ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>BHAGAT RATN&#256VAL&#298</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="BHAGAT,RATNVAL*"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279BHAGAT RATN&#256VAL&#298, also known as <i>Sikh&#257&#7749 d&#299 Bhagatm&#257l</i> or <i>Sikh&#257&#7749 d&#299 Bhagatm&#257l&#257</i> or <i>Bhagat&#257val&#299</i> is a <i>&#7789&#299k&#257</i> or exposition, in Punjabi prose, of a <i>V&#257r</i> (no. 11) from Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s's <i>V&#257r&#257&#7749</i>. The <i>V&#257r</i> contains a roster of the names of some of the Sikhs of the time of the first six Gur&#363s, Gur&#363 N&#257nak to Gur&#363 Hargobind, without giving any details about how they got initiated into the Sikh faith or about their careers. The <i>Bhagat Ratn&#257val&#299</i>, attributed to Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh (<i>q. v. </i>), attempts to supply these. The name of Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh occurs at several places in the text in the third person which makes it doubtful if he is the author. The anecdotes given are meant to have been those related by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh to Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh. It is likely that they were recorded by another Sikh who heard Man&#299 Si&#7749gh narrate these at a congregation. The work may be dated between AD 1706 (the year Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh left Punjab for the South : it is said that Man&#299 Si&#7749gh started relating the anecdotes after the Gur&#363's departure) and AD 1737 (the year of B&#257b&#257 Kal&#257dh&#257r&#299's death to whom belonged a manuscript copy of the work).</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;However, some manuscripts contain, following the exposition of Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s's <i>V&#257r</i>, anecdotes about some of the Sikhs connected with the last four Gur&#363s. Whereas the first part of the work ends with the words : "<i>&#7788&#299k&#257 v&#257r Y&#257rv&#299&#7749 d&#299 p&#363r&#299 ho&#299</i> - here ends the exposition of the eleventh <i>V&#257r</i>, " the second part concludes with "<i>S&#257kh&#299&#257&#7749 p&#363ria&#7749 hoi&#257&#7749</i> - anecdotes end here. " The language and style in both the parts is identical. The current printed version, edited by Bh&#257&#299 V&#299r Si&#7749gh, comprises only the first part. The general format is that of a Sikh - more often than not it is a group of Sikhs visiting the Gur&#363 and raising questions, he has had in his mind. The Gur&#363 answers the questions and the Sikh bows at his feet convinced. Sikh teaching is in this manner rehearsed. For the dialogue form the book adopts, it has also been described as a <i>go&#7779&#7789i</i>.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">Balb&#299r Si&#7749gh Nand&#257<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>