Persian Bâni
This compilation consists of more than sixty ghazal poems in different meters following a theme of devotional love to the Master (Murshid), worship (ibâdat), mysticism (irfân) and several notions of panentheism (wahdad-al-wujûd). The entire work elucidates Sikh doctrines through the sophisticated terminology of Sufism. The poet is addressing Guru Gobind Singh though the name of the Guru is not mentioned anywhere in the entire collection. This broadened the scope and universality of the ghazals so that Sufis and others could read them aloud and find their personal truth through these Sikh ghazals. It is most likely that these poems were used historically to present the Sikh path and appeal to Muslim Sufis to step onto the path of the Eternal Satguru. Learn more…
The Zindagînamâ is written in classical Persian and consists of 510 verses. It is a long, and consistent poem that heralds key aspects of the Sikh tradition using Islamicate vocabulary. According to tradition, it was written upon the poet’s arrival to Anandpur and presented as a gift to the Tenth Guru who was so fond of its content, that he renamed the composition from Bandagînâma (guidance of spirituality) to Zindagînamâ (Guidance of life). Learn more…
The Ganjnama is written in classical Persian but also employs Arabic vocabulary. It was composed some time after the creation of the Khalsa in 1699. The poet eulogises the ten Gurus in this long poem attributing them with many titles traditionally attributed to the greatest prophets and Sufi Masters in the Islamic world. In this way the poet seeks to enhance the significance of the Gurus in the eyes of his readers. Learn more…
The Joti Bigâs is written in classical Persian but also employs extensive Arabic vocabulary at times. The composition has 175 verses in total. Like the Ganjnamâ it was written after the creation of the Khalsa in 1699. Joti Bigâs means “The manifestation of Light’ and the theme of the composition is praise of the earthly manifestation of the heavenly Light that was manifested in the historical body of Guru Nanak. The whole of the composition is in actual fact an eulogy of Guru Nanak switching between his two forms of the nirgun (invisible) and sargun (visible). Learn more…
Though commonly held to be a versed Punjabi translation of the Persian Joti Bigâs, the Punjabi edition is by all means an independent and separate work. It consists of 44 verses and has a great deal of Braj Basha influence. Learn more…
The Tausif-o-Sanâ composition is written in classical Persian but also employs Arabic vocabulary at times. It consists of two parts with the second part having the title ‘Khatima’.
The Tausif-o-Sanâ is full of difficult and high level terminology of both languages. It is the only Sikh text in prose written by the poet and compared to the remaining Persian works this is probably the shortest. There are indications in the text that it is a summary of the longer Zindagînamâ. Learn more…
The Ganjnama is written in classical Persian but also employs Arabic vocabulary. It was composed some time after the creation of the Khalsa in 1699. The poet eulogises the ten Gurus in this long poem attributing them with many titles traditionally attributed to the greatest prophets and Sufi Masters in the Islamic world. In this way the poet seeks to enhance the significance of the Gurus in the eyes of his readers. Learn more…
The Urz-ul-alfâz (exposition of terms) is the lengthiest yet least known composition of Bhai Nand Lal. As the title reveals, it is written in Persian, yet employs heavily from the Arabic vocabulary. It consists of a long discussion on various terms and concepts from the Islamic, Hindu and Sikh tradition. Learn more…