ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>A&#7692&#7692A&#7750 SH&#256H BH&#256&#298 (1688-1757)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="A  AF,SHH,BH*,Person,Person"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279A&#7692&#7692A&#7750 SH&#256H, BH&#256&#298 (1688-1757), third in succession to Bh&#257&#299 Kanhaiy&#257, founder of the Sev&#257panth&#299 sect, was born in 1688 in the village of La&#363 in Jha&#7749g district, now in Pakistan. His parents were of a devout temperament and he inherited from them a deeply religious bent of mind. He learnt Gurmukh&#299 and got training in the exegesis of Sikh scriptural texts from Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s Dakkha&#7751&#299, a leading Sikh of Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur's time. He also remained in the company of Bh&#257&#299 Sev&#257 R&#257m, a disciple of and successor to Bh&#257&#299 Kanhaiy&#257, for a long time and ultimately succeeded him as chief of the Sev&#257panth&#299 sect. A&#7693&#7693a&#7751 Sh&#257h laid down the sect's code of conduct and prescribed for it a distinctive apparel. He also pioneered the study of comparative religious thought at his <i>&#7693er&#257</i> or monastery where nearly 250 saints were always in residence. Besides Sikh scriptures, other important books studied at the <i>&#7693er&#257</i> included <i>K&#299m&#299ya-i-Sa'&#257dat, Masnav&#299</i>, and <i>Yoga Va&#347i&#7779&#7789a</i>. These classics were translated into Punjabi. <i>P&#257ras Bh&#257g</i>, a translation of <i>K&#299m&#299ya-i-Sa'&#257dat</i> still ranks as a classic of Punjabi prose. The <i>parch&#299</i> literature issuing from this school bears testimony to the literary taste and moral precept of Bh&#257&#299 A&#7693&#7693a&#7751 Sh&#257h.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bh&#257&#299 A&#7693&#7693a&#7751 Sh&#257h was an eloquent speaker. His speeches were recorded by Bh&#257&#299 Sahaj R&#257m, another disciple of Bh&#257&#299 Sev&#257 R&#257m, which are now available under the titles <i>S&#257kh&#299&#257&#7749 Bh&#257&#299 A&#7693&#7693a&#7751 Sh&#257h, Sukhan Fak&#299r&#257&#7749 De</i> and <i>Bachan Gobind Lok&#257&#7749 De</i>.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bh&#257&#299 A&#7693&#7693a&#7751 Sh&#257h spent his last years in Jamm&#363 area where he died on 17 Bais&#257kh <i>sud&#299</i> 8, 1814 Bk/26 April 1757.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Gurmukh Si&#7749gh, <i>Sev&#257panth&#299&#257&#7749 d&#299 Pañj&#257b&#299 S&#257hit n&#363&#7749 De&#7751</i>. Patiala, 1986<BR> <li class="C1"> L&#257l Chand, <i>Sr&#299 Sant M&#257l&#257</i> Patiala, 1955<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Gurmukh Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>