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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authentic scripture <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Sikh</strong>s containing the entire Bani<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Gurus. What we need to emphasize is that no part <strong>of</strong><br />
the Bani <strong>of</strong> the Gurus was left out <strong>of</strong> the Guru Granth. In<br />
addition, synchronizing with the <strong>Sikh</strong> thesis selected Bani <strong>of</strong><br />
Bhagats was also included in it. Hence, the basic objective <strong>of</strong><br />
this compilation is a virtual edict by the fifth Guru that what<br />
is in the Guru Granth is the only authentic Bani <strong>of</strong> the Gurus<br />
and that any thing dissimilar to the Bani in the Adi Granth is<br />
either not <strong>of</strong> the Gurus or is not authentic. Accordingly, all<br />
doubts on this score were dispelled for all time to come. Both<br />
tradition and all historical writings <strong>of</strong> S. D. Bhalla, Sohan’s<br />
Gurbillas Chhevin Patshahi and others indicate that the fifth Guru,<br />
Shri Guru Arjan Dev, compiled the Adi-Granth in the year,<br />
1604 A.D. and that Bhai Gurdas was the scribe working under<br />
the day to day instructions and supervision <strong>of</strong> the Guru. Since<br />
the completion <strong>of</strong> the Granth Sahib (at that time called the<br />
Pathi, the book), embodying the spiritual message <strong>of</strong> .the <strong>Sikh</strong><br />
Gurus, it has been given the highest veneration. It was installed<br />
as the sacred scripture <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Sikh</strong>s at the Harmandir Sahib<br />
Amritsar, on Bhadon Sudhi 1st Samat 1661. 22 The next question<br />
is which is the orginal Adi-Granth that was compiled by the<br />
fifth Guru.<br />
3. The Custody<br />
The tradition and historical writings are unanimous that<br />
from Amritsar the Adi-Granth was shifted to Kartarpur because<br />
the family <strong>of</strong> the sixth Guru moved to that place. Though the<br />
seventh and subsequent Gurus later shifted to Kiratpur, Patna<br />
Sahib and Anandpur Sahib, it is accepted that the original Adi-<br />
Granth remained with the family <strong>of</strong> Dhirmal, the great grandson<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Guru, and his descendents at Kartarpur. It is believed<br />
that as Dhirmal and his descendents ceased to be in the line<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Gurus, the Adi-Granth was at one time coercively taken<br />
away by the <strong>Sikh</strong>s from the family. But, at the instance <strong>of</strong> the<br />
ninth Guru,<br />
7