Dasam Granth Sahib
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Gurmukhi Gurmukhī ( , Shahmukhi: ) is an abugida developed from the Laṇḍā scripts, standardized and used by the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad (1504–1552). Commonly regarded as a Sikh script, Gurmukhi is used in Punjab, India as the official scrip ...
: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ''dasama gratha'') is a collection of various poetic compositions attributed to
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
.Dasam Granth
Encyclopædia Britannica
, pages 2, 67 The text previously enjoyed an equal status with the Adi Granth, or
Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...
, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and were installed side by side on the same platform. The ''Dasam Granth'' lost favor during the colonial period when reformist
Singh Sabha Movement The Singh Sabhā Movement, also known as the Singh Sabhā Lehar, was a Sikh movement that began in Punjab in the 1870s in reaction to the proselytising activities of Christians, Hindu reform movements (Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj) and Muslims ( Ali ...
scholars couldn't contextualize the reworkings of Puranic stories or the vast collection of 'Tales of Deceit'
Sri Charitropakhyan ''Sri Charitropakhyan'' or ''Pakhyan Charitar'' and also ''Tria Charitra'' (, also known as ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰੋਪਾਖ੍ਯਾਨ and ਤ੍ਰਿਯਾ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ) is a huge composition of short stories, with the purp ...
. The standard edition of the text contains 1,428 pages with 17,293 verses in 18 sections. These are set in the form of hymns and poems mostly in the
Braj language Braj is a language within the Indo-Aryan language family spoken in the Braj region in Western Uttar Pradesh centered on Mathura. Along with Awadhi, it was one of the two predominant literary languages of North-Central India before gradually m ...
(Old western Hindi), with some parts in
Avadhi Awadhi, also known as Audhi, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. It is spoken in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh in northern India and in Terai region of western Nepal. The n ...
,
Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...
,
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
and
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
. The script is written almost entirely in
Gurmukhi Gurmukhī ( , Shahmukhi: ) is an abugida developed from the Laṇḍā scripts, standardized and used by the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad (1504–1552). Commonly regarded as a Sikh script, Gurmukhi is used in Punjab, India as the official scrip ...
, except for the Guru Gobind Singh's letters to
Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...
—''
Zafarnama Zafarnama () is the title of a number of Persian and Turkish literary works Zafarnama may refer to: * ''Zafarnama'' or ''Timurnama'', a Persian epic poem by Hatefi about Timur * ''Zafarnama'' (Shami biography), a history of the ruler Timur by Niz ...
'' and the ''
Hikaaitaan Hikaaitaan or Hikāyatān (, pronunciation: , lit. ‘realities’) is a title given to the semi-legendary set of 11 tales (''hikayat''; ), composed in the Gurmukhi/Persian vernacular (with a few words in the Majha dialect), whose authorship is ...
''—written in the
Persian alphabet The Persian alphabet (), also known as the Perso-Arabic script, is the right-to-left alphabet used for the Persian language. It is a variation of the Arabic script with four additional letters: (the sounds 'g', 'zh', 'ch', and 'p', respecti ...
., pp. 53–54 The ''Dasam Granth'' contains hymns, from
Hindu texts Hindu texts or Hindu scriptures are manuscripts and voluminous historical literature which are related to any of the diverse traditions within Hinduism. Some of the major Hindus, Hindu texts include the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Itihasa. ...
, which are a retelling of the feminine in the form of goddess
Durga Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...
, an autobiography, letter to the
Mughal emperor The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty (House of Babur), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in ...
Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...
, as well as reverential discussion of warriors and theology. The scripture was recited in full within Nirmala Sikhs in the contemporary era. Parts of it are retold from Hindu , for the benefit of the common man, who had no access to Hindu texts of the time. Compositions of the Dasam ''Granth'' include
Jaap Sahib Jaap Sahib (or Japu Sahib; , pronunciation: ) is the morning prayer of the Sikhs. The beaded prayers were composed by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh and is found at the start of the Sikh scripture Dasam Granth. This Bani is an impor ...
,
Tav-Prasad Savaiye The (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ''dasama gratha'') is a collection of various poetic compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.
and Kabiyo Baach Benti Chaupai which are part of the
Nitnem ''Nitnem'' () is a collection of Sikh hymns ('' Gurbani'') to be read minimally 3 different times of the day. These are mandatory and to be read by every Amritdhari Sikh as expressed in the Sikh Rehat Maryada. Optionally additional prayers m ...
or daily prayers and also part of the
Amrit Sanchar Amrit Sanskar (, pronunciation: , lit. "nectar ceremony") is one of the four Sikh Sanskaars. The Amrit Sanskar is the initiation rite introduced by Guru Gobind Singh when he founded the Khalsa in 1699. A Sikh who has been initiated into the ...
or initiation ceremony of
Khalsa The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ...
Sikhs. ''Zafarnama'' and ''Hikayats'' in a different style and format appended to it in the mid 18th century. Other manuscripts are said to include the ''Patna Birs'' and the ''Mani Singh Vali Bir'' all originated in mid to late 18th century. One of the 1698 CE Patna Manuscripts includes various ''
apocrypha Apocrypha () are biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of scripture, some of which might be of doubtful authorship or authenticity. In Christianity, the word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to ...
l writings'' such as the '' Ugradanti'' and ''Bhagauti Astotar''.


