Dasam Granth/ Bachitar Natak

 

There is an ongoing discussion about Dasam Granth. Some people feel that all of what it contains is not the Bani of the tenth Guru. We have Nitnem Banis which have never been questioned. There are also a number of other compositions that stand the test of Gurmat i.e. compatibility with what is contained in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The latter must be accepted as the touchstone for examination of any Bani.

 

It is interesting that the tenth Guru himself has laid down what is right and what is not. The first Swayya from the 33 Swayyay is often the basis of discourse at the time of administration of Amrit and for good reason. It says:

 

ਜਾਗਤਿ ਜੋਤ ਜਪੈ ਨਿਸ ਬਾਸੁਰ ਏਕ ਬਿਨਾ ਮਨ ਨੈਕ ਨ ਆਨੈ

ਪੂਰਨ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਤ ਸਜੈ ਬ੍ਰਤ ਗੋਰ ਮੜੀ ਮਟ ਭੂਲ ਨ ਮਾਨੈ

ਤੀਰਥ ਦਾਨ ਦਇਆ ਤਪ ਸੰਜਮ ਏਕ ਬਿਨਾ ਨਹ ਏਕ ਪਛਾਨੈ

ਪੂਰਨ ਜੋਤ ਜਗੈ ਘਟ ਮੈ ਤਬ ਖਾਲਸ ਤਾਹਿ ਨਖਾਲਸ ਜਾਨੈ

 

Jaagat jot japai nis baasur ek binaa man naik na aanai|;

Pooran prem prateet sajai brat gor madi mat bhool na maanai||

Teerath daan dauyaa tap sanjam ek binaa noh ek pachhaadai|| Pooran jot jagad ghat mai tab Dhaalas taah(i) naDhaalas jaanai||1||

One who remembers the ever-lit Lamp (Akal Purakh) night and day, and brings none else to mind;

Practices this with perfect devotion and love, does not make the mistake of beliving in tombs or mausoleums

does not believe in pilgrimages, charities, penances and austerities;

Recognizes none but the One Lord;

When the mind is illuminated by such perfect light;

One becomes a perfect Khalsa. 1.

As may be seen Guru Sahib teaches to acknowledge ony the One Lord and do away with rituals etc.

In Hindu Mythology whenever the Devtas are in trouble they ask the Devi (goddess) for help. In order to remove any doubts about Devi Deavtas, the tenth Guru says in the fifth stanza of Chaupaee that starts with “Pranvai Aadi Ekakaara”:

 

ਅਨਹਦ ਰੂਪ ਅਨਾਹਦ ਬਾਨੀ

 

 

Anhad roop anaahad baani;

 

ਚਰਨ ਸਰਨ ਜਿਹ ਬਸਤ ਭਵਾਨੀ

 

Charan saran jih basat bhavaani.

 

God’s being is eternal, the celestial word ever present;

The goddess takes refuge at His Feet and abides there.

 

ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨ ਅੰਤੁ ਨਹਿ ਪਾਇਓ

 

 

Brahmaa Bisan ant(u) nahoo paaio||

 

 

Brahma and Vishnu cannot not gauge Its being.

 

ਨੇਤ ਨੇਤ ਮੁਖਚਾਰ ਬਤਾਇਓ

 

 

Net net mukhchaar bataaio||5||

 

 

The four-headed god Brahma describes Him ad ‘Neti Neti’ (Not this, Not this).5.

 

We are to seek refuge in One above whom there is none.

 

The above are entirely in consonance with Gurmat.

Every thing in Dasam Granth or for that matter any written or spoken word needs to be tested against these.

 

In the light of the above it would appear that belief that writings about the goddessChandi, Chaubees Avatar etc are those of the tenth Guru cannot be justified. They have been written by others.

 

 

What follows is a brief study about Bachitar Natak which is part of Dasam Granth.

The basic concept of Sikhi is unity of God who is Ajooni – not born – and self existent. Gurbani also tells us that God created the universe from Itself. However Bachitar Nantak describes the creator like a human being and describes the process of creation thus:

 

It talks of a King named Kaldhuj who is creator of the universe; here is how:

 

ਕਾਲਧੁਜ ਚਤੁਰਥ ਨ੍ਰਿਪ ਸੋਹੈ ਜਿਹ ਤੇ ਭਇਓ ਜਗਤ ਸਭ ਕੋ ਹੈ ੧੧

 

 

Kaldhuj chaturath nrip sohai|| Jih te bhaeo jagat sabh ko hai||11||

 

 

Kaldhuj was the fourth king, to whom the whole world owes its existence. 11.

