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Das Gur Katha - Kavi Kankan


dalsingh101

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I had mistakenly posted this under the Hanuman Natak thread.

This is Das Gur Katha, which was apparently written by a darbari kavi of dasmesh pita. Here is a description from thesikhencyclopedia site:

DAS GUR KATHA, by Karikan, one of the poets in attendance on Guru Gobind Singh, is a versified account, in an admixture of Braj, Hindi and Punjabi, of the events of the lives of the Ten Gurus. The only known manuscript of the work is present in the Panjab Public Library at Lahore, a copy of which was obtained for the library of the Khalsa College at Amritsar in 1956 and which was published with annotation in book form, in 1967, by the Khalsa Samachar, Amritsar. The colophon indicates the author`s name, but not the year of composition which from internal evidence is reckoned to be around AD 1699.

The work deals with events up to the creation of the Khalsa which took place during this year. The Katha comprises 234 stanzas and is written in different poetical metres such as Doha, Savaiyya, Chaupai, Pauri, Soratia and Arill. The post attributes the popularity of Gurmukhi characters to Guru Nanak who, according to him, communicated his message in a much easier language and form than those of the Vedas. Succession in Guru Nanak`s line was determined by qualities of humility and dedication and not by ties of blood. Guru Nanak`s spiritual successor was Guru Angad, his own devoted disciple. Especially detailed is the account of Guru Hargobind, Nanak VI, comprising 84 stanzas.

The poet hails him as one who combined the spiritual with the temporal and describes the battles he had to engage in. Among other details is the enumeration of Mughal provinces under Emperor Shah Jahan. The poet panegyrizes Guru Tegh Bahadur`s martyrdom which, as he says, he voluntarily embraced to uphold righteousness. The concluding twenty-one stanzas describe the cremation of Guru Tegh Bahadur`s severed head brought from Delhi to Anandpur by a disciple, Guru Gobind Singh`s investiture as successor to Guru Tegh Bahadur and creation of the Khalsa. Events are described with considerable embellishment, and no dates are given. Certain factual errors such as ascription to Guru Gobind Singh worship of the goddess Durga have also crept into the work.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/36980070/Das-Guru-Katha-by-Kankan-Poet-Kavi-in-the-Durbar-of-Guru-Gobind-Singh-Sahib

Edited by dalsingh101
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Interestingly the forward suggests that the author (Kavi Kankan) may have been a contemporary witness to Guru Hargobind and wrote this piece in old age during a brief visit to dasmesh pita (at Anandpur), where he witnessed the Khalsa.

It is also claimed that he contributed text to Hanuman Natak.

Edited by dalsingh101
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It has this to say about Guru Hargobind ji:

ਮਾਨਹੁ ਜਗ ਮੈਂ ਗੁਰ ਕੀਆ ਖੜਗ ਸੋਂ ਹੇਤੁ ਪਿਆਰ॥ ਤੁਰਕਨ ਸੇਤੀ ਜੂੱਧ ਕੀ ਰਾਖੀ ਮਨਸ਼ਾ ਧਾਰ ॥

ਦੇਗ਼ ਤੇਗ਼ ਦੋਨੋ ਗਹੀ ਰਾਜ ਜੋਗ ਦੁਇ ਕੀਨ ।। ਜੋਗ ਭੋਗ ਦੋਨੌਂ ਕੀਏ ਉੱਤਮ ਲੀਨ ।।

Edited by dalsingh101
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So the following sources say that Guru Gobind Singh worshipped Durga prior to the creation of the Khalsa:

Das Gur katha

Chaupa Singh Rehitnama

Daya Singh Rehitnama

Mahima Prakash

Bansavalinamah

Gurbilas patshahi 10

Suraj Parkaash Granth

Panth Parkaas ratan singh bhango

Edited by amardeep
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is this book available to buy. or can you print it from scribd?

I think it's obscure now and the option to download has been removed in scribd.

One way you could 'obtain' it, is through the laborious process of taking screen shots of each individual page (maximised as large as possible) on your computer, and then cropping these images (in something like Paint). (If you do this a tip is to carefully number each image sequentially i.e. '1.jpg' then 2.jpg then 3.jpg and so on, believe you me it really helps when putting it back together!).

Then you could use some software to save these files as PDFs and put them all together in one doc. It's feasible with this publication as it is relatively short in length.

On another note, I'm envisioning a whole other side to dasmesh pita and his times now - which is outside of the 'warrior'. Guru ji REALLY seems to have practiced and encouraged (through patronage) literary achievements and creativity. A warrior, poet, educator and student (amongst other things). Deeper than an ocean.

