A STUDY OF­

GURU GRANTH SAHIB

DOCTRINE , SOCIAL CONTENT,
HI STORY, STRUCTURE AND STATUS

]. S. Grewal

Singh Brothers
· Alnrlts•r
 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTii SAHIB
DOCI'RINE, SOCIAL CONTENT, HISTORY,
STRUCTURE AND STATUS
by
j. S. GREWAL
#29, SECTOR 11, CHANDIGARH- 160 011
E-mail : [email protected]

©Author

ISBN 81-7205-423-8

First Edition March 2009

Price: Rs. 395-00

Punlishers :
Singh Brothers
•

Bazar Mai Sewan, Amritsar - 143 006

•

S.C.O. 223-24, City Centre, Amritsar- 143 001

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.singhbrothers.com

Printers:.
PRINTWELL, 146, INDUS'fRIAL FOCAL. POINT, AMRITSAR.
 Dedicated
to all those scholars and social scientists
who see some meaning in
what I write
 Contents

Preface 9
Glossary 11

Introduction 29

I. Social Awareness 37-68

1. Social Order 37
2. Polity and Politics 46
3. The Brahmanical Tradition 50
4. The A scetical Tradition 58
5. The Islamic Tradition 63

II. Conception of God 69-99

1. Unity, Power and Grace 69
2. The Guru 80
3. Sbabad-Bii17i 88
4. Nam 93

III. Conception of Liberation 100-133.

1. Maya, Mamta and Haumai 101
2. The Sikh 107
3. Congregational Worship 113
4. Ardas 119
5. Liberation-in-Life 122
6. The Bii17i of Guru Tegh Bahadur 126
IV. The Emerging Patith 134-57
1. Guru Nanak: The Beginning 134
2. Guru Angad: Extension 137
3. Guru Amar Das: Emphasis ori Distinction 140
4. Guru Ram Das: The House of Guru Nanak 145
5. Guru Arjan: Halemi Raj ' 149

V. The Structure of the Guru Granth Sahib 158-88

1. The Basic Arrangement 159
2. The Bhagat Bii1Ji 168
3. Compositions Other than Gurbar;i and
Bhagat Bar;i 177
4. Promotion of Halemi Raj 183

VI. The Guru Eternal 189-212

1. Early History 189
2. The Guru Granth in Relation to the Guru Panth · 196
3. The Case of the Dasam Granth 202
4. Dialogue with Others 204

VII. Thus Speaks the Guru 213-60

1. ]apuji 213
2. So-Dar 220
3. So-Purkh 222
4. Sohila 223
5. Asa di Var 225
6. Anand 239
7. Liivan 247
8. Sukhmani 249

Bibliography 261
Ind� 265
 Preface

.Professor Prithipal Singh Kapur suggested to me. that I

should write a book on the Gum Grmith Sahib in
commemoration of the tercentenary of the vesting of
Guruship in .the Grmith Sahib in 1708. I mentioned this to
Professor. Indu Banga and Professor Gurinder Singh Mann
and they liked the idea. I started thinking about the possible
content of the book and discussed the possibilities with
Professor Kapur. Six themes appeared to be the most relevant
and I prepared on them a typescript of about 150 pages.
Apart from Professor· Kapur, I requested Professor Balkar
Singh to read this typescript for suggestions. The revised draft
was read by Professor Gurtej Singh, Professor Gurinder Singh
Mann and Professor Indu Banga as welL I am thankful to
them for their suggestions.
The most familiar composition of the Gurus have been
used for selection and translation because of their peculiar
significance. The glossary reflects my own understanding of .
the terms included, which in some instances may be different
from the sense which is generally attached to them. There
is no overt debate with others but the contents of this book
do contradict or modify· the views expressed by some other
scholars. This book is meant to be a positive introduction
to theGum Grmith Sahib. It is not possible to comprehend
the whole range of the Gum Grmith Sahib, and this book
reflects one understanding among others. Though short, it
is comprehensive in its scope.
I am thankful to Professor Banga for an on-going
�
discussion of the contents and format o the book. A young
scholar, Karamjit K. Malhotra, has helped me by asking
10 PREFACE

questions whiCh enabled me to clarify my ideas. Dr. Sheena

Pall has helped me in preparing the glossary and the
bibliography. Pameet Minhas has typed out several drafts
with diligence and care. I am happy to acknowledge their
help.
I am thankful to the Singh Brothers for bringing out this
book in a short time, and with much care and personal
attention to detail.
I have an apology to offer. There is a certain degree
of repetition in the text. This is because I see some advantage
in looking as the some evidence from different perspectives.

Chandigarh J. S. GREWAL
15 January, 2009

Rajesh Arya - Gujarat

 Glossary

ab : water in Persian, it figures prominently in Guru Nanak's idea

of the creation of life.
abchal: stable, everlasting.
abchal nagari: eternal city (for the everlasting dispensation of
Guru Nanak).
abhai dan: fearlessness as an element in liberation through God's
grace.
ad purkh : the primal being, an epithet for God.
ahankar or hmikar: pride of possessions or power.
aJiini: one who never takes birth, who does not incarnate; an
attribute of God.
aka!: not subject to death or destruction, everlasting, eternal, God.
alakh: unseeable, God.
alipt : unattached, detached from creation, God.
amr: order, used generally for a royal order; a metaphor for divine
ordinance; immortaL
amrapad: the state of immortality, an everlasting state; used for
the state of liberation in Sikh thought.
amrit : the drink that imparts immortality or everlasting life, nectar;
used as a metaphor.
amrit�bacban.: the nectar-like utterance of the Guru, the Guru's
shabad.
amrit-bar,zi: the nectar-like utterance of the Guru, the Guru's
shabad, divine utterance (for God's creation).
amrit-nam : the nectar-like name of God, the Name that imparts
immorality.
anabad btir,zi: the utterance that leads to liberation, divine self­
revelation, the utterance of the Guru, the Guru's shahad.
anahad shabad: the unspoken word that is heard in the state of
liberation, the state ·of being one with God.
anand: happiness, bliss, experienced in the state of liberation.
anbhai : without fear, fearless in the state of liberation.
12 GLOSSARY

anbhau nagar: the city in which there is no fear; the state of

liberation; a metaphor for Guru Nanak's dispensation.
anbhau pad: the state without fear, the state of liberation.
mig : a part, a limb; an iriSeparable part.
anjan mahi niranjan : pure amidst impurity, detached.
antarjami: one who knows the inner most thoughts , an epithet
for God.
ap chhor jivat marai : discarding the self and thereby dying while
alive, alive to the divine presence a:nd divine will.
arati : the rite of offering food, fruit, flowers and fragrance to a
deity, generally an idol; a hymn of praise.
ardas : entreaty, supplication, prayer; generally made by the Sikh
sangat, standing with hands folded in the presence of the
Formless God; an essential part of worship in the Sikh tradition.
i'Jsa mahi niras : without hope. amidst hope, detached from
personal interests but attached to God.
ashtpadi: a composition of eight padas or verses.
atal : immoveable, stable, an epithet for God.
aukhad: medicine; used for the Guru's shabad and the divine
name.
auliya : plural of wali, a friend of God; used for eminent Sufis and
even for a single Sufi to underscore his great importance.
avadhut: an ascetic who has attained a high spiritual status.
ayana : a child or a young person, one wbo has no knowledge.
Babur-batJi: the verses of Guru Nanak related to Babur, popularly
believed to have been composed on the sack of Eminabad by
Babur, but actually expressing Guru Nanak's response to
political change.
biidshah : also patshah, king, emperor, generally used for a Mughal
ruler and metaphorically for God and the Gurus.
bairag : the feeling of separation from God seen as a mark of
spiritual awakening.
bairagi: the person who practises bairag, a renunciant; generally
a Vaishanva; used also for the Sikh and even .God as a
metaphor (as in rassik bairagi).
Bais: the Punjabi form ofVaishya, the.third caste in the hierarchical
four-fold varna order.
bajigar: from the Persian bazigar, a juggler; used as a metaphor
for God.
 GLOSSARY 13

banda : a· slave; a devotee. of God.

bandagi: the state of slavery, acting as a slave; total submission
to God as the only Master, devotion, worship.
bavi: utterance; used for divine self-revelation through creation
and the utterance or the word of the Guru; generally equated
with Gurba?Ji.
bavi:-shabad: utterance and the word; generally used for Gurbar;.i.
bavia : one who conducts trade, generally a shopkeeper or a
merchant.
baoli : a well with steps for easy accessibility to water
simultaneously for several persons; the well constructed by
Guru Amar Das at Goindval, which came to be regarded as
sacred.
barat: vow; fasting, in various ways on different occasions,
regarded as meritorious in the Brahmanical systems, like rozah
in the Islamic tradition.
beohar : convention, conventional social behaviour in specific
situations, sanctified by long usage.
bhagat : one who is devoted to God; used generally for Vaishnava
bhaktas, but the term is used for the Sikh too in Gurba?Ji.
bhagat-jan : the devoted ones; used for the Sikhs too in Gurbavi.
bhagti: also bhakti, loving devotion and dedication to God.
bhagti-jog : the path of bhakti that leads to union with God.
bhai-bhanjan: the breaker of fear;. God .

bhajan : a song in praise of God, singing of God's praises; uttering

God's name.
bhava : pleasure, wish; the divine pleasure, everything that occurs
due to God's will.
bhau or bhai: fear; fear of God awe.,

bhekh : garb, a particular kind of outward appearance as a mark

of identity, generally of a religious person.
bhekb-dhari: one who adopts a garb; the various categories of
persons· indicating their religious affiliation by some outward
marks.
bhog : enjoyment, enjoyment of life; the rite· performed after death;
the Sikh practice was to recite and sing Gurbavi on such
occasions.
bhram : illusion, the illusion that earthly things are everlasting, not
to realize that God alone is eternal.
14 GLOSSARY

Bhupat: master of the earth, ruler of. a territory, a ruler.

bibhat: the ashes used by ascetics to smear their bodies, a practice·
common among the Gorakhnathi jogis.
bihisht: the Islamic term for Paradise popularly conceived as a
place with streams of honey and pleasures of the most
beautiful females.
bikhia mahi udtis : detached amidst the poison of maya or earthly
attachments and pleasures.
birha : the feeling of separation regarded as sublime among SuftS
and also by the Gurus as a mark of spiritual awakening in
contrast with the pangs of separation from a mortal.
brahm-gian : knowledge of Brahm, realization of Cod,· experience
of God leading to the state of liberation.
hrahm-giani: the person who has knowledge of God, has realized
God, has experienced God leading to the state of liberation.
brahmacharl: a celibate, a person who belongs to the group of
religious persons called Brahmacharis.
brahmaiu;l: the universe, cosmos.
Brahmpurl: the city of Brahma.
chakarl: service with or without wages, the profession of a soldier
and also of a person who serves for subsistence.
chakvi: a bird that loves the sun and dies to meet it.
chaiuJ,at: the lowest category of outcastes, generally employed as
executioners; a person totally devoid of mercy.
chatrik : the rain-bird that survives on the drops ·Of rain and dies
without rain.
chatsal: the place where elementary education was imparted,
generally by Brahman padhtis; used as a metaphor for the Sikh
congregation.
chalula : bright like the red flower; used as a metaphor for being
dyed in the love of God.
chauka : a square drawn on the ground and plastered with cow­
dung generally by a Brahman for eating food with the idea
that all impurities would be kept out.
chaur: a fly-whisk used as a symbol of royalty or great position.
chautha pad: the state of experience of the . presence of
attributeless God who is beyond all three qualities (gunas) of
materiality, also .called suim.
chhaizt: a lyrical composition.
 GLOSSARY 15

chiri vichhuiine : separated for a long time; reference to the state

before the beginning of the cycle of transmigration (canying
the implication that there is a divine element within all human
beings that remains concealed and un-realized).
chuhra : a scavenger, a class of untouchables.
darvesh : a religious person, a sufi
. .
dars : sight, sight of the divine, seeing Cod.
darshan : the same as dars, sight, sight of the divine, seeing God.
Dasami: the tenth day of the lunar month regarded sacred by
Brahmans.
datil : the giver; the giver of all gifts, God.
daya: compassion, mercy, grace.
des: country, the real country, God's country (in contrast with the
earth as a place of sojourn).
rjhif4hi: a singer who generally used a miniature drum (rjharjh)
while singing of love or war for the entertainment of his
patrons; used as a :metaphor for the Guru as the singer of God's
praises and also for his Sil<h.
dhilr:tak: the lowest category of untouchables, ·like the chanrjill,
who ate all kindS of meat for subsistence.
dbarm : a whole complex of religious and social ideas and
practices; used for the dispensation of Guru Nanak . and his
successors.
dharma : a set of religious beliefs, and social practices prescribed
for each varna of the Brahmanical ideal of vamasbrama.
dbarm kbanrj: the state of the realization of truth in which God's
bukam is seen operative everywhere.
dbarmsill : the earth as the place for earning merit; the place where
the Sikhs came together for congregational worship in the time
of Guru Nanak; the Sikh sacred space (called gurdwara, later)
marked by. kirtan, katba, ardiis and langar.
dbian : contemplation, reflection, concentration of . the mind;
meditation on God and the Guru's sbabad.
dhoti: the spotless sheet worn. by the Brahman round the waist
to conduct religious worship.
dhundukara : the state of darkness in which only the Primal Being
and his power existed and there was no other creation,
equated with suiin or the void before creation.
din-dayill: one who is kind to the meek and the powerless; God.
 16 GLOSSARY

diwii n : an office, a court, a royal court; the person holding the

position next to that of the king in his realm.
dukb : suffering inherent in existence without attainirig the state
of liberation.
diije bbai: affiliation with maya and not with God; a way other
than the true worship of God.
durmat: an understanding of one's own, marked by many
limitations in the absence of the Guru's instruction (gurmat).
Duadasi : the. twelfth day of the lunar month regarded sacred by
Brahmans.
dubidha: duality, dual affiliation, the tension between affiliation
·

to ma.ya and devotion to God.

duhagan : a woman who is unhappy because she is not loved by
her spouse; a metaphor for the person who. has not turned
·

to God through the Guru.

tj uim : fine as a form of penalization; used also for the punishment
awarded by God foi: one's misdeeds in life. .
eh chat nirali gurmukhi: the distinct path of those who follow the
path of the Guru.
Ekadasi : the eleventh day of the lunar month regarded sacred by
Brahmans for fasting.
Jaqir: one who practises faqr or renunciation and austerities; a
darvesh .
. Jarman : an injunction, an order; a royal order; divine ordinance.
fotadii r: the person in charge of a treasury; a treasurer.
gayatri: the verses of the Rigveda which are often recited by
·

Brahmans by way of prayer.

geet : a secular song; a song sung on the occasion of a marriage.
ghar hi mabi udiis : detached' in. the home; inward detachment;
an attitude of detachment while performing one's personal and
social duties.
ghart: one sixtieth of a day, equal to 24 minutes.
gbee : clarified butter, regarded as rich food.
gbort: a song sung on the occasion of marriage when the
bridegroom rides a mare to depart for wedding; a composition
meant to be sung on such an occasion.
giti.n : knowledge, knowledge of God; ·enlightenment.
gian khaiu;l: the state in which one's knowledge and understanding
of the physical and moral world has expanded and one's
sympathies have widened.
 GLOSSARY 17

giiinf: the person who has acquired giiin.

greh kutumb mahi sada udiis : always detached amidst family and
the home (the ideal of a Sikh householder).
gurti: with qualities or attributes, God with attributes.
gurdwarii : the gurus door, the Sikh sacred space where kfrtan
and katha are performed, ardas is made, and community meal
is cooked and eaten by all.
Gur-gian: knowledge imparted by the Guru; the path and the goal
shown by the Guru and successfully pursued by the Sikh.
Cur ki sakhi: testimony or instruction of the Guru.
Gu1· ke shabad jivat marai : one may die while alive through the
Guru's shabad (by getting rid of haumai ).
gur-mantar: the mantar given by the guru, nam or shabad of
the Guru.
Gurvak: the Guru's vak or statement, regarded as an order by the
Sikhs.
Guru ka bachan: the Guru's order or statement (shabad).
guru : a teacher; used in the Sikh tradition for Guru Nanak and
his nine successors upto Guru Gobind Singh, and the Granth
Sahib in continuation with them.
Guru ka bharta : what pleases the Guru; his order.
Guru ka shabad: the words uttered by the Guru and recorded
as sacred.
Cur ki kar: the Guru's work; his service; everything done in
accordance with the Guru's instruction.
gurmat: the Guru's instruction, the Guru's wisdom; Sikh
philosophy of life as a whole.
gur-sa�igat: association with the Guru; the Guru's followers; a
congregation in which the Guru is present.
Gur-shabad: the Guru's words recorded as sacred.
Gursikh : the Guru's instruction; the Guru's follower; the Sikh of
the Guru; the Sikh.
gurup.des: the Guru's instruction, generally in the form of his
shabad.
Gurprasadi: through the. Guru's grace.
hafi: one who has performed the hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca;
generally regarded with respect and consideration by other
Muslims.
haqiqat : reality; the path of truth, the Sufi path.
18 GLOSSARY

Harjan : God's devotee; used for both the Guru and the Sikh.
Har kii nam : the name of God;. the Name ..
Har-kathii: a story .related to God; singing God's praises; an
exposition of Sikh theology.
Har-niim : the name of God, the divine name.
Har kii chiikar: the servant of God; used for both the Guru and
the Sikh.
Har kii des : the divine country; God's abode as the real home for
human beings as opposed to their false homes on the earth.
Har ke log : the people of God; the devotees of God; the Sikhs.
halemi riij: rule of moderation in which there is no oppression
or coercion; an expression used by Guru Arjan for the entire
dispensation of Guru Nanak and his successors.
haram : a forbidden place; the female quarters in a house or a
palace.
hath : something pursued with consistency amounting to obstinacy;
used for a form of yoga in which hard austerities, celibacy and
total renunciation were practised by the followers of
Gorakhnath.
haumai: a kind of selfcentredness in which everything is attributed
to oneself to the exclusion of God's power and His hukam.
hom: a sacrificial act; the ceremony of chanting Vedic hymns
around a fire kept burning with oblations of wood, ghee,
incense and other such materials, regarded as a way of pleasing
gods or God through the god of fire.
hukam : order, divine order; the principle that the power of God
remains operative all the time in the physical and moral world.
hukamniimii : a written order; generally used for a letter of the
person exercising moral and spiritual authority, like the Guru,
relating mostly to mundane matters.
ik: one; the figure '1' used for emphasis on the Oneness of God
as '1 Oankar
Indrapuri : the city of Indra.
jagat jalandii : the world on fire due to maya, mamtii and haumai
and the misery of transmigration.
jiigiiti: a tax collector on behalf of the state; used also for the
messenger of jam or personified Death, called ]am-duot.
jagg or yagya, the ceremony of sacrifice to the fire amidst chanting
of Vedic hymns to please gods or God through the god of fire,
Agni.
 GLOSSARY 19

jajman: the patron in a client-patron relationship; the person who

makes payment for services rendered manually or by
performing a ritual, like the· marriage ceremony performed by
a Brahman.
janeu or janju :the sacred thread worn by higher caste men after
the formal ritual performed by a Brahman.
jangam : a category of the ascetical followers of Shiva and Gauri,
conspicuous for their garb.
jap : recitation, used in connection with nam or a sacred scripture.
jat or jati: an endogamous group, constituted by a number of
septs, following generaiiy the same occupation and placed in
one of the four varnas as a mark of its social position in relation
to others, popularly called 'caste' in English.
jat-baran : an endogamous group placed in hierarchical order in
relation to other such groups.
jivat-marai: one who dies while still alive.
fivat marai, marai phun jivai: one who dies while alive and lives
again (there is a new kind of life after baumai is eradicated).
jivatia mar rabie: remain dead in life (by eradicating baumai ).
jivat-marna: to be dead in life.
jivan- mukta: liberated-in-life.
jivan-mukti: liberation-in-life.
fit duare ubre tete lebu ubar: whatever the way, may God redeem
the world.
jizya : a tax paid by non-Muslims as the people of the book in
accordance with the Islamic law (sbari'at).
joban : youth, (as an obstacle on the path of liberation for both
men and women).
jogi: one who pursues yoga, especially the follower of
Gorakhnath.
jot: light, the divine light that is in everyone.
kadar (from qadir) : all-powerful, God.
Kaliyuga : the fourth of the cosmic ages, traditionally regarded as
the age of degeneration but, in Sikh thought, redeemed by
Guru Nanak's dispensation.
kalma : a word, saying, discourse; the confession of faith in Islam :
'there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is God's messenger'
(la-i lab illilab Muhammad ar-rasiUillab).
20 GLOSSARY

kam: desire, sexual desire; sexual indulgence.

karaj, also kaj: work, task; performance of marriage.
karm: an action or deed that becomes relevant for transmigration
or release from the cycle; kindness, mercy or grace (in Persian).
karm-dharm : the duties prescribed for members of the four
varnas in specific situations.
karm-kaiuj: performance of appropriate ritual on specific
occasions.
karam khaiuj: the state in which one is strengthened in one's
resolve to act for the general welfare through divine grace.
karni: the actual conduct in opposition to mere profession
(kathni).
karta : the doer, the only doer, God.
kartar: the sole doer, God.
kasumbh : the plant with bright flowers which serve as a fading
·

dye.
kateb: the books, the scriptures (of semitic faiths).
khak : earth, dust.
khan : a title given to a member of the ruling class in medieval
India, especially under the Sultanate of Delhi.
khaiuj: one of the nine regions of the earth.
khatrl: the member of an endogamous group consisting of a large
number of gotras in the Punjab generally believed to .be
descendants of the old kshatriyaswho had taken to trade, shop
keeping, soldiering and administration in later times.
khatti: profit, profit in trade.
khec;i: game, sport, pastime; used for Guru Gobind Singh's interest
in ancient literature to inspire people for a righteous war
(dharmyudh).
khintha: the cloak of the Gorakhnathi jogi whieh distinguished
him from other ascetics.
kirpa : kindness, grace.
kirsani: cultivation of land, farming.
ktrtam nam : the names of God related to His attributes as the
creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe.
kirtan : singing of the praises of God; singing of Gurba1Ji in a
congregation of Sikhs.
kirya: performance of rites prescribed for a particular occasion.
krodh : anger as one of the five adversaries of human beings.
 GLOSSARY 21

kuchajji: a woman who has no merit or manners.

kul : a family e1ctending over several generations; lineage.
lagan : the auspicious time for betrothaL
!aha: profit, profit from trade.
Ia!: red (the fast colour of majith ).
langar : community kitchen; the open kitchen in a Sikh dbarmsiil.
Iavan : the four shabads of Guru Ram Das meant to be recited
at each of the four rounds in a marriage cer�mony.
lobh : greed, avarice.
lok: a world.
mahurat : auspicious time, especially for marriage.
mahzar: an affidavit by a number of people testifying to the
veracity of a statement for legal purposes.
majith : the dye prepared from mafith (madder) for fast red colour.
mat: riches, wealth, material possessions.
malik: title given to a member of the aristocracy.
mamta : the feeling of a mother for the child; attachment with kith
and kin.
manda : bad, inferior.
manmukh : self-centred; one who thinks of his own inclinations
as opposed to the Gurmukh who follows the Guru's instruction
and cares for others as well.
mantar: the Name in GurbatJi.
mantra: a verse, a sacred verse; an initiatory formula; a magical
formula.
mantri: (also mandri) : one who recites tnantras or magical
words.
mar jivia : one who has eradicated haumai and died to self to
live a regenerated life.
mar mar jfvai : one who dies to self to live a regenerated life.
marhi: the spot where a corpse has been cremated, sometimes
with a small structure raised over it for lighting a lamp.
mariJat: knqwledge, divine knowledge; the highest state of
spiritual progress in Sufi theosophy.
masatJ : a corpse; the place where corpses are cremated; a
sepulture raised over a spot of cremation.
ma(i : earth, dust.
mauta : master, God.
maun -dhari: one who observes silence as a part of austerities.
22 GLOSSARY

maya : all creation, all earthly things; seen as the source of

entanglement in the cycle of death and rebirth; subject to
destruction, in contrast with the creator.
mehta : the headman of a village or a part thereof.
miharviin : merciful, the merciful God.
milan : meeting, union with God.
mihr: kindness, mercy, grace.
mir: temporal .leader, the head of a clan, the head of a state.
malechh : unclean, untouchable; used also for a person who did
not belong to the Brahmanical varna order; an outsider.
mob : affection, love, attachment to kith and kin.
mokb dwiirii : the door of liberation.
moni: an ascetic who observes silence.
Nanak mue tini na iikhi-tiih je Guru ke sabad samahe : do not call
them dead who are absorbed in the Guru's shabad and died
to the self.
mukt: liberated.
muktii : the liberated one.
mukti: liberation.
mukti pmith : the path that leads to liberation, used for the
dispensation of Guru· Nanak and his successors.
mulla : an orthodox Muslim, generally in charge of a mosque.
mU1idavar:zi: a riddle, a popular form of composition in the Punjab.
muqaddam : the headman of a village or a part thereof.
mii.rati: form, picture.
niid : a hom, a musical instrument; music.
niid-ved: the horn and the Vedic knowledge, symbolic of the
ascetical and the Brahmanical tradition in India.
nadar: from nazr in Persian, sight, a kind glance, grace; one of
the most important attributes of God.
niiib : a deputy, the provincial governor as a deputy of the ruler.
niim : the name, the name of God; the transcendent and immanent
God; the whole creation; the Guru's shabad, Gurbiir;,i.
nam, dan, isniin : these three terms embody the essential ideas
of Guru Nanak for the Sikh way of life : worship through the
Name, contribution from rightful earning towards the welfare
of others, physical and moral purity.
niim-dharm : the path of the Name as laid down by Guru Nanak.
nam japr:zii : to repeat the . name of God.
 GLOSSARY 23

nlim-miirg : the path of the Name as distinct from others.

Nam-simran : remembrance of God's Name; meditation on the
Name.
namaz : one of the five daily prayers in Islam.
Naumi : the ninth day of the lunar month regarded sacred by
·

Brafunans.
naunidh : the nine treasures symbolic of the best possible gifts.
nich jat: a person who belongs to the lowest caste in the varna
order, generally used for an outcaste.
nihchal raj: stable rule; the divine order; also a metaphor for the
dispensation of Guru Nanak.
nindak: a back-biter, a slanderer; one who talks ill of the Guru.
niranjan: without ipl purity, God.
nirankari: one who believes in the Formless God and worships
Him alone; a Sikh.
nirbhau: without fear, fearless; one who has no fear of death; an
attribute of God who is eternal.
nirgu1;1: without qualities, without attributes; the primal state of
God before creation.
nirmal: absolutely pure, with no trace of impurity.
nirvair: without enmity; an attribute of God; also a trait of the
Guru.
omikar: the only eternal God.
padha : a Brahman teacher.
pad-nirban : the state of telease or liberation.
pahar: one-eighth of a day, equal to three hours.
paighambar: the messenger of God or the prophet in the Islamic
tradition, the line ending with the Prophet Mu� ammad.
pakhawaj: a musical instrument like a drum.
palit (from palid ) : a person who incurs a sin and thereby becomes
impure.
pancha: a member of the committee of five (panchayat)
·
representitig a larger group of people; a member of the village
panchayat which ex ercises authority on behalf of the village
community.
pandit: a learned Brahman.
pandit-jotki: a Brahman astrologer.
pardes : a strange country; this world where one lives for a short
while.
24 GLOSSARY

pardesi: a stranger, an outsider; a person who knows that his real

country is the next world and, therefore, remembers all the
time that he has to leave this world.
parm-pad : the prime state, the state of liberation.
parnali: a tradition of exegesis creat. ed by a line of expounders.
parupkar: something done for others.
parupkari: one who does something for others; an epithet for God;
also used for the Guru and his Sikh.
parjat: a mythical tree that is. believed to fulftl all the. wishes of
its possesser.
patshahi : (from badsbahi ) : rulership; a metaphor for the tenure
of the Guru in the early Sikh tradition.
patri: the book used by the Brahman astrologer to determine
auspicious or inauspicious time for a particular purpose.
pattal : a tree leaf used as a plate.
paufi: a stanza.
piiuj.: a ball of rice for feeding Brahmans as a part of mortuary
rites.
pir: the guide for the Sufi path in a kbanqah; a shaikh who is
no longer alive but his tomb has become a place of pilgrimage
for the people who believe in his power to confer blessings.
potdari: (from fotadari ), the position or office of the treasurer.
prasad : grace; also sacred food.
puja: worship, ritual worship of an idol.
pun : a virtuous act in the Brahmanical tradition.
pura guru : the perfect Guru; God as the Guru; Guru Nanak.
purkh : a person; used for God to clarify that God in the Sikh
tradition is not an impersonal reality as in the Vedanta.
qazi: the person who pronounces judgement on the basis of "the
provisions of the shari'at as expounded by a mufti; an
important official in the administration of justice under Turko­
Afghan and Mughal rule.
qudrat : power, power shown by God in His creation; the divine
power behind all that happens; an expression of God's
power.
rahim : one who shows mercy, God.
rahit: the actual conduct of life regarded by Guru Nanak and his
successors as far more important than verbal professions of
faith.
 GLOSSARY 25

ra'i'yat: the subject people in a monarchical rule; the common

people.
raj: rule, rulership; metaphor for the temporal concerns of the
Gurus as an essential part of their idea of regeneration.
Raja : a ruler.
rajan: rulers; the elite. .
raj- jog: a position or a system in which temporal and spiritual
concerns are seen as two sides of the same ideology.
Ram-jan: the devotees of God; God's people.
Ram-nam : the name of God.
lliQa : a petty chief reduced to the position of an intermediary
between the ruler of the state and his subjects in a given
territory; the descendant of a RaQii.
Rao : a chief reduced to the status of a subordinate by a superior
ruler; a descendant of a Rao.
ras: juice, pleasure.
rasaya1;t : the alchemical substance believed to turn a base metal
into gold; a metaphor for the agency of transformation, like
nam.
raza: wish, God's will.
rap : form; a beautiful form; the beauty of a woman.
sabad mara phir j'ivo sad hi: die in the shabad and live for ever.
Sachch : truth, the truth of God who alone is true in the sense
of being eternal.
sachch khaiuj : the state in which truth is realized and one can
see the divine ordinance (hukam) operative everywhere in the
physical and the moral world.
Sachcha Sahib: the True Master, God.
sachau takht: the true throne, the divine court.
sachchi sangat: the true association; the Sikh congregation for
worship.
sada-hadura (from huzftr ) : ever present, God.
sada-suhagan ·' the woman whose spouse is always alive (and she
never becomes a widow); used for the person who has turned
to God through the Guru.
Sadd: call; a composition on the theme, the call of death.
sadh :. a pious person; a devotee of God; the Guru; the Sikh of
the Guru.
sadhik: a person who practices austerities.
26 GLOSSARY

sadhii : sadh; used for the Guru, and the Sikh.

sadhu-jan : the Guru; the Sikhs.
sadiq : one who is absolutely sincere and steadfast.
sahaj: a state in which there is no hurry and no tension; the state
of liberation as a state of bliss.
sahaj-jog : the path through which sahaj is pursued and attained;
the path of Guru Nanak and his successors.
sahu : a sahukar who advances or lends money to traders who
remain accountable to him; a metaphor for God.
saimbhu : self-existent, God.
salar: the leader, the commander; the commander of an army.
salik : a traveller, a traveller on the Sufi path.
sandhya : evening worship.
sang: impersonation; a character in a theatrical performance.
sangat: association of persons; used for the Sikh congregation.
sanjam: restraint and moderation.
sant : a pious person; a devotee of God; the Guru; the Sikh.
sant-jan : the Sikhs.
sant sabha : the congregation of the Guru and his Sikhs.
sanyasi: a Shaiva renunciant who practises austerities; (there were
different orders of the Shaiva sanyasis).
saram khan4 : the state in which one works for the welf�e of
others.
sargu1J: with attributes, God; generally but misleadingly used for
Vaishnava bhakti in which Vishnu's human incarnations are the
objects of worship.
sarraf: a jeweller, who knows the difference between the true and
the false coin; God.
Satguru : the true Guru, used for God, and for Guru Nanak and
his successors.
Satgur bachan : the word or order of the true Guru.
sat-nam: the true name; God in the transcendent state for whom
the only epithet that can be used is 'true' (sachch or satt).
sat-sangat: the true association; the Sikh congregation.
satt: sachch, the truth.
savayya: a poem written in praise, a kind of eulogy.
sev or seva : service; service of God; service of the Guru; �rvice
of the Sikhs; service of others.
sevak : one who serves; a devotee of God; a follower of the Guru.
 GLOSSARY 27

sbabad: the word; divine self-revelation through creation; a

composition of the Guru.
sbabad marai: if one dies in the sbabad (one lives for ever);
sbabid: a martyr in the Muslim tradition as an object of veneration,
with his tomb as a place of pilgrimage.
sbaikb : the guide on the Sufi path, also called pfr, and generally
having a kbiinqiib where .his disciples learn and pursue the
path as a regular discipline.
sbalok: generally a couplet, but can be much longer.
sbiinti: peace, as a characteristic of the state of liberation.
tal: rhythm in music.
tankbii : used for salary (tankbiib) in Mughal usage but in the Sikh
tradition for penance prescribed for a default' in the light of
the Sikh rabit.
tap : practice of austerities.
tapsi: one who practises tap or austerities.
tariqat : the Sufi path as distinguished from the sbari'at though
not necessarily opposed to it.
tarpan : offerings as a part of ritual.
ten directions (deb-disii): east, west, north, south, north-east,
south-east, south-west, north-west, sky, under-world.
three gil1Jas : three qualities or characteristics known as rajo, tamo
and sato, which determine temperament; collectively called
triku{i.
three worlds (trilok): the heaven, the earth and the nether-regions;
the entire universe.
tiratb: a sacred place, a place of pilgrimage.
triku(i: combination of the three qualities (gunas) which remain
an obstacle in the path of liberation, all being meterial and
not spirituaL
turiavastba : a term of yoga used in GurbatJi for the state of
liberation.
udiis : detached.
udiisi: one who practises detachment.
ulamii: plural of alim, a learned person; a person adept in Islamic
learning.
umarii: plural of amfr, a member of the ruling class.
updes: instruction, teaching, homily.
uttam jat: the highest caste in the varna order.
28 GWSSARY

uttam panth : the superior path.

vaid: a physician.
vak : an utterance; the words spoken by the Guru.
vak lait;U!i: to open the Guru Grmith Sahib at random for the 'order'
of the Guru in any given situation or for the day.
vanjara : a trader; a trader who works for a sahfikar or borrows
money. from him for trade.
vapari : a trader.
varna: literally 'colour', used for each of the fourfold hierarchical
social order of the Brahmanical tradition, generally referred to
as caste.
vich asa hoi nirasi: one who has no ambition for oneself but has
a fum conviction that everything would be set right by God.
vichai greh udas : detached within the home.
waja : a musical instrument.
wazifa : a religious duty, uttering God's praises.

Rajesh Arya - Gujarat

 Introduction

S. Radhakrishnan, the philosopher President of India, says

that the Sikh Gurus had the noble quality of appreciating
'whatever was valuable in other religious traditions'. They did
not claim to teach a new doctrine. Indeed, Guru Nanak
simply 'elaborated the views of the Vaishnava saints' .1
However, several scholars have pointed out that the Gurus
claim to have uttered the divine word. 2 The visionary Puran
Singh was convinced that no book for the Sikhs is equal to
the Grmith Sahib.3 Arnold Toynbee, the historian of world
civilizations, observes that the Adi Grmith means more to
the Sikhs than even the Qur'an to Muslims, the Bible to
Christians, and the Torah to Jews. It is a heritage of special
value for the world.4
Interpretation of Guru Nanak's bar:z,f began early with
the compositions of his successors and has continued upto
the present day. Professor Taran Singh talks of seven
traditions followed by still others. The first was the Sahaj
Parnillf represented by Guru Nanak and his successors.
Bhai Gurdas represented the Bhaf Parnalf, and the
Parmarth Parnalf was represented by Miharban, Harji and
Chaturbhuj, the descendants of Prithi Chand, the elder
brother of Guru Arjan. For the Udasf Parnal� Taran Singh
mentions Anandghan and Sada Nand. Among the eight
representatives of the Nirmala Parnalf are Bhai Santokh
Singh, Pandit Tara Singh Narotam and Giani Gian Singh.
In the Sampardai Parnalf are Bhai Mani Singh, Giani Badan
Singh, Bhai Jodh Singh, and ten others. Among the .eight
representatives of Singh Sabhai Parnalf were Bhai Vir Singh,
Professor Teja Singh and Professor Sahib Singh. Thus, there
30 INTRODUCTION

is a vast range of literature on the exegesis of Gum Grmith

sahib.5
European scholars of the Grmith Sahib appeared on the
scene with the extension of colonial rule to the Punjab in
.
the nineteenth century. The Adi Grarith of Ernest Trumpp
offended Sikh sensibilities both because of its contemptuous
tone and wrong interpretation of the Grarith Sahib. Trumpp's
work was followed by that of Max Arthur Macauliffe as a
corrective, published by the Clarendon Press in six volumes
in1909 as Tbe Sikh Religion : Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and
Authors.6 Apart from the repugnance of the German
missionary for a non-Christian faith, Macauliffe refers to the
cooperation of a number of Sikh scholars, notably Bhai Kahn
Singh of Nabha. His work has remained acceptable to t he
Sikhs.
Sikh scholars had begun to respond to this new situation
by the beginning of the twentieth century. Some of them
wrote in English to project their understanding of the Sikh
tradition for both Sikhs and non-Sikhs, like Sewaram Singh,
Bhagat Lakshman Singh and Khazan Singh. Giani Badan
Singh prepared a commentary on the Grarith Sahib for
publication under the patronage of Maharaja Bikram Singh
of Faridkot as a corrective to Trumpp's work. Giani Badan
Singh makes it clear that the exposition of Guru Grarith
Sah ib by 'Doctor Trumpp Sah ib' was p a t ently
wrong (ashuddh). There was a general demand for correct
interpretation. The persistent demand for the Faridkot wala
Teeka induced Maharaja Brijinder Singh of Faridkot to order
the publication of a second edition which appeared in 1924
in four volumes.7
The Singh Sabha Movement provided great impetus for
the study of the Gum Grarith Sahib in the late nineteenth
and the early twentieth century. Apart from Bhai Kahn
Singh of Nabha whose studies were informed by his
understanding of the Gum Grarith Sahib, Bhai V ir Singh
wrote an elaborate commentary on Gum Grarith Sahib
 INTRODUCTION 31

which was published after his death in 1957 in seven

volumes as Santhya Sri Gum Granth Sahib jf.8 Already,
the Shabdarth Sri Gum Granth Sahib ft had been prepared
by Professor Teja Singh by 1941 in consultation with
Bawa Harkishan Singh and Professor Narain Singh. It was
published from Lahore in four. volumes.9 Professor Sahib
Singh worked for nearly four decades to complete his
commentary on Gum Grmith Sahib in 1961 which was
published in ten volumes as Sri Gu.m Granth Sahib
Darpan.10 These three commentaries do not exhaust the
list of Sikh exegesis of the Granth Sahib but they do
represent Sikh scholarship at its best and, therefore,
become indispensable for the study of Gum Granth
sahib.
With the increasing interest of non-Sikhs in the Sikh
Gum Granth
tradition arose the need for translation of the
Sahib. The earliest to appear was Gopal Singh's Sri Gum .

Granth Sahib (1960-62) in four volumes, followed by

Manmohan Singh's Sri Gum Granth Sahib (1969) in eight
volumes. Professor Gurbachan Singh Talib published his Sri
Gum Grmith Sahib in English Translation in four volumes
in 1984-90. Both Dr. Gopal Singh and Professor Talib have
written long introductions to their works to highlight the
salient features of the Gum Granth Sahib.11 However, the
translation by Manmohan Singh appears to be closer to ·the
text.12
In A Critical Study ofthe Adi Granth, Professor Surindar
Singh Kohli discusses the language, metres and imagery of
the poetry of the Adi Granth, and the musical measures u�ed
for singing its hymns. At the same time, he gives a
considerable space to the social and religious conditions
depicted in the Granth, especially the religious symbols,
rituals, and beliefs of Guru Nanak's contemporaries. Two
chapters. of his book relate to the religious ideology of the
Adi Granth.13 In comparison, Professor Guninder. Kaur's The
G um Granth Sahib : Its Physics and Metaphysics is rather
32 INTRODUCTION

thin. She points out that the relationship between the

'metaphysics' and 'physics' of the Guru Granth Sahib has
generally been ignored. She gives an exposition of the
'metaphysics' of the Gunt Granth Sahib in terms of the
ultimate reality, world, and man. Its 'physics' is discussed in
terms of its structure, language, imagery and rhythm.14
The history of the compilation of the Adi Granth and
the creation of the Sikh 'canon' is the chief concern of
Professor Gurinder Singh Mann in The Making of Sikh
Scripture. He discusses the evolution of the structure of the
Adi Granth in terms of the sequencing of Rags and the
internal arrangement within the Rag sections to bring out its
structural complexity which distinguishes it from the other
religious compilations of the time. He comments on the
authority, the role, and future prospects of the Guru Granth
Sahib.15
Professor Pashaura Singh deals with the same subject
in The Guru Granth Sahib : Canon, Meaning and Authority .

