Shabad Patshahi 10

Sabad Patshahi 10 (Punjabi: ਸਬਦ ਪਾਤਸ਼ਾਹੀ ੧੦) refers to ten devotional hymns composed by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, included in the Dasam Granth. These hymns, also called Shabad Hazaare Patshahi 10, express Guru Gobind Singh’s deep spiritual vision and his teachings on direct union with the Divine, rejection of idolatry and ritualism, and living a life of internal realization.

Background and Placement

The Sabad Patshahi 10 hymns appear after the Avtar Katha section in the Dasam Granth. While Avtar Katha narrates mythological stories and spiritual decline through incarnations (avatars), these hymns serve as the Guru’s theological correction — affirming that the Formless, Unborn Creator (Akal Purakh) alone is worthy of worship. The sixth hymn (Khyal Patshahi 10) was composed at Machhiwara, while the others were revealed at Anandpur Sahib. The ordering of the hymns is traditionally attributed to Bhai Mani Singh.

Composition and Language

The hymns are composed in nine different rāgas, mainly Braj and Hindi, with frequent use of Sanskritic vocabulary.

The sixth hymn, a Khyal, is in Punjabi with some Urdu influence.

All hymns, except the sixth, follow a structure of three padas (stanzas) with Rahau (pause) placed at the beginning.

They are written in the style of Bishanpadas, blending poetic devotion with philosophical insight.

Philosophical Vision

Guru Gobind Singh presents a complete spiritual discipline based on self-control, truth, compassion, and divine love — transcending external asceticism, yogic ritual, and sectarian dogma. Across the ten hymns, the Guru defines true renunciation as living in the world while remaining inwardly detached, and true yoga as communion with the Divine within.

Summary of the Ten Hymns

I – Ramkali

The first hymn redefines renunciation: one should treat worldly life like a forest retreat, use divine knowledge as the Guru, and love for God as sacred ash. A Gurmukh lives in forgiveness, compassion, and moderation, transcending the three modes of Maya. True realization comes when the mind recognizes the Divine Essence within and becomes immune to wrath, greed, and attachment.

II – Ramkali

The Guru reinterprets Yoga: truth is the horn, sincerity the necklace, and love the begging bowl. Concentration of mind becomes the stringed instrument producing the melody of divine love. Such union fills the soul with wisdom and health, freeing it from birth and death.

III – Ramkali

The hymn exhorts the human to awaken from the slumber of attachment and abandon sin. True wealth lies in divine love and righteous conduct. Constant remembrance of God breaks the noose of death and grants peace.

IV – Sorath

A direct prayer addressed to the Supreme Lord, described through epithets of various Hindu deities — Shiva, Narayan, Vishnu — only to transcend them, asserting that the Lord is beyond all forms. Guru Gobind Singh seeks divine refuge, describing the Lord as omnipotent, flawless, and the savior of all.

V – Kalyan

This hymn categorically denies worship of incarnations. The Guru proclaims that only the Unborn, Eternal, Formless Creator is worthy of worship. Deities like Vishnu or Rama are temporal beings; none can save humanity from the ocean of existence except the Timeless One (Akal Purakh).

VI – Khyal (Machhiwara)

A lyrical expression of separation from the Divine. The Guru compares divine separation to living amidst poison and pain — like sleeping with snakes or drinking from a pierced pot. Union with God is preferable to any worldly comfort, reflecting intense mystical longing (birha bhavna).

VII – Tilang Kafi

The hymn dismisses anthropomorphic conceptions of God. The Lord, beyond praise or slander, needs no incarnation to drive Arjuna’s chariot or be born as Devaki’s son. Calling Him by partial epithets like Murari limits the Infinite. The Divine pervades everywhere, beyond all duality.

VIII – Bilawal

This hymn emphasizes the incomprehensibility of God. Neither gods, sages, nor scriptures can perceive His totality. He is subtler than the subtlest and vaster than the vast. Only through His refuge can one transcend death and illusion.

IX – Dev Gandhari

A strong denunciation of idolatry. The Guru questions the worship of stones that cannot eat or bless. Salvation lies not in lifeless images but in surrender to the Living Lord, the All-Creator who alone grants enlightenment and liberation.

X – Dev Gandhari

The final hymn reaffirms the universality of the Divine Name. Without remembrance of the One Lord, none can be saved. The hymn equates the God of the Vedas, Purans, and Quran as the same Infinite Being, beyond color, form, or limitation — attainable only through devotion to His Lotus Feet.

Doctrinal Message

Through these ten hymns, Guru Gobind Singh provides a spiritual manifesto for the Khalsa and humanity:

Reject externalism — rituals, idol worship, or ascetic symbols are not paths to God.

Realize the Inner Divine — the mind itself is the temple where Truth dwells.

Practice virtues — compassion, forgiveness, and truthfulness form the real discipline.

Recognize One Universal Creator — transcending sectarian boundaries of Ram, Rahim, Vishnu, or Shiva.

Interpretation of “Hazare”

The title Shabad Hazaare traditionally implies that each hymn equals the merit of a thousand, reflecting their spiritual weight. Some scholars trace Hazare to the Persian Hijr (separation), symbolizing detachment from Maya; others relate it to the Arabic Haazra (presence), denoting the Divine Presence realized through these hymns.

Significance in Gurmat Tradition

Sabad Patshahi 10 stands as a profound expression of Gurmat philosophy, merging devotion (bhakti) with divine wisdom (gnosis). It reaffirms the Sikh doctrine of Ik Oankar, the Oneness of the Creator, and refines earlier traditions by rejecting incarnation theory and ritual bondage. For the Khalsa, these hymns embody the ideal of inner purity, discipline, and direct union with the Formless Lord.