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Sarbloh Granth

Tertiary scripture of Sikhism

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History

Traditional narrative

As per the traditions of the Nihang Sikhs, the Sarbloh Granth was written at the Sarbloh Bunga (now called the Langar Sahib) at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Abachal Nagar in Nanded, India. They believe the work derives from Sanskrit sutras that were preserved by a group of sadhus, with these sutras ultimately originating from a previous incarnation of Guru Gobind Singh known as rishi Dusht Daman. It is further believed that Banda Singh Bahadur heard the last verses of the work. It is claimed that the Sanskrit sutras the Sarbloh Granth is based on is still kept in a private familial collection.

Authorship

Very little can be ascertained regarding the authorship, compilation, or nature of the contents within the scripture. There is a high degree of controversy among various scholars on the issue of the authorship of the Granth. The following are some of the view points of prominent figures:

  • According to Pundit Tara Singh, Sarabloh Granth was composed by Bhai Sukha Singh, a Granthi of Patna.
  • According to Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, Sarabloh Granth was not written by Guru Gobind Singh and Khalsa Mahima appeared in it is out of context to the main storyline.
  • According to Santa Singh Nihang, Sarabloh Granth was written by Guru Gobind Singh and was completed in Nanded.
  • A meeting of Sikh scholars and saints determined that Sarbloh Granth is the writings of Guru Gobind Singh and that the Sarbloh Granth was finalised at Nanded.

One narrative claims that the scripture is the result of the writings of the tenth Guru being combined, after his passing in 1708, by his followers. According to Harnam Das Udasi, a Sikh scholar who prepared an annotated edition of the scripture, the text was authored by Guru Gobind Singh. However, Harnam Das Udasi claims that Guru Gobind Singh accepted the work of some poets to form parts of the scripture, just like how Guru Arjan accepted the works written by Bhagats, Bhatts, and Sufi fakirs when he compiled the Adi Granth. However, other analysts date the text to the late 18th-century.

Gurinder Singh Mann argues that the Sarbloh Granth was produced within the courtly setting of Anandpur in the late 17th-century (specifically the 1690's) by various courtly poets (most of whose names are not known).

"In my view, the Dasam Granth and Sri Sarab Loh Granth are markers of the aura of royalty that the Sikhs attempted to create at Anandpur. The poets gathered there drew upon a shared reservoir of themes, literary forms, metaphors and images to create their songs. With the emergence of Sikh power, some poets who were resident in the broader region moved to Anandpur. A cursory look at their compositions shows the structural changes that had to be made to adjust these works to the needs of the new situation. The statements at the closing of the two longest compositions, the Krishan Avatar and Ram Avatar, carry thundering assertions of the futility of, worshipping Krishan and Ram. I can only explain them as addenda having been required to make these texts presentable at Anandpur."

— Gurinder Singh Mann, Sources for the Study of Guru Gobind Singh's Life and Times, page 256

The scripture is largely revered by the Nihang sect of Sikhs with many non-Nihang Sikhs rejecting it as an authentic work of the tenth guru, especially amongst Sikh academics. According to Gurmukh Singh, the authenticity of the work is rejected on the grounds of its writing style and mastery of poetry not matching up with Guru Gobind Singh's Dasam Granth work. Also, the text makes mention of a work composed in 1719, much after the death of the Guru. W. H. McLeod dates the work to the late 18th century and believes it was authored by an unknown poet and was mistakenly attributed to the tenth Guru.

Manuscripts

Gurinder Singh Mann claims to have come across a manuscript of the scripture that dates to the late 17th-century, specifically the year 1698. Additionally, Harnam Das Udasi claims to have encountered a manuscript of the scripture that bears the same date for its year of compilation (1698), while he was examining twenty-four extant manuscripts of the text as part of his research activities to produce an annotated edition of the scripture. In these two early manuscripts of the scripture, the first contains the Bachittar Natak Granth on folios 1 to 350 and then continues with the text of the Sarbloh Granth-proper for the remainder of the folios (folios 351 to 702). For the second early manuscript, it only contains the text of the Sarbloh Granth-proper and there is no inclusion of external texts, unlike the other manuscript. However, the second manuscript's pagination begins with folio 351 and ends with folio 747. All together, three early manuscripts of the scripture bear their year 1698. However, it can be argued that these manuscripts were a later copy of an original from 1698 and this date was copied as well from the original in all three later copies by their respective scribes. Many early manuscripts of the scripture contain an inscription by Gurdas Singh which goes as: "Sambat satra sai bhae barakh satvanja jan. Gurdas Singh puran kio sri mukh granth parmanh." An inscription sourced from this scripture can be found in the seal of Banda Singh Bahadur and on coins minted during the reign of later Sikh polities.

According to Kamalroop Singh, there are a number of early manuscripts of the Sarbloh Granth dating to the late 17th and 18th centuries. Kamaroop Singh believes the manuscriptural evidence points to the year 1698 in Anandpur Sahib as when the majority of the work of the Sarbloh Granth was commenced, being finalized in 1708 at Hazur Sahib.

List of earliest manuscripts

Kamalroop Singh lists manuscripts of the Sarbloh Granth with a 1698 CE (1755 VS) colophon as follows:

  • Nabho Katho vālī bīṛ at Hazur Sahib, which bears a colophon of 1698. This manuscript was studied by Harnam Singh Udasi.
  • A manuscript kept at the Chhauṇī (cantonment) of Mata Sahib Kaur
  • A manuscript is preserved by the Udasi Sampradāvāṅ at Bhankandi
  • A manuscript held at Muktsar Sahib

Present

The 2021 Singhu border incident involved the desecration of a manuscript of the Sarbloh Granth, which angered a group of Nihangs who killed the perpetrator of the sacrilege.

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