For the 'meaning', he talks of the various traditions

(parnalis), and discusses its role in Sikh worship and Sikh
ceremonies, and its function as the Guru. The bulk of his
book relates to canon formation. He covers much common
ground with G.S. Mann but their understanding is different
on a number of important points. Pashaura Singh has
�evoted a chapter of his l- ife and Work of Guru Arjan to the
Adi Granth, in which he pays special attention to the
structure of the Adi Grantb._ The Bhagat Bat;ti is discussed
in great detail in his The Bhagats of the Guru Granth Sahib :
Sikh Self-Definition and the Bhagat Bat;ti.16
The Guru Granth Sahib has now begun to be seen as
important for 'interfaith dialogue'. At an international seminar
on "Guru Grailth Sahib : Interfaith Understanding to World
Peace" held at Guru Nanak Dev University in December
2003, a number of papers related to interfaith dialogue and
religious pluralism.17
At an international seminar held at the Punjabi
 INlRODUCTION 33

University in February 2004, the Guru Granth Sahib was

discussed in terms of its formation, its unique status · and its
place among the major scriptures of the World. Some of the
papers compare the Guru Granth Sahib with the Vedas, the
Buddhist Tipitaka, the Tamil Prabandhas, and the Qur'an.
Three papers relate to Bhagat BaQ.i, lliig organization, and
the gender discourse. Professor J.P.S. Oberoi in his 'inaugural
address' draws attention to 'the theory of the name' as 'the
philosophy of Sikhism'. He suggests that the name in Sikhism
is not meant merely or chiefly for designation of entities :
'it is a definition of the relation between the part and the
whole, the subject and the object of worship, service and
self-sacrifice' . 18
Professor Harjeet Singh Gill in his 'k�ynote' made
preliminary remarks on (a) the sanctity of the divine word,
(b) the unique form of the Adi Granth in its formal and
conceptual structure, (c) the transform�tion of a spoken
language into an idiom of metaphysical truths, (d) the
critique of corruption, falsehood and deception that marked
the contemporary social fabric, and (e) the critique of rites
and rituals, customs and conventions in contemporary
religion. Professor Gill observes that the compositions of
Guru Nanak starting with Arbad narbad dhundhukara and
Gagan mai that present two sides of the same conceptual
construct. In one, we are led progressively to the
anthropological inequalities and injustices. In the other a
blissful vision of the cosmos is juxtaposed with the chaotic
state of anthropology: There is dialectical interrelation
between the sublimity of the cosmic domain and the harsh
realities of earthy life. This conceptual construct does not
separate the human from the divine, For understanding the
.
Guru Granth Sahib,it is necessary to explore the equilibrium
between anthropology and cosmology. 19
The scholarly legacy is rich in terms of perspectives,
approaches and themes related to the study of the Granth
Sahib. To figure prominently in this legacy are the religious,
34 INTRODUCTION

social and political environment of Guru Nanak, the

philosophy and theology of the Gurus, their conception of
the goal of life and the means of attaining this goal, the
history and structure of the Adi Granth and the significance
of the inclusion of the Bhagat Bfu).i, the status of the Adi
Granth,
·
and its relevance for interfaith dialogue. ·
In the present study of the Guru Grmith Sahib, the
starting point is the chapter on the concern of Guru Nanak
and his successors with contemporary social order, polity,
and religion, reflecting their social awareness. This awareness
springs essentially from their conception of God and
liberation-in-life, which are taken up in two separate
chapters. Most of the theological ideas of the Gurus get
related to their conception of God and most of their social
concerns get related to their conception of liberation. The
conception of God and liberation-in-life result in a new social
order, the Sikh Panth, based on the principle of equality.
There is much concern in the Guru Granth Sahib for the
new fraternity. Therefore, the emerging Panth is discussed
in a separate chapter. In a chapter . on the structure of Guru
Granth Sahib, special attention is given to the Rag
organization, the poetic forms, and the Bhagat BiiQi. The
history and status of the Guru Granth Sahib is discussed in
a chapter on the Guru eternal, together with its relevance
for interfaith dialogue. Finally, the most familiar compositions
of the Gurus are introduced in the last chapter which
includes selected text with translation in English.

Notes and References

1 . Trilochan Singh, Bhai jodh Singh, Kapur Singh, Bawa Harkishan
Singh and Khushwant Singh (tr.), The Sacred Writings q(the Sikhs,
New Delhi : Orient Longman and UNESCO, 2000 Crpt.), Introduction,
pp. 18, 19.
2. For example, Guninder Kaur, The Guru Grmith Sahib : Its Physics
and Metaphysics, New Delhi : Manohar, 1995 (rpt.), pp. 13, 15.
 INfRODUCTION 35

3. Puran Singh, The Spirit Born People, Patiala : Punjabi University,

1999 (rpt.), p. 59.
4. The Sacred Writings of the Sikhs, Foreword to the first edition,
pp. 7, 9.
5. Taran Singh, Gurbar;i Ditin Viiikbiii Parniiltan, Patiala : Punjabi
University, 1997.
6. In the Preface to his work, Trumpp states that the Sikh Grantb
was 'incoherent and shallow in the extreme', and it was couched
in 'dark and perplexing language' to cover its defects. The Adi
Grantb Or The Hozv Scriptures ofthe Sikhs, New Delhi : Muilshiram
Manoharlal Publishers, 1989 (4th edn.), p. vii. Macauliffe's work
has been reprinted by D.K. Publishers' Distributors, Delhi, in 3
volumes in 1990 and 1995.
7. Adi Sri Guru Grantb Sahib fl Steek (Punjabi), Patiala : Punjab
Language Department, 1989 (4th edn.), Introduction.
8. Bhai Vir Singh (ed.), Santhya Sri Guru Granth Sahib fl, 7 vols,
New Delhi : Bhiii Vir Singh Sahit Sadan, 1997 (rpt.), with an

appreciative Introduction by Dr. Balbir Singh. Bhai Vir Singh's

work covers only about half of the Guru Grantb Sabib.
9. Sbabdarth Sri Guru Grantb Sahib fl. 4 vols, Amritsar : Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, n.d. The Introduction to the
work is also anonymous.
10. Sahib Singh, Sri Guru Grantb Sahib Dmpan, 10 vols, Jalandhar :
Raj Publishers, n.d. It is a reprint of the third edition, published
in 1972.
1 1 . Gopal Singh, Sri Gu ru Grantb Sahib (English Version), Delhi : Gur
Das Kapur & Sons, 1960, vol I, Acknowledgements, some
opinions, and xvi-:xxxiv. Gurbachan Singh Talib, Sri Guru Grantb
Sahib in English Translation, vol. I, Patiala : Punjabi University,
1997, pp. xxi-xcix.
12. All the three works are useful for studying the Grantb Sahib.
13. Surindar Singh Kohli, A Critical Study of the Adi Grantb, Delhi :
Motilal Banarasidas, 1976 (rpt) .
. 14. Guninder Kaur, The Guru . Grantb Sahib : Its Physics and
·

Metaphysics, New Delhi : Manohar, 1995.

15. Gurinder Singh Mann, The Goindval Potbis : Tbe Earliest Extant
Source of the Sikh Canon, Cambridge, Massachusetts : Harvard
University, 1996. Gurinder Singh Mann, The Making of Sikh
Scripture, New York and New Delhi : Oxford University Press,
2001 , chapters 2,3,4,5.
. 36 INTRODUCTION

16. Pashaura Singh, 1be Gum Granth Sahib : Canon, Meaning and
Authority, New Delhi : Oxford University Press, 2000. Pashaura
Singh, Life and Work of Gum Aryan : History, Memory, and
Biography in the Sikh Tradition, New Delhi : Oxford University,
Press, 2006, Chapter 6. Pashaura Singh, The Bhagats of the Gum
Granth Sahib : Sikh Seif-Dt!finition and the Bhagat BaQi, New
Delhi : Oxford University Press, 2003.
17. Balwant Singh Dhillon (ed.), Interfaith Study of Gum Granth
Sahib, Amristar : Guru Nanak Dev University, 2005, p. 19.
18. Darshan Singh (ed.), Gum Granth Sahib Among the Scriptures of
the World, Patiala : Punjabi University, 2004, pp. 1-5.
19. Ibid., pp. 6-18.

Rajesh Arya - Gujarat

 CHAPTER I

Social Awareness

Guru Nanak's comment on the contemporary social order,

polity and systems of religious beliefs and practices is
extraordinarily comprehensive. He talks of the whole society
and a number of social practices, and comments on the
government and administration and political events. He talks
of the Vaishnavas, Shaivas and Shaktas. He talks about the
ascetics of various categories, including the Jain monks. He
is equally concerned with Islam in both its orthodox and Sufi
forms. It is significant to note that he looked upon
contemporary religion in terms of three traditions : the
Brahmanical, the ascetical and the Islamic. Each of these
three traditions appeared to have some characteristic features
which distinguished it from the others. All the three stand
bracketed in the japujf, revealing Guru Nanak's basic attitude
towards all the three. None of them was authoritative for him.
1be critique of contemporary religion and Guru Nanak's own
message are the tw� sides of the same spiritual and moral
coin. Almost always his criticism is accompanied by his
positive message.

1 . Social · Order
Guru Nanak refers to Hindus and Muslims as parts of the
social order of his time. The royalty, the nobility, the officials
of the government, its intermediaries at lower rungs, and the
subject people figure frequently in his compositions. Muslim
presence is recognized through the mulla and the qazl, the
shaikh and the plr as much as the musalman in general.
38 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

Several professions and occupations are noticed : sabukars,

sarrafs, money-lenders, merchants, traders, shop-keepers,
horse-dealers, brokers, cultivators of land, day labourers,
goldsmiths, carpenters, dyers, fishermen, sellers of bangles,
singers, poets, dancing girls, jugglers, domestic servants and
slaves, mendicants and beggars. Theil there are thieves,
gamblers and addicts. Guru Nanak does not say so explicitly
but he refers to the life of luxury of the ruling class and the
grinding misery and ignorance of the subject people, the
rai'yat.
Guru Nanak takes n:otice of the ideal of the four varnas
and talks of the Brahman, the Khatri, the Vaishya and the
Shudra. There are outcastes like the cbubras, cbaiu;lals and
dbar;aks. Guru Nanak shows no appreciation for the
distinctions of caste, or the high caste (uttam jat). There is
no consideration for caste in God's court. The false people
have no caste and no honour, nor have they who forget God.
None should be proud of caste. Guru Nanak identifies
himself with the lowest of the low.
Guru Nanak has much to say about the sacred thread
which was a symbol of distinction between the higher and
lower castes. He tells the Brahman that the sacred thread
he wears, and puts on others, has no spiritual or moral
efficacy. The really efficacious and lasting thread is prepared
with mercy as the cotton, contentment as the thread, self­
control as the knot, and ethical living as the twist. The pandit
did not have such a janeu. The sacred thread he puts on
others is bought for four cowries; he whispers in their ears
that henceforth the Brahman is their guru. At the time of
investiture, a goat is slaughtered and cooked; everyone eats
it and says that the thread ceremony has been well
performed; When the thread is worn out it is thrown away
and replaced by another. The adoration of God ' is the thread
that lasts for ever. The honour received in God's court is the
sacred thread that never snaps. The sacred thread of the
Brahman does not restrain him from scandalous indulgence.
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 39

His feet and his hands, his tongue and his eyes are not
restrained. He roams around unrestrained.
· The sacred thread of the Khatris did not stop them from
pandering to the rulers whom they regarded as 'unclean'.
Instead of the sword, they wielded the butcher's knife on
behalf of the rulers. In their homes the Brahmans blew
·

conches and ate their food. False was the commerce and false
the sustenance derived. To become acceptable to the rulers
they wore blue dress; they performed worship according to
the Puranas but ate the malechh 's food. Indeed, they ate the
meat of goats slaughtered in the Muslim fashion. And yet
they sat in the chauka to eat, telling others not to come near
so that their food was not polluted. .The Brahman's chauka
was pointless because the line he drew around did not keep
out ignorance, hardness · of . heart, slander and anger. He
practised sinful hypocrisy, with · falsehood in his heart.
Guru Nanak had no appreciation for the notion of
impurity (sutak) to which the Brahman attached crucial
importance. Impurity is everywhere : inside cowduhg, in
wood, in every grain, and even in water which is the source
of life. Impurity enters the kitchen. The only way out is to .
discard the very notion through proper awareness. The
impurity of the mind is avarice; the impurity of the tongue
is falsehood; the impurity of eye is to look at women with
lust; the impurity of the ear is listening to slander. The whole
idea of siltak is an illusion. Birth and death occur through
God's will. All things created by God to eat and drink are
pure. They who realize this are free from the superstition
of sUtak. Food, water, fire, salt and ghee are regarded as holy;
the Brahman eats them and they turn into offal. What
deserves to be denounced is the mouth that does not utter
the Name and partakes of food without devotion to the .
Name. All food is pure except that which is physically,
mentally or morally harmfuL
The women were regarded impure because of
menstruation · and giving birth to a child. This was sheer
40 A SfUDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

ignorance. There could be no reproduction Without women,

and there could be no humanity without reproduction.
Human beings are conceived by women; they are born to
women; men are betrothed to women and marry them; new
generations are born. Men are dependent on women; if one
woman dies, man seeks another. Why should they be
denounced who give birth even to the rajan ? In traditional
reckoning birth as a king was regarded as noble. Even kings
were dependent on women. Only God is independent of
women.
Guru Nanak and his successors use the female voice
and many of their. metaphors and similes are drawn from
conjugal life. The wife who is not loved by her husband is
unfortunate and miserable : she is duhagan. The one who
is loved by her husband is fortunate and happy : she is
suhagan. The duhagan, who is engrossed in maya, is
compared to the wall of saline soil which goes on falling
bit by bit. Without the spouse, she wanders helplesslessly
and passes the night in misery. A whole composition by Guru
Nanak is on kuchajfi or the ill-mannered and unwanted
woman. The suhagan, on the other hand, is suchajfi; she
is rewarded for her good deeds and attains union. The
suhagan is a metaphor for the devotee who meets God
through His grace. The woman with merit is fortunate to be
loved by her spouse. The songs of happiness are sung in
h�r home. She loves her spouse and he loves her. The best
epithet that can be used for a woman is sada-suhagan : she
enjoys the love and care of her spouse for all times. She is
the symbol of the liberated individual. There is a whole
composition of Guru Nanak on suchajfi or the woman who
is devoted to her spouse and does everything expected of
·

an ideal wife.
The woman who loses her husband is extremely
unfortunate. The woman who is absorbed in the true Guru
never becomes a widow. The song of joy (sohila) is equally
relevant for both wedding and death (which leads to union
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 41

with God). The women sing songs on the arrival of the bride­
groom. They have every reason to sing the songs of joy when
the divine spouse comes home. Marriage, like death, is seen
as inevitable. He who does not remember God is like the
son of a prostitute who does not know his father. Apart from
bracketing men and women explicitly at places, there are
references to youth and beauty which surely reflect concern
for women. Youth and beauty are a source of haumai for
women. Without the remembrance of God, the beautiful eyes
of a lovely woman and her ravishing adornment of sixteen
kinds are a source of humiliation. As much as men, women
need and deserve liberation.
Some social practices advocated and mediated by
Brahmans in self-interest are not commendable in the eyes
of Guru Nanak. One of these is the performanc� of shradhs.
If a burglar steals from a house and uses the booty to offer
charity in the name of his ancestors, the dead ancestors
become a party to the theft. If the earnings of a jajman are
unlawful and he feeds Brahmans for the benefit of his dead
ancestors, the Brahman who serves as the 'broker' is equally
guilty. Reward can be received only by those who give
charity from lawfully earned profits or wages.
The popular practice of floating lamps in water induces
Guru Nanak to talk of the lamp of gian which cannot be
put out by the wind or water and which leads to liberation.
Lamps were lighted, for the dead · as obituary rites. Guru
Nanak says that his lamp is the Name, with suffering as the
oil. Its light ends all sorrow. God alone is his rice ball (pincj)
and platter (pattal); the true Name of God is his refuge in
this world and the next. The rice balls offered to gods and
to the dead ancestors through Brahmans, are of no use to
anyone except those who eat them. In any case, God's grace
does not depend on the Brahman's performance.
Guru Nanak takes up the issue of the Vaishnava
Brahman's vegetarianism. The debate about its spiritual merit
was rather misplaced. Meat was offered to gods in sacrifice.
42 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTII: SAHIB

The Puranas and the Semitic · books talk of meat; in all the
cosmic ages meat was eaten. They who cover their · nose to
avoid the smell of meat enjoy human flesh at night. The
clever pandit forgets that human beings are conceived and
born through flesh and they are made of flesh; It was strange
that thejajmiin who ate meat was supposed to go to hell
and the pandit who received charity from him was supposed
to go to heaven. If water is regarded as pure it cannot
become impure when it changes form. . Vegetarianism was
linked with ahinsa and Guru Nanak did not subscribe to
ahtnsa.
Guru Nanak comments on the practice of mourning.
Birth and death are ordained by God. He who gives life takes
it back. They who mourn the death of a dear one do not
remember that they themselves would die. Death provided
the occasion to reflect on the purpose of life. Formal
mourning served no good purpose. The whole debate about
the mode of the disposal · of the dead, whether cremation,
burial, exposure to animals and birds, throwing the corpse
in water or in a dry well, was futile. Guru Nanak's comment
on the clay of the Musalman being used by the potter and
burnt in fire can be appreciated in this context. The Muslim
claim that all Muslims would be saved and all infidels would
be burnt in the fire of hell, irrespective of what they do in
life, was refuted by what happens to the Musalman's clay
on the earth itself. It was far more important to think of what
one should do in life than what should be done to one's
body after death.
Like Guru Nanak, Guru Angad comments on the society
of his times. He refers to the sahils with their capital and
vanjaras who work for them; there is merchandise and profit
or loss; there are shops for purchasing goods of all kinds;
only they are appreciated who do not waste their capital.
There is cultivation and one reaps what one sows. Then there
are other occupations and professions. There is the vaid who
is expected to identify the disease and prescribe the right
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 43

medicine. There are female and male wet nurses, There are
servants, slaves, and labourers. There are mantris (who use
mantras for subduing dangerous creatures like cobras and
scorpions). Apart from servants and masters, the most
important ties are those of conjugality : there is the sauh or
the kant, and there are suhagans and duhagans. The woman
is subordinate in the home but the path of liberation is open
to her. Apart from the inegalitarian patriarchal family there
is the hierarchy of castes, with different duties prescribed for
Brahmans, Khatris and Shudras.
Guru Amar Das reiterates that caste does not count in
the eyes of God. None should be proud of one's caste. It
is the source of all evil. People talk of the four castes but
all human beings owe their existence to. the same seed. The
potter makes vessels of different forms and shapes from the
same clay; none can make them bigger or smaller. On gender
relations Guru Amar Das talks of the duhagan, the woman
who is not enjoyed by her spouse. He talks also of the
suhagan, the one whom God unites with himself. The
woman with merit prepares herself for the marital home
while she is in her natal home. She who serves the true Guru
and becomes one with him is a sada-suhagan. The sensual
duhagan goes to meet another man and she is abandoned
by her spouse. Guru Amar Das equates sutak with the inner
impurities which stand in the way of true worship, rejecting
the notion of pollution.
In the compositions of Guru Ram Das, metaphors and
similes come from a large number of occupations. To figure
most frequently are trade and agriculture. The sahu provides
capital for the vanjaras who make profits or suffer losses;
they have to render accounts. There are cities and towns with
markets and bazaars, traders and shopkeepers, sarra.ft and
moneylenders, merchandise, and storehouses, sellers and
buyers. There are artisans. Villages are founded and there
are peasant proprietors, tenant cultivators, and day labourers.
Kirsani demands skills and care. There are fields for sowing
44 A STIJDY OF GURU GRAN1H SAHIB

and harvesting crops; there are wells to irrigate them. ,

Watchmen protect the crops and guard . the heaps of grain.
Jaggery and sesame are specifically mentioned as agrarian
produce. The gardens bloom. The saline soil is no good for
cultivation. Though used in religious and ethical contexts,
the similes and metaphors bear witness to close observation.
The other occupations which provide metaphors and
similes for Guru Ram Das are those of the potter, the oil­
presser, the dyer, the vaid, the fisherman, the gardener, the
boatman, the water-diviner, the sutardhiir, and the prostitute.
The potter's wheel goes round and round to make vessels.
The bullock of the oil-presser g6es round and round in
blindness. The dyer's vat is used for imparting fast colours :
the majith and the red chalUlii (like the poppy flower) are
preferable to the bright but fast-fading kasumbh. The vaid
identifies the disease and provides medicine . The curse of
leprosy and the ailments like fever and migraine are
mentioned. The fisherman spreads his net to catch the fish.
The gardener looks after plants and flowers that are dear to
his master. The boatman takes people across the river, or
the sea. The water-diviner discovers underground water for
wells. The sutardhiir introduces the story to be enacted. The
prostitute does not know the father of her child. All these
images are used for the religious and ethical message of the·
Guru.
The social order is inegalitarian. There are rich,
propertied persons who enjoy high social status. There are
the high caste Brahmans and Khatris, and the low caste
Vaishyas and Shudras. Then there are the outcastes like the
charujiils. There are professional scribes, personal servants,
wageless labourers, grooms, thieves, beggars, and slaves.
Some of the similies come from the wrestling arena,
gambling, and the place of learning. Guru Ram Das refers
to the traditional duties of the Khatri, the Vaish and the
Shudra but his own duty is appropriation of niim which is
the source of liberation. Loving devotion is far preferable to
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 45

varnadharma. Guru Ram Das refers to the natal arid marital

homes, marriage, dowry and pregnancy. Just as the pregnant
woman cares for the conceived child in the hope of giving
birth to a son who would grow up toe earn · wealth, so God
takes care of his devotee and protects him.
The metaphors of Guru Arjan come largely from trade
and agriculture : the trader (sahu, vapari, bavia), the agent
(vanjarii) , the capital (riis), the profit (!aha, khattf), the
merchandise (sauda; vakhkhar), the shop (hat), the duty and
tax (jizya and cjufm), sowing of the crop, the watchman over
the harvest, and the proprietor of land. Two other similes
come from forced, unpaid labour (begar) and impersonation
(bhekh, sang) of the bazigar. The references to the four
varnas occur in connection with the message of Guru Arjan
and his predecessors. He who forgets God has no caste or
honour. A possibility has been created for the liberation of
all : the Khatri, the Brahman, the Sud, the Bais (Vais), and
the chancjal. The same message of the Name brings
liberation to the Khatri, the Brahman, the Sud and the Vais.
The four varnas tend to become a metaphor for the social
order as a whole. The principle of equality is clearly
enunciated. All human beings are made of the same clay
(matf) and have the same light (jot). God is the father, we
are his children.
This world is the natal home; the marital home is the
next world; marriage, therefore, stands for death, carrying the
implication that marriage for women is as natural and
inevitable as death. The married state is desirable, for the
woman does not look good without a spouse. The woman
who loves her husband is a real suhagan. Virtuous and
fortunate is the woman who is dyed in the love of her
spouse. To be · a suhagan is the ideal state for a woman :
all sorrows vanish on meeting the spouse. The woman has
friends only as long as her husband is with her; she is rolled
in dust after his death; no one is bothered about a woman
after . the death of her husband. The widow's plight is sad.
46 A STIJDY OF GURU GR.ANTII SAHIB

2 . Polity and Politics

One of the verses in the Asa df Var refers · to the human
frame and beauty being left behind after death and reward
or punishment being received according to one's good or
bad deeds; it refers to orders having been given at pleasure;
the former potentate has now to· tread the narrow path; he
stands exposed and looks frightening as he goes to hell; one
has to regret one's evil deeds in the end. The language used
in this stanza suggests that the potentate was a ruler and a
Muslim. In aqother stanza, reference to the Muslim ruler is
explicit when he is called sultan. Disgraced by God he
becomes lighter than the blade of grass and receives no
charity when he begs from door to door. They who had
caparisoned horses running fast like the wind, who had
colourful harams, who were proud of their splendid palaces
and tall mansions, and who did whatever they liked, are seen
as having wasted their lives without knowing God; issuing
commands to others they had forgotten death. Old age has
overtaken them. Presumably they would face judgement not
only for what they did as individuals but also as rulers.
There is explicit reference to Turko-Afghan rule (turk­
pathanf am!). It is seen as a characteristic of the Kaliyuga;
the name of God now is Allah and the favourite colour for
dress is blue. An assessment is built into this close association
of Turko-Afghan rule with the worst of the cosmic ages. In
the Kaliyuga has occurred the famine of truth and falsehood
has spread all around; human beings have turned into
goblins. The seed is crushed, and it cannot sprout. Greed,
evil, and lust are dominant like the raja, mehta and sikdar
(shiqqdar). The tlre of passion is the chariot and falsehood
the charioteer in the Kaliyuga. The assessment is not always
implicit. It is explicitly stated that 'they who perform namaz
can yet eat human beings'. This can be seen as a reference
to oppression under the Turko-Afghan rule.
Guru Nanak's comment covers the rulers as sultans,
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 47

badshahs and rajas; it covers the ruling class as naibs, khans,

maliks, the umara, and the shiqqdars. The intermediaries
between them and the subject people (rai'yat) are referred
to as mehtas and muqaddams. Like the ordinary people, the
rulers and the other representatives of the state die in the
end, leaving all their possessions behind. They remain
entangled in death and rebirth. The armies and palaces
provide no support without the true Name. The horses and
elephants, and spears and trumpets are false without the
remembrance of the Lord, and there is no liberation without
the Guru's shabad even for rajas, khans and maliks. Millions
may stand up to salute the masters of vast armies, and
millions may obey them, but all this is futile without honour
in God's court. Even more than the ordinary people, the
rulers suffer from the disease of haumai. Unlike the ordinary
people, the rulers collect wealth Cc:m the basis of their
power), and their thirst for power is never quenched. If
anything, the rulers and the state functionaries are more
disadvantaged than the ordinary people for the pursuit of
ethical and spiritual life.
Indeed, the rulers are butchers; they suck human blood.
The rajas act like lions and the muqaddams act like dogs;
they fall upon the people at will; the lions inflict wounds
and the blood is licked by the dogs. Justice is administered
not in the name of God (as a primary duty of the rulers)
but only when the palm is greased. There is discrimination
on the basis of faith. Now that the turn of the shaikhs has
come, Adi Purkh is called Allah; it has become customary
to tax gods and their temples.
The verses known as Babur-ba1Ji contain among other
things a political comment. The army of Babur is called the
marriage party of sin; brides are demanded by force; the rites
�f marriage are performed by Satan and not by the qazi or
the Brahman. The reference dearly is to rape. No distinction
was made between women of low and high caste, or
between Muslim and Hindu women. Khurasan (Kabul) was
48 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

occupied i n a friendly manner but Hindustan was threatened;

the Mughals descended as the agency of Death; the people
cried in suffering. God is the creator of all human beings.
If the mighty strike the mighty, the fight is equal. But if a
lion falls upon a herd of cattle, the master is accountable .
The unarmed, civilian, people were killed, and the rulers of
the land did not protect them. Thus, both Babur and the
Afghan rulers are blamed. The Afghans suffered for their
political failure. Gone are the sports and stables of the
erstwhile rulers, gone are their sword-belts and red tunics;
gone are their palaces and tall mansions, and the harams
in which beautiful women banished their sleep. Wealth
cannot be amassed without sins and it leads to misery. God
takes away the goodness from those whom he wishes to
mislead. Their tall mansions have been razed and even the
princes have been cut into pieces. The women of the ruling
classes lived a life of luxury and indulgence, oblivious of
God. They suffered with their men. They were dishonoured.
Had they thought beforehand they would not have suffered.
There is a moral dimension to the political situation in which
men and women suffer because of their misdeeds in
accordance with God's hukam.
With all their power, pride and pelf, the rulers were
subject to the power of God, the only true ruler. His service
is far preferable to service of the earthly rulers. That is why
nam is Guru Nanak's power, his diwan, his army and his
sultan. He who has direct access to the divine court does
not have to bow to anyone else. By turning to God, the
colourless cloth could be dyed and the split seed could
become whole to sprout again.
For Guru Angad, the state is represented by patshahs,
. salars, mirs and maliks, fotadars and chaudharis; orders are
issued and executed. There are the archers, with their bows
and arrows. Power is exercised in accordance with the divine
ordinance; they have no power of their own. The only power
·

in the universe is that of God.

 SOCIAL AWARENESS 49

For Guru Amar Das too, God is the true king. His rule
is eternal. In all the . four Yugas there is only . one ruler
(patshah) and only one command {amr). God is the King
of kings. There is no one above Him. There is only One
who heads the government of the universe and He alone
issues orders. Compared with the True King, the rulers of
the world pale into insignificance. Do not call them Rajas
who fight and die on the field of battle; they assume birth
again and again (like ordinary men). God has spread the true
umbrella over the heads of bhagats who enjoy real rulership
(patshahl). He who turns to the Guru, finds the rulership
of the world. The real patshahs. are they who are dyed in
the Name; all other patshahs are false.
In the compositions of Guru Ram Das figure kings and
emperors, dzwans, khans, maliks, and umara. Apart from
BhGpats and Rajas there are Raos and RaQ.as. There are local
administrators (shiqqd.qrs and chaudharfs) and there are
collectors of tax (jiigat'i). Courts are held and orders are
issued. Justice is sought and punishment inflicted. There are
forts, palaces, gates, and pillars. There are mints for striking
coins. There are the subject people. Over and above them
all is the power of God. Even the rulers are accountable to
Him.
Guru Arjan refers to the hierarchy of power from the
panchas to the Raja, through the shiqqdars, and the umara.
The real power belongs to God. He is the True Master
(Sachcha Sahib); true is His throne, and true His treasury;
His rule is true. The Lord of the universe is the master of
Khans and Sultans. He alone has the umbrella of sovereignty
over his head, and none else. He is the King of kings. The
prince and the pauper are the same in His eyes. He can
degrade the Sultans and Khans in a moment and exalt the
lowly to lordship. He can turn rulers into worms and raise
a worm to power. Horses and elephants are symbols of
power with which are associated the means of luxury a nd
indulgence. Without piety, however, rulership, riches, power,
50 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

pelf, and authority .are of no avail. Armies, deputies and

courtiers are the source of haumai, vast territory and
enjoyment of innumerable women are no more real than a
dream. There is no real satisfaction in being a Malik or a
Khan.
Earthly things are left behind : rulership; riches horses
and elephants, youth, fame, beauty and wealth. In
comparison with the eternal ruler, R.fu:J,as and lliio s are mere
beggars. Far preferable to their service (chakarl) and office
of status (potdarl) is God's service and honour in God's
court. The True Guru is the true king, the King of kings. To
sit in his presence is better than to stand in the presence
of emperors.

3. The Brahmanical Tradition

Guru Nanak's comprehensive comment on the Brahmanical
tradition includes scriptures, gods and goddesses, worship
of idols, ritual . charities, pilgrimage, hom, arati, and dance
and drama related to the human incarnations of Vishnu . As
representatives of the Brahmanical tradition, 'Hindus' praise
God as laid down in the Shastras; they bathe at sacred places
and worship idols in temples, burning incense. The
Brahmans were associated with learning. For Guru Nanak,
however, cartloads and boatfuls of books do not help. One
may read . books all the year round, all the months of a year
and with each breath but without any spiritual gain. What
matters, essentially, is dedication to God and faith in Him.
The foolish pandit flaunts his learning and skill in argument
but his real purpose is to garner wealth.
There is a whole shalok on the Brahman. He reads
books, performs worship, and engages in contention. He
worships stones and adopts the posture of meditation, like
the heron. He tells lies in a palatable manner. He recites the
Gayatrl three times a day. He wears a necklace of beads
around his neck and puts a paste mark on his forehead. He
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 51

keeps two dhotis and a · cloth to cover his head. If his idea
is to please God, his acts are surely futile. Jhe only way to
please God is to meditate on Him with complete sincerity.
Elsewhere in the bii1J,i of Guru Nanak there is much
about the beliefs and practices of the Brahman. The Master
who created air, water and fire also created Brahma, Vishnu
and Mahesh. He alone is the giver of gifts; all others are
beggars. There are thirty-three crores of gods who beg from
the supreme Lord. Nothing can be contained in an inverted
bowl; nectar falls into the bowl held upright. In other words,
nothing comes out of worshipping God's creatures, the so­
called gods, including Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Indeed,
like the rest of the world, Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra suffer
from the disease (of mortality). They are not eternal.
The Vedas are said to inculcate belief in the One whose
limits cannot be known, the only creator of the universe who
has established the earth and the sky without any visible
support. The Vedas are believed . to talk of bbagti which
shows the light. The Shastras and Smritis are said to talk of
the Name which leads to peace through the Guru's
instruction. However, the reci�tion of the Veda leads merely
to pride and contention, becoming a chain (that keeps one
bound to death and rebirth). Millions of lessons in the
Shastras and millions of recitations of the Puranas are of no
use if one does not find honour (in God's court). Such an
honour comes from the Name through God's grace . Guru
Nanak asks the pandit if he could show the way to God.
The question carries the implication that the pandit does not
know. Indeed, fools are called pandits. They merely talk and
never reflect. A real pandit is he who acquires gian; who
can see the One in all human beings and is free from
baumai. Some recite the Veda and some the Puranas; some
count beads; Guru Nanak recognizes only the Name.
Guru Nanak does not appreciate the practices followed
or recommended by the Brahman. Hom, jagg and reading
of the Puranas can have value only if they are acceptable
52 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

(to God). Liberation comes through the Name by turning to

the Guru and not through jagg, hom, pun, tap or pilja. If
the whole body is cut into pieces artd offered to the fire like
ghee, if the mind and the body are offered like firewood,
arid even if the act is repeated a million times, it cannot equal
the merit of appropriating the Name. The gods and
goddesses of stone are washed and worshipped but if they
are left in water they sink. What can they do for the
worshipper ?
If the idol itself has no relevance for genuine worship
of God, an arati offered to the idol can have no meaning.
No arati can be appropriate for the bestower of liberation.
The sky is the platter, the sun and the moon are the lamps,
the stars are the pearls, the fragrant air is the chaur, the entire
vegetation serves as flowers for offering and the unstruck
music is the drum played for Him. The whole creation is
a form of arati for Him.
Bathing at sacred places is of no use when the mind
is filled with the dirt of pride. The object of pilgrimage is
within oneself. The merit attributed to pilgrimage at all the
sixty-eight sacred place_s is at the Guru's feet. The real
pilgrimage is the Guru's sight and the company of sants. If
you are keen on pilgrimage, the real tirath is the Name and
the shabad. The gian given by the Guru is the real place
of pilgrimage with the merit attributed to bathing on ten
auspicious occasions. There is no tirath like the Guru.
The pandit reads books but does not understand; he
teaches others as a gainful occupation; his talk is false and
his actions show no awareness of the shabad. There are
many pandits who practise · astrology and talk of the Veda;
they remain subject to death and rebirth. Without the Guru's
. grace, they can never attain liberation. A real Brahman is he
who knows Brahm; he remains immersed in loving devotion
and realizes that God is in every human being. Greatness
comes from the Name and from recognizing the Guru's
shabad. He exercises restraint and regards contentment as
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 55

the · Vedas and gives elaborate expositions but he remains

entangled in maya. He remains oblivious of the divine Name
and receives punishment. He recites loudly and does not
search for the Brahm within; he teaches others but he himself
does not understand. He wastes his life · and is reborn again
and again. He expounds the Vedas, Shastras and Smritis but
he remains in illusion and does not grasp the essence.
Without serving the True Guru he gains no peace and
multiplies suffering. · Because of what he says and does, the
pandit cannot attain the 'fourth stage' (which is beyond the
three qualities). His ignorance keeps him in the dark all the
time. The Vedas talk loudly of the three qualities of maya.
He who remains attached to maya cannot have understanding.
God is both nirgut:t and sargut:t : the pandit does not grasp
this essence. He who becomes Brahmgiani is the real
Brahman. The learned pandit remains alien to his own 'self.
The alternative to the pandit's learning is reflection on the
Guru's shabad. The four Vedas were given to Brahma and
he reflected on them. But poor Brahma could not understand
the divine order (hukam) and remained occupied with hell
and heaven, and incarnations. The pandit sets himself up as
the teacher (padha) without having the qualifications of a
teacher. Entangled in maya, he keeps others entangled . The
daughter of his jajman is like his own daughter, but he
receives remuneration for performing her marriage ceremony.
The learning of the pandit does not lead to contentment. The
reading of the Vedas does not remove the dirt. His pride is
the result of his entanglement in maya. The study of the
Vedas does not lead to understanding of the Name. The
Vedas dwell merely on good and evil deeds. The Shastras
and Smritis do not lead to the goal of life. The pandit is
advised to appropriate the way meant for the followers of
the Gurus. An obvious implication of the invitation to the
pandit to adopt the Sikh way of life is the futility of his own
practices. All karm-kand is mere entanglement in maya. He
56 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

who entertains the notion of impurity (sutak) can never

perform a commendable deed or right worship. Pride
(abankar) is not eradicated by bathing at tiratbs. Right
thinking does not come by going to Kasi, nor does one get
rid of one's wrong thinking. The Kasi is in the mind. All the
sixty-eighttiratbs accompany him who has lodged God in
his heart. Only that sandbya is acceptable which leads to
the remembrance of God. Without realizing God, sandbya,
tarpan and gayatri lead to nothing but suffering. Drawn by
consciousness of the divine is the true cbauka; the divine
.