Authorship

Although the compositions of the ''Dasam Granth'' are traditionally accepted to be written by Guru Gobind Singh, there have been questions of the authenticity of the entirety of ''Dasam Granth'' from time of compilation. There are three major views on the authorship of the ''Dasam Granth'': # The traditional view is that the entire work was composed by Guru Gobind Singh himself. # The entire collection was compiled by the poets in the Guru's entourage. # Only a part of the work was composed by the Guru, while the rest was composed by the other poets. In his religious court at Paonta and Anandpur, 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 the Sirsa river before the
Battle of Chamkaur The Battle of Chamkaur, also known as Battle of Chamkaur Sahib or the Second battle of Chamkaur, was fought between the Khalsa, led by Guru Gobind Singh, and the coalition forces of the Mughals led by Wazir Khan and Hindu hill chiefs. G ...
in 1704. 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 Bhai Mani Singh (7 April 1644 – 14 June 1738) was an 18th-century Sikh scholar and martyr. He was a childhood companion of Guru Gobind Singh and took the vows of Sikhism when the Guru inaugurated the Khalsa in March 1699. Soon after that, t ...
compiled all the available works under the title ''Dasam Granth''. Traditionalist scholars claim that all the works in ''Dasam 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. Some others dispute the claim of the authorship, saying that some of the compositions included in ''Dasam Granth'' such as ''Charitropakhyan'' are "out of tune" with other Sikh scriptures, and must have been composed by other poets. 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."


Historical writings

The following are historical books after the demise of Guru Gobind Singh which mention that the compositions in the present ''Dasam Granth'' was written by Guru Gobind Singh: * Rehitnama
Bhai Nand Lal Bhai Nand Lal (; ; 1633–1720), also known by his pen name Goya (; ), was a 17th-century Sikh poet in the Punjab region. Biography Bhai Nand Lal, a respected Persian scholar, was one of the 52 poets associated with Guru Gobind Singh. Born in G ...
mentioned Jaap Sahib is an important Bani for a Sikh.Rehitnama Bhai Nand Lal * Rehitnama Chaupa Singh Chibber quotes various lines from Bachitar Natak, 33 Swiayey, Chaupai Sahib, Jaap Sahib.Rehitnama Chaupa Singh Chibber * In 1711, Sri Gur Sobha was written by the poet Senapat and mentioned a conversation of Guru Gobind Singh and Akal Purakh, and written three of its Adhyay on base of Bachitar Natak.Sri Gur Sbha Granth, Poet Senapat, Piara Singh Padam * In 1741, Parchian Srvadas Kian quoted lines from Rama Avtar, 33 Swaiyey, and mentioned Zafarnama with Hikayats. * in 1751, Gurbilas Patshahi 10 – Koyar Singh Kalal, mentioned Guru Gobind Singh composed Bachitar Natak, Krisna Avtar, Bisan Avtar, Akal Ustat, Jaap Sahib, Zafarnama, Hikayats etc. This is first Granth mentioned Guruship of Guru Granth Shahib. * In 1766, Kesar Singh Chibber in Bansavalinama writes that Guru Gobind Singh ordered the Guru Granth Sahib and Dasam Granth be kept separate. Kesar Singh frequently quotes Ugardanti, Bachitar Natak, Khalsa Mehima and many other compositions. * In 1766, Sri Guru Mahima Parkash – Sarup Chand Bhalla, mentioned about various Banis of Guru Gobind Singh and compilation of ''Dasam Granth'' * In 1790, Guru Kian Sakhian – Svarup Singh Kashish, mentioned Guru Gobind Singh composed, Bachitar Natak, Krishna Avtar, Shastarnaam Mala, 33 Swaiyey etc. * In 1797, Gurbilas Patshahi 10 – Sukkha Singh, mentioned compositions of Guru Gobind Singh. * In 1812, J. B. Malcolm, in Sketch of Sikhs mentioned the ''Dasam Granth'' as Bani of Guru Gobind Singh.


