Guru Granth Sahib: Difference between revisions

Template:IndicText

Part of a series on
Sikh scriptures
Sikhism history beliefs Sikh
Guru Granth Sahib
Japji Sahib Anand Sahib Rehras Kirtan Sohila Sukhmani Sahib Asa di Var
Dasam Granth
Jaap Sahib Benti Chaupai Amrit Savaiye
Sarbloh Granth
Varan Bhai Gurdas
Outline of Sikhism
v t e

The Guru Granth Sahib (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, gurū grantha sāhiba) — Granth is Punjabi for book; Sahib is Hindi meaning master, from Arabic, meaning companion, friend, owner, or master. It is the religious holy scripture of the Sikh faith and also of the Ravidasi faith. It is considered to be more than a holy book of the Sikhs. The Sikhs treat this Granth (holy book) as a living Guru. The holy text spans 1430 pages and contains the actual words spoken by the Sikh Gurus and various other Saints from other religions including Hinduism and Islam.

The Adi Granth is often used to refer to the Guru Granth Sahib. The Adi Granth only forms the portion of the Granth which Guru Arjan compiled in 1604. This term is often used interchangeably so it is important to note the context within which it is used.

The Granth was made a guru by the last of the living Sikh Masters, Guru Gobind Singh in 1708. Guru Gobind Singh said before his demise that the Sikhs were to treat the Granth as their next Guru:

Punjabi: ਸੱਬ ਸਿੱਖਣ ਕੋ ਹੁਕਮ ਹੈ ਗੁਰੂ ਮਾਨਯੋ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ

Transliteration: Sab sikhan kō hukam hai gurū mānyō granth

English: All Sikhs are commanded to take the Granth as Guru

When one visits a Sikh Temple or Gurdwara the Granth forms the main part of the Darbar Sahib or Main Hall. The Holy Book is placed on a raised platform and covered in finery. The platform is always covered by an ornate canopy. The original text of the Granth is written in the Gurmukhi script and contains many languages including Punjabi, Sanskrit and Persian.

The holy text comprises over 5000 Shabhads or hymns which are poetically constructed; and set to classical form of music rendition Ragas; can be set to predetermined musical Talas (rhythmic beats) and have a definite message for the whole of humanity.

Below an extract from page 15 of Guru Granth Sahib:

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਾਗਦ ਲਖ ਮਣਾ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਕੀਚੈ ਭਾਉ ॥

ਮਸੂ ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਲੇਖਣਿ ਪਉਣੁ ਚਲਾਉ ॥

ਭੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਹਉ ਕੇਵਡੁ ਆਖਾ ਨਾਉ ॥੪॥੨॥

nānak kāgad lakh manā pari pari kīcai bhā'u

masū tōti na āva'ī lēkhani pa'unu calā'u

bhī tērī kīmati nā pavai ha'u kēvadu ākhā nā'u ||4||2||

O Nanak, if I had hundreds of thousands of stacks of paper, and if I were to read and recite and embrace love for the Lord,

and if ink were never to fail me, and if my pen were able to move like the wind

-even so, I could not estimate Your Value. How can I describe the Greatness of Your Name? ||4||2||

This is what Max Arthur Macauliffe wrote about the authenticity of the Guru's teaching:

"The Sikh religion differs as regards the authenticity of its dogmas from most other theological systems. Many of the great teachers the world has known, have not left a line of their own composition and we only know what they taught through tradition or second-hand information. If Pythagoras wrote of his tenets, his writings have not descended to us. We know the teachings of Socrates only through the writings of Plato and Xenophanes. Buddha has left no written memorial of his teaching. Kungfu-tze, known to Europeans as Confucius, left no documents in which he detailed the principles of his moral and social system. The founder of Christianity did not reduce his doctrines to writing and for them we are obliged to trust to the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Arabian Prophet did not himself reduce to writing the chapters of the Qur'an; they were written or compiled by his adherents and followers. But the compositions of the Sikh Gurus are preserved and we know at first hand what they taught."