Name is the true food as the basis of human life. Were I

to become a paru;lit-jotki and read all the four Vedas, were
I to be known in all the nine regions of the earth for my
conduct and intelligence, were my cbauka never made
impure, (it would be a great misfortune); if I were to forget
cbaukas are false, the only true entity is
the true word; all
God. Guru Amar Das advises the panrta to replace the fasts
of Naumi, Dasami, Ekadasi and Duadasi by appropriation of
the truth to control his senses and to fmd the way to
liberation.
However, the pandit, the padba and the panrta are not
the only ones to be invited to the new path. The worshippers
of Krishna are told to recognize God (Bbagwant) and their
own self through the Guru's grace; they should control their .
mind and concentrate on the One; they should die · in life;
they should meditate on the Name so that they may attain
liberation. There is no bhakti in dancing and jumping; only
sbabad. There is a
he attains bhakti who dies through the
whole composition on dance in Rag Gujri. One should
'dance' for the Guru, and in accordance with the Guru's will,
to get rid of the fear of Death. He who turns to the Guru
becomes absorbed in the sbabad and 'dances' through God's
grace and is enabled by God to live in accordance with His
bukam. The true bbagats are the real giants. They 'dance'
to God's will.
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 57

The religious life reflected in the

bii?Ji of Guru Ram {)as
relates largely to Brahmanical dispensation : tiratb, barat,
fagg, pun, and pilja. Apart from the four Vedas, eighteen
Puranas, six darshans, Smritis and Shastras, there are
references to jap, tap and sanjam, thirty-three crores of gods,
siXty-eight places of pilgrimage, and the most sacred rivers.
Brahma, Vishnu and Mahadev appear as God's creatures.
There is nothing commendable in the beliefs and practices
of the Brahman.
The Vaishnavas take long to bring bells and cymbals
and to tune the rebeck. Far better it is to use this time in
contemplation of the Name. They take long to collect notes
and to tune melody of the measure. Far better it is to use
this time for laudation of the Lord. They take long to stretch
hands to form poses. Far better it is to use this time .to
contemplate the Divine Name. They should sing the praises
of God in the true association of God's devotees. Thereby
illumination would come and darkness would be lifted. The
devotees of God should 'dance the dance of contemplation'.
The Sikh way is far preferable to that of the Vaishnava
bbaktas.
Guru Arjan refers to the Brahmanical system of religious
beliefs and practices in which Brahman or the pandit, his
spotlessdboti, the sacred thread and the sacred mark,
performance of hom, the six essential duties, rites and
ceremonies, pilgrimage, fasting, recitation of the Vedas, and
reading of Shastras, Puranas and Smritis figure in a number
of verses. The Vedas sing God's praises but only inadequately.
Brahma, Indra, Vishnu, and his incarnations, are God's
creation. Brahma did not know the secret of God and avtars
did not know His limits. One could not attain God through
the Vedas as one could not do so through pilgrimage,
wandering all over and doling out charities. None of the six
schools of philosophy leads to the right path. The Brahman
gives instruction without knowing the truth.
58 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

4. · The Ascetical Tradition

Contrary to the general impression, Guru Nanak has little
appreciation for the jogis, and none for the ascetics in
general. In the japu, Guru Nanak tells the jogi to have the
earrings of contentment, the begging . bowl of productive
work, the ashes of meditation on God, the cloak of the fear
of death, the staff of trust, and the skill of k�eping his body
free from evil. To regard all human beings as equal is to
belong to the highest order of the jogis; to conquer the self
is to conquer the world. The jogi should hail the Eternal Lord
who has been there from the very beginning, who is without
blemish, who is indestructible, and who remains the same
throughout the cosmic ages. The jogi should make gian his
food and mercy the female-in-charge of the kitchen; instead
of blowing the horn he should hear the unstruck music (nad)
within himself; he should dedicate himself to the Master of
all human beings instead of seeking supranatural powers;
God alone determines union or separation and one receives
what He ordains.
The
jogiS meditate on the void and refer to God as
invisible (alakh); He has a subtle form; He is not affected
by maya; the whole universe is His visible body. Then there
are other ascetics in various garbs who inflict physical pain
on themselves. Some go without eating, others go without
any clothes. There are some who observe silence, and others
who go barefoot. There are some who eat dirty food and
put ashes in their hair. They are blind and they lose all
honour. Without the Name, none can find a place of honour.
Some live in the · wilderness or in cremation grounds. They
all regret in the end. What is common to them all are ascetical
practices and renunciation, carrying the implication of
mendicancy. Guru Nanak was opposed to all these.
Guru Nanak uses metaphors from the ideas and
practices of the jogis, reflecting his thorough familiarity with
their system and also his anxiety to underscore its
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 59

inadequacies. By smearing ashes on one's naked body, pride

does not vanish; this is not the way to jog; why forget the
name of God, which alone is helpful in the end ? Why not
remember him who is the giver of the body and the life
within it; jog is not to be found in marhis and masa1:zs. Guru
Nanak has no appreciation for the aspiration to acquire
supranatural powers. God bestows gifts in accordance with
His greatness; when He is kind He bestows the gift of the
Name, the greatest of all gifts. Compared with this gift no
power is of any value : neither the power to create fire out
of ice, to eat iron for food, to drink all suffering like water,
to ride the earth as a mount, to weigh the skies in a balance,
nor to become so large as to be contained nowhere, to have
power over everyone, nor to do whatever one likes and
make others do what one likes.
Guru Nanak tells the jogis that jog does not consist in
donning the cloak, holding the staff, or smearing the body
with ashes. It does not consist in wearing the earrings,
shaving the head, or blowing the horn (singf). The secret
· of jog lies in remaining detached-in-attachment. Jog does not
consist in mere talk; only he can be called a real jogi who
regards all human beings as equal. Jog does not consist in
living outside (habitations) in marhis and masti1JS; it does
· not consist in deep meditation. Jog does not consist in
wandering . in different countries in all the ten directions; it
does not consist in bathing at sacred places. Jog is attained
by remaining detached-in-attachment. All illusions vanish on
meeting the true Guru and the mind is stilled. The ambrosia
begins to drop down, the unstruck music is heard, and God
is recognized within oneself. Jog is attained thus by
remaining detached-in-attachment. Jog should be pursued in
such a way that one becomes dead-in-life. The state of
fearlessness is attained when the singi produces music
unblown.
Guru Nanak tells Machhandar to control the five senses
as the right way to jog; he should try to liberate others as
60 A STUDY OF GURU GRAN11i SAHIB

well as himself. The one who does this remains absorbed

in God all the time. He should beg for loving devotion in
fear. His thirst would be quenched and contentment would
well up. He should meditate on God to become one with
Him. He should meditate deeply on the true .:Name. The real
avadhut remains hopeless�in�hope, and recognizes God. The
union of God and human being is the secret revealed by
Guru Nanak.
Guru Nanak talks of bhakti�jog as the real jog. The
earrings are internal to the body which itself is the cloak;
the mind is the staff to control the five senses; this is the
way to jog. There is one Word and no other; dedication to
it is the food · of roots and fruits. If by shaving the head one
finds God, there are many who do this on the banks of the
Ganges. The blind do not tum to the only master of the three
worlds. The fear (of death) is not removed by sham talk.
Take refuge in the One, forsaking greed. The jogf should
remember the Pure One and not indulge in false talk. They
who adopt forgiveness, and whose fast is contentment, they
get rid. of the disease and do not suffer death. They attain
liberation and are assimilated to the formless one. The real
jogf has no fear. The fearless jogf invokes .the Pure One;
keeps awake to meditate on truth; that is the kind of jogf
who is appreciated. He bums the fear of death in the fire
of gian; he gets rid of pride on the path of death; he attains
liberation for himself and his forebears. He who serves the
true Guru is the real jogf. Immersed in fear he becomes
fearless; he is assimilated to the One he serves.
In a number of verses Guru Nanak uses the terminology
of the jogfs to convey his own message and to express his
own values. The shabad is the real jogi's hom and through
it he hears the unstruck divine musk. The Guru's shabad
is the mundra in his heart; forgiveness is his cloak; he
accepts what God does as the best for him; he fmds the
treasure of sahaj-jog. He who is linked with God is the real
Jogi; the name of the Pure One is his nectar and he tastes
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 61

the juice gzan. Meditating on God, he discards all

of
contention; the shabad is his singi to hear sweet music day
and night. Reflection is his bowl and gian his staff; awareness
of God's presence is his bibhut. Guru Nanak is quite explicit :
'The praise of God is our established practice and our panth
is Gurmukh panth'. The same light in innumerable forms is
our samya. Guru Nanak tells Bharthari jogi that the object
of his devotion is the One. Guru Nanak offers to the jog'is
the praises of God, meditation on Him, the shabad of the
true Guru, his bat#, service, acceptance of God's will, and
his Name. Treating all human beings with equal consideration
is the state of sahaj; the shabad constitutes the alms for a
real jogi.
Asceticism, renunciation, and mendicancy were some
of the characteristics of the jog'is, but these were not confined
to them. There were other categories of renunciants who
practised austerities, generally known as sanyas'is and
bairagis. Guru Nanak makes a similar comment on them.
The fire is not quenched by wandering in all the ten
directions; the inner dirt is not removed by roaming in
various garbs. The instruction of true Guru leads to bhagti;
the thirst due to haumai is quenched by what the Guru says.
Austerities in a cave in a mountain of gold or in deep waters,
and hanging upside down between the earth and the sky
is durmat, like covering the entire body with dresses of all
kinds or remaining deliberately dirty (like the Jain monks).
He with whom God is pleased is the real balragi. With the
awe of God and love of the shabad in his heart he serves
the Guru. There can be no bairag in dual affiliation
(dubidha). A siddh, a sadhik, a jogi or a jangam is he who
invokes the One. He recites the Lord's name and does not
care forjap, tap, sanjam or karm. Through the Guru and
the shabad he attains liberation. He who begs for food and
clothes remains hungry here and suffers sorrow hereafter.
Without gurmat, he loses honour. The way of bhagti is found
through the Guru's instruction.
62 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

The Jain monks are criticized most severely. The

pluckheads drink dirty water and eat the leftover food. They
spread out their offal and smell its bad odour. They are shy
of water. They pluck their hair with their fingers smeared
with ashes. They abandon their occupation, and their family
weeps for them. They sit together as if in mourning. With
cups tied to their waist and threads on their wrists, they move
in a single . file. They are neither jogis nor jaftgams, neither
qazis nor mullas; they are cursed by God, the whole lot of
them. They do not realize that God alone gives life and takes
it away. They are strangers to dan and isnan. Water is the
source of all food and life. The Guru is the ocean and his
Sikhs the streams (for anyone to bathe in their association).
If the pluckheads do not bathe, let there be seven handfuls
of dust over their heads. To the asceticism, renunciation, and
mendicancy of the Jain monks is added their uncleanliness
and atheism. The gulf between the Jain monks and Guru
Nanak was thus the widest.
Guru Angad looks upon the scope of Yoga as narrow.
Guru Amar Das refer to jogis, sanyasis, siddhs, sadhiks, and
maun-dharis. The jogis, jaftgams and sanyasis suffer from
pride; their demand for alms is not confined to food and
dress; they waste their lives in proud obstinacy (hath). Only
he meditates truly who meditates on the Name by turning
to the Guru. He who receives the Name by turning to the
Guru is the real jogi and knows the real technique; one does
not become a jogi by adopting the garb of a jogi. One may
learn all the postures of the siddhs and control one's senses
but the dirt of the mind is not removed so long as one does
not get rid of haumai. The jogis, jaftgatns and sanyasis
remain alien to the truth without the Guru. The jogi, the
pandit and the bhekh-dhari stand bracketed as engrossed in
maya.
Guru Ram Das prays to God that the heart of all may
bend to divine devotion. The jogi strums the gut but his harp
sounds hollow. His heart can be drenched in joy only by
 SOCIAL AWARENESS 63

the Guru's instruction. The songs that the jogf sings and his
manifold utterances are only play of the mind : the bullocks
he yokes to the wheel to irrigate the field eat away the tender
shoots. Guru Arjan refers . tojogis, sanyasis, tapsis, . mo n is,
udasis, avadhuts and jatis as ascetics. The jogi's khintha is
a mark of his identity. His matted hair: and wanderings and
the ascetical postures of the jogis and siddhs are also
mentioned. Common to them all is renunciation which is
opposed to the Sikh ideal of detached attitude amidst social
commitment.

5. The Islamic Tradition

In the Asa di liar, there is comment on Islamic beliefs and
practices. The Semitic scriptures are referred to as kateb. The
Musalmans praise the sharf'at above all else; they study it
and reflect on it. They believe that the servant of God accepts
the bonds of the sharf'at to have a sight of God .in Paradise.
In their · belief, the non-believers were destined to suffer the
torments of hell, but only God knows what will happen to
human beings after death. The Muslim claim to an exclusive
possession of the truth has no justification.
Guru Nanak refers to the various categories of religious
persons among Muslims. Apart from the prophets, there are
pirs and shaikhs, qazfs and mullas, saliks, sadiqs and
shahfds, and there are darveshes at God's door. For
abundance of His blessings, they recite special prayers .
However, God does not consult anyone when he creates or
destroys, when he gives or takes away. His power is known
only to Him and He does what He likes. He watches
everyone and bestows His grace on anyone He likes. His
hukam cannot be measured, and none can describe it. Even
a hundred poets coming together cannot describe a small
part (of His power); they can only cry in despair. Allah is
unfathomable and limitless, the true patron whose name is
pure and whose abode is pure. The implication is that
64 A S11JDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

Muslims may claim to know Allah and His true worship, but
Allah even of their scripture is inscrutable and His will cannot
be anticipated.
Guru Nanak advises Musalmiins to recite the name of
Khuda with inner faith and not for the sake of appearance .
This advice is preceded by the statement that a cloth soiled
by bloocf is regarded as impure (palit); how can the heart
of a person who drinks human blood be pure (nirmal) ? He
who regards mercy as the mosque, sincerity of faith as the
prayer mat, honest earning · as the Qur'an, modesty as the
circumcision, and good will as the fast is a real Musalmiin.
Good conduct is his pilgrimage, truth his pir, and compassion
his kalma and namaz. 'What pleases God' is his rosary. Such
a Musalmiin receives honour from God.
The importance of honest living and action is
emphasized in similar terms. What belongs to others should
be regardeq as pork by a . Musalmiin. Even the pir would
intercede only on behalf of that Musalmiin who does not eat
dishonestly earned food. Not by mere profession but by true
actions can he go to heaven. Unlawful food does not become
lawful if spice is added to it. Falsehood begets ·. only
t\;uth',
falsehood. The first of the five daily prayers should be '
the second 'what is lawful', and the third 'good will for\ all';
'right intention' should be the fourth prayer, and the fifth
should be 'the praises of God'. O!fly he can be called
Musalmiin whose kalma is 'good conduct'.
In one verse there is a suggestion that Guru Nanak
appreciates the ways of the Sufis more than those of the
' ulama. It is not easy to be a Musalmiin; one should be called
so if one is a real Musalmiin. First of all he should adopt
the path of the aufiya and remove all impurities to clear the
mirror of his heart. He should submit to the guide so as to
obliterate the difference between life and death. He should
accept the will of God and lose all sense of self. He should
be compassionate towards all human beings. Only then can
 SOCIAL· AWARENESS 65

he be called a Musalman. Some of the basic . values of the

SUfis are brought into focus here.
However, Guru Nanak's appreciation for the SUfis was
not unqualified. There were certain practices of the Sufis
which he did not appreciate. One of these was their general
acceptance of patronage from the state in the form of
revenue-free · lands. Guru Nanak . says that the Name is his
summer harve,st; his winter harvest is the true Name; he has
received this grant (mahdud) from the door of the Lord.
There are numerous doors in the world and there are
innumerable .beggars who beg thereat. The shaikhs do not
beg at God's door. . They look to the state for patronage. This
statement is preceded by a strong denunciation of the
practice of the Sufi shaikhs to bestow caps (kulha) upon their
disciples by way of authorization to guide others. This, in
Guru Nanak's eyes; is presumptuous. Only God knows
whether or nor one is acceptable in his court. The shaikh
presumes that he is; furthermore, he thinks that he can
enable others to find the goal who can guide still others.
The shaikh is compared to a rat which is too fat to enter
the hole and yet attaches a winnowing basket to its tail. All
those who give and receive such blessings lose honour.
In his comments on contemporary Islam, Guru Nanak
defines maulii (an. epithet for Allah) as the master who
created the world with all that flourishes in it. The . mullii .
should be afraid of his power. The mullii and the qiizi should
recognize God; their learning would not save them from ·

death. The real qiizi discards 'self and makes the Name his
sole refuge. The true creator is there now and shall be there
when all else has perished. The learned Musalman performs
five daily prayers and · reads the Qur'iin and other books;
when the call comes froin the grave all is left behind. The
practices of the 'ulamii do not earn any merit for the life
hereafter.
The representatives of all the three traditions follow the
path ofruin. The Brahman bathes and kills living beings; only
66 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTil: SAHIB

he is a real Brahman who meditates on God, liberates himself

and leads others to liberation. The jogi is blind to the real
skill; only he is a realjogi who realizes that he needs the
Guru's grace to recognize the One. The qazi speaks
falsehood and eats dirt; only he is a real qazi who turns his
back (on maya) and through the Guru's grace becomes dead
while alive. Implicit in this critique is the invitation to the
Brahman, the jogi and the qazr: to follow the path adopted
'
by Guru Nanak.
Guru Nanak was familiar with the tradition of guru and
chela in all the three traditions.. He has a telling comment
to make on this tradition : The disciples whose guru is blind
can find no ·place. Without the true Guru one cannot find
nam and without nam one cannot have the taste (of
liberation) . The sadhs and sants whom Guru Nanak
appreciates have to be carefully identified.
Guru Amar Das states that real darveshes are rare. To
beg from door to door is a blot on the garb of a darvesh,
and his life is a curse. To discard hope and fear by turning
to the Guru is the means to receive the alms of the Name.
Guru Amar Das addresses the shaikh and asks him to discard
the pride of power and to entertain the fear of God. He
should pierce his hard heart with the (arrow of the) shabad
so that peace is lodged in his heart. He should act with peace
in his mind to find a place with the Master. The shaikb
wanders in all the four directions; he should concentrate his
mind on the One. He should forget 'here and there' and
recognize the shabad of the . Guru; prostrate before the True
Guru who is the knower of everything; burn all hope and
fear and live Uke a guest in this world. He should walk in
accordance with the True Guru's will so that he may receive
honour in the divine . court. Not to . remember the Name is
to remain accursed in what one wears and what one eats.
Evidently, Guru Amar Das invites the representatives of Islam
to follow the Guru's path. •
Guru Arjan's composition� reflect his familiarity with
 CHAPTER II
' .
·. .· . .

Conceptio11; of God

The source of social awareness that we have noticed in the

previous chapter was . a · new spiritual and moral vision. Of
crucial importance in this vision was the conception of God.
The most important attributes of God were His power and
grace . as two sides · of the same coin. The concepts of bukam
and nadar flowed from these attributes. The most important
. -

expression of grace was div:irie self-revelation through the

Guru and the Shabad. A comprehensive concept that related
to the conception of God,· divine self.,revelation, and the
message of Guru Nanak and his successors was the Name
which symbolized their religion · as nam-dbarm.

1. Unity; Power and Grace

. . ·. ·. : .
Guru Nanak's religious thought is emphatically monotheistic.
He believes . in one God and r1.o other. Equal emphasis on
. .
'one' and 'no · other' runs thro ugh
the compositions of his
successorS as welL . A large number of epithets are used for
one . · and the same God. Appropriately, the . symbol of unity ·

is the figure '1' (ik) and 'omikar', a person who alone is

eternal (satt) and who alone is active (karta). He Is devoid
of fear and enmity, He never dies and He is never born. He
ttri
is self·existent. These a butes of God in what is popularly
called the mUlmantar occur at many places in Gurbii?Ji, and
;
underscore God s transcendence; In the japu, His existence
before the beginning of time, in the cosmic ages, and after
the end of time is emphasized. In this sense, God is equated
with Truth. His is the command (bukam) and He is the
70 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

bestower of all gifts (data). What pleases Him is good. · His

greatness cannot be comprehended. He is subject to . no
limitation whatever.
The Asa di Var refers to the creation of the physical
and the moral world. God created Himself and His power;
He looks at His creation with pleasure. He is the giver and
the doer; He gives life and takes it away; pervasive
everywhere, He enjoys his sport. Some have the chains of
slavery on their necks and others ride horses; God alone is
the doer of everything; only He can take care. He sustains
life in the world; all created beings do what .He ordains for
them; apart from Him there is no refuge; He is the merciful
one (rahim) who sustains the world. Like God's transcendence
and His imma nence, His power and grace go · together. His
grace enables human beings to do what He likes; they act
in accordance with . His hukam; by doing so they become
acceptable in God's court.
Everything related to God is true : the universe, the
worlds, the continents and the forms He . has created; His
decree and His court, His ordinance and His grace. Great
is His state; mighty is His Name; true is His justice; immutable
is His station; He knows everyone's innermost thoughts and
desires; He confers favours of His free will; He is the sole
reality; all that happens is due to His will (raza).
Marvellous is God's creation : the varied forms _pf
speech and scripture; the multiplicity of creation and its ·

distinctions; the created forms and their variety; air, water;

fire, the earth and the spurces of life; pleasures in which the
human beings are involved; union and separation; hunger
and indulgence; God;s worship and praise; some straying
away and others following the straight path; some close to
God and others far away. We can see that Guru Nanak talks
. .c;>f both the moral · and the . physical world in relation to . God
and his hukam and nadar. ·

God's power is manifest everywhere : in the nether

regions and the skies, in the Vedas, Puranas and semitic
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 71

scriptures, in eating, drinking and wearing of apparel, in love,

in fear and joy, in groups, species and forms, in living beings
all the world over, in good and evil, in honour and dishonour,
in air, water, fire and the dust-laden earth. God (karta, kadar)
watches all creation · operating in accordance with His
ordinance (bukam). He alone is everywhere. Having brought
forth creatures He looks after them all. The creator who made
them · is mindful of them. He feels concerned for them.
God alone is the true formless one, without fear of
annihilation. Everything else is subject to fear : the wind that
blows, the rivers that flow, fire, the earth, Indra, the sun and
the moon, the skies, Dbarm Raj, Siddhs, Buddhs and Naths,
mighty heroes, and swarms of beings coming and going. The
writ of fear has been recorded over the forehead of all.
Everything is false and short-lived : the ruler and the ruled,
gorgeous theatres and bowers of ease and those who live
in them, gold and silver and those who wear them, the
human frame, beauty and the raiment, the relationship of
husband and wife, the false attached to the false and
oblivious of the creator, the whole world.
The conception of God put forth in the japuji and Asa
di Var is reinforced and amplified in the rest of Guru Nanak's
compositions. God alone is everywhere and in everything;
there is no one else. He alone is true and pure; everything
else is replete with impurity. He created Himself and He
created the universe as His sport; only His grace can enable
one to recognize the sole existence of the true one. The pure
one is in everyone, in all men and all women. His power
is operative everywhere, and everything happens in
accordance with His bukam The creator takes care of all
His creation : this is His grace. Above the three qualities, the
formless God represents the fourth state. Concealed in His
creation, God is the real life of every human being. The
created beings have no power; all are born in accordance
with His bukam, and they act in accordance with it; they
remain subject to death and rebirth in accordance with His
72 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

hukam and they are absorbed in the truth in accordance with

it. Millions are created and destroyed in a moment in
accordance with His bukam; all remain chained to death and
rebirth except those to whom He shows His grace . . Liberation
is possible only through His nadar. Only through His kirpa
one is able to realize the one in all.
.
Like Guru Nanak, Guru Angad uses a number of
epithets for God. The unity of God is explicitly emphasized
by the use of the term eko. God alone is the eternal and
omnipotent creator, preserver, and destroyer. He alone is the
support of all; He cares for all; He is the sole giver of boons;
He is the sole judge of merit. He · is infinite. He is without
attributes (niranjan) and with attributes (gu'I'JV. He is in
everything and in everyone, and yet beyond everything and
everyone. He alone is true, no other.
Guru Angad uses nadar, kirpa, karm and prasad for
the grace of God. Through the nadar of the Sarraf one is
released from the chain . of transmigration. Through God's
kirpa one may appropriate the sbabad of the Guru. They
receive grace who preserve · the capital received from the
Sabu (God). Guru Angad may be referring to his own
. position when he says that a gift received from oneself counts
for nothing; the . real miracle is to receive it through the grace
of the Lord. There is hardly any doubt that turning to the
Guru and attaining liberation are seen by Guru Angad as t}:le
mark of God's grace. By turning to the Guru one recognizes
and transcends the evil prevalent in the Kaliyuga. .
Like . Guru Nanak, Guru Angad looks upon divine grace
and divine ordinance (bukam, bha'I'Ja, raza) as complementary
expressions of the omnipotence and compassion of God. By
recognizing the divine ordinance (bukam) one may meet the
Master; all that happens is due to His Will (raza). Through
divine ordinance, . some are united and · others kept
wandering; some are redeemed and others remain engrossed
in . the world (maya). The Master's command canriot be
disobeyed; even kings arid commanders obey His orders;
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 73

what He approves of is the best; they who pbey His orders

have no power of their own; one lives as ordained by Him;
He sends human beings into the world and calls them back.
He is all In all. No one knows what He would determine.
The blind are not they who have no eyes but they who do
not recognize the divine ordinance (hukam).
In the biitli of Guru Amar Das, God is uncompromisingly
one. He created Himself and, therefore, there is no other.
The One alone is eternally . true and there is no one else.
Before the. creation of the three worlds there was only the
formless one (nirankar). He is sargu1J and nirgu1J at the
same time. He created the universe and became the creator.
He is the only doer (kartar). The elements like air, water
and fire, and all forms spring from Him. All living beings
are His and He is of everyone. He is out there in the universe
and He is here within every human frame. There is no other
entity even remotely comparable with Him. He alone is all
·

pervasive and there is no othet.

The Fearless One (nirbhau) is always kind. The body
and the soul are His gifts; He is the only giver of gifts for
all and He shows the right path to those who go astray. He
does everything and His ·hukam prevails everywhere. The
person to whom God shows His grace (nadar) attains
liberation. By recognizing God's hukam, one receives
comforts of all kinds, and gains peace. The only giver is the
only friend. Everything appears through His hukam and
everything disappears through His hukam. He is the only
Lord of all, there is no other. All have only one Master.
Through His grace He shows the right path. God created Shiv
and Shakti and He governs the universe. He Himself
disposes, and watches His sport. Through God's grace alone
one turns to the Guru and dedicates oneself to the One. The
doer(karta) Himself makes His devotees understand His
hukam. The world is under the illusion of the three qualities,
and the whole life passes in illusion. The one who is
awakened by the Guru's grace dedicates oneself to God and
74 A STI.JDY OF GuRU GRANTii SAHIB

sings the nectar-like barfi. The giver of all gifts should never
be forgotten. The one who remembers Him comes to no
harm. God . leads to loving devotion through the Guru. ·The
ones who are dedicated to God through the Guru's grace
attain God in the midst of maya. God's power and grace
appear to be more important to Guru Amar Das than the
other attributes of an omnipotent and merciful God.
Theology forms the core of the ba1J'i of Guru Rain Das.
The basic ideas are put forth in the So Purkh. The Supreme
Being is the one Supreme Reality, the Primal Purkh who has
no equal. He is immaculate, inaccessible, immeasurable, ever
constant, immutable, and changeless. He is the sole .creator
and the sole provider. Pervasive in all creatures, He abides
within all. None besides Him operates in the universe .. All
that He wills comes to pass. All creation is brought into being
by Him and disappears into nothingness by His decree. Some
are made donors and others beggars. He annuls all suffering.
He is free from fear and the one who meditates on Him
becomes free from fear. Union and alienation are in His
power. Realization of God comes to those who by Him are
enlightened. He is · made manifest by the Guru's grace.
The ideas expressed in the So Purkh are reinforced in
many other compositions of Guru Ram Das . There is only
one God, one creator, one court and one command. The
Primal Purkh is beyond all reach; He is the sole Formless
Absolute. He is the sole creator, the sole cause and source
of all things. He Himself creates and dissolves creation. None
but He has power and His ordinance is operative in the
universe. He alone confers greatness. He has no form or
feature and yet He pervades all creation. He alone is outside
and inside. He shows His form and meditates on it. He is
the Silerit One but discourses on enlightenment. He is the
voluptuary and the anchorite. He Himself is Brindaban's
milkmaids and Krishna grazing cows in the forest. He is
the child who destroys Kansa. The depiction of God's
immanence in the ba1Ji of Guru Ram Das is both detailed
and frequent.
 CONCEPTiON "OF GOD 75

Guru Ram Das uses sbabad for the divine · ordinance.

Itis the same ordinance (eko shabad) everywhere. All are
covered by his ordinance (shabad). The other terms used for
the divine ordinance are bukam, bba1;ta, and raza. Nothing
can be done on one's own; God keeps all as He likes. He
alone is the Master and everyone is . subject to His command
(bukam). He does what He likes . and all have to submit to
His Will (raza). Evidently, h ukam, bba1;ta and raza are used
as synonyms. . . .

God's bha1;ta tends to merge with his grace. Whomever

He likes He · unites with Himself. The terms generally used
for grace are nadar, kirpa, prasad, and daya. One may
·

receive the gift of loving devotion thi:cmgh the Guru's grace

(nadar). The one on whom the Beloved looks with grace
(nadar} meditates on · the feet of God. Through the grace
(kirpa) of the True Guru · one may meet God; through the
grace (daya) of the Guru one may meet God. It is through
God's grace (kirpti) that one serves the True Guru. It is
through the Guru's grace (kirpa) that one realizes the eternal,
inscrutable, and infinite Beloved. Through the grace (kirpa)
of the bestower of peace (sukbdata) one may receive the
word (bachan) of the True Guru. Everyone wishes to see
God but only they see Him whom He shows Himself; only
through the grace (nadar) of the Beloved, one turns to God.
The phrase Gurprasadi occurs frequently in the ba1;ti of Guru
Ram Das. God cares for all human beings like father and
mother.
For Guru Arjan, God is one. There is none except the
one. Know Him as the one, the only one. He is both nirgu1J
and sargu1J. He is nirgu?J and sargu1J at one and the same
time. Unmanifest, He is nirgu?J; manifest, He is sargu11-. The
unity of the nirgu11- and sargu1J God is underscored iri a
whole shabad. He remained unmanifest in a- complete void
(surm) and darkness (dhundukara) and then he made
Himself manifest all by Himself; He alone is the cause of
all things. He is the creator of millions of Brahmas, Vishnus
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 79

ignorant. Liberation and hell are in accordance with the

hukam.
God-has created the mighty ocean. Some are made
ignorant manmukhs and stand in helL Some are taken across
by the True Guru in the true boat. Creation and destruction
are through His hukam. Living beings are created and
destroyed. He watches over His. sport and enjoys all its states.
He has created . the universe as a wrestling arena.
Nadar (grace) is closely related to hukam. The rain
comes through God's hukam; it is also an act of grace.
Through God's grace (kirpa), one remembers God. Through
His kindness (daya) one sings his praises. The creator shows
kindness and the thirst of all living beings is slaked. Through
the Guru's grace (prasad) one receives a kind glance (nadar)
from God. The Lord shows his kindness and one gets
attached to the Guru's feet. Auspicious is the month, the day
and the time when the Lord shows his grace (nadar) and
through His grace (kirpa) one receives the boon of His sight
(dars). When God shows His grace, one utters the Name with
one's tongue. It is through God's grace that the gift of the
Name is received as a treasure. It is through God's grace that
one takes the human birth. It is through God's grace that
one becomes a bhagat or a gianf. They who take refuge
in God have no anxiety; they who receive His grace remain
all welL The truth is ever pure and one becomes pure if one
receives this truth through the Guru's grace (nadar). Through
! · the Guru's grace the noose of death is cut and the body and
mind enjoy peace . It is through God's grace that one gets
attached to his bhagti. One turns dead in life and attains
liberation if God shows His grace (karm). It is through God's
kindness that one meets the Guru. God shows His kindness
to the lowest of the low and they become His devoted
servants. The body and the mind · become cool through the
all satisfying grace · (nadar) of God.
The Islamic epithets for God include karim and rahim.
God is the kind Master {mihrwan Maula). The mihr of God
 80 A STIIDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

and His bmidagi go together. If God (Maula) shows His

kindness (mibr) one worships the Lord. Man performs deeds
ordained by God and through His grace he conquers the
mind in association with siidbs. Happiness comes through
the Guru's sight, and through His grace one subdues the five
adversaries (the senses). If one lodges the Guru's feet in one's
heart, the Guru shows his grace to lead one to the Lord.
Through God's grace one remembers Him all the time and
acquires His hue.
The idea of grace does not infringe the omnipotence
of God : it reinforces. the idea that nothing happens in human
affairs without His power or compassion. In the bii'(lt of Guru
Arjan, the greater emphasis is on the acceptance of the
bhii'(lii of God rather than · on His great majesty and power.
Expressed in diverse ways, the bbii'(lii of God remains close
to His kirpii.

2 . The Guru
Guru Nanak says in the japujt that the Guru's word is ntid
· and veda; it is everywhere; the Guru is Brahma, Vishnu and
Mahesh; the Guru is Mother Parbati; he imparts such an
understanding that one never forgets the bestower of gifts
on all. There is a reference to the instruction of the one Guru.
He who appropriates the Guru's word is liberated and he
can liberate others. In the Asa d'i Viir, the Guru is praised
·

for transforming human beings into gods in a moment. They

who do not turn to the Guru are like the seedless sesame
plant which flower� and blossoms but only to be filled with
ash and, therefore, · left standing in the field when the crop
is harvested.
In Sri Rag, truth is found through the perfect Guru's
grace. By meditating on the Guru, ' One may fmd the ladder
to scale the wall of the fort. The Guru is the ladder, the boat,
and the raft. The Guru is the ship that takes acrqss the sea.
The Guru is the river, the ttrath; through his grace one may
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 81

bathe in the lake of truth. The Guru is found in the smit

sabha which is the source of the gift of liberation. Without
the Guru one cannot be free from the chain of the three
qualities (trikuti) and attain to the peace of sahaj. Through
God's grace one may recognize Him within oneself. The dirt
cannot be removed without the Guru and God cannot be
lodged in the heart without removing the dirt. One who
knows of the Guru and yet does not turn to him can have
no merit. Only the Guru can save one from remaining
engrossed in maya. By reflection on the Guru, the boat of
truth, one may get across the ocean of transmigration. The
true Guru 'enables one to meet God. By reflecting on the
Guru one may hear the unstruck music (anhad shabad);
haumai is destroyed by anhad ba1Ji. By serving the true
Guru one finds the honour of nam from the divine court.
By meeting the true Guru (SadhG), one finds the treasure
of the shabad. Discarding haumai, one should turn to the
service of the Guru, the pool of water (that washes away
all sins). The true Gum gives nam to serve God day and
night. By lodging God in the heart one meets the Guru. With
the true Guru as one's friend, one receives truth and honour
in the divine court. The true Guru is found in sat-sangat by
singing God's praises through the shabad. Without the
instruction of the true Guru there can be no bhagt'i. He who
does not meet the true Guru remains chained to death and
rebirth. They who enjoy the pleasure of the true Guru are
perfect and wise. The false fail to see the Guru. The mind
is tuned to God only by praising Him through the Guru's
shabad. On the whole, the Guru appears to refer to God
and to the inner voice. But it refers also to Guru Nanak.
In Rag Prabhati there is an explicit reference to the
Guru's updes as a precious treasure which the Sikh can find
after search. In Rag Bhairo and Rag Basmit there are
references to Gur, Gur ki kar, Gur-shabad, Gurmukh and
saiu sabha which are suggestive of the Guru and his Sikhs.
The Siddh Gost is essentially a comparison between the way
82 A STIJDY OF GURU GRAN'IH SAHIB

of the jogis and the way of Guru Nanak marked by nam,

dan and isnan, the ideal of detachment (lisa mabi niriis),
the concept of dying to the self (jivat marna) through the
Guru's sbabad to be regenerated, and the conception of the
fourth state (cbautba sunn) as the state of liberation. The
Gurmukh who occupies the centre of the stage is essentially
the ideal Sikh. Therefore, the terms used in the Siddb Gost
in relation to the Guru, the true Guru, Gur ka shabad, nam,
sbabad-guru and ba1Ji can be appreciated in a context that
includes the presence of Guru Nanak and his Sikhs who met
for congregational worship through the shabad, .the ba1Ji of
Guru Nanak. There are sadbiks, siddbs and many other gurus
and their cbeliis, but true understanding of the one who is
manifest and concealed at one and the same time comes by
turning to the Guru.
One may meet the true Guru (satguru) through God's
grace (nadar) Having wandered through many lives, one
.

may listen to the word (sbabad) of the true G1.1ru. None is

a greater giver (data) than the true Guru : on meeting him
one finds the truth and one's self is eliminated; the whole
truth is revealed by the true Guru. They who imbibe the
Guru's instruction are enabled to cross the ocean of mortality
by God's grace. By meeting the true Guni one attains peace;
the name of God is lodged in one's mind; it is received
through God's grace; baumai is burnt by the sbabad and
one becomes free from hope and fear. Instruction of the true
Guru leaves no need for any other kind of instruction.
Through God's grace (karm) and the grace (kirpa) of the
Guru one may find God and be absorbed in the truth.
Without the Guru there can be no giiin, Without the true
Guru, the path cannot be found. Praise the true Guru who
possesses greatness; through God's grace one may meet him;
he removes evil from human beings by placing his hand on
their forehead; if the Lord is pleased one finds all the nine
treasures (naunidb). Through the true Guru's guidance one
may receive true instruction and become true, abiding in the
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 83

inner tirath of the self with compassion for living beings and
charity towards all. The path of sincere dedication that leads
to God cannot be found without the true Guru.
Guru Angad talks of the perfeCt Guru (pura gurn) who
is no other than Guru Nanak. They who had been instructed
by Guru Nanak needed no further instruction. Hundreds of
moons and thousands of suns may rise but in spite of their
light, there would be utter darkness without the Guru. This
may safely be taken to refer to Guru Nanak. It was a miracle
that the master (Guru Nanak) had bestowed the gift of
Guruship on Guru Angad. The key to open the lock of the
mind was held only by Guru Nanak (and his successors).
Significantly, Guru Angad appears to use the term 'Guru' for
Guru Nanak all the time.
The terms satguru and guru appear frequently in Guru
Amar Das's compositions . The two terms appear to be used
interchangeably. One should serve the True Guru with a
singleminded devotion. The True Guru is the master who
is true and pure and he is ·known through the shabad. By
serving the True Guru all attachment is burnt and one
becomes a renunciant in the home. They who turn away
from the True Guru, their foreheads are blackened. By
serving the True Guru one receives eternal peace and one's
light mingles with the divine light. Without the Guru there
can be no peace and no end to the cycle of death and rebirth.
The Guru lights the fire of knowledge and the darkness of
ignorance goes away. He who walks in accordance with the
Guru's will suffers no sorrow; there is nectar in the Guru's
will and one attains the state of bliss. The only right path
to liberation is found from the Guru. By joining the Guru's
sangat and living in accordance with his shabad, one is
redeemed. The perfect Guru has promulgated nam and
shabad to enable human beings to meet God. Without the
Guru the self is never eradicated. The gift is in the hands
of the giver and it is received through the Guru. Not only
are the two terms interchangeable, the reference more
84 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

frequently is to the personal ' Guru, that is, Guru Nanak and
his successors.
Guru Ram Das generally talks of the Guru, the True
Guru, and the Perfect Guru. These terms can refer to God
and to the personal Guru, that is, Guru Nanak and his
successors. H:owever, most of the time Guru Ram Das
appears to refer to the personal Guru. We may refer to some
of the statements actually made in his compositions. God
Himself is the True Guru; He Himself is the disciple; He
Himself gives instruction. As the True Guru, God Himself
effects the union. The True Guru shows the right path.
Liberation is not possible without the True Guru. Guru Ram
Guru kii bhii?Jii just as he refers to Guru kii
Das refers to
shabad or Guru kii bachan. The · service of the True Guru
is real service only when one lives in accordance with the
wishes of the True Guru. The True Guru is the real siidhu.
The Guru is the real siidhu. The disciple of the Guru
dedicates his life to the Guru : 'I have placed my body and
mind at the disposal of the Guru; I have sold my head at
a very high price'. This high price is nothing short of
·

liberation. Only through God's grace may one sell one's head
to the Guru. The Perfect Guru reveals God; union is attained
by selling the head to the Guru. We are like uninstructed
children; the Guru, the True Guru, is the instructor who
makes us wise through his instru.ction. The Guru gives the
sword of giiin to kill death itself. On meeting the Perfect
Guru, one may see God's presence. Govind is the Guru and
the Guru is Govind : there is no difference between them.
'We regard the True Guru as Piirbrahm'.
Guru Arjan refers to Akiil Purkh as Gurudev. There is
a whole stanza at the beginning and the end of the Biivan
Akhari which relates to Gurudev. He is the mother, he is
the father, he is the Lord Parmesar. He is the friend who
destroys ignorance; he is a dose relative and the real brother.
Gurudev is the giver of the divine Name as the true mmitar.
He is the embodiment of peace, truth and wisdom; He is
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 85

the philosopher's stone that turns others into philosopher's

stone by His touch. Gurudev is tirath with the pool of nectar
and bathing as knowledge (gitin); Gurudev is the real doer
and the remover of all sins; he purifies the sinners. Gurudev
was in the beginning, He shall be at the end, He is in all
the cosmic ages; His divine matitar redeems all, one prays
to Gurudev that He may enable one to meet God in the
satigat so that through His grace 'a sinner like me is
redeemed'. Gurudev is the True Guru, Ptirbrahm, Parmesar;
He is the God of Nanak to whom we bow in salutation.
Gurudev here is God; he is the True Guru.
A kind glance of the True Guru is the source of limitless
happiness and rulership : 'my mind and body shall become
cool only if he gives the divine Name'. Discard your own
wisdom and touch the feet of the Guru so that you may
worship the One who is the King of kings; hope for him
who is the trust of all. All curses are lifted by meeting the
Guru. Only he who eradicates haumai can serve the True
Guru. Discard all other means and concentrate on the perfect
Guru to be affiliated to the only one. All problems are solved
through the instruction of the Ture Guru : the nectar of the
Name of Ram is lodged in your heart by his all-satisfying
grace. The gift of the Name is received from the perfect Guru
through his grace. None is so great as the Guru : only he
can lead you to the Truth, and none else. Therefore, turn
to the service of the True Guru. Worship Guru-Parmesarwith
the loving devotion of your mind and body. The True Guru
is the giver of life; he is the support of everyone. Guru­
Parmesar is one; recite his Name.
The true Name is found only if the True Guru becomes
kind. There is just one way and no other. All other means
are futile. Discard every other means and hold on to the feet
of the Guru. 'Auspicious was the time when I met the True
Guru. All illusions have gone by treading the path of God'.
Outside and inside is his bti1J,i, uttered by him and shown
by him. The Guru says that there is one, only one; there
86 A STUDY OF GURU GRANIH SAHIB

shall be no other. He who has recognized the Guru as true

does not have to fear anything. A lamp is lighted in the
temple of the mind by meeting the True Guru through God's
grace.
In the bii'!Ji of Guru Arjan, Guru Nanak is also the True
Guru and, by implication, his successors too. It is necessary
to keep in view these two levels suggested simultaneously
at places. Through God's grace one may obtain all the .fruit
by serving the fulfiller of wishes and the bestower of the
treasure of peace. The True Guru is the Lord, the pool of
nectar that remains full all the time. 'So long as I did not
recognize the hukam I remained miserable� By meeting the
Guru, I have recognized the hukam and I am at peace. None
is an enemy (in my eyes) now, and no opponent, and none
is bad. By serving the Guru, Nanak has become a servant
of God'. The Guru here is not God. He is the human Guru.
None attains to liberation without the Guru. Reflect on this.
Rare in . the world are they who remember the Guru in the
depth of their being and utter the Name of the Guru with
their tongue, who see the True Guru with their eyes and hear
the Guru's Name with their ears, who are suffused with the
Guru and find a place in the divine court; only he receives
this gift to whom God is ·gracious.
One who studies the Smriti and the Shastra comes to
know that illusion does not disappear without the True Guru.
One may perform countless rituals, there is no release from
the chain of transmigration. One may wander in all the four
directions, there is no place without the Guru's place.
Through great good fortune one finds the Guru and recites
the Name. Truth is ever pure and they to whom God is
gracious attain it and become pure. The mind is enlightened
by meeting the perfect Guru as a mark of good fortune. There
is no liberation without the Guru; the True Guru, Parbrahm,
Parmesar, redeems alL Fear is destroyed by taking refuge in
the Guru. One meditates on the True Guru through God's
grace. He who is protected by the True Guru comes to no
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 87

harm. Wonderful is the Guru's greatness; all living beings are

redeemed by the Lord through his darshan. They who have
complete trust in God receive whatever they desire; by
meeting the perfect Guru all anxiety is gone. The service of
the Guru and obedience to him save one from death. The
Guru who shows the path to those who have strayed from
the right path is found through good fortune. He who serves
the perfect Guru remains stable at God's door. The perfect
Guru teaches that peace comes by accepting God's will.
'Perfect is my Guru, my Guru is Perfect'. The Perfect
Guru has destroyed all anxiety. The recitation of God's
praises all the time has made him the protector. 'I have seen
the True Guru exactly as I had heard of him' . He invites the
separated ones as representative of the divine court; he gives
themantar of the divine Name, and cures the malady of
haumai. The True Guru has invited those whose union was
ordained by God.
In a whole passage on the True Guru, the Guru is
equated with God. 'My True Guru is not dependent on any;
one. Whatever is established by my True Guru is true. My
Tn.Ie Guru gives the gifts to all. My True Guru is the creator
of things. No dev is comparable with the Guru. Only the
fortunate one serves him. My True Guru looks after all with
kindness. My True Gum can give life to the dead. The
greatness of my True Guru has become manifest everywhere.
My True Guru is the refuge for those who have no refuge.
May I be hundred times a sacrifice to the True Guru who
has shown the path to liberation. He who serves the Guru
entertains no fear. He who serves the Guru faces no sorrow.
Study the Smriti and the Ved, says Nanak; there is no
. difference between the Guru and Parbrahm'.
In another passage the True Being is the True Guru,
Parmesar, by meeting whom one crosses to the other bank.
The dust of his feet purifies the sinners. At his court are the
mythical tree and the cow to fulfil all desires. Contentment
comes from his service and one receives from him the gift
88 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

of the Name. When one meets the perfect Guru, who is the
philosopher's stone, one is transformed into a philosopher's
stone. There is no desire for Baikunth or even liberation
(mukti) when one attains ek ankar through the grace of the
True Guru. No one knows the nature of the service of the
Guru who is the unknowable Parbrahm. He who has good
fortune on his forehead is enabled to serve him and become
a sevak. The Veda does not know the greatness of the Guru.
The True Guru is God. The difference between God and the
Guru is minimal; the human Guru is not God but he is like
God.

