It is preposterous to say all that is contained in Dasam Granth is the
results of Guru Gobind Singh's own penmanship. Such assertions coming from
the anti-Sikh forces can be expected but I feel sorry and offended to go
through the pronouncements of such ardent Sikhs as Piara Singh Padam. They
have bent over backward to prove that all those were the original creations
of
Guruji who had chosen to write under the pen-names of Ram and Siam. If they
stress that those are the conceptions of Guruji then why do they plead for
their publication in a separate volume? Could Guru Gobind Singh write such
stories and such stanzas which the readers would find in Chritropakhyan
(Female Attributes) 2 to 20, 402, and some of the Hikayat (Fables) rendered
into English by the writer of this article? Not only the Attributes and
the Fables, some parts in many other Chapters, such as Krishna Avatar are
equally erotic. Could readers sit down with their wives, sisters, mothers
and children and read aloud these tales? Most of them are epitome of degradation
to womanhood. They are as pornographic as the present day adult movies.
Apart from the obscene substance, there is lot of material, which is
quite contrary and offensive to the philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh and
the Sikhism as promoted by first nine Masters.
Their presentation in one volume, in conjunction with the Celestial Revelations
of the Tenth Master, was the biggest folly of the time. Now, the time has
come to dispense with this amalgamation of Bani with the contemptible temporal
aspect of life, lest it is too late to prevent irreparable damage to the
thinking of our illuminated and inquisitive coming generations, particularly
in the west.
Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas and Dey Shiva bar moye&
The hymn known as
Deh Shiva bar moye& is a part of the Dasam Granth known as Chandi
Charitar Ukti Bilas. It contains 233 couplets. The couplet number 231,
which is an Ode to Shiva, is taken out of contest as an Ode to the God
Almighty. Based on the internal evidence, and with reference to the context,
I have discussed in the second part of this essay that the Shiva of this
hymn is just a deity and not the Akalpurkh. Now, in the first instance,
I delineate on the authorship of the whole of the Chandi Charitar Ukti
Bilas.
Among the 233 stanzas, as many as eight times one comes across `IT SRI
MARKANDEYA PURANA SRI CHANDI CHARITER UKATI BILAS - This Sri Chandi Charitar
Ukti Bilas from Sri Markandeya Purana. This makes it quite clear that the
whole hymn is part of some medieval composition known as MARKANDEYA PURANA.
What is Markandeya Purana?
Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha says:
A Purana in the name of Markandeya containing 9000 verses is
famous. Apart from other renderings it includes the narration of Durga
which is known as Chandi Paath and Durga *Shapatshati. Its independent
translations known as Chandi Charitar and Chandi Dee Vaar is included in
Dasam Granth.
`Markandeya, son of Markanda, was a sage and is reputed as the
author of Markandeya Purana. He was remarkable for his austerities and
great age, and is called Dirghayus, the long lived one.... `That Purana
in which ... everything is narrated fully by Markandeya as it was explained
by holy sages in reply to the question of the Muni, is called the Markandeya,
containing 9000 verses.' This Purana is narrated in the first place by
Markandeya, and in the second by certain fabulous birds profoundly versed
in the Vedas, who relate their knowledge in answer to the questions of
the sage Jaimni. It has a character different from all the other Puranas.
It has nothing of a sectarial spirit, little of a religious tone; rarely
inserting prayers and invocations to any deity, and such as are inserted
are brief and moderate... The popular Durga Mahatmya or Chandipartha is
an episode of this Purana. In the absence of any guide to a positive conclusion
as to the date, it may conjecturally be placed in the ninth or tenth century...
Professor Banerjee places it in the eighth century....'
It should be quite evident to the so-called protagonists of Dasam
Granth that Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas is not the `Baani of Dasam Patshah'
and any portion from this could not be accepted as the Sikh National Anthem.
However, in Dasam Granth, the verses being in Braj Bhasha create
confusion as the original Purana may be in some medieval Indian language.
Who rendered it into Braj Bhasha? It is made clear in the last couplet
233:
`Granth *Satseya was translated (kareyo) as there was none other
like it.
`The aim, to attain which, the poet did it, Chandika may
honour.'
This may be the work of some poet from Guru Gobind Singh Jees
Darbar. In the presence of Guru Granth Sahib, could Dasam Patshah seek
honour from a deity?
As mentioned in the first paragraph my deposition with regard to the
Hymn itself is appended below:
Shiva, Akalpurkh or a Deity?
Oh, Shiva, shower this blessing upon me, that I may not hesitate partaking
in noble deeds,
With no fear, and with fortitude I may enter the fight and seek the
victory.
And then I enlighten my mind and be enticed to extol you.
As the life-end seems nearer, I may jump in the struggle and sacrifice.
The above eulogy appears nearly at the end of Chandi Charitar
Ukat Bilas of (currently know as) Dasam Granth. As a piece of poetry it
is magnificent. It, no doubt, inspires, infuses courage and motivates to
sacrifice for righteousness. Since its splendid recitation, if I am not
wrong, in the film Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai, it has been promoted in the Sikh
Community as its National Anthem. Almost every Sikh Celebration commences
with carolling of Deh Shiva... And Shiva is epitomized as the God, Almighty.
Till recently no one questioned the assertion of SHIVA as Akalpurkh, the
God, Almighty. Suddenly a section of Hindu Society commenced to promote
that Guru Gobind Singh `believed in gods and goddesses.' Frequent quotes
started to flourish from Dasam Granth to support this ideology and foremost
among them is this hymn used by the Sikhs as National Anthem.
