GURBILĀS BĀBĀ SĀHIB SIṄGH BEDĪ, by Bhāī Sobhā Rām belonging to the Sevāpanthī order, is a versified account of the life of Bābā Sāhib Siṅgh Bedī, a descendant of Gurū Nānak. The voluminous work, four manuscript copies of which -- one each at the Gurū Nānak Dev University, Amritsar; Punjabi University, Paṭiālā Motī Bāgh Palace, Paṭiālā and Punjab Archives Department, Paṭiālā -- are known to exist, has since been published (1988) by the Punjabi University.

         Sāhib Siṅgh Bedī is presented to this work as a saint, profound scholar, warrior, statesman, social reformer, and a religious leader. The tone generally is hagiographical, and much store is set by the Bābā's supernatural powers. The poet, in fact, endeavours to cast him as the incarnation of Gurū Gobind Siṅgh, and appropriates some of the incidents from the life of the Gurū to embellish the career of his hero. The Gurbilās makes up for its lapses as a work of history by the wealth of detail it accumulates about the social life of the Punjab of that day. Worthy of special notice are the poet's descriptions of marriage ceremonies, songs and feasts and of the dowry system then prevalent.