Structure

The standard print edition of the ''Dasam Granth'', since 1902, has 1,428 pages. However, many printed versions of the text in the contemporary era skip a major section (40%) because it is controversial. The standard official edition contains 17,293 verses in 18 sections. These are set in the form of hymns and poems mostly in the
Braj Bhasha Braj is a language within the Indo-Aryan language family spoken in the Braj region in Western Uttar Pradesh centered on Mathura. Along with Awadhi, it was one of the two predominant literary languages of North-Central India before gradually ...
(Old western Hindi), with some parts in Avadhi,
Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...
,
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
, and the
Persian language Persian ( ), also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Farsi (, Fārsī ), is a Western Iranian languages, Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian subdivision ...
. The script is almost entirely the Gurmukhi script except for the letter of the Sikh Guru to
Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...
– ''Zafarnama'', and the ''Hikayat'' in the
Persian script Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
.


Main compositions

The ''Dasam Granth'' has many sections covering a wide range of topics:


Other compositions


Ugardanti

Ugardanti (, pronunciation: ) is a poetic composition said to be written by
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
, after the creation of the
Khalsa Panth The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ...
at
Anandpur Sahib Anandpur Sahib, also referred simply as Anandpur (), is a city in Rupnagar district (Ropar), on the edge of Shivalik Hills, in the Indian state of Punjab. Located near the Sutlej River, the city is one of the most sacred religious places in Si ...
. The composition is present in Dasam Granth Bir Patna Sahib. The bani contains information about the creation of the
Khalsa Panth The term ''Khalsa'' refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion,Khalsa: Sikhism< ...
, the dress code of the
Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
s, and is strictly against ritualism.Ugardanti – Guru Gobind Singh(Chandd 5th and 6th) Etymologically, Ugardanti is a feminine term made of two words, Ugar means Fierce and Danti means Tooth. 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 A caste is a fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (endogamy), foll ...
, human worship and worships only One Non-Dual God. In ''Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian ka'' (1769), the author Kesar Singh Chibbar explains and quotes a few passages from Guru Gobind Singh's Ugardanti. In ''Hum Hindu Nahi''(1898 ), the author
Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha Kahn Singh Nabha (30 August 1861 – 24 November 1938) was a Punjabi Sikh scholar, writer, anthologist, lexicographer, and encyclopedist. His most influential work, Mahan Kosh, inspired generations of scholars after him. He also played a role in ...
, believed that Ugardanti Bani was not written by Guru Gobind Singh but by Bhai Sukha Singh, a priest at Patna.Sikhs...We are not Hindus: Kahn Singh Nabha: However, Sukha Singh's works came into being after the Bansavalinama of Kesar Singh Chibbar.
Nihang The Nihang (also spelt as Nihung lit. "Crocodiles") or Akali (lit. "Immortals"), also known as '' Dal Khalsa'', is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihangs are believed to have originated either from Fateh Sin ...
and
Namdhari The Namdharis or Namdhari Sikhs (Gurmukhi: ਨਾਮਧਾਰੀ; Devanagari: नामधारी; ''nāmadhārī'', meaning "bearers of the name"), also known as Kuka (Gurmukhi: ਕੂਕਾ; ''kūkā'' (''sing.)''; ਕੂਕੇ; ''kūkē'' (''p ...
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

