----------- ONE GOD, ONE GRANTH, ONE PANTH, ONE MARYADA -------------
beeraa aapan buraa mittaavai ||
One who eradicates his own evil is a brave warrior;
Sunday 16 November 2008
The modification of Gurbani: A traditional account versus the AKJ Bhasauria view
In the Sikh tradition Gurbani is perfection on this earth. It is considered to be God, and the Adi Guru Granth Sahib seen as being One with God. That the Guru is Bani and the Bani is Guru. That Ik Oankar, the word is the formlessness of God, the original Nam, or True-Identity in the known and unknown universe.
Therefore in Sikh tradition to modify Gurbani is any way, is a great sacreligious act. In many ways akin to the destruction of the Sri Darbar Sahib, the Golden Temple, by Massa Ranghar. In fact in Sikh history, Ram Rai was not granted the audience of his father after modifying, the word Musalman, to Baiman, in order to please the Emperor Aurangzeb.
Everyday Sikhs recite that the Guru Granth Sahib is the body of the Guru. Therefore in this regard how can any Sikh legitimise the modification of any Gurbani? In tradition this is seen as the ultimate disregard for the tradition of the Panth, and of the Adi Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
In the nitnem two times a day Sikhs read the Chaupai Sahib of the Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh. Around 1919 after the Panch Khand, under the leadership of Teja Singh Bhasauria, one of the Panj Pyaras of Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh, managed to get one of his friends into the Head Granthi position at Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar. The Chaupai sahib was then reduced in size. In comparison this would be the same as reading upto Salok in JapJi Sahib and finishing there. The line kripa kare ham par jag mata was not read, as it was believed by the AKJ Panch Khand that this was the worship of the Mother Goddess, Durga.
In Jaap Sahib of Guru Gobind Singh, we find a line Namo Lokh Mata. Therefore both male and female names have been used for God by the Guru. Also by not completing a full recitation of a bani, its benefit cannot be recieved. Therefore this was a deliberate ploy to disable the Sikhs. The rahiras was modified many times in the rule of the British, please see Gurbani Path Darpan, Sant Baba Gurbachan Singh Bhinderawale. Baba Ji explains within this book, what the full rahiras and Chaupai Sahib was.
In the Dasam Granth Nirne of 1919 by the son of Babu Teja Singh, we find the first reference to the idea that Chaupai should be cut down. Before this time this is no reference in any book, or Granth. Therefore in order for Babu Teja Singh to clear Sikhism of "Hindu" elements, he made many blunders, that broke the very foundation of traditional Sikhi. There are no handwritten copies of Chaupai Sahib in any manuscript that are incomplete. It is very sad for traditional Sikhs that the writings of Guru Gobind Singh, are being printed incomplete.
When reciting Gurbani a Sikh made a mistake in pronounciation, cutting a long story short, the Guru said he felt pain because of this. Therefore from a Sikh orthodox perspective how much pain would the Guru feel, when bani is printed incomplete. As well as not recited completely. The same applies for Ardas, and Raga Mala. Bani Hai Guru Guru Hai Bani.
For this reason Babu Teja Singh and Panch Khand were unceremoniously excommunicated from the Guru Khalsa Panth. Here is a copy of the original Hukamnama:
The Panth is still following an edict that was started by Teja Singh who was later excommunicated. The Panth should go back to read all of gurbani and giving gurbani the respect it deserves. Here is the portion of gurbani that is removed:
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