ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GI&#256N&#298 SAMPRAD&#256I</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background:#EAF1F7 url('gtbh.jpg') no-repeat fixed 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;} table.MsoTableGrid {border:1.0pt solid windowtext; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; } </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="GIN*,SAMPRADI"> <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">&#65279GI&#256N&#298 SAMPRAD&#256I is one of three major schools of Sikhs theologians and expositors of the Sikh scripture, the other two being the Ud&#257s&#299s and the Nirmal&#257s. Gi&#257n&#299, the Punjabi form of Sanskrit <i>jñ&#257n&#299</i> from the root <i>jñ&#257</i> (to know), originally meant a scholar of high learning. In Sikh tradition, a <i>gi&#257n&#299</i> is a learned man of pious character, competent to recite faultlessly, interpret and expound the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib and other Sikh religious texts. <i>Samprad&#257i</i> denotes a sectarian system or school of thought of accredited standing.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It is claimed that the school of Gi&#257n&#299s originated with Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh (d. 1737) who had the privilege of receiving instruction from Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur and Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh. Towards the close of the seventeenth century he was sent by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh to Amritsar to take charge of Sr&#299 Harimandar S&#257hib. At Amritsar, Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh made a practice of performing <i>kath&#257</i>, i.e. discoursing on the Sikh teaching expounding a given <i>&#347abda</i> with illustration from the lives of the Gur&#363s and their disciples. This style became, in course of time, established form for clerical interpretation of sacred text.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh was survived by three exceptionally brilliant pupils, namely, Bh&#257&#299 D&#299v&#257n Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299 Gurdi&#257l Si&#7749gh and Bh&#257&#299 Gurba<u>kh</u>sh Si&#7749gh, who carried on the scholarly tradition he had established. They had their own pupils who in turn trained their own disciples. Through this chain of pupils, the <i>samprad&#257i</i> has lasted to this day. Listed in the following tables are the more prominent names in this line from Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's time downwards:</p> <blockquote class="C1"><p class="C1" style="text-align: center">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>Table 1</b></p> <div align="center"> <table border="1" width="62%" id="table4" bordercolor="#0066CC" cellpadding="6"> <tr> <td width="263">&nbsp;</td> <td width="204"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Gurk Gobind SiEgh </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">(1666-1708) </font> </td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal">Bh+ Man+ SiEgh </p> <p class="MsoNormal">(d. 1737)</font></td> <td width="204">&nbsp;</td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bb D+p SiEgh Shahid</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">(1682-1757)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bh+ D+vn SiEgh </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bh+ Gurdil SiEgh </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bh+ Gurba&lt;u&gt;kh&lt;/u&gt;sh SiEgh</font></td> <td width="204">&nbsp;</td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal">Bh+ Amar SiEgh </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bh+ Jass SiEgh</font></td> <td width="204">&nbsp;</td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bh+ Skrat Singh</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">(see Table 2)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Bh+ Rm SiEgh</font></td> <td width="204">&nbsp;</td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bh+ Chand SiEgh </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">(fl.1857) </font> </td> <td width="204">&nbsp;</td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Gin+ Hazr SiEgh </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">(1828-1908) </font> </td> <td width="204"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Bh+ Day SiEgh</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bh+ V+r SiEgh&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">(1872-1957)</font></td> <td width="204"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Bh+ Bhagvn SiEgh</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Gin+ Am+r SiEgh </font> <p><FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> of Amritsar (1870-1954)</font></td> <td width="204"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Bh+ Fateh Chand </font> <p><FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> of Shh