View source for Dasvandh

{{Short description|Sikh religious tithing practice}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2021}}
{{Sikh practices}}

'''Dasvandh''' ({{langx|pa|ਦਸਵੰਧ|lit=tenth part}},<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Sahni |first=Sandeep |title=Dear Son: Life Lessons from a Father |publisher=Notion Press |year=2021 |isbn=9781637815281 |quote='Dasvandh', which literally means "tenth part", is the tithing practice of contributing a portion of your earnings in the name of your Guru or spiritual source. The principle of Dasvandh is that if you give to the Infinite; Infinity, in turn, will give back to you. It is a spiritual practice through which you build trust in the ability of the Infinite to respond to the flow of love and energy that you give. This energy then expands tenfold and flows back to you in abundance.<br><br>As per the Sikh Religion, the Sikhs began bringing offerings during the time of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak (1469-1539) who promoted the concept and virtue of Dasvandh in his bani. He said, ghaal khaa-ay kichh hathahu day-ay. naanak raahu pachhaaneh say-ay.}}</ref> also translated as 'tithe',<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Gill |first=Pritam Singh |title=GOLAK |url=https://eos.learnpunjabi.org/GOLAK.html |access-date=26 January 2025 |website=eos.learnpunjabi.org (digital version of 'The Encyclopedia of Sikhism' operated by Punjabi University, Patiala)}}</ref> alternatively spelt as '''daswandh''') is the one tenth part (or 10%) of one's income that one should donate, both financially (as a [[tithe]]) and directly in the form of ''[[Seva (Indian religions)|seva]]'', according to [[Sikhism|Sikh]] principles.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Takhar |first=Opinderjit Kaur |title=Sikh Identity: An Exploration of Groups Among Sikhs |publisher=Routledge |year=2016 |isbn=9781351900102 |quote=The giving of a tenth of one's earnings, dasvandh, to help those less fortunate, is an ideal of the Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, and is also an important feature of general Sikh practice. The principle of dasvandh is based on one of the three pillars of Sikhism, that is, vand chakna. A true Sikh is one who practises all three pillars with a sincere heart.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Daswandh.html |title=Daswandh |author= |date= |website=www.encyclopedia.com |accessdate=20 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author= |date= |title=Daswandh - Gateway to Sikhism |website=www.allaboutsikhs.com |url=http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/sikh-principles/daswandh |accessdate=20 January 2012}}</ref>

== Overview ==
It falls into [[Guru Nanak Dev]]'s concepts of ''[[Vand Chhako]]'' and [[Kirat Karo|''Kirat karo'']].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Harjeet |title=Faith & Philosophy of Sikhism |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |year=2009 |isbn=9788178357218 |series=Indian religions series |volume=4 |pages=227}}</ref> The practice was followed during the period of [[Guru Arjan Dev]] and many [[Sikh]]s still continue to carry out the practice in the present-day.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dhillon |first=Dalbir Singh |title=Sikhism: Origin and Development |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distri. |year=1988 |pages=213 |chapter=Evolution of Institutions and Ethical Doctrines |quote=This masand system was reorganized by Guru Arjan when he enjoined upon the devotees to offer one-tenth (dasvandh) of their income towards Guru's funds. 'Dasvandh was by no means compulsory but the instance of Guru Arjun on its payment was indeed great. He seems to have insisted on his sangatias to see that they collected henceforth offerings from the Sikhs at the rate amount to one-tenth of their income in the form of dasvandh'. It is not being suggested that collecting the dasvandh from the local sangatias was the only duty of the masand.}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> The concept of dasvandh was implicit in [[Guru Nanak]]'s own line: "''ghali khai kichhu hathhu dei, Nanak rahu pachhanahi sei''—He alone, O Nanak, knoweth the way who eats out of what he earneth by his honest labour and yet shareth part of it with others" (GG, 1245).<ref name=":0" />{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} The idea of sharing and giving was nourished by the institutions of [[Sangat (term)|sangat]] (holy congregation) and [[Langar (Sikhism)|langar]] (community kitchen) the [[Guru]] had established. Sikhs believe that whatever one gives in charity, they shall receive back many fold to their benefit in-return in both a material and spiritual sense, as the two realms are inseparable as per Sikh theology.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Khan |first=Muhammad Salman |title=God, Gift and Charity: The Case of Zakat and Dasvandh in the Local Governance of Social Welfare Provision in Pakistan |publisher=Emerald Group Publishing |year=2021 |isbn=9781801174343 |series=Research in Economic Anthropology |volume=41 |pages=58}}</ref>

