Rehraas Sahib

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

Simply put:

What entails Rehraas Sahib?

My personal opinion is that Rehraas Sahib is a dynamic Baanee (there is no set version) and it is outlined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee from Sodar until Asa Mehla 5 (Bhaaee Puraapth...) as the minimum but that the panth has said that Baynthee Chaupaaee Sahib (followed by the Svaiya and Dohra), 6 Pauree Anand Sahib and Mundavnee are also required and that it is also okay to add Baanee at the beginning and at the end.

However... a number of Gursikhs have mentioned to me that they have come across olden gutkay which are carbon-dated to the early 1700s which show Rehraas Sahib as being similar if not exactly similar to the one prescribed by the Damdami Taksal (with the various excrepts of Dasam Baanee following Chaupai Sahib).

This has caused me confusion and I would like to ask for the sangat's input.

Gurdas Singh

Bhai Gurdas Ji mentions how the the Puratan Gursikhs use to come to the Gurdwara in the evening and recite Sodar. Sodar is the Shabad rite after JapJi Sahib. The Next few angs of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji all the way up to Kirtan Sohila Bani used to be part of Rehras. Guru Sahib then added bani. There are rehatnamas that mention too recite banis from Sri Dasam Granth on a daily basis. One rehatnama mentions to recite Banis from Bachitar Natak. Thats why some groups still do ex taksal and Nihangs. I have also heard that the Sloks from Asa Di Var Har Jug Jug and Dukh Daroo shabads used to be sung before Rehras, and eventually people stopped singing them and would just recite them.

Either way Sampooran rehras means to do as much bani as you can after you retire from your worldly duties . There is no limit the more the merrier.However, Rehras is not sampooran unless one does Naam Simran with the Bani. Same logic applies to Panj Bania.

If you do the minimum which is prescribed by Sri Akal Takht and do additional bani, naam simran,kirtan,etc then surely you will gain Guru Jis happiness. Dont be confused or doubtful about whatever Rehras you do.

For the same issue this is what daas discussed on another forum:

Guru Piyare Khalsa jio,

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki fateh

In concern to confusion about the length of Sri Rehraas Sahib, daas feel that it is inappropriate to decipher any doubts without the help of Gurbani, Gur-Ithaas and Sikh history when required. Without the presence of those factors while discussing any thought may fall under one’s own mat. Daas thinks we are not a decision making body here on this forum but just to discuss some thing in friendly environment with our GurBhai(s)/Bhen(s). Although reading more Gurbani does not fall under manmat but just arguing based on one’s reading format that, “mien is better than yours” is surely an EGO, hence falls under manmat. So let’s not be part of this category, be a Gurmukh and if any doubts comes up decipher with above key factors (Gurbani, Contemporary Gur/SikhIthaas, Gurmat based Rehatnaamay) and not to look for hearsay or a base less facts to argue.

Before daas further this post, first of all, this is a request that please read it with patience and secondly daas is not imposing the saroop of sri Rehraas sahib on any one just presenting the facts (if I may so) based on above factors and from sri Dasam Granth about the different popular Rehraas saroops we see today.

Version1: SRM saroop is from “So-dar, Kabeo vaach benti (hamri Karo haath….Dushat Dokh te leho bachee), Dohra, Anand Sahib 6 pausris then Mudavani M5 followed by salok M5. As this saroop itself is decided by many scholars so daas has no other argument except one why only 6 pauris of Anand Sahib?

Version 2: This saroop which is also very common is a little bit longer to above starting with one additional shabad at beginning “Dukh Daroo Sukh…” then SRM version then additional Shabads at the end “Pauri Tithay Tu(n) Samrath ...", "Antar Gur Araadana…” and "Rakhay Rakhanhaar...." etc. As daas said reading additional bani is not a manmat, so no argue over it except one thing noticed that while reading “Anter Gur” shabad it is missing its mangalacharan and mehla.

Version 3: The controversial is this third saroop of Rehraas. Forgive daas for using word controversial because the publishers/readers of this saroop (also publicized it as Sampooran Rehraas) are the one’s who are creating controversy over readers of above two versions. For daas it was quiet interesting to see what they offer in this so called Sampooran or longer Rehraas Sahib. So, let’s see the contents of this type of Rehraas based of different Gutkay.

