THE ENGLISH VERSION OF REHT MARYADA
This English version of the Sikh Reht Maryada is a faithful translation
of the Punjabi original. Translations do not generally need prefaces.
Why the author of this version has chosen to write a preface, therefore,
needs to be explained.
Translation of any work is an extremely hard job:
translation of a book of laws is very much harder, particularly if the
laws in question are moral or religious rules or social conventions
which inevitably embody subtle nuances of a religion's metaphysical,
moral and social philosophy. The translator in this case becomes
burdened with the dual responsibility of ensuring that his translation
embodies the full as also the exact import of the original.
In the specific context of the Sikh Reht Maryada, that was
essential for two reasons. Like any book of laws and rules promulgated
by any other religion, the English version of the Sikh Reht Maryada may
be taken as a key to the Sikh spiritual and social philosophy. It must,
therefore, most faithfully, reflect the views of its exalted authors
(men of profound learning, who had not only deeply meditated on Sikhism
but lived it and who drew upon the collective wisdom of an
extraordinarily fervent generation of Sikh divines and intellectuals,
apart from a large number of texts, for compiling these rules) untainted
by the translator's own moral or cognitive predilections which may
affect his interpretation of these rules without his being even aware of
it.
The second reason why the English version should embody
the full and exact import of the original is that with the Sikh diaspora
over the globe, the links of the Sikh migrants to other Indian states
and foreign countries with Punjabi are loosening. Also, people, the
world over, have begun to evince interest in Sikhism and some have
embraced this religion. For ensuring uniformity of observances and
avoiding unintended heresy, it was absolutely necessary that the English
version of the Reht Maryada was not just a translation but a totally
exact version of the Reht Maryada.
For securing that, the author of this Version has
tried his level best to translate the original Punjabi text literally.
Where the words used in the original did not have exact equivalents in
English or embodied exotic concepts, he has employed descriptive phrases
to bring the ideas they convey within an English knowing reader's ken.
For these very reasons, he has religiously adhered to
the original text, appending footnotes where elaborations were
necessary. At one or two places, he has interpolated a phrase. But that
was to impart specificity to the context after making sure that the
interpolation did not, in the least, affect the sense or tenor of the
text. As regards the footnotes in the ensuing version, these fall into
two categories. The original (Punjabi) version, had some footnotes. For
the author of this version, they were the part of the sacrosanct text.
They appear in this version against numerals. The footnotes contributed
by him appear against astrick marks.
But, the author of this version has made a rather
radical departure from the system of division of the original text and
recast the text into divisions and sub-divisions devised entirely by him
without rearranging the text. He submits it in all humility that he had
found the division and classification of the original text some-what
confusing. He felt that dividing the text into sections, chapters and
articles would place the subject matter of the text in a clear and
intelligible perspective. So, without tempering with the text in the
slightest and preserving the subject-wise classification in the
original, he has organised the entire text into six sections, thirteen
chapters and twenty seven articles. Headings for most of the chapters
were available in the original text. Where they were not, they have been
provided by him.
And now, a few remarks which are indirectly but
nonetheless, vitally relevant to the essence of this translator's
mission : producing an English version of the Sikh Reht Maryada with the
object of promoting uniformity in the Sikh conduct and observances in
the interest of deeper religious cohesion. The Sikh Reht Maryada, as the
ensuing preface to the original Punjabi text will show is the product
of collective Panthic wisdom. What is more, some of the greatest Sikh
scholars and savants of all times contributed to it and deliberated on
its contents. So this work should take precedence on any sectional
beliefs and preferences. In a wider context, the contents of the Reht
Maryada should be taken as the final word as to the matters they deal
with. That will foster panthic cohesion.
And finally, this English version of the Reht Maryada
is in a very real sense the product of a collective endeavor. Into its
making have gone not only this translator's modest talent for
translation and labour but also the initiative taken by Dr. Surjit Singh
Gandhi, who, in fact, prepared a version himself for the S.G.P.C. and
put that at this translator's disposal -- this translator thankfully
acknowledges having relied on it for guidance in relation to several
subjects and constant goading by Principal Satbir Singh, a well-known
Sikh Scholar and a member of S.G.P.C. and S.Manjit Singh, during whose
earlier tenure of office as Secretary, S.G.P.C., the preparation of this
version was taken up. No less valuable is the contribution of those who
went through the manuscript to ensure that it completely corresponded
to the Punjabi original. Considering the high status of these persons in
the realm of Sikh religious learning, their approval of this English
version of the Reht Maryada should bestow on it the status of an
authentic version. Omitting to mention the name of Mr. Mewa Singh (who
so painstakingly prepared the type-script from a none too neat
manuscript) in this context, will be an unpardonable lapse. And finally,
equally valuable in the production of the work has been the
contribution, in its laser typesetting, of Mr. Gurvinder Singh of
Standard Data & Word Processors, Patiala, a young man endowed with
extraordinary competence and immense patience.
This translator humbly dedicates his labour to all those
who search for guidelines as to the truly Sikh conduct for
self-education or for regulating their secular and religious life.
