Misplaced Pages

#442557

68-529: The term was first used in the Janamsakhis of the Miharvan tradition, and was later mentioned in the mid-17th-century Dabistan-i-Mazahib . Nanakpanthi references an early Sikh community which encourages any person, regardless of religious affiliation, to follow Guru Nanak's teachings of universal brotherhood, truth, love, tolerance, and compassion. It emphasizes the oneness of Waheguru (the creator of

136-509: A successor . The Minas were a robber tribe and in Punjabi the word has come to mean someone who conceals his true evil intent. The Minas were subsequently execrated by Guru Gobind Singh and Sikhs were instructed to have no dealings with them. The sect is now extinct. It is said that it was due to this janamsakhi and its hostility towards the Gurus that prompted Bhai Gurdas' Varan account and

204-460: A Muslim companion of Guru Nanak, reportedly follow a syncretic tradition of Sikhism and Islam. Mardana's descendants performed kirtans in gurdwaras before the partition. Sikhism was popularized in Sindh by the missionary work of Udasi saints. Nanakpanthi and Udasi are both Sikh sects; a major difference is that Udasis adopt life-long celibacy, whilst Nanakpanthis marry and have children. Sikhs from

272-675: A Nirmala, nor does he even ever mention Nirmalas. Vir Singh (writer) also never associates Santokh Singh with Nirmalas. Rather, because of Santokh Singh's instruction from Giani Sant Singh, his association can be seen to fall under the Giānīan Bungā, a learning institution beginning from Bhai Mani Singh . Giani Sant Singh (1768-1832), the head Giani of Amritsar, was a renowned scholars both inside and outside of Sikh circles. Throughout all of Santokh Singh's works he includes invocations ( Mangalacharana ) directed at his teacher, Giani Sant Singh. He married Ram Kaur from Jagadhari , who belonged to

340-405: A Sikh oral tradition of historical fact, homily, and legend, with the first janamsakhi were composed between 50 and 80 years after his death. Many more were written in the 17th and 18th century. The largest Guru Nanak Prakash , with about 9,700 verses, was written in the early 19th century by Kavi Santokh Singh . The four janamsakhi traditions that have survived into the modern era include

408-551: A label referring to the selective, personal following of Guru Nanak to the exclusion of his successors, was criticized by mainstream Sikh writers such as Bhai Gurdas . Cultural anthropologist Haroon Khalid wrote that after the partition of India , a few Muslims regularly visited Guru Nanak's shrine in Kartapur Sahib and made offerings; they continued to do so despite the shrine's dilapidated condition and its harboring of smugglers and drug addicts. Descendants of Bhai Mardana,

476-584: A life story of the first Guru. It is one of the earliest sources of Sikh art. The earliest illustrated manuscripts are as follows: The art of illustrated Janamsakhi manuscripts declined following the introduction of the printing press in Punjab during the 1870s. Images of manuscript paintings from the oldest extant or discovered illustrated Janamsakhi manuscript, which belongs to the Bhai Bala tradition, dated to 1658: Images of manuscript paintings from

544-450: A male-orientated and female-orientated oral tradition, with the male stories having later been recorded and delegated to writing, whilst the female stories remained as an oral tradition and were sidelined and neglected. Whilst this women's oral tradition is in decline and is being gradually replaced with the more dominant, male-centric literary traditions, there do exist elderly Sikh women in certain villages of Jalandhar district, specifically

612-607: A mention in the women's oral janamsakhis. Max Arthur Macauliffe , a British civil servant, published his six volume translation of Sikh scripture and religious history in 1909. This set has been an early influential source of Sikh Gurus and their history for writers outside of India. Macauliffe, and popular writers such as Khushwant Singh who cite him, presented the Janamsakhi stories as factual, though Macauliffe also expressed his doubts on their historicity. Khushwant Singh similarly expresses his doubts, but extensively relied on

680-544: A pundit to learn how to read. After only one day he gave up reading and when the pundit asked him why Guru Ji lapsed into silence and instructed him at length on the vanity of worldly learning and the contrasting value of the Divine Name of God. The child began to show disturbing signs of withdrawal from the world. He was sent to learn Persian at the age of nine but returned home and continued to sit in silence. Locals advised his father that Nanak should be married. This advice

