Sikh scriptures
The word 'bir' (Gurmukhi: ਬੀੜ, romanized: Bīṛa; alternatively spelt as 'birh') in Sikhism refers to a complete volume of a Sikh scripture as an individual corpus.
[4] However, amongst Sikhs the term evolved to refer to a sacred book, especially one containing Gurbani or scriptural texts and of a moderate size.
[4] A gutka (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਟਕਾ, romanized: Guṭakā) is an extract of Gurbani, which is smaller in size in-comparison to a Pothi and contains lesser amounts of hymns or specific selections.
[7][4][8] They became popularized in the 18th century, when state-enacted oppression of Sikhs forced them to be ever on the move and the portable nature of gutkas served well in this time.
[5] Kavi Santokh Singh, in his Suraj Prakash, explains the reasonings for why he did so as follows:[5] In a perfect state of oneness, the Guru called Gurdas in his presence.
Seating him close by, [the Guru] voiced the purpose: “Bhai, listen to our hope.3 Create cohesive benevolent Grinth [Braj form of 'Granth']-Anthology in the Gurmukhi [alphabets].
In Patti composed by revered Nanak, beautiful are the thirty-five [alphabets].4 Scribe the entire Gurbani in them; it is very easy to study them.
It will spread all over quickly as the oil over water.7 Householders [busy] earning have less wisdom; those seeking education can study it with ease.
Devoted ones will study with ease; they will realize freedom is in Hari-1’s [Guru Nanak] remembrance.9 Their greatness is very beautiful; Gurmukhi’s identity will be known in the world.
ones who acknowledge it as the eliminator of sins-transgressions will love it.”10Starting with the founder of the faith, Guru Nanak, sacred compositions recorded and devised by Sikhs were kept in a pothi.
[5] Eventually, Guru Arjan collected the scattered pothis linked to his predecessors and published the Adi Granth in 1604, assisted in his endeavor by Bhai Gurdas acting as the scribe.
[5][14] The reason for him doing so has been said to have been that heretical sects, such as Minas, were using the pen-names of earlier Gurus and attempting to circulate their compositions as sanctified Sikh writings.
[5] Scholars Mandanjit Kaur and Piar Singh state the following regarding the motivations of the Guru for assembling an authoritative canonical text:[5] Stray compilations of them [sabads] were in circulation.
Conscious or unconscious interference in their text, often prompted by a desire to round off a word or a phrase or to regulate its metrical flow in accordance with the whim of the singer, was not an uncommon phenomenon.
[14] This is the recension in-which the guruship was given to in 1708 and rechristened as the Guru Granth Sahib, however the original Damdami manuscript was lost during the Vadda Ghalughara in 1762.
It begins with Mool Mantra and then follow 38 paudis (stanzas) and completed with a final Salok by Guru Angad at the end of this composition.
According to Christopher Shackle, it is designed for "individual meditative recitation" and as the first item of daily devotional prayer for the devout.
[26] Large amounts of historical Sikh scriptural manuscripts have been systematically "cremated" (burnt to destruction)[27][28] over the years at secretive ‘Angitha Sahib’ gurdwaras in Punjab and around India under the guise of kar seva.
[29][30] This practice is criticized for systematically destroying historical manuscripts rendering them unable to be researched, archived, repaired, or conserved for future generations.
Digitization efforts which began in 2008 are also ongoing at the Sikh Reference Library to scan the scriptural manuscripts and other literature held within its collection.
[36][37][38] On 6 September 2023, the SGPC announced plans to digitize Sikh literature and scriptures kept in the collection of Sri Guru Ramdas Library in Amritsar.