In this version there is one additional shabad at start to the Version 2 which is “Har Jug Jug Bhagat …. “ and ending is same as version 2 but the difference is addtion to Kabeo Vaach Benti. In this case Choupai start from "Pun Rashsh ka kata seesa...". Here daas did not understand the reason that how some one would call this a Sampooran Rehraas if this Choupai itself is incomplete because see this Pun Rashsh ka keeta seesa is a last few padda of this full Choupai:
ਚੌਪਈ ॥
ਦੁਸਟ ਦੈਤ ਕਛੁ ਬਾਤ ਨ ਜਾਨੀ ॥ ਮਹਾ ਕਾਲ ਤਨ ਪੁਨਿ ਰਿਸਿ ਠਾਨੀ ॥ ਬਲ ਅਪਬਲ ਅਪਨੋ ਨ ਬਿਚਾਰਾ ॥ ਗਰਬ ਠਾਨਿ ਜਿਯ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਹੰਕਾਰਾ ॥੩੬੮॥ਰੇ ਰੇ ਕਾਲ ਫੂਲਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਜਾਹੂ ॥ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਆਨਿ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਾਮ ਮਚਾਹੂ ॥ ਏਕ ਨਿਦਾਨ ਕਰੋ ਰਨ ਮਾਹੀ ॥ ਕੈ ਅਸਿਧੁਜਿ ਕੈ ਦਾਨਵ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੩੬੯॥ਏਕ ਪਾਵ ਤਜਿ ਜੁਧ ਨ ਭਾਜਾ ॥ ਮਹਾਰਾਜ ਦੈਤਨ ਕਾ ਰਾਜਾ ॥ ਆਂਤੌ ਗੀਧ ਗਗਨ ਲੈ ਗਏ ॥ ਬਾਹਤ ਬਿਸਿਖ ਤਊ ਹਠ ਭਏ ॥੩੭੦॥ਅਸੁਰ ਅਮਿਤ ਰਨ ਬਾਨ ਚਲਾਏ ॥ ਨਿਰਖਿ ਖੜਗਧੁਜ ਕਾਟਿ ਗਿਰਾਏ ॥ ਬੀਸ ਸਹਸ੍ਰ ਅਸੁਰ ਪਰ ਬਾਨਾ ॥ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਸਿਧੁਜ ਛਾਡੇ ਬਿਧਿ ਨਾਨਾ ॥੩੭੧॥ਮਹਾ ਕਾਲ ਪੁਨਿ ਜਿਯ ਮੈ ਕੋਪਾ ॥ ਧਨੁਖ ਟੰਕੋਰ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਰਨ ਰੋਪਾ ॥ ਏਕ ਬਾਨ ਤੇ ਧੁਜਹਿ ਗਿਰਾਯੋ ॥ ਦੁਤਿਯ ਸਤ੍ਰੁ ਕੋ ਸੀਸ ਉਡਾਯੋ ॥੩੭੨॥ਦੁਹੂੰ ਬਿਸਿਖ ਕਰਿ ਦ੍ਵੈ ਰਥ ਚਕ੍ਰ ॥ ਕਾਟਿ ਦਏ ਛਿਨ ਇਕ ਮੈ ਬਕ੍ਰ ॥ ਚਾਰਹਿ ਬਾਨ ਚਾਰ ਹੂੰ ਬਾਜਾ ॥ ਮਾਰ ਦਏ ਸਭ ਜਗ ਕੇ ਰਾਜਾ ॥੩੭੩॥ਬਹੁਰਿ ਅਸੁਰ ਕਾ ਕਾਟਸਿ ਮਾਥਾ ॥ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਸਿਕੇਤਿ ਜਗਤ ਕੇ ਨਾਥਾ ॥ ਦੁਤਿਯ ਬਾਨ ਸੌ ਦੋਊ ਅਰਿ ਕਰ ॥ ਕਾਟਿ ਦਯੋ ਅਸਿਧੁਜ ਨਰ ਨਾਹਰ ॥੩੭੪॥ਪੁਨਿ ਰਾਛਸ ਕਾ ਕਾਟਾ ਸੀਸਾ ॥ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਸਿਕੇਤੁ ਜਗਤ ਕੇ ਈਸਾ ॥ ਪੁਹਪਨ ਬ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਗਗਨ ਤੇ ਭਈ ॥ ਸਭਹਿਨ ਆਨਿ ਬਧਾਈ ਦਈ ॥੩੭੫॥ਧੰਨ੍ਯ ਧੰਨ੍ਯ ਲੋਗਨ ਕੇ ਰਾਜਾ ॥ ਦੁਸਟਨ ਦਾਹ ਗਰੀਬ ਨਿਵਾਜਾ ॥ ਅਖਲ ਭਵਨ ਕੇ ਸਿਰਜਨਹਾਰੇ ॥ ਦਾਸ ਜਾਨਿ ਮੁਹਿ ਲੇਹੁ ਉਬਾਰੇ ॥੩੭੬॥.