From about 1479, when Guru Nanak was about 10 years old, he brought the word of God to manifestation upon the Earth. Through his hymns and prayers, he inspired and uplifted humankind to live a life of truth, righteousness and spirituality. These enlightening words were sung by his companions, Bala and Mardana, and by the sangats which grew up around Guru Nanak. In his later years, at Kartarpur, it became customary for the members of the Sikh community to sing certain hymns on a daily basis: Japji in the morning; "So Dar" and "So Purakh", the beginnings of Rehiras, in the evenings.

From about 1540, Guru Angad then from 1552 Guru Amar Das and then from 1574 Guru Ram Das all composed shabads, (hymns) and the Sikhs began to collect these in books called Pothis. Chanting these shabads, the Sikhs became vehicles for the vibrations of the Gurbani, the "Word of God", and they achieved a state of higher consciousness, a transcendent meditative union with God and Guru.

Even early in Sikh history, however, there were malcontents, and pretenders to the Throne of Spirituality. The elder brother of Guru Arjan, Prithia, composed his own hymns and passed them off as writings of Guru Nanak. There were many different collections of shabads, and many differing versions of the same shabads. Guru Arjan realized that a standardized, authenticated collection of the Guru’s Bani was needed to preserve the integrity of the shabad.

The most complete collection of shabads of Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Das was in the possession of Mohan, a son of Guru Amar Das. Guru Arjun sent Bhai Gurdas to Mohan’s home in Goindwal, to request this collection of shabads. Mohan felt slighted at having been passed over for Guruship — his father, Guru Amar Das, had seen the Divine Light in Guru Ram Das, and had bestowed the Guruship upon him. Mohan refused to answer the door when Bhai Gurdas knocked, and Bhai Gurdas returned to Guru Arjun empty-handed.

Guru Arjun then sent Bhai Buddha to Mohan’s house. Bhai Buddha was by then a very old and respected man in the Sikh community, having been a disciple of all the Gurus, from Guru Nanak through Guru Arjun. When Mohan did not answer Bhai Buddha’s knock, he entered the house anyway. Inside, he found Mohan in a deep meditative trance. Mohan’s younger brother convinced Bhai Buddha not to disturb him, and Bhai Buddha also retured to Guru Arjun empty-handed.

So it was that in 1603, Guru Arjan found it necessary to proceed himself to Mohan’s house, to retrieve the shabads. When Guru Arjan approached his house, he called out in a sweet voice, but there was no response. The Guru sat upon his doorstep and began to sing,

Oh, Mohan, your mansion is so lofty, there is no other place like yours.

Oh, Mohan, even the Saints adorn the door of your temple. Show compassion and kindness, Oh Kind Lord—be merciful to the poor.

Says Nanak, I am thirsting for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan Grant me this gift, and I shall be happy.

Mohan is a name of God, calling upon Him as the Beloved. When Guru Arjan sang this Hymn, he was singing the Praises of God, in the form of a song to win Mohan’s heart. Mohan threw open the window and called out to Guru Arjan, "You stole the Guruship from my family, and now you come to steal what remains of my heritage!"

Guru Arjun responded with sweet words,

"Oh Mohan, your words are like no others, and your behavior is exemplary. Oh Mohan, you believe in the One God and treat all others as garbage. Says Nanak, please preserve my honor - all your servants seek Your Sanctuary."

Mohan grumbled and protested, muttering about his claim to the shabads. But finally, he came down and sat by Guru Arjsn, as the Guru continued to sing,

"Oh Mohan, the Sadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditates upon You, and yearns to obtain the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. Oh Mohan, at the very last moment of life, death shall not approach You. All who worship You in thought, word and deed shall obtain Your Gifts. Even the impure, the stupid and the foolish obtain Divine Knowledge upon seeing You. Says Nanak, Oh God, You are present within all, You are above all."