Tav-Prasad Savaiye (, pronunciation: , lit. ‘exclusively you, in war song meter’) is a short composition of 10 stanzas which is part of daily liturgy among
Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
s (''
Nitnem ''Nitnem'' () is a collection of Sikh hymns ('' Gurbani'') to be read minimally 3 different times of the day. These are mandatory and to be read by every Amritdhari Sikh as expressed in the Sikh Rehat Maryada. Optionally additional prayers m ...
''). It was penned down by
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
and is part of his composition ''Akal Ustat'' (The praise of God). This is an important composition which is read during
Amrit Sanchar Amrit Sanskar (, pronunciation: , lit. "nectar ceremony") is one of the four Sikh Sanskaars. The Amrit Sanskar is the initiation rite introduced by Guru Gobind Singh when he founded the Khalsa in 1699. A Sikh who has been initiated into the ...
. This '' Bani'' appears in the Dasam Granth on pages 13 to 15, starting from Stanza 21 of Akal Ustat. Tavprasad means ''with thy grace''. This composition strongly rejects
idolatry Idolatry is the worship of an idol as though it were a deity. In Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith) idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than the Abrahamic ...
,
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a travel, journey to a holy place, which can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) w ...
s, grave worshiping,
samadhi Statue of a meditating Rishikesh.html" ;"title="Shiva, Rishikesh">Shiva, Rishikesh ''Samādhi'' (Pali and ), in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, is a state of meditative consciousness. In many Indian religious traditions, the cultivati ...
s of
yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297–299, 331 ...
s and other ritualistic beliefs of
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
,
Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...
and
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
as being of no use in attaining God if performed without the love of God and all his creation . It is included in
Nitnem ''Nitnem'' () is a collection of Sikh hymns ('' Gurbani'') to be read minimally 3 different times of the day. These are mandatory and to be read by every Amritdhari Sikh as expressed in the Sikh Rehat Maryada. Optionally additional prayers m ...
, the daily morning prayers of Sikhs, and recited after completing
Jaap Sahib Jaap Sahib (or Japu Sahib; , pronunciation: ) is the morning prayer of the Sikhs. The beaded prayers were composed by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh and is found at the start of the Sikh scripture Dasam Granth. This Bani is an impor ...
. It starts with ''Sravag Sudh Samuh Sidhan Ke'' and goes up to ''Koor 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. In ''Dialogues on Universal Responsibility and Education'', the
Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
quoted it while giving lessons on love. Tav-Prasad Savaiye is very important part of the
Nitnem ''Nitnem'' () is a collection of Sikh hymns ('' Gurbani'') to be read minimally 3 different times of the day. These are mandatory and to be read by every Amritdhari Sikh as expressed in the Sikh Rehat Maryada. Optionally additional prayers m ...
. Among other things
Nitnem ''Nitnem'' () is a collection of Sikh hymns ('' Gurbani'') to be read minimally 3 different times of the day. These are mandatory and to be read by every Amritdhari Sikh as expressed in the Sikh Rehat Maryada. Optionally additional prayers m ...
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.


Role in Sikh liturgy, access

The compositions within ''Dasam Granth'' play a huge role in Sikh liturgy, which is prescribed by
Sikh Rehat Maryada Rehat ( Punjabi: ਰਹਿਤ, alternatively transliterated as Rehit, Rahit, or Rahat) refers to the rules and traditions which govern the unique Sikh lifestyle and determines correct Sikh orthodoxy and orthopraxy. The Sikh Rehit Maryada( Punjabi ...
: * Jaap Sahib is part of
Nitnem ''Nitnem'' () is a collection of Sikh hymns ('' Gurbani'') to be read minimally 3 different times of the day. These are mandatory and to be read by every Amritdhari Sikh as expressed in the Sikh Rehat Maryada. Optionally additional prayers m ...
, which Sikh recites daily in morning.Page 133, Sikhs in the Diaspora, Surinder Singh Bakhshi, Dr Surinder Singh Bakhshi, 2009''The Japu, the Jaapu and the Ten Sawayyas (Quartets) – beginning "Sarwag sudh"-- in the morning.'': Chapter III, Article IV, Sikh Rehat Maryada *
Tav-Prasad Savaiye The (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ''dasama gratha'') is a collection of various poetic compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.
, again a bani of Nitnem, is part of Akal Ustat composition, which is recited daily in morning along with above. * Benti Chaupai, is part of
Sri Charitropakhyan ''Sri Charitropakhyan'' or ''Pakhyan Charitar'' and also ''Tria Charitra'' (, also known as ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰੋਪਾਖ੍ਯਾਨ and ਤ੍ਰਿਯਾ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ) is a huge composition of short stories, with the purp ...
, which is recited in morning as well as evening prayers. * Jaap, Tav Prasad Savaiye and Chaupai are read while preparing Khande Batey Ki Pahul for Khalsa initiation. * The first stanza of the Sikh
ardās The Ardās (, pronunciation: ) is a set prayer in Sikhism. It is a part of worship service in a Gurdwara (Sikh temple), daily rituals such as the opening the ''Guru Granth Sahib'' for ''prakash'' (morning light) or closing it for ''sukhasan'' (n ...
is from Chandi di Var. * As per Sikh Rehat Maryada, a stanza of Chaubis Avtar, "pae gahe jab te tumre", should be comprised in So Dar Rehras. In the
Nihang The Nihang (also spelt as Nihung lit. "Crocodiles") or Akali (lit. "Immortals"), also known as '' Dal Khalsa'', is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihangs are believed to have originated either from Fateh Sin ...
tradition – considered heretical by the Khalsa Sikhs, the ''Dasam Granth'' is given equal scriptural status as the ''Adi Granth'' (first volume). Chandi di Var is also an important prayer among
Nihang The Nihang (also spelt as Nihung lit. "Crocodiles") or Akali (lit. "Immortals"), also known as '' Dal Khalsa'', is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihangs are believed to have originated either from Fateh Sin ...
and Namdhari Sikhs. Except for the liturgical portions and some cherrypicked verses of the ''Dasam Granth'' that are widely shared and used, few Sikhs have read the complete ''Dasam Granth'' or know its contents. 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. In its history, the entire text was in the active possession of the Khalsa soldiers.


