Editor-in-Chief encyclopedia of Sikhism, who has translated Sri Dasam Granth into English and Hindi talks about Charitropakhyaan
• Compilation of Dasam Granth -A scientific Analysis
• Read the Dasam Granth
• Gobind Sadan Institute
• Read Sri Dasam Granth Sahib
• Sikh Research and Education Center - Disseminating Gurmat philosophy and the spirit of Sikhism
• Dasam Granth

This box:  •  • edit Dasam Granth
Jaap | Akal Ustat | Bichitra Natak | Chandi Charitar I | Chandi Charitar II | Chandi di Var | Gian Prabodh | Chobis Avtar | Brahm Avtar | Rudar Avtar | Shabad Hazare | Swayyae | Khalsa Mehma | Shastar Nam Mala | Triya Charitar | Zafarnama | Hikayats

•  • e   Topics in Sikhism
Gurus	Guru Nanak Dev • Guru Angad Dev • Guru Amar Das • Guru Ram Das • Guru Arjan Dev • Guru Har Gobind • Guru Har Rai • Har Krishan • Guru Teg Bahadur • Guru Gobind Singh • Guru Granth Sahib • Sikh Bhagats
Philosophy	Beliefs and principles • Underlying values • Prohibitions • Technique and methods • Other observations
Practices	Ardās • Amrit Sanskar • Chaṛdī Kalā • Dasvand • Five Ks • Kirat Karō • Kirtan • Langar • Nām Japō • Simran • Three Pillars • Vaṇḍ Chakkō
Scripture	Guru Granth Sahib • Adi Granth • Dasam Granth • Bani • Chaupai • Jaap Sahib • Japji Sahib • Mool Mantar • Rehras • Sukhmani Sahib • Tav-Prasad Savaiye
More	History • Ek Onkar • Gurdwara • Harmandir Sahib • History • Khalsa • Khanda • Literature • Music • Names • Places • Politics • Satguru • Sikhs • Waheguru • Bhagat Farid • Bhagat Kabir • History of the Punjab • Sardar • Takhat