Followed by regular Kabeo vaach Benti Choupai then there is Arrill and another short Choupai "ਚੌਪਈ ॥ ਸੰਬਤ ਸੱਤ੍ਰਹ ਸਹਸ ਭਣਿੱਜੈ ॥ ਅਰਧ ਸਹਸ ਫੁਨਿ ਤੀਨਿ ਕਹਿੱਜੈ ॥ਭਾਦ੍ਰਵ ਸੁਦੀ ਅਸ਼ਟਮੀ ਰਵਿ ਵਾਰਾ ॥ ਤੀਰ ਸਤੁੱਦ੍ਰਵ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸੁਧਾਰਾ ॥੪੦੫॥" which tells the date of completion (needs separate topic why this should be read or not). In Dasam Granth the ending is also same followed by Zafarnama. Readers of this Rehraas should not argue about shorter version of Choupai because they them self read a broken version “ਪੁਨਿ ਰਾਛਸ ਕਾ ਕਾਟਾ ਸੀਸਾ...” of additional Choupai. Some Gutkay also printed portions of other Choupaiees from previous part of Chritro pakhiaan, in the end of Choupai "ਚੌਪਈ ॥ ਸੰਬਤ ਸੱਤ੍ਰਹ ਸਹਸ...ਤੀਰ ਸਤੁੱਦ੍ਰਵ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸੁਧਾਰਾ ॥੪੦੫॥". By doing so it is quite not sequenced to the Kabeo Vaach Benti Choupai. Next, those Gutkay have Anand Sahib 6 pauris printed in the Rehraas which is again a broken Bani not sampooran.

So basically the arguments broke over the saroop of Choupai in Rehraas not other parts of Rehraas because other parts of bani are almost same to Version 2. Now seeing these facts one can question why call it Sampooran Rehraas yet banis in this Rehraas are also broken in pieces from different Choupais and Anand Sahib. Hence to me the argument of Sampooran Rehraas is base less. It is a reading based on what you like to read. Historically it is incorrect to say that Guru Gobind Singh jee or Baba Deep Singh Jee Shaheed’s Gutkay have same version of Rehraas. We know how people relates any thing which looks little old to Guru Jee or other contemporary Sikhs. For example, the Kalgi issue we see today, how some tried to relate it to Guru Gobind Singh Jee and there are numerous other occasions in Sikh panth where some artifacts said to be belonged to Guru Sahib, are found to be holding no credentials at all.

Again Daas feels and strongly holds this belief that reading more Gurbani is beneficial as long as reading is shudh and attention is kept to Gurbani. Reading more Gurbani is a tool for uplifting one's avastha but just to argue that I am better than you because I read sampooran Rehraas is a childish and egoistic action which can only make a show piece but not a small benefit to any Sikh and others surrounding him/her.

So, reading other banis in Rehraas is good thing but we have to try to read those in complete form not in broken Shabads of particular Baani to call it sampooran Rehraas. Personally daas prefers to read Version 2 with full Anand Sahib but at the same time Daas respect who reads Version 1 or more. Again this post is not to target particular person(s) but in general the views are made on the facts from Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Jee and Sri Dasam Granth. Gurbani is agaadh bodh so while writing or discussing if any mistakes were made may Guru Sahib and Guru ki Sangat forgive daas.

With Regards,

JASJIT SINGH

just out of curiosity can every say what rehraas sahib they read

daas reads the rehraas sahib that is in the taksaal gutka sahib

Vaaheguroo Jee Ka Khalsaa Vaaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh

There are many versions of Rehras within the panth. Gurbani Path Darpan by Baba Gurbachan Singh Bhindrawaley has outlinded quite well the rehras that was read before SGPC took over the sambh sambhal of gurdware in Punjab. The rehras has been shortened since the SGPC came in force. The rehras that is found in Nihang Dal Gutke is the longest I have seen to date followed by the Hazoor Sahib gutke, then the Damdami Taksal gutke, then there are two shorter rehras sahibs which one has Har Jug Jug Bhagat Upaiya chaupai sahib upto kripaa karee ham par jagamaathaa granth karaa pooran subh raathaa then Arril, Chaupai, Svaiya and Dohra then Mh5,Pauri,Mh5,Mh5. The other one starts dhukh dhaaroo sukh rog bhaeiaa jaa sukh thaam n hoee and then Chaupai Sahib finishes at Dusht Dukh te leho Bachaee and Svaiya and Dohra followed by normal 6 Pauris Anand Sahib and Mh5 Antar Gur Aradhna and Pauri and finishes.

I havn't come across any other versions of rehras at the moment by I believe that the more bani we read is only going to help us at the end of the day.How will reading shorter Rehras help us in the long run. Bani is Agaad Bohath and if we limit ourselves to shorter versions then how are we going to be able to have the ras that we are depriving ourselves of.

