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).
Couplet 498 says:
Like the cup, this compilation is brimful with the divine elixir, And, therefore, it is assigned the name of The Epistle of Life.
In total, the whole of the Zindagînamâ is a praise of living a spiritual lifestyle and a eulogy of those who have stepped on the path and devoted their life to God.