748-584: A source of divergence from the normative tradition. Such attempts, such as modification of the historically highly regarded janamsakhis written by Paida Mokha detailing Nanak's travels, by rival family members of Guru Arjan, who would start the Mina sect and the Miharban collection, would eventually prompt authoritative written traditions in response. The sectarian intent of the Miharban and Bala janamsakhis have been questioned by Sikh scholars, namely that in

SECTION 10

#1732772202443

816-466: A tale narrated by the guru in his Bachittar Natak composition. Later Sikh scholars, such as Vir Singh , mention that Santokh Singh's works become the foundation for historical texts written in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Vir Singh (writer) himself would reference and summarize Santokh Singh's work in his own works. Louis Fenech writes: Bhai Vir Singh 's respect and admiration for Santokh Singh can be seen throughout his publication, within

884-453: Is depicted as having a normal birth, with a Muslim midwife, Daultan, beside Guru Nanak's mother Mata Tripta, implying interfaith harmony. Typically dangerous natural phenomena either protect Nanak or are mastered by him, as a cobra shades child Nanak as he sleeps, or a rolling boulder being stopped by his hand. In a parable placed in Mecca, during Guru Nanak's travels he fell with his feet towards

952-526: Is generally used with reference to the composite work which was compiled by Bhai Vir Singh and first published in 1926. Of the still existing copies of the Puratan janamsakhis the two most important were the Colebrooke and Hafizabad versions. The first of these was discovered in 1872, the manuscript had been donated to the library of the east India company by H.T. Colebrooke and is accordingly known as

1020-615: Is instructed that he is to return to the world once again to propagate His Name. Details of Guru Nanak's birth are given in the fourth sakhi and his father was Kalu, a Bedi and his mother Mata Tripta . The account of Guru Nanak learning to read from the pundit is also recounted here. After the interlude at Sultanpur Guru Nanak set out to Mount Sumeru . Climbing the mountain, the Guru found all nine Siddhas seated there – Gorakhnath , Mechhendranath , Isarnath, Charapatnath, Barangnath, Ghoracholi, Balgundai, Bharathari, and Gopichand. Gorakhnath asked

1088-508: Is observed and religious boundaries become blurry and ill-defined. A tikana usually houses a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib alongside images of Indic deities . Janamsakhis The Janamsakhis ( Punjabi : ਜਨਮਸਾਖੀ , IAST : Janam-sākhī , lit.   ' birth stories ' ), are popular hagiographies of Guru Nanak , the founder of Sikhism . Considered by scholars as semi-legendary biographies, they were based on

1156-488: Is recited on festive occasions in Sikh Gurdwaras, Sikh ceremonies and festivals. The janamsakhis present accounts of the life of Guru Nanak and his early companions, with varying degrees of supernatural elements among them, typical for hagiographic biographies; more important was his message of equality before God, regardless of social classifications, also emphasizing friendships with those of other religions and

1224-507: Is said to have commissioned the work and was also a close companion of the Guru in his later years, was, according to Bala's own admission, ignorant of the existence of Bala. The oldest accepted manuscript of the Bala janamsakhi was written by Gorakh Das in 1658, but the actual date is believed to be earlier. It is generally believed this janamsakhi were written by Hindals as in a number of stories Guru Nanak praises Baba Hindal. Some are of

