ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GURBIL&#256S B&#256B&#256 S&#256HIB SI&#7748GH BED&#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 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>GURBIL&#256S B&#256B&#256 S&#256HIB SI&#7748GH BED&#298</i>, by Bh&#257&#299 Sobh&#257 R&#257m belonging to the Sev&#257panth&#299 order, is a versified account of the life of B&#257b&#257 S&#257hib Si&#7749gh Bed&#299, a descendant of Gur&#363 N&#257nak. The voluminous work, four manuscript copies of which -- one each at the Gur&#363 N&#257nak Dev University, Amritsar; Punjabi University, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257; Mot&#299 B&#257<u>gh</u> Palace, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257; and Punjab Archives Department, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 -- are known to exist, has since been published (1988) by the Punjabi University.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; S&#257hib Si&#7749gh Bed&#299 is presented to this work as a saint, profound scholar, warrior, statesman, social reformer, and a religious leader. The tone generally is hagiographical, and much store is set by the B&#257b&#257's supernatural powers. The poet, in fact, endeavours to cast him as the incarnation of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, and appropriates some of the incidents from the life of the Gur&#363 to embellish the career of his hero. The <i>Gurbil&#257s</i> makes up for its lapses as a work of history by the wealth of detail it accumulates about the social life of the Punjab of that day. Worthy of special notice are the poet's descriptions of marriage ceremonies, songs and feasts and of the dowry system then prevalent.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> N&#257r&#257, &#298shar Si&#7749gh, <i>R&#257j&#257, Jog&#299 arth&#257t J&#299van ltih&#257s Sr&#299 B&#257b&#257 S&#257hib Si&#7749gh J&#299 Bed&#299. </i> Delhi, n.d.<BR> <li class="C1"> Gurmukh Si&#7749gh, ed., <i>Gurbil&#257s B&#257b&#257 S&#257hib Si&#7749gh Bed&#299</i>. Patiala, 1988<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Gurmukh Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>