Edited by dalsingh101
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So the following sources say that Guru Gobind Singh worshipped Durga prior to the creation of the Khalsa:

Das Gur katha

Chaupa Singh Rehitnama

Daya Singh Rehitnama

Mahima Prakash

Bansavalinamah

Gurbilas patshahi 10

Suraj Parkaash Granth

Panth Parkaas ratan singh bhango

what do you believe?

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I've heard a story that Guru Gobind Singh would call in some brahmins before the creation of the Khalsa and paid them many thousand rupees to do a hawan to call for a manifestation of Chandi.. The brahmins tried their best but the devi did not manifest, whereas Maharaj in the end took up his sword and said "This is the form of Chandi in kalyug. She (the sword) will assist us in conquering the mughal empire"... I believe in this version... Before the creation of the Khalsa Maharaj did a test to humiliate the brahmins (ie showing the khalsa to be superior to brahmanism)...

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I'm going to try and type up the few pages on Guru Gobind Singh. Gives me a chance to get some Panjabi typing practice in. Let's see how far we can get with translating:

ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਸੁਤ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਭ ਗੁਰੂਅਨ ਸਿਰਮੌਰ।

ਜੈਸੇ ਅਵਿਤਾਰਨ ਬਿਖੈ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਸਮਾਨ ਨ ਔਰ।।

ਸ੍ਵੈਯਾ - ਪੀਰਨ ਤੇ ਜਿਨ ਪੀਰੀ ਹਰੀ ਲੀਨੀ ਗੁਰਾਈ।

ਸ਼ਾਹਨਿ ਸੋਂ ਪਤਿਸਾਹੀ ਹਰੀ ਅਰੁ ਮੀਰਨ ਕੀ ਜਿਨ ਮੀਰੀ ਗਵਾਈ।

ਚਾਰੋਂ ਹੀ ਬਰਨ ਮਿਲਾਯ ਦੀਏ ਜਿਨ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਮੈ ਨਾਂਹਿ ਰਹੀ ਬਿਸਨਾਈ (1) ।

ਐਸੋ ਹੀ ਮੇਂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕਾਲ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਜਪਾਈ।

ਸੋਹਤ ਹੈ ਕਲਗੀ ਤਿਹ ਸੀਸ ਪੈ ਹੀਰਨ ਕੀ ਜੜਤੀ ਸੋਂ ਜੜਾਈ।

ਇੰਦਰ ਕੀ ਕਲਗੀ ਹੂੰ ਤੇ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਚੰਦ ਔ ਸੂਰ ਤੇ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਵਾਈ।

ਮੋਤਿਨ ਮਾਲ ਬਸੈ ਗਰ ਪੈ ਜੈਸੇ ਸ਼ਯਾਮ ਗਰੇ ਬਨ ਮਾਲ (2) ਸੁਹਾਈ।

ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਕਹਾਵਤ ਹੀ ਜਿਨ ਤੀਨ ਹੂੰ ਲੋਕ ਮੈਂ ਕੀਨੀ ਗੁਰਾਈ।।

Footnotes:

(1)

ਵੈਸ਼ਨਵਪਣਾ, ਵਿਸ਼ਨੂੰ ਉਪਾਸ਼ਕ ਉੱਪਸ਼ਕ ਉੱਚ ਜਾਤੀ ਲੋਕ । ਉੱਚਤਾ । (ਅ) ਬੇ + ਆਸ਼ਨਾਈ = ਨਾ ਮਿਲਵਰਤਣ ।

(2)

ਬਨ ਦੇ ਫੁਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਮਾਲਾ ।

Edited by dalsingh101
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Just a side note:

Have we uncovered an early (the earliest?) instance of reference to the doctrine of miri/piri here?

ਸ੍ਵੈਯਾ - ਪੀਰਨ ਤੇ ਜਿਨ ਪੀਰੀ ਹਰੀ ਲੀਨੀ ਗੁਰਾਈ।

ਸ਼ਾਹਨਿ ਸੋਂ ਪਤਿਸਾਹੀ ਹਰੀ ਅਰੁ ਮੀਰਨ ਕੀ ਜਿਨ ਮੀਰੀ ਗਵਾਈ।

Edited by dalsingh101
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Dalsingh: Guru Hargobind Sahib is called the Deen Duniya paatshahi in the vaars of Bhai Gurdaas which someone say is the earliest record of the concept of miri piri, however Guru Nanak is called the same in the goindval pothis so it must mean that it meant something else at the time,

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Dalsingh: Guru Hargobind Sahib is called the Deen Duniya paatshahi in the vaars of Bhai Gurdaas which someone say is the earliest record of the concept of miri piri, however Guru Nanak is called the same in the goindval pothis so it must mean that it meant something else at the time,

I meant as in using actual words close to the 'miri-piri' formulation.

