ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SUKHAN FAK&#298R&#256&#7748 KE</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>SU<u>KH</u>AN FAK&#298R&#256&#7748 KE</i>, an eighteenth-century work in Punjabi prose attributed to Bh&#257&#299 A&#7693&#7693an Sh&#257h, a Sev&#257panth&#299 saint. Two manuscript copies of it are known to exist-one (MS.No. 2196) in the Central Public Library, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257, and the other (MS. No. 11560) in the Pañjab University, Cha&#7751&#7693&#299ga&#7771h. The latter has since been included in <i>Pur&#257tan Punjabi V&#257rtak</i> edited by S&#363r&#299ndar Si&#7749gh Kohl&#299 (Pañj&#257b University, Cha&#7751&#7693&#299ga&#7771h, 1973). Written in Punjabi in Gurmukh&#299 script, the work comprises thirty-four <i>su<u>kh</u>&#257n</i> or sayings, each laying down a moral rule. A fair sprinkling of Persian words has led some to conjecture that the work might be a translation from the Persian. According to Sev&#257panth&#299 tradition, these lessons were delivered by Bh&#257&#299 A&#7693&#7693a&#7751 Sh&#257h when he, having left the Punjab reduced to chaos by the successive invasions of Ahmad Sh&#257h Durr&#257n&#299 (1722-72), was preaching in the Jamm&#363 region. Bh&#257&#299 A&#7693&#7693a&#7751 Sh&#257h recommends a life of austerity and prayer as against that of indulgence and luxury. One must not hurt the feelings of others and never refuse alms to the poor. Contentment is set forth as the greatest virtue (31). The real saint is he who has control over his mind, has renounced <i>m&#257y&#257</i> and is as humble as the dust itself (32). God has created man (4) and yet He is within him (24). The Sev&#257panth&#299s considered woman an evil and exhorted man to shun her company. Bh&#257&#299 A&#7693&#7693a&#7751 Sh&#257h also advises man to beware of her who is as dangerous as the Dev&#299l's Sword (17). Man must check his mind from wandering when meditating, check his tongue from speaking when listening to the saints, and check his eyes when visiting the homes of others (25).</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">Gurmukh Si&#7749gh, <i>Sev&#257panth&#299&#257&#7749 d&#299 Pañj&#257b&#299 S&#257hit n&#363&#7749 De&#7751</i>. Patiala, 1986<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Dharam Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>