 

ਏਕ ਸ੍ਰਵਣ ਤੇ ਮੈਲ ਨਿਕਾਰਾ ਤਾ ਤੇ ਮਧੁ ਕੀਟਭ ਤਨ ਧਾਰਾ

 

 

Ek sravan te mail nikaaraa|| Taa te Madhu keetabh tan dhaaraa||

 

 

He took out dirt from one of his ears, from which bodies of Madhu and Kaitabh were formed.

 

(Madu and Keetabh are believed to be demons)

 

ਦੁਤੀਯ ਕਾਨ ਤੇ ਮੈਲੁ ਨਿਕਾਰੀ ਤਾ ਤੇ ਭਈ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਇਹ ਸਾਰੀ ੧੩

 

 

Dutooya kaan te mail(u) nikdaree|; Taa te bhaee sristi ih saree||13||

 

 

And from the dirt of the other ear, the whole universe came into being.13.

 

These are incompatible with Gurmat and cannot be the words of the tenth Guru.

Further there are two stories about the birth of the guru given one after the other. The first goes like this in Part 6:

 

ਤਾਤ ਮਾਤ ਮੁਰ ਅਲਖ ਅਰਾਧਾ ਬਹੂ ਬਿਧਿ ਜੋਗ ਸਾਧਨਾ ਸਾਧਾ

 

 

Taat maat mur alakh araadhaa|| Bahu bidh(i) jog saadhnaa saadhaa||3||

 

 

My father and mother meditated on the Incomprehensible Lord;

and performed many types of yogic disciplines.3.

 

ਤਿਨ ਜੋ ਕਰੀ ਅਲਖ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਤਾ ਤੇ ਭਏ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਗੁਰਦੇਵਾ

 

 

Tin jo daroo alakh koo sevaa|| Taa te bhae prasann Gurdevaa||

 

 

Through the service that they rendered, the Lord was pleased.

 

ਤਿਨ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਜਬ ਆਇਸ ਮੁਹਿ ਦੀਆ ਤਬ ਹਮ ਜਨਮ ਕਲੂ ਮਹਿ ਲੀਆ

 

 

Tin Prabh jab aais muh(i) dooaa|| Tah ham janam kaloo maih looaa||4||

 

 

 

When the Lord ordered me, I was born in this dark age.4.

 

Bachitar Natak says later:

 

ਜੇ ਜੇ ਗਉਸ ਅੰਬੀਆ ਭਏ ਮੈ ਮੈ ਕਰਤ ਜਗਤ ਤੇ ਗਏ

 

 

Je je gaus ambeeaa bhaey; Mai mai karat jagat te gaye||

 

All the earlier prophets left the world in ego.

 

ਮਹਾਪਰਖ ਕਾਹੂ ਨ ਪਛਾਨਾ ਕਰਮ ਧਰਮ ਕੋ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਜਾਨਾ ੪੫

 

 

Mahaapurakh kaahoo na pachhaadaa|| Karam dharam ko; kachhodh na jaanaa||45||

 

 

And did not comprehend the supreme Purakh, they knew nothing of ritualistic acts.45.

 

(This should be compared with Jaap Sahib saying that God is beyond Karam and Dharam)

 

ਇਹ ਕਾਰਨ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਹਮੈ ਬਨਾਯੋ ਭੇਦੁ ਭਾਖਿ ਇਹੁ ਲੋਕ ਪਠਾਯੋ

 

 

Eh kaaran Prabh(u) hamai banaayo|| Bhed(u) bhaakh(i) eh(u) lok pathaayo||

 

 

For this reason the Lord created me and sent me in this world, telling me the secrets.

 

(This is to say that in addition to the other prophets the first nine gurus are also covered).

 

ਜੋ ਤਿਨ ਕਹਾ ਸੁ ਸਭਨ ਉਚਰੋਂ ਡਿੰਭ ਵਿੰਭ ਕਛੁ ਨੈਕ ਕ ਕਰੋਂ ੫੦

 

 

Jo tin kahaa su sabhan ucharon|| binbh vinbh kachh(u) naik na karon||50||

 

 

Whatever He told me, I say unto you, there is not even a little change in it.50.

 

ਜਬ ਆਇਸੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੋ ਭਯੋ ਜਨਮੁ ਧਰਾ ਜਗ ਆਇ

 

 

Jab aais(u) Prabh ko bhayo janam(u) dharaa jag aaey|.

 

 

When the Lord Willed, I was born on this earth.

 

According to the above description Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib meditated and also performed yogic disciplines. Some one wanting to introduce further rituals by the ninth Guru added part 7 comprising a few verses, which goes like this:

 

ਅਥ ਕਬਿ ਜਨਮ ਕਥਨੰ

 

 

Ath Kabi janam kathanang||

 

 

Here begins the description of the birth of the poet.

