Sarab Loh Granth
Sarbloh Guru Durbar is the third great scripture worshipped in Akali Nihang Dals (armies). Whereas extensive works have been written on Adi Guru Durbar and to some extent on Dasam Guru Durbar, one will find hardly anything on Sarbloh Guru Durbar.
In fact, the vast majority of Sikhs have not even heard of this text let alone laid eyes on Sarbloh Guru Durbar Ji. Even ancient Sikh and non-Sikh texts are silent on the subject of Sarbloh Guru Durbar. Whereas the Adi Guru Durbar and Dasam Guru Durbar could be publicly seen at Sikh Temples, Sarbloh Guru Durbar was always kept within the Akali Nihang Dals as a secret text.
Didar Singh Khjal in his teacher, Baba Thakur Singh, wrote a sanctioned book that speaks of Akali Nihang Baba Gurbakhsh Singh’s handwritten copy of Sarbloh Guru Granth:
| ‘Baba Gurbakhsh Singh Ji like Baba Deep Singh Ji Shahid made hand written copies of Sikh scriptures and small liturgy booklets and sent them to appropriate places. His handwritten copy of Siri Sarbloh Granth Sahib is also mentioned before 1920 it was at the Gurdwara Shahid Ganj at the place of martyrdom of Baba Gurbakhsh Singh but then during Akali agitation [1920-1925] it was lost by the old lady who served there.’ (‘Etehas Dam Dmi Taksal Sankhep’, Pa.54) |
Akali Nihang tradition holds that whereas Adi Guru Durbar is the embodiment of ‘Shaant Ras’ (essence of peace), Dasam Guru Durbar and Sarbloh Guru Durbar are the embodiments of ‘Bir Ras‘ (warrior essence).
The difference in Dasam Guru Durbar and Sarbloh Guru Durbar is that although Bir Ras (warrior essence) is born of Dasam Guru Durbar, it is Sarbloh Guru Durbar which gives an individual’s warrior essence an everlasting, final and complete lethal cutting edge.
With contemplation of Dasam Guru Durbar, ‘Chandi chr jandi te uttar jandi heh’, meaning ‘spirit of war comes and goes’. With the contemplation of Sarbloh Guru Durbar, ‘Chandi sda chri rhendi heh’ meaning, one is always intoxicated in the spirit of war against ignorance.
Thus it was from the Sarbloh Guru Durbar that the Khalsa of the Misl Period drew its greater strength and prowess. That is why Sarbloh Guru Durbar was the most secret and guarded of Sikh religious texts. Englishmen like Malcolm easily managed to procure the Adi Guru Granth and take it to Calcutta to study it. Colebrooke even managed to get his scheming hands on the Dasam Guru Durbar as well.
However, the Sarbloh Guru Granth Ji because of it being guarded deep in the sanctuary of the Akali Nihang Dals, nevermind getting a hand on it, no invader never even heard of its existance.
Akali Nihang Singhs, Nirmalas, Udhasis and Seva Panthis all traditionally acknowledge Sarbloh Guru Durbar as Gurbani (writings) of Dasam Patsha (Tenth King Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh ji).
The lowly puritanical Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhias apart from Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha in general never got around to commenting on the Sarbloh Guru Durbar. The present day offspring of Tat Khalsa Singh Sabha, the S.G.P.C. is also quiet about Sarbloh Guru Durbar. The language of Sarbloh Guru Durbar is so difficult to understand, and the text until recently was also not available to modern Sikh scholars.
One Udhasi Harnam Das of Kapurthala, formally known as Akali Nihang Nurang Singh has made an attempt in the last century to study the Sarbloh Prakash (Sarbloh Guru Durbar).
He prepared a transliteration of the Sarbloh Guru Durbar which the Budha Dal later published. Another learned man, Giani Partap Singh, himself a scholar of Sikh religious texts, claims Harnam Das’ works are incomplete.
Originaly this translitteration was not available at any shop or library and could only be attained from Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa Budha Dal. In order to aquire a copy an individual had to present a written request stating the reason why he/she would need the copy of the Sarbloh Guru Durbar. The letter would then be taken to the head of the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa, presently Akali Nihang Baba Santa Singh Ji. Once Baba Ji was satisfied at the request, he would officially give his authority and approval. The individual then proceeded to Patiala, Punjab, where the Budha Dal printing presswould make available a copy of Sarbloh Guru Granth.
The ideal Budha Dal tradition does not sell the priceless Guru Durbars, or any other sacred text. In the year 2000, due to over whelming public demand for Sarbloh Guru Granth and Budha Dal’s inability to keep it in print, the Budha Dal published version of Sarbloh Guru Granth began to be sold at book shops in Punjab. The money from the sales went towards funding the printing of further copies of Sarbloh Guru Granth.