THE ENGLISH VERSION OF REHT MARYADA
This English version of the Sikh Reht Maryada is a faithful translation
of the Punjabi original. Translations do not generally need prefaces.
Why the author of this version has chosen to write a preface, therefore,
needs to be explained.
Translation of any work is an extremely hard job:
translation of a book of laws is very much harder, particularly if the
laws in question are moral or religious rules or social conventions
which inevitably embody subtle nuances of a religion's metaphysical,
moral and social philosophy. The translator in this case becomes
burdened with the dual responsibility of ensuring that his translation
embodies the full as also the exact import of the original.
In the specific context of the Sikh Reht Maryada, that was
essential for two reasons. Like any book of laws and rules promulgated
by any other religion, the English version of the Sikh Reht Maryada may
be taken as a key to the Sikh spiritual and social philosophy. It must,
therefore, most faithfully, reflect the views of its exalted authors
(men of profound learning, who had not only deeply meditated on Sikhism
but lived it and who drew upon the collective wisdom of an
extraordinarily fervent generation of Sikh divines and intellectuals,
apart from a large number of texts, for compiling these rules) untainted
by the translator's own moral or cognitive predilections which may
affect his interpretation of these rules without his being even aware of
it.
The second reason why the English version should embody
the full and exact import of the original is that with the Sikh diaspora
over the globe, the links of the Sikh migrants to other Indian states
and foreign countries with Punjabi are loosening. Also, people, the
world over, have begun to evince interest in Sikhism and some have
embraced this religion. For ensuring uniformity of observances and
avoiding unintended heresy, it was absolutely necessary that the English
version of the Reht Maryada was not just a translation but a totally
exact version of the Reht Maryada.
For securing that, the author of this Version has
tried his level best to translate the original Punjabi text literally.
Where the words used in the original did not have exact equivalents in
English or embodied exotic concepts, he has employed descriptive phrases
to bring the ideas they convey within an English knowing reader's ken.
For these very reasons, he has religiously adhered to
the original text, appending footnotes where elaborations were
necessary. At one or two places, he has interpolated a phrase. But that
was to impart specificity to the context after making sure that the
interpolation did not, in the least, affect the sense or tenor of the
text. As regards the footnotes in the ensuing version, these fall into
two categories. The original (Punjabi) version, had some footnotes. For
the author of this version, they were the part of the sacrosanct text.
They appear in this version against numerals. The footnotes contributed
by him appear against astrick marks.
But, the author of this version has made a rather
radical departure from the system of division of the original text and
recast the text into divisions and sub-divisions devised entirely by him
without rearranging the text. He submits it in all humility that he had
found the division and classification of the original text some-what
confusing. He felt that dividing the text into sections, chapters and
articles would place the subject matter of the text in a clear and
intelligible perspective. So, without tempering with the text in the
slightest and preserving the subject-wise classification in the
original, he has organised the entire text into six sections, thirteen
chapters and twenty seven articles. Headings for most of the chapters
were available in the original text. Where they were not, they have been
provided by him.
And now, a few remarks which are indirectly but
nonetheless, vitally relevant to the essence of this translator's
mission : producing an English version of the Sikh Reht Maryada with the
object of promoting uniformity in the Sikh conduct and observances in
the interest of deeper religious cohesion. The Sikh Reht Maryada, as the
ensuing preface to the original Punjabi text will show is the product
of collective Panthic wisdom. What is more, some of the greatest Sikh
scholars and savants of all times contributed to it and deliberated on
its contents. So this work should take precedence on any sectional
beliefs and preferences. In a wider context, the contents of the Reht
Maryada should be taken as the final word as to the matters they deal
with. That will foster panthic cohesion.
And finally, this English version of the Reht Maryada
is in a very real sense the product of a collective endeavor. Into its
making have gone not only this translator's modest talent for
translation and labour but also the initiative taken by Dr. Surjit Singh
Gandhi, who, in fact, prepared a version himself for the S.G.P.C. and
put that at this translator's disposal -- this translator thankfully
acknowledges having relied on it for guidance in relation to several
subjects and constant goading by Principal Satbir Singh, a well-known
Sikh Scholar and a member of S.G.P.C. and S.Manjit Singh, during whose
earlier tenure of office as Secretary, S.G.P.C., the preparation of this
version was taken up. No less valuable is the contribution of those who
went through the manuscript to ensure that it completely corresponded
to the Punjabi original. Considering the high status of these persons in
the realm of Sikh religious learning, their approval of this English
version of the Reht Maryada should bestow on it the status of an
authentic version. Omitting to mention the name of Mr. Mewa Singh (who
so painstakingly prepared the type-script from a none too neat
manuscript) in this context, will be an unpardonable lapse. And finally,
equally valuable in the production of the work has been the
contribution, in its laser typesetting, of Mr. Gurvinder Singh of
Standard Data & Word Processors, Patiala, a young man endowed with
extraordinary competence and immense patience.
This translator humbly dedicates his labour to all those
who search for guidelines as to the truly Sikh conduct for
self-education or for regulating their secular and religious life.
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