Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas

Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas or Chandi Charitar Ukat(i) Bilas (Punjabi: ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ੳਕਤਿ ਬਿਲਾਸ, lit. 'enjoyment of the recitation of Chandi's deeds', pronunciation: [t͡ʃnɖi t͡ʃəɾɪt̪ɾə ukt̪ɪ bɪläːs][3]),[4] also called Chandi Charitar 1 (ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ (ਭਾਗ ੧)[3]) or Chandi Charitar Part One is a heroic poetic composition, included in the 4th chapter of Dasam Granth, whose authorship is generally and traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.[5][6]

Not to be confused with Chandi Charitar II or Chandi Di Var.
Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas
ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ੳਕਤਿ ਬਿਲਾਸ
Dasam Granth
Folio of the Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas annotated with footnotes by Guru Gobind Singh himself in the bottom left
Information
ReligionSikhism
AuthorGuru Gobind Singh
Period1695
Chapters7 or 8
Verses233[1][2]
Part of a series on the
Dasam Granth
ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ
Main compositions
Other compositions (Asfottak Banis)
Various aspects
Poetical metres, modes, measures, and rhythms

Though it is based on Markandeya Purana, the direction and narration of whole story is totally independent of the Markandeya Purana.[7]

Overview

The text follows the Bachitar Natak and is itself followed by the Chandi Charitar II.[8]

The text states it is retelling the Markandeya Purana story, where Durga fights a shape shifting buffalo demon Mahishasura and slays the evil demon and his companions.[8] The names Chandi and Chandika are also used to refer to the devi (goddess).[3] It is based specifically on the Durga Saptasati chapter of the Markandeya Purana.[3] Its story line is very similar to the Chandi Charitar II that follows it in the scripture.[8][3]

The work contains 233 verses in total divided into 7 or 8 chapters.[9][3]

Chandi stands for the embodiment of ferocious "shakti" or the female form of cosmic energy. Bilas comes from vilas which can also be described as chronicles/descriptive/heroics, Ukati means on, and Charitar means characteristics and function. So, Chandi Charitar Ukti Bilas means "Discussion on characteristics and functions of Chandi".

Ukat(i) bilas is divided into eight cantos, comprises 233 couplets and quatrains, employing seven different metres, with Savaiyya and Dohara predominating. In the former, the source of the story mentioned is Durga Saptasati, which is a portion of Markandeya Purana, from chapters 81 to 94.

The language of the composition is Braj. Ukti Bilas was composed at Anandpur Sahib, before 1698, the year when the Bichitra Natak was completed. The concluding lines of the last canto of Chandi Charitra Ukti Bilas as included in the Dasam Granth manuscript preserved at Patna, however, mention 1752 Bk / AD 1695 as the year of the composition of this work.[10]

There are few more related compositions of Guru Gobind Singh i.e. Chandi Charitar 2 (self-composed but it is said to be based on Devi Bhagwat Puran skandh 5, chapters 2 to 35[10]), Chandi di Var (self-composed), Chandi Charitar - Charitropakhyan - Charitar 1) (self-composed) and Ugardanti (self-composed).

Contents
Chandi Charitar section from an old manuscript of the Dasam Granth. A 'kattar' (Indic push dagger) is visible due to the creative usage of ink colours by the scribe

The bani starts with ੴ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਹਿ॥ (The Lord is one and the Victory is of the Lord) and ends with ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ੍ਰ ਮਾਰਕੰਡੇ ਪੁਰਾਨੇ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਚੰਡੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰੋ ਉਕਤਿ ਬਿਲਾਸ ਦੇਵ ਸੁਰੇਸ ਸਹਿਤ ਜੈਕਾਰ ਸਬਦ ਕਰਾ ਅਸਟਮੋ ਧਿਆਇ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ ਸਤੁ ਸੁਭਮ ਸਤੁ॥੮॥(End of the Eighth Chapter of Chandi Charitar Ukati Bilas based on Markandeya Puran, All Deities and their King hailed to Chandi) [11]

In the beginning, the author mentioned attributes of one whom he worshiped:

The Lord is Primal, Infinite, Account less, Boundless, Deathless, Garbless, Incomprehensible and Eternal. He created Siv-Sakti, four Vedas and three modes of maya and Pervades in three worlds. He created day and night, the lamps of sun and moon and the whole world with five elements. He extended enmity and fight between the gods and demons and Himself seated (on His Throne) scans it.1.

