Das Gur Katha - by Akali Nihang Dr Kamalroop Singh

Vahigurujikakhalsavahigurujikifateh, Sat Sri Akal!! With the blessings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first ever English translation and transliteration of 'Das Gur Katha' or Short History of the Ten Gurus has been completed by this servant of the Guru Khalsa Sadh Sangat Ji. I dedicate it to my Gurdev Mata and Gurdev Pita, and my Gurdevs Baba Santa Singh Ji, Baba Surjit Singh Ji, Baba Prem Singh Ji and the current 96 Krori Jathedar Akali Baba Mann Singh Ji. As soon as its uploaded I will post a link to it.

This work by Kavi Kankan is from around 1696 AD to 1699 AD around the formation of the Khalsa. It is likely he was from the Court of the 6th Guru upto Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

He writes about Guru Nanak Dev Ji that:

ਏਹੁ ਕੀਯਾ ਉਪਕਾਰ ਬਡਾ ਗੁਰ ਅਛੱਰ ਬੇਦਨ ਕੇ ਪਲਟਾਏ॥
Ehu kīyā upakār baḍā gur achhar bedan ke palaṭāe.
Such great kindness has been done by the Guru,
who has given the Gurmukhi letters, and overturned [the authority of] the Vedas.
ਗੁਰਮੁਖ ਅਖ੍ਯਰ ਕੀਨੇ ਤਬੈ ਜਬ ਕੈ ਸਿਉ ਕੋ ਨਰ ਕਸ੍ਟਨ ਪਾਏ॥
Guramukh akhyar kīne tabai jab kai sio ko nar kasṭan pāe.
Who gave the Gurmukhi letters that are much easier [to learn], then what kind of difficulty would man possibly face?
ਐਸੀ ਹੁਤੀ ਜਗ ਮੈ ਨ ਕਦਾਂਚਿਤ ਮੋ ਸੇ ਗਰੀਬ ਕੋ ਕੌਨ ਸਿਖਾਏ॥
Aisī hutī jag mai na kadāṅchit mo se garīb ko kaun sikhāe.
In this world there are very rare people who understand this, that who else would teach the meek?
ਖਸਟ ਹੀ ਮਾਸ ਮੇ ਹੋਤ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਬੁਧਿ ਬਿਹੀਨ ਕੋ ਕੌਨ ਬਤਾਏ॥੫॥
Khasaṭa hī māsa me hot prāpat budhi bihīn ko kaun batāe.5.
In six months [Gurmukhi] can be learnt, who else could teach wisdom [without Sanskrit] to those who lack intelligence?5.

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Click on the image below to download the pdf.