 

ਮੁਰ ਪਿਤ ਪੂਰਬ ਕੀਯਸਿ ਪਯਾਨਾ ਭਾਂਤਿ ਭਾਂਤਿ ਕੇ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਨਾਨਾ

 

 

Mur pit poorab keeyas(i) payaanaa|; Bhaant(i) bhaant(i) ke teerath(i) nhaanaa||

 

 

My father proceeded east and bathed at several places of pilgrimage.

 

ਜਬ ਹੀ ਜਾਤ ਤ੍ਰਿਬੇਣੀ ਭਏ ਪੁੰਨ ਦਾਨ ਦਿਨ ਕਰਤ ਬਿਤਏ

 

 

Jab hee jaat tribaanee bhae|| Punn daan din karat bitaey||1||

 

 

When he went to Triveni (Allahabad), he spent his days in virtuous acts.1.

 

(There is no mention of the mother unlike in the earlier case)

 

ਤਹੀ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ ਹਮਾਰਾ ਭਯੋ ਪਟਨਾ ਸਹਰ ਬਿਖੈ ਭਵ ਲਯੋ

 

 

Tahee prakaas hamaaraa bhayo|; Patnaa sahar bikhai bhav layo||

 

 

I was conceived there and took birth at Patna.

 

We note in the earlier portions of Bachitar Nantak that God is praised thus:

 

ਨ ਰੂਪੰ ਨ ਰੇਖੰ ਨ ਰੰਗੰ ਨ ਰਾਗੰ ਨ ਨਾਮੰ ਨ ਠਾਮੰ ਮਹਾ ਜੋਤਿ ਜਾਗੰ

 

 

Na roopangna raykhang raagang na raagang; na naamang na thaamang maha joti jaagang.

 

 

God has no form, marks, color or attachment; has no Name, belongs to no place and is the Supreme Light.

ਨ ਦ੍ਵੈਖੰ ਨ ਭੇਖੰ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਨਿਤਯੰ ਮਹਾ ਜੋਗ ਜੋਗੰ ਸੁ ਪਰਮੰ ਪਵਿਤ੍ਰਯੰ

 

Na dwaikhang na bhaykhang nirankar nityang;

Maha jog jogang su parmang pavitrayang. 5.

 

God has no jealousy or garb, is formless and eternal;

Is with every one but still totally detached.

 

It would be apparent from the above that Bachitar Natak is not the composition of one author.

 

Bachitar means strange, and Natak means a play or drama; so it is a strange drama.

There is another interesting aspect. In the Dasam Granth at the end of the portion abot Ramayan, the story of Rama it is written:

ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੇ ਰਾਮਾਇਣ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ

 

Iti sri bachitar natak granth Ramayan samapatam.

 

This is the end of the strange drama granth Ramayan.

 

That would show both the Ramayana story and the Bachitar Natak are dramas of same type.

 

 

Comments

Posted On
Feb 27, 2012
Posted By
Arvinder Singh Khalsa

Need lots of research in to so called Sri Guru DasamGranth Sahib name itself is digotory and quite challenging to authorit and status of One Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Why they named it as such, So close to SGGS ji to my knowledge and suspitions is to creat doubts and confutions to young Sikh minds to lead them away form Sikhi. I am happy to honour the banis in Sikh Rehet Maryada and some of the relevant banis of Guru Gobind singh. But outright status like SGGSji will not me tolrated. wjkk wjkf

Posted On
May 25, 2014
Posted By
harman singh

well first young sir it is Vjkk Vjkf. there is no W sound in punjabi or gurumuki only V sound. second the maryade that was set my sgcp says all ten gurus bani. all the shaheeds read both bani’s and didn’t pick and choose which they liked and didn’t. maybe someone found out that guru gobind singhs bani has a lot of power in it so lets get the young sikhs to hate it and talk bad about it. Missionaries, RSS, and badal party. the end.

Posted On
Apr 26, 2013
Posted By
Malaya Khabarnama

There is suffiicient research around already that shoots down the bogey of DG and it’s brigade.It is preposterous to say all that is contained in Dasam Granth is the results of Guru Gobind Singh’s own penmanship. Such assertions coming from the anti-Sikh forces can be expected but I feel sorry and offended to go through the pronouncements of such ardent Sikhs as Piara Singh Padam, other self declared Taksalis etc .

