Preface To 'Twenty Four Incarnations & Sikhism' By Diwan Singh

Chaubis is Avtar (24 Incarnations) is a Pseudonymous book composed by a Bard named Shyam. It describes 24 stories of 24 Incarnations of Vishnu, all imaginary as the god Vishnu himself is an imaginary being. There is another book, of some Avtars of Brahma also. All such fictitious compositions together with Bachitra Natak, Chandi Chritra, War Durga and Pakhian Charita etc. were bound together and were given the name of Guru Gobind Singh as the Pseudonymous writer of all the hotch potch. No doubt some original compositions were also included in the same but after tempering with the some more or less.

These books were composed during the most torturous, dangerous and critical period for the Sikhs from 1717 to about 1762. The Sikhs were in a critical condition during this period. Rs. 20/- (one rupee 'as equal to 400 ropes of today) was aunounced to be the price of the head of or a living Sikh caught by the Mughal tyrants. All the Sikh religious centres had gone into the control of Non-sikhs or Anti-sikhs. It was a golden chance for mischievous and debased men to write such "Pseudonymous books and some cunning man bound all such books after tempering with the original compositions of Guru Gobind Singh, into one big book and named it Dasam Granth.

Most of Chauois Avtars is taken from Puranas and Mahabharta, or are mere gossips of Puranic Authors themselves who were slow-witted men. However they had done similar efforts to destroy Buddhism and Jainism from the land of their origin, therefore the blood was in their mouth. Vishnu Puran was especially written with this purpose. In fact he same mischief was done with Sikhism but soon Turks, invaved India and they forgot all such nefarious activities for some time.