Gazing upon Guru Arjan’s enlightened face, feeling the love and radiance emanating from him, hearing the sweet words of love and humility, Mohan’s heart was softened, and opened at last. He acknowledged Guru Arjun’s true place upon the throne of Guru Nanak, and gave all of the shabads in his possession to Guru Arjan.

Guru Arjan then set to compile the shabads into a single volume, the Adi Granth. He sifted through the shabads which had been passed down from the first four Gurus, and filtered out those which had been added by imposters. Bhai Gurdas was the scribe who recorded the words of Guru Arjan. When he asked Guru Arjan how he could distinguish between the true and the false shabads, Guru Arjan replied, "Even in a great herd of cows and calves, the mother cow will recognize the cry of her calf, above all others. Just so, the True Shabad resonates truly, and is easily distinguished from the false."

Guru Arjan added a great many of his own shabads to those of Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das and Guru Ram Das. He also added shabads of thirty-six Hindu and Muslim Saints, among them Kabir, Ravi Das, Naam Dev, Trilochan and Sheikh Farid. This was the first time any religion incorporated the works of sincere devotees of other religions into its own scripture; it reflects the universality of thought which underlies the Sikh belief in One God, and the one family of humanity as children of God.

Guru Arjun left some blank pages in the Granth. When Bhai Gurdas asked the purpose of this, he answered that one of the Gurus to follow him would add the shabads in their proper place at the proper time. In time the shabads of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Manifestation of the Guru’s Light, were added by Guru Gobind Singh and thus the Sri Guru Granth Sahib was complete.

The Adi Granth was finally completed in 1604, and installed in the Golden Temple; Baba Buddha was appointed Guru Granthi or Head priest. Guru Arjan told his Sikhs that the Adi Granth was the embodiment of the Guru, and should be treated with all the respect accorded to himself. When Guru Arjan first completed the Adi Granth, he placed it upon his own bed and slept on the floor. Its words were written joined up, which nowadays is hard to follow.

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last of the Sikh Gurus to take human form, dictated the entire Granth Sahib at Talwandi Sabo now called Damdama Sahib. Dhir Mal, the son of Baba Gurditta and grandson of Guru Hargobind, had taken possession of the Adi Granth; he refused to give it to Guru Gobind Singh when the Guru asked for it. Dhir Mal taunted the Guru, "If you are a Guru, then prepare your own." Guru Gobind Singh proceeded to dictate it to Bhai Mani Singh, who recorded it on paper. While some have questioned the authenticity of this story, it is well for us to remember that, of course, Guru Gobind Singh was no ordinary person at all. And, in the old days of bards and story-tellers, it was not unusual for them to recite from memory entire epic poems such as the Iliad and the Odyssey. Guru Gobind Singh included the Shabads of his father, Guru Teg Bahadur, but he did not include his own Shabads; instead, he placed them in a separate Granth, the Dasam Granth. The Dasam Granth is not revered as Guru, however. The great task of re-writing the entire Guru was finally completed in 1705. The "Damdama Sahib Bir" as it is now called was then taken to Nanded where it was installed.

Guru Gobind Singh installed this expanded version of the Adi Granth as Guru on October 20, l708. This day is celebrated today as Guru Gadi Day. At the time of his death, he declared that the Word of God embodied in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib was to be Guru for all time. He said, "O Beloved Khalsa, let any who desire to behold me, behold the Guru Granth. Obey the Granth Sahib, for it is the visible body of the Guru. Let any who desire to meet me, diligently search its Bani." Thus the Word of God, which has manifested as Guru in Nanak, and had passed through the ten incarnations of Guru, was now returned to its form as the Word, the Bani, the Shabad.

