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The Scriptures - Dasam Guru Durbar
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Dasam Guru Durbar is the second great scripture of Sanatan Sikhism. In his work, Lt.Col. Malcolm who observed the Sikhs in 1805 writes regards Dasam Guru Durbar:

‘Dasama Padshah Ka Gran’th, or book of the tenth King, which was written by Guru Govind, is considered in every respect, as holy as the Adi Granth of Nanac, and his immediate successors. ’
(‘Sketch of the Sikhs’, Malcolm, 1805, Pa 176)


Dasam Guru Durbar
A double-page frontpiece to a copy of Dasam Guru Durbar manuscript depicting
the ten Sanatan Sikh Gurus, Amritsar, 1850. The page on the left contains the opening stanza of Jaap Sahib

Dasam Guru Durbar was compiled from the scattered works of Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh by Bhai Mani Singh, the personal scribe of the Guru around 1721. The Akali Nihang Khalsa Panth itself vested Guru-ship in Dasam Guru Granth and Sarbloh Guru Granth.

In fact 300 years of Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa tradition holds that without presence of Dasam Guru Durbar a Sikh cannot be initiated into the Khalsa. Such a initiation is completely invalid and hence does not stand up to traditions. As such, the initation ceremonies conducted by the majority of mainstream Tat-Khalsa Singh Sabia borne institutions such as the Shromani Gurudwara Parbandak Committee (S.G.P.C.) and the Akhand Kirtani Jatha (A.K.J.) is also invalid.

Within the Dasam Guru Durbar, there can be found three main types of scripture:

1. 'Amrit Mai Bani' (translates as 'Immortal scripture'). This is type of scripture talks of spiritual matters only like the Adi Guru Durbar.

2. 'Yudh Mai Bani' (translates as 'War scripture'). This type of scripture talks of warfare that is in the most part mythological, however, in 'Bachitter Nattak', the Guru tells of his own battle experiences.

3. 'Sansar Mai Abbeck dee Bani' (translates as the 'worldly scripture of Ignorance'). It is this portion of Dasam Guru Durbar which the Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhias (S.G.P.C), Akhand Kirtani Jatha (A.K.J.), and Sant Samaj (followers of self-proclaimed saints) find most objectionable. The largest portion of Dasam Guru Durbar is 'Treh Chrittar' also known as 'Charitropakhyan' meaning 'the wiles of women'.

Within the Akali Nihang Dals (armies), Dasam Guru Granth is worshipped as Guru Granth, with equal status as Adi Guru Durbar. Majority of modern Sikhs following the S.G.P.C. lead do not treat Dasam Guru Durbar as Guru Granth. Ratan Singh Jagi writes:

‘In the Sikh world this text [Dasam Guru Durbar] has a honourable place. Even though it’s authorship is dubious [to mainstream Sikh scholars]. But in the 18th and 19th centuries it was greatly read. To this point it was kept alongside ‘Adi Guru Granth’, in Sikh temples but with the 20th century reform movements [Tat Khalsa] philosophy indifference began to develop towards this text because their thinking was not in line with the Indian mythological texts line of thought. As result this text was removed from Sikh temples. But there are still some Sikh temples who practice this tradition.’
(‘Dasam Granth Da Bani Beora’, Bhagvant Singh Jagi, 1991)


Durbar Sahib - Amritsar
Traditionally, Adi Guru Durbar and Dasam Guru Durbar were kept side-by-side and
revered with equal respect by all Sikhs prior to the arrival of the British Raj-nurtured Tat-Khalsa Singh Sabhias

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