Dasam Granth


The is a collection of various poetic compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. It is differentiated from the Guru Granth Sahib due to its focus on martial themes and imagery, such as warfare, weaponry, and other warrior-matters, known collectively as bir ras, as opposed to the Guru Granth Sahib's shanti ras. According to Kamalroop Singh and Gurinder Singh Mann, the text was composed to prepare the Sikhs for warfare against their Mughal enemy.
The text previously enjoyed an equal status with the Adi Granth, or Guru Granth Sahib, 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 scholars couldn't contextualise the reworkings of Puranic stories or the vast collection of 'Tales of Deceit' Sri Charitropakhyan. A section of Sikhs oppose the scripture and question its authenticity based upon its authorship.
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, with some parts in Avadhi, Punjabi, Hindi and Persian. The script is written almost entirely in Gurmukhi, except for the Guru Gobind Singh's letters to Aurangzeb—Zafarnama and the Hikaaitaan—written in the Persian alphabet.
The Dasam Granth contains hymns, from Hindu texts, which are a retelling of the feminine in the form of goddess Durga, an autobiography, letter to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, 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 Puranas, 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, Tav-Prasad Savaiye and Kabiyo Baach Benti Chaupai which are part of the Nitnem or daily prayers and also part of the Amrit Sanchar or initiation ceremony of Khalsa 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 apocryphal 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:
  1. The traditional view is that the entire work was composed by Guru Gobind Singh himself.
  2. The entire collection was compiled by the poets in the Guru's entourage.
  3. 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 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 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 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 mentioned Jaap Sahib is an important Bani for a Sikh.
  • Rehitnama Chaupa Singh Chibber quotes various lines from Bachitar Natak, 33 Swiayey, Chaupai Sahib, Jaap Sahib.
  • 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.
  • 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 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, with some parts in Avadhi, Punjabi, Hindi, and the Persian language. The script is almost entirely the Gurmukhi script except for the letter of the Sikh Guru to Aurangzeb – Zafarnama, and the Hikayat in the Persian script.