1292-1212: Is still living in Nankana Sahib and that Bala’s samadhi exists in Khadaur . Singh claims the janamsakhi was written by Bhai Bala and is mostly authentic but was edited and changed by anti-Sikh sects. In the first journey or udasi , Guru Nanak left Sultanpur towards eastern India and included, in the following sequence: Hakimpura → Lahore → Gobindwal → Fatehbad → Ram Tirath → Jahman → Chahal → Ghavindi → Khalra → Kanganwal → Manak Deke → Alpa → Manga → Eminabad → Sialkot → Sahowal → Ugoke → Pasrur → Deoka → Mitha Kotla → Chhanga Manga → Chuhnian → Hissar → Rohtak → Sirsa → Pehows → Thanesar → Kurushetra → Karnal → Panipat (Sheikh Sharaf) → Delhi (Sultan Ibrahim Lodi) → Hardwar → Allahabad → Banaras → Nanakmata → Kauru, Kamrup in Assam (Nur Shah) → Nagapattinam Port → Sri Lanka → Patna → Chittagong → Dibrugarh → Talvandi (twelve years after leaving Sultanpur) → Pak Pattan (Sheikh Ibrahim) → Goindval → Lahore → Kartarpur . The second udasi

1360-661: Is that of the B40, which contains influences of both the Puratan and Miharvan traditions. Aside from literary Janamsakhis, there also exists a Janamsakhi tradition passed down orally by Sikh women which provide more information about the lives of girls and women during the period of the first Sikh guru. Particular emphasis and focus is placed on prominent Sikh female figures, their influences, and impact, such as Mata Tripta , Bebe Nanaki , and Mata Sulakhni . Whilst all Janamsakhis originally began circulating as oral stories originally and only began to be written down later on, there existed

1428-503: Is the oldest, with the earliest extant manuscript of this tradition dating back to 1640. It is believed to have first been put pen to paper around 80 years after the passing of Nanak. Presenting a more concise, less fantastical account of Guru Nanak's life, its realistic account of Guru Nanak's life and lack of fantasy elements led to its prominence among the Singh Sabha. The term Puratan janamsakhis means ancient janamsakhis and

SECTION 20

#1732772202443

1496-520: The Bala collections, belonging to the schismatic, now-extinct Mina and Hindali sects respectively, to have particularly dubious origins. His approach "proved to be highly controversial," as it "angered many Sikhs" who saw him as "removing the vibrant life and message of their Guru from these texts," using incompatible Christian heuristic methodologies comparable to the Higher Criticism of

1564-407: The Bala , Miharban , Adi and Puratan versions. While each tradition offering their own perspectives, interpretations, and points of emphasis on the stories they report, they generally present Guru Nanak's life in three parts: the first part covering his childhood and early adulthood, the second part as an itinerant missionary after receiving the call from Akal Purakh ("Timeless Being," God), and

1632-553: The Kaaba , to which a Qadi objected, but when he tried to rotate his feet away from it, the Kaaba reorients in the direction of Guru Nanak's feet, attesting to the omnipresence of God and the internality of faith as opposed to the external. A parable also relays Guru Nanak's body vanishing after his death and left behind fragrant flowers, which Hindus and Muslims then divided, one to cremate and other to bury. This janamsakhi tradition

1700-624: The Udasi scholar Anandghan. His magnum opus was the Suraj Prakash , completed in 1843, a volumous poetic text which documents in-detail the lives of all the Sikh gurus in fourteen volumes, intended as a sequel to his earlier work, Nanak Parkash . He was the first scholar to elaborate on the Dusht Daman incarnation of Guru Gobind Singh in a previous lifetime, connected to Hemkunt ,

1768-569: The 1947 partition, and are found in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Many Sindhi Hindus in India and Pakistan admire Guru Nanak and regularly visit gurudwaras. A Sindhi temple typically houses the Guru Granth Sahib and images of Hindu deities. A Nanakpanthi temple is known as a tikano or tikana (a term also used for Sewapanthi temples). They are prevalent in Sindh, where religious syncretism of Hinduism and Sikhism

1836-698: The 19th century, he had the personal bunga of his teacher, Giani Sant Singh, as his place of residence. He had a strong educational basis in Sanskrit but his command of Persian was lacking. According to Pashaura Singh (2003) Santokh Singh is regarded as the first recognized scholar of the Nirmala sect of Sikhism , Pashaura doubts the Nirmala school was in existence during Guru Gobind Singh 's reign. This label however requires scrutiny, at no point in any of his writings does Santokh Singh claim himself to be

