Template:Background of Charitropakhyan
Charitropakhyan is conversation between a wise adviser (minister or "manteree" ਮੰਤਰੀ s ) to Raja (king) Chitar Singh; each charitar or trick is mainly in connection with the wiles of women (plus a few connected with men) and other worldly tales of life, in order to save his handsome son Hanuvant from the false accusations of one of the younger ranis (queens). The minister tries to explain to the Raja that there can be trickery in human behaviour and that one needs to analyse the situation carefully before drawing any quick conclusions.
Guru Gobind Singh has given these "opakhyan" (already told) stories to Sikhs as a guide to upholding morality. The tales highlight human behaviour by people driven by lust, passion, desire, jealousy and/or greed and how these evil doers can utilise tricks or deception or charm or other activity to cover their tracks. The purpose of the stories is for us to learn about negative human behaviour by some people who are driven by evil intent. One needs to tread carefully in life and understand the many negative traits exist in some evil doers.
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The first part of Charitropakhyan is Chandi Charitar. This is the writing of Guru Gobind Singh describing the positive charitars of Chandi (God) and asking for blessing of Almighty before the rest of this bani is narrated. The second tale, Charitar 2 is the narration of the conversation between the minister and Raja Chiter Singh. He has a long communication with his Minister on Charitropakhyan lasting for many days. The First charitar ends with ਇਤਿ ਸਰੀ ਚਰਿਤਰ ਪਖਯਾਨੇ ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤਰੇ ਪਰਥਮ ਧਯਾਇ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ ਸਤ ਸਭਮ ਸਤ ॥੧॥੪੮॥ਅਫਜੂੰ॥ (iti sree charitr pakhyaanay chandee charitray pratham thhyaai samaapatam (ends)- satu subham satu ॥1॥48॥afjoon॥) which means "Here Sri Charitr-pakhyan's Chandi Charitar the first citation ends - true good and true". All the other charitars end with ਇਤਿ ਸਰੀ ਚਰਿਤਰ ਪਖਯਾਨੇ ਤਰਿਯਾ ਚਰਿਤਰੇ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਭੂਪ ਸੰਬਾਦੇ ਦਤਿਯ ਚਰਿਤਰ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ ਸਤ ਸਭਮ ਸਤ ॥੨॥੭੮॥ਅਫਜੂੰ॥ (iti sree charitr pakhyaanay triyaa charitray mantree (minister) bhoop (king) sanbaathay (between) thutiy charitr samaapatam (ends) - satu subham satu ॥2॥78॥afjoon॥) which means "Here Sri Charitr-pakhyan's Triyaa Charitar between Minister and King duality trickery ends - true good and true" This itself shows that these Charitars from number 2 onwards were the discourse between King Chitra Singh and his minister. Charitar number 2 tells us how a foolish and quick decision which a person takes with their eyes closed, without analysing the situation and not going into the fact of reality; acting foolishly according to the words of their wives, girl-friends or other loved ones can lead to serious injustice and distortion of the truth. Guru Ram Das said such person is foolish - ਜੋਰਾ ਦਾ ਆਖਿਆ ਪਰਖ ਕਮਾਵਦੇ ਸੇ ਅਪਵਿਤ ਅਮੇਧ ਖਲਾ ॥ ਕਾਮਿ ਵਿਆਪੇ ਕਸਧ ਨਰ ਸੇ ਜੋਰਾ ਪਛਿ ਚਲਾ ॥ Jorĝ ḝĝ ĝkẖi▫ĝ purakẖ kamĝvḝe se apviṯ ameḝẖ kẖalĝ. Kĝm vi▫ĝpe kusuḝẖ nar se jorĝ pucẖẖ cẖalĝ. Men who dance to the orders of overbearing women are impure, filthy and foolish. Enslaved by lust, these impure men walk according to their women's wishes. |
