Dasam Granth
Structure
The Dasam Granth is the the collection of the writings of the 10th Patshah, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It contains his Jaap Sahib, the Akal Ustat or praise of the Creator, the Vachitar Natak or Wonderful Drama, in which the Guru gives an account of his parentage, his divine mission, and the battles in which he had been engaged.
Then come three abridged translations of the Devi Mahatamya, an episode in the Markandeya Puran, in praise of Durga the Goddess of war (Chandi Chritras: Chandi Chritra I, Chandi Chritra II, Chandi Ki Var).
Then follow the Gyan Parbodh, or awakening of knowledge; accounts of twenty-four incarnations of the Deity, 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 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 Zafarnama, containing the tenth Guru's epistle to the emporor Aurangzeb; and several metrical tales in the Persian language. This Granth was compiled by Bhai Mani Singh Ji after the tenth Guru's death.
The Controversy
Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Sikh Guru, significantly shaped the Sikh Panth and helped instil into a timid and oppressed people of Punjab the discipline and spirit to fight against the tyranny of their Moghal rulers.
Nevertheless, his writings have not been fully accepted by all Sikhs, for they do not fit into a rigid interpretation of Sikh religion.
From 1892 to 1897, eminent scholars assembled at Akal Takht, Amritsar, to study the various printed Dasam Granths and prepare the authoritative version. In this process, they determined that the Dasam Granth is entirely the work of Guru Gobind Singh.
Further reexaminations and reviews took place in 1931, under the ageis of The Darbar Sahib Committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. It vindicated the earlier conclusions and published its findings in a book.
However, the controversy continues as there is reluctance to fully accept the entire text of the Dasam Granth. Therefore, scholars appealed to His Holiness Baba Virsa Singh, a highly revered spiritual teacher of Sikh background, to gather scholars to clarify the doubts about Dasam Granth. A seminar was held on January 3rd and 4th, 1999, at the Gobind Sadan Institute in New Delhi, India.
On February 20th, 2000, at Gobind Sadan, His Holiness Baba 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.
Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa and the Guru Granth Sahib: For the followers of the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa, the traditional martial Sikhs, Sri Dasam Guru Durbar is revered as equally holy as Aad Guru Durbar (now "the Guru Granth Sahib") as well as Sarbloh Guru Durbar (literally "The Book of Pure Iron")which is also written by the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. For more information view www.shastarvidiya.org
Who are the followers of Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa? : Akali Nihangs are part of the People of Punjab that observe the teachings of Shikhism. However, the Akali Nihangs only recognize the Sikh teachings that were prevalent before the British Rule of Punjab. These traditional teachings are the Khalsa traditions of ‘Dal Panth’ (meaning, ‘way of the army’ or ‘nation that is the army’).
Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa and the Dal Panth: Dal Panth refers to the Akali Nihang Dals and Sach Khand Hazoor Sahib, Nanded, Maharashtra. Akali Nihangs DO NOT recognize ANY Khalsa institution which was established by or during British Raj or afterwards
Acknowledgement of and full respect to the Khalsa Panths, Hindu 'Kyshatriya' (warrior) ancestors such as Siri Raam Chander, Krishan Maharaj, origins, heritage and other past warriors
The Akali Nihangs do not speak about themselves as ‘Hindu’, however, they do see themselves as part of the greater Hindu Indian nation. For example, at Sach Khand Hazoor Sahib, Nanded, Maharashtra, like all 'Hazoori Sikhs', Nihangs will freely intermarry with Hindu women
The Guru Granth Sahib deals solely with saintly aspects of faith and devotion to God through such means. Dasam Granth tells of ancient battles fought between Hindu Demigods in an explanation of traditional Indian martial arts. Sarbloh Granth conists of salutations of weapons and relates to upholding the universal laws of righteousness on the battle field.
Letter from Bhai Mani Singh to Mata Sundari Ji
There exists a letter from Bhai Mani Singh to Mata Sundari Ji which suggest that the Banis of the Dasam Granth are indeed genuine Banis of Guru Gobind Singh. The English translation is as follows:
May the Almighty help us.
Mani Singh makes his humble prostration at the holy feet of his venerable mother. Further news is that the climate of this place has aggravated my rheumatism and my health deteriorates fast. I will have to listen to the healing parable of the tertian fever. But my illness has caused no slackness in the performance of the holy service of the Hari Mandir (Golden Temple). The Khalsa no more hods away over the country and its power has waned. The Sikhs have migrated to the mountain retreats. The Malechhas reign supreme in the country. There is no security for the (Sikh) children and women in any habitation. They are hunted out and killed. The opposing states have also joined hands with them. The Hindalis spy on the Sikhs. All (the Sikhs) have deserted the Chak (The earliest name of Amritsar). The Mutsaddis (priests) have also fled. So far the Immortal Lord protects me. Tomorrow is uncertain. What is ordained by the Lord shall prevail. The adopted son of Binod Singh has passed away. Among the books I sent per Jhanda Singh, there is one entitled "303 Chritra Upakhyans" by the Lord (Guru Gobind Singh). Give that to Sihan Singh in the Mahal (Matia Mahal in the interior of Delhi City). So far there is no trace of the book "Nam Mala". I found the first part of "Krishna Avtar" but not the second. I shall send it when available. There is a rumour in the country that Banda (Bahadur) has made his good escape from the Emperor's jail. May the Guru protect him. The Guru's family (the descendants of the Guru) at Khandur have sent five tolas of gold as a gift for your son's bride(an adopted son of Mata Ji, as all of her four sons were martyred already). Recover seventeen rupees from Jhanda Singh ; I gave him five rupees to meet the expenses of the journey…(?) These expenses will be incurred by him. The Mutsaddis have not yet settled accounts, otherwise I would have sent a draft from the city (presumably Lahore) . If my health improves I shall come in the month of Kartik.
Baisakh 22
Signed - Mani Singh, Guruchak, Bunga
P.S. Reply in bamboo stick. (as being confidential)
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- Macauliffe, M.A "The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus Sacred Writings and Authors", 1909
- Singh, Khuswant "A History of the Sikhs", Oxford University Press, 2000
- Singh, Dalip "Sikhism in the Words of the Guru", Lok Sahit Prakashan, Amritsar, 1999