1904-494: The Bala janamsakhi by stating that Mehma Parkash and Mani Singh's janamsakhi both mention Bhai Bala. Bala is further mentioned in Suchak Prasang Guru Ka by Bhai Behlo written during Guru Arjan Dev’s time. Bhai Behlo says, “Bala discarded his body there, At the holy city of Khadaur , Angad, the master, performed the rites, Graciously with his own two hands.” He also raises the point that Bhai Bala’s family

1972-615: The Colebrooke or Vailaitwali janamsakhi . Although there is no date on it the manuscript points to around 1635. In the year 1883 a copy of a janamsakhi was dispatched by the India Office Library in London for the use of Dr. Trumpp and the Sikh scholars assisting him. (It had been given to the library by an Englishman called Colebrook; it came to be known as the Vilayat Vali or the foreign janamsakhi .) This janamsakhi

2040-538: The Gospels, through which Trilochan Singh contends that he would have set out to prove that that Guru Nanak himself had never existed, though failing to do so. Throughout the early seventeenth and eighteenth century Janamsakhis, Nanak is consistently likened and considered tantamount to the Divine itself, though this has been downplayed among recent Sikh scholars. Whilst the Janamsakhi literary genre arose to document

2108-463: The Janamsakhi tradition was also contemporary with the Sufi allegorical traditions about Muhammad ( mu'jizat ) and Muslim saints ( karamat ), during influence in the period of Islamic domination. In this milieu where spiritual figures were understood and remembered, the janamsakhis commemorated and expounded upon the teachings of Guru Nanak. The janamsakhi may have been the early didactic texts in

Nanakpanthi - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-632: The Janamsakhis in his A History of the Sikhs . Macauliffe interspersed his translation of the Sikh scripture between Janamsakhis -derived mythical history of the Sikh Gurus. Post-colonial scholarship has questioned Macauliffe's reliance on janamsakhis as "uncritical" and "dubious", though one that pleased the Sikh community. On the basis of W. H. McLeod 's critical methodology which included: McLeod placed each narrative into five categories:

2244-645: The Karnal District, has rendered his name immortal" through the production of his works. Santokh Singh was born into a poor yet educated family of cloth-printers on 8 October 1787 in Nurdin village (also known as Sarai Nurdin) near Tarn Taran to the northwest. His father was Deva Singh of the Karir subcaste of the Chhimba caste, and his mother was Mai Rajadi. He had an elder brother named Gurmukh Singh. He

2312-620: The Punjab may have settled in Sindh during the 16th century to escape persecution, and they and their descendants gradually formed the basis of the Nanakpanthi community. Guru Nanak reportedly traveled through Sindh, reaching the Shikarpur area and impacting local spirituality. In the 1881 and 1891 Indian censuses, the Sindhi Hindu community could not decide to identify as Hindu or Sikh. Many Sindhi Nanakpanthis migrated to India during

2380-450: The Puratan janamsakhi , Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in the month of Vaisakh , 1469. The date is given as the third day of the light half of the month and the birth is said to have taken place during the last watch before dawn. His father Kalu was a khatri of the Bedi sub-cast and lived in a village Rai Bhoi di Talwandi; his mother's name is not given. When Guru Ji turned seven he was taken to

2448-436: The Puratan tradition in that it does not present Guru Nanak's travels as four separate journeys. The portion covering the travels of Nanak is believed to have been sourced from the yet undiscovered manuscript. The Bala janamsakhi claims to be written by Bhai Bala , an alleged contemporary of Guru Nanak, and was supposedly written at the request of Guru Angad . There are reasons to doubt this contention as Guru Angad, who

2516-563: The Rohilla subcaste, in 1821. After his time spent in Amritsar, he found employment as a katha (religious discourse) performer in the court of the chief of Dyalgarh, Bhagwant Singh, at the Buria estate, where he remained until 1823. In 1829, he came under the sponsorship of the ruler of Kaithal State , Udai Singh. After being impressed by his work, the ruler bestowed a jagir grant, of