Within it's 1430 pages, the shabads (hymns) of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib are arranged in thirty-one Ragas, the traditional Indian musical measures and scales. Within the Ragas, they are arranged by order of the Sikh Gurus, with the shabads of the Hindu and Muslim Saints following. The shabads are written in various meters and rhythms, and are organized accordingly. For instance, Ashtapadi - eight steps, or Panch-padi - five steps. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib is written in Gurmukhi script, but the shabads were written in many different languages including Panjabi, Sanskrit and Persian.

The Adi Granth starts with the a non-raga section with Japji as the first entry. This is followed by thirty-one ragas in the following serial order: Sri raga, Manjh, Gauri, Asa, Gujri, Devagandhari, Bihagara, Wadahans, Sorath, Dhanasri, Jaitsri, Todi, Bairari, Tilang, Suhi, Bilaval, Gond (Gaund), Ramkali, Nut-Narayan, Mali-Gaura, Maru, Tukhar, Kedara, Bhairav (Bhairo), Basant, Sarang, Malar, Kanra, Kalyan, Prabhati and Jaijawanti.

In the West, it has become common to use the English translation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib in Gurdwara programs and Akhand Paaths, because many of the western Sikhs are not fluent in Gurmukhi. This has served to bring many to the presence of the Guru who otherwise may not have had the opportunity to experience the "Shabad Guru" (literally "Word Guru"). It should be noted, however, that it is ideal to install the full Gurmukhi Bir in the Gurdwara in order to fully experience and develop a relationship with the Guru. The English translation may also be installed on a separate Palki (special throne) on the side and serve to better illuminate the sangat in the meaning of the words of the Guru. The English translation may be used during an Akhand Paath in which the participants are not fluent in Gurmukhi. However, if a special Gurdwara program is being planned, the English Akhand Paath days can be accomodated so that the full Gurmukhi Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib presides.

A Sikh is encouraged (but not a must) to learn to read Gurmukhi so as to deepen his or her experience of Gurbani and so that the full body of the Guru may be installed in the Gurdwara.

Note: English and other translations of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji should be considered as just another "style" (language) of talking/deitating/praising the guru. Trying to force a person to learn punjabi/gurmukhi is highly undesirable.

The first printed copy of the Adi Granth was made in 1864. Since the early 20th century the standard Guru Granth Sahib has been a standard edition with 1430 pages; thus a text can be easily referred to by page number.

The Granth is printed in an authorised printing press in the basement of the Gurdwara Ramsar in Amritsar. Any resulting printer's waste that has any of the sacred text on, is cremated at Goindval. ^[1]

This is what Max Arthur Macauliffe wrote about the authenticity of the Guru's teaching

The Sikh religion differs as regards the authenticity of its dogmas from most other theological systems. Many of the great teachers the world has known, have not left a line of their own composition and we only know what they taught through tradition or second-hand information. If Pythagoras wrote of his tenets, his writings have not descended to us. We know the teachings of Socrates only through the writings of Plato and Xenophanes. Buddha has left no written memorial of his teaching. Kungfu-tze, known to Europeans as Confuscius, left no documents in which he detailed the principles of his moral and social system. The founder of Christianity did not reduce his doctrines to writing and for them we are obliged to trust to the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Arabian Prophet did not himself reduce to writing the chapters of the Quran. They were written or compiled by his adherents and followers. But the compositions of the Sikh Gurus are preserved and we know at first hand what they taught.

Miss Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel laureate, gives the following comment on receiving the First English translation of the Guru Granth Sahib (The Sikh Holy Book):

• .... I have studied the scriptures of the great religions, but I do not find elsewhere the same power of appeal to the heart and mind as I find here in these volumes. They are compact in spite of their length, and are a revelation of the vast reach of the human heart, varying from the most noble concept of God, to the recognition and indeed the insistence upon the practical needs of the human body. There is something strangely modern about these scriptures and this puzzles me until I learned that they are in fact comparatively modern, compiled as late as the 16th century, when explorers were beginning to discover that the globe upon which we all live is a single entity divided only by arbitrary lines of our own making. Perhaps this sense of unity is the source of power I find in these volumes. They speak to a person of any religion or of none*. They speak for the human heart and the searching mind. ...