They have bent over backward to prove that all those were the original creations of Guruji who had chosen to write under the pen-names of Ram and Siam. If they stress that those are the conceptions of Guruji then why do they plead for their publication in a separate volume? Could Guru Gobind Singh write such stories and such stanzas which the readers would find in Chritropakhyan (Female Attributes) 2 to 20, 402, and some of the Hikayat (Fables) rendered into English by the writer of this article? Not only the Attributes and the Fables, some parts in many other Chapters, such as Krishna Avatar are equally erotic. Could readers sit down with their wives, sisters, mothers and children and read aloud these tales? Most of them are epitome of degradation to womanhood. They are as pornographic as the present day adult movies.

Apart from the obscene substance, there is lot of material, which is quite contrary and offensive to the philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikhism as promoted by first nine Masters.
The Akal Takhat has decided already upon the DG as far back as 1931.For a number of reason they did not come up with a decisive assertion and advised the panth to leave the matter alone.Unfortunately, since about 2006/7 some fringe groups in the Panth have started pushing the DG rather aggressively causing counter response.This group has been riding high on the shahidi of Bhindrawala and saw this as an opportunity to push their fringe views rather forcefully upon the agreed panthic stand.It is causing rather a slur upon the Guru sahib and philosophy commenced by the One jot Guru Nanak ji.If one compares the definition of God and creation between the dasam book & Guru Granth sahib-there is vast contradiction.The definition in DG is totally mythological and is as according to that subscribed in hindu mythology markandiya Puran,Shive Puran and Srimad puran.DG appears as a carbon copy of these earlier hindu books.Hindi scholars too have confirmed that as well.

Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha writes in ‘Gurmat Martand’ where he clearly disagrees with the method of deciding whether the so called Mani Singh Bir should have been kept intact or split up into different Pothis.

He says “This decision (to keep the Mani Singh Bir intact) was taken in opposition to the traditions established by Dashmesh Pita for taking decisions. What should have happened was that a Gurmatta be agreed with the unanimous approval of the Diwan and that in the same way that the Panth had rejected (Mani Singh’s) fourth bir, the panth should have agreed to split the Bir into separate volumes”

He then very tellingly says (and those who bandy around Sant Bhindranwale’s name in support of the Dasam Granth should take note of this) “We recognise Bhai Mani Singh as ‘Panth Rattan’ and as our brother in faith but despite this we do not hesitate in saying that Bhai Shaib Mani Singh Ji has committed such an error (in creating the Bir) that has caused untold damage already and we fear will cause great damage in the future”. Never were more prophetic words uttered by anyone.

(Gurmat Martand, Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha – Vol 2 pages 569/70)

A couple more gems from Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha’s Gurmat Martand are as follows:

Firstly of interest is the introduction to Gurmat Martand. Read from beginning up to page 5 and section on Istri (woman). It is clear from this that Bhai Sahib did NOT see Chritropakhayan as writing of Guru Ji but as diametrically opposed to Gurmat teaching.

But an even more fascinating insight is a footnote to his entries on Amrit Sanskar and Amrit Bania’n. The footnote number is 4 on page 80 when he refers to Amrit Bania’n where he says that these 5 Bania’n (Jap Ji, Jaap, Sawayye, Chaupai and Anand) have NOW been agreed by the Panth and there should NOT be any debate on this. This indicates that the 5 Bania’n used for Amrit Sanskar were only agreed around the time of Bhai Sahib i.e. early 1900s.There is no evidence at all as claimed by the proponents of DG that these banis were indeed what was recited during the first amrit sanskar in 1699.None of the five rehatnamas agree on the same banis or mention the whole five together in any one.

The SGPC has issued a circular 36672 on 3/8/73 that says ..kabiowach benti //chaupee..is found in trya chariter is part of Pakhayan Chariter.Triya chariter is on pages 809 to pages 1388 in form of 404 chariters.The Chaupee is triya chariter 404 on page 1386 and is bandd 377 ;according to the current SGPC ruling it’s path begins from bandd 377 [hamri karo haath de rashha to bandd 401 dusht dokh te laho bechaii.The SGPC circular states clearly that the triya chariter are NOT the writings/rachna of Guru Gobind Singh ji.

If we look further into it, there is a vast world of difference over shreshti between Guru Granth Sahib and the bogeyman DG.

According to Guru Grantrh sahib -Ek’onkar sat nam karta purak nivair akal moorat ajuni saib bhang gurparsad//—– there is ONE Creator(“The Truth” is – The Creator, Sustainer, and Destroyer.

There are no other gods or beings but the One.
All beings, All forces, good, evil, order, chaos, serve the Will of One God,
All are born and die playing their role in God’s Play

According to the Bogey DG -the Creator is NOT as described in the Guru Granth sahib.Throughout the DG not a single time is the defining Manglacharan mentioned. So how could Guru Gobind Singh ji go against the basic tenet of Guru Nanak ji’s message, if he indeed wrote this book.