J+vaG</font></td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Sant Harnm SiEgh</p> <p class="MsoNormal">(See Table 3)</p> </font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263"><span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Gin+ Kirpl SiEgh</font></span></td> <td width="204"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Sant SaEgat SiEgh</p> <p class="MsoNormal">(1882-1950) of Kaml+</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="263">&nbsp;</td> <td width="204"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Sant Kartr SiEgh (son)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">(1989) at Pamil</font></p></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center"><b>Table 2</b></p> <div align="center"> <table border="1" width="62%" id="table5" bordercolor="#0066CC" cellpadding="6"> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="203"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Bh+ Skrat SiEgh</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="203"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Bh+ Gurds SiEgh (son)</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="203"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Bh+ Sant SiEgh (son)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -2.5in; margin-left: 2.5in"> (d.1832)</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal">Bh+ Gurmukh SiEgh (son)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">(d.1843)</font></td> <td width="203">&nbsp;</td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal">Bh+ Santokh SiEgh</p> <p class="MsoNormal">(d.1844)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Bh+ Pardumn SiEgh (son)&nbsp; </font> <p><FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> (d 1875)</font></td> <td width="203">&nbsp;</td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Bh+ Megh SiEgh</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="203">&nbsp;</td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Gin+ Gin SiEgh (d 1884)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="203">&nbsp;</td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal">Gin+ Sardkl SiEgh (son)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">(d. 1913)</font></td> </tr> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center"><b>Table 3</b></p> <div align="center"> <table border="1" width="62%" id="table6" bordercolor="#0066CC" cellpadding="6"> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="240"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Sant Harnm SiEgh</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="240"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal">Gin+ Bishan SiEgh</p> <p class="MsoNormal">(of Murl)</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="240"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Sant Sundar SiEgh</p> <p class="MsoNormal">(d.1930) of BhiG ar KalE</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="240"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Sant Gurbachan SiEgh &lt;u&gt;<u>Kh</u>&lt;/u&gt;ls (1903-69)</font></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Sant Mohan SiEgh at BhiG ar KalE</font></td> <td width="240">&nbsp;</td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> Sant Kartr SiEgh &lt;u&gt;<u>Kh</u>&lt;/u&gt;ls (d.1977) at Meht</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="264">&nbsp;</td> <td width="240">&nbsp;</td> <td> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="MsoNormal">Sant Jarnail SiEgh</p> <p class="MsoNormal">(1947-84)</font></td> </tr> </table> </div> </blockquote> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The charts of <i>gi&#257n&#299</i> lineage prepared by scholars such as Gi&#257n&#299 Chand&#257 Si&#7749gh (<i>Pray&#257i &#256di Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib</i>), Gi&#257n&#299 Haz&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh (<i>Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth Ko&#347</i>) and Sant Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Bhi&#7751&#7693r&#257&#7749v&#257le (<i><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 J&#299van ate Gurmat Rahit Mary&#257d&#257</i>), mutually differ on certain points of detail. The above tables have been worked out by collating the information contained in these sources and resolving the contradictions.