GAÑJ NĀMAH (Treasure Book), by Bhāī Nand Lāl Goyā, is a panegyric in Persian, partly verse and partly prose, in honour of the Ten Gurūs. Bhāī Nand Lāl was a revered Sikh of the time of Gurū Gobind Siṅgh and a distinguished poet. The Gañj Nāmah renders homage to the Gurūs whom the poet recalls in terms of deep personal devotion and veneration. The opening eleven couplets are an invocation to the Gurū who raises men to the level of gods (3), to whom all gods and goddesses are slaves (4), and without whom there is only darkness in the world (5) . This is followed by ten sections, each devoted to one of the ten Gurūs of the Sikhs. Each section has two sub-sections --- a paragraph or two in prose followed by a series of couplets. The number of couplets in different sections varies from four on Gurū Amar Dās to fifty-six on Gurū Gobind Siṅgh. Each section has at its head the formula, vāhigurū jīo sat/vāhigurū jī hāzar nāzar hai (God is true and He is omnipresent). The book contains no biographical details and celebrates only the spiritual eminence of the Gurūs. The poet calls Gurū Nānak the supreme dervish whom all gods and goddesses praise. Gurū Nānak was sent by God Himself into this world so as to show mankind the way to Him. All his successors were one with him in spirit embodying the same message. The book concludes with the poet's humble supplication to Gurū Gobind Siṅgh that his life may be dedicated to the Gurū that he may forever remain attached to his feet.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Gaṇḍā Siṅgh, ed., Bhāī Nānd Lāl Granthāvlī. Malacca, 1968

Dharam Siṅgh