I know Bhai Gurdas covers it as Raj/Jog.

Now we need to find out an early instance of the use of the sant-sipahi formula. I just hope it isn't a post annexation term?

ADDITION: I realise I may have completely misunderstood the lines....

Edited by dalsingh101
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but in Guru ji's Bani he writes the opposite. It seems more likely that the writers metaphorically attempted to capture that the son of the 9th Guru worshipped an aspect of Akaal Purakh and not any deity.

I agree. As per Gurbani (made Guru by Dasam Pita himself) Maya or Devi or Shakti is not to be worshipped. Maybe Dasam Pita summoned her (not puja) to give power to Khalsa.

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So the following sources say that Guru Gobind Singh worshipped Durga prior to the creation of the Khalsa:

Das Gur katha

Chaupa Singh Rehitnama

Daya Singh Rehitnama

Mahima Prakash

Bansavalinamah

Gurbilas patshahi 10

Suraj Parkaash Granth

Panth Parkaas ratan singh bhango

I should add, it may be that only one of the older versions of the Chaupa Rehat has the Chandi story. If some brother I communicated with on SS is correct, it may be that McLeod (yes him) included the Chandi story in his translation from a manuscript that wasn't the one that got lost in 1984.

If that is true, it is seriously mischievous and we should stop saying the Chaupa Rehit supports the Chandi story?

----

Anyway, no one want to help translate this? I'll try and make a start:

ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਸੁਤ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਭ ਗੁਰੂਅਨ ਸਿਰਮੌਰ।

There [Guru Tegh Bahadur's] son, Gobind Singh the sovereign of all spiritual teachers.

ਜੈਸੇ ਅਵਿਤਾਰਨ ਬਿਖੈ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਸਮਾਨ ਨ ਔਰ।।

[To whom] no other is parallel, just like the avatar Krishna.

ਸ੍ਵੈਯਾ - ਪੀਰਨ ਤੇ ਜਿਨ ਪੀਰੀ ਹਰੀ ਲੀਨੀ ਗੁਰਾਈ।

Swaiya - ......... or absorption of the spiritual to spirituality ??

ਸ਼ਾਹਨਿ ਸੋਂ ਪਤਿਸਾਹੀ ਹਰੀ ਅਰੁ ਮੀਰਨ ਕੀ ਜਿਨ ਮੀਰੀ ਗਵਾਈ।

The sovereign who can destroy royalty and cause the affluent to lose their affluence.

ਚਾਰੋਂ ਹੀ ਬਰਨ ਮਿਲਾਯ ਦੀਏ ਜਿਨ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਮੈ ਨਾਂਹਿ ਰਹੀ ਬਿਸਨਾਈ (1) ।

The four barans [castes?] were merged who I say will not remain......??

ਐਸੋ ਹੀ ਮੇਂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕਾਲ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਜਪਾਈ।

In this way, I Gobind Singh recited the bani of Akal

ਸੋਹਤ ਹੈ ਕਲਗੀ ਤਿਹ ਸੀਸ ਪੈ ਹੀਰਨ ਕੀ ਜੜਤੀ ਸੋਂ ਜੜਾਈ।

Adorning a beautiful diamond set aigrette (kalgi) upon the head

ਇੰਦਰ ਕੀ ਕਲਗੀ ਹੂੰ ਤੇ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਚੰਦ ਔ ਸੂਰ ਤੇ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਵਾਈ।

More beautiful than the aigrette of Inder, brighter than the light of the sun and moon

ਮੋਤਿਨ ਮਾਲ ਬਸੈ ਗਰ ਪੈ ਜੈਸੇ ਸ਼ਯਾਮ ਗਰੇ ਬਨ ਮਾਲ (2) ਸੁਹਾਈ।

ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਕਹਾਵਤ ਹੀ ਜਿਨ ਤੀਨ ਹੂੰ ਲੋਕ ਮੈਂ ਕੀਨੀ ਗੁਰਾਈ।।

Footnotes:

(1)

ਵੈਸ਼ਨਵਪਣਾ, ਵਿਸ਼ਨੂੰ ਉਪਾਸ਼ਕ ਉੱਪਸ਼ਕ ਉੱਚ ਜਾਤੀ ਲੋਕ । ਉੱਚਤਾ । (ਅ) ਬੇ + ਆਸ਼ਨਾਈ = ਨਾ ਮਿਲਵਰਤਣ ।

(2)

ਬਨ ਦੇ ਫੁਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਮਾਲਾ ।

Edited by dalsingh101
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ਐਸੋ ਹੀ ਮੇਂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕਾਲ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਜਪਾਈ।

In this way, I Gobind Singh recited the bani of Akal

ਜਪਾਈ here means made to recite.