3. Shabad-Bar;,i
The terms shabad and bat# are used by Guru Nanak in the
]apufi. In Sri Rag, it is stated that we look good at the Guru's
door only if we know the shabad. Anhad shabad is found
by reflecting on the Guru; anhad bar;i eradicates haumai.
There is no understanding without the shabad. God is
prais�d through the Guru's shabad which is beyond the
reach of death. The woman who gets rid of self and adorns
herself with the Guru'sshabad finds the spouse in the home.
By lodging the Guru's shabad in the mind, haumai is
eradicated. The shabad in the mind is the profit gained from
nam. They who are absorbed in the shabad are sweet like
the juice of sugarcane. The Guru's shabad is the collirium
of gian : it leads to peace and liberation. All illusion is
removed by the pure bar;f. The shabad leads to the service
of God and, paradoxically, awakens one to life after death­
in-life. Reflection on the shabad is the. Guru's service. There
is no stability without the shabad. The treasure of the shabad
is within; it enables one to shed the self. The shabad leads
to the recognition of the true creator; it is the philosopher's
stone that imparts its own quality to others through God's
grace. They who reflect on the shabad are dear to God. He
who reflects on the shabad does not need the Vedas or the
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 89

yoga; maya has no lure for him. The Gurmukh is attached

to the truth through the shabad and sees God everywhere;
through God's grace the shabad is lodged firmly within and
the illusion vanishes; the one without any sign, colour or
·
shadow is recognized through the shabad. Fruitful is the life
of those who are redeemed by reflection on the shabad of
the Guru and redeem others. True is the Guru's shabad that
leads to liberation. There is only one shabad and it is
recognized through the Perfect Guru. All niids and veds are
subsumed in Gurba1Ji. On the whole, in the compositions
of Guru Nanak the shabad refers to God's creation and the
divine voice within human beings. Possibly, it refers also to
the ba1Ji of Guru Nanak.
Guru Angad refers to Gu r ka shabad which serves as
the antidote to baumai. Since the Guru for Guru Angad is
Guru Nanak, the sbabad of the Guru refers to the ba1Ji of
Guru Nanak. The Guru's sbabad is meant for all, whether
jogis, Brahmans, Khatrls or Shudras . Reflection on the sbabad
induces one to tum towards God. Whereas the Vedas talk
of good and bad deeds, of reward and punishment, of hell
and heaven, · Of high and low, and how the world whirls in
transmigration, the nectar- ba1Ji reveals the essence as it has
sprung from gian and dbian; it was uttered by the Guru and
understood by the Guru. One meditates on it through God's
grace. It reveals that the whole creation functions in
accordance with the divine ordinance. It eradicates baumai
so that human beings may become acceptable (in the divine
court). Both sbabad and ba1Ji refer primarily to the batti of
Guru Nanak as the vehicle of divine revelation.
Guru Amar Das can use shabad and batti in the literal
sense of utterance but generally these terms carry other
meanings as well. The shabad fills the whole universe as
. the creation of God who is present everywhere. God is true
and true is His ba1Ji. He is unknowable and fathomless. He
cannot be known without the Guru's grace. Through the
Guru's grace He is lodged inside and praised through the
90 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTii SAHIB

shabad. The true bti1J,i is the source of. truth in all the four
cosmic ages. Reflection on the true bli1J,i and shabad comes
from the grace of the True Guru. By reflection on the Guru's
shabad one may die-in-life by discarding the self and lodging
nlim in the mind. Without the shabad, the dirt cannot be
.

removed and one suffers the humiliation of death and rebirth.

God is praised through the shabad and reflection on the
shabad leads to truthful living . The shabad of the Guru
enables one to meet God through His grace. Nlim is lodged
in the mind through the Guru's shabad if it is sung in love
and not as on outward demonstration of piety. Nlim springs
from the shabad which leads to union. Without the shabad,
one's life is a waste. There is only one nectar, that of the
shabad, and it is tasted by turning to the Guru. There is only
one Guru, one bli1J,i and one shabad; the true merchandise
is only in the true shop; it is found through the grace of
the Guru; the profit is nlim. Praise be to the bli1J,i of the
Perfect Guru; it has sprung from the Perfect Guru as the
means of absorption in truth. By appropriating the shabad
of the Guru a woman becomes sada-suhligan by meeting
the true spouse. By reflecting on the Guru's shabad one finds
the nine treasures within oneself. True is the bli1J,i of the True
Guru; it reveals the truth within. True is the shabad of the
True One and true is his praise; it removes haumai and
lodges truth within for redemption. The bestower of peace
shows His grace and adorns one with the Guru's shabad;
it removes haumai and everything is received through the
Guru's service. The shabad of the Guru is the nectar-, bli'IJ.f;
it reveals nlim; the true God is lodged inside and the inside
is purified. Like Guru Angad, Guru Amar . Das compares the
Vedic dispensation with that of Gurbli1J,i-Shabad to suggest
the superiority of the latter. Through his grace, the Guru has
given the shabad and the taste of the pure bli1J,i of the Guru.
On the whole, there is greater emphasis on the bli1J,i of the
Guru as shabad than on shabad as God's creation.
For Guru Ram Das, true is God and true is His bli1J,i;
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 91

He is known through theshabad. True is the bii1J,i and true

the sbabad when one loves the . truth. The bii1J,i is revealed
for all the four ages; it reveals the truth. Very often, the term
bii1J,i is found in association with the Guru . Gurbii1J,i is the
light of the world; it may be appropriated through grace. In
pursuit of devotion to God one sings the bii1J,i of the Guru
day and night. The bii'IJ,i. of the Guru. is the sweet nectar.
One receives the truth, contentment, the bliss of peace, and
bii1J,i from the perfect Guru. The term biJ1J,i occurs in
association with nam as well as sbabad and Guru.
There are verses or even single lines in which two or
more of ·the terms are used. These lines and verses clarify
the usage further. True is the ba1J,i and true the shabad; this
realization comes through the Guru's grace. There is one
ba1J,i, one Guru, and one sbabad for reflection;. true is the
shop and true the merchandise; the storehouse is full of
jewels. True is the praise, true the bii1J,i, and peace comes
through the shabad. The gift of the Guru is bii1J,i-sbabad.
· The bii1J,i of the Guru is meant for all the four directions;
by listening to it one is absorbed in the true Name. The bii1J,i
of the Guru is understood through the Guru by getting dyed
in the sbabad. There is much greater emphasis on the
equation between shabad and ba1J,i, that is, between the
shabad of the Guru and Gurbii1J,i.
The. shabad heard from the True Guru is the song of
joy. It is lodged in the hearts of those for whom it is decreed
from the divine court There are some who indulge in much
talk but no one attains God through mere talk. The True Guru
proclaims the sbabad as the song of joy. They who meditate
on God by turning to the Guru become pure; their family,
and all those who are associated with them, become pure.
They who recite, they who hea.r, and they who lodge it in
the heart become pure. The state of bliss (sabaj) does not
spring from karm-kaiuj., and without attaining this state the
fear of death does not vanish. The fear of death does not
vanish through any other means. The mind made impure by
92 A STIJDY OF GURU GRAN1H SAHIB

this fear cannot be washed clean by any other means. It is

washed by attachment to the shabad and meditation on God.
The state of bliss springs from the grace of the Guru; only
then the fear vanishes.
There is no doubt that sbabad is used for divine self­
revelation, as for hukam at places. Greatly fortunate are they
who serve the True Guru and remain absorbed in the One
through the true shabad. Here the shabad may be taken to
refer to divine self-revelation. Elsewhere, however, the
sbabad is equated clearly with the shabad of the Guru when
the terms used are Gurvak, Satgur-bachan and Gur-shabad
in the context of sat-sangat. Similarly, the word biitti may
be treated as a synonym for shabad. The sants are told, for
example, to serve God whose biitti is supreme. The batti
of the True Guru is a gift coming from God. However, like
the shabad, batti is used also for the biitti of the Guru in
the context of sat-sang.
Indeed, sbabad and bar;i for Guru Ram Das are most
often simply Gurbar;i. 'God's devotee Nanak utters the bar;i
replete with merit; through Gurbar;i one is absorbed in the
Name'. The biitti of the True Guru is the nectar-word (amrit­
bachan); whoever recites it quaffs amrit. The bar;i of the
bhagat-jan is supreme. By listening to the amrlt-batti of the
bhagat-jan one contemplates God. The Har-jan is supreme
and so is his batti; he utters it for the benefit of others. The
use of the terms bhagat-jan and Har-jan does not mean that
the reference is not to Gurbar;i. In any case, there is a direct
reference to Gur ki bar;i : they -who turn to it in love are
redeemed in this world and the next through the grace of
the Creator. By constant uttering of Gurbatti, God is lodged
in the heart. Devotion arises from tasting the shabad of the
Guru in the sangat; both the body and the mind are
regenerated by praising God through Gurbiitti. Guru ka
shabad and Gurbatti stand equated here, and elsewhere.
Through great good fortune may we meet the Guru and be
redeemed through the Guru's shabad. We may know God
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 93

through the Guru's bachan. Gurbar;i shows the unseeable

God. The bar;i of the True Guru is the embodiment of truth,
and one becomes true through Gurbar;i which holds the key
to liberation. 'Bar;i is Guru and Guru is Bar;i'. The Shabad­
Guru comes into parallel prominence with the personal
Guru.
'Inside and outside is your bat:ti', says Guru Arjan, 'you
have yourself spoken it and revealed it'. 'God is ours and
we are God's devoted servants; He has given us the true
shabad of the Guru'. Lodge the Guru's shabad in the mind
and repeat nam so that all anxiety is gone. Recite the bat:ti
of Govind which has been spoken by the Sadhu, the Guru.
The true shabad is always pure. The fortunate ones lodge
the amrit-batJi in their hearts. The pure amrit-bat:ti should
be sung all the time. The Master has uttered the bat:ti-shabad;
it should be sung, heard and read every day; the Perfect Guru
has provided this protection. The protection of the sevak has
been revealed in all the worlds : the servant lives on hearing
the bat:ti of the devotee (of God). Thus, the shabad as divine
self-revelation is reinforced and enriched by the shabad as
the bat:ti of the Guru as the vehicle of revelation. The bat:ti
that has come from God (dhur ki biitJO to remove all anxiety
(jin sagli chint mitaO can refer to both the divine word and
the Guru's shabad at one and the same time.

4. Nam
The concept of nam is more complex than that of the Guru
or the shabad. For Guru Nanak, God's name is the True One.
The True God's names are true. The Name is everywhere
in the whole creation of God. It washes away the dirt of
sins. The Name should never be forgotten, not even amidst
the enjoyment of political power, riches and precious articles,
supranatural powers of the highest order or the most
beautiful women. The Name of Har is superior to millions
of ritual acts and other modes of worship. The True Name
94 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANIH SAHIB

is the redeemer; it is a treasure of trust; it should never be

forgotten; he who appropriates the Name is the King of
kings. Without the Name, one remains miserably in illusion.
Guru Nanak prefers the Name over all the supranatural
powers. Whatever is created is bound to be destroyed; the
Name alone is everlasting. Thirst is never quenched without
the Name which is the only remedy for the misery of dual
(dubidha). He who prays for the Name of Har may
affiliation
be absorbed in Brahm through His grace. One should hear
the Name, read the Name, and act in accordance with the
Name. Nothing is more efficacious for this world or the next.
There is no liberation without the Name of Ram. One who
turns to the Guru's shabad, and meditates on the Name
which is the source of peace, can do away with mamtii,
maya and haumai. The world suffers from the disease of
mortality and the . remedy lies in the Name; pray for the
Name. Some read the Vedas and others read the Puranas but
Guru Nanak knows nothing of where and when; he knows
only the Name. He who remains absorbed in the Name
becomes liberated and receives honour in the divine court.
The Name is more efficacious than all the Brahmanical or
ascetical practices. Guru Nanak has seen the whole universe
giants and pandits, asked gods and great
very closely, asked
men, and listened to the siddhs in meditation, there is
nothing comparable to the True One and the true Name; all
other thought is raw and blind. By listening to the Name
comes understanding, haumai goes away, peace comes
through the Name, the mind is stilled; the Name is the means
of meditation on God. There is only one path and only one
door; the Guru is the ladder and the truth is within; all
comforts and peace spring from the true Name. The only
means of liberation, honour and worship is the Name. There
is no other object of worship than the One who is
everywhere; recite the Name of Ram in your mind and reflect
on the Guru's shabad. The Name is above all karm · and
dharm. Guru Nanak would wash the feet of those who love .
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 95

the True One by turrling to the Guru, who are immersed

in the Name and become a pure tirath, who have removed
the dirt of h(mmai, who have discarded greed and
attachment, and who have risen above the distinctions of jciti
and varna; such coins are rare in the world that are found
to be true when tested and put into the divine treasury.
For Guru Angad, there is only one nectar and no other;
it is the Name lodged in the mind through the grace of the
Guru. Only they drink this nectar in love who are ordained
by God to drink. Only they are possessors of the treasury
whom God has given merit; only they are possessors of the
store house whom he has given the key; only they who have
merit are acceptable to God; they receive the gift of the Name
through God's grace.
Ask for the Name, meditate on the Name, and be
absorbed in the Name, says Guru Amar Das. They who serve
the Guru receive the treasure of the Name. They who make
the inexhaustible Name their support enjoy peace in all the
four cosmic ages. The Name is found from the Guru. It is
received through God's grace. The Perfect Guru has
promulgated the Name and shown the light to the world by
singing the praises of God through the Name. Haumai is
destroyed by meditating on the One with the Name lodged
within. He who is absorbed in the Name is beyond the reach
of death. 'I live so long as I remember the Name; without
the Name I die in a moment'. Guru Amar Das hungers for
the true Name so much that he is never satiated by praising
God. The Name is rare in the Kaliyuga; it is found by turning
to the Guru. There is no liberation without the Name. The
Name is the most precious treasure in the Kaliyuga; the
devotees of God gain this treasure and find God; by serving
the True Guru the Name is lodged in the mind and the
devotee meditates on it day and night. .The nectar of the
Name is always sweet; it is tasted through the Guru's shabad.
The true biir:ti leads to liberation by lodging God in the mind;
one meditates on the Name through the True Guru. The
96 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

Name is supreme in all the cosmic ages. The rasayafl of the

Name_ is made attractive by the Guru's shabad; by immersing
in the Name one gets rid of the dirt of maya and mob; the
true nectar of the Name brings peace by eradicating haumai
when God is realized through the Guru's shabad; inner
peace comes through the Guru's instruction. Truth never
becomes old and the Name never becomes soiled. The Name
received from the Perfect Guru is the source of greatness.
Guru Arhar Das prays for greatness through the Name.
Guru Ram Das gives great importance to the Name. Like
God, the Name at one level is immaculate and inaccessible;
it is also pervasive and operative in all spots. The Name is
our Lord; nothing is supreme over it. To be indifferent to
the Name is to be indifferent to God. They who are forgetful
of the Name are thoughtless and unfortunate; they remain
in the grip of maya. The jewel of the Name is found by God's
grace. Meditation on the Name comes through God's grace.
By putting faith in the Name one's clan and family are
redeemed; one's suffering and hunger vanish. By frx:ing faith
in the Name foul thinking is cast off, understanding dawns,
haumaiis shed and all maladies are cured. Doubt is annulled
by devotion to the Name, and no suffering comes thereafter.
The Name of the Lord is our father, mother, helper and friend.
The equation of the Name with the shabad brings in
the Guru. Devotion to the Name is acquired through the
Guru's grace. Only they meditate on the Name who tum to
the Guru. Only they laud the Name who are united to the
Guru. By the Guru's guidance comes meditation on the
Name. The Name is obtained from the Perfect Guru who
reveals it in our heart. The gracious Guru instructs us in the
Name. Rare are those who contemplate the Name by the
Guru's guidance. The Name is uttered in the presence of the
Guru. They who laud the Name by the Guru's guidance are
universally acclaimed. The Name is lodged in the heart by
the True Guru and its repetition leads the mind to bliss.
Through great good fortune is the Name obtained by the
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 97

Guru's guidance. They who are deprived of the touch of the

Guru remain ignorant reprobates; by the guidance of the
True Guru is tasted the nectar of the Name. The Name
signifies God at one level; at another, it signifies the shabad
which is identified with the shabad of the Guru. They who
love the Name are the true singers of God's praises; they
appropriate the true ba1Ji and reflect on the shabad; they
sing the praises of God if the True Guru so wills. Thus,
shabad and ba1Ji become synonymous and tend to become
synonymous with nam. Reflection on shabad-ba1Ji is a way
of meditation on the Name.
The Name is enshrined in the shabad. The Name annuls
fear and one acquires bliss through the Guru's shabad. The
ba�1i of the one who has turned to the Divine Preceptor is
the Name. By 'listening to the Name' one finds peace; one's
mind is fulfilled, and all sorrows vanish. Here the Name is
assumed to be the Guru's shabad. All supranatural powers
co�e from 'listening to the Name', and all one's desires .are
fulfilled. By 'listening to the Name' comes poise, and from
·
poise comes joy. By 'listening to the Name' comes purity and
self-restraint; the self is illumined and realized; sins are
annulled and truth is attained.
The True One has the true Name; He is the True Name,
In Rag Maril, Guru Arjan mentions a large number of God's
attributes and His familiar names to make a distinction
between kirtam-nam and sat-nam.
The former refers to the
terms appropriate for God as the creator; the latter · is
appropriate for His primal state. The epithets like Ha1·-nam
andRam-nam refer to the name of God in both the states.
Nam-simrana, japna or bhajna and dhiau1Jii are the terms
used for the remembrance and recitation of God's name and
meditating on it. However, the amrit-nam is also meant to
be sung. It is sung by those with whom God is pleased. Their
thirst is quenched and by tasting the Name they become
immortal. The treasure of the Name is found by those who
lodge the Guru's shabad in their mind. Only he utters the
98 A STUDY OF GURU GRANfH SAHIB

Name to whom God is gracious; he listens to and sings God's

praises. Har-nlim is the mantargiven by the True Guru; with
it$ support, all affairs are set right. Whoever is given the
Name by the Guru loses all fear. In a whole AsbfPadi, Guru
Arjan prays for the Name. He who loves Gurblit:z.f receives
the grace of the Guru and the boon of the Name. There are
numerous forms of karm, dbarm and kiryli but nothing
equals the Name which is far above them all. Guru Arjan
instructs human beings to sing the Name all the time and
everywhere, day and night, with every breath and morsel,
in joy and sorrow. With reflection on the unique Name of
God, the dry and dead mind is regenerated. Taking out of
the ocean of fire the Guru comes to the help of human beings
with the cooling nectar of the Name. . In several verses Guru
Arjan dwells on the support of the Name. The boiling
cauldron is stilled by the cool effects of the Name, and the
Guru puts an end to death and rebirth; the chain is cut loose
from the feet to lead to liberation; the egg of illusion is
broken and the mind is illumined. By singing God's praises
in the sadb-sang one may recite the Name through His grace.
'Now that I have found the wealth of the Name', sings Guru
Arjan, 'there is no anxiety and all thirst is quenched, as it
was ordained'. The Guru has ·given this priceless jewel
through his grace. The trader of Ram-nlim has become
fearless. A lamp has been lighted and the whole age is
redeemed by the nam-dbarm.
Thus, as a whole, the Name is equated with God's name
and with sbabad-bii1Ji; it is also equated with the
transcendent God and the whole creation. Guru Arjan's nam­
dbarm refers to the whole system promulgated by Guru
Nanak and his successors. The Name leads to the 'fourth
state' (cbautbli pad) due to its equation with the primal God,
a state that is beyond the 'three qualities'. This state has a
direct bearing on the conception of liberation.
 CONCEPTION OF GOD 99

Notes and References

1. For God and His attributes in general, see Sbabdartb Sri Guru
Grantb Sahib Ji, pp. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8-9, 10-12, 23, 27, 39, 45, 57, 7 1 ,
72, 83, 84, 98, 102, 104, 108, 1 1 3, 120, 128, 130, 174, 176, 2 1 1 ,
223, 258, /.76, 277, 350, 376, 379, 397, 463, 464, 467, 530, 541 ,
542, 555, 557, 567, 586, 587, 599, 736, 827, 862, 863, 893, 894,
1037-8, 105 1 , 1082-3, 1 1 22, 1215, 1 254, 1279-80.
2. For the concept of bukam, see Sbabdartb, pp. 1, 2, 6, 8, 55, 66,
74, 180, 421 , 468, 599, 636, 1036-7, 1 107, 1 289.
3. For the concept of nadar, see Sbabdiirtb, pp. 2, 66 , 190, 193, 421 ,
465, 931, 1 172, 1 188, 1291.
4 . For the position and importance of the Guru, see Sbabdarth, pp.
2, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 21, 30, 33, 39, 40, 41 , 49-50, 5203, 54, 59,
61, 65, 66, 137-8, 149, 167, 169-70, 170, 171, 172, 229, 239, 244,
250, 262, 310, 314, 361, 387, 450-51, 463, 466, 645, 854, 855, 882,
895, 943, 1 125, 1 1 26, 1 170, 1 271, 1310-12, 1328-9, 1421, 1422.
5. For the concept and importance of shabad-biir;f, see Shabdiirth,
pp . 4, 7, 8, 13, 19, 21, 29, 33, 34, 55, 61, 99, 100, 1 52, 158, 159,
192, 221, 223, 228, 496, 545, 597, 611, 644 , 646, 686, 688, 751,
754, 759, 679, 814, 879, 907, 908, 909, 944, 982, 1039, 1040, 1041,
1057, 1066, 1069, 1070, 1125, 1 188, 1308, 1334, 1 423-4.
6. For the connotation and importance of Nam, see Shabdiirtb, pp.
1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 26, 53, 61, 62, 64, 86-7, 100, 101, 105, 1 13, 142,
147, 190, 196, 211, 2 1 2, 240, 352, 355, 387, 401 , 405, 437 , 467,
490, 513, 548, 559, 618, 687, 732, 814, 863, 876, 880, 932, 986,
1002, 1040, 1 049, 1050, 1083, 1 127, 1 144, 1211, 1225, 1 239, 1 241-
2, 1248, 1279, 1327, 1333, 1341, 1345, 1387.
 CHAPTER III

Conception of Liberation

In thejapufi, Guru Nanak poses the basic question : 'how

to become truthful (sachiar) by demolishing the wall of
falsehood'. He gives a crisp answer : 'by living in accordance
with hukam and raza . Both the objective and the means
'

to attain it relate to liberation in life.

The purpose of human life is liberation (muktl) from
the cycle of death and rebirth. The state of liberation is
attainable during one's lifetime. The liberated-in-life is jivan­
mukta. It is a state of bliss and peace. But it is not a state
of passive or inert bliss. Living in accordance with hukam,
both before and after the experience of liberation, is the basic
commandment. The liberated-in-life remains committed to
social obligations in a spirit of detachment with a larger
concern for the welfare of others.
The path is not easy, particularly because worldly life
is not to be renounced but transformed. The world is real.
It ensnares both the body and the mind. To emphasize the
power of attachment to the world, Guru Nanak refers to
maya, mamta and haumai. Another way is to dwell on the
importance of kam, krodh, lobh, mob and hmikar. These five
terms refer in a way to maya, mamta and haumai. Yet
another set of five mentioned by Guru Nanak are raj, mal,
rap, jat and joban. These terms refer to political power,
material wealth, social status and sensual pleasures. All these
are obstacles on the path of liberation. The proper way to
surmount them is bhagtf. Guru Nanak and his successors
define the path of bhagti in their own way, the Sikh way
of bhagti. What we have observed about God, his hukam
 CONCEPTION OF LIBERATION 101

and nadar, the Guru, his shabad and ba1Ji, and the Name
becomes directly relevant for bhagti as a means to liberation­
in-life. The conception of liberation-in-life gets clarified with
reference to the nnage of the ideal Sikh inGurba7J.i and the
role of the smigat in which kirtan and katba are performed.
An essential feature of the Sikh way of bhagti is supplication
(ardas). Guru Tegh Bahadur's preoccupation with liberation
further clarifies its conception.

1 . Maya, Ma mta and Ha uma i

The obstacles on the path of liberation are difficult to
negotiate because they relate at once to the personal and
social life of the individuals and their psyche. As Guru Nanak
. says in Sri Rag, there is pleasure in gold; there is pleasure
in silver; there is pleasure in the smell of things fragrant; there
is pleasure in horses; there is pleasure in t;he bridal bed; there
is pleasure in mansions; there is pleasure in sweets; and there
is pleasure in flesh. When there are so many pleasures of
the body, how �an the Name be lodged in it ? Guru Arjan
says that human beings are engrossed in the pleasure of
clothes, gold and silver, which become dust in the end; they
take pleasure in horses, elephants and chariots; they do not
remember even their kith and kin; they forget their creator.
The thirst for maya is never slaked; one remains attached
to one's wife, sons and relations; wealth and youth lure the
world due to greed and ahmikar, the whole world is
intoxicated by the herb of attachment. Guru Nanak refers to
maya's colour as suha (a colour that fades); the one whose
illusion is removed by the pure ba1Ji, acquires the colour
tal (a colour that never fades). Guru Amar Das advises the
young woman who is enamoured of silba to wear the tal
dress of the true shabad and to put on the ornaments of
love and awe.
As an antidote to mamta, God is seen as representing
all kith and kin. 'My father, my mother is the Name of God',
102 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

says Guru Amar Das, 'it is my brother and my relations'. They

who accept the Guru's bhat:ta are all Sikhs, friends and
relatives. These new ties are meant to weaken the hold of
mamta. They who reflect on the shabad to become devotees
of the formless God (nirankar), listen to the Guru's
instruction and discard their own conceits, remain absorbed
in meditation day and night to experience the state of
liberation-in-life. They suffer from the disease of haumai and
mamta no longer; they have no fear of death, and they are
not touched by attachment with the purifying Name lodged
in their heart. There are those who call themselves Rajas,
Khans or Maliks, there are others who call themselves sahus,
amass wealth, and lose all honour by attaching themselves
to the 'other'; there are beggars and givers of charities, with
the same Lord over their heads. Without the Name, they are
all frightened of death, like men of the market. Pursuit of
falsehood brings no profit; it comes only from the pursuit
of truth.
Human beings remain preoccupied with themselves,
suffering from the malady of self-centredness (haumai). In
egoism they come into the world and depart; they are born
and they die; give away and receive; make gain and incur
loss; seek to be truthful and remain false; . enter hell and
heaven; experience joy and sorrow; become covered with
sins and wash them off; stick to folly and acquire wisdom.
They know nothing of · the essence of liberation. For Guru
Angad, the main obstacle in the path to liberation is haumai,
or ego, that induces individuals to remain self-centred. They
think of themselves when they engage in action; they are
born again and again. Haumai keeps human beings bound
to deeds and to the chain of transmigration. However, it is
a disease for which there is a remedy : through God's grace
one can turn to the Guru's shabad and live in accordance
with it. The true sevak of God is he who lodges God in his
heart, offering his body and mind to Him by destroying
haumai by the shabad. Real detachment comes from
 CONCEPTION OF UBERATION 103

reflection on the shabad; knowledge of the inner essence

destroys haumai. He who ascribes things to himself through
haumai cannot attain detachment. Guru Amar Das puts it
very clearly : there is opposition between haumai and the
Name; the two cannot exist in the same place; a service done
in haumai is only a misapplication of the mind; only if the
mind is subdued by the Name of God can one appropriate
the Guru's shabad; if one lives in accordance with hukam,
one meets God, and haumai disappears; one is reborn due
to haumai and dies again; haumai is a darkness that does
not allow one to see; no bhagtf is possible in haumai and
one cannot recognize hukam; the soul remains chained to
bodies due to haumai and the Name cannot be lodged in
the mind; by meeting the true Guru, haumai disappears and
truth is lodged in the mind; in the service of the True One
then one acts ·in accordance with truth and lives in
accordance with truth.
Guru Nanak says that the khanr)s, brahmanr)s and loks
created by God are true. However, the created universe is
nothing in comparison with the eternal God. On close
scrutiny, therefore, the world becomes a 'palace of smoke'.
Ultimately, it vanishes. This world is not one's des; the real
des is God. The realization of this truth makes the mind a
stranger (pardesV for whom the world becomes an alien ·

territory. Human beings, ordinarily, are indifferent to the real

purpose of life. They waste the day in eating and the night
in sleep; the precious diamond of human birth is sold for
a cowrie. They remain attached to maya and suffer in the
fire of thirst. Guru Ram Das talks of Bhiipats and Ral)as who
indulge in pleasures for a few days; maya is like the (suba)
colour of kasumbb that fades in a moment; it does not go
with them after death; what they carry with them are sins.
The opportUnity once lost does not come again. Guru Arjan
says that human birth is the rare opportUnity for meeting
God. It should not be wasted in pursuit of maya.
The relationship between God and human beings is one
104 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

of love (prem). Guru Nanak compares the love ·for God with
· that of the lotus with water, which though thrashed by waves
does not discard love and cannot live without water; like that
of the fish in water; which feels happy with its increase and
cannot live without it; like that of the cbatrik for rain, which
waits for a single drop while rain is falling everywhere; like
that of water with milk, which loses itself in milk; like that
of cbakvi with the sun, which does not have a wink of sleep.
Guru Arjan compares the love of God with that of the infant
for the mother's milk, like that of a poor man for wealth,
like that of thirsty person for water, like the blindman for
eyesight, and like the wife who yearns for her spouse. Guru
Arjan uses the images · of the fish, the deer, the black bee,
and the cbatrik to suggest the intensity of love to the point
of sacrificing life. He also refers to the silken cloth of love
given by the all seeing and all knowing God to protect his
honour.
Loving devotion to God is bbagti. But it is not divorced
from bbau or bbai which literally means fear but actually
refers to awe due to the realization of the power and grace
of God. He cannot be taken for granted but one can hope
for His kindness and compassion. Love and awe in
combination bring in other dimensions. Bbagti is ' not
possible without the true Guru whose ba1J.i' is true and whose
sbabad is the means of union. The devotees of God accept
His bha1J.a. They discard maya and baumai and live in
accordance with God's bha1J.a. By joining the sadb-sangat
and appropriating the sbabad one is redeemed. This happens
due to God's grace. There is only one bestower of gifts and
He is found through the Guru's grace. The young man is
advised to have the Guru's instruction and to adopt God's
bbagti; he should recite the Name and induce others to recite
the Name. He should listen to the ba1J.i', recite the ba1J.i' and
live in accordance with it. The way of bbagti is hard; it is
found only through the Guru, and through God's grace. It
 CONCEPTION OF LIBERATION 105

transforms men into gods. By being absorbed in the True

God one acquires his attributes.
The Sikh bbagti is different from Vaishnava bbagti and
the bbagti of the sants. The lamp has to be lighted without
oil, with the wick of awe. Bbagti is made possible by
accepting the Guru's bhiir.tli and adopting the service of the
True Guru. Bbagti is made possible by sbabad-biir.ti, God's ·

grace, the Guru's sbabad and sangat. It is through God's

grace that one joins the sadb-sang and appropriates the
Name. He who accepts God's bukam acts in accordance with
His pleasure. The Name is the blindman's stick that guides
him on the way. It is quite clear that Sikh bbagti is
inseparably linked with the beliefs and practices of the Sikh
tradition.
God is the only object of loving devotion. He means
everything to the devotee. Guru Arjan says that God is his
companion, his friend. He is the object of love. ·God is his
honour and his ornament. He cannot live without God for
a moment. God indulges him with love and is his breath.
God is his master. He is happy with the state in which God
keeps him. He does what God bids him to do. Wherever
he looks there is God. His tongue recites God's name without
fear. God is his treasure and his storehouse. Absorbed in love
he finds God his only support. God is the source of his fame
and he remains absorbed in God. He depends on God's help
and support all the time. He meditates on God within his
body and mind. He has found God's secret from the Guru.
He has recognized the Only One through the True Guru.
God alone is his refuge.
God is to be remembered in all situations, being the
bestower of life and breath. At the opening of Sri Rag, Guru
Nanak says that he should not forget the name of God amidst
the pleasures of a bed inlaid with gems on a floor studded
with rubies. He should not forget the name of God if he were
to become a siddh with supranatural powers, and comma nd
over all the nine treasures, to conceal himself at will to
 CONCEPTION OF LIBERATION 109

of Guru Amar Das. He talks of the riddle (mundavat)i) of

three. things in the platter which, if eaten, lead to liberation.
This rare food is found only through reflection on the Guru.
Thus, the riddle is solved by the Gursikh.
The term used most frequently for the Sikh by Guru
Amar Das is Gurmukh. More than 350 lines of his biit)i open
with Gurmukh. The term is used not only in the sense of
'by turning to the Guru' but also for the person who has
turned to the Guru. The Gurmukh remains absorbed in the
shabad day and night. He subdues the self. He meditates
on the Name. He gets rid of his haumai. Adorning himself
with awe (bhai) and loving devotion (bhagtV, the Gurmukh
is comparable to sada-suhagan, a woman who never loses
her husband. The Gurmukhs live by the shabad of the Guru
and look beautiful at the door of Go.d. Absorbed in the truth,
theGurmukh dies while still alive. Dedicated to the divine
Name, the Gurmukh recognizes his real self. He accepts
God's will. He gains the real wealth by reflecting on the
shabad of the Guru. In Rag Maril, Guru Amar Das dwells
on the Gurmukh in fifty consecutive lines.
Guru Amar Das's conception of bhagti clarifies that his
bhagat is the Sikh. One should perform bhagti in love and
awe, and feel the presence of God all the time. Adornment
with love and awe is commendable for following the right
path. God should be remembered, and bhagti should be
performed in love and awe. Two shaloks of Guru Amar Das
underscore the importance of awe (bhai). Bhagti is found
by turning to the Guru and one can die in lik Bhagti does
not spring without awe and the mind does not become pure.
Adorned with awe and bhagt"i one may attain the state of
a suhagan by turning to the Guru. Bhagti becomes possible
by turning to the Guru and through bhagti one dies in order .
to · live . True bhagti transforms men into gods. Bhagti cannot
be performed without awe; love and awe inculcated by the
shabad lead to bhagti; One may perform bhagti and obtain
eternal peace through God's grace. On the whole, bhagti in
1 10 A STUDY OF GURU GRAN'IB SAHIB

the ba1J,i of Guru Amar Das is associated with awe in

acknowledgement of the omnipotence of the one LOrd alone.
What is more important, the way of bhagti is found from
the Guru and through the Guru's shabad. The Name is the
only source of status and honour (jat, patt) for the bhagats;
they are adorned with the Name. 'My true Lord is the
destroyer of demons; the bhagats are saved through the
shabad of the Guru'. Singing the praises of God in
accordance with Gurmat, the bhagats look beautiful. The
bhagats are happy, being dyed in the true shabad. They
meditate on the Name. One may be called bhagat by
everyone but bhakti is not found without serving the True
Guru.
Guru Amar Das refers to the path and the goal for the
Sikh of the Guru . The mind is conquered through the shabad
of the Guru. Haumai is eradicated by recognizing the
shabad. One prays for being able to sing the praises of God
who is the bestower of the body and the mind. The great
warrior is he who destroys the inner enemy in the form of
hmikar. The detached devotee meditates on the Name. To
remain pure amidst the impurities of the world is the
objective so that one's light mingles with the divine Light.
One becomes liberated by serving the liberated one. By
lodging God in the heart through the instruction of the Guru,
one becomes indifferent to joy and sorrow. The awe of the
True Guru removes all illusion and fear, and one recognizes
the shabad through God's grace. The servants of God
concentrate on the feet of the Guru. The Guru's darshan
leads to the state of liberation. The devotee takes refuge in
the True Guru and dedicates his body and mind to him; he
gives up his caste. · He bathes in the pool of nectar that is
within him. By recognizing the divine hukam, one does not
entertain any hopes for oneself. One should be ready to give
one's head. The service of the Guru is a labour of love; one ·
serves in awe. The servant of God attains liberation and
enables others to attain liberation through the divine Name
 CONCEPTION OF UBERATION 111

and the Guru's shabad. The cup of the love of the Master
is drunk through God's grace. They who conquer their mind,
conquer the world. The one who lodges God in the heart
by turning to the Guru always enjoys the season of
regeneration.
The Sikh of the Guru (Gursikh) has a distinct identity
in the bavi of Guru Ram Das. We are familiar with the hymn
which refers to the daily routine of the Sikh :
1be Sikh of the True Guru must rise at dawn and meditate
on the Name. At dawn he must rise and cleanse himself
in the Name of God, bathing in the pool of nectar. As
by the Guru instructed he should then repeat the Name.
All his sins, all his evil and foul doings, shall be washed.
With the rise of the day he must chant the Guru's sbabad.
He should meditate on the Name in all situation.

This is only one of the numerous references to Gursikh in

the bavi of Guru Ram Das. The Sikhs of the Guru have love
of God in their hearts; they come to the Guru for worship
and take away the Name as their profit; they listen to the
instruction of the Guru and their haurnai and dubidha are
eradicated; their faces are radiant with love. Praise be to the
Sikhs who fall at the feet of the Guru, recite the Name of
God, listen to the Name of God, appropriate the Name by
serving the Guru, and live in accordance with the Guru's
bhava. The Sikh of the Guru propagates his instruction and
there is no difference between them any longer : 'The Guru
is Sikh and the Sikh is Guru'. Through his instruction, the
Guru assimilates the Sikh with himself; some remain in his
presence to serve him, while others are sent away to perform
his tasks. This comes very close to saying that Guru Ram
Das appointed his representatives to look after Sikh smigats
at places away from Ramdaspur.
In a stanza of the var in Rag Sorathi, the bbagat, satit,
sadb, Gurmukh, and Gursikh are mentioned together. They
refer to one and the same entity : the Sikhs of the Guru. In
Rag Dhanasri, the sants and bbagats refer to the Sikhs. Guru
112 A STUDY OF GURU · GRANIH SAHIB

Ram Das prays that the sins of all those who serve God may
be washed and they be kept in the sangat dear to God. The
sant-jan meditate on God and their suffering, illusion, and
fear disappear through the instruction of the Guru (Gurmat).
In Rag Ramkali, a number of terms are used for · the Sikhs :
Har ke log, Har-jan, Har Ram-jan, Ram-jan, saru, sant-jan,
sadh, sevak, and Gurmukh. Association with them turns the
crow into a swan. The men of God (Har-jan) meditate on
the Name; Har and Har-jan become one. They who find
God sweet are eminent among men; they are the supreme
men of God; greatness and peace come through the Name
of God, and . this juice is tasted through the shdbad of the
Guru. It is clear that Guru Ram Das refers to the Sikhs when
he talks of smits, bhagats, and sadhs. The Guru himself is
referred to as sadhu or sartt.
Guru Arjan poses a number of questions and gives
answers which talk of Gurmukh, one who has turned to the
Guru. He finds the way to liberation and gets liberated. He
acquires knowledge and is good to others. He eradicates
haumai. He performs good deeds and remains unattached.
He remains in peace, in constrast with the manmukh who
remains in suffering. The Gurmukh regards sukh and dukh
as the same. He meditates on God and sings God's praises.
The whole world is in fear but not the brahm-giani : he is
redeemed. There is no difference between Ram and the Sant.
Once the malady of haumai is successfully treated, one
attains raj-jog through the Guru's grace.
The Sikh of the Guru is protected by God and redeemed
through His grace. The dust of the Sadh 's feet is more
efficacious than pilgrimage to all the sixty-eight sacred
places. The Sikh sevaks have the treasure of the Name.
Devoid of all fear, they are dyed in the hue of the Master.
Their association is cherished by the Guru. God's devotees
remain steadfast. They are indifferent to joy and sorrow. The
Guru himself is their protector. Death does not touch the Sikh
of the Guru. The sevak of the Guru performs perfect service.
 CONCEPTION OF LIBERATION 113

Guru Arjan tells the saizts at one place that the shabad
is the support of life. By worshipping the one God their
countenance becomes bright and they remain stable. The
·
True Guru brings all affairs to a good end. All thirst is
quenched. After great search the treasure of the Name is
found, it is priceless. God is their friend, wealth and youth,
their father and mother. By turning to the Guru, they escape
the deadly whirlpool. The smits take refuge with God to be
liberated. The haughty suffer destruction. The gift of the
Name is found in the Sadhu � sangat. There is no high or
low : God's light is in all.
The Sikhs have come together like swans on a pool in
accordance with God's hukam. They feed on pearls and
gems in the pool, and God's will is that they should never
part from it. · God is under the control of bhagats and he is
their strength. The Gursikhs are instructed to meditate on
God and to taste the nectar of btitt'i with its nectar of the
Name. In contrast with monis, tapsis, brahmacharis, sanyasis
and others, the sants of God are free from joy and sorrow,
greed and attachment. The dust of their feet is cherished.
By meeting the True Guru all their anxiety is gone.
The Gurmukh is dear to God, and none can injure the
one guarded by God. He enjoys eternal bliss as a special
robe (sirpao). The sevak of the Guru never goes to hell; he
meditates on God; in sadh-sang he receives life every day
from the Guru. He listens to kirtan at the Guru's door
(gurdwara). The manmukh, in contrast with the Gurmukh,
remains chained to the wheel of death and rebirth and goes
through all hells.

