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Sikh Missionary Society
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Guru Granth Sahib
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Guru Granth Sahib
Quadricentennial Celebrations of the First Installation of Aad Granth
Sahib at Darbar Sahib, (Golden Temple) Amritsar.
“By the Command of the Timeless Being the Order of the
Khalsa was ordained. All Sikhs are enjoined (final injunction of the
Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh), to accept the Granth as the Guru.”
Couplet sung at the end of Sikh supplication, “Ardaas”.
The Sikh scriptures were collated as Aad Granth in 1604 by the Fifth
Guru, Guru Arjan Dev. The final version of the Granth was completed by
the Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, at Damdama Sahib in the year 1705.
He added the hymns of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, the Ninth Guru, to
the volume collated a century earlier. Later, in 1708, the sacred
volume was proclaimed as Guru Granth Sahib, the Word-Guru.
Therefore, Guru Granth Sahib was collated by the founder-Gurus of
Sikhism themselves during the person-Guru period (1469 – 1708), and the
authenticity of the Holy Scripture has never been in any doubt. This
distinguishes this sacred Volume from the holy scriptures of all other
main religions of the world. The holy texts of all other major world
religions were transmitted through an oral tradition and were collated
and scribed long after the demise of their founders. However, in the
case of the Aad Granth (later instituted as the Guru), the fifth Guru,
Guru Arjan Dev himself selected and dictated the text to Bhai Gurdas
who wrote it down.
The Sikhs believe in their holy Book, Guru Granth Sahib, the Word-Guru,
as the eternal Living Guru. They do not believe in any person-Guru,
other than the Ten Guru personalities before the Granth was ordained as
Guru (1708). For this reason, the Sikhs are called the people of
Ahl-e-Kitab or “people of the sacred Book”.
The Sikh holy Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib contains hymns of the Sikh
Gurus and, quite uniquely in the world religions, the hymns of
God-devotees of other religions: Hindu and Muslim saints (Bhagats) from
very diverse religio-geographical backgrounds. The hymns of Kabir and
Ravidas from Benaras, Jaidev from Bengal, Ramanand from UP, Sheikh
Farid from Punjab, Namdev, Tarlochan and Parmanand from Maharasthra,
and Dhanna from Rajasthan are included. These sacred hymns are called
Shabad or Gurbani (the Guru’s Word); also, all the hymns in Guru Granth
Sahib are referred to as Bani or Gurbani – the Word revealed to the
Guru, or to those Bhagats, whose hymns have been selected for inclusion
in Guru Granth sahib. Guru Granth Sahib is the embodiment of the
revealed Word over a period of about five centuries to 1708. Hymns by
Bhagat Sheikh Farid are from 12th and 13th century, and the latest
hymns are of the Ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadhur (1621 – 1675).
Truly, Guru Granth Sahib is a treasure house of the spiritual
experience and holy wisdom for the guidance of humankind over five
centuries, and transcends all type of human divisions and barriers.
This medieval period was the period of “new awakening in the cultural
history of Punjab”.
The Word from Waheguru (the Wondrous Dispeller of Darkness) was
revealed through the Sikh Gurus (1469 – 1708), and many poet devotees
of God, the Bhagats. It is a compilation of spiritual hymns with a
shared theme based on the Mool Mantar, the Primary Mystical Formula,
revealed to Guru Nanak Sahib. The Bhagats came from diverse religious
and social backgrounds.
“It was, so to speak, an integral congress of minds and
spirits operating on the same spiritual beam. To have thus elevated the
songs of the bhaktas and the bhats to the condition of the logos was to
salute the power of the word whatever form it might take to reveal the
glory of God. For, it may be observed that Guru Granth Sahib
comprehends the compositions and utterances of the high-born Brahmins
and the proud Kashatriyas as also of the so called lowly Shudras and
the unlettered Jats. This was done at a time when the caste system in
India had paralysed the conscience of man. The revolutionary
egalitarianism which such a step symbolized was, therefore, to become
the creed of the Sikhs.”
