Parchian Sewa Das

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Parchian Sewa Das is also known as "Parchian Pathshahi 10", "Sakhian Seva Das Udasi", "Mahalan Dasan Kian Sakhian" and "Sakhian Dasan Patshahian Kian".

It is one of the earliest available narrations, in prose, of 50 sakhis (episodes) from the lives of the Gurus, of which 38 relate events in the life of Guru Gobind Singh. Its date of completion coincides with the date of the Joti Jot (emerging with the eternal) of Guru Gobind Singh and it seems to have been written at Hazur Sahib, Nander.

Its history

Dated October 1708, all that is known of its author Seva Das, comes from the work's colophon, which relates that Seva Das was a member of the Udasi sect during the life of Guru Gobind Singh.

The work is in the collection of Khalsa College, Amritsar, under the number of MS. No. 2300E.

Bhasha Vibhag (Language Department), Punjab first published this work in 1961, and a second edition was brought out in 1978.

Its content

The work is rather hagiographical than historical in nature, although several episodes agree with similiar accounts in other sources such as the Gurbilases and Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth. The language is old Punjabi. Special mention is made of the Zafarnamah, in which Guru Gobind Singh's major battles against the hill chiefs and the Mughal government are alluded to.

Sakhis on each Guru

Only one sakhi each relates to the first eight Gurus, four are connectred to the Ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and the remaining 38 narrate incidents from the life of Guru Gobind Singh.

Delivering Zafarnamah to Aurangzeb

Although none of the sakhis describes the Creation of the Khalsa in 1699 (in any form) the very first episode, after giving "a brief sample" of the Zafarnamah, tells us:

"The letter contained the warning, “Beware, the Khalsa is born, the real idol-breaker Khalsa. Khalsa will punish you (Aurangzeb). You will not be spared.”

"The name of the messenger who delivered this letter was Bhai Daya Singh. When Aurangzeb read this line of the letter, he looked at Bhai Daya Singh and asked, ‘Has the Khalsa taken birth’? ‘Yes, Sir, the Khalsa has appeared,’ replied Bhai Daya Singh. ‘It should not have appeared15. That is a novel nectar to be prepared with the use of a double at this time. I see doom ahead.’ Saying this, Aurangzeb’s face turned pale, and he died." [1].

Other Sakhis

The abolition of the institution of masands is ascribed to the corruption that had overtaken the institution. Guru Gobind Singh's friendship with Bahadur Shah, the son of Emperor Aurangzeb, is justified by the author on the grounds that Bahadur Shah was a great lover of saints who had served them with devotion in a previous life. The circumstances of the death of the Guru are described in some detail. His orders for Sikhs to venerate the Adi Granth as Guru after him and to read barn daily are said to have been explained to a Sikh named Prahlad Singh. A great part of Rahitnama Prahlad Singh is reproduced in the text in 31 stanzas in a mixed form of poetry and prose.

Episode No. 47

Its episode No. 47 refers to a violation of Rehat, the Code of Socio-religious Conduct and discipline prescribed for the Khalsa, at Dadu Dwara - Guru’s salutation, Khalsa’s notice, Guru’s explanation and acceptance of the Tankhah (a form of punishment), given to the Guru by the Khalsa.[2].

References

  1. ^ Sewa Das, Parchian, op. cit., parchi no.13; Episodes from Lives of the Gurus, Chandigarh-1995, op. cit., pp. 39 & 135/83, 157-8.
  2. ^ Sewa Das, Parchian, op. cit., parchi no.13; Episodes from Lives of the Gurus, Chandigarh-1995, op. cit., pp. 39 & 135/83, 157-8.

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