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The Relationship between Sri Dasam Granth and Bachitra Natak Granth

Gurinder Singh Mann

Sant Siphai, July 2010

The Sri Dasam Granth was written by the tenth preceptor, Guru Gobind Singh
which in recent times has seen much interest. The compositions within the
Granth of Guru Gobind Singh or Sri Dasam Granth were written between 1680
and 1705 in places like Anandpur and Paonta Sahib. The internal dating within
the compositions of Sri Dasam Granth refers to the locations and dates of
compilation.1 We are lucky to have this information, as we have no internal
parameters within the Guru Granth Sahib as to when the banis were written.

However recently there have been some misunderstandings on the various


names of Sri Dasam Granth and I wanted to correct some of these based on
manuscript evidence and analysis of Sikh literature. One of these includes the
name of Sri Dasam Granth and its relationship to the Bachitra Natak. In order to
do this it is imperative to look at the compositions which form the published
version of the Sri Dasam Granth.2 This includes the following:

1. Jaap
2. Akal Ustat
3. Bachitra Natak
4. Chandi Charitra I
5. Chandi Charitra II
6. Chandi Di Var
7. Gyan Prabodh
8. Chaubis Avtar
9. Up Avtar
10. Shabad Hazare
11. Swaiye
12. Khalsa Mehma

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13. Shastra Nam Mala
14. Charitropakhyan
15. Zafarnama, Hikayats

There are several compositions, which are referenced as being part of the
Bachitra Natak Granth. We need to consider what is the Bachitra Natak Granth?

We find that it is a large composition within the Granth, containing the Apni Katha
(My autobiography). This is an account by Guru Gobind Singh explaining his
lineage and vivid accounts of his battles3. This composition is written in the first
person, so therefore a Kavi or poet could not be the author. This composition
was completed prior to the creation of the Khalsa, as it is not cited within it.

The compositions that are referenced as Bachitra Natak Granth are as follows:

1. Apni Katha
2. Chandi Charitra I
3. Chandi Charitra II
4. Chaubis Avatar
5. Brahma Avatar
6. Rudra Avatar

It is quite clear that the compositions of Bachitra Natak Granth follow a specific
pattern. The Apni Katha section refers to the various Avatars that came to the
earth; they were selfish and did not worship Akal Purakh. The description of the
Avatars is reinterpreted to bring it in line with Sikh thought and philosophy. The
descriptions of Chandi, Krishna, Ram and the other Avatars that follow Apni
Katha were written to put them in their proper context. For example the
composition Krishna Avatar narrates the stories of Krishna and is also critical of
him for example Kharag Singh defeats Krishna. The character of Kharag Singh is
the epitome of the Khalsa and is a literary proto-type of the Khalsa. The heroic

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qualities of Chandi are promoted so the Hindu masses of the time could realise
there was only one recourse, that of Dharam Yudh or ‘war of righteousness,
against the Mughal regime. This campaign could only be undertaken by inspiring
the common man with the heroic deeds of the Avatars and demoting the others
aspects which were not in unison with Sikh thought and idolism.
From these compositions it may give the appearance that the Bachitra
Natak is a separate Granth. It is separate in a sense that the above compositions
form the history and narration of the Avatars. However there is no original Pothi
or manuscript written during the Guru period which bears the title Bachitra Natak
Granth. There is however the title of Dasven Patshah Ju Ka Granth or ‘Granth of
the Tenth Master’ which appears on of the original manuscripts of the Sri Dasam
Granth.4 So the Bachitra Natak Granth is part of Sri Dasam Granth but the Sri
Dasam Granth is not the Bachitra Natak Granth. It appears the confusion arise
due to the fact that many compositions cite the words Bachitra Natak Likhyate
within the text but an examination of the different compositions shows that there
is more to Sri Dasam Granth than Bachitra Natak.5
It is also pertinent to consider that the various names given to the Sri
Dasam Granth is similar to Guru Granth Sahib. The Bachitra Natak Granth,
Dasven Patshah ka Granth, Dasam Granth and ‘Dasam Guru Granth’ and Pothi
Sahib, Adi Granth and Guru Granth Sahib mean the same scripture. Interestingly
some 18th Century Dasam Granth recensions bear the title of Granth ji, that was
a name that given to Guru Granth Sahib recensions as well. This is because the
Sri Dasam Granth was seen as complimentary to the Guru Granth Sahib.
If we look at the historical sources in the 18th Century we see that the
composition Bachitra Natak is cited in many if not all the pieces of literature of the
time. This includes Gur Sobha Granth, (1701) by Kavi Sainapat whose work is
completely based around the battles of the Guru Gobind Singh mentioned in the
Bachitra Natak. In Koer Singh’s, Gurbilas Patshai Dasvin, (1754), the author
quotes from the Bachitra Natak. In the Kesar Singh Chibbar’s Bansavlinama
Dasan Patshahian Ka, (1769) he quotes many times from the Bachitra Natak and

