Kachi and Pakki Baani

In conventional sense, it is believed that Aad Granth is Pakki Baani, while all other text of the world is Kachi Baani. Here, Pakki refers to something true and Kachhi refers to something false.

This premise is inherently incorrect. Truth had been, has, and will be written by Bhagats as and when they exist. In the following verse, Gurbani says that Bhagats have existed at all times.

ਹਰਿ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਭਗਤ ਉਪਾਇਆ

ਪੈਜ ਰਖਦਾ ਆਇਆ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਜੇ ॥

Har jug jug Bhagat upaya

                        paij rakhda aya Raam rajey || (Page 451)

It is the capability of a Bhagat (or Gurmukh) to discern between truth and false. For instance, writings of the Bhatts were included into the Aad Granth because what they wrote already constituted of Pakki Baani. It proves therefore, that Pakki Baani can exist outside the ambit of Aad Granth, and it is up to the capability of the examiner (Bhagat, Gurmukh) to make the distinction.

Consequently, the word Kachi Baani does not stand for a text outside Aad Granth, but in reality, it means something that expresses only 'worldly truth' as opposed to 'spiritual truth' presented through Pakki Baani. For that matter, even in Aad Granth, there are verses that present worldly truth as an analogy, and therefore shall be deemed as Kachi Baani, for instance,

ਸਗਲ ਬਨਸਪਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੁ

ਸਗਲ ਦੂਧ ਮਹਿ ਘੀਆ ॥

Sagal banaspat meh baisantar

sagal doodh meh gheeya ||

ਊਚ ਨੀਚ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮਾਣੀ 

ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਮਾਧਉ ਜੀਆ ॥੧॥

Ooch neech meh jot samani

               ghat ghat madho jeeya ||1|| (Page 617)

In the above verses, the first one, as an analogy, says that fire is present in all the vegetative matter and butter is present in all the milk there is, and so it is an example of worldly truth (Kachhi Baani). While the second verse which says that in every one deemed high or low, the divine light manifests equally in all hearts is an example of spiritual truth (Pakki Baani).

A thorough understanding of Gurbani upon investigation can provide one with this capability of making the distinction between Kachi and Pakki Baani.