3. Congregational Wor�hip
For the Sikhs of the Guru, worship in congregation is more
important than anything else. The place where the sadhs sit
Bhagt'i, love, and the state of liberation are found
is beautiful.
through association with the sadiJs. Contrary to the general
1 14 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

impression Guru Nanak refers to the Sikh congregation. The

terms used are smit-sabha, smigat, sat-smigat, sikh-sabha,
gur-scnigat, sadh-sabha, and sachchi smigat. This sangat is
associated with the Guru, the shabad and the Name. The
sadh and smit appear to be equated with sevak and sikh.
Thus, the reference clearly is to the Sikh congregation in
which the Guru is present. Guru Angad refers to
congregational worship without using any term for it. Guru
Amar Das, refers to congregational worship as siidh-sangat,
sat-smigat, sachchi sangat, sachch sangat, sant-sangat or
Gur-sabhli. The last, Gur-sabha, associates congregational
worship clearly with the Guru. The terms slidh and smit are
used for what is now commonly called Sikh. The most
frequently used term is sat-sangat which emphasizes the
character of the congregation as seen by the Guru. As the
'true association' it stood distinguished from others. Indeed,
there can be no sangat without the True Guru, just as there
is no liberation without the shabad.
The, importance of the sangat is linked up with its
character. The one who is perfectly fortunate attains to batrlig
through slidh-sangat. The one who reflects on the shabad
of the Guru, begins to feel the awe of God. They come to
the sat-smigat and sing the praises of God. By lodging God
in their hearts they get rid of duality (dubidha). They love
the True One, their mind is true, and their ba1;t is true. By
serving the True Guru the mind is shorn of all impurities
and the body becomes pure. By meeting the profound Guru
one attains to peace and happiness. By sitting in the true
smigat, one appropriates the true Name and the mind is
stilled. Psychological rather than physical presence with the
Guru is important for realizing the True Guru. The place
where the praises of God are sung in sat-sangat is beautiful
and it is dear to God. They who are immersed in truth turn
to true devotion; to their great good fortune they appropriate
the Name; they realize God through the true shabad sung
 CONCEPTION OF liBERATION 117

pleasures and rulership lies the fear (of death). The one True
Lord is in the siidh-smigat. Associate every day with the siidh,
concentrating your mind on the Guru's feet. Only through
God's grace siidh-smig becomes possible. Association with
sarlts enables one to recite the Name of God. Siidh-smig puts
an end to birth and death. All kinds of comforts come from
the true association (sat-sang). The divine Name . is found in
thesant-sabhii as the support . of life. The teaching through
which we sing the praises of God is perfect; siidh-sang is
found through a great fortune. The one to whom God is
gracious sings the praises of God in siidh-smig. Fear and
illusion are removed by siidb-sang. The fire is quenched in
the siidh-sang. The siidh-sangatremoves the fear of birth and
death. Nothing in the universe is eternal, neither Indrapuri
nor Shivpuri, nor Brahmpuri. There is only one place which
is true and stable, where there isanand, sahaj, sifat, bbagti
and giiin. This is where the siidhs meet in association. This
'city without fear' (anbhau nagar) lasts for ever. There is
no fear, no illusion, no sorrow and no anxiety. There is no
death. It is the abode of bliss. The one to whom God is
gracious attains liberation in this stable place, the siidh-sang.
The Name is found in siidb-sang, the association of
sants. The place where the praises of God are sung everyday
is found from the Guru : the praises of God are sung in siidh­
sang. Singing of God's praises in siidb-sangat is preferable
to all other places and all other forms of worship. Siidh­
sangat is the redeemer of the world. The Name of God is
the support of the mind of the sants. The lotus feet of the
Guru are dear to the sants who worship God in love. The
One whom millions of munis seek, for whom millions
perform austerities, rituals and prayers, and for whom
millions .wander all over the earth and bathe at sacred places
is realized in sadh-sangat through God's grace. The true Guru
has become kind to Sikhs and given them the love of sant­
sang; their honour has been saved by God by nurturing them
on the daily kfrtan.
118 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTil. SAHIB

I pray to God that he may make me the servant of his

servants, that I may live by singing his praises even if I
get the nine treasures and rulership, that there may be
a large measure of the nectar · of the Name in the home
of your servants, that I may listen to your praises in their
company, that I may serve them to purify my frame, that
"I may wave the fan over them, fetch water for them, grind
corn for them and wash their feet; I cannot do all this
on my own; be gracious to me, give me a place in the
dharmsal of the sants.
·

The dharrnsal is the place for sadh-smig, and the place of

sadh-sang is the dharrnsal.
Sadh-sangat or smit-smigat is also the true association
(sat-saiigat). The path of liberation is hard to tread. It is like
walking on the sharp edge of a double-edged sword. One
has to discard pride, attadunent and the question of 'mine
or yours'. The ones who join the saiit-smigat through God's
grace cross the ocean of fear. Life eternal is in the sadh-saiig
where one drinks the nectar of God. Katha and kirtan
through the ba1J.i of the perfect Guru in the sadh-saiig
become the source of peace. They who join sadh-sangat are
shorn of durmat; they lodge God in the heart and the dust
of their feet is sought by others. Darkness vanishes by joining
the sadh-saiigat and one attains liberation. By joining the
sadh-sangat one dies to self and obtains real life. Peace here
and bright countenance in the hereafter is the result of
association with saiits. Through the Guru's grace is recited
the Name to find Being who is the life of the universe. Nam,
dan and isnan are associated with sadh-sang. Death does
not touch those who sing kirtan in sadh-sang. There is one
God and one way of worship : kirtan in the sadh-sangat.
Sadh-saiig is raised by God on an everlasting foundation so
as to redeem all those who join it.
Sometimes the term sadh-saiigat is not used but the
reference is · clearly to this institution. 'I see the Guru with
my eyes and place my forehead on his feet. I go to the Guru
 CONCEPTION OF LIBERATION 119

o n foot and use my hands for waving the fan. Day and night
I recite the Name of Akiil Purkh. I have discarded all other
means and placed my trust in the Guru. He has bestowed
the treasure of the Name on me, and all suffering is gone'.
The treasure of the Name is inexhaustible; Practised here is
nam, dan and isnan, and Guru's . katha is performed here.
In the state of peace there is no fear of death. The Sikhs in
·the sat-sangat gain great importance . The dust of their feet
rubbed on the forehead brings a merit equal to that of
bathing at all the sacred places. The deep hue acquired
through the dye of God is so fast that it never fades. Illusion
and fear are destroyed by sadh-sang and one attains brahm­
gian. True association is the source of liberation.

4. Ardas
As essential feature of the Sikh way is prayer (ardiis). The
term ardas occurs frequently in the bar;i of Guru Nanak.
Though not always, it is often used for prayer. 'You O'Lord
God are the sole doer. Keep me as You wish. May I have
the gift of the Name as my sole occupation' . 'This is my ardas
before God that I may live in the sangat of sadhil:jan and
the light of the Name may dawn and wash all my sins'. One
should address one's prayers to the true Lord who alone is
the dispenser of peace or suffering. Pray to the True Guru
that he may enable you to meet the Friend. 'Nanak prays
for the true Name that leads to liberation'. The {lhac;lhi prays
to God for the true Name which leads to contentment. Guru
Angad makes it clear that the only way to approach God
is through supplication (ardas). Stand before God with hands
folded for ardas.
Guru Amar Das prays to the True Lord, the eternal
protector, that he may live without any anxiety. He prays
to God who alone is the bestower of gifts. He prays to the
Perfect Guru for protecting his honour and giving him
greatness (of the Name). The sevak serves God and prays
120 A STUDY OF GURU GRAN1H SAHIB

to Him that He may enable the sevak to meet Him. Guru

Ram Das prays to God that He may enable those who are
engrossed in the poisonous maya to cross the ocean (of
transmigration). He prays to God that he may be associated
with those who praise God through the Name. All belong
to God and He is the capital of everyone; all pray to Him
for every boon; He fulfils the wishes of those who are close
to Him; there is no one else to whom they can pray. The
rjhat;lhi prays to God that he may meditate on the Name.
'You are kind to those who · take refuge with you, O'Lord.
Make me a servant of your devotees'.
References to ardiis are more . frequent in the
compositions of Guru Arjan than in the compositions of his
predecessors. At one place he says, 'I want no raj and no
mukti; my mind is concentrated on the lotus feet of the Lord'.
Guru Arjan prays for peace by becoming dust of the feet
of thesants. The sevak asks for the service of the Guru. One
should pray for association with sifidh.:.sangat. One should
pray to the true Guru who bestows the gift of the treasure
of the Narne for union with God. 'Give this dan to your
servant that he may never forget the Name'. Our ardas before
the Lord Master is that He may slake our thirst for maya.
'May God hear my ardiis and give me the gift of the Name
through the grace of the Sant (Guru)'.
Prayer can be made only to God who is the giver of
the body and the soul. 'Listen to the prayer of Nanak : lodge
the Name in his heart'. 'With hands folded I pray that I may
meditate on my Master'. 'With hands folded I pray to the
Merciful one, the Lord of all, that I may instantly attain to
liberation'. If you wish for a real life, pray to the Guru; discard
your own wisdom and dedicate your mind and body to him.
'Save us O'Lord, we cannot do anything on our own, bestow
the Name on us through your grace'. 'With hands folded I
pray that I may wash the feet of the sants; the merciful
everpresent Lord may enable me to live by the dust of their
feet'. 'Nanak asks for the gift of the Name through God's
grace'.
 CONCEPTION OF LIBERATION 1 21

Those who pray to God face no hindrance; sorrow goes

away and peace comes in, and all the three fevers (of the
body, the mind and illusion) disappear. With hands folded
one prays for the gift of bhagtf and meditation on God all
the time. 'Nanak's only prayer is that he should never forget
God'. With hands folded, he asks for the gift that he may
become a servant of his servants. With hands folded, he asks
for the gift that God may keep him close. With hands folded,
he prays to the Master that He may purify him by the dust
of the feet of sadhs, that all evil thoughts may vanish by
meditating on God and the dirt of many births may be
washed.
The gift for which one may pray to the powerful Lord
is service of the smits. One should pray to God earnestly
that one may remember Him every moment and that through
His grace the destroyer of the suffering of the helpless may
lead to liberation. Guru Arjan's prayer to God is that he may
be given the service of thesmits. 'Through your grace O'my
beloved God give us loving devotion (bhagti) and the Name.
What can the helpless pray for' ? God is within everyone. Thirst
for God is in the mind. The servant of God says 'I am yours'.
'Be gracious O'my divine Master so that I may attain
liberation by serving the people. With hands folded I pray
that I may meditate on God all the time; every morning I
may sing His barti, and recite His name throughout the day.
The Lord is in every place, in everything and outside
everything; may He help me wherever I go'.
Many a time the prayer is for liberation. Guru Arjan
attaches crucial importance to the ideal of liberation. One
term used for the liberated person is brahm-giani. Another
is mukta. The state of liberation is nihchal raj or nihchal
asan. The state of mukti is not subject to change. Somewhere
on the path to liberation one has to die-in-life. It is a state
of unison or union with God. It is a state in which one
remains detached in action (raj-jog). As we noticed earlier,
indispensable for liberation is the Name. It is possible to
122 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

become liberated in one's life (jivan-mukta). It is an ever­

lasting state (amrapad). It is through the Guru's grace that
one becomes a mukta. This state is called pad-nirban. It is
a state of fearlessness (nirbhau pad). This is the highest of
state open to a human being : it . is parm-pad. By taking
refuge in God one may receive the gift of fearlessness (abhai
dan). One may become liberated-in-life by meditating on
God in loving devotion. One becomes a mukta in the world
through the instruction of the Guru (gur-updes). In a state
of liberation one is devoid of haumai, affection and
attachment. As long as durmat lasts there is no scope of
attaining parm-pad. In order to recognize God one has to
die-in-life. One can die-in-life and cross the ocean of fear
through God's grace. Parm-pad is found at the feet of the
sants and in the service of the Guru. By serving the sadhs
one may receive abhai-dan. The life of the liberated being
alone is real life (}ivan-pad). The state of liberation is
mingling of light with the Light. Association with sadhs can
be a means of liberation. He who has the Name in his heart
becomes liberated-in-life. One may attain liberation while
laughing and playing, dressing and eating. In other words,
one can become liberated-in-life with all one's commitments.

5. Liberation-in-Life
In the Siddh Gost, Guru Nanak uses several inter-related
terms which refer to the state of liberation. One of these is
mukt, the person who attains liberation (mukti). Another is
fivat-marai or becoming dead while still living. Another
phrase mar-jivai or living after dying. ·This refers to the state
of the liberated-in-life (jivan-mukt). Another phrase used for
this state is asa mahi niras, a state of detachment. Elsewhere
the same sense is coveyed by the phrase 'anjan mahi
niranjan ', remaining pure amidst impurity. The state of
liberation is also called pad-nirban or nirban-pad, the state
of detachment. The state is everlasting (amrapad). It is also
 CONCEPTION OF LIBERATION 123

called the fourth step or state with reference to a state that

is beyond the three qualities of maya. Yet another term used
is turiavastha. There is no haumai in the state of liberation­
in-life, and there is no fear. The state of liberation is anbhau­
pad (the state of fearlessness). Guru Angad defines fivat­
marna as living in accordance with hukam to become one
with God.
Like Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das emphasizes the need
of dying-unto-self and attaining liberation-in-life. The phrases
often used by Guru Amar Das are fivat marai,shabad marai,
Gur ke shahad fivat marai, ap chhot;le fivat marai, fivan
marna, mar mar jivai, jivat marai marai phun jivai, sabad
maro phirjivo sad hi ta phir marn na hoe, mue tin na akhiai
je Gur ke sabad samae, mar jivia and jivatia mar rahie.
Eradication of haumai by recognizing God's hukam and
accepting his will is the basic idea of dying unto self. The
devotee who dies unto himself has no desires and aspirations
of his own. He is detached completely from the world; he
lives in the world not for himself so much as for others. The
terms frequently used for this state by Guru Amar Das are
ghar hi mahi udas, greh kutumb maih sada udas, bikhia
mahi udas and vichai greh udas. The basic idea is that the
Sikh of the Guru experiences liberation-in-life as a state of
bliss but he does not remain inert or inactive; he performs
his social duties in a spirit of selfless detachment for the
welfare of others. He approximates to the divinity, he
worships and conducts his life in accordance with God's wilL
Clearly, Guru Amar Das's conception of liberation is the same
as that of Guru Nanak and it is different from that of the
known Indian traditions in which it is equated with inert bliss
whether in life or after death.
According to Guru Ram Das, the shabad of the Guru
is the antidote to the poison of haumai and maya. By dying
to self, one lives to quaff the nectar of love, and through
the Guru's grace attains liberation-in-life (}ivan mukt). For
this objective, one should be ready to offer one's head to
 CONCEPTION OF UBERATION 1 27

senses. Men remain engrossed in gold and women. The other

sources of attachment are power and riches. The world to
which the mind is attached is a mountain of smoke. The
whole world is like a dream.
Guru Tegh Bahadur asks human beings to discard pride
and shun kam, krodh and association with evil men; to
regard comfort and pain, honour and dishonour, as the same;
to remain detached from joy and sorrow; neither to seek
praise nor to bother about.. blame. This is the hard way to
the state of liberation (pad nirban). Human beings do not
turn to the praises of God due to their preoccupation with
maya. Sons and friends, like maya and mamta, serve as a
mirage . . The Master who bestows the gift of liberation (mukti)
is forgotten. Addressing the sadhs (Sikhs), Guru Tegh
Bahadur says that it is difficult to comprehend the mind : it
remains unstable due to thirst. The krodh within keeps it
alien to the jewel of knowledge (gian). Everything is set right
if God becomes kind. Guru Tegh Bahadur asks the Sikhs to
sing the praises of God. They should not waste the rare
opportunity offered by human birth. They should take refuge
in God who redeems the sinner and helps the poor. They
should discard pride and attachment to maya arid think of
God. This is the path to liberation (mukti panth). They
should turn to the Guru to receive this gift. Only he who
is filled with God can be regarded as the · liberated one
(mukta).
Addressing the sadhs (Sikhs), Guru Tegh Bahadur says
that peace lies in refuge with God. They should remember
the name and abandon the service of maya and mamta.
They should be indifferent to joy and sorrow, gold and
copper. Praise and blame, pain and comfort do not count
with the giani. Such human beings should be regarded as
liberated (rhuktii). Your body and your beautiful wife are not
your for ever. You have wasted your life without truning to
God, without meditating on His feet. Only they are happy
who sing God's praises. The men of the world engrossed
128 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

in maya do not attain the state of fearlessness (nirbhai pad).

Human birth is a rare opportunity for attaining liberation.
One should take refuge with God who is gracious to the
poor and who is the remover of all fear. One should
appropriate His name which redeems the · sinners. Love of
worldly things is false. Even your wife and friends are
attached to you due to self-interest. No one accompanies you
in the end. Only by singing the praises of God you may cross
the ocean of life . Having wandered in cosmic ages you take
human birth. This is the only opportunity for meeting the
Lord.
In innumerable births you did not attain the stable state
(asthir mat). Now that you have taken human birth, turn to
God for liberation. Turn to God's bhagii. This is the path
of liberation (mukti panth). Cultivate gitin. You do not have
to look for God in forests; he is within you. Engrossed in
maya and alien to gitin, one does not realize that God lives
within. All this ignorance departs by taking refuge with the
sadh (Guru). By doing this, the noose of death is cut off.
In a comprehensive statement, Guru Tegh Bahadur talks of
liberation as absorption in God, like water in water. This is
made possible by the Guru's grace (kirpa). God resides
within those who get rid of kam and krodh. The liberated
person does not feel pain in suffering. Comfort, love and fear
do not count with him; gold and dust are the same to him.
Blame and praise do not affect him; he is not touched by
greed, attachment or pride. He remains indifferent to joy and
sorrow, honour and dishonour. He remains detached from
the world, discarding hope and desire. Guru Tegh Bahadur
is not a renunciant. He does not search for God in a forest.
The omnipresent God who remains detached is within
everyone, like fragrance in a flower, like an image in the
mirror. Search for him within. The Guru imparts the
knowledge that one and the same God is outside and within.
The illusion vanishes when God is recognized within oneself.
Addressing the sadhs (Sikhs), Guru Tegh Bahadur says
 CONCEPTION OF liBERATION 129

that the world is lost in illusion. Sold to maya, human beings

do not remember God, attached to mother and father,
brother, son and wife, and intoxicated with youth, wealth
and power, they do not turn to God who removes all sorrows
and is kind to the poor. Only one in millions turns to the
Guru to recognize God. The real jogi is not bothered about
praise or blame; to him gold and iron are alike. He remains
detached from joys and sorrows. Only such a person can
become liberated. One may wander in ten directions in
search of the means of liberation, stranger to the secret that
God is within. Without taking refuge in God it is not possible
to receive the gift of fearlessness (abhai-dan). Remember
God day and night; the time is passing like water from a
broken pitcher. Sing the praises of God. Do not forget that
death is inevitable. Still there is time to sing God's praises.
By reciting the name of God one may attain the state of
fearlessness (nirbhai pad). The name of God removes
suffering. The world was surprised to see that the everlasting
and stable state of fearlessness was bestowed upon Ajamal,
Gal).ika, Narad and Dhruv. God, who is the protector of
bhagats, is always close. Without the name of God one
remains in suffering. The fear does not depart without bhagti.
This secret is revealed by the Guru; Pilgrimage and fasting
do not help; take refuge with God. Yoga and yagya are futile;
take to the praises of God. Discard pride and attachment
both, and sing the praises of God. This is the way to
liberation in life. Pilgrimage and fasting do not help; control
your mind. The dharma you follow is useless. Without
bhagti, an individual is like a stone that does not get wet
in water. By reciting the name of God one may attain to the
state of liberation (pad nirba1J). Fortunate are they who sing
God's praises. Their sins are washed away, like Ajamal who
was redeemed by God in the end and attained a state that
is desired by great jogis. God bestows the gift of fearlessness
through his grace. The Sants (Gurus) showed mercy out of
their kindness and made it clear that the whole of dharm
 130 A STIIDY OF G�U GMNru Smffi

consists of singing the praises of God. The fear of death

vanishes by remembering the name of God even for a
moment. By taking refuge in God, appropriating the name
and singing God's praises, one may cross the ocean. This
is possible only through the name of God. The noose of
death does not spare the jogis, jatigams and sanyiisis.
Through the wealth of the name, the mind is stilled and
becomes stable. Maya and mamta vanish and pure gian
makes its appearance. God's bhagti is appropriated . The fear
of rebirth and death is removed by the jewel of the name.
Gone is all thirst from the mind and peace has dawned. One
sings God's praises only if God is gracious. This treasure is
found rarely, and only by turning to the Guru. Whatever we
see disappears like the shadow of a cloud. Discard pride and
take refuge with the sants so that you may soon attain to
liberation. Without bhajan of God there is no peace even
in a dream. There is no point in wasting your life in the
pursuit of maya. Take refuge in God. No one stays here;
whatever is created is destroyed. The tie is tightened by
regarding this false body as true. He who appropriates God's
bhajan becomes liberated.
For Guru Tegh Bahadur, as for his predecessors, the
goal of life is liberation-in-life. One does not have to
.
renounce the world for the attainment of this goal. Though
maya and haumai present serious obstacles on. the path to
liberation, it is possible to cultivate an · · attitude of
detachment : living in the world and in the society but
performing all actions in accordance with God's will.
Essential . for liberation as an experience of bliss and
fearlessness are dedication to God in love and awe ,
remembering him and singing his praises in association with
others, the Guru's guidance and God's grace. This conception
of the path and the goal is strictly Sikh.
The shaloks of Guru Tegh Bahadur reinforce the
shabads on the theme of liberation. In fact the expression
 CONCEPTION OF LIBERATION 131

becomes even more trenchant i n the shaloks. Why are you

so engrossed in miiyii that you are not detached (udiis) even
for a moment ? Turn to the bhajan of God so that you are
not subjected to the noose of death. The redeemer .of sinners,
the remover of fear, God is the protector of those who have
no protection. He is always close to you. God is the bestower
of all comforts, there is no other. Only by remembering Him
one may attain the desired state. Turn to him before it is
too late. God is within everyone, as declared by the sants.
Remember him so that you may cross the ocean. He who
is indifferent to joy and sorrow and who is not affected by
greed, attachment and pride is like God. Praise or blame does
not matter to him; gold and iron for him are the same. He
is the liberated one. He is not affected by joy and sorrow;
the enemy is like a friend for him. He is the liberated one.
He who discards maya and mamtii and becomes detached,
in him dwells God. The one who recognizes God as the only
doer and discards haumai is truly liberated. The one whose
tongue utters the praises of God and whose ears hear the
name of God shall not be subjected to the noose of death.
The one who remembers God day and night is the veritable
form of God; there is no difference between such a devotee
of God and God. Wandering through births, the fear of death
never vanished. Turn to the remembrance of God so that
you may dwell in the Fearless One. The one who practises
the remembrance of God may be liberated. There is no
difference between such an individual and God. All crises
are resolved by remembering him.
The rulership of the earth is ephemeral like the wall
of sand. It is unlikely that this would refer to the empire of
Aurangzeb who prided in the title 'conqueror of the world'
('iilamgir). But the following shalok may not be irrelevant
to the situation : 'He who frightens no one and is afraid of
no one is the real giiini'. Guru Tegh Bahadur's giiini is
liberated-in-life . The statement in the shalok appears to
132 A STIIDY OF GmU GMNrn Smffi

reflect his own attitude. The attitude of not being afraid in

the pursuit of cherished ideals, and not frightening others
in any way is a feature of the Sikh conception of liberation­
in-life. It reinforces social commitment and social action.
Guru Tegh Bahadur's concern for liberation was
matched by his concern for spiritual freedom, his own and
that of others. As a matter of principle, this concern was
dearer than life. It was the logical culmination 6f Guru
Nanak's concern for .the freedom of conscience.

Notes and References

1. For direct and indirect evidence on the themes of this chapter,
see Sbabdartb Sri Guru Grantb Sahib Ji, pp. 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-
8, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33,
34, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 55, 56, 58, 59-60, 61, 62,
64, 65, 68, 69, 70, 77-8," 83, 87, 91, 96, 97, 102, 103, 106, 1'07,
108, 1 1 1 ,_ 1 16, 1 17, 121, 129, 136, 137, 140, 141, 142. 147. 149-
50, 153, 154, 156, 160, 162, 166, 167, 169, 172, 173, 175, 176, 180,
192, 198, 204, 205, 213, 214, 221, 224, 226, 232, 234, 235-6, 256,
266, 272-4, 275, 302, 305-6, 310-1 1 , 322, 353, 356, 357, 359-60,
361, 365, 366, 370, 371, 374, 376, 378, 381, 385, 388, 389, 391 ,
392, 394, 399, 406, 41 1, 413, 414, 415, 416, 418-9, 421 , 426, 436,
437, 438, 439, 440, 441 , 443, 444, 445-6, 449, 450, 451, 454, 462,
463, 464, 465, 466, 468, 470, 490, 491, 492, 495, 496, 498, 499,
500, 505, 508, 5 1 1 , 512, 513, 514-6, 517, 518, 519, 520, 522, 528,
531, 534, 535, 542, 548, 549, 550, 552, 554, 555, 558, 560, 565,
567, 571, 584, 590-1, 592, 593, 596, 597, 598, 599-600, 601, 602,
603, 604, 610, 61 1 , 614, 619, 622, 634, 635, 636, 645, 646, 648,
649, 654, 664, 665, 667, 668, 730, 731 , 732, 736, 737, 740, 741 ,
742, 743, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 752, 755, 756, 757-8, 763, 767,
768, 769, 770, 777, 785, 756, 788, 790, 799, 800, 811-2, 816, 816-
17, 831, 835, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851 , 861, 864-5,
867, 878, 880, 881, 882, 885, 889-90, 904, 907, 908, 916, 917-22,
978, 987, 991, 994, 997, 1000, 1001, 1002, 1004, 1009, 1010, 101 1 ,
1012, 1013, 1024-5, 1026, 1028, 1030, 1032, 1037, 1039, 1040, 104 1 ,
1043, 1058-9, 1068, 1 070, 1075, 1076, 1089, 1091, 1092, 1126-7,
1 130, 1131, 1 132, i 135, 1 1 36, 1 1 38, 1 144, 1 145, 1 146, 1 170, 1 188,
1 198, 1201, 1202, 1212, 1221, 1223, 1243, 1246, 1247, 1256, 1258,
 CONCEPTION OF IlBERATION 13 3

1263, 1264, 1274, 1276, 1279, 1282, 1294-6, 1299, 1314, 1316, 1322,
1324, 1326, 1328-9, 1329, 1332, 1333, 1335, 1340, 1342, 1343, 1344,
1345, 141 1, 1412, 1413; 1414, 1423-4, 1425, 1426, 1429.
2. For the relevant verses on supplication (ardas), see Sbabdartb,
pp. 25, 40, 41, 49, 55, 91, 103, 107, 136, 169, 178, 192, 193, 194,
203; 354, 389, 392, 396, 402, 415, 421, 499, 518, 519, 534, 571,
747, 749, 752, 996, 1340.
3. For Guru Tegh Bahadur's bli1Ji in relation to liberation, see
Shabdarth, pp. 219-20, 41 1, 536, 631-4, 684-5, 702-3, 830-1, 901-
2, 1008, 1231-2, 1426-9.
 CHAPTER IV

The Emerging Panth

Embodied in new institutions, the egalitarian ideology of

Guru Nanak became the basis of a new kind of social
organization. The increasing number of Sikhs under . his
successors made them increasingly aware of their entity and
importance. Their self-image in the Guru Granth Sii.hih
.

reflects their vision of a new social order. Guru Arjan's halem'i

rii.j represents the entire dispensation of Guru Nanak and his
successors as the result of a new ideology. The essential
constituents of this dispensation were the Gurus and the
Sikhs, their institl,ltions, their scripture and their sacred space,
their organization and their human and material resources.
We may look at the bii.1',l1 of Guru Nanak and his successors
from this perspective for their idea of a new social order
emerging under their leadership and its significance in their
eyes.

1. Guru Nanak: The Beginning

We have noticed earlier that a new socio-religious fraternity
came into existence in the lifetime of Guru Nanak, consisting
of his Sikhs who met in congregation for worship presumably
led by the Guru. In his dialogue with Siddhs, Guru Nanak
refers to his path as Gurmukh Panth in which praises of God
are 'our captial' and the all pervading light of God is 'our
support'; the one who drinks the nectar of the Guru's
instruction becomes acceptable in the divine court, attaining
the �tate of liberation. The disciples whose gurus are blind
get nowhere. Without the True Guru one does not find the
Name and there can be no liberation without the Name. The
 THE EMERGING PANTH 13 5

right door and the right home is found through the Guru.
There is only one door and only one path; the Guru is the
ladder for the divine court through the True Name. The Guru
and the Silffis, together, represent a new kind of association.
As we noticed earlier, Guru Nanak uses several terms for this
association sangat, Gur-sangat, Gursant-sabhii, sant-sabhii,
:

Sikh sabhii, and siidb-sabbii. The statements related to this

association leave no doubt that Guru Nanak is talking of the
Sikh congregation. In the sant-sabhii one finds the Guru and
receives the gift of liberation. The One Name is recited in
the sat-sangcit and the True Guru gives the understanding
that the Name alone is ordained by God. The praises of God
in the sant-sabhii becorD:e the best of acts in accordance with
·
Gurmat. The manmukb remains alien to niim, dan and
isniin, without the sweet taste of sabaj in the siidb-sabhii.
By turning to the Guru in the sangat of sants one acquires
the merit of pilgrimage to sixty-eight places by the Guru's
sight (dars). In sat-sangat, the sevaks of the Guru reflect on
his sbabad, realize the divine presence within, attain
·

liberation, and become the means of liberation for others.

Rare are such persons in the world who reflect on the Guru's
sbabad, remain detached, swim (across the ocean of death
and re-birth) and enable others to swim across. The fruit of
truth is found in the sat-sangat where God's praises are sung.
Misery and suffering end with joining the gursant-sabhii; one
is united with God. The Guru is like a sacred river; the dirt
of sins is removed by bathing in this river by joining the sant­
sabba and by acting in accordance with the Guru's guidance.
In the gur-sangat one recognizes God by recognizing His
·

presence within.
The way in which Guru Nanak refers to the Sikhs, the
Guru, and the sangat enables us to appreciate some of the
other verses which have a close . bearing on the new
dispensation. The one who is bestowed with the gift of God's
praises (sijat-siiliih) is the king of kings. All the sixty-eight
places of pilgrimage are at the feet of the Guru. The ones
136 A STUDY OF GURU GRAN1H SAHIB

who praise the One Lord. are good; they are imbued with
the love of the shabad; their smigat is the source of bliss;
they are honoured with the order of truth and the banner
of the True Name; they recognize hukam and live in
accordance with it. The girhf sevak who is attached to gurmat
is a Sikh who practises bhagti through nam, dan, and isnan
as a householder; he has found the true door and the true
home from the Guru; he worships none but God and does
not go to any marhf or masii1J.
The Sikh of the Guru rises above the considerations of
caste(jat-baran) and family (kul) by reflecting on the
sbabad in accordance with the Guru's instruction. The rare
persons who have discarded the distinctions of caste are
actually the Sikhs of the Guru. In the Guru's presence, as
in the court of God, there is no consideration for caste or
birth. The ones who are alien to the Name have no honour.
They who forget God are of low caste. In the bii1Jf of Guru
Nanak there are clear intimations of the kind of life pursued
by his followers. They have lodged the True One in their
hearts and they are never forgetful of the Name. They sing
God's praises in congregation in the Guru's presence. The
Sikhs,sevaks and bhagats have found the Guru's door; they
are dedicated to bhakti through nam, dan, and isnan. They
are householders, truly detached-in-attachment.
Guru Nanak's comment on certain customs and
ceremonies suggests their rejection in favour of new beliefs
and practices. The traditional songs for marriage should be
replaced by hymns on the union with God. The singing of
Guru Nanak's Alaba1J,fan was meant to replace the traditional
modes of lamentation. People are anxious about the disposal
of the dead body; no one knows or wants to know where
the soul has gone; what the dead person did in his lifetime
is far important than the way in which his body is treated
after death. Equally futile was the performance of kirya by
the Brahmans for the dead man's sojourn to the next world
which involves the feeding of Brahmans and the floating of
 TilE EMERGING PANTH 1 39

becomes the assessor of jewels, he merely exposes himself.

In the Kaliyuga the rulers are paupers, the learned (pandits)
are idiots, the judges are blind, those in positions of power
are evil. The way out of this impasse is the path shown by
Guru Nanak. Thus, Guru Angad pays homage to Guru Nanak
as the only redeemer of the modern age. The message of
Guru Nanak is ·universal; like air and water, it knows no caste.
The most striking feature of the shaloks of Guru Angad
is the use of the epithet Nanak. We are so familiar with the
practice that we tend to ignore its significance. Guru Angad
was the first Guru after Guru Nanak to use the epithet Nanak
for himself. It embodies the declaration that he represents
the same light as Guru Nanak and that he derives full
authority from him. This can be seen as an expression of
the doctrine of the unity of Guruship which has become an
essential feature of the Sikh tradition. It is also a tangible
expression of the continuity of Guruship.
By turning to the Guru, says Guru Angad, one may
recognize God as the only real entity. By turning to the Guru,
one may realize that all enlightenment comes from God.
Through God's grace, one may appropriate the shabad of
the Guru. In these
shaloks, the reference may be to God as
the Guru. However, some other shaloks simultaneously
suggest two levels : God and Guru Nanak. The 'grace of the
Guru' may be seen in this light. The Guru is the only key
to open the lock of the mind. Perfect is the Guru, perfect
his grace and perfect his word. The fortunate one praises
God by turning to Guru Nanak. In these shaloks, Guru Nanak
appears to figure more prominently. Then there is the explicit
reference : they who have been instructed by Guru Nanak
need no further instruction. We may be sure that Guru Angad
refers to Guru Nanak in the well known shalok which says :
'a hundred moons may shine, and a thousand suns, but there
is darkness without the Guru'. Guru Angad appears to refer
to his own installation when he says that miracle is to receive
the gift from the Master.
140 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

The Guru now emphatically is Guru Nanak and the

shabad primarily his bti1;i. The Guru and Gurbatei, together
with the congregation, represent a new beginning in the
socio-religious history of the world. The batei of Guru Angad
becomes a profound interpretation of Guru Nanak's
dispensation. His own work becomes an extension of the
work of Guru Nanak, almost literally a part of his body (mig).

3 . Guru· Amar Das: Emphasis on Distinction

Guru Amar Das refers to the exalted status of the Sikhs. He
emphasizes the presence of God in everyone in the first
place. There is the same light in everyone. The One takes
the form of many. In the different forms there is the same
balance of air, water and fire. All belong to God and He
belongs to alL This awareness comes to those who meditate
on the shabad. People talk of the four varnas but all spring
from the same divine seed; the whole world is made of the
same clay and the Potter fashions vessles of many different
forms; the same five elements constitute the body; none can
make the vessels smaller or bigger. Caste does not count in
the divine court : he who recognizes God (Brahm) is a
Brahman. What counts in the next world is what one has
done in accordance with the sbabad. Without the Name, all
are low. Only the one who serves the true Guru is high.
One becomes higher and higher through the shabad. They
who are dyed in the Name are the real kings. 'We have
become · uttam by seeking refuge in God; we are no longer
nich '.
The Sikh of the Guru (Gursikh) is referred to in several
ways. He is a sant, a sevak, a bhagat, a Har-jan, a Sikh, a
Gurmukh. He meditates on the Name. He entrusts his mind
and body to the Guru, subdues haumai and places his trust
in God. He sings God's praises day and night, pursues bhagti
and inspires others to pursue bhagti. He meditates on the
Name, attains peace through liberation and becomes the
 TilE EMERGING PANTH 141

means of liberation for others; he is indifferent to pleasure

and pain. Guru Amar Das refers to the Sikh as cjbacjhi : he
loves his Master, stands at his door to serve him in
accordance with the Guru's shabad, and he finds the true
home with a place in the divine court. The cjhacjhi is the
Gurmukh who praises the True One, finds the Name,
dedicates himself to the Guru to find the true door and the
true home through God's grace. In a whole solha, Guru Amar
Das talks of theGurmukh : he lives in accordance with God's
bhar;a; he sings God's praises through the ba'l)f; he pursues
truth; he finds true understanding; he gets rid of haumai,
maya and bhram; he attains liberation; life and death to him
are alike; he dedicates his life to the service of God. Through
the Guru's grace, the Gurmukh experiences the 'fourth state'
(chauthi padvi) in which he becomes one with the One
Eternal God who is the creator of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Guru Amar Das refers frequently to the Sikhs, partly because
their number is increasing. In the words of Guru Amar Das,
the world is burning and people run to take refuge in God :
they submit to the perfect Guru with the supplication that
he may save them.
The Guru's instruction is the true . instruction. God is
found through it and light mingles with the Light. Nam and
singing of God's praises are associated with the Guru. There
is only one nectar, that of the shabad, and it is found by
turning to the Guru. There is only one Guru, one bar;i and
one shabad; there is only one shop stored with true
merchandise for true trade. It has the divine sanction. Guru
Amar Das refers to a disciple becoming the Guru : in
accordance with God's raza : the Guru comes from the Guru.
The divine sanction behind the Guru's dispensation is
indicated also by the statement that when God makes one
speak one says what God wants one to say.
Where there is the true Guru, there is the true sangat
in which the praises of God are sung. It is a great good
fortune to find the true sangat. By joining the true sangat
142 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANm SAHIB

one gains peace of mind through the true Name. One lives
in accordance with the Guru's shabad by meeting the Sadhii
in the smigat. The ones who live in accordance with the
Guru's bhar;a are Sikhs; they are also friends, relatives and
brothers of the Guru. No kinship is more important than that
of the Sikhs with Sikhs. The way in which Guru Amar Das
brackets men and women suggests that women were a part
of the smigat.
Guru Amar Das invites the Sikhs, who are dear to the
True Guru, to sing the true bar;i, the bar;i of the Guru, which
is supreme. It is lodged in the hearts of the one's to whom
God is gracious. Guru Amar Das exhorts the Sikhs to drink
this nectar, to remain dyed in the love of God, and sing his
praises. The shabad of the Guru is a precious jewel. He who
appropriates this shabad is absorbed in it. When the mind
is attached to the shabad, one turns to the True One in loving
devotion. The shabad comes from the Guru as the only
means of liberation. Always sing the true bar;t. All bar;i other
than the bar;i of the True Guru is unripe. Unripe is bar;i 0ther
than the bar;f of the True Guru; all other bar:ti is unripe.
Unripe are the ones who recite the unripe bar;i and the ones
who hear it; unripe is its exposition. They utter 'God' from
their lips without knowing Hini. Their minds are engrossed
in maya and what they say does not carry conviction. Guru
Amar Das reiterates that other than thebiir;i of the True Guru
all biir;i is unripe. The unique status of Gurbar:ti is thus
sought to be underlined.
The Anand of Guru Amar Das celebrates the bliss of
union with God. According to Guru Ram Das, this true song
of joy is to be sung in the true house where truth is meditated
upon. We may be sure that this true house is the Sikh sangat.
Through God's grace the truth is realized through the Guru.
The Master bestows it upon the ones whom he likes. Guru
Arjan invites the Sikhs to listen to the Anand so that all their
wishes are fulfilled. They realize God and all their sorrows
vanish. By listening to the true bar;i, all sorrows, disease and
 THE EMERGING PANTH 143

curses vanish. Through the perfect Guru, the sants are

drenched in joy. The True Guru is present in this ba1Ji; the
one who listens to it and utters it, becomes pure. It is
significant that both Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan take
notice of the Anand. The way in which they refer to it lends
credibility to the view that the Anand was sung on the birth
of Hargobind.
Guru Arnar Das leaves no doubt that the dispensation
of Guru Nanak was meant to transcend all the known
religious traditions. This becomes clear from his references
to the Kaliyuga. Kirat is the light of the world in the Kaliyuga.
There is no karm or dharm for the Kaliyuga : there is no
liberation without the Name. In this Yuga, the divine Name
alone is the remover of fear and it is found by reflecting on
(the shabad of) the Gurq. In the Kaliyuga, the Name is the
treasure that is found through hhagtiand leads to bliss. jam
(Death) is all powerful in the Kaliyuga but subject to the
Divine Order. He punishes the manmukh but the one who
turns to the Guru remains safe . In all the four Yugas there
is one treasure for the devotees of God. It is the divine Name.
The dharm in the first three Yugas, respectively, was jat,
san:fam and tirath; in the Kaliyuga it is the praises of God
through the divine Name. In this Yuga, the wealth of the
divine Name is gained through bhagti; the rest of the world
remains in illusion. The one who appropriates the Name
attains liberation. But no one finds the Name without the
Guru. Dharm stood firmly on four feet in the Satyug; it stood
on three feet in the Tretayuga and in the Duapur it was left
with two. In the Kaliyuga it has only one foot. Its power
is reduced to one-fourth. Maya reigns supreme. The only
source of redemption is the Name which is appropriated by
meeting the True Guru. It is the only · source of liberation
in the Kaliyuga. Not karm-karuj but the divine Name is
efficacious in the Kaliyuga. There is no other way (to
liberation).
Significantly, the season of Basant, which is the season
144 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SA:HIB

of regeneration, reminds · Guru Amar Das of the mind

regenerated through the divine Name. They who sing God's
praises live in the Basant season all the time. The regenerated
world is liked by the True Guru. The world is a garden and
God is Basant. Thus, the Kaliyuga is the age of regeneration.
In any case, the divine Name becomes manifest in the
Kaliyuga by turning to the Guru; the treasure of the Name
is made manifest in the hearts of those who have taken
refuge with the Guru.
Guru Amar Das talks of the 'burning world' (jagat
jalandli) in a few of his verses. Addressing the jan in one,
he says that he has woken up on hearing the shabad of the
True Guru and a new feeling has sprung up within him. May
the body without any merit burn because it does not work
in the Guru's way. Engrossed in haumai and attached to the
'other', the world is burning. 'Guru Amar Das prays that God
may save the world on fire through his grace. He goes on
to add that God may save the world, whatever the means
of redemption (jit duare ubre tete Jehu ubar). This does not
appear to harmonize with the well considered and
emphatically expressed view of Guru Amar Das that the only
means of redemption in the Kaliyuga is the Name, that is,
the dispensation of Guru Nanak. The jit duare line itself is
followed by the statement that the True Guru has shown
peace through reflection on the true shabad. The 'jit duare '
in this verse reflects, primarily, Guru Amar Das's deep
concern for universal redemption.
For educating the increasing fraternity of · the Sikhs,
Guru Amar Das expresses concern for matters social.
Drunkenness is injurious for both physical and spiritual
health. Red dress symbolizes sensual pleasures; it is better
avoided. The notion of auspicious and inauspicious days
and time is senseless. It is opposed to the Guru's shabad.
Above all, there is condemnation of female infanticide and
disapproval of the practice of sati much against the cherished
ideal of the Brahmans and the upper caste people. Devotion
 TilE EMERGING PANTH 145

to the living husband is preferable to becoming sati.