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other compositions and gives us valuable information on the status of the Sri
Dasam Granth.
The Rahitnamas mentions the compositions of Sri Dasam Granth
including the Bachitra Natak quoted within these ‘codes of conduct’. This
includes the 17th century, Chaupa Singh Rahitnama. Whilst in the later
Rahitnama of Bhai Desa Singh, the creation and compilation of the Sri Dasam
Granth is mentioned. The composition Bachitra Natak, is mentioned as follows,
‘Then I composed Bachitra Natak, in which I described the history of the Sodhi
Family’6. Even the first English translation of the Bachitra Natak undertaken at
the end of the 18th Century by Dr Leyden states that this forms a larger part of the
‘Dasven Patshah Ka Granth.’7
In each piece of literature mentioned, the compositions of Sri Dasam
Granth are referred to as being written by Guru Gobind Singh. In face of this
clear examination of the primary and first hand accounts of the Guru and the Sri
Dasam Granth, the Bachitra Natak fits in around the Avatars. The several
compositions which form the Bachitra Natak Granth were written to put the
composition Apni Katha in its proper place when recounting the tales of the
Avatars. If Apni Katha was not written it would not be clear why the Chaubis
Avatar and the tales of Chandi were written. In various parts of the translation
and transliteration of the Avatars the Guru makes explicit comments of how Sikh
theology fits in and around these compositions. That is why we see that some of
comments within Ram Avatar elevated for use in the Rahiras8.

In conclusion ‘Bachitra Natak Granth’ is an early name of the compositions within


Sri Dasam Granth. The original name for the writings of Guru Gobind Singh
remains as it was during his life Dasven Patshah ka Granth.

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1
We know that Ram Avatar was completed in 1698 as per the internal parameters within the Granth itself. The reference is
as follows: This Granth has been completed (and improved) in Vadi first in the month of Haar in the year 1755 Bikrami
(July 1698).
2
The published version of Sri Dasam Granth was completed after the deliberations took place at Sri Akal Takht Sahib
confirming the authenticity of the works. This took place between 1895 and 1898. Their report was published by the Sodhak
Committee in 1898. Visit www.sridasamgranth.com for the full report.
3
Some writers had tried to claim that the creation of the Khalsa is not mentioned in the Bachitra Natak and hence the
composition is flawed. This is because they have not considered the dating of the composition. Interestingly Kavi Sainapat
writing in 1711 who bases his whole Sri Gur Sobha Granth on the Bachitra Natak fails to mention this pivotal moment.
This does not show that his description is flawed on the contrary he must thought the creation of the Khalsa was an assumed
fact. Another alleged omission is that the martyrdom of Guru Arjan is not mentioned in the Bachitra Natak hence it being
flawed. If we are to use this methodology we can ask why Bhai Gurdas whose work is considered the “key to Gurbani” did
no mention this fact in his Vars either. In both cases this omission does not diminish the importance of the work.
4
On the Patna Sahib recension of Sri Dasam Granth dated 1698, the colophon tells us this information.
5
Some manuscripts have the name Bachitra Natak Granth within the Tatkara but these are very rare.
6
Rahitnama quoted in, Singh, Trilochan and Singh, Anurag, A brief account of Life and works of Guru Gobind Singh,
(2002), p 42
7
Folio 182. This text is kept at the British Library, held under the McKenzie Collection., Eur MSS Mack xl. I worked on
this manuscript between 2006 and 2008 and have made many observations on this important document. I intend to publish
these in the future.
8
The concluding Swaiya and Dohra from Ram Avatar are recited in the Rahiras path.

This article was published in the July issue of Sant Sipahi 2010 but was written in 2009.

During the British period from 1800 onwards there was only one name for the writings of Guru Gobind
Singh, that was Dasam Patshah Ka Granth.

Gurinder Singh Mann is from Leicester, UK where he undertook his MA in South Asian Religions in
2001. His thesis was the “Role of the Dasam Granth in Khalsa”. This work was one the first western
scholarly works on the Sikh scripture. He has regularly written for Sikh Panthic magazine, Sant Siphai. He
has also undertaken lectures and presentations in the UK and the US.

Forthcoming: book on essays featured in Sant Sipahi and other rare material coming 2011.

The main book on the Granth of Guru Gobind Singh featuring essays, lectures and translations coming
soon.

Contact:

Email:gsmann@ntlworld.com

Sikh heritage blog:www.sikhnugget.com

Also visit www.sridasamgranth.com for more articles, audio and video on the Granth of Guru Gobind
Singh.

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