2584-407: The Sikh community and broadly believed as true, historical biography of the founder of their religion. They have been recited at religious gatherings, shared as reverential fables with the young generation, and embedded in the cultural folklore over the centuries. Guru Nanak is deeply revered by the devout Sikhs, the stories in the janamsakhi are a part of their understanding of his divine nature and

2652-518: The Sikh congregation. There are some doubts about the authenticity and author of this janamsakhi . Older manuscript of the Mani Singh janamsakhi have different dates for the death and birth of Guru Nanak compared to popular renditions. The language from this janamsakhi compared to Mani Singh’s Sikhian di Bhagat Mal is noticeably different. No eighteenth century manuscript of this text exists. All of this has led some to doubt whether Mani Singh

2720-469: The Sikh tradition, including a teaching, a moral instruction along with an associated hymn found in the Sikh scripture, serving as pedagogical texts, sustaining Guru Nanak's message through time for the community that valued it. In order to convey Guru Nanak's teachings, the janamsakhis make extensive use of allegory, often with mythic elements to imbue meaning. Though the birth narrative of Nanak shares similarities with that of Christ, Buddha, and Krishna, he

2788-455: The belief that this is a contemporary work and was later edited by the Hindals. One of the people who subscribed to this belief was Santhok Singh the author of the famed Suraj Granth . Santhok Singh wrote Nanak Parkash based on the Bala janamsakhi with the goal of removing parts he believed were edited and added by the Hindals. Dr. Trilochan Singh counters some of the points raised against

Nanakpanthi - Misplaced Pages Continue

2856-536: The case of the Hindalis, Hindal and Kabir are promoted at the expense of Nanak, who was depicted as having prophesied Hindal's arrival. The last major, and evidently the latest, tradition of janamsakhi is the Gyan-Ratanavali (also known as Bhagat Ratnavali ) attributed to Bhai Mani Singh , who wrote it with the express intention of correcting heretical accounts of Guru Nanak when requested to do so by

2924-579: The command Nanak, this is the cup of My Name ( Naam ). Drink it. This he did and was charged to go into the world and preach the divine Name. The Adi tradition of janamsakhi , known as the Adi Sakhian (adi, meaning "first"; sakhian, plural of sakhi , meaning "anecdotes, stories, discourses, parables"), was first discovered by Mohan Singh Diwana in Lahore , pre-partition Punjab . The manuscript he discovered dated to 1701 but Harbans Singh believes

2992-570: The commission of the Gyan-ratanavali by Bhai Mani Singh. The Miharban exegesis reflected strong Khatri affiliation, as opposed to the rising Jatt influence in the community at the time, leading to McLeod's assertion that the collection dated to later than its given date of 1828 CE, possibly in the late 19th century. The first three sakhis recount the greatness of Raja Janak and describes an interview with God wherein Raja Janak

3060-512: The consequent unity of humanity," revealing the beliefs, attitudes, and needs valued by the Sikh community of the age. Incorporating verses from Guru Nanak's works to illuminate his theological and ethical teachings in a biographical framework and in the idiom and style of myth and allegory, their quick, vigorous style would lend them to a popular oral tradition of moral instruction. Along with Indic mythologizing traditions of itihasa , which incorporated mythology, history, philosophy, and geography,

3128-413: The established, the probable, the possible, the improbable, and the impossible. Out of 124 sakhis , he classified 37 as "probable" or "established," and 28 as "possible." Specifically looking for details "of importance" of Guru Nanak's life, he filled out just under one typeset page, though most sakhis are themselves brief at three to four pages. He considered the Miharban and earlier manuscripts of

3196-419: The fifth Sikh guru. The fifth guru's Janamsakhi tradition is recorded in an undated manuscript under the title of Prichha Mahala Panjve Ka . For Guru Har Rai , a manuscript covering his life was apparently written by Rup Kaur, it is known as Pothi Bibi Rup Kaur . The janamsakhi literature produced was often elaborately illustrated with paintings on the folios of the handwritten manuscripts, each depicting

