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THE DASAM GRANTH: A view from another angle
M A Macauliffe
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In the year A.D. 1734 while in Amritsar Bhai Mani Singh
compiled the compositions and translations of Guru Gobind Singh and of
the bards who were associated with him. The compilation was subsequently
known as the Granth of the Tenth Guru, though Mani Singh did not give
it that title.
After Mani Singh's execution the Sikhs took the volume for examination
and approval to a village in the Patiala State called Talwandi Sabo, now
known among the Sikhs as Damdama. Damdama was selected as several learned
Sikhs resided there, and that distant village was also deemed a place
of safety.
Several intelligent Sikhs were of opinion, that the tales and translations
in the volume, as at present found, ought not to have been included in
it, for many of them are of Hindu origin, others not fit for perusal,
and none comparable with the hymns contained in the Adi Granth. The Sikhs
therefore maintained that the Hikayat or Persian tales, and the whole
of the Tria Charitar, or stories illustrating the deceit of women, should
be omitted, and included in a separate volume, which might be read, not
for a religious purpose, but for the entertainment and delectation of
the public.
While this discussion was in progress, one Mahtab Singh of Mirankot arrived
from Bikkaner, at Damdama. He had vowed to kill one Massa Ranghar, a Muhammadan
official, who had obtained possession of the Golden Temple, and who used
the place as a theatre for dancing women; and he was on his way to Amritsar
to carry out his design. Mahtab Singh vowed that if he succeeded and returned
to Damdama, Mani Singh's Granth should remain in one volume as he had
arranged it. If, on the contrary, Massa killed him, the Granth might be
arranged according to the wishes of the objectors. Mahtab Singh slew Massa
Ranghar, returned in triumph to Damdama, and Mani Singh's Granth was allowed
to remain according to his design. There are many obvious defects in the
arrangement of the Tenth Guru's Granth as it stands. For instance, there
are several questions put in dohras 201 to 210 of the Akal Ustat to which
no answer is given. Chhands 211 to 230 are obviously out of place, and
belong to the second Chandi Charitar; and the last Chhand of the Akal
Ustat is not complete. The Gyan Parbodh too has been left incomplete.
There are besides many defects of arrangement.
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