Bhull Chukk Di Khema

Vaaheguroo Jee Ka Vaaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh

Just to add that in Gurbani Path Darpan Baba Gurbachan Singh Bhindranwaley has written that the same rehras was read at all takhts and Harmandir Sahib which is still read at Hazoor Sahib till now. The rehras has become smaller and smaller since 1920 and onwards and in 1930 the small rehras had started to be recited at Harmandir Sahib and other Takhts in Punjab followed.

cyber sangat jio vaheguroojikakhalsavaheguroojikeefateh ji bhai jasjit singh has done a panthic seva in dass's eyes as dass believes that the rehras read at Akaal Takhat is the MINIMUM rehras that as sikhs we should read but dass feels that at all panthic/nishaan sahib valeh gurdwareh as each individual reads what ever rehras they want. To avoid controversy and creating uncessary friction dass believes that "short" rehras should be read at gurdwareh but at home etc do as much bania you want when you do rehras. Anyways dass does not want to cause friction but at least wants some sort of panthic unity amoungst jathebandia

gsingh jio,

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh

Quote
daas reads the rehraas sahib that is in the taksaal gutka sahib

Do not know which gutka you read but daas would say there is a discrepancy even among the taksaal gutkay. For the interest of sangat daas will present pictures of just the beginning page of Rehraas following the cover pictures. One gutka says “Sampooran Rehraas” and begins at “Dukh Daroo Sukh Rog…” while other one not mentioning like “Sampooran Rehraas” but added “Har Jug Jug ….” to first version. So, situation in entire panth is gray.

Printed by Bhindra Taksaal:




Printed by Mehta Taksaal:




From glimpse of above images it is very clear that no one can make a claim what is sampooran and what is not. Sampooran is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee and none else.

With Regards,
Daas,
JASJIT SINGH

The gutke pictures are gutke that have been printed after Baba Gurbachan Singh Bhindranwale was jathedar so I bellieve that the rehras sahib that Taksal reads now is somewhat different to what Taksal used to read, as in Gurbani Path Darpan Baba Gurbachan Singh has cleary stated that the rehras sahib that should be recited is the same one that is recited at Hazoor Sahib and Nanaksar still today. Bahur Asur Ka Katas Mata is still read in the Hazoor Sahib version so all of Chaupai Sahib is read. Reading the full Rehras Sahib at the gurdwara is essential as sikhs learn what path is right from attending diwans at gurdwara and if the the gurdwara are not uphelding puratan maryada then sikhs will not try to aswell. Some people use the excuse of "if the granthi reads the shorter version then it must be right", so its essential for gurdware to read the correct path. We are not doing anything bad by reading the correct version, but if we are shorterning the version then we are taking paap on top of our heads as said by Baba Gurbachan Singh. I have noticed that singhs from Akhand Kirtani Jatha do not read the full chaupai sahib, as I have heard many audio tracks by gursikhs in the jatha and personally. Chaupai Sahib usually consists uptil kharrag kaeth mai(n) saran thihaaree then svaiya and dohra...lots of bani is missed out. So it would be nice if full chaupai sahib was read...we do kirtan of shabads fully so why can't we read bani fully...

jasjit singh jee

the gutka sahib by baba mohn singh is not infact a taksal gutka sahib, they do not call them selves the taksal, they are known as sampardai bhindree the actual taksal is the the one headed by sant jee right now. Sant gianee mohn singh bhindranwale are the "jathedar" (if u must call them that) of the sampardaee bhindree so when i mentioned taksaal gutka sahib it was reference to the damdami taksaal headed by sant jarnail singh jee

also the reason they do not include har jug jug, is because in bhai mani singhs puratan gutka sahib it starts at dukh daroo,

gsingh, the point that bhai jasjeet singh made is still valid. the rehras saheb done by different samprada don't match. even within taksal there is a difference. Bhai Mani Singh taksal rehras is different from mehta taksal and that is different from jatha bhindran taksal. nanaksari rehras is even more different and nihung rehras is totally different. hazursahib rehras is different.

how do you know which rehras to follow? this is why panth standardized the rehras for all sikhs. it is erroneous to say that the rehras read by mehta branch is supreme and perfect. Baba Mohan Singh Bhindranwale too has a lot of kamai. you can't compare mahapurashs and claim that the branch you follow is supreme. we should respect all mahapurashs.

just to be clear, at sachkhand sri harimandir sahib, they sing the shabads "har jug jug" and "dukh daroo", before beginning the recitation. after that, they read beginning at so dar. chaupai sahib ends at dusht dokh (which is the akal takht sahib maryada). they end rehras sahib at tera keeto jato nahee. the last three paurees are not recited.

as far as i know, most jatha gursikhs follow the above maryada, with the addition of pauree, salok M5, and M5 at the end.