The writers of this book claim their creator is living and is refered to as Mahakaal, Kalka, sarabkaal sarbloh, Chandi, Durga bhagauti etc.It defines very clearly that Sri Kalka is visible, as it says that he/she has long thick and bushy beard,and large white teeeth which he chews millions of the worldy humans-whiuch indicates their God is in visible form.

”maha darr darr so apaar//jihne charbiye jiv jagya hazar//”

Then it says it has four arms, a knot of hair on the head,and holds a big knobbed club & sickle

chatur bahn char//nijunt sudhar//gdha paas sohn//jam maan mohn//

I can go on but this one contradiction is good enough.

Then there is contradiction over how the creation was created.

Guru Granth says,

sache te pavna bhaiya, pavne te jal hoye//
jal te tribhavan sajiya, ghta ghta jot smoye//

Bachittaer natak[DG] says

ek sarwan te mell nikara//tate mdho kitab tan dhara//
dutiya kaan te mel nikari/ta te bhyee sharest eh sari//
tin ko kaal bahoh badh kra//tin ke medh samund mah pra//
chikantaas jal par ter rahi//medha naam tabe te kahee//

It says kaldhuj dug out some wax fdrom one ear, who he named ‘mdho’ and ‘kitab’, who took the shape of demons.When he dug his other ear , the creation emerged or was created.Kaal Dev killed Mdho & Kitab with great difficulty and threw their remain/skin into the sea, which dried up to become Land.

What a great imaginative writer this person must have been who wrote this DG.

Hindi scholars have given evidence that most of the writings in this bogey DG are direct carbon copies of stries found in the old Hindu Purans,i.e. Sri Markandiya, Srimad Puran, and Shivji Puran.

Is this not infering/belittling Guru Gobind Singh-that he copied from other sources?Would Guru Gobidn Singh ji whose philosophy totally and clearly contradicts the brahman rites,now seek the brahman purans, and that too copy from them?

It is amazing the proponents of the dG cannot seem to get this through their brains.They offer no proper evidence apart from saying it is …Gurus or that read and understand like ‘us’-I wonder how do they read and understand that is different from others.When asked this they go silent, or start heaping abuse.

DG ji is certainly NOT wholly the penship of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Posted On
Nov 28, 2016
Posted By
Paramjit Singh Rana

Enjoyed reading the entire post by Malaya Khabarnama. I have not read DG; if I am able to read, understand the entire SGGS and implement some of its wisdom in this life time, it would be enough for me at least for this life time.

The conclusion of the above post that appears in the last line: “DG ji is certainly NOT wholly the penship of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.” is very informative and worth reflecting on by both who support and those who oppose DG’s authenticity. As this conclusion states, DG is Guru Gobind Singh Sahib’s bani BUT not in its entirity. May be it has been adulterated intentionally by certain interest groups as has been done with many Sikh customs, values and history –ritualistic practices have penetrated our gurudawaras and Gurubani interpretations contradict each other.

As a collective response to this disagreement, it may be worthwhile that we keep parts of DG where we all agree in one part of and those aspects where we don’t agree in second part. Those who wish to read only Part One of DG can do so and those who wish to read both Part One and Two can do so. This is not what we are doing with Raag Mala.

Our goal should be to embark on this initiaitve to create Part One and Part Two.

Posted On
Sep 13, 2022
Posted By
Michael Dimitri

Mr Rawel Singh, the nitnem banis should have been questioned since the day it was printed. All Sikhs should read Gurbani contained in Guru Granth Sahib ji – continuously, day and night. There is no fixed time. Many misinterpret Amrit vela as a fixed morning time. My question to the learned individuals- which bani did Sikhs read during Guru Nanak time?

Posted On
Sep 13, 2022
Posted By
Rawel Singh

Mr Michael Dimitri, Thanks for your comment. It appears you are not aware that Nitnem Banis have been extracted from the main body of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and form the first thirteen pages of the scripture. They fit the time of their recitation, i.e. early morning, evening and bedtime. Details of this are given in the article Significance of Nitnem Banis at http://www.sadhsangat.com/significance-of-nitnem-baanis/

Posted On
May 14, 2023
Posted By
Michael Dimitri

Rawel Singh ji, thank you for the enlightenment. Yes, truth be told, nitnem is the first 13 pages of Guru Granth sahib ji and not the commercial gutkas. Nitnem is also could be and is for me reading Gurubani continuously from 1st page till the end, day and night. Thank you Rawel Singh ji for the great translation work.

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