Your favorite Sikhi book?

[amardeep]

Gurfateh

What's your favorite book on Sikhi? Whether scripture, historical writings, commentaries, rahitnamas, books in Punjabi, English etc.

[amardeep]

I'll start:

Prem Sumarag Granth. Definately one of the most important books ever written as it reveals the sociological, communal and political views and ideals of the early Khalsa.

[Guest s1ngh]

do u feel that a section of the early khalsa prepared amrit sanchaar only by anand sahib as mentioned in the prem sumarag granth?

[amardeep]

21 minutes ago, Guest s1ngh said:

do u feel that a section of the early khalsa prepared amrit sanchaar only by anand sahib as mentioned in the prem sumarag granth?

As you have been told many times, write under the name Sikhkhoj when you post stuff, so people know who they are talking with.

And read what the topic says...The purpose of this topic is to bring out what members on here find inspirational or of particular interest in the corpus of Sikh literature. The purpose is NOT for members to start discussing individual chapters or sections of each book that people mention, just because there are certain things in it that people dont like...

 

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by amardeep

[Guest s1ngh]

But still permit us to go slightly off topic moderator singh. 

what do you make of the anand sahib for amrit sanchaar part? prem sumarag is indeed pretty old, maybe not as early as you would like to believe but still easily placed in the second part of the 18th century, so the anand for amrit sanchaar is interesting. 

thanks for answering.

 

 

[Guest s1ngh]

Since the book is your absolute fav and you go to the extent of saying ' one of the most important books ever written ' while writing about it, you should atleast have the decency to answer a basic query about a section of the book that diverges completely from the current amrit sanchaar ceremony. By naming it as one of your fav books, and being a moderator, you place the book on a pedestal amongst all other granths, then why can't you answer the question which is straight forward? 

[amardeep]

Being a moderator just means I moderate content so people don't use foul or abusive language. Nothing more than that.

Listen. Based on previous experiences with you, I am not convinced that you are interested in any form of debate. You only read what you want to read and don't appear to be willing to understand the view point of the other person..Our approach to debate and study is entirely different, hence I don't think it is fruitfull to discuss anything with you. You have previously written that your purpose of researching old granths is to 'find errors' and smash the arguments of others. Personally I dont find this approach fruitfull and I don't think we've ever had a fruitfull discussion because our premis of debate is too different. If you are interested in why I write the Prem Sumarag Granth is one of the most important books ever written in Sikh history, then ask why I say so. But what you're trying to do is to pull me into a Dasam Granth debate because it appears that the Dasam Granth is all you're interested in.  Thanks but no thanks.. I have a lot of friends who dont believe in the Dasam Granth, - we can easily engage in a respectfull debate even though we don't agree, but i've never experienced that to be the case with you... Personally I dont find this fruitfull. You have a very bad tendency of making enemies out of people for no reason , - i've experienced you going onto other websites writing trash about people and me, - why you do so I have no idea... Why talk trash about people just because you disagree with them?? I really don't understand this kind of behaviour and it has nothing to do with charchaa, khoj or vichaar.. I've been to Brussels, Belgium a few times on work visits, and thought of meeting up with you to discuss Sikhi and Gurmat but i'm not sure it would be fruitfull at all as you'll just start a fight for no reason. You put words into my mouth and then start attacking things i've never said. Like above - when did I say it's my absolute fave??

in fact... It would be much better if you participated in this debate by writing what your favorite book is, - instead you just wanna pull people's legs and discuss their opinons because you disagree with them.. You always do this - you don't reply to the topic at hand but rather go for the throat of the members because you believe they are wrong. How does that actually contribute to the topic that people wish to discuss? You've written three posts so far but havent contributed anything at all to discuss the vast and inspiring corpus of Sikhi literature.

I've given you credit for in the past, - you actually do raise very valid arguments at times, but your whole approach of aggresive discussion ruins any motivation for me to engage in any dialogue with you. When you make valid points you undermine your arguments by throwing personal attacks along the way.. Why would anyone acutally continue any debate further? At times in the past i've spend hours researching old books to find an answer to one of your arguments, - in some cases it is very interesting stuff you bring forward. But I have no motivation to actually do any vichaar with you afterwards with my findings because you're only interested in smashing people and destryoung arguments - Rather than engaging with texts which is our common heritage..So the arguments you use, I take them and discussed them with other of my well read anti-dasam granth friends to see how they understand these verses and how it fits with their own narrative, and how they relate to my arguments and readings of the very same verses. This is fruitfull.

Personally, I dont find your aggresive, competitive and destructive approach that appealing, but others might. So I permit your posts on the forum because other people might want to discuss with you.

You are actually very blessed and gifted with your 1) interest in old texts 2) ability to understand the language.. it's just a shame all of these merits are drowned in your aggresive behaviour of attacking people and talking shit about them on other websites... There is no need for this.

Now before you begin an aggressive auto-reply attack at me, try to read what I've actually written.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by amardeep

[SikhKhoj]

Ok.

[Guest s1ngh]

I personally like Bhai Gurdas Vaars because they help in understanding the Guru Granth Sahib better at several instances, which at the end of the day is more important than history or other books.

Have you ever managed to read Suchak Prasang Guru Ka? It is one of the shortest biographies of Guru Nanak but without any legendary stories and seems to have been written in Guru Angads time by a GurSikh named Bhai Behlo. It is available in the Punjab Past Present vol III but funnily all volumes are online except the third one.

[amardeep]

4 hours ago, Guest s1ngh said:

I personally like Bhai Gurdas Vaars because they help in understanding the Guru Granth Sahib better at several instances, which at the end of the day is more important than history or other books.