Altogether, the social comment in the bii7J,f of Guru Amar
Das is quite considerable.
The bii1J,i of Guru Amar Das reveals an awareness of
slanderers of the siidbils (the Silrns ofthe Guru). He reassures
the Sikhs that God is on their side. One of God's concerns
is .to protect his devotees. He has been protecting them in
all the Yugas. God saves their honour. It is in this context
that Guru Amar Das makes an extended reference to Prahlad.
The one whose Master is all powerful cannot be destroyed
by anyone. Since there is no one above him, his devotee does
not have to be afraid of anyone.

4. Guru Ram Das: The House of Guru Nanak

Guru Ram Das refers to the same air and earth with which
all human beings are created, and the same light in all. God
has fashioned all vessels of different forms. They all belong
to Him and He belongs to them all. The Guru's mantar is
meant alike for Brahmans, Khatris, Vaishyas and Shudras.
They are· welcome to join the Sikh fold.
The Sikhs of the Guru (Gursikhs) are Har ke jan, liar
ke sant, Har ke das, sadb u-jan, sant-jan, sevaks of the Guru,
and Gurmukbs. Raising his arm, the Guru gives the loud call
to the sants to take refuge with the true Guru for peace.
The Sikhs become conspicuous in the ba1J,i of Guru Ram
Das and he expresses great esteem and concern for them.
Praises of God are their capital. They sow the seed of nectar
and reap the harvest of nectar. Guru Ram Das is the slave
of the Sikhs who perform the Guru's service. They are his
sons and brothers, sakbis and sabelis. Praise be to the Sikh
who takes refuge with the Guru, who utters the divine Name,
who is pleased to hear the divine Name, and who serves
the Guru. Guru Ram Das bows to such a Sikh that conducts
himself in accorda'nce with the Guru's bbii1J,ii. Guru Ram Das
serves Sikhs as a sevak. Some Sikhs are present with the Guru
 THE EMERGING PANTH 149

that the path of the Gurus is seen as the only efficacious

path in the Kaliyuga.
Guru Ram Das refers to the imitators and their raw and
false compositions. The Gursikhs are told to regard the bii1')i
of the True Guru alone as tiue : God Himself inspires him
to speak. Indeed, ' biit;ti is Guru and Guru is bii1')i; all amrits
are in the bii1')f itself'. Just as in the equation of God with
the True Guru the institutional Guru is brought to the fore,
so in the equation of the Guru with the Shabad, the shabad
as Gurbii1')i is brought to the fore.
Finally, there is a certain degree of awareness of
opposition in the , bii1')i of Guru Ram Das. There is more than
one reference to the Guru's detractors (nindaks) in general.
The response of Guru Ram Das is to assert that God is his
protector. One specific opponent is an ascetic known as Tapa
who is exposed and suffers humiliation due to his opposition
to the Guru. There is a reference to people forming factions.
Another hymn refers to the humiliation of an opponent. It
is followed by the statement that the true Guru founded a
village and appointed guards for its protection. A nindak
returns to the Guru, his former lapses are forgiven, and he
is purified by the true Guru who is devoid of enmity
(niroair). Much of this opposition appears to come from
within, though not all. However, the state functionaries do
not figure anywhere in this context.

5. Guru Arjan: Halemz Raj

Guru Arjan is emphatic about human fraternity. God is 'our
common father' . When the True One is lodged in the body
and the mind, there is no strange place and all enemies
become friends. In everyone resides the One who has no
limits. All created beings belong to him. 'There is one Father
and we are all His children'. 'You are the Father and we all
are your children'. Thus, human fraternity springs from the
fatherhood of God.
1 50 A STIJDY OF GURU GRA.NTII SAHIB

Guru Arjan is equally emphatic about the distinguished

status of the Sikhs. In the first place, the message (updes)
for all the four varnas - Khatri, Brahman, Sud and Vais - is
common. They can tum to the Guru for the Name for their
redemption. The Name, as promulgated by Guru Nanak,
redeems the Khatri, the Brahman, the Sud and the Vais alike.
However, the Sikhs become uttam in this world. God's
devotee (Sikh) becomes high even if he belongs to a low
caste. A cbancjal woman becomes a Brahmani.
The importance given to the Sikh becomes more
evident from a hymn of Guru Arjan that relates to the Sikhs.
The praise of their rabit cannot be adequately expressed.
Their occupation is solely with the Name; they find comfort
in singing God's praises; the friends and foes are the same
for them; they know only of their Lord; they bravely stick
to what they say; maya has no lure for them; their company
is sought by gods; their service never goes waste; 'with
folded hands' Guru Arjan. prays that he may be given the
boon of serving them. In the hymn entitled Gur;twanti the
opening and the closing line says, 'when I see a Sikh of the
Guru I bend lower and lower to touch his feet'. In another
hymn, his preference for tl1e service of the sants over the
enjoyment of power and wealth is explicitly stated. In a hymn
that is often sung at bbogs after death, Guru Arjan talks of
the fulfilment of a sevak's love for God. He remembered his
Master throughout his life as at the time of his death. He
never turned away from the ordinance of the Master. He
remained happy in his home and ran to the Master on his
call. He welcomed every order of the Master and the Master
showed his grace to redeem him here and in the hereafter.
Praise be to the sevak whose life's purpose is fulfilled by
recognizing the Master.
Guru Arjan says that he has received everything from
the sadb-sangat. He who sings God's praises in the sat­
sangat receives the perfect wealth, God; when his self is
annihilated he sees God everywhere. He who sings God's
 1HE EMERGING PANTH 1 51

praises in association with slidhs (all his sins are washed

away and) he becomes pure. The Only True One abides in
the slidh-smigat. God (karta) is always with the sants in the
city of God (Kartarpur). 'Ever since I have found the sadh­
sangat', says Guru Arjan, 'I have forgotten all envy of others'.
There is no foe and no stranger, we have amicable relations
with everyone. Whatever is done by the Lord we regard that
as the best. This wisdom we have received from the sadhu.
The One God pervades all and 'we feel happy to see it all'.
The institutions which served as the instruments of
spreading nam-dharm in the world are given great
importance by Guru Arjan in his compositions. He makes
the explicit statement that all sins are washed away by
bathing in Ramdas Sarovar. He exhorts the Sikhs to sing the
praises of God everyday in congregation (sadh-smig) : 'all
one's wishes are fulfilled by lodging the perfect Guru in the
heart'. This pool is the work of the creator. There was no
shortage of money and materials. This was the will of the
Merciful One who completed the perfect design. All his
wealth and riches belonged to God who stood amidst the
sants to complete the work and to ensure that everything
went right. Beautiful is the earth and beautiful is the pool
with its nectar-like water. All objectives have been fulfilled
and all sorrows have vanished. True to his nature God
bestows all gifts on his devotees. All the merit of bathing
at sixty-eight places, all charities, rituals and good deeds are
here. All sins are washed away by bathing in Ramdas Sarovar.
This source of purification is a gift of the Perfect Guru.
Through the Guru's shabad everything is in the right place.
The dirt is removed in the sadh-smig, with God as the kind
friend.
Guru Arjan refers to 'the house having been raised' . This
may be a reference to the Harimandar. There is a direct
reference to' God's (Har-mandar) erected for
temple
meditation on Him; the sants and bhagats sing His praises.
By meditating on the Master they get rid of all their sins.
152 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

By singing God's praises through the divine bar;i they attain

liberation. It was a happy conjunction and an auspicious
moment when the eternal foundation of God's temple was
laid. This could happen only through God's grace. In another
shabad, God's abode (ghar) is mentioned along with the
pool . and the garden as the sign of God's pleasure. By
meditating on God and singing his praises, all wishes have
been fulftlled. By attachment to the Guru's feet the mind is
filled with joy. Through the Master's grace, our life is blessed
in this world and the next.
The sanctity attached to the Sarovar and the Harimaildar
is extended to the town of Ramdaspur. 'I have seen all
places', says Guru Arjan, 'but there is rione like you'. Thickly
populated, the sprawling Ramdaspur is extremely beautiful
since God himself founded it. Through his grace, God has
established his own rule in Ramdaspur. In the compositions
of Guru Nanak and his successors, Ram is a familiar epithet
. for God. Ram-raj refers, therefore, to divine rule and not the
rule of the Rama of Ayodhya. Nothing untoward happens
if we meditate on God; the enemy runs away when the Name
is praised. Ramdaspur was a town with which the Mughal
administration had nothing to do.
Guru Arjan talks of Abchal Nagar where peace comes
through nam, which has been established by the creator and
where all one's wishes are fulfilled, where the praises of God
are sung and everything is in its proper place, where God
is the protector, the father and the mother, where houses and
shops look beautiful cheek by jowl, where the gifts of God
increase everyday, where all living beings are at peace under
God's care, where the sartts of God exchange their views,
where the noose of transmigration is cut off, and where one
discovers God through His grace. This eternal city of God
appears to be a metaphor for . the dispensation of Guru ·

Nanak.
Elsewhere too, Guru Arjan depicts the ideal city (abchal
nagari) in terms of the dispensation of Guru · Nanak. There
 THE EMERGING PANTH 1 53

is no .room for the five adversaries (kam, krodh, lobh, mob

and hankar); all sins are removed through the Guru's
instruction; the city wall is made of sachch and dharm; the
seed of nam is sown here; the sahu and his agents are
equally prosperous; the Guru's service day and night is the
goods for sale; the shops hold sbantf, sabaj and sukh as
merchandise; there is no fine and no taxes; they who trade
in nam take large profits home; the True Guru is the sahu
and the Sikhs are his banjaras. This is the city eternal of
Guru Nanak Dev.
Guru Arjan refers to the ordinance of the Merciful One
that none shall oppress another, that all shall live in peace
now that the mild rule (balemi raj) has been established.
It has divine sanction. Guru Arjan is a champion wrestler of
God. Guru Atjan uses the plough of Truth to sow the seed
of the Name and hopes to harvest God's grace. God has
assigned this task to him and he performs it in accordance
with His will. Putting on a robe of honour in His court, God
has made Guru Arjan the headman. The village is well settled.
Guru Arjan's sole occupation is to serve the Master. There
is hardly any doubt that halemi raj refers to the entire
dispensation headed by Guru Arjan. Significantly, he goes
on to refer to the dharmsal of truth that he has established.
He seeks Gursikhs to wash their feet and wave the fan over
them, and to bow at their feet. They who hear of the Guru
come to him to receive the boon of nam, dan and isnan.
A whole world has been redeemed.
Guru Arjan refers to the Granth (pothi) as the abode
of God. Here the equation of ba1}i with the shabad, of
shabad with the Guru, and of the Guru with God is assumed.
The pothi contains the Name as the means of redeeming
mankind. With · truth, contentment, and contemplation, the
ambrosial Name sustains all existence and saves all who
appropriate it. This is the indispensable means to be
cherished by all. When darkness is lifted, the manifestation
of God is seen in all that is visible. Characteristically, Guru
1 54 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

Arjan attributes the compilation of the Granth to the grace

of God. He is grateful for its completion through God's grace.
The Grarith as the embodiment of God's grace can be seen
as the primary means of advancing the halemf raj, or the
dispensation of Guru Nanak, established through divine
ordinance for the redemption of humankind.
Significantly, Guru Arjan refers directly to Guru Nanak
a score of times. It is absolutely clear that Guru Nanak for
him is the founder of a new dispensation. There is limitless
joy and no sorrow in 'the house' of Nanak. · God .has given
him an inexhaustible treasure that is meant for all. The eternal
foundation laid by Nanak is becoming stronger day by day.
His greatness has been made manifest in the entire world.
The storehouse of bhagtf which God has entrusted to him
is the source of liberation. Greater than all, he is the saviour
of all, like God. The lamp of the Name has lighted the world
and all darkness is gone. Guru Nanak represents the veritable
spirit of God.
There is a reference to this dispensation in Rag Bhairo :
all brothers, their friends and their families have attained
liberation by being united v,.:ith the Eternal Father. Others
receive this boon from them. Their mansions are the tallest
and their realms are endless. This rule is everlasting. Its fame
has spread all over the world and it is praised in every horne.
The dispensation of Guru Nanak has an exclusive
validity for the Kaliyuga. The inaccessible Lord has graciously
conferred on the Guru the 'devotion of the Name' in order
to redeem the Kaliyuga. The lowest of the low have become
devoted to it. The other yugas were reckoned noble earlier
but now the Kaliyuga is supreme among all the yugas. Every
human being is judged on his own merit and the prayers
of the devotees are granted. The bliss of God's sight has
become possible for all. This idea is reinforced in Maril Sohle
where the singing of God's praises is proclaimed to be the
supreme means of liberation in the Kaliyuga. Only they attain
liberation who receive the boon of the Name through the
 THE EMERGING PANni 15 5

Master's guidance. They alone are saved who seek the

Master's shelter. A seed sown in the wrong season does not
sprout. The singing of God's praises in congregation is the
supreme act in the Kaliyuga. Through the Master's guidance,
the people utter the Name Divine. In Rag Basailt it is
emphasized that the Name is the proper seed to be sown
in the Kaliyuga. In the spring of spiritual joy, the ones who
are directed by God blossom forth. 'Sow the seed of the
Name now that Kaliyuga has come. This is not the season
for any other crop'. The Kaliyuga is the age of the Name,
the dharm promulgated for the whole of humankind.
1be bii'IJ,i of Guru Arjan reflects an acute awareness of
opposition. He refers to an enemy having been burnt in fire.
God does perfect justice and protects his servant. A slanderer
dies of fever. Another who signs a false affidavit (mahzar)
against the Guru suffers for his misdeed. Through the Guru's
grace a slanderer is removed by an unseen arrow of fate.
In a moment he becomes all ash and meets the end he
deserves. God saves the Guru from Sulhi; his hands cannot
reach the Guru and he himself dies. The Master kills him
and he becomes dust in a moment. He dies thinking ill of
the Guru; the creator pushes him into the pit of death. The
Merciful God listens to the Guru's prayer to save him and
fills the mouth of the slanderer with ash. The poison has
no effect and the evil Brahman himself dies of ache. God
protects his devotees . He protects his servant like father and
mother.. 1be face of the slanderer is blackened in this world
and the next. God listens to the prayer of His devotee and
the one who thinks ill of him is disappointed. God takes His
servant in protective embrace and throws the slanderer into
fire. God protects His devotees from evil-doers. The evil-doer
finds no place and comes to his deserved end. He meets
his deserts. The servant of God remains in His refuge. Guru
Arjan makes a general reference to divine protection for him
and the Sikhs : 'All around us is the chauki of the shabad
156 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

of the Guru for our protection'. 'All around us is the

protective line of Ra.m'.
These situations relate to internal opposition and
external hostility, and the possibility of ·collusion between
them. Guru Arjan's safety in all these situations is a sign of
God's grace. The specific instances illustrate the general idea
that God protects his bhagats in all situations. This conviction
springs from the increasing realization of God'� will through
Guru Nanak and his successors, the institutions they
establish, and the popularity they gain. Divine protection is
built into the halem'i riij founded with divine sanction.
Historians of the Sikh movement refer to the Sikh Pailth
as 'a state within the state' in the early seventeenth century.
They look at the situation from outside. Seen from inside,
it is halemf raj, not 'a state within the state' but a parallel
dispensation not bound by any territorial boundaries.

Notes and References

1. For the relevant verses of Guru Nanak, see Shabdartb Sri Gurn
Grmith Sahib Ji, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24,
58, 61, 62, 72, 83, 138, 147, 148, 152, 350, 353, 356, 358, 360,
414, 419, 437, 465, 468, 469, 470, 566, 579, 580, 581, 596, 597,
634, 636, 648, 763, 764, 1023-5, 1026, 1028, 1030, 1032, 1039, 1040,
1 126-7, 1 168, 1 170, 1188, 1 198, 1243, 1279, 1284, 1286, 1287, 1328,
1330, 1331, 1332, 1342, 1 343, 141 1 .
2 . For the relevant verses o f Guru Arigad, see Shabdarth, pp. 83,
89, 137, 138, 146, 148, 150, 462, 463, 466, 469, 474, 475, 787, 788,
791, 792, 947, 954, 955, 1 086, 1093, 1237, 1238, 1239, 1243, 1278,
1280, 1 288, 1290.
3. For the relevant verses of Guru Amar Das, see Sba bdarth, pp.
27, 28, 29, 36, 39, 65, 69, 86-7, 90, 1 13 , 120, 123, 127, 1 59, 160,
161, 162, 229, 230, 244, 245, 363, 365, 425, 426, 490, 513, 514,
516, 552, 554, 571 , 582, 600, 601, 602, 637, 644, 645, 646, 649,
650, 664, 754, 757, 787, 790-1, 797-8, 850, 880, 917-22, 994, 1058-
59, 1088, 1091, 1092, 1 1 28, 1 130, 1 172, 1248, 12n, 1 334, 1413.
4 . For the relevant verses of Guru Ram Das, see Shabdarth, pp. 10,
40, 78, 79, 86, 87, 91 , 95, %, 163-4, 167, 171, 234, 235, 302, 305,
 THE EMERGING PANTH 157

306, 307, 308, 310, 3 1 1 , 312, 314, 315, 316, 317, 366, 443, 444,
445-6, 449, 450, 451 , 493-4, 494, 504, 575 , 576, 592, 593, 648, 652,
653, 667, 731 , 732, 733, 757-8, 758, 759, 773-4, 774-5, 799-800,
800, 835, 850, 853, 854-5, 861, 881, 882, 978, 995, 997, 1 11 6-7,
1 135, 1198, 1200, 1202, 1239, 1263, 1294-6, 1 297, 1 310, 1 3 12, 1314,
1326, 1335.
5 . For the relevant verses of Guru Arjan, see Shabdiirth, pp. 13, 42,
43, 44, 73-4, 97, 101, 107, 108, 131, 176, 186, 188, 189,. 193, 198,
199, 200, 201, 202, 204, 211, 262-96, 381, 392, 396, 399, 406, 430,
497, 500-1, 5 17. 531. 535. 577. 610, 6 1 1 , 614, 620, 620-1, 622, 623,
623-4, 625, 626, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 740, 743, 740-8, 749, 763,
781-2, 783, 783-4, 806-7, 81 1-2, 814, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820-1, 823,
824, 825, 826-7, 864-5, 867, 869, 885, 889, 895, 916, 927-9, 999,
1000, 1001, 1081, 1086, 1087, 1 1 36, 1 138, 1 141, 1 180, 1 185, 1 193,
1217, 1226, 1 27 1 , 1 299, 1338, 1362, 1387, 1429.
 CHAPTER v

The Structure of the

Guru Granth Sahib

The first striking feature of the Guru Grmith Sahib is its

script: Gurmukhi. Generally its invention is attributed to Guru
Angad. But Guru Nanak is known to have recorded his
compositions in this script, as if a new script was needed
for a new message. The Gurmukhi alphabet consists of 35
letters, which fall into 7 groups of 5 letters each. The first
three of these letters are used to write vowels at the
beginning of words, the remaining 32 letters represent
consonants. The direction of writing is from left to right.1
Strictly speaking, the Gurmukhi script is not an invention.
Several scripts derived from Brahmi were current in north­
western India and Guru Nanak was familiar with them. He
gave a new orientation and form to the familiar letters in
order to create a script suitable for recording his bat;li. And
this script was adopted, popularized and slightly modified
by his successors so that by the end of the seventeenth
century we come upon the beautiful script of the tradition
developed at the court of Guru Gobind Singh. Irrespective
of the language of the compositions included in the Guru
Granth Sahib, the script uniformly used is Gurmukhi, the
sacred script of the Sikhs.
The language of the Guru Granth Sahib draws upon
a variety of local languages and dialects. The language used
by the Gurus for the bulk of their compositions from Guru
Nanak to Guru Arjan is similar to the language of the Vars
of Bhai Gurdas and the janamsakhis. However, there is a
 TiiE S1RUCI1JRE OF TilE GURU GRANTH SAHIB 159

partial transition to a simpler language even from Guru

Nanak to Guru Arjan. It is different from the Braj variety of
Hindi, which is the principal component of the language of
the Dasam Grmith.2 Professor Sahib Singh's Gurbii1.'tf
Viakara1J was based on the conviction that it would be
helpful in clarifying the text of the Guru Grmith Sahib.3 In
fact, his Sri Guru Granth Sahib Datpan was based on his
understanding of its gramma r.4 The vocabulary of the Guru
Granth Sahib, according to Professor Sahib Singh, comes
largely from the contemporary language of the peoples of
north-western India, going back sometimes to Apbhramsha,
Prakrit and Sanskrit, and it is from the modern Punjabi-5 A
large number of words from Persian and Arabic have also
been adapted, especially by Guru Nanak and Guru Arjan.
Though one may find similarities with some other
religious texts, the compilation of the Guru Granth Sahib was
meant to be something 'completely new' as the embodiment
of 'a unique revealed message'. The new script and the new
language was seen to be 'God's newest gift to humanity'.
As Guru Nanak says, 'ena akhara maih jo gurmukh(i)
bhiijhai tis(u) sir(i) lekh(u) na hoi'.6 His successors were
naturally keen to preserve the revealed word as they received
it. Guru Arjan ensured the accuracy of the revealed word
embodied in the Guru Granth Sahib. In the selections of
other compositions to be included in the Granth he was
extremely discriminating. The methodical and systematic
organization of the contents of the Guru Granth Sahib in
itself makes the Sikh scripture quite a unique work.

1. The Basic Arrangement

The Guru Granth Sahib has three distinct parts. The first part
consists of the ]apu, th� Rahiras (So Dar and So Purkh ) , and
the Sohila. This part is the shortest, covering no more than
1 3 pages of the standard text of 1430 pages. It · contains the
ba17i of Guru Nanak, Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan, and
160 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

probably a shalok of Guru Angad. The japu is meant to be

recited daily at sunrise, the Rahiras at sunset, and the Sohila
before going to sleep. Being liturgical, these compositions
have a special importance of their own.
Guru Granth Sahib is much larger,
The last part of the
covering 78 pages. It contains Salok Sahskriti of Guru Nanak
and Guru Arjan, the Gatha, Phunhe and Chaubole of Guru
Arjan, Salok Bhagat Kabir Jio ke (interspersed with those of
the Gurus), Salok Saikh Farid ke (interspersed with those of
the Gurus), Savayye Sri Mukhbak Mahla 5, the savayyas of
the Bhart:s on the Gurus, the shaloks of Guru Nanak, Guru
Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, and Guru Arjan (additional to the
ones not included in the Var:s-), the shaloks of Guru Tegh
Bahadur, the Mundava;_ti of Guru Arjan, and the anonymous
Rag Mala at the end. There is no single principle of
organization in this part. It is generally referred to as
'miscellaneous'. Nevertheless, the savaj;yas and the shaloks
are extremely important for their theological, ethical, and
political import. The Mundavarzi puts, in a sense, a seal on
the Granth and its indispensability for the humankind. It is
followed by Guru Arjan's final expression of gratitude to God
for enabling him to complete this great task. The only odd
composition in this respect is the Rag Mala which maY
appear, indeed, to be redundant.
The middle part of the Guru Granth Sahib, its main
body, covers 1 , 339 pages. It is divided into 31 units according
to musical modes, called Rags. Guru Nanak uses 1 9 Rags for
his hymns. Guru Ram Das uses 1 1 new Rags too and Guru
Tegh Bahadur adds one more. The sequence of 31 Rags in
the Guru Grmith Sahib now is Sri, Majh, Gaun, Asa, Gujri,
Devgandhari, Bihagra, Vacjhans, Sorathi, Dhanasri, ]aitsri,
Todi, Bairan, Tilang, · Suhi, Bilaval, Gauncj, Ramkali,
Natnarain, Maligaura, Mara, Tukhari, Kedara, Bhairo,
Basmit, Sarang, Malar, Kanra, Kalyarz, Prabhati and
Ja�jawantf. The last one is a contribution of Guru Tegh
Bahadur. Consequently, 19 Raga sections generally start with
 Uffi S1RUCTURE OF TiiE GURU GRANTii SAHIB 161

the hymns o f Guru Nanak, 11 generally with the hymns of

Guru Ram Das, and one with the hymns of Guru Tegh
Bahadur.
Apart from thebarfi of the six Gurus, the Guru Graritb
Sahib contains the compositions of more than 25 other
authors, mostly the Bhagats and the Bha(ts. However, the
ba1Jl of the Gurus accounts for more than nine-tenths of the
Guru Grmith Sahib. The largest contribution from amongst
the Gurus comes from Guru Arjan, 2313 compositions,
followed by Guru Nanak with 973, Guru Amar Das with 891,
and Gum Ram Das with 644 compositions. Gum Tegh
Bahadur contributed 1 16 shabads and shaloks and Gum
Angad only 63 shaloks. Among the Bhagats, the largest
contribution comes from Kabir, 537 compositions. In all, 1 16
compositions are by Shaikh Farid, 61 by Namdev and 40 by
Ravidas. Eleven other Bhagats contribute only a score,
ranging from four to a single composition each. The Bhans
have 1 23 savayyas which cover about 25 pages. The Ramkali:
Var of Rai Balvand and Satta DUm has eight stanzas. The
Sadd of (Baba) Sunder in Ramkali Rag is a short piece of
less than two pages?
The hymns of Gum Nanak and his successors appear
first in chronological order, in each Rag unit, and the
compositions of the Bbagats appear in the end, headed by
Kabir. The poetic form is another criterion for placement
within theRag unit. Chaupadiis are followed by a..;;;hrpadfs,
chhants and vars. In each sub-section, the ba1Ji of the Gums
is placed . in chronological order. The compositions of the
Bards are placed between Gurba1Jf and Bhagat Bal).i.
The size of the
Rag units is extremely unequal. There
are 14 Rag units which cover less than 140 pages, giving
an average of less than 10 pages. There are three others
which cover more than 450 pages, giving an average of over
150 pages. The remaining 14 Rag units give an average of
less than 55 pages. Consequently, there is a great variety in
the contents of Rag units.
162 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

In the category of the smallest size, Rag ]aijavanti

covers less than two pages, consisting of four shabads of
Guru Tegh Bahadur. Rag Bairarf covers two pages, with
Dopade of Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan. Rag Mali Gaura
covers five pages, with Chaupade of Guru Ram Das and
Guru Arjan, Dopade of Guru Arjan, and the bat:z,i of Bhagat
Namdev. Rag Tilmig covers seven pages, with a Chaupada
of Guru Nanak in Ghar 1 , a Tipada in · Ghar 2, four
Chaupadiis and shabads in Ghar 3, followed by two Dopade
of Guru Ram Das, and four Chaupadiis and a Dopadii of
Guru Arjan in Ghar 1 , 2 and 3. This is followed by an
AshtfJadi of Guru Nanak in Ghar 2, the shabads of Guru Ram
Das, a Kafi of Guru Tegh Bahadur, and the bat:ti of Kabir.
Thus, the contents become less and less simple with the
increasing size of the Rag unit. Significantly, a new category
for placement within the poetic form is also in evidence :
the Ghar.8
Rag Suhi covers 67 pages, starting with the Chaupadiis
of Guru Nanak, followed by those of Guru Ram Das and
Guru Arjan, covering 23 pages in all. The Chaupadas are
followed by the AshtfJadis of Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das,
Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan, covering 1 2 pages in alL The
AshtfJadis are followed by the Kuchajfi and the Suchajji of
Guru Nanak and the Gut:twanti of Guru Arjan, followed by
the Chhants of Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das,
and Guru Arjan. The Chhants are followed by Guru Amar
Das's Var Suhi Ki, with his own shaloks and those of Guru
Angad and Guru Nanak, covering 30 pages in all. The Var
is followed by the bat:ti of Kabir, Ravidas and Shaikh Farid.
The largest unit is Rag Gaurf. It covers 196 pages. We
may notice only the sequence of its major contents :
Chaupade and Dopade of Guru Nanak in Gaurf Guareri, and
Gaun Purabi Dipaki, Chaupade of Guru Amar Das in Gaun
Guareri, Chaupade of Guru Ram Das in Gaurf Guareri,
Gaun Bairagan, Gaurf Purabi and Gaurt Majh, Chaupade
of Guru Arjan in Gaun Guareri, his Chaupade and Dopade
 THE STRUCTIJRE OF THE GURU GRANrn SAHIB 167

lines in a composition arePada, Dopada, Chaupada,

Pmijpada, Chhakka, AshtjJadi, Chhetuka, Chautuka, Tituka,
Dotuka, Iktuka, shalok, pauti and chhmit. Some of the
compositions of the Gum Grmith Sahib bear specific titles
like the ]apu, So-Dar, So-Purkh, Sohila, Anand, Sukhmani,
Oankar, Siddh Gost, Arati, Kuchajji, Suchajji and Gu1J,vanti.
Thus, there is a wide range of folk tradition combined with
innovation.24
Of all the folk forms, theVar was the most popular.
The Gum Grmith Sahib contains 22 Vars, including the
Ramkali Var of Rai Balvand and Satta Dum. There are three
Vars of Guru Nanak in Rags Majh, Asa and Malar. Guru Amar
Das's three Vars are in Rags Suhi, Ramkali and Marii. There
are eight Vars of Guru Ram Das in Rags Sri, Gauti, Bihagara,
Vacjhans, Sorathi, Bitaval, Sarang and Kanra. Guru Arjan has
six Vars in Rags Gauti, Giijri, jaitsri, Ramkali, Marii and
Basant. For many of the Vars of the Gum Granth Sahib,
.

the popular tunes in which each is to be sung are indicated.

Only in the Basant Var of Guru Arjan, there is no shalok.
In the remaining five Viirs, his own shaloks are interspersed.
In Guru Ram Das's Kanra Var too his own shaloks are
interspersed. In his remaining seven Vars, the shaloks of
other Gurus as well as his own are added at many places.
The Gujri Viir of Guru Amar Das has only his shaloks. In
his other two Vars, the shaloks of other Gurus as well as
his own are added. Two Vars of Guru Nanak have his own
shaloks and those of other Gurus. In his Asa ki Viir, there
are his own shaloks and those of Guru Angad. In all cases,
the shaloks were added by Guru Arjan.
Since Guru Angad wrote only shaloks, all his shaloks
are added at places to nine Vars : 3 1 in the three Vars of
Guru Nanak, 1 9 in the three Vars of Guru Amar Das, 12 in
three of the eight Vars of Guru Ram Das. The Vars of Guru
Arjan have no shalok of Guru Angad. The Marii Var of Guru
Amar Das and Sorathi Var of Guru Ram Das have only 1
shalok each; the Var Malar of Guru Nanak has 5 shaloks;
168 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

the Ramkalf Var of Guru Amar Das has 7 and the Sarmig
Var of Guru Nanak and the Var Suhi of Guru Amar Das have
1 1 each. llie Asa ki var of Guru Nanak has 1 5 shaloks of
Guru Angad. The shalok at the end of the japu is also by
Guru Angad.

2. The Bhagat Ba!).i

Scholars, generally, have tried to account for the inclusion
only of Bhagat Bal).i in the Guru Grmith Sahib. Professor
Gurinder Singh Mann has discussed the issue of Bhagat Bal).i
in a separate chapter, going into the date of its inclusion,
the purpose of its incorporation, the selection and evolution
of its corpus, and its status. He sums up his discussion by
saying that, in all ·likelihood, Guru Amar Das · incorporated
Bhagat Bal).i into the Sikh scriptural text. This decision was
rooted in his belief in the continuity of divine revelation. It
provided him an opportunity to emphasize the Sikh vision
of social equality. However, the hymns of the Bhagats were
thoroughly scrutinized, and only those which conformed to
Sikh theological and ethical outlook were incorporated
within the scriptural text. This process continued through the
compilation of the Kartarpur Pothi and the Adi Grmith. The
Vaishnava hhagats were not included in the selection due
to their conception of God which made their hii'IJi 'unripe'
in the eyes of Guru Amar Das. Even the hii'IJi of those
Bhagats who shared Sikh theology was further scrutinized
for conformation. Whenever the selected hymns of those
Bhagats seemed to convey a message even slightly different
from Sikh thinking, attempts were made to correct them. In
this way, the supremacy of Sikh revelation was asserted.
Guru Amar Das's total identification of Gurhii'IJi with the
word of God places it at the very apex of all revelations.
This fundamental distinction between the Guru and the
Bhagat defined the basic structure of the Adi Grmith. G.S.
Mann points out that, for Bhai Gurdas, only the most
 THE STRUCTURE OF THE GURU GRAN:tH SAHIB 169

prominent smits like Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, Beni, Dhanna

and Sain were on an equal level with the Sikhs of the Guru.
Several other Sikh writers of the pre-colonial period appear
to draw a line between the Gurus and the Bhagats, trying
to explain the presence of Bhagat BaQi in the Adt Granth.25
Professor Pashaura Singh looks upon Bhagat BaQi in the
Adi Granth as its distinctive feature. He points out that the
term 'Bhagat' covers the Sant, Sufi and Bhakti saints. The
traditional assumption that Bhagai B�Qi was included in the
Sikh scripture on the basis of complete doctrinal identity with
the teachings of the Gurus is questionable. The correspondence
observed between the two is due to careful selection and
editing. The comments of the Gurus voice their differences
from the Bhagats on certain important issues. Thus, there
is difference as well identity. A clear distinction is always
maintained between the Gurbar}i and the Bhagat Bal)i in the
very structure of the Sikh scripture. The writings of the
Bhagats are kept separate from those of the Gurus and
placed at the end. The concept of the Name is common to
the Smit and Vaishnava Bhakti tradition..<> but in Sikhism the
discipline of nam-simran is a threefold process : repetition
of the sacred name, devotional singing of hymns, and .
meditation on the nature of Aka! Purkh. Guru Nanak made
a very clear distinction between his own teachings and
practices and those of the others. After examining the ha1#
of Shaikh Farid, Bhagat Kabir and Jaidev, Pashaura Singh
comes to the conclusion that on the whole it is not the
agreement or disagreement that is so important as an attitude
of catholicity that promotes mutual respect and tolerance for
diversity of belief and practice.26
Turning to Gurbar}i, we find that Guru Nanak refers
only to the legendary bhagats of the earlier cosmic ages to
suggest that liberation through bhagti was an old phenomenon
and liberation was open to the lowest of the low. Guru Amar
Das takes much notice of Prahlad in connection with the idea
that God gave protection to his devoteesY Guru Amar Das
170 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

refers also to Namdev and Kabir, the former as a tailor and

the latter as a weaver. They attained a high spiritual position
through the perfect Guru. They recognized God and
understood the shabad; they got rid of haumai and their
status was no longer low. Their ba:vf was sung by the
people.28 The thrust of this statement is on the low social
position of Namdev and Kabir, and their fame due to their
spiritual experience expressed in their compositions which
had a popular appeal.
Guru Ram Das refers to Balmik and Dharma who turned
to the Guru and attained liberation through nam simran. The
former used to plunder travellers �nd the latter was a Jaf:!:.
However, neither the evil deeds of one, nor the low social
position of the other, stood in his way to liberation.29 At
another place Guru Ram Das places bhagats in the context
of the accessibility of liberation to the lowest and the
protection given to the sants by God : Namdev, Jaidev, Kabir,
Trilochan, Ravidas, Dhanna and Sain. 30
Guru Arjan makes loving devotion the means of
liberation emphatically for the low Namdev, Kabir, Ravidas,
Sain, and DhannaY Liberation exalts the status of Kabir, Sain,
Namdev and Ravidas.32 A more comprehensive statement by
Guru Arjan mentions the medieval Bhagats as well as the
bhagats of the earlier ages. Ajamal uttered the name of God
just once and he was redeemed. Balmik, a known charu:jat,
became an associate of sadhs. Dhruv met God. Guru Arjan
says that the dust of the feet of the satits, if received through
their grace, should be rubbed on the forehead. A prostitute,
Gal}ika, was redeemed by asking her parrot to say Ram. An
elephant, Gajindra, was saved by God when he prayed for
help. The poor .Brahman Sudama was relieved of indigence.
The other such examples given by Guru Arjan are those of
the hunter who wounded Krishna, Kubija, Bidar, Prahlad and
Daropati. Wh.oever remembered God in the end was
redeemed. In recent times, Dhanna, Trilochan, Beni, Jaidev,
and Sain were redeemed. God has redeemed his bhagats in
 TIIE STRUCfURE OF TIIE GURU GRAimi SAHIB 171

the past without reference to their merit or demerit. Kabir

dedicated himself to God and Namdev lived with God.
Ravidas meditated on the wonderful Lord. When it comes
to Guru Nanak, he is the veritable form of God. 33 Here, the
difference between the medieval bhagats and Guru Nanak
is underscored . Far from being the predecessors of Guru
Nanak, they were in no way equal to his successors. We may
be sure that Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, and Guru Arjan
sought no inspiration from the earlier bhagats. The themes
of universal accessibility to liberation, divine protection for
the devotees of God, and exaltation through liberation had
a close bearing on the Sikhs of the Gurus.
On the whole, the Bhagat Bat:Ii included in the Guru
Granth Sahib does not go against the message of Guru
Nanak and his successors, partly because it was carefully
selected and edited. It is occasionally commented upon. In
the. bii1J.i of Namdev incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib,
his belief in One God, who is both transcendent and
immanent, comes out clearly. Namdev does not subscribe
. to the idea of incarnation and he has no appreciation for
worship of idols in temples. He is acutely aware of the
Brahmanical opposition to the idea that spirituality was open
to the low Shudras but he insists that the low caste can get
liberated through bhagti. By implication, God is accessible
to alL However, the · idea of equality is not underscored.
There is hardly any political comment in the ba1J.i of Namdev
incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib and there is no
indication that he founded any institution. His message falls
much shorter of the message of Guru Nanak.34
Kabir of the Guru Granth Sahib appears to have a
greater similarity with Guru Nanak than Namdev. His
emphasis on the unity of God and the emphatic rejection
of incarnation, worship of idols in temples and all
Brahmanical rites and rituals bring him close to Guru Nanak.
He talks more frequently of the Name, the Guru and the
Shabad, and also of hukam and nadar than what Namdev
172 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

does. However, the idea of divine self-revelation remains

much weaker even in Kabir than what we find in the ba�zi
of Guru Nanak. There is a more serious difference. Kabir
does not reject monasticism and, therefore, he does not reject
mendicancy. Both of these are categorically rejected by Guru
Nanak. Kabir rejects the distinctions of caste but he is
ambivalent about distinctions based on gender. Like Namdev,
and unlike Guru Nanak, Kabir did not found any institution.
The emergence of Kabir-Panth had to wait for more than a
century after his death. Neither Guru Amar Das nor Guru
Arjan refer to any formal followers of Namdev or Kabir.35
Like Kabir, Ravidas of the Guru Granth Sahib believes
in One God who is both transcendent and immanent, both
powerful and kind. He does not incarnate. Ravidas sees no
point in worshipping idols in temples. Access to God cannot
be denied to the lowest of the low. They get elevated, like
Ravidas himself, when they attain liberation. There is hardly
any comment on gender distinctions, and there is no political
comment. Ravidas is not known for founding any institution.
The great achievement of his life was that he was a liberated
chamar honoured even by Brahmans. Despite the greater
distance in time, Ravidas appears to be closer to Namdev
than to Guru Nanak.36
Bhagat to be given a place in
The fourth important
the Guru Granth Sahib was not a bhagat but a Sufi. He is
referred to as Shaikh, a term that referred primarily to
Muslims. Here, therefore, we have a personality who does
not belong to the category even of sanis. If anything, Shaikh
Farid looked upon himself as a better Muslim than those who
were in positions of power, and thought of themselves as
the true representatives of Islam. He believed in God who
demanded total submission but who was related to human
beings also through love. Therefore, loving devotion to God
was the common feature between Shaikh Farid and the Sants.
However Shaikh Farid was punctilious about the five daily
prayers. He looked upon austerities as meritorious and he
 THE STRUCfURE OF TilE GURU GR.ANTH SAHIB 173

