Hikaaitaan
ਹਿਕਾਇਤਾਂ • حکایت
Dasam Granth
Heading of the second "Hikayat" of the Dasam Granth, written by Bhai Daya Singh, present within the "Aurangabadi Bir"
Information
ReligionSikhism
AuthorGuru Gobind Singh
Chapters11 or 12 (if counting the Zafarnama "Dastaan")
Verses756[1][2]

Hikaaitaan or Hikāyatān (Punjabi: ਹਿਕਾਇਤਾਂ (Gurmukhi) • حکایت (Persian), pronunciation: [ɦɪkäːɪt̪ãː], lit. ‘realities’) is a title given to the semi-legendary set of 11 tales (hikayat; Gurmukhi: ਹਿਕਾਇਤਾ, romanized: Hikā'itā), composed in the Gurmukhi Persian language (with a few words in the Majha dialect),[3] whose authorship is historically and traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. It is the last composition of the second scripture of Sikhs, Dasam Granth, and is believed to be appended to Zafarnamah—the letter to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Historically and traditionally, the set of tales was written at Dina, Punjab, in 1704 CE.[4] In total, there are 11 tales—composed of 752 couplets; however, historically, the first hikayat is Zafarnama, which brings the count to 12.[5] Each tale begins with praise of the Almighty.[6] This composition is present in all old manuscripts, including those of Mani Singh, Motibagh, Sangrur, and Patna manuscripts.[7]

Authorship and relation with Zafarnama

As per early Sikh historical resources, Parchi Patshahi Dasvin (Sevadas, 1741)[8] and Gurbilas Patshahi 10 (Kuir Singh, 1751),[9] hikayats were composed by Guru Gobind Singh at Dina Kangar, Punjab and is part of Zafarnamah which was sent along with Zafarnama. Koer Singh believes that Guru Gobind Singh had written 12 hikayats in Zafarnama.[10] In Sakhi 13, Sevadas mentioned that Guru Gobind Singh had written fables of many kings and also mentioned his own history in Zafarnama.[11]

The historical and traditional view is that all the Hikayats was composed by Guru Gobind Singh himself, to make Aurangzeb realize his folly in breaking oath of Quran, improve his decision-making ability on the basis of facts, and to check the activities of different departments of his government. Pundit Narain Singh, who did an exogenesis of Dasam Granth, also had the same view. Many of these tales are the Persian translations of the narratives in Charitropakhyan, which serves as an additional proof of single authorship of both compositions.[12]

A few modern scholars claim that hikayats are not part of Zafarnama, as in their viewpoint these tales do not show any relation with the letter.[13] and was written by court poets.[14]

It was originally written in the Perso-Arabic script rather than in Gurmukhi.[15]

Tales

As per Harbans Singh, the genre of the tales "ranges from the romantic and chivalrous to the fantastic and the macabre" and were written for the tastes of a medieval Indian audience.[6] All the tales begin with a number but this chronological ordering only begins with the second tale, leading scholars to theorize what the first tale is or if it has been lost.[6] The following are tales and brief descriptions of the hikayats (including the Zafarnama as the first):[6]

