Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies

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examination of the Bir and fewer still have made a detailed
record of that examination. The only detailed records indicating
its special features are the two books by Dr. Jodh Singh. The
first, “Pracheen Biran Bare”, was written in response to the
criticism of G.B. Singh about the Kartarpuri Bir. The second
book, “Kartarpuri Bir De Darshan” is a very detailed and
meticulous page by page description of the Kartarpuri Bir, with
a brief commentary on its significant and important features.
In fact, except for the second book, there is no authentic, muchless
detailed, record of the particular features of the Kartarpuri
Bir. Our examination is based on the evidence collected in
this book (which has also been referred to by us) and a personal
study and verification of all the special and salient features of
the Bir bv an examination of the original Bir at Kartarpur.
3 Method of Writing
The examination of the Bir reveals that the scribe
followed a particular method while writing the Granth. The
knowledge of this method is essential to understanding why
in the original Adi-Granth certain unusual features and
incongruities that stand rectified have occurred and why those
could never occur in a Granth which had been copied from
the original or another Granth. We are all aware that the Bani
of the Adi-Granth has been classified Rag wise, and in each
Rag the Bani has been recorded Guruwise, Bhagat Bani being
at the end. A particular sequence in regard to Sabads, Saloks,
Ashtpadis, Chhants, Vars has been observed. In Bhagat Bani,
the Bani of Kabirji comes first, then of Namdev Ji, and
thereafter of Bhagat Ravi Dass and others. In order to eliminate
any chance of interpolation, the couplets, or verses (padas) have
been numbered. In addition, the Sabads, Saloks, etc., of a
particular Guru or Rag have also been numbered serially.
Further, reference of these numbers of Sabads is given in the
table of contents, along