Chapter 2

Examination of the Historical Evidence

For examination of the historical evidence as given in the preceding Chapter, we shall apply the following three principles, vij -

1. Reasoning
2. Events in the life of Guru Nanak Dev
3. From the cultural point of view, comparative study of Gurus’ Compositions.

The First Principle - Reasoning

First of all, let us examine the three historians’ pleas by applying logic.

1. The first two poet historians’ stories appear to be totally hollow.Their whole stress has been on how Guru Arjun Dev Secured the two books in possession of Baba Mohan, but those books contain a very small amount of Gurus’ Compositions. The third historian has also written to this effect. It was, therefore, not possible to compile Guru Granth Sahib as a very big volume on the basis of those two books. It was necessary to collect more of the Gurus’ Compositions, apart from these two books. Presumably to complete the deficiency of the first two historians, Giani Gian Singh writes that Guru Arjan issued edicts to The Sikhs in all parts of the country and collected the Compositions of the first four Gurus.

2. Gian Singh’s plea that the Guru collected the Compositions of the Gurus by sending an edict to the Sikhs, also does not appear to stand to reason. Who-so-ever reformer emerges on the world scene,

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