Manuscripts

The oldest manuscript of ''Dasam Granth'' is likely the Anandpuri Hazuri Bir (Not to be confused with the Anandpuri Marco
Adi Granth The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...
). It is dated to 1698 CE. A few folio pages were definitely added later (
Zafarnama Zafarnama () is the title of a number of Persian and Turkish literary works Zafarnama may refer to: * ''Zafarnama'' or ''Timurnama'', a Persian epic poem by Hatefi about Timur * ''Zafarnama'' (Shami biography), a history of the ruler Timur by Niz ...
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. 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. 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 the
Adi Granth The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...
and Dasam Granth. It presents the Zafarnama and Hikayats in the Perso-Arabic Nastaliq script. The early Anandpuri, Patna, and Mani Singh manuscripts include writings that are disputed in the contemporary era, as well as sections such as the ''Ugradanti'' and ''Sri Bhagauti Astotra'' that were removed from the ''Dasam Granth'' codified in the 20th century by the ''Sodhak Committee''. There is also a manuscript of the Dasam Granth attributed to Bhai Daya Singh with many Apocryphal Writings, as well as the 1765 Illuminated ''Patna Missal'' manuscript from
Jammu Jammu () is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute ...
. According to the Indologist
Wendy Doniger Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty (born November 20, 1940) is an American Indologist whose professional career has spanned five decades. A scholar of Sanskrit and Indian textual traditions, her major works include '' The Hindus: An Alternative History'' ...
, many orthodox Sikhs credit the authorship and compilation of the earliest ''Dasam 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. Prior to 1902, there were numerous incomplete portions of manuscripts of ''Dasam Granth'' in circulation within the Sikh community along with the complete, but somewhat variant, major versions such as the Anandpuri and Patna birs. In 1885, during the
Singh Sabha Movement The Singh Sabhā Movement, also known as the Singh Sabhā Lehar, was a Sikh movement that began in Punjab in the 1870s in reaction to the proselytising activities of Christians, Hindu reform movements (Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj) and Muslims ( Ali ...
, 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. The members of this committee studied 32 manuscripts of ''Dasam 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 the ''Dasam Granth''. The standard edition was first published in 1902. It is this version that has predominantly been distributed to scholars and studied in and outside India. However, the prestige of the ''Dasam Granth'' was well established in the Sikh community during the
Sikh Empire The Sikh Empire was a regional power based in the Punjab, Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. It existed from 1799, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured Lahore, to 1849, when it was defeated and conquered by the East India Company, Br ...
, as noted in 1812 by colonial-era scholar Malcolm. According to Robin Rinehart – a scholar of Sikhism and Sikh literature, modern copies of the ''Dasam Granth'' in Punjabi, and its English translations, often do not include the entire standard edition text and do not follow the same ordering either. File:Opening folio of a Dasam Granth manuscript authored by Baba Deep Singh.jpg, Opening folio of a Dasam Granth manuscript authored by Baba Deep Singh File:'Khas Patra' (important page) containing a correction authored by Guru Gobind Singh from the 'Anandpuri Hazuri bir' (manuscript) of the Dasam Granth.png, A correction authored by Guru Gobind Singh from the 'Anandpuri Hazuri Bir' (manuscript) of the Dasam Granth from 1698 CE File:Guru Gobind Singh's handwriting in non-calligraphic script.webp, Page from the Bhai Mani Singh combined Adi-Dasam Maniscript authored in 1713 CE File:Decorated page of the Dasam Granth from the Patna Sahib bir (manuscript) 03.jpg, Decorated page of the Dasam Granth from a Patna Manuscript File:Patna Sahib bir (manuscript) of the Dasam Granth, traditionally dated to 1755 Bikrami (1698 CE).jpg, Another Patna Manuscript of the Dasam Granth authored in 1698 CE File:Folio of the Charitropakhyan from the Patna Missal Dasam Granth manuscript from 1765.jpg, Illuminated Charitropakhyan folio from the Patna Missal Dasam Granth manuscript from 1765 CE File:Folio of the Apocryphal "Bhagauti Astotar" Composition in the "Aurangabadi Dasam Granth Bir" attributed to Bhai Daya Singh.png, Folio of the Apocryphal "Bhagauti Astotar" Composition in the "Aurangabadi Dasam Granth Bir" attributed to Bhai Daya Singh