(Dr. D.S.Maini's article in Studies in Sikhism and Comparative
Religion, Oct, 1987)
Therefore, in Guru Granth Sahib, due to its authorship by a “parliament
of religions” the Word-Guru brings a universal message for the benefit
of all humankind without any distinction. Yet, undoubtedly, the theme
of the message is uniquely Sikh; for the philosophy elaborated upon is
that of the Mool Mantar, revealed to Guru Nanak Sahib. The Gurbani in
Guru Granth Sahib, bases inter-human and God-human relationships on
this Primary Mystical Formula:
There is One Creator of all i.e. One in all and all in The
One.
Truth is the Name (of this One Creator, otherwise called by many names)
There is no fear or hatred (because all is within this Source of all
creation)
Outside Time
Not born, Self existent
May be known through the Guru (the Dispeller of Darkness, Who, through
the revealed Word (the Word-Guru), ultimately, is the One Creator
Being).
This unique description of the One Source of all creation is also the
source of all Sikh institutions. In fact, all the hymns of Guru Granth
Sahib relate back to this Mool Mantar, the Primary Founding Formula, by
constantly referring to it in full or as an abbreviation. The Mool
Mantar gives the prescription for God-nearness through certain freedoms
and detachments e.g. freedom from fear and hatred, freedom from fear of
time (birth/death cycles) by being close to the Timeless Source of all
creation. The equality principle relating to humanity and creation,
inherent in Sikh thought and institutions has been derived from an
interpretation of the Mool Mantar, e.g. non-discrimination in the
Gurdwara (all have the right to worship in sangat – the holy
congregation in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib.) and langar (sharing
of food and symbolic of community service and sharing with the needy).
God is universal, One and outside gender classification. Men and women
are equal before God and no one religion can have any proprietary claim
over the One Source of All creation..
By stressing the direct Word-Guru and Sikh relationship (Khalsa
relationship), without the need for an intermediary, Sikhism “becomes
timeless and universal”. This direct (Khalsa) relationship is another
way of stressing the personal responsibility and need to seek the One
Universal Truth within oneself, and not through some prophet, human
guru or priest.
A Sikh’s relationship with the One Creator is based on love, and not on
fear due to the total faith in God’s Will and Command (Hukam). That all
is in Hukam and nothing outside. Acceptance of “bhana” (the operation
of God’s Will) is an essential part of the Sikh way of thinking and
living. The “awe” of Waheguru, the Wondrous Dispeller of Darkness, is
in the form of an overwhelming admiration and experience of His
creation.
The relationship between Guru Granth Sahib, the Word-Guru, and a Sikh
is a daily living experience. With humility, supplication, constant
remembrance of the “Name” (Naam), and daily singing of the hymns
(Shabads), a Sikh seeks guidance from the Living Word or Shabad Guru.
The concept of “Word” (Bani or Shabad) may not be readily understood by
students of Sikhism.That understanding comes from experience of
reciting or singing Gurbani. To quote Dr. I J Singh, “Sikhism presents
a unique and heightened concept of the “Word” and from this concept has
developed a unique tradition and a new worldview. Guru Granth speaks
not only of the written and spoken word but also of the unspoken word -
anhad - in Sikh parlance, inadequately translated as the sound current,
to which only the inner self resonates in a condition in which the
human mind becomes a part of divine connectivity.”
The Word is the Teacher, the Guru: “The Word is the manifest spirit of
the Guru; The Guru is immanent in the Word.” (GGS p. )
The Gurbani, in Guru Granth Sahib is in verse.
"As I receive the Word of the Lord
So I express it, O Lalo"
(Guru Nanak)
The Word received was in meditative musical verse. Gurbani kirtan
(singing of the hymns in Guru Granth Sahib) is an "experience" of the
Word. The understanding comes with repeated experience through Gurbani
kirtan. Therefore, the musical aspect is stressed in Guru Granth Sahib.