3264-477: The identity of the visitor and his disciple replied, "This is Nanak Bedi, a pir and a bhagat who is a householder." What follows is a lengthy discourse with the siddhas which ends with the siddhas asking what is happening in the evil age of Kali Yuga . The Guru responds with three slogans: Attempts to change birth places, birth and death dates, and the level of spiritual prominence of the orthodox Gurus by rival claimants of Sikh guruship have been considered to be

3332-415: The introduction of the text or in the footnotes. One example includes context clarifying that Santokh Singh's devotional focus: Professor Ashanand Vohra, Member of Punjabi Board of Studies, Kurukshetra university, who Santokh Singh's Garab Ganjani Teeka (1829), comparing it with other Sanskrit and Brajbhasha alaṃkāraśāstras, writes: Harjot Oberoi writes that Santokh Singh's Suraj Prakash "to this day

3400-482: The last part presents him as settled in Kartarpur , founding his community of believers. Over 40 significant manuscript editions of the janamsakhis are known, all composed between the 17th and early-19th centuries, with most of these in the Puratan and Bala collections. The expanded version containing the hagiographies of all ten Sikh Gurus is the popular Suraj Prakash by Santokh Singh. This poetic janamsakhi

3468-421: The life of the first Sikh guru, Nanak, there also exists literature which was a later expansion of the Janamsakhi genre which details the lives of later gurus. There exists a Janamsakhi tradition which covers the life of Guru Amar Das , the third Sikh guru. The earliest surviving manuscript of Amar Das' Janamsakhi tradition dates to 1683. There also exists a Janamsakhi tradition covering the life of Guru Arjan ,

SECTION 50

#1732772202443

3536-403: The many wonders he is believed to have performed. The early editions of the janamsakhi manuscripts are more than Guru Nanak's life story. They relate each story with a teaching in the hymn of the Sikh scripture and illustrate a fundamental moral or teaching. The earliest janamsakhi collections were structured to lucidly expound on Guru Nanak's teachings to the audience, relating accounts to

3604-530: The most neglected as it has acquired a disagreeable reputation. Sodhi Miharban who gives his name to the janamsakhi was closely associated with the Mina sect and the Minas were very hostile towards the Gurus around the period of Guru Arjan . The Minas were the followers of Prithi Chand , the eldest son of Guru Ram Das. Prithi Chand's behaviour was evidently unsatisfactory as he was passed over in favour of his younger brother, (Guru) Arjan Dev, when his father chose

3672-555: The specific hymns of the Adi Granth . The early oral tradition reached remote areas away further from Kartarpur, presenting his life and teachings to those who had never met the Guru, and for following generations. The dominant motif of the janamsakhi is not chronological or geographical accuracy, as history was not their concern, but the depiction of various themes of "the divine dispensation of Nanak, his concern for kindness, social cohesiveness, and his stress on divine unity and

3740-474: The teachings of Guru Nanak and visit gurudwaras, in addition to worshiping Hindu deities at mandirs . The Indian government considers them Hindus for census purposes. A number of ethnic Punjabis who are Hindu , especially in Indian and Pakistani Punjab , Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan , Chandigarh, Jammu and Uttarakhand , have continued other religious practices in spiritual kinship with Sikhism. Nanakpanthi, as

3808-629: The third oldest illustrated Janamsakhi manuscript known (Bhai Sangu Mal MS, published in August 1733 CE, preserved at the British Library ): Janamsakhi manuscript paintings from the 19th century: Kavi Santokh Singh Kavi Santokh Singh (8 October 1787 – 19 October 1843/1844) was a Sikh historian, poet and writer. He was such a prolific writer that the Sikh Reference Library at Darbar Sahib Amritsar

3876-425: The tradition may date back to the mid-17th century but unlikely to originate earlier than that period. More manuscripts of this tradition have been discovered since the finding of the initial manuscript. It shows influence from the Puratan tradition (particularly a few anecdotes or stories and discourses) and another unknown source, that has yet come to light, that also influenced the B40 janamsakhi . It differs from

3944-447: The universe). Today, some Sindhis and Punjabis adhere to elements of Sikhism despite being Hindus. They generally do not have beards or wear a turban, unlike Amritdhari Sikhs . There is no data about the number of Nanakpanthis. Worldwide, there are estimated 25 to 30 million Sikhs. Millions of others also venerate the 10 Sikh gurus and follow the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib . A number of ethnic groups and sects in India follow

