VACHAN GOBIND LOKA KE ( Sayings of the Saintly People) is a didactic work in Punjabi prose by Bhai Addan Shah, a Sevapanthi saint. Completed in 1904 Bk/AD 1847 and written in the hand of one Khivan Singh, the work comprises 147 folios with 9+9 lines on each folio and 252 sakhls or anecdotes, each with a lesson. The work remains unpublished, and the only known copy of the manuscript is preserved under MS. 99 in the Panjab University Library, Chandigarh.
Although Sevapanthis are counted a sect among the Sikhs, they depart in certain respects from the Sikh way of life : a Sevapanthi saint, for instance, lives the life of a recluse renouncing all worldly attachments and remains celibate. Consequently, the work is an amalgam of Sikh and Sevapanthi teachings. Humility, service, generosity, detachment and contentment are the common virtues recommended. Yet, contrary to Sikh principle, there is an emphasis on celibacy. The work contains sakhis from the lives of several of the bhaktas such as Sadhna (83), Sukhdev (88), and Darshan (214) rehearsing moral precepts and values.
References :
1. Gurmukh Singh, Sevapanthian di Panjabi Sahit nun Den. Patiala, 1986
Vachan Gobind Loka Ke—a remarkable work that has long remained hidden away in manuscript form, yet promises profound insights into Sikh and Sevapanthi ethical teachings.
Historical and Contextual Background
Vachan Gobind Loka Ke (translated as “Sayings of the Saintly People”) is a didactic work composed in Punjabi prose by Bhai Addan Shah, a Sevapanthi saint. Completed in a traditional calendar year noted as 1904 Bk (AD 1847), the text was meticulously written by a scribe named Khivan Singh. The work comprises 147 folios, each with a structured layout of two columns (commonly indicated as 9 + 9 lines per folio), and contains 252 individual anecdotes or sakhis—each crafted to impart moral lessons and spiritual precepts .
The manuscript is particularly significant because it remains unpublished—the only known copy is preserved under MS. 99 at the Panjab University Library in Chandigarh. Its unpublished status not only enhances its mystique but also positions it as a critical resource for scholars interested in the lesserknown facets of Sikh literary tradition and the crosspollination of Sikh and Sevapanthi thought.
Structure, Content, and Literary Style
At its essence, Vachan Gobind Loka Ke is an anthology of moral anecdotes. These sakhis serve as concise narratives drawn from the lives of various bhaktas (devotees), such as Sadhna, Sukhdev, and Darshan. Each anecdote is paired with a lesson intended to fortify virtues like:
Humility and Detachment: Encouraging the renunciation of worldly attachments
Service and Generosity: Promoting selfless action as the path to spiritual growth
Contentment: Emphasizing inner peace over external accumulation
One of the work’s distinguishing features is its amalgamation of Sikh doctrinal elements with Sevapanthi ideals. While Sikhism broadly extols virtues of service and devotion, the Sevapanthi sect is characterized by a stricter asceticism and an emphasis on celibacy—a point that Vachan Gobind Loka Ke underscores, even though celibacy stands in contrast to the more householderfriendly tradition generally seen in mainstream Sikh practice .
The literary style is marked by simplicity and clarity. The prose is didactic, designed to be easily memorizable and recited—reflecting its roots in an oral tradition that prized the transmission of wisdom through repeated recitation. In this way, the work fulfills a dual role: it is both a repository of ethical instructions and a cultural artifact representing the distinct narrative mode of its time.
Unpacking the Unpublished Wisdom
- Diverse Moral Precepts
Every anecdote (sakhi) within the work is carefully chosen to highlight specific virtues. For example, a sakhi might recount an episode of sacrifice or a moment in which humility leads to divine intervention. These narratives not only serve as historical or biographical vignettes but are structured to function as moral parables. Such parables encourage the reader to reflect on their own conduct and to strive toward an ideal of inner purity and external service.
- The Intersection of Sikh and Sevapanthi Thought
While Sikh teachings traditionally articulate a balanced approach between worldly engagement and spiritual devotion, the Sevapanthi influence in Vachan Gobind Loka Ke introduces a somewhat more ascetic perspective. The emphasis on celibacy—as opposed to the typical Sikh endorsement of family life—reveals an alternate strand of interpretation regarding the path to spiritual perfection. This duality invites modern readers and scholars to appreciate the pluralistic nature of Sikh ethical discourse, in which multiple pathways toward divine union are acknowledged. It is a reminder that even within a shared religious heritage, diverse practices and emphases have enriched the tradition over time.
- Preservation and the Call for Rediscovery
The fact that Vachan Gobind Loka Ke remains unpublished makes it an underexplored treasure within Sikh literary circles. Its singular manuscript status highlights the challenges in accessing and disseminating such works. Yet, it also presents a unique opportunity: by studying this text, scholars and devotees alike can recover insights that might otherwise be lost to time. In reexamining its 252 moral anecdotes, one encounters an authentic, if ascetic, blueprint for ethical living that speaks to the universal human quest for virtue and selflessness.
Broader Implications and Contemporary Relevance
The unpublished wisdom of Vachan Gobind Loka Ke resonates well beyond its immediate historical and cultural context. The work:
Challenges Conventional Norms:
By emphasizing celibacy alongside other virtues such as service and humility, it prompts a reevaluation of mainstream interpretations of Sikh conduct and the broader spectrum of ascetic practices in spiritual traditions.
Enriches the Oral and Written Heritage:
The dual role of the text—both as a source of recitable moral instruction and as a manuscript artifact—demonstrates the layered ways in which spiritual wisdom was transmitted in the 19th century. It serves as a documentary bridge between oral tradition and literary expression.
Encourages Ethical Reflection:
In today’s fastpaced, materially focused world, the timeless lessons brimming from each sakhi offer a counterbalance—a call to live with greater purpose, selfdiscipline, and communityminded generosity.
The work thus stands as a powerful reminder that even the most “unpublished” or obscure manuscripts can contain transformative teachings. They invite us to look beyond conventional dogma and to explore the heterogeneity of spiritual insight that has animated Sikh—and indeed, many spiritual—traditions over the centuries.
Concluding Thoughts
Vachan Gobind Loka Ke is more than just an archival curiosity. It is a dynamic testament to the enduring power of moral storytelling, encapsulating an alternate vision of spiritual discipline that blends Sikh devotion with Sevapanthi renunciation. Its 252 sakhis continue to speak a language of ethical grandeur—one that remains both timeless and urgently relevant for modern seekers of truth.