== History ==
The practice of charitable giving was preached and spread by Guru Amar Das, followed by Guru Ram Das, and by Guru Arjan.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Holt |first=James D. |title=Understanding Sikhism: A Guide for Teachers |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |year=2022 |isbn=9781350263192 |series=Teaching Religions and Worldviews |quote=The other long-lasting impact on Sikhism of the construction of Harmandir Sahib was the introduction of dasvandh by Guru Arian. This was an extension of the charitable giving encouraged by Guru Amar Das, and continued by Guru Ram Das, which required the Sikh to donate 10 per cent of their earnings to the Guru and, by extension, to the Sikh community. It was dasvandh, collected by the masands, that enabled the construction of Harmandir Sahib, but also the continued assistance to people through the langar, and other sewa within the community.}}</ref> During the guruship of [[Guru Amar Das]], an authorized institution for managing and spreading the Sikh religion was developed in order to show directions to the Sikhs by preaching them the teachings of [[Sikh gurus]].<ref name=":2" /> Guru Amar Das set up 22 ''[[Manji (Sikhism)|manji]]''s (districts) in various parts of the [[Indian subcontinent|subcontinent]].<ref name=":2" /> Each of these ''manji''s was placed under the charge of a devout Sikh (of either gender) who, besides conducting missionary work, looked after the [[Sangat (term)|sangat]]s (local Sikh congregation) of their jurisdiction and imparted the followers' offerings to the [[Sikh Guru|Guru]].<ref name=":2" /> The construction work of the [[Golden Temple|Harmandir Sahib]] shrine at Amritsar, whose work began under the watch of [[Guru Ram Das]], was an expensive undertaking, therefore the Sikhs were asked to donate at-least ten percent (''dasvandh'') of their earnings for funding the construction work as a united, communal effort.<ref name=":2" /> This, the idea of ''Guru Ki Golak'' (meaning "Guru's treasury") was devised.<ref name=":2" /> Others trace the roots of the dasvandh institution to the guruship period of Guru Arjan, who instituted financial reforms which would lead to the formation of the dasvandh tradition.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nayar |first=Kamala Elizabeth |title=The Sikh View on Happiness: Guru Arjan’s Sukhmani |last2=Sandhu |first2=Jaswinder Singh |date=Apr 16, 2020 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=9781350139886 |pages=28 |quote=Guru Arjan instituted the practice of Sikh families sharing their earnings (later established as ''dasvand'') to the Guru's charity box (''Guru ki golak'') to support the expanding Sikh Panth. Also, as a means to finance the construction of the sacred pools, temples and new towns, he reorganized the ''masand'' system (initially set up by his father Guru Ram Das). The masand network flourished throughout the Punjab and beyond, thus strengthening the Panth's economic base.}}</ref> The [[Masand]]s (ministers and the tithe-collectors) had the responsibility of collecting "''kar bhet''" (''[[Sevā|seva]]'' offerings) and ''dasvandh'' donations from the Sikhs in the region they were stationed in, and to then ensure these were in-turn given to the Guru.<ref name=":2" />
[[File:Hukamnama of the Khalsa addressed to Bhai Mehar Singh and Bhai Mahboob of Patna for donations to go towards rebuilding the recently desecrated and destroyed Golden Temple, dated 12 April 1759.jpg|thumb|''[[Hukamnama]]'' of the [[Sarbat Khalsa|Khalsa]] addressed to Bhai Mehar Singh and Bhai Mahboob of [[Patna]] requesting dasvandh donations to go towards rebuilding the recently [[Battle of Amritsar (1757)|desecrated and destroyed Golden Temple]], dated 12 April 1759]]
References to the practice of ''dasvandh'' can be found in various writings known as ''[[Sikh Rehat Maryada|rehitnama]]''s (manuals of Sikh codes of conduct) that were scribed during the era of [[Guru Gobind Singh]] or shortly after his period.<ref name=":2" /> As an example, [[Bhai Nand Lal]]’s ''Tankhahnama'' quotes [[Gobind Singh]] as saying the following regarding the practice: "Hear ye Nand Lal, one who does not give ''dasvandh'' and, telling lies, misappropriates it, is not at all to be trusted".<ref name=":2" /> The practice has survived due to the efforts of fervent Sikhs in maintaining it.<ref name=":2" /> The practice itself serves both individualistic and communalistic aims, being an outlet for personal religious devotion and as a united communal effort exemplifying the concept of the ''Guru [[Panth]]'' ("Guru's path").<ref name=":2" />

{{Blockquote
|1=One who works for what he eats, and gives some of what he has - O Nanak, he knows the Path. (1)
|2='''{{SGGS page|1=1245|2=53590}}'''
}}

== See also ==
* [[Zakat]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Sikhism}}

[[Category:Sikh practices]]
[[Category:Tithes]]