Question. Is Triya Chritra part of Dasam Granth?
Answer. There is no composition by the name of Triya Chritra in Sri Dasam Granth. There is however a composition called Chritropakhyan (chritra+pakhyan). Chritra means the character or characteristics. Pakhyan means the story which has already been told. Chritra never means wiles, tricks or trickster. It is chritra and not challitar (wiles) as some have tried to present it mischievously.
Even Guru Arjan Dev ji in Rag Sarang praises the Lord for His characteristics.
ਦੇਖਿ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ਭਈ ਹਉ ਬਿਸਮਨਿ ਗੁਰਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਪੁਰਖਿ ਮਿਲਾਈ ॥ (ਮ. 5, 1207)
Similarly Bhai Gurdas whose writings were blessed as the key to Gurbani also uses chritra and bachitra beautifully in the following composition:
ਸੁਪਨ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਬਾਨਕ ਬਨੇ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ।
ਪਾਵਨ ਪਵਿਤ੍ਰ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਆਜ ਮੇਰੈ ਆਏ ਹੈ । (205)
ਰਚਨਾ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਬਿਸਮ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰਪਨ ।
ਏਕ ਮੈ ਅਨੇਕ ਭਾਂਤਿ ਅਨਿਕ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਹੈ । (232)
ਅਗਮ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਜਾਨੀਐ ਚਿਤੇਰੋ ਕੈਸੋ ।
ਨੇਤ ਨੇਤ ਨੇਤ ਨਮੋ ਨਮੋ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਿ ਹੈ ॥ (232)
ਰਚਨ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਬਿਸਮ ਬਚਿਤਰਪਨ ।
ਚਿਤ੍ਰਹਿ ਚਿਤੈ ਚਿਤੈ ਚਿਤੇਰਾ ਉਰ ਆਨੀਐ । (244)
Chritropakhyan is an independent book which forms part of all the hand-written volumes of Sri Dasam Granth. There is no volume of Dasam Granth where this book is not included.
Text from Chritropakhyan is included among the five banees of Amrit initiation and also forms part of the nitnem. Without this banee neither amrit can be prepared nor nitnem be completed. Thus questions regarding this banee should be raised responsibly and cautiously.
The theme and the plot of the stories of Chritropakhyan, as is clear from the word pakhyan, were already there but those stories were re-written, re-cast or re-shaped.
Chritropakhyan is also gender neutral and does not indicate to any particular gender. Though predominantly it relates to women it also has stories of men, saints, preachers, pandits, maulvis, kings, courts and courtiers.
The literary canvas of Chritropakhyan is amazing wide
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