Dasam Granth re-examined: an examination of the textual history with reference to key authors and commentators

Birk, Kamalroop Singh (2013). Dasam Granth re-examined: an examination of the textual history with reference to key authors and commentators. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

Birk2013PhD.pdf
Text - Accepted Version
Restricted to Repository staff only until 31 December 2034.
Available under License All rights reserved.
Download (6MB)

Abstract

Very little research has been undertaken on the development of the DG in the lifetime of the Tenth Guru, and therefore this research seeks to address this gap. This thesis begins with an examination of the editing and dating of primary sources, so that an accurate chronology can be constructed of the textual history. This has been explored in reference to late seventeenth and eighteenth century hagiographies, with a number of novel primary sources introduced herein. They are examined alongside several extant seventeenth century DG manuscripts; amongst these is the famous ‘Anandpuri’ recension (1696), and other newly discovered manuscripts. With supplementation from secondary sources, a stemma of the manuscript transmission has been constructed. A major development in the textual history of the DG was its standardisation and subsequent printing in 1897, however some original manuscripts contain extra ‘apocrypha’ which are absent from the printed edition. The compositions in the standard version of the DG have been examined, along with new translations and discussion of the ‘apocrypha.’ By re-examining the earliest sources, it is clear that the Scripture of Guru Gobind Singh was compiled in his Court. Therefore, this challenges the modern theory that the DG was compiled by Bhai Mani Singh.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):