— (Chandi Charitar Ukati Bilas, verse 1 to 4)

Definition of Chandi

First Twelve Lines are about Definition of the word chandi. After this basic explanation Author have explained the Character (Charitar) of Chandi:

Thou Who Ferries across people, Redeemer of Earth and Destroyer of Demons is Chandi.

— (Chandi Charitar Ukati Bilas, verse 9)

Chandi is Light(Joti) shining in the world, which is Blazing, cut Heads, and Shine intensely!

— (Chandi Charitar Ukati Bilas, verse 7)

Chandi is Arm which punishes and destroys Demon and art the Creator of the nine regions.3.

— (Chandi Charitar Ukati Bilas, verse 8)

Chandi means "the violent and impetuous one".[12] In Gurmat, Chandi is attributed to intuitive and discerning mind called Vivek Budhi[13] which fights with negativity.

Deh Siva Var Mohe
Main article: Deh Siva Var Mohe

One of the most popular hymns in Sikhism is taken from Chandi Charitar Ukati Bilas:

ਦੇਹ ਸਿਵਾ ਬਰੁ ਮੋਹਿ ਇਹੈ ਸੁਭ ਕਰਮਨ ਤੇ ਕਬਹੂੰ ਨ ਟਰੋਂ ॥
ਨ ਡਰੋਂ ਅਰਿ ਸੋ ਜਬ ਜਾਇ ਲਰੋਂ ਨਿਸਚੈ ਕਰਿ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਜੀਤ ਕਰੋਂ ॥
ਅਰੁ ਸਿਖ ਹੋਂ ਆਪਨੇ ਹੀ ਮਨ ਕੌ ਇਹ ਲਾਲਚ ਹਉ ਗੁਨ ਤਉ ਉਚਰੋਂ ॥
ਜਬ ਆਵ ਕੀ ਅਉਧ ਨਿਦਾਨ ਬਨੈ ਅਤਿ ਹੀ ਰਨ ਮੈ ਤਬ ਜੂਝ ਮਰੋਂ ॥੨੩੧॥

देह शिवा बर मोहे ईहे, शुभ कर्मन ते कबहूं न टरूं ।
न डरौं अरि सौं जब जाय लड़ौं निश्चय कर अपनी जीत करौं ।
अरु सिख हों आपने ही मन कौ इह लालच हउ गुन तउ उचरों ।
जब आव की अउध निदान बनै अति ही रन मै तब जूझ मरों ॥२३१॥

O Siva (epithet for Waheguru) grant me the boon, that I may never deviate from doing a good deed.
That I shall not fear when I go into combat.
And with determination I will be victorious.
That I may teach myself this greed alone, to learn only Thy praises.
And when the last days of my life come, I may die in the might of the battlefield.

References
  1. 'Makin', Gursharan Singh. Zafarnama: The Epistle of Victory (1st ed.). Lahore Book Shop. p. 13. ISBN 8176471798.
  2. Singha, H.S. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Over 1000 Entries). Hemkunt Press. p. 54. ISBN 9788170103011.
  3. Robin Rinehart (2011). Debating the Dasam Granth. Oxford University Press. pp. 27–28. ISBN 978-0-19-984247-6.
  4. "Sri Dasam Granth - Facts and Beyond" (PDF). www.deutsches-informationszentrum-sikhreligion.de. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Academy. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  5. Dasam Granth - An Introductory Study
  6. "Sri Dasam.org - Website contain whole text of dasam granth". Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
  7. Chandi Di Vaar : Jeet Singh Sital
  8. Pashaura Singh; Louis E. Fenech (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. Oxford University Press. pp. 241–243. ISBN 978-0-19-100412-4.
  9. Singha, H.S. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (over 1000 Entries). Hemkunt Press. p. 43. ISBN 9788170103011.
  10. "Intro Page - Sri Dasam Granth Sahib". Archived from the original on 2011-08-08. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
  11. "Sridasam.org - End o Composition". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-12-09.
  12. Coburn, Thomas B., Devī Māhātmya. p 95
  13. Narration by Pro Dasam on Chandi - In Punjabi

Bibliography
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