Main compositions

The Dasam Granth has many sections covering a wide range of topics:
No.Bani TitleAlternate NameNative ScriptDescription
1Jaap SahibGobind Jaapjiਜਾਪੁ ਸਾਹਿਬA prayer of 199 verses dedicated to formless, timeless, all-pervading god.
2Akal UstatSri Akal Ji Ki Ustatਅਕਾਲ ਉਸਤਤਿA praise of the timeless primal being Akal Purakh, explaining that this primal being takes numerous forms of gods and goddesses, listing most frequently Hindu names of these, but also includes a few Muslim epithets. Criticises overemphasis on rituals related to the devotional worship of god.
3Bachittar NatakBachitra Natakਬਚਿੱਤਰ ਨਾਟਕPartly an autobiography that states he was born in Sodhi lineage, tracing it to the lineage of Rama and Sita of Ramayana; mentions Guru Nanak was born in the Bedi clan and how the next eight Gurus came to lead the Sikhs; describes the persecution and execution of Guru Tegh Bahadar calling him the defender of dharma who protected the sacred threads and the tilaks ; he mentions his own rebirth in Patna after God explained to him that he had sent religious leaders to earth, in forms such as Muhammad but these clung to their own self-interest rather than promote devotion to the true God; He took birth to defend and spread the dharma, and was blessed by god to remember his past births; the Bachitra Natak criticises those who take pride in their religious rituals, mentions his own hunting expeditions, battles and journeys in Punjab and the Himalayan foothills. It states the author was meditating in the Himalayan foothills meditating on Mahakala and Kalaka before being called to take birth. The entire work is fourteen chapters in length, with one section named Apni Katha, which is an autobiographical account of the tenth Guru's life up til the year 1696. The appellation Bachitar Natak is sometimes confusingly only applied to that one specific section rather than the entire fourteen chapter composition in which Apni Katha constitutes a single section of. Sometimes a huge chunk of the Dasam Granth is termed Bachitar Natak Granth, containing Chandi Charitars 1 and 2, Chaubis Avtar, Brahma Avtar, and Rudra Avtar. Most Western and Sikh scholars accept the work as a genuine composition of the tenth Guru, even deriders of the Dasam Granth.
4Chandi Charitar Ukti BilasChandi Charitar 1ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ A discussion of the Hindu goddess, Durga in the form of Chandi; this section of the Dasam Granth declares that it is based on the Sanskrit text Markandeya Purana; it glorifies the feminine with her fighting the mythical war between good and evil, after the gods have admitted their confusion and weakness, she anticipating and thus defeating evil that misleads and morphs into different shapes.
5Chandi Charitar IIChandi Charitar 2
Chandi Charitar Trambi Mahatam		ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ A retelling of the story of the Hindu goddess, Durga again in the form of Chandi; it again glorifies the feminine with her fighting the war between good and evil, and in this section she slays the buffalo-demon Mahisha, all his associates and supporters thus bringing an end to the demonic violence and war. Authorship is generally and traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. This composition was written in Braj Language at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab. It has eight cantos, contains 262 couplets and quatrains, mostly employing Bhujang prayat and Rasaval measures, divided into 8 chapters. This work was composed at Anandpur Sahib, sometime before AD 1698, the year when the Bachitar Natak was completed. According to Max Arthur Macauliffe, the language of this composition is not original Sanskrit. He believes it to be written by bards in employ of Guru Gobind Singh and translation of Durga Saptashati, but could not ascertain, whether principles of Sikhism imbibed in Chandi Charitras or flavor of Hinduism is still in it. It differs from Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas in that it does not reference the chapters within the Markandeya Purana, but still tells the same story. The work contains 262 verses in total.
6Chandi Di VarVar Durga Kiਚੰਡੀ ਦੀ ਵਾਰThe ballad of Hindu goddess, Durga, in Punjabi; this section of the Dasam Granth states that it is based on the Sanskrit text Durga Saptasati; The opening verses from this composition, states Robin Rinehart, have been a frequently recited ardas petition or prayer in Sikh history; it is also a source of controversy within Sikhism, as the opening verse states "First I remember Bhagauti, then I turn my attention to Guru Nanak"; the dispute has been whether one should interpret of the word "Bhagauti" as "goddess" or a metaphor for "sword".
7Gyan PrabodhGyan Prabodhਗਿਆਨ ਪ੍ਰਬੋਧThe section title means "the Awakening of Knowledge", and it begins with praise of God; it includes a conversation between soul and God, weaves in many references to Hindu and texts such as the Mahabharata; the section summarises those parva of the Hindu epic which discuss kingship and dharma; the role of Brahmins and Kshatriya varnas. This composition contains 336 verses in total.
8Chaubis AvtarVishnu Avtarਚੌਬੀਸ ਅਵਤਾਰThe Chaubis Avatar section is about Vishnu's 24 avtar which include Rama, Krishna, and Buddha. It is divided into 24 sections for each of the 24 avatars.
9Brahma AvtarAvatars of Brahmaਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਅਵਤਾਰNarrative on the seven incarnations of Brahma, who is already mentioned in the Chaubis Avatar section
10Rudra AvtarAvatars of Rudra,
Ath Rudra Avtar Kathan		ਰੁਦਰ ਅਵਤਾਰA poem that narrates Rudra and his avatars, also already mentioned in the Chaubis Avatar section
11Shabad Hazare PadishahSabad Patshahi 10ਸ਼ਬਦ ਹਜ਼ਾਰੇ ਪਾਤਿਸ਼ਾਹੀ ੧੦Thousand hymns actually contains nine hymns, each set to a raga, with content similar to Chaubis Avatar section; the sixth is filled with grief and generally understood to have been composed by Guru Gobind Singh after the loss of all four sons in the wars with the Mughal Empire; this section is missing in some early manuscripts of Dasam Granth.
1233 Savaiye33 Savaiye੩੩ ਸਵਈਏThirty-three verses that praise a god; asserts the mystery of god who is beyond what is in the Vedas and Puranas, beyond the one in Quran and famously the Bible.
13Khalsa MahimaPraise of Khalsaਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਮਹਿਮਾA short passage that explains why offerings to goddess Naina Devi by the general public are distributed to the Khalsa soldiers rather than Brahmin priests.
14Shastar Naam MalaShastar Nam Mala Puranaਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਮ ਮਾਲਾ The section title means a "garland of weapon names", and it has 1,300 or 1,323 verses; it lists and exalts various weapons of violence, declaring them to be symbols of God's power, states Rinehart; it includes the names of Hindu deities and the weapon they carry in one or more of their hands, and praises their use and virtues; the list includes weapons introduced in the 17th-century such as a rifle; some of the verses are riddles about weapons.
15Sri CharitropakhyanCharitropakhyan, Pakhyan Charitra, Tria Charitraਪਖ੍ਯਾਨ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ, ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰੋਪਾਖ੍ਯਾਨ, ਤ੍ਰਿਯਾ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰThe largest and most controversial part of the Dasam Granth; it includes material which is not in tune with Guru Gobind Singh's writings, casting its authenticity into question. it includes 405 character features and behavioral sketches; these are largely characters of lustful women seeking extramarital sex and seducing men for love affairs without their husbands knowing; the characters delight in gambling, opium and liquor; these stories either end in illustrating human weaknesses with graphic description of sexual behavior, or illustrate a noble behavior where the seduction target refuses and asserts that "he cannot be a dharmaraja if he is unfaithful to his wife"; the section is controversial, sometimes interpreted as a didactic discussion of virtues and vices; the charitras 21 through 23 have been interpreted by some commentators as possibly relating to Guru Gobind Singh's own life where he refused a seduction attempt; the final charitra describes the Mughals and Pathans as offsprings of demons, details many battles between gods and demons, ending with the victory of gods; the Benti Chaupai found in this last charitra is sometimes separated from its context by Sikhs and used or interpreted in other ways; Many Sikh commentators have questioned the authorship of Dasam Granth in significant part because of this section, while others state that the text must be viewed in the perspective of the traumatic period of Sikh history when Guru Gobind Singh and his soldier disciples were fighting the Mughal Empire and this section could have been useful for the moral edification of soldiers at the war front against the vice.
16Chaupai SahibKabiyo Baach Benti, Benti Chaupaiਕਬਿਯੋਬਾਚ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਚੌਪਈ,
ਚੌਪਈ ਸਾਹਿਬ		The reflection of the poet on the 405th charitar. A part of the last charitra of the Charitropakhyan section, it is sometimes separated and used independently.
17ZafarnamaEpistle of victoryਜ਼ਫ਼ਰਨਾਮਾA letter written in 1706 by Guru Gobind Singh to Emperor Aurangzeb in Persian language; it chastises the Mughal emperor for promising a safe passage to his family but then reneging on that promise, attacking and killing his family members; In this Guru Gobind Singh talks about how if the Holy Prophet were at Chamkaur in person then Aurangzeb wouldn't have lied.
18HikayatsHikaitanਹਿਕਾਇਤਾਂUsually grouped with the Zafarnama section, these are twelve tales unrelated to Zafarnama but probably linked because some versions have these in Persian language; the content of this section is closer in form and focus to the Charitropakhyan section above;