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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34<br />
the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong> must have been prepared some time after<br />
Samat 1732, the year <strong>of</strong> the martyrdom <strong>of</strong> the 9th Guru. Here<br />
too both the statements and the conclusion <strong>of</strong> G.B. Singh are<br />
baseless, since we know that the Bani <strong>of</strong> the 9th Guru was<br />
never copied in the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong>. 36<br />
Few would say that Jodh Singh, an erudite scholar,<br />
known for his cool and level-headedness, was given to<br />
exaggeration. And yet in his book at dozens <strong>of</strong> places he calls<br />
the facts and statements <strong>of</strong> G.B. Singh to be untruthful, baseless<br />
and senseless. One has only to go through his book to realise<br />
how correct and appropriate is Jodh Singh’s criticism <strong>of</strong><br />
G.B.Singh. One wonders whether an honest scholar could make<br />
such deliberate misstatements. And, what is even more<br />
disgusting is that he would say one thing at one time and<br />
contradict himself at another place, because a contrary<br />
argument would suit his purpose better.<br />
As a sample we shall state a few <strong>of</strong> the assertions and<br />
statements made by G.B. Singh and the observations <strong>of</strong> Jodh<br />
Singh regarding them. It is “a strange case that the author <strong>of</strong><br />
the Book (Pracheen <strong>Bir</strong>an), which is full <strong>of</strong> wrong statements<br />
and mistakes, should claim to have regard for truth and reason<br />
and consider himself to be too perfect to commit any mistake.<br />
Even though G. B. Singh had never seen the Mohan Pothies, he<br />
asserts that Saloks: Jit dar Lakh Mohamda and Bai Atash Aab<br />
Ratan Mala, were copied in the Adi-Granth from Mohan Pothies,<br />
being the Bani <strong>of</strong> Guru Nanak. He adds that the first Salok <strong>of</strong><br />
Guru Nanak was not included in the Adi-Granth by Guru Arjun<br />
because <strong>of</strong> his fear <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fending Muslims. The fact is that these<br />
Saloks are neither in Mohan Pothies nor in the <strong>Kartarpuri</strong> <strong>Bir</strong><br />
prepared by the fifth Guru. On the one hand, G.B. Singh accuses<br />
the fifth Guru <strong>of</strong> excluding the Salok : Jit Dar Lakh Mohamda<br />
out <strong>of</strong> fear <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fending Muslims and, on the other hand, he<br />
says that this extra Bani was included in some copies <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Adi-Granth after Samat 1732. Since this