We cannot blame the anti-Sikh forces for labelling
us as the believer of Shiva. Although the wording of the hymn is fascinating,
still it is asking boon from Shiva, the deity. This is quite contrary to
the spirit of Sikhism. A Sikh only prays for the benevolence of God, Almighty,
the Akalpurkh.
I had the honour of attending "Interfaith Dialogue Lecture"
at Punjabi University, Patiala on February 22, 2001. It was a matter of
great satisfaction to see that the proceeding were commenced after the
recitation of their own "National Anthem", a Shabd from Guru Granth Sahib.
At the beginning of four-day "International Conference
2000 on Sri Guru Granth Sahib" at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar on
February 25, 2001, "Deh Shiva bar moye..." was recited as the National
Anthem. Inspired by the action at Punjabi University, I, at the beginning
of my Paper, pointed out that it was un-Sikh to ask Shiva, a deity for
benevolence. A couple of learned professors during their speeches criticised
my assertion and stressed that Shiva in this hymn was addressed to God,
Almighty, the Akalpurkh.
This hymn is taken nearly from the end of Chandi Charitar Ukat
Bilas of Dasam Granth. From the text of the whole Charitar it is evident
it is an adaptation into Braj Bhasha of some parts of Sri Markande Puran,
a medieval granth. Whether the adaptation was conducted by Guru Gobind
Singh himself or by some of his court poets, is matter of serious investigation
and scholarship and I hope one day the Panth will be able to resolve the
matter once for all.
To ascertain whether "Shiva" refers to God, Almighty or
to "Shiva" the god or deity in this very hymn, we must study the `word'
in the whole text very closely with reference to the context.
Excerpts from Chandi Charitar Ukat Bilas
(1) The One who is Primal Being, unfathomable, implicit, deathless,
non-committal, without specific garb and indestructible, who, through his
might, created SHIVA and SHAKTI.
(4) You are the source of Shivas power, and also of Kamla, Har (Vishnu),
Adrusta and wherever I see it is You.
(19) Who can count, how many were killed and those who ran away in
fear, they contemplated on Shiva and headed for Kailasha Puri, (Shiva's
abode).
(43) The warfare was so intense that, on hearing this, the contemplation
of the one at Kailasha Puri (SHIVA) was dissipated.
(52) Chandi disappeared at this place and reappeared on the site where
Har (Shiva) was seated on the Har (lion)'s skin.
(65) Then, on both sides, fighting developed and no one remained in
delusion. On hearing the news (of war) many jackals and the vultures came
forward and the Shiva's companions felt pleasure too.
(68) Dead bodies got piled over one another; the jackals and vultures
started to feed themselves on their flesh. The white fat gushed out of
the hair on the heads and sharply flowed on the ground, which epitomised
the (river) Ganga flowing out of the matted hair of Jatadhari (Shiva).
(73) Indra, Sun and Moon, they all came to and took abode in Shivepuri
(the home of Shiva) and, in decayed condition, they hid there.
(116) Annihilated the whole army, as Chandika had a fight with Chund
devil in such a way. She took a spear, hit so hard that the head of the
enemy was cut off, as if Shiva had severed the head of Ganesha with a trident.
(166) The Sumer Mountain was shaken, the heaven was terrified, and
the mountains began to fly about in all the ten directions. When the confusion
prevailed in four realms, then, even Brahma (the Creator) was put in doubt.
Jati (Shiva)'s contemplation was subdued, and the earth caved in when Kali
took the sword of death.
(193) Holding spear in her hand, took courage and thrust it in the
head of the enemy. Piercing the steel cap, it shattered the forehead and
went straight through. The blood stream spurted above, how could that be
narrated, as it seemed like the flame coming out of Shiva's third eye.
(212) When all the four armies were annihilate, then Sunbh confronted
from the front. On all sides the earth shuddered and Har (Shiva) sprinted
away from his Har-aasan (the seat of the lion skin). The garland (snake)
around Har (Shiva) shrank and, in his heart, he trembled with fear and
it (snake) hung around the neck like the thread.
(231) O, Shiva, shower the blessing upon me...
Now we must consider the position of Shiva logically through these
instances. He has been created through the might of a Primal Being who
is the source of Shiva's power. Shiva is not omnipresent but resides in
a particular place called Kailasha Puri. Shiva's companions, like the vultures,
feel pleasure on seeing the dead bodies for flesh. It was Shiva who cut
off the head of the Ganesha, another deity. In the stanza 166, two entities
are distinctly mentioned, Brahma, the Creator and Shiva, whose contemplation
was shuddered. Nowhere, Shiva is depicted as God.
From the foregoing, it is quite evident that the Shiva, in the
above hymn, does not represent God, Almighty. It is just a Hindu god or
deity.
Except Akalpurkh, Sikhism does not believe in any Davies, Devtas, gods
and goddesses. To adopt this hymn as the National Anthem of the Sikhs is
the infringement of the thought and philosophy promoted by Ten Masters
through Guru Granth Sahib. I hope the sense will prevail and, under the
guidance of Akal Takht a Shabd of Gurbani with universal approach will
be fostered as the Sikh National Anthem.
Pritpal Singh Bindra
Mississauga. Ontario, Canada
[email protected]