  1. Tale of Guru Gobind Singh and Emperor Aurangzeb – An autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh that includes philosophical, political, and satirical aspects. More commonly known as the Zafarnama.[6] Other scholars postulate that the first four verses of the second Hikayat is actually the first tale, in which Sanskritized Braj verses praise God.[6]
  2. Tale of King Daleep and His Four Sons – Guru Gobind Singh had lost his four sons and was a direct reference to that. The story involves four sons of a Raja, three of which were gifted with vast riches but squandered it all but the youngest son was just gifted a seed, which he had planted and was able to harvest food until he eventually founded a grand city.[6] The story may have been written with the Mughal imperial family in-mind, specifically Aurangzeb and his sons, as a possible moral lesson.[6]
  3. Tale of the Emperor of China – Explaining the qualities of a perfect ruler, with political and philosophical aspects.
  4. Tale of King Subhat Singh and Bachitarmati – How women are equal to men and how the queen conquered areas from Rajasthan to Poland. The story involves an undaunted rani defeating Raja Subhat Singh in battle in order to marry him.[6]
  5. Tale of King Sabal Singh
  6. Tale of King Chakrawati and Qazi Daughter
  7. Tale of King Darab and Queen of Rome
  8. Tale of Princess of Bilistan
  9. Tale of King of France and His Wife
  10. Tale of King Mayindra and Advisor's Daughter
  11. Tale of King Sher Shah and Tycoon's Daughter
  12. Tale of Pathan Raheem Khan and His Wife – this is a cannibalistic story that involves an adulterous Pathan wife murdering and cooking the remains of her lover up to feed her husband and his friends.[6] The wife was fearful of her husband and did this to win his approval.[6]

Relationship with Sri Charitropakhyan

The following is a list of Hikayats which are similar to narratives in Charitropakhyan. In fact, six of the Hikayats are the Persian translations of the narratives found within the Charitropakhyan.[6]

  • Hikayat 4 and Charitra 52[6]
  • Hikayat 5 and Charitra 267[6]
  • Hikayat 8 and Charitra 118
  • Hikayat 9 and Charitra 290
  • Hikayat 11 and Charitra 246

See also

References

  1. ↑ 'Makin', Gursharan Singh. Zafarnama: The Epistle of Victory (1st ed.). Lahore Book Shop. p. 13. ISBN 8176471798.
  2. ↑ Singha, H.S. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Over 1000 Entries). Hemkunt Press. p. 54. ISBN 9788170103011.
  3. ↑ Page 93, The A to Z of Sikhism, W. H. McLeod
  4. ↑ Sri Dasam Granth Sahib:Q & A, Kamalroop Singh
  5. ↑ Grewal, J. S. (2019). "Appendix 9A: Perspectives on the Zafarnama". Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708): Master of the White Hawk (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Singh, Harbans (2011). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Vol. 2: E-L (3rd ed.). Punjabi University, Patiala. p. 271.
  7. ↑ Sikh Religion, Culture and Ethnicity, C. Shackle, Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair, Gurharpal Singh
  8. ↑ "Parchi Patshahi Dasvin, Sevadas". Archived from the original on 2013-12-27. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  9. ↑ Gurbilas Patshahi 10, Kuir Singh
  10. ↑ ਫ਼ਰਨਾਮ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਜਗ ਜਾਨੈ। ਲਿਖੀ ਹਿਕਾਯਤ ਦਵਾਦਸ ਤਾ ਮੈ। (ਪੰਨਾ 199), Gurbilas Patshahi 10, Koer Singh
  11. ↑ ਸਾਖੀ ੧੩ : ਅਗੇ ਸਾਖੀ ਦਸਵੇਂ ਮਹਲ ਕੀ ਤੁਰੀਆਂ: ........ ਓਹ ਖਤ ਮੇ ਕੇਤੇ ਫਰਦ ਲੀਖੇ | ਕੇਤੀਆ ਰੁਬਾਈਆਂ , ਕੇਤੀਆ ਬਾਦਸ਼ਾਹ ਕੀਆਂ ਸਾਖੀਆਂ ਲਿਖੀਆਂ | ਅਰੁ ਕਛੁ ਆਪਣੀ ਹਕੀਕਤ ਭੀ ਲਿਖੀ | ........., Sakhi 134, Parchi Sevadas, Piara Singh Padam
  12. ↑ sikhisearch.com
  13. ↑ Dasam Granth,Dr. S.S. Kapoor
  14. ↑ Page 141, A book of Sikh studies, Gobind Singh Mansukhani
  15. ↑ Singha, H. S. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 Entries). Hemkunt Press. ISBN 978-81-7010-301-1., pp. 53–54
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