Have you ever managed to read Suchak Prasang Guru Ka? It is one of the shortest biographies of Guru Nanak but without any legendary stories and seems to have been written in Guru Angads time by a GurSikh named Bhai Behlo. It is available in the Punjab Past Present vol III but funnily all volumes are online except the third one.

No I've never heard of that book. Sounds interesting. When you say short are we talking some 10 pages or ?

[Guest s1ngh]

We are talking of 38 verses (76 lines) actually, written around 1588. I came to know of the document as it was referenced in a Punjabi article to counter missionaries who claimed Bhai Bala never existed. Some of the countries that are mentioned in the Udasis by Bhai Behlo have not been deciphered yet, much like most of the other names in the other Janamsakhis. 

Since you are more into the study of Granths, try to ask around and look more for the following unpublished Granths:

Twarikh Bhai Binod Singh, Twarikh Bhai Chanda Singh & Gohaj Pothi. Anurag Singh son of Trilochan Singh claims to have the Gohaj Pothi but not sure. Maybe create a seperate topic to discuss 'interesting/lesser known' Granths as the Suraj Parkash and Gurbilas traditions have overshadowed all other (smaller and larger) Granths.

 

[chatanga1]

On 10/02/2017 at 5:44 PM, Guest s1ngh said:

Have you ever managed to read Suchak Prasang Guru Ka?

Do you have a copy of this book?

[chatanga1]

If i had to have a favourite it would be Sri Dasme Patshah's granth. Followed by BHangu's Panth Prakash.

[paapiman]

17 hours ago, chatanga1 said:

Followed by BHangu's Panth Prakash.

Sri Gur Panth Prakash (Pracheen Panth Prakash) by Gyani Rattan Singh jee must be read by all Sikhs. It illustrates how Sikhs of the olden times/our ancestors battled for survival and kept firm faith in Sri Satguru jee in dire circumstances. It is a very inspirational book.

 

Bhul chuk maaf

[amardeep]

In terms of Persian Sikh literature I would definately say the Diwan-e-Goya of Bhai Nand Lal Goya. Bedi's translation is a really good intro but hopefully a better translation will be made in the near future. It is a good poetic interpretation of Sikhi from a mystical perspective.

[chatanga1]

On 15/02/2017 at 11:11 AM, amardeep said:

In terms of Persian Sikh literature I would definately say the Diwan-e-Goya of Bhai Nand Lal Goya.

You know where there may be a persian text of Bhai Nand Lal's work?

[amardeep]

13 hours ago, chatanga1 said:

You know where there may be a persian text of Bhai Nand Lal's work?

this one has the farsi script

http://www.panjabdigilib.org/webuser/searches/displayPageContent.jsp?ID=2779&page=1&CategoryID=1&Searched=W3GX

[chatanga1]

Brilliant.

[amardeep]

On 14/2/2017 at 4:41 PM, chatanga1 said:

If i had to have a favourite it would be Sri Dasme Patshah's granth. Followed by BHangu's Panth Prakash.

Why do you find the Panth Prakash of particular importance?

[chatanga1]

All the stories of the Sikhs and the Misls, but also there are snippets in there that people talk about but don't know why.

[amardeep]

What you mean about the last part

[chatanga1]

There are some saying attirbuted to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, but nobody knew where they were written. I found a couple in Panth Parkash.

[Kuttabanda2]

On 2/10/2017 at 3:04 PM, Guest s1ngh said:

We are talking of 38 verses (76 lines) actually, written around 1588. I came to know of the document as it was referenced in a Punjabi article to counter missionaries who claimed Bhai Bala never existed. Some of the countries that are mentioned in the Udasis by Bhai Behlo have not been deciphered yet, much like most of the other names in the other Janamsakhis. 

Since you are more into the study of Granths, try to ask around and look more for the following unpublished Granths:

Twarikh Bhai Binod Singh, Twarikh Bhai Chanda Singh & Gohaj Pothi. Anurag Singh son of Trilochan Singh claims to have the Gohaj Pothi but not sure. Maybe create a seperate topic to discuss 'interesting/lesser known' Granths as the Suraj Parkash and Gurbilas traditions have overshadowed all other (smaller and larger) Granths.

 

is Twarikh Bhai Binod Singh the one that mentions the Amrit Sanchar method, Panj Kakkars, with a Rehatnama,  and certain excerpts of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's life up until Sachkhand Gaman?

sorry for going off topic. 

 

 

[Kuttabanda2]

On 3/3/2017 at 1:48 AM, chatanga1 said:

There are some saying attirbuted to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, but nobody knew where they were written. I found a couple in Panth Parkash.

Those are found in Gurbilas and Suraj Prakash as well, I think. Dasmesh Pita Ji had quite a few proverbs, dictums, adages, etc. that remained in the Panth's Oral tradition and Khalsai culture.

[Kuttabanda2]

As for my favorite texts, I can't really point to one particular text, But I can make a list haha. 

I've fallen in love with Bhai Nand Lal Ji's works, specifically the ones in Persian, knowing Persian culture, medeival Indic Vairaagi; Sikh & Sufi-Shia Mysticism, and most importantly the Persian language, the work can be recognized for being the precious jewel that it is. 

The Panth Prakash Granths, by both Gyani Gyan Singh Ji and Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu are inspiring to me.

Sri Dasam Granth Sahib is obsessively fascinating to me, with it's various ideals and concepts, as well as the style of writing. 

The Rehatnamas (Bhai Daya Singh's, Bhai Nand Lal's, Bhai Desa Singh's, Bijay Mukat Marag, and Bhai Chaupa Singh's) provide knowledge on abiding by the Khalsa code of conduct-living, Khalsa ethics, and the importance thereof.