Other compilations


Das Granthi

A Das Granthi (ਦਸ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੀ) is a small religious booklet containing only few selected compositions from Dasam Granth. Das stands for ''Ten'' and Granthi stands for ''booklet''. 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. There is no standardization of this booklet and various sects in Sikhism have their own versions. The
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC; Supreme Gurdwara Management Committee) is an organization in India responsible for the management of ''gurdwaras'', Sikh places of worship, in the states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and ...
contains eight texts namely, Jaap,
Bachitra Natak The ''Bachittar Natak'' or ''Bachitar Natak'' (; 'The Wonderful Play') is partly an autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh. The appellation ''Bachitar Natak'' is sometimes confusingly only applied around the Dasam Granth.Rinehart, Robin. ''Debating ...
, Chandi Charitra I, Shabad Hazare Patshahi 10,
Akal Ustat Akal Ustat (, , lit. ‘the praise of the Timeless One’) is the name given to the second Bani (sacred composition) present in the second holy scriptures of the Sikhs called the Dasam Granth. It is composed of 271 verses, and is largely devot ...
i, Chandi Charitra 2, Gian Prabodh and Chandi di Var.


Apocryphal Dasam Granth writings

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. These include but are not limited to: * Asfottak Kabitt * Sahansar Sukhmana * Gobind Gita * Rubai P. 10 * Uggardanti * Raag Sorath P. 10 (Rajput Ghode) * Raag Asa P. 10 * Fatehnama * Indra Kavach * Malkaus Ki Vaar * Lakhi Jungle Khalsa (Shabad) * Ras Mandal * Brahm Kavach * Var Bhagat Bhagauti * 34th Savaiya (Additional couplet for the
33 Savaiye 33 Savaiye (Gurmukhi: ੩੩ ਸਵਈਏ; alternatively transliterated as Swayyae; also known as Sri Mukhvak Savaiya) is a religious work written by Guru Gobind Singh which is included in Dasam Granth, second scripture of Sikhs. It is present a ...
) * 325th Charitar (Missing in a plethora of Dasam Granth manuscripts) * Sri Kal Astotar * Sikhi Rehit/Nishan E Sikhi * Additional Hikayat found in Bhai Mani Singh Bir (1713 CE)


See also

*
History of Dasam Granth The history of the Dasam Granth is related to the time of creation and compilation of various writings by Guru Gobind Singh in form of small booklets, some of which are Sikh prayers. The first combined-codex manuscripts of the Dasam Granth were c ...
*
Sarbloh Granth The Sarbloh Granth or Sarabloh Granth (, ', literally 'Scripture of Pure Iron'), also called Manglacharan Puran or Sri Manglacharan Ji, is a voluminous scripture, composed of more than 6,500 poetic stanzas. It is traditionally attributed as bein ...
*
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; born Gobind Das; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708) was the tenth and last human Sikh gurus, Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the ...
*
Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...


Notes


References


External links


Related to Dasam Granth


Dasam Granth websiteDebating the Dasam Granth
Christopher Shackle (2012)
Framing the Dasam Granth Debate: Throwing the Baby with the Bath Water
Pashaura Singh (2015)
Presence and Absence: Constructions of Gender in Dasam Granth Exegesis
Robin Rinehart (2019)
Read Ugardanti & Translation OnlineSri Dasam Granth Sahib: Questions and Answers: The book on Sri Dasam Granth Sahib
*
Tav Prasad Savaiye Bani in Punjabi
' *
Tav Prasad Savaiye Bani in Hindi
'


Related to Dasam Granth


Manuscripts of Dasam Granth
* {{Dasven Padshah Da Granth Indian religious texts Sikh scripture 18th-century manuscripts