favoured monastic life which was made possible only by the

contribution of others. 37
Another Sufi represented in the Guru Granth Sahib is
Bhikhan. In one of his t:Wo hymns, he talks of the pangs
of separation in old age, referring to God as Ram Rai and
Banwari and to his devotees as sants. The medicine for this
malady is Har ka nam which is pure nectar. Through the
Guru's grace (gur prasadi) one may attain the door of
liberation (mokh dwarii). In the second hymn too there is
no Islamic element in the language or the ideas expressed.
He talks of nam as the treasure lodged in the heart. The
praises of God cannot be expressed, as the dumb cannot
express the pleasure of eating sweets. The eyes are content
to see God.38 Significantly, Bhikhan is regarded as a Bhagat.
It is relevant to add that the birth of Kabir in a Muslim family
was known to Ravidas and his hy� mentioning this fact
is included in the Guru Granth Sahib. Nevertheless, Kabir
is regarded as a Bhaga(�l)
Turning to the other Bhagats of the Guru Gmnth Sahib
we find that Dhanna talks of his experience of God. In many
lives he had remained engrossed in maya, without any good
deed to his credit. He remained oblivious of God. Then he
met the Guru, learnt how to meditate on God, and attained
gian. The pursuit of loving devotion led him to peace and
the purpose of his life was fulfilled by liberation. His light
mingled with the divine light and now God is all his wealth.40
As noted e arlier, Guru Arjan appreciates Dhanna'!?
achievement : the Jarr turned to bhagti, following the
example of others, and met God; the others who belong to
this category are Namdev, Kabir, Ravidas and Sain. Guru
Arjan hammers the point that all of them came from the
lowest social position : a tailor, a weaver, a cobbler and a
barber.41 Incidently, the hymn of Guru Arjan, placed between
the two hymns of Dhanna, is not a comment on his theology
or ethics but an appreciation of the achievement of a low
caste. In the second hymn, Dha,nna exhorts himself and
174 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANIH SAHIB

others to tum to the merciful Lord who takes care of all living
beings.42 The third hymn of Dharma has a peculiar interest.
He uses the word arata for arati, and prays ·to God for
meeting his mundane daily needs : flour, pulse and gbee,
clothes and shoes, a cow or a buffalo for milk, a good mare
to ride, and a good wife.43 Dharma, here, is a householder
who is a devotee of God.
maya and turning
Trilochan lays stress on discarding
to God. He addresses the renunciant (udasi, sanyasi) who
has not purified his inner self to see God within himself. His
wanderings, begging from door to door, and smearing of the
body with ashes remain futile without finding the essence
through the Guru. He is churning water : his pursuit cannot
lead to liberation. He is wasting his life.44 In another hymn,
Trilochan says that he who remembers God at the time of
his death becomes liberated (mukta) and God dwells in his
heart. This is in contrast with the person who thinks of wealth
and is reborn as a snake, who thinks of women and is reborn
as a prostitute, who thinks of sons and is reborn as a pig,
or who thinks of a house and becomes a ghost to live in
abandoned houses.45 Elsewhere Trilochan says that good or
bad deeds are done by human beings; they cannot blame
God. The stigma of evil deeds cannot be washed away by
anything else but good deeds. Turn therefore, to God.46
Beni talks ofNirmijan, Ram and Parm Purkb, of Guru,
Gurdeo and Gurmukb, of Gur ki sakbi, sbabad and anabad
bar:zi, and of gian, surm and nam. By these fam�liar terms
he tries to convey his experience of God through the
instruction of the Guru. Loving devotion to God is essential
for the experience of liberation. Commendable is control
over the five senses, shunning of falsehood, and bearing of
the unbearable. Beni prays for the nameY Elsewhere, he
emphasizes that blind observance of Brahmanical and
Vaishnava rituals and practices is not true dbarm. One should
discover the truth within oneself. This becomes possible by
 THE SI'RUCTIJRE OF THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB . 175

turning to the Guru. The true path is not found without the
true Guru.48
Sadhna prays for liberation in life. He refers to the story
of an ordinary person who changed his appearance for the
sake of his love for a princess. Though a selfish and lustful
man, he was eventually redeemed when he turned to God.
If the effect of Sadhna's deeds is not destroyed it would be
a reflection on God's grace. Who will take refuge with a lion
that can be eaten by a jackal ? What would the rain-bird do
with a sea of water if it dies for want of a drop ? What would
be the use of a boat after one · is drowned ? 'I am nothing
and I have nothing', says Sadhna, 'I am your devotee; only
you can save my honour in time' .49
Sain says that he is a sacrifice to God (Kamlapati)
whose bhagti is his arati of incense, lamps and ghee : he
sings God's praises every day. Ramanand (his Guru) knows
the way of bhagti and he has led Sain to God. Sain says
that one should sing the praises of God who is the bestower
of bliss.50
Pipa says that the true Guru reveals the essence of
things. He pervades the universe and is present within
everyone. He who searches for Him finds Him. Looking for
Him in distant lands he has found Him within. He does not
have to 'come and go' again and again. The body is the
temple of God. One serves God with the body.51
A Bbagat clearly associated with . Vaishnava bhagti is
Jaidev. In his Pada in the Gurn Granth Sahib, he refers to
God as both Chakkardhar and Har. He talks of nztm of Ram.
The contents of the Pada do not suggest Vaishnava bhagfi.
Before everything else there was God whose greatness
cannot be described. Wonderous beyond comprehension, he
is the bestower of redemption. His name alone is the object
of adoration : it is the essence of all worship. His praises
result in the removal of all fear. He remains the same all the
time and he is the source of bliss. One should discard greed
and evil deeds and dedicate oneself to the One God in word
176 A S11JDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

and deed. Austerities and charities are of no use. All gifts

are received through the recitation of God's name which is
the source of liberation. 52
In another hymn Jaidev says that all duhidha vanishes
by recognizing God and all the merits of Yogic practices are
obtained. By trusting the one who alone is trustworthy and
by worshipping the one who alone is worthy of worship,
water mingles with water. By remembering God, says Jaidev,
one is absorbed in God and attains liberation. 53 In the hymns
of Jaidev, there is no specific element that can be called
Vaishnava. It is interesting to note that Jaidev's last hymn is
followed by one of Kabir who reinforces the thrust of Jaidev's
hymn.
Similarly, Ramanand, who is generally associated with
Vaishnava bhagti, does not support Vaishnava bhagti in his
hymn in the Guru Granth Sahib. When God is within, there
· is no point in wanderings, or offering worship to the thakurs.
One day he thought of going to the temple with sandalwood
paste, fragrance and incense in order to worship God
(Brahm). The Guru told him that God was within him. God
is everywhere and, therefore, wherever one goes there is the
place for worship (water and stone). The Vedas and Puranas
make it clear that God is everywhere and in everyone. 'I am
a sacrifice to the true Guru', says Ramanand, . 'who has
removed all my fears and illusions'. Ramanand's God is all­
pervasive and the Guru's shabad washes away the effect of
millions of deeds.54
Parmanand says that no good has come out of listening
to the Puranas. He has performed no bhagti and given no
charity to the needy. Neither lust nor anger has been
discarded nor has greed vanished. Slandering of others
continues and all service remains fruitless. The sinner lives
on plunder. His deeds would bring only demerit to him in
'the other world'. He does not discard violence and he does
not cultivate kindness. He does not go to sadb-sangat which
redeems sinners.55 There is no Vaishnava element in this
hymn.
 THE STRUCTIJRE OF THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB 177

3. Compositions other than GurbiitJ/i and

Bhagat BaQl
As we noticed earlier, Gurbatzi and Bhagat Bfu)i do not
account for the entire content of the Guru Grantb Sahib. The
most obtrusive example is the Rag Mala which comes at the
end. Individual Sikhs have objected to its inclusion from time
to time precisely because it has nothing to do with Sikh
theology or e\hics. It remains a part of the Guru Grantb Sahib
primarily because it is a part of the Kartarpur Pothi, which
carries the implication that this decision was taken by Guru
Arjan, and the Guru's decision has to be respected.56
The other compositions included in the Guru Granth
Sahib have a direct bearing on the position and status of
the Gurus and, therefore, remain relevant for · the Sikh
tradition. This is eminently true of the Ramkali ki Var by
Rai Balvand and Satta. It consists of 8 stanzas (pauns), 3 by
Balvand and 5 by Satta. In this Var, Guru Nanak starts his
rule (raj) by raising the fort of truth on strong foundations.
He places the umbrella over the head of Lehna and the
sacred mark (tikka) on his forehead as a disciple. The fame
of Guru Nanak is transferred to Lehna who comes to have
the same light and the same way of .life as if Guru Nanak
has changed his body. With the divine umbrella over his head
and sitting on the same throne, Lehna performs the hard task
in strict accordance with Guru Nanak's command. The langar
of the sbabad feeds all and the praises of God are sung.
By the sight of this true king, the dirt of many lives is washed
away. Whatever he says comes out to be true and the fame
of Guru Angad has spread in the world. (Mata) Khivi (Guru
Angad's wife) looks after the langarof food, providing solace
like the thick shade of a tree. Bearing the burden of the
whole earth, Guru Angad has become acceptable to Guru
Nanak. His detractors come to grief.57
The same sacred mark, the same seat and the same
court passed on from the son (Guru Angad) to the grandson
178 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

(Guru Amar Das). With sah�j as his mount . and jat as its
saddle, with the bow of sat and the arrow of jas, Guru Amar
Das rises like the sun to shatter darkness. There is plenty
ofghee and fine flour in his kitchen. They who accept his
shabad acquire full understanding. They are released from
the chain of death and rebirth through the Guru's grace. Guru
Amar Das stands like a mountain in all storms. His praise
is beyond the competence of Satta.58
Praise be to Guru Ram Das, the miracle of the creator
who dwells within: The Sikhs and smigats bowed to him in
reverence. They who serve him with love are liberated,
getting rid of greed, lust, anger and attachment. Great is his
place and great are his followers. He is Nanak, he is Angad,
and he is Guru Amar Das; his sight imparts stability. The self­
existent and eternal God has manifested Himself in all the
four Gurus.59
Guru Arjan sits on the same throne under a bright
umbrella. His light shines in all the four directions. He who
does not serve the Guru is condemned to remain an ignorant
fool (manmukh). The greatness of the Guru is increasing day
by day as true gift of the True One. God has manifested
Himself through all the five Gurus. 60
Apart from praisipg the Gurus, the Rztmkati ki Var by
Rai Balvand and Satta reaffirms the doctrine of the uruty and
continuity of Guruship, with divine sanction behind the
institution. They appear to speak on behalf of the Gurus.
There are 123 savayyiis in the Gurn Granth Sahib
attributed to 11 Bhans 54 to Kalsahar, 5 to Jalap, 8 to Kirat,
:

2 to Bhikha, 3 to Salh, 1 to Bhalh, 16 to Nalh, 13 to Gayand,

14 to Mathura, 5 to Balh, and 2 to Harbans. These savayyiis
are in praise of the five Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru
Arjan. Kalsahar wrote on all the five; five other Bhags wrote
on Guru Amar Das; six others on Guru Ram Das; and two
other Bhans on Guru Arjan. The largest number of savayyiis,
60, relate to Guru Ram Das and the smallest, 10 each, to
Guru Nanak and Guru Angad. On Guru Amar Das and Guru
 lHE STRUCTURE OF lHE GURU GRANTH SAHIB 179

Arjan, there are 22 and 21 savayyas respectively. What is

praised in these savayyiis is the office of the Guru rather than
the person.
Guru Nanak is the source of the sbabad. He founded
the tradition of rajjog in which spirituality is pursued as a
householder, combining the spiritual and temporal aspects
of life as a single entity. He shows the way to liberation
through nam. Like the Vaman incarnation of Vishnu, Rama
and Krishna in the earlier cosmic ages, Guru Nanak is the
(raj) is everlasting
object of praise in the Kaliyuga. His rule
(abcbal, ata/). He is the source of sabajjog. The Bhagats
like Jaidev, Trilochan , Namdev, Kabir; Ravidas and Beni sing
the praises of Guru Nanak. He came to be called Guru Angad
and Guru Amar Das.61
Guru Nanak placed his hand on the forehead of Lehna
who destroyed the evil effects of the Kaliyuga. Guru Angad
has conquered the world with Guru Nanak's blessing. The
darkness of ignorance vanishes at his door; by serving God
through the shabad, one attains liberation . One attains the
state of sahaj in the smigat. Awakened by the Guru, his
followers remain immersed in loving devotion in all humility.
Guru Angad is the incarnation of Raja Janak who remained
detached like lotus in the water. Guru Angad is aware of
the spiritual state of the World-Preceptor Nanak and his fame
has spread in all the seven continents of the earth. He too
practises raj and jog. Like a fruit-laden tree he bends low
for the sake of the people. His amrit ba1Ji moves their hearts.
He has the same status as Guru Nanak. They who see Guru
Angad attain divine knowledge. To see him is to have the
merit of pilgrimage at sixty-eight places. He received the
name through the shabad of Guru Nanak and the true name
makes the smigat fragrant. To see him is to attain liberation.
He is a river of the nine treasures and washes away the dirt
acquired in many lives. The pain of death and rebirth
vanishes by seeing Guru Angad. 62
The common bond between Guru Nanak, Guru Angad
180 A STUDY OF GURU GRANIH SAHIB

and Guru Amar Das is the Name, the source of their fame
in the world. The Name that redeems the devotees of God
inspires Guru Amar Das. The sangat is being redeemed by
the Name. Guru Amar Das has found the Name that puts
an end to the cycle of death and rebirth. He has received
it from God. The (Sikh) sangat has · become large. He who
has not seen Guru Amar Das is wasting his life . They who
have bowed to Guru Amar Das experience no pain, no
hunger, and no want. They are not dependent on others;
rather, they help others with thousands of gifts; they are well
off, and they are shorn of all vice. They have no fear of any
kind due to the grace of Guru Amar Das who thinks of God
alone, and nothing else. He remains absorbed in the One
and by seeing him one attains liberation (muktf). Guru Amar
Das is God's ship for taking people across the ocean of life,
as if God has come in the form of Guru Amar Das. He is
the lamp through which God makes his shabad manifest.
The Sikhs who appropriate the shabad tirrn to God. In the
House of Guru Nanak and Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das is
g
the ship for transporting human bein s to the realm of
liberation. The . Sikhs who see him receive the gift of jap,
tap, sat and santokh. Guru Amar Das is the veritable form
of God in the Kaliyuga . There is no other source of liberation.
Guru Amar Das is the knight in shining armour who destroys
the five adversaries of human beings : kam, krodh, lobh, mob
and hankar. He is made the king of kings by Guru Nanak.
His praise is beyond words.63
As we noticed earlier, the largest number of savayyiis
relate to Guru Ram Das. These were written by seven Bharrs.
A certain degree of repetition of ideas and differences of
emphasis may be expected a priori. Guru Ram Das received
the shabad from Guru Amar Das and lodged God in his
hea1t. He is a lake of immortality (amrit sarovar) that remains
full all the time. Only the fortunate ones bathe in it. Guru
Ram Das removes their fear and they attain the state of
. fearlessness (anbhai pad). His sangat is pure, and his praises
 1HE STRUCTURE OF 1HE GURU GRANTII SAHIB 181

are sung in the world. Guru Ram Das is occupying the

position of Guru Amar Das and Guru Angad, with the name
as the source of liberation for all. Like Guru Nanak, Guru
Angad and Guru Amar Das, raj-jog is practised by Guru Ram
Das. Received through God's grace this Janak-raj is befitting
for Guru Ram Das. By meeting him one acquires the merit
of all dharm and karm. Both men and gods cherish his
service. He is the veritable form of the limitless and fearless
God. The throne of Raj-jog is given to Guru Ram Das by
God. Guru Nanak brought the light. He gave the treasure
of gtan to Guru Angad. By his · touch, Guru Amar Das was
enabled to redeem the honour in the Kaliyuga. When he was
fully satisfied, Guru Amar Das gave the throne of Raj-jog to
Guru Ram Das. By turning to his feet, animals and ghosts
are transformed into gods and men. There is no liberation
without the Guru. The sevaks and Sikhs of Guru Ram Das
always cherish his feet. Guru Amar Das made the true throne
(sachau takbt) firm and stable. The sangat of the Guru has
appropriated the superior path (uttam panth) that leads to
the state of fearlessness. Guru Ram Das is the master of an
invincible army. 'The true Guru for all the four cosmic ages�
you yourself are God'. 64
Born in the house of Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan
recognized God through the Guru's instruction in his early
life. Appropriating bhagti-jog, like Janak, he made the
sbtlbad manifest, and attained to high status by association
with Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Das as a
bhagat. He lodged the sbabad in his heart and Guru Ram
Das introduced him to the Name. Through him, Guru Arjan
met God. He has established Satjug through Janak-Raj. Guru
Nanak is present in Guru Arjan through Guru Ram Das, Guru
Amar Das and Guru Angad. The touch of Guru Arjan
transmutes base metals into gold. He is the remover of fear
and suffering; he is the remover of illusion and the bestower
of peace. He is absorbed in the shabad through the grace
of Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Das; made the
 182 A STIJDY OF GURU GRAN1H SAHIB

philosopher's stone by Guru Ram Das. He practises raJ m

jog, and remains stable in sabajjog. God manifested Himself
ftrst through Guru Nanak and then threugh Guru Angad,
Guru Amar Das and Guru Ram Das. His fifth form can now
be seen in Guru Arjan. In the Kaliyuga, he is the ship to
carry the world to liberation. His light shines in the sky and
on the earth in all its nine kbaiu;ls. There is no difference
between God and Guru Arjan. 65
The Bhatts praise the Gurus. In this process, they
underline the unity and continuity of the office of Guruship.
They also underscore the unique importance of the message
I. of the Gurus for the Kaliyuga. Along with the Gurus, the
i

importance of the Name, the sbabad and the sangat is

emphasized. The idea that the Gurus and their followers treat
the spiritual and temporal life as . an integrated entity is
hammered as Rajjog. All these aspects of the savayyas of
the Bhatts have a close bearing on Sikh history, theology and
ethics. They appear to sing of
balemi raj. It is not surprising
that they find ample representation in the Guru Gratitb
Sahib.
The Sadd, composed by Baba Sunder, refers to the
message received by Guru Amar Das about his departure
from the world. The call was welcome to him. He called his
kith and kin as well as the Sikhs to install Ram Das as the
Guru personally. He told all the 'Sikhs, relations, sons and
brothers' to fall at his feet, that is, to recognize him as the
Guru. At the end he . said that kirtan should be performed
after his death in place of the traditional kirya. He gave the
mark of Guru-sbabad, the banner of truth, to So<;lhi Ram Das.
His wish was accepted by the Sikhs. Guru Amar Das's son,
'
Mohri, touched the feet of Guru Ram Das. He was followed
by all others. If anyone was reluctant he was persuaded by
Guru Amar Das to recognize Guru Ram Das. The whole
world submitted to him. Three things stand out in the Sadd :
Guru Amar Das got the divine message for departure (like
Guru Nanak), he installed Ram Das in his place as the Guru,
 TilE STRUCTURE OF TilE GURU GRANTII SAHIB 183

and he commanded that no Brahmanical rites should be

performed after his death. The relevance of all the three for
the Sikh tradition is self-evident.66

4. Promotion of Halemi Raj

There is a good deal of diversity in the nature and character
of the works included in the Guru Grmith Sahib. No single
criterion would appear to explain the inclusion of the works
other than those of the Gurus. The issue of the Bhagat Bal).i
has b<=en discussed by scholars in isolation from the other
works. Even under the label 'Bhagat' we come upon three
categories of contributors : the bhaktas associated with
Vaishnavism, the Sants, and the Sufis. In the case of the first,
only a few compositions are selected. And these few do not
contain any specific Vaishnava element. The saitts are not
Vaishnava, and there is no Vaishnava element in the
compositions of Kabir, Namdev and Ravidas. The ideas and
attitudes expressed in their compositions are in general
harmony with those of the Gurus, and they share concepts
and idiom of expression. However, there are some important
differences between them in terms of ideas and attitudes.
Even more important is the difference in the scope of the
ideology of theseBhagats and that of Gurbar;J. For example,
even Kabir who is fairly well represented in the Guru Grmith
Sahib does not show the same degree of social and political
awareness as Guru Nanak, and he shows no concern for
institutionalization.
The case of Shaikh Farid is different from that of the
smits. He is regarded as a Sufi, like Bhikhan. The latter is
called Bhagat Bhikhan and in his hymns there is nothing
that can be identified as SUfi or even Islamic. But Shaikh Farid
is never called Bhagat : he is always saikh (Shaikh). His
compositions make it absolutely clear that he is a Sufi
Muslim. He belongs to a system of religious beliefs and
practices that is different from that of the Gurus, the sants
184 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANIH SAHIB

and the Vaishnava bhaktas. Despite some similarities of ideas,

the unsaid suppositions remain basic. The compositions of
Shaikh Farid do not get related to the theology and ethics
of the Gurus in the same way as those of the sants. Shaikh
Farid represented Islam, in a sense, at its best. As an
interpretation of Islam, his compositions keep him within the
orbit of Islam. The principle of inclusion in his case is not
conformity to Gurbli1J'i so much as the relative appreciation
for a different tradition.
The case of the Ramkal'i ki Var by Rai Balvand and Satta,
the Savayyiis of the Bhans, and the Sadd is simple. The
Ramkal'i ki var has a close bearing on the Sikh tradition and
the Savayyiis of the Bhans have a close bearing on Sikh
theology and ethics . as well. The Sadd has a close bearing
on succession and rites. All these could become the source
of popular support for the Sikh movement.
If the selection of works other than the revealed word
of the Gurus for the Guru Granth Sahib cannot be
understood in terms of a single principle 9r criterion,
possibly, theology was not the only concern for including
the Bhagat Bat)i. The Var of Balvand and Satta has a close
bearing on the institution of Guruship and the status of Guru
Nanak and his successors. The Savayyiis of the Bhans have
a bearing on theology as well. The Sadd is relevant for Sikh
institutions. However, the Rag Ma/ii has no theological or
religious significance. Its contents do not correspond to the
Rags of the Guru Granth sahib. It seems, therefore, that the
common purpose of inclusion was to broaden the scope and
strengthen the appeal of the dispensation of Guru Nanak and
his successors. In other words, the principle of inclusion was
the promotion of halemi-raj.
 THE STRUCIURE OF THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB 185

Notes and References

1 . In the patti of Guru Nanak, all 35 letters of the Gurmukhi script
are used in 35 verses. It is followed by the Patti of Guru Amar
Das who uses the Gurmukhi letters and Guru Arjan .uses
Gurmukhi letters even in the Bavan-Akhari. (Adi Sri Guru Granth
sahib, pp. 250-62, 432-35). Guru Amar Das says that no words
can express God's greatness. Guru Arjan glorifies the akhar :
'drlshtimiin akliar hat jaita, Niinak parbrahm nirlepa '.
2 . C. Shackle, An Introduction to the Sacred Language of the Sikhs,
New Delhi : Heritage Publishers, 1999 (rpt.), Preface.
3. Sahib Singh, Gurbal)f Viiikaral), Amritsar : Singh Brothers, 1994
(lorn impression), Preface to 2"d ed. 0950).
4. Ibid., Preface to 4th ed. (1970).
5. Ibid., p. 21. Professor Sahib Singh gives examples of transitions.
His work has been found helpful by scholars interested in the
study of the Guru Granth sahib.
6. Gurinder Singh Mann , 1be Making of Sikh Scripture, New York :
Oxford Universty Press, 2001 , p. 101.
7 . For a detailed analysis of the contents of the Guru Granth sahtb,
see Bhai Joginder Singh Talwara, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Bodh,
Part I,Bii17i Beora, Amritsar : Singh Brothers, 2004 (rpt.).
8. The significance of Ghar is not clear. The numbering used in the
Guru Granth sahib ranges from 1 to 17, like Ghar 1 , Ghar 2,
Ghar 3 and so on. Professor Teja Singh suggests that this
numbering was meant to indicate the tune (tan) or pitch (sur)
in which the entire composition was to be sung. He also refers
to the practice in Iranian music of indicating the tune as second
(do-gab), third (seh-gah), fourth (chahar-gah) and so on.
Shabdarth Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p. 14, note. Professor Gurinder
Singh Mann takes notice of Professor Teja Singh's note and refers
to Charan Singh's view that ghar indicates the variation of rhythm
(tal) in singing. Professor Mann adds : 'Sikh tradition seems to
have forgotten ghar, and not much information is available about
this category among present day Sikh musicians' : 1be Making of
Sikh Scripture, p. 91. Professor Pashaura Singh refers to the Iranian
tills plus grahas adapted by Amir Khusrau and also to Pincott's
view. His own view is that ghar refers to 'melodic variation within
the same Rag pattern'. The ghars are .'musical clefs' according to
which various padas are organized in the Rag section. What is
186 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHffi

quite evident, the ghar had an important role in the actual

performance. ( 7be Gurn Grmith Sahib : Canon, Meaning and
Authority, pp. 144-5, 269).
9. Mann, 7be Making of Sikh Scripture, pp. 807-88.
10. Pashaura Singh, 7be Gunt Granth Sahib, pp. 129, 130, 133, 134,
135, 145, 149.
11. Shabdiirth Sri Gurn Granth Sahib, p. 1342.
12. Ibid., p. 414.
13. Ibid., p. 83.
14. Ibid., p. 3 1 1 .
15. Ibid., p. 849.
16. Ibid., p. 950.
17. Ibid., p. 1087.
18. Ibid., p. 1423.
19. Ibid., p. 642.
20. Ibid., p. 823.
21. Ibid., p. 849.
22. Ibid., p. 404.
23. Ibid., p. 1425.
24. The formal headings given in the detailed content of the
Shabdiirth do not cover all the headings. Their total number
exceeds 50.
25. Mann, 7be Making of Sikh Scripture, pp. 102-20.
26. Pashaura Singh, 7be Bbagats of Gurn Grmitb Sahib, pp. 1-41.
27. Sbabdiirtb Sri Gurn Grantb Sahib, pp. 601, 1 133, 1554-5.
28. Ibid., p. 67.
29. Ibid., p. 835.
30. Ibid., p. 995.
31. Ibid., pp. 1207-08.
32. Ibid., pp. 487-88.
33. Ibid., p. 1 192.
34. This statement is based on a paper, I have written on 'Bhagat
Namdev of Gurn Granth Sahib' but not yet published.
35. For this statement, J.S. Grewal, Ideologies; InsWutionalization, and
Pantbs : Kabtr and Gurn Nanak, S.C . . Misra Memorial Lecture,
Indian History Congress, Mysore 2003.
36. For this statement, J.S. Grewal, "Sant Ravidas", Religiou.•;;
Movements and Institutions in Medieval India (History of Science,
Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Vol. VII, p. 2),
ed., J.S. Grewal, New Delhi : Oxford University Press, 2006,
pp. 410-23.
 TilE STRUCfURE OF THE GURU GRANTH SAHIB 187

37. For this statement, J.S. Grewal, "lhe Poetry of Shaikh Farid",
Lectures on History, Society and Culture of the Punjab, Patiala :
Punjabi University, 2007, pp. 41-73.
38. Shabdiirth Sri Guru Granth Sahib ft, p. 659.
39. Ibid., p. 1293.
40. Ibid., p. 487.
4 1 . Ibid., pp. 487-88.
42. Ibid., p. 488.
43. Ibid., p. 695.
44. Ibid., pp. 92, 525-26.
45. Ibid., p. 526.
46. Ibid., p. 695.
47. Ibid., p. 93.
48. Ibid., p. ' 974.
49. Ibid., p. 858.
50. Ibid., p. 695.
5 1 . Ibid., p. 695.
52. Ibid., p. 526.
53. Ibid., p. 1 106.
54. Ibid., p. 1 195.
55. Ibid., p. 1253.
56. Professor Gurinder Singh Mann has argued on the basis of extant
manuscripts that the Rag Mala was not the last composition in
the Kartarpur Pothi but the compositions which followed it were
taken out later to make it conform to the Adi Gratith. lhe absence
of the Rag Mala from the A mritsar Potbi suggests that the Rag
Mala was added to the Kartarpur Pothi between 1604 and 1606.
lhe fierce controversy about the continued inclusion of the Rag
Mala in the Adi Granth resulted in its exclusion from an edition
published by Teja Singh of Bhasaur on the one hand, and a
stronger defence of its inclusion on the other. (The Making ofSikh
Scripture, pp. 66-68, 75-77, 120). Professor Pashaura Singh points
out that the Rag Malii included in the Adi Granth follows the rag­
ragini-putra classification, accounting for a total number of 84
Rags. lhere is no such system in the Adi Grarith; all the major
Rags appear under the same title of Rag and nowhere under the
title Ragini. Only a fourth of the Rags and Raginis of the Rag Mala
figure in the Adi Granth. 1he exclusion of 63 Rags of the Rag
Mala from the Adi Granth underscores the difference. ( The Guru
Granth Sahib, pp. 1 47-88).
188 A STIJDY OF GURU GRAN'IH SAHIB

57. Shabdarth Sri Guru Grantb Sahib Ji, pp. 966-67 .

58. Ibtd., pp. 967-68.
59. Ibid., p. 968.
60. Ibid., p. 968.
61. Ibid., pp. 1 389-90.
62. Ibid., pp. 1 391-92.
63. Ibid., pp. 1 392-96.
64. Ibid., pp. 1 396-1406.
65. Ibid., pp. 1406-09.
66. Ibid., pp. 923-24.
 CHAPTER VI

The Guru Eternal

The Guru Gratith Sahib stands distinguished from all other

scriptures of the world for being regarded as the Guru, the
sole successor of the ten Gurus from Guru Nanak to Guru
Gobind Singh, making Guruship a continuous institution ever
since its inception and for ever in the future. Therefore, the
making of the Guru Gratith Sahib becomes important in
itself.

1 . Early History

We referred earlier to a Gratith compiled by Guru Arjan, 'the

Pothi as the abode of God'. With the emergence of the
doctrine of Guru Gratith in the eighteenth century, · Sikh
writers began to comment on its history. In the twentieth
century the subject became more important due to doubts
raised about the authenticity or character of some of the
contents of the Gratith. Arguments began to be based on
the extant manuscripts of the Gratith Sahib. In this process,
some scholars doubted the authenticity of the original Gratith
in the possession of the So<;lhi descendants of Dhir Mal at
Kartarpur, known as the Kartarpur Pothi, Kartarpuri Bir, or
. the Adi Bir. After much debate and discussion in recent
decades the authenticity of the Kartarpur Pothi has been
established.
In the Adi Bir Bllre (About the Original Recension),
Professor Sahib Singh argued that the evidence of the Gratith
Sahib and the Puratan ]anamsakhi clearly showed that Guru
Nanak himself had inscribed and preserved his entire bat}f.
190 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTii SAHIB

It came into the possession of Guru Angad who recorded

his own biitJ.f and passed it on to Guru Amar Das, together
with the biitJ.f of Guru Nanak. Following their example, Guru
Amar Das added his own bii1J,f to the record of Guru Ram
Das who passed it on to Guru Arjan with his own biitJ.f added
to it. The bii'(tfof 1 5 Bhagats, which is included in the Granth
Sahib, was also collected arid recorded by Guru Nanak. The
Var of Satta and Balvand, about which some doubts were
raised, was included in the Kartarpur Poth'i in the lifetime
.
of Guru Arjan. In Professor Sahib Singh's view the recension
known after Banno, or the village Khara Mariga�, was also
prepared iri the time of Guru Arjan under proper supervision,
and the foltu ba1J,ian (additional compositions) were added
to the manuscripts of the Granth Sahib by the followers of
Handal (known as Handalis or Niranjaniiis) after 1 675. This
was also the case of Mira Bai's shabad and the verses of
Sur Das. All the arguments of Professor Sahib Singh were
meant to affirm the authenticity of both the Kartarpur Pothf
and the Guru Granth Sahib.1
Professor Gurinder Singh Mann comes to the same
conclusion but through a different route. He bases his
arguments largely on the extant manuscripts. He argues that
the collection of Guru Nanak's ba'(ti made in the 1 530s was
represented in the earliest part of the Guru Har Sahai Pothi
(which was in the possession of the So<;lhis of Guru Har Sahai
before it was stolen in the late twentieth century), either in
the original form or its copy. The second stage in the history
of the Granth Sahib was represented. by the Goindval Pothts
compiled by Guru Amar Das. Only two of those Pothis are
extant but G.S. Mann has argued that their number was
actually four.2 The recension known as MS 1 245 is also
accepted by G .S. Mann as authentic and placed around 1600,
a few years before the compilation of the Kartarpur Pothi.
These manuscripts explain the historical evolution of the
contents and structure of the Kartarpur Pothi.3 Some other
 Tire GURU ETERNAL 191

scholars, however, do not accept the authenticity of the

manuscripts earlier than the Kartiirpur Pothi.4
Professor Mann has examined over a score of extant
manuscripts to suggest that the Kartiitpur Pothi was at the
·

fountainhead of the manuscripts of the seventeenth century.

It began to be copied after its compilation in 1604. A copy
was made in 1 605 and taken to Peshawar where it served
as a source for a branch of manuscripts, called branch 1 by
G.S. Mann. The Kartiitpur Pothf reached its final stage in
1606. A copy made before 1606 became the source for the
second branch of manuscript<;. By the mid 1660s, the scribes
became aware of the hymns originally absent from the
manuscripts of branch 1 and they began to add them to the
copies they prepared. During the seventeenth century, both
the branches of the copies of the Kartatpur Pothi were
considered to be authoritative and carried signatures of the
Gurus. The Kiinpur Pothf (called also the Banno Bfr or
Khiirii Miingat Bfr) was copied in 1642 as a manuscript of
branch 2. There is no evidence to place the Kiinpur Potbi
at the head of an independent branch of the seventeenth
century manuscripts.5
Inscribed in 1674, MS 1 192 in the Panjab University
· Library at Chandigarh contains the complete corpus of Guru
Tegh Bahadur's hymns; its opening folio has a note to the
effect that this manuscript was presented to Guru Tegh
Bahadur for his signatures on the full moon day of Jeth in
Samma t 1731 in the presence of the whole congregation. The
manuscripts to which the hymns .of Guru Tegh Bahadur were
added in his lifetime belongs to the second branch of the
Kartatpur Pothf manuscripts. 6
The Adi Granth, or the Granth authenticated by Guru
Gobind Singh, was distinct from the MS 1 192 version. A
manuscript of 1682, followed by the ones inscribed iri 1 688,
1691 and 1692, clearly shows that the Adi Granth was
compiled in the pre-Khalsa phase of Guru Gobind Singh's
life. This did not involve a simple addition of the hymns of
192 A STIJDY OF GURU GRAN1H SAHIB

Guru Tegh Bahadur to the existing corpus. Some decisions

seem to have been taken to drop a set of compositions
available in the earlier manuscripts. It is clear, therefore, that
the Adi Graftth was prepared finally under the authority of
Guru Gobind Singh in the early 1680s at Makhowal­
Anandpur. 7 The presence of the Adi Graftth manuscripts in
the area of Takht Damdama suggests that its authentication
was re-affirmed at Talwandi Sabo, equating the Damdami
Bir with the Adi Graftth.
According to Professor Mann, the extant manuscripts of
the eighteenth and the early nineteenth century fall into two
groups : copies of the Adi Grmith, and a version of the
branch 2 of the Kartarpur Pothi with hymns of Guru Tegh
Bahadur added to it. The variation between the two is not
substantive, and most of the versions are completely identical
with the Adi Grmith. This state of the manuscripts may
largely be the result of the vesting of Guruship in the Adi
Graftth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1708.
G.S. Mann observes that even before Guru Gobind
Singh declared the Adi Graftth to be the Guru, the symbolic
authority of the divine word had co-existed with the personal
authority of the Guru. Guru Nanak's fundamental belief in
the revealed nature of his compositions evolved along with
the office of the Guru. The increased significance of these
hymns is reflected in the position of Guru Amar Das who
declares that GurbiitJi is the light of the world. Guru Ram
Das further emphasizes the liberating nature of the Guru's
compositions. Guru Arjan believed that the revealed literature
has the purpose of removing suffering of the world. The
scriptural manuscripts acquired an authority of their own.
Guru Arjan affirmed that the sacred text is the abode of God.
In a manuscript of 1605, the Sikh scribe claims that the text
he prepared manifests the body of Guru Nanak; presenting
oneself before it would be equivalent to having an audience
with him. The importance attached by. Dhir Mal and Ram
Rai to possession of the sacred text indicates that scriptural
 THE GURU P.TERNAL 1 93

text complemented the authority of the Gurus at the centre

of the community. 'At the time of Guru Gobind Singh's death,
then, we see the two strands of religious authority within
the community coming together in a unique form. The
symbolic role of the Adi Grmith expands to encompass the
authority of the personal guru,· as manifested in the new tide,
Guru Granth Sahib, and the community as a whole (Guru
Patith) takes up the authority to interpret the text.' 8
Professor Mann underscores the historical role of the
Adi Granth as the principal source in deftning Sikh theology
and creating the ethical code by which the Sikhs live .. They
read, hear, and practise the message of the Adi Granth which
has made a deep impact on the devotional, ceremonial,
ritual, intellectual and artistic dimensions of Sikh life. The
Sikh Gurdwara is literally the house of the Adi Granth. In
the opening decades of the eighteenth century the Adi
Grmith enjoyed the status of living embodiment of the divine
presence in the community, and the respect due to a ·
personal Guru. Accompanied by symbols of royalty, the Adi
Granth constituted the court of the Guru. It played an
important role in Sikh ceremonies ranging from naming the
child to the rites of death. With the establishment of political
supremacy of the Sikhs at the tum of the nineteenth century,
the idea of a self-regulating Guru PaiJ.th .receded and the Adi
Grmith emerged as the sole symbolic centre of authority. In
the 1850s, the Adi Granth moved in to preside over the
ceremony of marriage. The · significance of the scripture in
communal experience, thus, was revealed in multiplication
of the sacred text, reading and recitation of the Scripture at
home and · ceremonial purposes (giving rise to the practice
of akhancjpath, saptah path and khulii path), and a tradition
of formal reflection on the text.9
In his Guru Gobind Singh s Death at Nanded : An
Examination of Succession Theories, Ganda Singh states . his
conclusion at the outset. Guru Gobind Singh died at Nanded
on 6-7 October 1708 and was cremated there; he had not
194 A STIJDY OF .GURU GRANIH SAHIB

appointed any of his followers as Guru, commanding his

followers 'to look upon the Word of the Great Masters, as
embodied in their holy book, theGranth Sahib, as their
Guru, thenceforth known as the Guru Granth Sahib ', 10
Among the early manuscripts for evidence on the
vesting of Guruship in the Granth Sabib are the Rahitnamas
attributed to Bhai Nand Lal, Bhai Prahlad Singh, and Bhai
Chaupa Singh, Sainapat's Sri Gur Sobha and Gurbilas
Chhevin Patshahi (on the assumption that it was written in
1718). From the second half of the eighteenth century are
mentioned Koer Singh's Gurbilas Patshahi Das, Kesar Singh
Chhibber's Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian Ka, Sarup
Das Bhalla's Mahima Prakash, and Sukha Singh's Gurbilas
Patshahi Das. For the first half of the nineteenth century, the
evidence of Ratan Singh Bhangu is not taken into account
on the argument that his work contains no reference to the
Guru's last commandment about Guruship in the future. · Bhai
Santokh Singh in his Sura} Prakash · places the vesting of
Guruship in the Granth Sahib during the last days of Guru
Har Krishan even though the nomination of 'the Baba of
Bakala' is also mentioned by him. The Umdat ut-Twarikh of
Sohan Lal Suri, composed in the early nineteenth century but
published later, and Ghulam Muhiyuddin alias Bute Shah's
. Tarikh-i Punjab record the last commandment of the Guru
regarding the vesting of Guruship in the Grmith Sahib. The
Gurparnali of Gulab Singh, composed during the period of
Sikh rule, also refers to Guruship for the Granth Sahib, and
so does the Gurparnali of Kavi Gulab Singh, composed in
1841. Among the early British historians, J.D. Cunningham
refers to the vesting of Guruship in the Granth Sahib. For
the late nineteenth century, there are Ernest Trumpp,
Syed Muhammad Latif, and . M.A. Macauliffe, besides the
[Jayan-i Khandiin-i Karmiit Nishan-i Bedian by Munshi Sant
Singh, the Pothi Gurbilas of Bawa Sumer Singh and the
Pantb Prakash and the Twarikh-i Guru Khalsa of Giani Gian
 1HE GURU ETERNAL 19 5

Singh. For the twentieth century, there are the works of Bhiii
Kahn Singh of Nabha. 1 1
Dr. Ganda Singh marshalled all this evidence on the
vesti�ng oLG:u r:m>hip _ln� th� � Gmntb_ Sahib in order to show
that the later claims of individuals to Guruship were without
any justification. He mentions a number of such 'religious
pretenders'. The most important among them were the
Niimdhiiris. Dr. Ganda Singh gives quotations from the letters
of Biibii Ram Singh to prove that he believed in the authority
of Guru· Granth Sahib which he recommends strongly to his
followers for various purposes. 'The Guru Grantb Sahib
alone is to be recognized as the visible body of the Gurus',
says Baba Ram Singh in one of his letters. In another letter
he says, 'after the Ten Gurus, Maharaj ji (Guru Gobind Singh)
has installed the Guru Granth Sahib as the Guru who is
permanent for ail times. There is no other Guru'. Bhai Kala
Singh Namdhari published his Singhan Namdharlan da
Shah'id Bilas and his Singhan Namdharian da Panth
Prakash, in 1913 and 1914; he refers to the Granth Sahib
respectfully as Guru Granth. However, the Namdhiiri
publicists, Alam and Chakarvarti, tried to build up the
Guruship of Biibii Balak Singh and Babii Ram Singh in
succession to Guru Gobind Singh. In this story, Baba Ajapal
Singh of Nabha is presented as Guru Gobind Singh on the
argument that Guru Gobind Singh did not die in 1708. Apart
from contemporary and later evidence on the death of Guru
Gobind Singh, Dr. Ganda Singh presents evidence on the
point that Biibii Ajapal Singh was actually a follower of Guru
Gobind and Babii Balak Singh had received gur-mantar from
Sain Sahib Bhagat Jawahir Mall. Baba Partap Singh, who was
the head of Namdhari establishment from 1906 to 1959,
denied that he regarded himself as Guru but admitted that
his followers insisted that he was.12 There is no credible
evidence to support the claim of the Namdhiiris to personal
Guruship in continuation from Guru Gobind Singh. The
evidence for the end of personal Guruship with the death
196 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTI:I SAHIB

of Guru Gobind Singh and the vesting of Guruship in the

Grmith Sahib is strong and overwhelming.

