Dasvand

Dasvand (Punjabi: ਦਸਵੰਧ) literally means "a tenth part" and refers the act of donating ten percent of one's harvest, both financial and in the form of time and service such as seva to the Gurdwara and anywhere else. It falls into Guru Nanak Dev's concept of Vand Chhako. This was done during the time of Guru Arjan Dev and many Sikhs still do it up to this day. 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). The idea of sharing and giving was nourished by the institutions of sangat (holy assembly) and langar (community kitchen) the Guru had established.

In the time of Guru Amar Das, a formal structure for channelizing Sikh religion was evolved in order to show directions to the Sikhs by preaching them the teachings of The Holy Guru . He set up 22 manjis or districts in different parts of the country. Each of these manjis was placed under the charge of a pious Sikh (both male and female) who, besides preaching Guru Nanak’s word, looked after the sangats within his/her jurisdiction and transmitted the disciple's offerings to the Guru. As the digging of the sacred pool at Amritsar, and the erection in the middle of it of the shrine, Harimander, began under Guru Ram Das resulting in a large amount of expenditure, the Sikhs were encouraged to set aside a minimum of ten per cent (dasvandh) of their income for the common cause and the concept of Guru Ki Golak "Guru's treasury" was coined. Masands, i.e. ministers and the tithe-collectors, were appointed to collect "kar bhet" (sewa offerings) and dasvandh from the Sikhs in the area they were assigned to, and pass these on to the Guru.

The custom of dasvandh is found in documents called rahitnamas, manuals of Sikh conduct, written during the lifetime of Guru Gobind Singh or soon after. For example, Bhai Nand Lal’s Tankhahnama records these words of Gobind Singh: "Hear ye Nand Lal, one who does not give dasvandh and, telling lies, misappropriates it, is not at all to be trusted." The tradition has been kept alive by chosen Sikhs who to this day scrupulously fulfil this injunction. The institution itself serves as a means for the individual to practice personal piety as well as to participate in the ongoing history of the community, the Guru Panth ("Guru's path").

One who works for what he eats, and gives some of what he has - O Nanak, he knows the Path. (1)

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib page 1245 Full Shabad

Sikh Topics
Gurus	Guru Nanak Guru Angad Guru Amar Das Guru Ram Das Guru Arjan Guru Hargobind Guru Har Rai Guru Har Krishan Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru Gobind Singh Guru Granth Sahib
Philosophy	Beliefs and principles Guru Maneyo Granth Sikh Rehat Maryada Prohibitions Diet in Sikhism
Practices	Khalsa Ardās Kirtan Langar Naam Karan Anand Karaj Amrit Sanchar Amrit Velā Antam Sanskar Three Pillars Kirat Karo Naam Japo Vand Chhako Sikh practices The Five Ks Simran Sewa Charhdi Kala Dasvand Jhatka
Scripture	Guru Granth Sahib Adi Granth Dasam Granth Gurbani Mul Mantar Japji Sahib Chaupai Jaap Sahib Rehras Sukhmani Sahib Tav-Prasad Savaiye
By country	Australia Afghanistan Belgium Canada Vancouver Fiji France Germany India Indonesia Iraq Italy Malaysia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Pakistan Singapore Switzerland Thailand United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States
Other topics	History Gurmukhi alphabet Ik Onkar Waheguru Khanda Gurdwara (Harmandir Sahib) Panj Pyare Literature Music Names Places Politics Nanakshahi calendar Ramananda Fariduddin Ganjshakar Kabir History of the Punjab Sardar Dastar Islam Jainism Hinduism Sikh Empire Mela Maghi 3HO Sikhs Women in Sikhism Sikhism and sexual orientation Idolatry in Sikhism Criticism Punjab region Punjabi people Punjabi language
Takht	Akal Takht Damdama Sahib Kesgarh Sahib Hazur Sahib Patna Sahib
Sikhism portal