4012-496: The verses left by him in what would become the Adi Granth. The first janamsakhis were oral in nature and began spreading across the Punjab when news on Guru Nanak's exploits and fame started being passed around. They were first put to writing likely around the early 17th century. However, according to Pyar Singh the earliest dated extant janamsakhi manuscript is from 1588. The janamsakhi have been historically popular in

4080-701: The village of Morthali, to the author in 1834. He died on 19 October 1843 or 1844, shortly after completing his final work of literature, the Suraj Prakash, which he had presented to the Sikh clergy at the Akal Bunga in Amritsar after completion. He expounded the Sikh scriptures based on Vedantic and Brahminical understandings. He wrote the Garab Ganjani Teeka to counter the interpretation of Guru Nanak 's Japji Sahib composition by

4148-409: The villages of Mahala and Bara Pind, where tellers of the women's oral janamsakhis can still be found. Interestingly, these oral stories passed down by Sikh women focus more on the domestic and family life of Nanak, with women playing much more prominent roles than the literary traditions. Many important figures in the literary traditions, such as Rai Bhullar or Jai Ram (Nanaki's husband), barely make

SECTION 60

#1732772202443

4216-438: The welfare of women. As stories were told and retold, the ways they were combined crystallized into a small number of specific traditions. The janamsakhi stories likely began through family and friends close to Guru Nanak, spreading to others. The earliest layer of what was to become the written tradition later was, according to McLeod, "authentic memories concerning actual incidents from the life of Nanak," in conjunction with

4284-459: Was associated with the Nirmala sect . His father, Deva Singh, had been well-educated in Gurbani and Vedantic philosophy. In his earliest years, his father was his mentor. After that, he was educated by his uncle, Ram Singh, at Amritsar . Thereafter, he was instructed by the famous Giani Sant Singh in Amritsar after an encounter with the aforementioned. Until the end of the first decade of

4352-549: Was named after him, located within the Mahakavi Santokh Singh Hall. In addition to "Great Poet" (Mahākavī) Santokh Singh was also referred to as the Ferdowsi of Punjabi literature, Ferdowsi wrote ~50,000 verses while Santokh Singh's Suraj Prakash totals ~52,000. Other scholars have thought of Santokh Singh as akin to Vyasa . Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner in 1883 wrote that, "Santokh Singh of Kantal in

4420-462: Was taken and at the age of twelve a betrothal was arranged at the house of Mula of the Chona sub-caste. Sometime later Nanak moved to Sultanpur where his sister Nanaki was married. Here he took up employment with Daulat Khan . One day Nanak went to the river and while bathing messengers of God came and he was transported to the divine court. There he was given a cup of nectar ( amrita ) and with it came

4488-402: Was the author and the reliability of this janamsakhi . The work is an expansion of the first Vaar of Varan Bhai Gurdas . It shows influence from the Bhai Bala tradition. This janamsakhi tradition makes no mention of Bhai Bala amongst the list of Guru Nanak's close companions and associates. Various other more minor and obscure janamsakhi traditions are known. One such tradition

4556-585: Was the basis of the accounts written by Trumpp, Macauliffe, and most Sikh scholars. Gurmukh Singh of the Oriental College, Lahore, found another janamsakhi at Hafizabad which was very similar to that found by Colebrook. Gurmukh Singh who was collaborating with Mr. Macauliffe in his research on Sikh religion, made it available to the Englishman, who had it published in November 1885. According to

4624-408: Was to the south of India with companion Bhai Mardana: Delhi → Ayodhya → Jagannath Puri → Rameswaram → Sri Lanka → Vindhya mountains → Narabad River → Ujjain → Saurashtra → Mathura The third udasi was to the north: Kashmir → Mount Sumeru → Achal The fourth udasi was to the west: Afghanistan → Persia → Baghdad → Mecca Of all the janamsakhi traditions this is probably

#442557