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Originally, members of the Gi&#257n&#299 Samprad&#257i were known by the common Sikh honorific of <i>bh&#257&#299</i> or <i>sant</i>. Bh&#257&#299 Gurmukh Si&#7749gh, son of Bh&#257&#299 Sant Si&#7749gh, earned the "Gi&#257n&#299" appellation for the first time from the <i>sard&#257rs</i> in Sikh times. The title persisted and the family came to be known as Gi&#257n&#299 family, and the house in which they resided at Amritsar became famous as Bu&#7749g&#257 Gi&#257n&#299&#257&#7749. Gi&#257n&#299s successively served as head priests of the Harimandar at Amritsar. Bh&#257&#299 S&#363rat Si&#7749gh was followed successively by Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299 Sant Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299 Gurmukh Si&#7749gh, and Gi&#257n&#299 Parduman Si&#7749gh. The others had their own <i>&#7693er&#257s</i> or seats at different places. At present, Gi&#257n&#299 Kirp&#257l Si&#7749gh runs his <i>&#7693er&#257</i> in M&#257&#299 Satto V&#257l&#299 Gal&#299 at Amritsar, whereas Sant Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh of Kam&#257l&#299&#257 had his seat in Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 until his death in 1989. Sant Gurbachan Si&#7749gh <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, with his headquarters at the village of Bhi&#7751&#7693ar K&#257l&#257&#7749 in Far&#299dko&#7789 district, travelled around a great deal with a caravan of his pupils preaching and expounding the holy Scripture. After his death, Sant Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 and a parallel group led by Sant Mohan Si&#7749gh, carried on his work. With Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257's death in 1977 the responsibility passed on to Sant Jarnail Si&#7749gh, who died during the army's attack on Darb&#257r S&#257hib complex in June 1984.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The distinctive characteristic of the members of Gi&#257n&#299 Samprad&#257i has been their strict adherence to the tenets of the faith and to the discipline made incumbent upon the Sikhs by Gur&#363s.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At initiation, they receive the vows of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 as prescribed by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh and they preach neither celibacy nor asceticism, as do the Ud&#257s&#299s and Nirmal&#257s. On the doctrinal level, the Ud&#257s&#299s are inclined in their interpretation of the Sikh belief towards the classical Hindu view, taking inspiration from the R&#257ma and the K&#7771&#7779&#7751a cults. The Nirmal&#257s, leaning on Sanskrit learning, follow the Ved&#257ntic line. The Gi&#257n&#299s have kept their own course, relying solely on the teachings of the Gur&#363s and the Sikh tradition as it had autonomously evolved. For them the Vedas were not authority for <i>gurb&#257&#7751&#299</i>, as it was for the Nirmal&#257s, nor the Gur&#363s' word accepted as an extension of, or interpretation of the Vedas. Likewise, the Gur&#363 for them was not an <i>avat&#257r</i> of Vi&#7779&#7751u. Nor did they believe in the Hindu system of <i>var&#7751&#257&#347rama</i>.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The major centres of the Gi&#257n&#299 Samprad&#257i preserve assiduously their original classical aura. Almost all the recognized serving <i>granth&#299s</i> today, including those at the Harimandar, are the product of either the Amritsar or Damdam&#299 Taks&#257l.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Gi&#257n&#299s have been the most proficient exponents of the philosophy and thought of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. Very valuable contribution in the written form came in early days from Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh (<i>Gi&#257n Ratn&#257val&#299</i> and <i>Sikh&#257&#7749 d&#299 Bhagat M&#257l&#257,</i> Bh&#257&#299 Chand&#257 Si&#7749gh (<i>Pray&#257i Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib</i>), Bh&#257&#299 Haz&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh (<i>Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth Ko&#347</i>) and Bh&#257&#299 Bhagv&#257n Si&#7749gh (MS. <i>&#7788&#299k&#257 Japu</i> and <i>Gurb&#257&#7751&#299 Vy&#257kara&#7751</i>). In comparatively recent times, Gi&#257n&#299 Badan Si&#7749gh (d. 1924) and his colleagues of the Far&#299dko&#7789 synod, Bh&#257&#299 Bishan Si&#7749gh Gi&#257n&#299 (d. 1936), Pa&#7751&#7693it Narai&#7751 Si&#7749gh Gi&#257n&#299 (d. 1940), Ak&#257l&#299 Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh (d. 1938), Bh&#257&#299 V&#299r Si&#7749gh (d. 1957) and Bh&#257&#299 Kirp&#257l Si&#7749gh, all basically in the Gi&#257n&#299 line, have produced complete or partially complete commentaries of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. Dr Earnest Trumpp and Mr M.A. Macauliffe, in translating into English portions of the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib, were guided and helped by the scholars of this school.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257, Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh, <i><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 J&#299van ate Gurmat Rahit Mary&#257d&#257</i>. Mehta, 1977<BR> <li class="C1"> R&#363p, Harindar Si&#7749gh, <i>Sikh te Sikh&#299</i>. Lahore, 1947<BR> <li class="C1"> T&#257ran Si&#7749gh, <i>Gurb&#257&#7751&#299 d&#299&#257&#7749 Vi&#257khi&#257 Pra&#7751&#257l&#299&#257n</i>. Patiala, 1980<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">T&#257ran Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>