Ẓafar-nāma

Ẓafar-nāma
Author: Gobinda Siṅgha (Guru, X.)
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 1975
Genre:
ISBN:

The Sikh Zafar-namah of Guru Gobind Singh

The Sikh Zafar-namah of Guru Gobind Singh
Author: Louis E. Fenech
Publisher:
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2013-01-31
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0199931453

Louis E. Fenech offers a compelling new examination of one of the only Persian compositions attributed to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708): the Zafar-namah or 'Epistle of Victory.' Written as a masnavi, a Persian poem, this letter was originally sent to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (d. 1707) rebuking his most unbecoming conduct. Incredibly, Guru Gobind Singh's letter is included today within the Sikh canon, one of only a very small handful of Persian-language texts granted the status of Sikh scripture. As such, its contents are sung on special Sikh occasions. Perhaps equally surprising is the fact that the letter appears in the tenth Guru's book or the Dasam Granth in the standard Gurmukhi script (in which Punjabi is written) but retains its original Persian language, a vernacular few Sikhs know. Drawing out the letter's direct and subtle references to the Iranian national epic, the Shah-namah, and to Shaikh Sa'di's thirteenth-century Bustan, Fenech demonstrates how this letter served as a form of Indo-Islamic verbal warfare, ensuring the tenth Guru's moral and symbolic victory over the legendary and powerful Mughal empire. Through analysis of the Zafar-namah, Fenech resurrects an essential and intiguing component of the Sikh tradition: its Islamicate aspect.

Insights and Interpretations

Insights and Interpretations
Author: Colum Hourihane
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2002
Genre: Art
ISBN: 9780691099903

Established in 1917, the Index of Christian Art, located at Princeton University, is now the largest archive of medieval art in existence and the most specialized resource for the iconographer. Throughout its eighty-five years, it has justly been recognized as one of the most learned institutions for the study of the art and culture of the medieval world. The essays in this book, all by staff or scholars of the archive, highlight some of the current research in the archive and the scholarship for which it has been widely renowned. The studies cover art from the Late Antique period to the end of the fifteenth century and include most of the media represented in the archive, from manuscripts to sculpture to glass. From reinterpreting previous scholarship to making new insights into the medieval mind, they explore such themes as Jephtha's Daughter; Mary Magdalene; Saints Blaise, Paul, Joseph, and Elisabeth of Hungary; and topics including women in the Bibles moralis es, Late German sermons, the iconographic program at Bourges Cathedral, Franciscan devotional art, and a late medieval Islamic manuscript. This volume presents some of the most exciting and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of these subjects, from the home of medieval iconography in Princeton. The contributors are Adelaide Bennett, Lois Drewer, Ivan Great, Judith Golden, Gerald Guest, Margaret Jennings, Margaret Lindsey, Mika Natif, Lynn Ransom, Pamela Sheingorn, and A. E. Wright.

Founder of the Khalsa

Founder of the Khalsa
Author: Amardeep S. Dahiya
Publisher: Hay House, Inc
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2014-04-14
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9381398615

This book encapsulates the exceptionally eventful and vibrant life of the guru that will provoke thought and debate even in today’s times. Guru Gobind Singh – Founder of the Khalsa; saint; warrior par excellence; poignant poet; philosopher; soulful human being – was the illustrious Tenth Guru of the Sikhs. This extensively researched book goes beyond the established events that broadly include the untimely assassination of Guru Teg Bahadur; Guru Gobind Singh’s coronation; the battles of Bhangani and Nadaun; his stay in Paonta and Anandpur; and the historic creation of the Khalsa. The book talks about other events that sought to widely establish the Khalsa including the battle of Nirmohgarh; the siege and evacuation of Anandpur; the battles of Chamkaur, Khidrana and Muktsar; his Zafarnama to Aurangzeb and subsequent meeting with Bahadur Shah Zafar in Agra. Most importantly, it provides some unknown facts about the anointment of the holy book of the Sikhs – the Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal guiding light. Guru Gobind Singh’s prowess as a warrior of immense distinction is well-recorded, besides his understanding of military strategy and execution; the book brings to light his love for literature, scriptures and languages, his philosophical, judicious and humane thought, and is a tribute to the great saint and seeks to outline the historical life, times and events of Guru Gobind Singh in intricate details.

Zafarnama

Zafarnama
Author: Harinder Singh Mehboob
Publisher:
Total Pages: 366
Release: 2020-09-23
Genre:
ISBN:

This is Book #5 in the English translation of the famous, Sehje Rachio Khalsa, written by Harinder Singh Mehboob and translated by Gurtarn Singh Sidhu. Gurtarn Singh Sidhu is one of Harinder Singh's closest friends and confidante's. After Harinder's death, Gurtarn took it upon himself to spread Harinder Singh's message with this book. He translated the entirety of Sehje Rachio Khalsa, and that one giant book was split into smaller parts. This is the fifth in the full series.

The Book of Nanak

The Book of Nanak
Author: Navtej Sarna
Publisher: Penguin UK
Total Pages: 69
Release: 2016-12-07
Genre: Literary Collections
ISBN: 8184750226

Guru Nanak was deeply spiritual from an early age, having being born into a society caught in the throes of orthodoxy and ritualism. The ills of child marriage, infanticide and a rigid caste system had further crippled his people. The outpouring of Nanak’s faith evolved into the universal message of the omnipresence and existence of one God, of true love, equality and compassion, which appealed to Hindus and Muslims alike. Drawing upon the various myths and legends contained in anecdotal biographies and placing them in as precise a historical framework as possible, The Book of Nanak traces the chronology of the main events of Nanak’s life. It sheds new light on Guru Nanak’s message and includes translations of some of his hymns, which continue to inspire people the world over.

Fatehnama ; And, Zafarnama

Fatehnama ; And, Zafarnama
Author: Gobind Singh (Guru)
Publisher:
Total Pages: 188
Release: 1980
Genre: Sikh gurus
ISBN:

Two historic letters in Persian verse with English translation addressed to Aurangzeb, Emperor of Hindustan, 1619-1707; includes a detailed introduction.

Teachings of the Sikh Gurus

Teachings of the Sikh Gurus
Author: Christopher Shackle
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2013-07-04
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1136451080

Recognized masterpieces of Indian literature, the Guru Granth Sahib and the Dasam Granth are fundamental to the Sikh religion, not only in the physical layout of temples and in ceremonies of worship, but as infallible reference texts offering counsel and instruction. Teachings of the Sikh Gurus presents a brand new selection of key passages from these sacred scriptures, translated into modern English by leading experts, Christopher Shackle and Arvind-pal Singh Mandair. Including six longer compositions and many shorter hymns thematically organised by topics such as Time and Impermanence, Self and Mind, Authority, and Ethics, the book’s accessible and carefully chosen extracts distil the essence of Sikhism’s remarkable textual and intellectual legacy, depicting how its message of universal tolerance suits the contemporary world. The detailed introduction and notes to the translations aid readers’ comprehension of the hymns’ form and content, as well as providing some historical context, making it an ideal introduction to Sikh literature.