In the Guru Granth Sahib, after ‘So Daru,’ four Sabads are recorded from pages 10 to 12 under the title ‘So Purakhu.’ In the ‘content table of musical modes’ (tatkarā rāgāṁ kā) of the manuscripts of the Guru Granth Sahib, there is a note indicating four Sabads of ‘So Purakhu’ (so purakhu car sabad) in this regard. This clarifies that ‘So Purakhu’ is a set of four Sabads. The first of these Sabads begins with the line ‘so purakhu nirañjanu hari purakhu nirañjanu…’ This is why these four Sabads are titled: ‘So Purakhu.’ These Sabads are as follows:
1. ragu āsā mahalā 4 so purakhu. so purakhu nirañjanu hari purakhu nirañjanu... .5.1.
2. āsā mahalā 4. tūṁ kartā saciāru maiḍā sāṁī… .4.2.
3. āsā mahalā 1. titu sarvarṛai bhaīle nivāsā… .2.3.
4. āsā mahalā 5. bhaī parāpati mānukh dehurīā... .2.4.

Just like the five Sabads of ‘so daru,’ these four Sabads are also part of the Bani (Guru’s Wisdom) named ‘So Daru Rahrasi’ which is recited by Sikhs in the evening. But these Sabads are not a part of the Kartarpuri recension collectively under the title, ‘So Purakhu.’ This indicates that even during the time of the compilation of this recension, the practice of reciting these Sabads collectively had not begun.

Some old manuscripts from the time of Guru Harigobind Sahib (1595-1644) are also available that contain five Sabads of ‘So Daru’ along with four Sabads of ‘So Purakhu.’ For instance, a gutka believed to be the writing of Bhai Gurdas that is in the possession of the Sodhis of Kartarpur and a pothi from the village Ghurani Kalan etc.

Apart from these, as seen in the copies of the Kartarpuri recension from the time of Guru Harirai Sahib (1630-1661), the ‘So Purakhu’ Sabads are found to be recorded after the ‘So Daru’ Sabads. For example, Bura Sandhu recension 1654 (Sammat 1711), Dehradun recension 1659 (Sammat 1716), Kangar recension 1661 (Sammat 1718), etc. can be referred to for information on this. The four Sabads of ‘So Purakhu’ are also found to be recorded in copies of the Damdami recension.

From these facts, it seems that the Sabads titled ‘So Purakh’ started to be collectively recited during the time of Guru Harigobind Sahib and also began to be recorded in the copies of the Adi Bir.

Out of the four Sabads under the title ‘So Purakhu,’ this is the first Sabad recorded on page 10 of the Guru Granth Sahib. This five-stanza Sabad is revealed by Guru Ramdas Sahib (1534-1581) in Rag Asa. This Sabad is also recorded on page 348 of Rag Asa with a difference of a few letters/ending vowel symbols. There it is titled ‘āsā mahalā 4.’

Sabad 2
This second Sabad, out of the four Sabads written under the title ‘So Purakhu,’ is on page 11 of the Guru Granth Sahib. This four-stanza Sabad is revealed by Guru Ramdas Sahib (1534-1581) in Rag Asa. One stanza of ‘rahāu’ is separate from these stanzas. This Sabad is also recorded on page 365 under Rag Asa with a difference of a few letters/ending vowel symbols. There it is titled ‘ āsā mahalā 4 gharu 2.’

Sabad 3
This third Sabad, out of the four Sabads written under the title ‘So Purakhu,’ is recorded on page 12 of the Guru Granth Sahib. This two-stanza Sabad is revealed by Guru Nanak Sahib (1469-1539) in Rag Asa. One of the stanzas of ‘rahāu’ is separate from these stanzas. This Sabad is also recorded on page 357 under Rag Asa with a difference of a few letters/ending vowel symbols. There it is titled ‘āsā mahalā 1 dupde.’

Sabad 4
This last Sabadout of the four Sabads written under the title ‘So Purakhu’ is recorded on page 12 of the Guru Granth Sahib. This two-stanza Sabad is revealed by Guru Arjan Sahib (1563-1606) in Rag Asa. One stanza of ‘rahāu’ is separate from these stanzas. This Sabad is also recorded on page 378 of the Guru Granth Sahib under Rag Asa with a difference of a few letters/ending vowel symbols. There it is titled ‘āsā mahalā 5 dupade.’