As my favorite month of the year " Vaisakh" is approaching I have been reading the controversial text " Kattak Ke Vaisakh". Though I disagree with much of its content, however I appreciate Sardar Karam Singh Jis effort in being one of the first Gursikhs to make a critical analysis on one of the most prominent existing Janam Sakhis.
A few weeks ago a Singh who has a degree in history was mentioning how there are many contradictions in the text " Sri Guru Granth Parkaash", and there is not much historiography within circles of Sikhi . Unfortunately, his comments are true. Compared to other religions our history has not been thoroughly examined. For example, before the New Testament was canonized by the Catholic Church each gospel was examined by the learned leaders of the Church. Any gospel which contradicted the Old testament was removed. Before the Hadith was accepted by the Umma the Islamic scholars examined each story associated with Muhammad and filtered out any stories which contradicted the Quaran. However, in Sikhi there are many Sakhis which contradict Gurbani and contradict the Vaars of Bhai Gurdas Ji but we have not filtered out any of these sakhis. SGPC have a duty to gather all the learned theologians and historians who have Naam Kamaee and make an attempt to do a critical analysis on the existing sakhis.
Sardar Karam Singh Ji was one of the first to make a critical analysis but such an analysis is not a " one man" job; instead, the SGPC should gather all learned and devotional Gursikhs to review our written history and then promote it to the wider panth. During the Singh Sabha movement at a time when the dates of the Gurpurab were being settled the birth date of Sri Guru Nanak Ji was being questioned. The historian Sardar Karam Singh Ji was one of the Gursikhs who opposed to the date of Sri Guru Jis avtaar by questioning the most prominent text ( Bhai Bala Jis Janam Sakhi) which supports the date as Kattak Pooranmash. Sardar Ji goes as far to even question the existence of a Bhai Bala. In addition, he states these sakhis did not exist during the times of Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji. Personally, I think Sardar Ji was too critical on the text just to prove the date of the avtaar was in Vaisakh and not Kattak. First and foremost Bhai Bala Ji and his Janam Sakhi do not clearly support the date as Kattak Pooranmashi. The reason being when Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji asked the birth date of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Bhai Bala Ji responds " I dont know". Only after viewing the family horoscope do they mark the date as Kattak Pooranmashi. One can still accept the sakhi and acknowledge Bhai Bala Ji without accepting the birth date of the Pandits horoscope.
Sardar Ji does make some good points in his book such as Sri Guru Ji would never bow down to any Bhagat ( SukhChein) because ਸਭ ਤੇ ਵਡਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ! Also some of the geographical distances mention in the sakhi contradict one another. These findings are proof that some diabolical character tampered with the original sakhis. Though Sardar Ji makes some good arguments he also makes some very irrational and weak statements about some of the most prominent sakhis. For instance in regards to the" Sacha Sauda Sakhi " he denies it because according to him " the father of a Khatri would never send his son with a Jatt to make an exchange in the marketplace. How can a Jatt ( farmer) help out a Khatri?" . These type of statements are weak because Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was not a typical Khatri. He did not care for the trade of material wealth. He was completely careless with the affairs of money. Bhai Bala Ji was his older childhood friend and Mehta Kalu sent Bhai Bala Ji to keep an eye on his son. We know from previous sakhis that Sri Guru Ji did not take his work seriously so according to Mehta Kalu Ji he needed some supervision. During the sakhi when Sri Guru Ji makes the remark that he is going to make the true trade on the hungry sadhus Bhai Bala Ji reminded him that his dad would not be happy.
Sardar Ji also finds fault in the sakhi associated with Sri Guru Jis udasi to Medina. In this sakhi there is mention of Sri Guru ji placing his charan towards Prophet Muhammads tomb which is located in Medina . One of the Muslims get angry at Sri Guru Ji and Sri Guru Ji says move my feet where there is no tomb, and as his charan was being dragged to each direction a tomb appeared. Sardar Ji does not accept this sakhi because according to him and the writing of Bhai Gurdas Ji this episode did not exist in Medina instead it happened in Mecca. However, the Kabba in Mecca and the tomb in Medina are monuments which Muslims worship so why wouldnt Sri Guru Ji test the beliefs of these believers in both places? There are numerous Gubani tuks which prohibit " grave worship".
