Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies
Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies
Authenticity of Kartarpuri Bir - Global Sikh Studies
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PREFACE<br />
I am extremely grateful to Dr. Bhagat Singh, Vice-<br />
Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala and Dr. Balkar Singh,<br />
Head, Department <strong>of</strong> Sri Guru Granth Sahib <strong>Studies</strong>, Punjabi<br />
University, Patiala, for their very kindly having invited me to<br />
deliver the Guru Tegh Bahadur Memorial lectures and I<br />
conferred on me the privilege <strong>of</strong> initiating the series.<br />
In the background <strong>of</strong> the objectives and activities <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Sri Guru Granth Sahib <strong>Studies</strong> Department, I thought it would<br />
be quite appropriate to start the series with two essays, the<br />
first, on “The authenticity <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong>” the Adi Granth<br />
(the <strong>Sikh</strong> Scripture) compiled by Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji, the<br />
fifth Guru and scribed by Bhai Gurdas, and the second on the<br />
subject <strong>of</strong> “The Unity And Integrity <strong>of</strong> <strong>Sikh</strong>ism” i.e. the <strong>Sikh</strong><br />
doctrines embodied in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. At the same<br />
time it is also true that the choice <strong>of</strong> the subjects have been<br />
made because <strong>of</strong> their basic importance.<br />
Among the scriptures <strong>of</strong> the world the Ad; Granth is<br />
unique in having been authenticated by the fifth Master himself.<br />
After the meticulous work <strong>of</strong> Dr. Jodh Singh incorporating a<br />
page by page study <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong> in his book “<strong>Kartarpuri</strong><br />
<strong>Bir</strong> De Darshan”, one thought that the authenticity <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong> stood completely established. But, some<br />
subsequent oblique statements, though far from thorough or<br />
scientific, do need to be examined to show their reliability or<br />
lack <strong>of</strong> it.<br />
In the preparation <strong>of</strong> the first essay it was a pre-requisite<br />
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