Question. Did Guru Gobind Singh Ji mention anywhere in his writing that he was actually writing/compiling a ‘Granth’?
Answer. Guru Gobind Singh ji Maharaj was not only the master of the iron-sword but also made dexterous use of the loh-kalams ‘pens with the iron nibs’, now adorned at Paonta Sahib. Neither the sword nor the pen of the great Guru ever dried.
At Paonta Sahib Guru ji took up the gigantic task of writing Granth voluminous tomes. In many occasions in his writings he himself made it clear that he was writing a Granth. While starting the compilation of the Bachitra Natak Guru ji invoked the blessings of Akal Purakh for completion of this Granth:
ਨਮਸਕਾਰ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਖੜਗ ਕੋ ਕਰੋਂ ਸੁ ਹਿਤੁ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇ ॥
ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰੋਂ ਗਿਰੰਥ ਇਹੁ ਤੁਮ ਮੁਹਿ ਕਰਹੁ ਸਹਾਇ ॥1॥(ਸ੍ਰੀ ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ)
Also in the beginning of Bachittar Natak Granth, Guru Sahib writes:
ਅਥ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਲਿਖਯਾਤੇ॥
Now the Granth entitled Bachittar Natak Granth is composed.
Similarly, the concluding lines of chritro-pakhyan also mention the completion of the Granth.
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਸਿਧੁਜ ਜਬ ਭਏ ਦਯਾਲਾ ॥ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਾ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਤਤਕਾਲਾ ॥
ਮਨ ਬਾਂਛਤ ਫਲ ਪਾਵੈ ਸੋਈ ॥ਦੂਖ ਨ ਤਿਸੈ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਕੋਈ ॥403॥(ਸ੍ਰੀ ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰੋ ਪਾਖਯਾਨ)
Some other places where Guru Sahib clearly mentions that he was writing compositions which were going to be a part of a Granth
ਕਥਾ ਸਰਬ ਜਉ ਛੋਰ ਤੇ ਲੈ ਸੁਨਾਊਂ ॥ਹ੍ਰਿਦੈ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਕੇ ਬਾਢਬੇ ਤੇ ਡਰਾਊਂ ॥੩੪॥
And if I describe the complete story from one end to the other, then I fear that the Granth will become very voluminous.34.
ਤਾਤੇ ਕਹੀ ਨ ਰੁਦ੍ਰ ਕਹਾਨੀ ॥ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਬਢਨ ਕੀ ਚਿੰਤ ਪਛਾਨੀ ॥
Keeping in mind the fear of making the Granth voluminous, I have not narrated the complete story of Rudra.
ਸਾਧ ਅਸਾਧ ਜਾਨੋ ਨਹੀ ਬਾਦ ਸੁਬਾਦ ਬਿਬਾਦਿ ॥ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਕਲ ਪੂਰਣ ਕੀਯੋ ਭਗਵਤ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥੮੬੨॥
Who (between Ram and Ravana) is a saint and who is not a saint is a controversial subject; This whole Granth has been completed by the Grace of God.862
Also in many occasions in the concluding lines of different compositions Guru Sahib clearly writes that the composition is a part of a Granth. A few examples:
ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੇ ਪਾਤਸ਼ਾਹੀ ਬਰਨਨੰ ਨਾਮ ਪੰਚਮੋ ਧਿਆਇ ਸਮਾਪਤ ਮਸਤੁ ਸੁਭ ਮਸਤੁ ॥੫॥ਅਫਜੂ॥੨੧੫॥
End of the Fifth Chapter of Bachittar Natak Granth entitled ‘The Description of the Spiritual Kings (Preceptors).5.
ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੇ ਭੰਗਾਣੀ ਜੁੱਧ ਬਰਨਨੰ ਨਾਮ ਅਸਟਮੋ ਧਿਆਇ ਸਮਾਪਤ ਮਸਤੁ ਸੁਭ ਮਸਤੁ ॥੮॥ਅਫਜੂ ॥੩੨੦॥
End of the Eighth Chapter of Bachittar Natak Granth entitled ‘Description of the Battle of Bhangani.’8.320.
ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੇ ਨਦੌਨ ਜੁੱਧ ਬਰਨਨੰ ਨਾਮ ਨੌਮੋ ਧਿਆਇ ਸਮਾਪਤ ਮਸਤੁ ਸੁਭ ਮਸਤੁ ॥੯॥੩੪੪॥
End of Ninth Chapter of Bachittar Natak Granth entitled ‘Description of the battle of Nadaun.9.344.
ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੇ ਰਾਮਾਵਤਾਰੇ ਕਥਾ ਸੁਬਾਹ ਮਰੀਚ ਬਧਹ ਜਗਯ ਸੰਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਨੰ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ ॥
End of the description of the story of the Killing of MARICH and SUBAHU and also the Completion of Yajna in Rama Avtar in Bachittar Natak Granth.
ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕੇ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੇ ਕਿਸ਼ਨਾਵਤਾਰੇ ਤ੍ਰਿਣਾਵਰਤ ਬਧਹ ॥
End of the description of the Killing of Tranavrata in Krishna Avatara in Bachittar Natak Granth.
ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ ਗ੍ਰੰਥੇ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨਾਵਤਾਰੇ ॥
End of the description in Krishnavatara in Bachittar Natak Granth.
Hence from his own writings and from the internal evidences it is very clear that while at Paonta Sahib, Guru Sahib set out a mission to compile a whole Granth and not just few individual compositions. His aim was to write a Granth as he mentions numerous times in his writings. He was writing his compositions which were going to be a part of a Granth.
Hence the notion coming from an orthopedic surgeon turned Sikh scholar that no Granth with Guru Sahib’s writings was present during the time of Guru Sahib, and that it was a handiwork of British is nothing but mischievous, misleading and blasphemous.
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