Bhai Mani Singh Jee's Letter To Mata Sundar Kaur Jee

[Akaali]

Came across this, thought I'd share with the sangat.

The following letter of Bhai Mani Singh to Mata Sundar Kaur Ji (wife of Guru Gobind Singh Ji) clearly clarifies this subject that proves without any doubt that all the compiled `Banis` of the "Dasam Guru Granth` are the genuine `Banis` of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and not of his poets. The original letter is given here with Punjabi and English translation.

The Punjabi clear version of the above original letter.

Bhai Mani Singh,a playmate, classmate and devoted disciple of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji , and a top -ranking scholar of his time. He survived the Guru by many years and was martyred at Lahore. This is an historic letter addressed by him from Amritsar to Mata Sundar Kaur Ji (the wife of Guru Gobind Singh Ji) at Delhi in April 1716.

The English version of this letter runs thus:-

Letter of Bhai Mani Singh to Mata Sundari Ji

May the Almighty help us.

Mani Singh makes his humble prostration at the holy feet of his venerable mother. Further news is that the climate of this place has aggravated my rheumatism and my health deteriorates fast. I will have to listen to the healing parable of the tertian fever. But my illness has caused no slackness in the performance of the holy service of the Hari Mandir (Golden Temple). The Khalsa no more hods away over the country and its power has waned. The Sikhs have migrated to the mountain retreats. The Malechhas reign supreme in the country. There is no security for the (Sikh) children and women in any habitation. They are hunted out and killed. The opposing states have also joined hands with them. The Hindalis spy on the Sikhs. All (the Sikhs) have deserted the Chak (The earliest name of Amritsar). The Mutsaddis (priests) have also fled. So far the Immortal Lord protects me. Tomorrow is uncertain. What is ordained by the Lord shall prevail. The adopted son of Binod Singh has passed away. Among the books I sent per Jhanda Singh, there is one entitled "303 Chritra Upakhyans" by the Lord (Guru Gobind Singh). Give that to Sihan Singh in the Mahal (Matia Mahal in the interior of Delhi City). So far there is no trace of the book "Nam Mala". I found the first part of "Krishna Avtar" but not the second. I shall send it when available. There is a rumour in the country that Banda (Bahadur) has made his good escape from the Emperor`s jail. May the Guru protect him. The Guru`s family (the descendants of the Guru) at Khandur have sent five tolas of gold as a gift for your son`s bride(an adopted son of Mata Ji, as all of her four sons were martyred already). Recover seventeen rupees from Jhanda Singh ; I gave him five rupees to meet the expenses of the journey?(?) These expenses will be incurred by him. The Mutsaddis have not yet settled accounts, otherwise I would have sent a draft from the city (presumably Lahore) . If my health improves I shall come in the month of assu.

Baisakh 22

Signed- Mani Singh,

Guruchak, Bunga

P.S. Reply in bamboo stick. (as being confidential)

[sikha]

i think this letter has been proven false.. anyhow, it talks about 303 charitars whereas the Dasam Granth has 404

[Inder Singh]

i think this letter has been proven false.. anyhow, it talks about 303 charitars whereas the Dasam Granth has 404

This letter is not false.BHai sahib writes that so far 303 charitras have been found.That indicates that he was still in the process of collection of charitras.

[dalsingh101]

Rattan Singh Jaggi suspects the document to be a forgery:

Dr Jaggi has given solid reasons for suspecting this letter to be fake. In all the Gurmukhi prose writings of that period (e.g., the Hukamnamas of Guru Gobind Singh and Banda), words constituting a sentence were joined together, without leaving blank spaces between them. And, this method of writing continued to be followed right upto 1867 A.D., as shown by a copy of the newspaper 'Akhbar Sri Darbar Sahib' published in that year. But the words in the so-called letter of Bhai Mani Singh are not joined together, and are separated by blank spaces. Also, as Dr Jaggi has discussed in detail, the shape of letters and the liberal use of bindi of the Gurmukhi script in the letter are different from the writings of Bhai Mani Singh's period. This clearly shows that the so-called letter of Bhai Mani Singh is forged, and it was so done at a much later period than 1867 A.D. (for details, see Karitartav pp. 38-45). Secondly, the letter is a clear fake attempt to associate Bhai Mani Singh's name with Charitro Pakhyan. For, it is unthinkable that a learned Sikh like Bhai Mani Singh would send Charitro Pakhyan to Mataji, as it is a document which Sikhs are reluctant to read or recite in the presence of a lady or in sangat. Bansavalinama.

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

where was mata sahib kaur, the mother of the khalsa? it seems that after the first khande di pahul creremony, she is never spoken of ever again.

just curious if anyone has more info.

"BHai sahib writes that so far 303 charitras have been found."

the letter says, "..sahibaan de 303 chariter opkhyaan di pothi..."

which translates to, "sahib's pothi of 303 chariter opkhyaans"

just want to clarify because the letter does not say that's how many have been found, it states a pothi with 303.

peace.

[Inder Singh]

Mata sahib kaur accompanied Guru ji To nanded.She was sent back by Guru ji to delhi with some message for Mata sub=ndri and she died there.

Sheehan singh was a sikh who most probably writing manuscript of charitropakhayan>it si written that he has sent to sheehan singh 303 charitras.That does not limit the number of charitras to 303.

Sheehan singh's manuscript of Charitropakhayan written in 1723 is in Punjab University Chandigarah.

[SunSingh]

Even Bani that has no controversy over it by any but the worst naastiks like Jaap Sahib was not put into Guru Granth Sahib. The 10th Guru didn't put any of his bani into it. Maybe b/c Dasam Bani si meant specificially for Khalsa, wherease Guru Granth Sahib ji is meant to be more universal.

It's a commonly acepted fact that the 10th Guru wrote the Bani and Bhai Mani Singh ji put the varioius banis together into what is now called Dasam Granth Sahib ji. Only nastiks don't believe in dasam bani, the only controversy over it began in post 1900 with teja singh bhasauria (the same person who tried to remove Bhagat Bani from Guru Granth Sahib ji).

[Bored]

whats charitras?

[Inder Singh]

whats charitras?

there is a composition in Dasam Granth known as Charitropakhayan.Chartiro means chracter and pakhayan means stories that have been already told.Charitra also mean character.