With few exceptions (e.g. the first liturgical part), the name of the
raag (mood-inducing melody) is always mentioned before the author. The
musical sound creates the environment and mental state for focussed
reception of the Word. Singing the praises of the lord in sangat (holy
congregation) takes precedence above all else, to be able to sing with
and listen to others, and by sharing that experience, to be able to
contemplate and experience the Word within oneself. This collective and
personal experience must be repetitive so that the ego-centric habit is
replaced by humility and wondrous love and awe for the works of the
Creator Lord. This changed attitude would then reflect in the behaviour
and daily life of a Sikh, which stresses humility, constant meditation
on the Lord's Name, life of a householder in the service of the Lord
and His creation. The Ultimate Reality cannot be expressed in words
i.e. in "singular plain speech of prose philosophy" alone.
Starting with Guru Nanak Sahib (1469-1539), Gurbani, the Word in Guru
Granth Sahib, has been taken to the people mostly through kirtan and
katha (discourse). This trend continues in the Sikh diaspora worldwide
as the singing of Gurbani continues to reflects the interaction with
world communities. While the some Sikh groups like the Akhand Keertani
Jatha have their way of singing meditative Kirtan, American Sikhs have
evolved their own kirtan style. These initiatives (including that of
Dya Singh of Australia using east-west musical blends) continue to
enrich the great Gurbani kirtan tradition taking the message of the
Word Guru, Guru Granth Sahib, to all corners of the world.
One interesting aspect of Guru Granth Sahib, mentioned by Dr I J Singh
in his article, “Major Currents In the Sikh Scripture” is that whilst
much happened during the person-Gurus’ period (1469 – 1708): two of the
ten Gurus were martyred and the Sikhs fought many battles. Yet, none of
those events, which were to shape the Sikh religio-political future,
merited mention in the Guru Granth Sahib. He believes that this neglect
was deliberate. “The philosophy in the Guru Granth is universal and
timeless. Historical detail could have been instructive but would have
also rendered the scripture not free of the bounds of time.” A most
profound observation.
Through continual interpretation of the Gurbani in Guru Granth Sahib,
guidance may be sought on modern topics relating to family life, and
other topics like care for the environment and bioethics. The emphasis
of Sikh teachings is not on the laying down of highly precise and rigid
rules of how man might utilise his God given knowledge; the essence of
Sikh teaching is to provide man with a healthy, progressive and
responsible philosophy for addressing modern issues. It provides a
framework and not definitive answers for the future.
Interfaith harmony and a peaceful co-existence of diverse cultures
without oppression is stressed presenting the longer term vision of
“Halemi Raj” in which no one inflicts pain on another. “Save the
suffering world O Lord. We pray for Your divine compassion to save all
who come to you by different religious paths.” This is the Sikh prayer
in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Through Gurbani, the Sikh Gurus preached a practical religion, which
invited all good people of all beliefs to do something about world
peace; to work together for a tolerant and just world order. Gurbani
preaches that peace on earth is only possible if there is respect for
human rights; if there is equality between all human beings; and if
there was no oppression or injustice. Absence of war does not
necessarily mean peace; especially, if such peace is secured through
oppression and unjust laws; and if people are denied their freedom and
equality. In certain circumstances, resort to arms to defend human
equality and dignity is justified. Gurbani preaches kinship of all
creation before One Creator.
The Gurus knew that it takes much courage and effort to make peace on
earth a reality. Guru Nanak Sahib’s challenge at the outset was, “Those
who wish to follow the path of love for and service (of the Lord),
should be prepared to make great sacrifices.” Gurbani preaches that
opting out of family and community life is not the way. Involvement in
community life is necessary for the creation of a just and peaceful
society. Every person needs to work for peace; especially those with
learning and those who are in a position of power and authority.
There will be lasting peace only when we respect our neighbour’s
rights; when we give up selfish obsession with personal gain; when we
enjoy doing service for others, and when we remember that all creation
is in God’s image. So preaches Gurbani, the Shabad-Guru, “Where God
exists there is no selfishness, where self exists there is no God.”
Where self is lost in the service of God’s creation, there will be
peace on earth.
©
Copyright
Gurmukh
Singh (U.K.)
E-mail: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk
Please acknowledge quotations from this article
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