ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GAHIR GAMBH&#298R&#298E MAT KE SV&#256M&#298 BISHAN D&#256S YATI J&#298 K&#256 J&#298VAN CHARITRA</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 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">&#65279<i>GAHIR GAMBH&#298R&#298E MAT KE SV&#256M&#298 BISHAN D&#256S YATI J&#298 K&#256 J&#298VAN CHARITRA</i>, by Bhagv&#257n D&#257s, is a biographical portrayal (<i>j&#299van charitra</i>) of Sv&#257m&#299 Bishan D&#257s, founder of the Gahir Gambh&#299r&#299e sect. The author who was a disciple of Bishan D&#257s compiled this account during 1886-1902 at Phillaur, near Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257. The manuscript, still unpublished, is preserved at the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 College at Amritsar under Catalogue No. 1334, and contains 648 folios, each measuring 32x24 cms and containing 24 lines. The narrative is in simple Braj verse; for the devotional hymns some of the poetic forms and musical measures from the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib have been used. The volume, covering only six years, 1953 Bk/AD 1896 to 1958 Bk/AD 1902, of the life of Bishan D&#257s (1863-1935), is marked number II which suggests the existence of a previous volume but which still remains undiscovered. Although Bishan D&#257s studied under an Ud&#257s&#299 teacher, he had not adopted the sectarian garb as his portrait included in the work reveals. He in fact struck out his own path. He commonly addressed God as Gahir Gambh&#299r, the solemn and serene, and maintained that this was the best way to describe the Supreme Being. To elaborate the point, he quoted verses from the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib pronouncing these attributes of the Divine, as most apt. From the term Gahir Gambh&#299r, his followers and devotees came to be known as Gahir Gambh&#299r&#299e. Bishan D&#257s revered the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib and held continuous readings of it at his <i>&#7693er&#257</i> called K&#299rtan Mandir. He travelled extensively throughout the Punjab and beyond preaching the Sikh tenets : as the manuscript concludes he was preaching in Ly&#257llpur (now in Pakistan). He preached against the use of intoxicants, denounced slander and <i>bhekh</i> or pretence, and rejected caste divisions. He gave women a place equal with menfolk. The names of several of his women disciples occur in his <i>J&#299van Charitra.</i> He was, however, opposed to the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 movement which, he asserted, was abolishing the old order introducing "innovations".</p> </ol><p class="CONT">Sarmukh Si&#7749gh Amole<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>