If He is making Sikhs to recite Akal's Bani, why He Himself is doing Durga Puja?

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  • 4 years later...

How far did you get DalSingh? You should continue working on this one in my opinion.

​Why's that?

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How else will we achieve the quota of one/two achievements a lifetime lol.

You seemed quite fascinated by this and even tried to translate a few sections, why not continue (at your pace) and present it to the wider community of khojees & premis? IOSS might even get it printed?

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  • 2 months later...

Gonna try and do this again; my early attempt is seriously flawed.. lol

ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਸੁਤ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਸਭ ਗੁਰੂਅਨ ਸਿਰਮੌਰ।

Their [Guru Tegh Bahadur's] son, Gobind Singh the sovereign of all spiritual teachers (gurus)

 

ਜੈਸੇ ਅਵਿਤਾਰਨ ਬਿਖੈ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਸਮਾਨ ਨ ਔਰ।।

in the way no other amongst the avtaars is equal to Krishna 

 

 

ਸ੍ਵੈਯਾ - ਪੀਰਨ ਤੇ ਜਿਨ ਪੀਰੀ ਹਰੀ ਲੀਨੀ ਗੁਰਾਈ।

Swaiya - ......... or absorption of the spiritual to spirituality ??

 

 

ਸ਼ਾਹਨਿ ਸੋਂ ਪਤਿਸਾਹੀ ਹਰੀ ਅਰੁ ਮੀਰਨ ਕੀ ਜਿਨ ਮੀਰੀ ਗਵਾਈ।

Who can remove sovereignty from royalty and cause the affluent to lose their affluence.

 

 

ਚਾਰੋਂ ਹੀ ਬਰਨ ਮਿਲਾਯ ਦੀਏ ਜਿਨ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਮੈ ਨਾਂਹਿ ਰਹੀ ਬਿਸਨਾਈ (1) ।

Causing the four castes to mingle, who said they say will not remain Vaisnav

 

ਐਸੋ ਹੀ ਮੇਂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕਾਲ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਜਪਾਈ।

In this way, I Gobind Singh caused the bani of Akaal Akaal to be recited

 

ਸੋਹਤ ਹੈ ਕਲਗੀ ਤਿਹ ਸੀਸ ਪੈ ਹੀਰਨ ਕੀ ਜੜਤੀ ਸੋਂ ਜੜਾਈ।

Adorning a beautiful diamond set aigrette (kalgi) upon the head

 

ਇੰਦਰ ਕੀ ਕਲਗੀ ਹੂੰ ਤੇ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਚੰਦ ਔ ਸੂਰ ਤੇ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਵਾਈ।

More beautiful than the aigrette of Inder, brighter than the light of the sun and moon

 

 

ਮੋਤਿਨ ਮਾਲ ਬਸੈ ਗਰ ਪੈ ਜੈਸੇ ਸ਼ਯਾਮ ਗਰੇ ਬਨ ਮਾਲ (2) ਸੁਹਾਈ।

 

A rosary of pearls upon him like the beautiful garland tied to Shyam's neck

 

ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਕਹਾਵਤ ਹੀ ਜਿਨ ਤੀਨ ਹੂੰ ਲੋਕ ਮੈਂ ਕੀਨੀ ਗੁਰਾਈ।।

 

 

 

 

Footnotes:

 

(1)

ਵੈਸ਼ਨਵਪਣਾ, ਵਿਸ਼ਨੂੰ ਉਪਾਸ਼ਕ ਉੱਪਸ਼ਕ ਉੱਚ ਜਾਤੀ ਲੋਕ । ਉੱਚਤਾ । (ਅ) ਬੇ + ਆਸ਼ਨਾਈ = ਨਾ ਮਿਲਵਰਤਣ ।

 

(2)

ਬਨ ਦੇ ਫੁਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਮਾਲਾ ।

Edited by dalsingh101
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Just a side note:

 

Have we uncovered an early (the earliest?) instance of reference to the doctrine of miri/piri here?

 

ਸ੍ਵੈਯਾ - ਪੀਰਨ ਤੇ ਜਿਨ ਪੀਰੀ ਹਰੀ ਲੀਨੀ ਗੁਰਾਈ।

ਸ਼ਾਹਨਿ ਸੋਂ ਪਤਿਸਾਹੀ ਹਰੀ ਅਰੁ ਮੀਰਨ ਕੀ ਜਿਨ ਮੀਰੀ ਗਵਾਈ।

Another one of the court poets of Guru Gobind Singh mention the miri piri. I'll dig out the reference from my notes later tonight

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