One of the themes we notice of Sardar Karam SIngh Ji is " Bhai Bala Jis Janam Sakhis were invented to invoke anger among Muslims". Sardar Ji goes as far as to question Sri Guru going to numerous realms and reaching the highest realm Sri Sach Khand. He states that according to Islam there are 7 underworlds and 7 high worlds . According to Muslims the Prophet went on a night journey where he visited all the 6 heavens and then finally reached the highest heaven where he had direct communion with God. Sardar Ji claims that Sri Guru Jis travels to the celestial worlds make it out so there are 13 higher worlds keeping Sach Khand as the highest. So all these khands Sri Guru Ji traveled were a copy of Muhammads " Miraj Journey" as an attempt to anger Muslims making Sri Guru Ji more superior to the Prophet. At face value Sardar Jis argument seems compelling because in Sri Japji Sahib there is mention of 5 spiritual khands and in the Janam Sakhis only Sach Khand is mentioned. But if one to actually read the journey to the Khands mentioned in the Janam Sakhis then we come to the conclusion that Sri Guru Ji visited Bhagats in these numerous Khands. These were great Bhagats who did lots of Bhagti but they did not receive the full grace of receiving Naam in Sri Sach Khand. All the Bhagats claim Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji as the Greatest Bhagat and he will receive naam from Sri Sach Khand and redeem not only jeevs on this planet but other planets as well. We all know through Gurbani and the vaars of Bhai Gurdas Ji that Sri Guru Ji not only spread the true name through out the whole universe after receiving the true naam from Sri Sach Khand. This is one of the basic beliefs of Sikhi.
Sardar Ji questions the celestial travels because there is contradiction between the distances of these realms in relation to the Sun and one another. According to the Sakhi, some planets are a certain distance above the Sun. Sardar Ji rightfully reject this claim on the basis that advance science has discovered that the Sun is not above the planets; instead, planets orbit around the sun. Also in the sakhis there is mention of some planets being at a distiance which accoring to him modern science proves such as close distance is impossible because no planet can be so close to the Sun. Secondly in the sakihs there is mention of some planets being close to one another , but Sardar Jis claim according to advancements of modern science the telescope proves planets cannot be so close to one another. He is right to some extent. Currently the close planets to one another are Mercury and Venus and they are around 32 million miles apart from one another. But the thing is Sardar Ji is confusing physical planets with spiritual realms. The spiritual reams dont share the same laws of nature as the physical planets such as Saturn or Pluto. The spiritual realms cannot be detected by the telescope of a scientist these realms are invisible to the naked eye. Also, Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji mentions how the realm Karam Khand is so close to Sach Khand that you can see Sach Khand from Karam Khand. The Janam Sakhis mention that before Sri Guru Nanak Dev JI reached Sri Sach Khand he visited a Khand were Bhagats like Bhagat Dhru resided. In this Khand the Bhagats could see Sri Sach Khand but they had no access. Only Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the first to have access and he was the first to receive the gift of naam. These sakhis dont contradict Gurbani instead they glorify Gurbani.
Sardar Ji even claims that since Waaheguru Ji is everywhere how can we claim he resides in one place? Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji has compared Sri Sach Khand to the Sun. The rays of the sun permeate everywhere, however the Sun is at a distant location. Such is the mystery Sri Sach Khand , but only those with Naam Kamaee can understand. People with their scientific reasoning cannot grasp mystical truths. Though we commend Sardar Ji on his critical analysis in finding contradictions in some of the innovated sakhis still much of what he said cannot be accepted as true. For this reason SGPC should appoint learned theologians and historians to review history as long as they are Gurmukhs with lots of Naam Kamaaee and have experienced the truths within Gurbani. This way Sakhis can be filtered accordingly and sangat can immensely benefit.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