These dates are taken from the book ‘Twarikh Char Sikh’ by Bhai Beant Singh Kaleran.
Both these vars contain only pauris. There is no salok recorded in them. In the rest of the vars, saloks of various Gurus are recorded along with pauris.
According to Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha (Mahan Kosh, page 550), a handwritten volume of the Guru Granth Sahib in the rest house of Bhai Buta Singh in Rawalpindi (Pakistan) contains ten pauris in this var. But he did not give the text of the additional pauris. Sardar G. B. Singh (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dian Prachin Biran, page 213-214), while writing about a copy of Guru Granth Sahib at the rest house of Bhai Paihanda in Rawalpindi has given the text of the additional pauris (9 and 10) which is as follows: pancāiṇ kāiāṁ palaṭi thāeṁ cheveṁ kīun nivās. utriā aütār lai bāl rūpī sabh guṇ tās. piche kudrati ghatiuni dhari takka tolionu akās. dinas caṛhāiunu rāti ghati kudrat kīunu pargās. āi vāu nā ḍolaī parbat jiveṁ kaülāsu. nānak aṅgad amardās gurū arjan tūṁ rāmdās. pancāiṇ kāyāṁ palaṭi thāi chevī kīu nivās.9. ambar dharati vichoṛiun suvannī khivai candoā. bābai tūṁ vaḍiāiunu viṇ thamāṁ gagan khaloā. caüdih ratan nikāliunu kali andar cānaṇ hoā. age ḍubī jāṁdī sī medanī, de hathī āp khaloā. nānak aṅgad amar gur arjan bhī āpe hoā. pancāiṇ āpe vartiā, chiā purakh bhī āpe hoā.10.
Sardar G. B. Singh has expressed suspicion regarding these pauris that they may have been composed later by Bhai Sata and Balwand or one of their descendants. G. B. Singh’s suspicion seems to be correct because the absence of these pauris in the current copy of the Guru Granth Sahib indicates that these two pauris were composed later by someone. Even if they were composed earlier, they were not deemed apt by Guru Arjan Sahib to be included in the Adi Granth or by Guru Gobind Singh Sahib in Guru Granth Sahib.
This var describes the anointment (tika) of various Gurus to the Guruship. The word ‘ṭikā’ (mark) appears twice, and ‘ṭikionu’ (he marked/anointed) appears once in this var. It is said that after this var was composed, it continued to be recited during the anointment ceremony of the successive Gurus.
Joginder Singh Talwara, Satik Ramkali Ki Var Ate Basant Ki Var Mahalu 5, page 69.
This var presents a beautiful example of an old language. Its vocabulary is unique and heavily influenced by Western Panjabi. Its linguistic analysis gives an understanding of the language prevalent in the ordinary life of that time and its use by the Bhats (bards/minstrels) and Mirasis.
A [so-called] backward caste whose job is to sing and play instruments. In the past, Dums, the members of a class of Muslim bards, used to give the message of marriage and death from house to house and village to village and collect customary payment. Many Dums earn their living by twisting ropes and making stringed stools, hand fans, etc., from grass leaves. Dums are Muslims, and they are also called mirasi (Muslim bard/one possessing bawdy humor). After the partition of India, most of the Dums moved to Pakistan. As per Mahan Kosh, the three words dam, dom, and domb in Sanskrit have been used for a lower class of a lower caste. During the time of Guru Nanak Sahib’s travels (udasis), one of his companions, Mardana, was a Dum. Sata and Balvand, the authors of ‘Ramkali Ki Var’ in the Guru Granth Sahib were also Dums. -Dr. Sohinder Singh Vanjara Bedi, Panjabi Lok Dhara Vishavkosh, volume six, page 1459.
