Tempo:
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
322
y^pp
XVII
compositions of certain 'Bhagats', or mostly sectarian Hindus, and who are usually
secondly, the saints,
given as sixteen in number; and, thirdly, the verses of certain 'Bhats', or rhapsodists, followers of Nanak and of some of his successors. The numbers, and even the names of the 'Bhagats'. or saints, are not always the same in copies of the Granth; and thus modern comthemselves the pilers; or copyists have assumed to power of rejecting or sanctioning particular writings. To the sixteen Bhagats are usually added two 'Doms', or chanters, who recited before Arjun, and who cau'^ht some of his spirit; and a 'Rababi', or player upon a stringed instrument, who became similarly inspired.
The Granth sometimes includes an appendix, containing works the authenticity of which is doubtful, or the propriety of admitting which is disputed on other grounds. The Granth was originally compiled by Arjun, the fifth Guru; but it subsequently received a few additions * at the hands of his successors. The Granth is written wholly in verse; but the forms of versification are numerous. The language used is rather the Hindi of Upper India generally, than the particular dialect of the Punjab; but some portions, especially of the last section, are composed in Sanskrit. The written character is nevertheless throughout the Punjabi, one of the several varieties of alphabets now current in India, and which, from its use by the Sikh Gurus, is sometimes called 'Gurmukhi', a term likewise applied to the dialect of the Punjab. The languaga of the writings of Nanak is thought by modern Sikhs to abound with provincialisms of the country southwest of Lahore, and the dialect of Arjun is held to be the most pure. The Granth usually forms a quarto volume of about 1,232 pages, each page containing 24 lines, and each line containing about 35 letters. The extra books increase the pages to 1,240 only.
Contents of the Adi Granth 1st. The 'Japji', or simply the 'Jap, called also Guru Mantr, or the special prayer of initiation of the Guru. It occupies about 7 pages, and consists of 40 sloks, called Pauri, of irregular lengths, some of two, and some of several lines. It means, literally, the remembrancer or admonisher, from jap, to remember. It was
322
y^pp
XVII
compositions of certain 'Bhagats', or mostly sectarian Hindus, and who are usually
secondly, the saints,
given as sixteen in number; and, thirdly, the verses of certain 'Bhats', or rhapsodists, followers of Nanak and of some of his successors. The numbers, and even the names of the 'Bhagats'. or saints, are not always the same in copies of the Granth; and thus modern comthemselves the pilers; or copyists have assumed to power of rejecting or sanctioning particular writings. To the sixteen Bhagats are usually added two 'Doms', or chanters, who recited before Arjun, and who cau'^ht some of his spirit; and a 'Rababi', or player upon a stringed instrument, who became similarly inspired.
The Granth sometimes includes an appendix, containing works the authenticity of which is doubtful, or the propriety of admitting which is disputed on other grounds. The Granth was originally compiled by Arjun, the fifth Guru; but it subsequently received a few additions * at the hands of his successors. The Granth is written wholly in verse; but the forms of versification are numerous. The language used is rather the Hindi of Upper India generally, than the particular dialect of the Punjab; but some portions, especially of the last section, are composed in Sanskrit. The written character is nevertheless throughout the Punjabi, one of the several varieties of alphabets now current in India, and which, from its use by the Sikh Gurus, is sometimes called 'Gurmukhi', a term likewise applied to the dialect of the Punjab. The languaga of the writings of Nanak is thought by modern Sikhs to abound with provincialisms of the country southwest of Lahore, and the dialect of Arjun is held to be the most pure. The Granth usually forms a quarto volume of about 1,232 pages, each page containing 24 lines, and each line containing about 35 letters. The extra books increase the pages to 1,240 only.
Contents of the Adi Granth 1st. The 'Japji', or simply the 'Jap, called also Guru Mantr, or the special prayer of initiation of the Guru. It occupies about 7 pages, and consists of 40 sloks, called Pauri, of irregular lengths, some of two, and some of several lines. It means, literally, the remembrancer or admonisher, from jap, to remember. It was
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