(From the foreword to the English translation of the Guru Granth Sahib by Gopal Singh M.A. Ph.D. 1960)(bold added later)

The Guru Granth Sahib provides unique and unequalled guidance and advice to the whole of the human race. It is the torch that will lead humanity out of Kaljug, (the dark era) to a life in peace, tranquillity and spiritual enlightenment for all the nations of the World. The main message can be summaried as:

• 1 All Peoples of the World are Equal
• 2 Women as Equals
• 3 One God for All
• 4 Speak and Live Truthfully
• 5 Control the Five Vices
• 6 Live in God's Hukam
• 7 Practise Humility, Kindness, Compassion, Love, etc

Any person carrying out any Service or Sewa for SGGS MUST observe the following:

• Head must be covered at all times.

• Shoes must be removed outside the Guru's room.

• observe basic standards of personal hygiene.

• If you have to visit the toilet, have a shower and change your clothing before serving the Guru again.

• When reading from the Guru, you must cover your mouth...

• No eating or drinking while in service.

• No small talk while in Guru's service.

While in the vicinity of SGGS, everyone should observe the following:

• Head must be covered at all times.

• Shoes must be removed, especially if indoors.

• When SGGS passes past you show reverence and respect for the Guru.

• The SGGS should always be placed in an independent, well-ventilated and separate room.

• The floor, walls and ceilings should be cleaned or washed as appropriate and suitably decorated.

• Maharaj has to be placed on a Manji Sahib. The dimension of the Manji Sahib must be at least 12 inches high, 36 inches wide and 18 inches deep.

• A canopy, of suitably material should always be placed over the Guru just below the ceiling.

• Guru's Attire: Clothing appropriate to the season is to be placed upon the throne of the Guru. In the summer, thin clothing and in winter, warm clothing i.e. a thick blanket/duvet must be used.

• The Plain white sheet that is placed under the Manji Sahib is to be of better quality, and separate, to that of the Granthi Singh.

• A Chaur Sahib should be provided besides the Guru with a small platform to house the Kar Parshad and other implements.

Whilst the Guru is on the move the following should be observed:

• Five Singhs (Minimum of three) are to accompany the Guru at all times when travelling

• These Singhs are to remain bare-footed.

• One Singh is to do Chaur Sahib Seva

• One Singh is to go ahead of Satguru and sprinkle water or wet flower petals.

• The Main Singh carrying the Guru must put a clean Rumalla on his Turban before carefully and with respect placing the Guru on this Rumalla. At all times, the Guru should be covered with a small Rumalla so that the Guru's Sarop is always fully "covered".

• The other two Singh walk besides the Main Singh – one on his left and the other on his right.

• In order to make the Sangat aware that the Guru is coming in their direction, gongs or other appropriate instruments are to be played or recitation of "Waheguru" at all times.

• When travelling by car, etc, if possible carry the Guru on the head or the lap. In each case a clean Rumalla must be place below the Guru.

• Maharaj is never to be placed in a closet or cupboard.
• No one should sit on a higher platform than the Guru.
• At night, the Guru should be placed on a separate independent bed or small cot.

• http://www.granthsahib.com
• Sri Guru Granth Sahib (English Version) by Dr Gopal Singh M.A Ph.D., Published by World Book Centre in 1960

• http://www.granthsahib.com
• Simplified message and context of each shabad for Sikhs raised outside of Punjab
• Sikher :: The Open Source Gurbani Searcher
• The Guru Granth Sahib in Unicode format
• The complete Guru Granth Sahib Online in English and Gurmukhi
• Learn more about Guru Granth Sahib
• Quotations about Guru Granth Sahib
• Guru Granth Sahib Complete Audio
• Guru Granth Sahib
• Quotations from Guru Granth Sahib
• Sikh Education Council