2. The Gurn Grantb in Relation to the

Guru Panth
Dr. Ganda Singh's primary concern left out the isSue that
Guruship was vested in the Khalsa as well as the Grmith
Sahib. We may examine the precolonial Sikh literature on
this point. In the process, we may be better able to appreciate
the doctrine of Guru Grmith.
The Rahitnama of Bhai Nand Lal was composed before
the institution of the Khalsa in 1699. In this Rahitnama, Guru
Gobind Singh is presented as saying that the Guru has three
forms : nirgur,z, sargur,z and Gurshabad. In the first form the
Guru is without any attributes and nothing can be afftrmed
about him except his existence. The Sikh who wants to have
the Guru's darshan, should see Grmith fl which, wit�mut the
slightest doubt, is the visible form of the Gutu. The third
form of the Guru is the Sikh who is immersed in Gurbar,zi,
trusts the Guru's shabad and has its darshan every morning.
The nirgur,z form comes clo5e to Guru Nanak's conception
of God as the Guru, and the sargur,z and Gurshabad forms
are close to Guru Ram Das's equation of bar,zi with the
Guru and his bracketing of the Sikh with the Guru. The use
of Granth fl in place of bar,zi can be appreciated in the
light of the fact that Guru Gobind Singh had prepared
authenticated copies of the Adi Granth in the 1680s and
1690s. Therefore, one could have Grmith fl's darshan, read
it, hear it, and reflect on it.13
Sainapat's statement in Sri Gur Sobha neatly links up
the seventeenth century position with that of the early
eighteenth. According to him, a day before his death, the
Singhs asked Guru Gobind Singh what would be his form,
and he replied that the Khalsa was his form. 'My concern
 THE GURU ETERNAL 197

is with the khatas and I have bequeathed my physical form

to the khalas . The khalas is he who has no· illusion ( bhram)
'

in his mind. He is 'our true Guru'. 'Our true Guru' is the

limitless and eternal shabad, the bat;ti that brings in the gift
of liberation.14 This declaration is the basis of the doctrines
of Guru Pailth and Guru Granth.
Two early Rahitnamas are silent on the point of
Guruship : the Tankhanama and the Sakhi Rahit Ki, both
attributed to Bhai Nand Lal. About the former, it has been
argued that it was composed between the institution of the
Khalsa in 1699 and the death of Guru Gobind Singh in 1708.15
Therefore, the vesting of Guruship in the Khalsa or the
Granth is not expected to figure in it. The latter too was
probably composed in this phase. Another Rahitnama, the
Prem Sumarg, which appears to have · been started during
the lifetime of Guru Gobind Singh and completed soon after
his death, refers to Shabad-Bat;ti as the Guru. He who wishes
to hear the Guru should read the shabad. He who wishes
to see the Guru should see the Khalsa with respect and
trust.16
In the rahit part of the Chaupa Singh Rahit-Namii,
which appears to be earlier than the narrative part, there is
a reference to Grarith Sahib without the epithet Guru · but
there is also the statement that the shabad of the Grarith
Sahib should be · regarded as Guru by the Sikhs. Indeed, the
injunction to regard Graritb Sahib as the Guru is also there.
In the tankba part, there is a reference to Guru Grarith Sahib.
At the same time, Guru Gobind Singh is stated to have given
Guruship to the · Khalsa in his lifetime, declaring that the
Sarbat Sarigat is his Khalsa, and Khalsa is the Guru. God
is in the Sarbat : to see the Sarbat is to see the Guru. Guru
Gobind Singh him.Self had said that he · remained present in
·

the Sarigat. Therefore, regard the sarbat Sangat as the Guru.

In another situation, Guru Gobind Singh says that Guruship
is vested in Sarbat Khalsa, with the support of the Guru's
shabad and the protection under Akiil Purkh. It is further
 198 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

explained that not an individual but the Sarbat are Guru

Khalsa. Thus, we find that both the ideas are crystallizing.17
In the Rahitnama of Bhili Prahlad Singh, which can be
placed early in the eighteenth century, the Panth is made
manifest in accordance with the command of Akal Purkh,
and Guru Khalsa is the manifest body of the Guru. At the
same time, all the Sikhs are commanded to regard the Grcnith
as the Guru.18 The view held by some scholars that the
doctrine of Guru Panth became prevalent earlier than the
doctrine of Gurn Grmith is clearly not tenable.19
In the second half of the eighteenth century, Koer Singh
in his Gurbilas Patshah'i 10 refers to Guru Khalsa and Guru
Panth, and emphasizes that the Khalsa should be served like
father and mother and the Guru rolled into one. At the same
time, the Sikh of the Guru should regard Gurn Gratith as
God and there is no other Guru equal to it. Guru Gobind
Singh himself bowed to it as the Guru. The Sarbat Sarigat
is the Guru's form and he is always present in it. The Sikhs
should have complete trust inGurn Grarith.20
As in Sainapat's Srl Gur Sobha, in Kesar Singh
Chhibber's Barisavalinama Dasari Patshahiari ka, the Sikhs
ask Guru Gobind Singh on the last day of his life how they
would do without him, and the Guru replies ' Gratith is the
Guru, take refuge in Akal. The Guru is Khalsa and the Khalsa
is Guru'. Chhibber says that 'our Guru is Grarith Sahib ' and
· the Sikhs should live in accordance with its commands.
Guruship was vested in the Grarith Sahib by Guru Gobind
Singh and Chhibber refers to it asGurn Grarith Sahib. 'Today
clearly our Guru is Grarith Sahib.' He who deviates from its
injunctions is a loser. Now Grarith Sahib as the Guru
·

provides answers to all questions, like Guru Gobind Singh

in his lifetime. Not to follow its instruction is to become a
renegade (bemukh). Follow no instruction other than that of
the Grarith Sahib and that of Guru Gobind Singh.21
Kesar Singh Chhibber is the first and the only Sikh writer
of the eighteenth century to talk of two Granths in
 Tim GURU ETERNAL 199

connection with Guru�hip. Therefore, his statement deserves

to be closely examined. Both Grmith Sahibs, he says, are
real · brothers. One is the elder, and the other younger. The
former was born in 1 601 and the latter in 1 698. When the
Sikhs made the request that the latter (Chhota Grmith) may
be combined with the former (Adi Gmntb), the Guru made
it clear that the Adi Granth Sahib was really the Guru; the
other was his sport (khet;l). Though it was dear to him, the
Guru did not combine his Granth with the Adi Granth.
Chhibber himself adds that the two Granth Sahibs were
brothers and should be regarded as Guru. Evidently,
Chhibber is not making a factual statement. He is advocating
the cause of Guru Gobind Singh's Granth for an equal statUs
with the Adi Gratith.22 That this was not the view of others
is evident from their silence with regard to any Gratith other
than the Adi Gratith. Chhibber's advocacy clarifies that
Gratith or Grantb Sahib was used for the Adi Gratith as
Guru Granth Sahib.
In Sarup Das Bhalla's Mahimii Prakash, when the Sikhs
ask Guru Gobind Singh whom they should see after · him,
he replies 'Now, regard Granth Sahib as the Guru in my
place'. They who wish to converse with me should read the
.Adi Granth Sahib. Thus, in place the ten Gurus upto Guru
Gobind Singh, the .Adi Gratith became the Guru. Though
Sarup Das Bhalla says that Guru Gobind Singh adopted the
same appearance as that of the baptized Singhs, he does not
equate the Khalsa With the Guru. 23 Evidently he is more
indifferent to the idea of Guru Patith than Kesar Singh
Chhibber who equates the Khalsa and the Guru at least once.
Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Sukha Singh
in hisGurbiliis Patsbahi 10 does not refer to Guru Gratith.
He refers only to the Pothi Gratith and emphasizes that the
Khalsa should not listen to anything else. However, he
recommends also the biit;ti of the ten Gurus. Before his death,
Guru Gobind Singh tells the Khalsa that they are entrusted
to Aka! Purkh but there is no reference to the vesting of
200 A S1UDY OF GURU . GRAN1H SAHIB

Guruship in the Khalsa or the GraiJ-th. However, the Guru

is in the satigat and in five Singhs. The Satigat and the Guru
are the same. In connection .with the creation of the Khalsa,
the five volunteers who are baptized by the Guru are asked
in tum to baptize him in the same way. When they are
reluctant to undertake such an . unusual task, Guru . Gobind
Singh explains to them that the Khalsa represent the eternal
Guru. 24 Thus, if Sarup Das Bhalla is indifferent to the idea
·

of Guru Pailth, Sukha Singh takes it to the highest level in

his own way.
Early in the 1840s, Ratan Singh Bhangu does not refer
to the situation at the end of Guru Gobind Singh's life, nor,
therefore, to the vesting of Guruship in the Pailth or the
Gratith. However, Bhangu is emphatic that no individual was
acknowledged as Guru by the Khalsa after the death of Guru
Gobind Singh. Bhai Taru Singh tells Zakariya Khan that 'Guru
is the Khalsa and Khalsa is the Guru'. This was proclaimed
by Guru Gobind Singh himself. There is no difference
whatever between the Guru and the Khalsa. The phrase Guru
Khalsa is also used. Similarly, Bhangu refers · to Sri Guru
Gratith or Gratith Sahib too.25 Thus, there is hardly any
doubt that Ratan Singh subscribed to both the doctrines.
Rather, he took them for granted.
In one situation Ratan Singh Bhangu shows the relative
importace and significance of the two doctrines. A Brahman
comes to the 'court' of the .Khalsa at Amritsar with the request
for help against the Pathans of Kasur who had forcibly taken
away his wife. Hari Singh (Bhangi) told him to come on the
day following when the diwan of the Khalsa was to be held.
The Brahman came again and said that he would kill himself
if the Khalsa did not redress the wrong done to him by the
Pathans. Hari Singh asked the Singhs present to offer their
views. They suggested that it was important to keep in view
the strength of the Khalsa in comparison with the Pathans
of Kasur. At this time, half of the Dal Khalsa was not in
Amritsar. Hari Singh commanded 5,000 men and the other
 TilE GURU ETERNAL 201

four misls present commanded no more than 8,000 men in

all. The Pathans were believed to be 1 2 lacs and to possess
12 fortresses, with moats around their walls and effective
artillery within. They had withstood the forces of the
Maratha.s and Ahmad Shah Abdali. The Khalsa were unlikely
to succeed against them. But Hari Singh insisted that the
Khalsa must attack Kasur even if they perished in the attempt.
The others suggested that they should wait for the rest of
the Dal. In this stalemate, Charhat Singh suggestc:d that the
true Guru had perhaps sent the Brahman to give the Khalsa
an opportunity to subjugate the Pathans. Therefore, they
should seek order from the Grmith Sahib in the Darbar
(Harimaildar Sahib). The Kanhaiyas, the Ramgarhias and the
Nakkais also liked this suggestion. The Khalsa go to the
Darbar and supplicate with folded hands : 'You Guru Grmith
are the body of the Guru; give the· right order (vak) to the
sangat'. Then the Gratith is opened for the order and it
shows the hymn of Guru Arjan in the Basant ki Var with
the line 'panje badhe mahabali kar sachcha c;lboa . The
· '

Khalsa are happy to hear the order. Shouting the slogan of

'Guru's victory', they march against Kasur. They hear of the
indifferent state of defence in Kasur from a Sikh of the town,
and feel convinced that the Guru Granth Sahib had created
this · opportunity for · them. They resolve to destroy the
Pathans before plundering the town. All this was done, and
the Brahman's wife was restored to the Brahman.26 Thus,
Ratan Singh Bhangu, who gives greater importance to Guru
Pailth and Gurrnatiis than any other Sikh writer, looks upon
the superior authority of Guru Granth Sahib as built into the
practice of taking vak. It is open to the Khalsa to interpret
the Granth and to take collective decisions which are
authoritative but their authority does not transcend the
·

authority of the Guru Granth Sahib. The doctrines of Guru

Pati.th and Guru Grantb are two sides of the same coin, with
the latter as the obverse. ·
202 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

3. The Case of the Dasam Granth

Some scholars have asserted that both the Adi Grmith and
the Dasam Granth were regarded as Guru and placed at par
with each other. They generally refer to the statements of
the early European writers who underline the importance of
the Dasven Patshiih Kii Granth for the Sikhs in the early
nineteenth century and draw the inference that both the
Granths were regarded as Guru. Much is made of the
statements of John Malcolm in this respect. The best
representative of this view is Harjot Oberoi who states that
the Khalsa placed the Adi Granth and the Dasam Grmitb
at par. Both the scriptures were present in meetings of the
Khalsa as a body and received equal veneration. John
Malcolm is quoted on this point. Oberoi talks of the
'pervasive impact' of the Dasam Granth. Baba Ram Singh,
the leader of the Namdharis in the nineteenth century, is
presented as treating the two scriptures at par. Gradually,
however, the Dasam Granth was 'eased out of Sikh rituals'
and by the e�rly twentieth century it 'no longer enjoyed the
te:x'tual hegemony it once enjoyed'. The new orthodoxy
subscribed solely to the Guruship of the ten Gurus and the
Adi Granth.27
In the evidence presented by Harjot Oberoi there is no
indication that the
Dasam Granth was regarded as 'Guru'.
Malcolm nowhere talks of Guruship of any Granth. His
silence on this point was due to the lack of information. 28
J.D. Cunningham, with more Sikh evidence available to him,
talks of both the Adi Granth and Dasven Patshah Kii Granth,
gives due importance to the latter, but refers only to the
Khalsa and the
Adi Granth as having been declared to be
Guru. He was familiar with the Rahitniimii attributed to
Prahlad Rai.29
We can see that from the death of Guru Gobind Singh
to the beginning of colonial rule in the Punjab there was
 THE GURU ETERNAL 203

no confliCt or tension between the doctrine ofGuru Gratith

and the doctrine of Guru Parith, and the Dasam Grc.nith was
nowhere in the picture in relation to Guruship. The personal,
social and religious life of the Sikhs was influenced by the
Guru Gratith Sahib throughout this period in a way that is
unthinkable in the case of the Gratith attributed to · Guru
Gobind Singh. In fact, very little is known of the Dasam
Gratith during this period. Its influence appears to have been
highly exaggerated on the basis of general but vague
impressions.
The view that the doctrine of Guru Parith was relegated
to the background during the early nineteenth century is
based on the assumption that it was more important than
the doctrine of Guru Gratith during the eighteenth century.
Also, there is a little misconception of the doctrine of Guru
Patith. Primarily, the doctrine asserted that the Khalsa Pailth
collectively, and not an individual Sikh, is the Guru.
Secondly, the authority of the collectivety is all important in
relation to an individual. Thirdly, the principle of equality
among the Khalsa is strongly built into the doctrine.
A democratic institutionalization of the doctrine is
assumed whereas it could possibly become the basis of
democratic institutionalization. The moral force of Gurmatiis
and the concerted action of the Dal Khalsa can certainly be
better appreciated in the light of the doctrine of Guru Parith.
The authority of the collectively and its partial insti­
tutionalization also found tangible expression in the oral
hukamnamas issued from the Akal Takht by
instructions or
the Guru Khalsa. One such hukamnama is extant. It was
issued by Sat Sri Aka/ Purkh Ji ka Khalsa in 1759 to Bhai
Aya, Mihar Singh, Bhai Mahbub and the sarbat (sarigaO of
Patna who are asked to send Rs. 125 as their share of
'·

contribution towards the (repairs or reconstruction of) Sri

Harimaridar. All the Sikhs of Patna are not Singhs; they are
greeted with Vaheguru fi ki fateh; the Khalsa at Amritsar
(Ak:al Takht) are referred to as 'Guru Khalsa'. The inscription
 204 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

on the seal can be read as AktU SahiU Khalsa jf.30 The

1 contemporary Sikh leaders, who were in authority, used their
own personal names instead of 'Khalsa Ji' in their seals with
Akal Sahai. 31 The Sikh leader was exercising political
authority in a given territory in the name of Akal Purkh, the
'Guru Khalsa' of Akal Purkh were exercising authority that
was neither territorial nor political in the strict sense of the
term.
It is important to underline that the doctrine of Guru
Panth was not institutionalized in democratic terms but it was
instimtionalized nonetheless in the sense that authority was
exercised from the Akal Takht on behalf of the Khalsa or
. .

in the name of the Khalsa. John Malcolm and J.D.

Cunningham emphasize the importance of the authority
exercised by the Akalis of the Akal Takht in the late
eighteenth and the early nineteenth century. Even when the
control of the Akal Takht and the Harimai:tdar Sahib was
taken over by the British in the name of the Sikhs, the
custodians of the Akal Takht, which was regarded as the
national baptistery of the Sikhs, continued to issue
hukamnamas from time to time. This function was given to
the Jathedar of Akal Takht after the Harimai:tdar Sahib
complex was taken over by the Shiromat:ti Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in 1920. Sanctified by the
authority of the SGPC as the symbolic representative of Guru
· Pai:tth, the practice has continued after the Sikh Gurdwaras
Act of 1925. Seen in this light, the idea of Guru Pai:tth has
never become defunct ever since 1708 and it has never
become so important as the doctrine of Guru Grmith. What
is more important to underline, the doctrines of Guru Grmith
and Guru Pailth are complementary, and they are based on
the same ideology.

4. Dialogue with Others

As we noticed in the 'IntrOduction', the relevance of the Guru
. Granth Sahib for interfaith dialogue has been emphasized
 TilE GURU ETERNAL 205

by scholars. We may cite a few examples. In a paper entitled

" Guru Granth Sahib and Interfaith Dialogue," Professor
·

Gumam Kaur emphasizes that Guru Granth Sahib opens the

way for interfaith dialogue by including the hymns of Hindu
Bhagats and Muslim Sufi poets which have ideological
similarities with Gurmat. She looks upon the compositions
like the · Siddb Gost and Oanki:ir as examples of interfaith
dialogue . The way suggested in the Guru Granth Sahib for
all human beings is to remember God's Name, to earn one's
livelihood through honest means, and share one's earnings
with the needy. This is the best way for the emancipation
of all humanity.32
In a paper entitled " Guru Granth Sahib : As a Precursor
of Inter-Faith Understanding," Professor Kirpal Singh
emphasizes that the Guru Granth Sahib alone recognizes all
religious dispensations as capable of elevating the human
soul. The jagatjalanda verse of Guru Amar Das and the koi
bole Ram Ram koi Khudae of Guru Arjan indicate that the
awareness of inner unity amidst apparent diversity is the
cornerstone of interfaith understanding. One of the core
messages of the Guru Granth Sahib is that all religions offer
different ways to attain spirituality. Guru Arjan included the
compositions of certain medieval Bhagats even though their
views in some matters . of detail do not tally with those of
the Gurus. The Holy Granth is 'the only inter-communal
book in India if not in the world'. Guru Nanak explains to
Muslims what is meant to be 'a Musalman' and to Hindus
how they could find the way to their religion. Guru Nanak
stressed the equality of mankind and the Sikh Gurus admitted
followers without any distinction of caste or creed; the so­
called low people joined in large numbers and even Muslirr1s
were freely admitted and honoured. 33
In a paper entitled 'Sikh Attitude towards Religious
Pluralism', Professor Dharm Singh states that pluralism treats
all the religions of the world as historical manifestations of
one ultimate Supreme Reality. Religious pluralism is not
206 A STIJDY OF GURU GRAN1H SAHIB

confined to the knowledge of other religious systems. Their

claim to truth has also to be regarded as valid. Unlike Islam
and Christianity, Sikh religion does not represent a
missionary tradition. It can play a very crucial and
constructive role in the present because of its pluralist
.
theology. . The Sikh scripture stands for respect for all
religions and cooperation among different religious
communities. The Sikh scripture gives much importance to
dialogue. That Guru Nanak was revered by both Hindus and
Muslims, that Guru Arjan accepted both Muslims and Hindus
as his followers, and that Guru Tegh Bahadur gave his life
for religious freedom are seen as supporting the view
presented. 34 •

Though all the evidence adduced is not relevant and

all the arguments are not cogent, the need for interfaith
dialogue is stressed and the Guru Gratith Sahib is seen as
exceptionally relevant for interfaith dialogue.
In our understanding, Guru Nanak and his successors
present a distinct dispensation. Implicit in much of what they
say, this claim is made more or less explicit by all of them.
The contemporary social order for Guru Nanak is unjust,
oppressive and discriminatory. Both caste and creed become
the basis of discrimination and indirect or direct oppression.
Apart from infringement of the principle of equality, there
are practices based on false assumptions, which at best are
useless and often socially harmful. Guru Nanak identifies
himself with the oppressed and the unprivileged. He does
not approve of any of the known religious systems and he
identifies himself only with the true devotees of God who
are bracketed with his followers. Guru Nanak's social,
political and religious ideas are reiterated by his successors.
They claim their conception of God to be different from that
of others and their theology is intimately linked with their
conception of God. Their idea of liberation-in-life is also
.
different and gets related to matters social and political. With
the passage of time, a new social order comes into existence
 THE GURU ETERNAL 207

as a distinct entity with its own ideology, institutions, and

organization, resulting in an order that is parallel to the state.
The terms 'we', 'us' and 'our' appear in the Guru Grarzth
Sahib as markers of a new identity. The relevant question
to ask, therefore, is what Guru Nanak and his successors
thought of those who remained outsiders, 'others'.
We have noticed already that Guru Nanak and his
successors talk of the one common humanity of all men and
women of the world. It is stressed again and again that all
human beings are creation of the One; His light shines in
them all; no · human being can be regarded as low · or bad;
he who regards himself low is actually high. The statement
is explicitly made that God is 'our common father'. He alone
is the father and all human beings are his progeny. Therefore,
there are no high or low among them. Indeed, the one who
has seen the divine light in all regards other as higher than
oneself. One should identify oneself with the low.35 The idea
of universal fraternity springing from the fatherhood of God
enables Guru Nanak and his successors to accept followers
irrespective of caste, creed or gender. They are also able to
evolve institutions on the basis of the idea of equality.
However, this idea remains more relevant for the formation
of the new order than for those who remain outside. What
is relevant for others is the possible concern arising out of
the conviction that they are equally the children of God.
In the larger dispensation of God, all religious traditions
of the world are covered by the Divine Order. Guru Nanak
refers to two ways which for him are alike; to regard others
as infidel is an act of disbelief; created by God the whole
world is wonderful; the one who gets rid of the self finds
.
the divine door.36 To appropriate what belongs to others is
a taboo for all alike, whether Hindu or Muslim; neither a
guru nor a pir intercedes for one who eats ill-gotten foodY
Guru Nanak refers to all categories of Muslims who pray to
God in the hope of His blessings : plrs and prophets, mystics
and martyrs, the sbaikhs and the mullas, the qazis and the
208 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

darvesbes.38 The pirs, prophets, and mystics · are bracketed

with gods, jogfs, and all kiri.ds of renunciants who are in
search of God.39 The bhlir,UJ. of God covers not only temporal
but also spiritual pursuits. 'If it pleases you one plays on
instruments and sings; if it pleases you one bathes at a place
of pilgrimage; if it pleases you one smears one's body with
ashes and blows the hom (singf), .if it pleases you, one reads
books and is called mullii or sbaikh . 40 At one level, thus,
'

people worship God in different ways in accordance with

His will. It is for God to show them the right path.
A certain degree of appreciation for their own systems
is built into the message given to the mullii and the jogi.
He who makes the world blossom is Maula (God), the
wonderful Lord who creates living beings from earth (kbak)
and water (ab). Whatever is created is subject to destruction�
The mullii is reminded that he too is bound to die; he should
be afraid of God. 'You are a mullet or a qazi only if you
really recognize your God (Khuda)'. He alone is a real qazi
who abandons the self and his sole support is the Name of
God, the true creator who is and shall be for ever.41 This
advi<:e makes even more sense when seen in the light of
the Qu 'ranic verse which says that everything will perish
except the face of God (Allah). An understanding of Islam
enables Guru Nanak to address the mulla in a language
which he understands and in terms of ideas which he
cherishes. mulla or the qazi can become a real
The
MusaL-Mn by cherishing the way of God's friends (aulrya),
and cleaning the mirror of his heart (to see the image of God
reflected in it). To be a real Musalm.iin he should follow the
path shown by the guide and become indifferent to life and
death. He should accept the will (raza) of God (Rabb),
recognizing the power of the Omipotent and abandon the
self. He should be kind to all to become a real Musalm.iin.42
To fully appreciate these verses we have to have a fair
understanding of the Qur'an and Islamic mysticism.
The inclusion of Bhagat Bai)I in Guru Gratith Sahib can
 THE GURU ETERNAL 209

be appreciated in terms of general validity and relative

appreciation. As Guru Nanak: says, for Muslims to regard
others as infidels is to betray their own disbelief in divine
dispensation. Validity of Islam is recognized with or without
relative appreciation. Shaikh Farid's religious poetry in the
Guru · Granth Sahib can be seen by the Gurus as an
expression of the Islamic tradition at its best. It is not a part
of the Sikh tradition but nonetheless respectable. Though the
ideas and attitudes of the sants and the bhagats included in
the Guru Granth Sahib, generally, are not opposed to the
ideas and attitudes of the Gurus, they are not seen by the
Gurus as 'predecessors'. Their position is essentially the same
as that of Shaikh Farid. If they have become an integral part
of the Sikh tradition now, so has Shaikh Farid; That there
were paths other than the path of Guru Nanak which could
lead to liberation is equally evident from the attitude of Guru
Nanak and his successors towards the bhagats of myth and
legend. Guru Nanak's dispensation is not the only one but
it is more efficacious than any other for the modern age.
However, the adoption of Guru Nanak's path is
voluntary. No coercion or earthly inducement is thought of
to bring others to this path. The principle of the freedom
of conscience is built into Guru Nanak's criticism of
discrimination. He regrets that gods and temples are taxed
by the contemporary state. These gods and temples are not
his gods and temples. They stand dearly rejected.
Discrimination on the basis of difference in beliefs and
practices is an infringement of the Divine Order. All human
beings have and should have the right to freedom of belief,
even if that belief appears to be wrong. Guru Tegh Bahadur,
whose martyrdom can be seen as a concrete expression of
this principle of freedom, enunciates that none should
frighten others, just as none should be afraid of others . Like
God, a liberated individual is devoid of enmity (nirvair) as
much as he is devoid of fear (nirl?hau).
210 A STIIDY � G�U GMNm SMW

Finally, the aim of the true devotee of God is to acquire

His attributes. Welfare of others, parupkar, is built into the
idea of God's grace. God is called parupkari, especially when
he graciously bestows the Name, the gift of all gifts. The
parupkii:r'f Guru has given the Name, says Guru Ram Das.
For Guru Arjan, all his predecessors are parupkari, like God.
The Sikh of the Guru serves all. The service of the Sikh is
not ·confined to the Sikhs. Thus, when Guru Nanak says that
one finds . a place in the divine court through service of God,
this service can be seen as covering service of the Guru,
service of the Sikhs, and service of others. A genuine concern
for the welfare of human beings is an integral part of the
Sikh faith embodied in Guru Grmith Sahib. The jagat
jalmida verse of Guru Amar Das is a trenchant expression
of this concern.43
The idea . of parupkar has remained operative in Sikh
history. What the Gurus have done, and what the best of
their followers have done, becomes relevant for interfaith
interaction, just as the Quru Granth Sahib is relevant for
interfaith dialogue.

Notes and References

1 . Sahib Singh, Adi B'ir BZire, Amrltsar : Singh Brothers, 1995 (6th
impression), pp. 33, 44, 76, 100, 1 09, 166, 178-79.
2. Gurinder Singh Mann, The GoifuiwZil Pothis : The Earliest Extant
Source of the Sikh Canon, Cambridge : Harvard University Press,
1996.
3. Gurinder Singh Mann, The Making of Sikh Scripture, New York :
Oxford University Press, 2001, pp. 33-68.
4. Professor Balwant Singh Dhillon, for example, has essentially
argued against the authenticity of all the manuscripts placed before
the KartZirpur Poth'i. (Early Sikh Scriptural Tradition : Myth and
Reality, Amrltsar : Singh Brothers, 1999).
5. Mann, The Making of Sikh Scripture, pp. 69-82.
6. Ibid., pp. 82-85.
7. Ibid., pp. 121-25.
8. Ibid., pp. 129-31 .
 THE GURU ETERNAL 21 1

9. Ibid., pp. 131-34.

10. Ganda Singh, Guru Gobind Singh's Death at Nanded : An
· Examination of Succession Theories, Faridkot : Guru Nanak
Foundation, Bhatinda DiStrict, 1972, p. 9.
1 1 . All the works referred to here figure in the main text, but all of
them are not given in the .Appendices.
12. pp; 51-78, 103-14.
Ibid.,
13. Bbii.i Nand Liil Gran tbii.vali, ed./ Ganda Singh, Malacca (Malaysia) :
Sant Sohan Singh, 1968, pp. 192-24.
14. Sainapat, Sri Gur Sobba, ed., Ganda Singh, Patiala : Punjabi
University, 1967, pp. 1 27-28.
15. Karamjit K. Malhotra, "The Earliest Manual of the Sikh Way of Life,"
in Reeta Grewal and Sheena Pall (eds.), Five Centuries of Sikh
Tradition : Ideology, Society, · Politics and · Culture, New Delhi :
Manoliar, 2005.
16. Prem Sumarg, ed., Bhiii Randhir Singh, Jalandhar : New Book
Company, 1965 (2nd . ed.), · pp . 6, 18.
17. W.H. McLeod, Tbe Chaupa SinghRahtt-Nama, Dunedin : University
of Otago Press, 1987, pp. 60, 74, 76; 98, 100, 123.
18. Rahitname, ed., Piara Singh Padam, Amritsar : Singh Brothers,
1995 (6th impression), pp. 66, 67.
19. Notable among these scholars is W.H. McLeod who has been
followed by Harjot Oberoi and Pashaura Singh.
20. Koer Singh, Gurbili:is Patsbah i 10, ed., Shamsher Singh Ashok,
Patiala : Punjabi University, 1968, pp. 130, 138, 139, 283, 284, 286,
287.
21. Kesar Singh Chhibber, Bansavalinama Dasan Patsbiihfan M, ed.,
Rattan Singh Jaggi (Vol II, Research Bulletin of Panjabi Language
and Literature, ed., S.S. Kohli), Chandigarh : 1972, pp. 136, 164,
198, 221.
22. Ibid., p. 215.
23. Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash, ed., Gobind Singh Lamba,
Patiala : Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, 1971, 806, 827, 892.
24. Sukha Singh, Gurbiliis Patsbiibi 10, ed., Gursharan Kaur Jaggi,
Patiala : Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, 1989, pp. 45, 67, 177-78, 183. ·
25. Ratan Singh Bhangu, Prachin Panth Prakash, ed. Bhai Vir Singh,
New Delhi : Bhai Vir Singh Sahit Sadan, 1993 (rpt), pp. 297, 298,
417.
26. Ibid., pp. 387-91.
27. Harjot Oberoi, The Construction ofReligious Boundaries : Culture,
212 A STIIDY O F GURU G RAN'IH SAHIB

Identity and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition, New Delhi : Oxford

University Press, 1994, pp. 93-94, 100, 200, 201, 319.
y
28. The statement is made after a thorough stud of John . Malcolm's
A Sketch ofthe Sikhs. He had never actually witnessed a Gurmata .
29. J.D. Cunningham, A History of the Sikhs, New Delhi : Rupa & Co.,
2003 (3r<l impression in paperback), pp. 80, 395.
30. Hukamname Guru Sahiban, Matti Sahibtin, Banda Singh, ate
Kbalsafi de, ed., Ganda Singh, Patiala : Punjabi University, 1967,
pp. 232, 233.
31. B.N. Goswamy and J.S. Grewal (eds. and trs.), The Mughal and
Sikh Rulers and the Vaishnavas of Ptncjori, Simla : Indian Institute
of Advanced Study, 1969, pp. 205-18, 227-54, 259-73. A number
of orders issued by the Sikh leaders, chiefs and rulers from the
mid-eighteenth to the early nineteenth century bear the seal
impressions 'Aka! Sahai Hukumat Singh', 'Aka! Sahai Gaura Singh',
'Aka! Sahai Jai Singh' (the seal bears the date 1750), 'Akal Sahai
Gurbakhsh Singh', 'Akal Sahai Amar Singh', 'Aka! Sahai Ranjit
Singh' (dated 1815).
32. Gurnam Kaur, " Guru Granth Sahib and Interfaith Dialogue,"
Interfaith Study ofGuru Granth Sahib, ed., Balwant Singh Dhillon,
Amritsar : GuiU Nanak Dev University, 2005, pp. 239-45.
33. Kirpal Singh, " Guru Granth Sahib : As a Precursor of Inter-Faith
Understanding," ibid., pp. 315-22.
34. Dharam Singh, "Sikh Attitude toward Religious Pluralism," ibid.,
pp. 334-42.
35. Shabdarth Sri Guru Granth Sahib .Ji, Amritsar : Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, standard editions, pp. 2 , 7, 13,
1 5, 18, 27, 37 , 53, 62, 72-73, 96, 97, 1 20, 127, 160, 193, 414, 597,
6 1 1 , 663, 728, 1051, 1081 , 1254, 1334.
36. Ibid., p. l 1 .
37. Ibid., p. 141 .
38. Ibid., p. 53.
39. Ibid., p. 358.
40. Ibid., pp. 144-45.
41 . Ibid., p. 24.
42. Ibid., p. 141 .
 CHAPTER VII

Thus Speaks the Guru

All Gurbii:f}i is equally sacred. However, there are some

compositions which are read or recited more often than the
others and on various occasions and for different purposes.
These compositions have a historical importance of their
own. We propose to talk about the flrst part of the Guru
Grmith Sahib which is commonly called 'liturgical'. Together
with this, we propose to talk about the Asa di Var, the
Anand, the Lavan, and the Sukhmani, all of which are the ·

most familiar compositions of the Gurus.

1. ]apufi
Literally at the head of all these compositions is the japuji,
placed at the beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib. It is meant
to be recited every morning by every Sikh, man or woman.
Regarded as the most important expression of Guru Nanak's
theology, it is regarded as one of 'the foremost' religious
compositions of the world leading men and women on the
spiritual path for 'total absorption in God-consciousness'. Its
essential purpose is to bridge the gulf between human beings
and God by demolishing the wall of falsehood.
The japuji follows the mUlmmitar, which refers to the
unity of the Supreme Being a5 a transcendent entity or Truth.
The opening pau'{i of the japufi underscores this essential
character, the Supreme Being existing before the beginning
·of time, through all the cosmic ages, and in the present, and
to remain in existence when there is nothing else.
Identification with this True Being and living in accordance
214 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

with the divine ordinance (hukam, raztf) is the objective of

human life. This is how the wall of falsehood is demolished.
The divine ordinance, therefore, is of fundamental importance.
Human beings sing of the greatness of the Supreme
Being but only inadequately. By reflecting on His eternal
Name and His greatness early in the · morning through His
gift of love one may find the door to liberation through His
grace, and realize that only the True One is everything. He
is self-existent Only by serving Him through singing his
praises in awe one may · attain peace (sukh) through the
Guru. · The· Supreme Being can never be described. · The
imporant thing is to remember Him· as · the only · bestower
of all gifts. Nothing can be achieved without His grace. The
highest · spiritual exaltation is made possible by listening to
the praises of the Supreme Being and reflection on the Name
to destroy all suffering and sin. The person who has
appropriated the Name sees the Supreme Being in the entire
creation. He grasps the essence of dharm and does not
follow any of the established paths. Nonetheless, he attains
liberation. He gets recognition in this world . as well as in
.
the divine court.
The . physical and moral universe in. all its multitudinous
forms has been created by the divine ordinance. The power
of the Supreme Being cannot be described. The ll).ortal ·
beings are nothing in comparison · with the everlasting
Formless One. What pleases Him is good, He is worshipped
in innumerable ways but only that which pleases .Him is
good. There are millions . of fal�e, ignorant and depraved
sinners . in His creation. There is no word or numeral
appropriate for the whole creation. All His creation is His
nam; there is no place . without the Name and there is no
place beyond it. Sins are washed away through the Name.
One who appropriates and f<;>llows the Name with love,
bathes in the inner tirath, the divine presence within human
beings. This happens through God's grace.
 TIIUS SPEAKS TilE GURU 215

The known scriptures of the world ( Ved and Kateb)

have described the greatness of the Supreme Being but only
He knows His greatness. There is no limit qf any kind in
relation to Him. Great is the Lord and high His place. To
.know Him one has to be as high, which 'is impossible. Only
He knows how great He is ! All gifts are the result of His
grace and there is no limit to His grace. It is His pleasure
to liberate or to keep one chained (to the wheel of death
and rebirth); none else has any say in this matter. He who
receives the gift of His praises is the king of kings. No praise
is adequate for His greatness. He can become as great as
He pleases; Any pretention to know His greatness is the
height of ignorance.
The earth is a dharmsiil, a place to cultivate dharm.
True justice is done in the court of the True One. Recognition
is given to the true devotees. The true and the false stand
distinguished. This is the realm of dharm (dharm kharu;l).
The other four realms, those of giiin, sarm, karm and
sachch, are described in the · last four paufis of the japuji.
· Generally interpreted in terms of ascent towards a higher
khan(is are related to the conception
spiritual state, the five
of the goal and the means of liberation-in-life. The ]apuji
ends with a shalok of Guru Angad which, according to
Professor Sahib Singh, expresses the essential principle of the
japufi.
Significantly, there are comments on the contemporary
situation in the japufi. The representatives of three religious
traditions are mentioned : the Pandii representing the
Brahmanical tradition, the jogi representing the ascetical
tradition, and the qazi representing the Islamic tradition.
These three traditions provide the frame of reference even
for postulating a position of transcendence for the path of
Guru Nanak. The terminology of the jogiS is us�d to convey
his own conception of the true path to liberation.
216 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

1.1. Pauti 2
yqHt � � �· o <iftpw ;:rrel II
yon.ft � ;:ft})f gafi.r f}.rg � II
yqHt � � gafi.r m-ft:r � '8lf � II
.'fuao'r yqHt � fufor yqHt 'fRT � II
yorK � 'A! ii lPUfa" SJOfH .o iifu II
(S)'T'Oi5f y-orH -R "§V "3' � c:m o -a-re ����� (sGGs, p. 1)
Human frames come into existence by the divine order. It
cannot be described. The soul comes into being by the divine
order; through the divine order comes greatness. The high
and the low are there due to the divine order; suffering and
peace are received as ordained by it. Some receive the gift
(of liberation) through the divine order, and some wander
for ever (in transmigration). All are subject to the divine order
and none is outside its sway. 0' Nanak, if one recognizes
the divine order, one does not attribute anything to oneself.

1.2. Paufi 7
R ;:ray � � fur � 'ijfu II
� � � � � � 'A! "&fu ll
� � 'ijl:fTfu -a- t1ff csfta'f3 'HfaT gfu II
'R faH � o � "3' cerd o yg <i' n
CiftGT � cit? afo €J::it 'EH W 11...11.?11 (SGGS, p. 2)
If one's life were to span all the four cosmic ages or even
ten times more, if one were to be known in all the nine
regions of the earth and followed by all, if one were to enjoy
a great reputation and to be widely praised, if he is not seen
by the Lord with grace, he is of no count with anyone else.
He may indeed be regarded as a vermin among vermins and
accused of default even by the defaulters.

· 1 .3. Paufi 19
� � � � II
lffifrH lffifrH 11fft1:f Wn II
� a"ij"fu 'fi:1fo � � II
� '(1)'1"tf � WWU II
 1HUS SPEAKS THE GURU 217 .

� � . afta" � Q1'T'ij" II
� � � � II
}Jft:fifT fi:rfu RHcrr � II
f.i::ITo m fi?if faH fi:rftJ OTft:r II
� � � � "lf1'fu II
it3T cit'aT :3'3T � II
� m � a- � ,,
�eafa � C«JT � ��
� 0 � 'Eor c:rd ll
;:J ?9" � 'fTI1ft � a-rtf II
� .JleT 'Ff8lHf3' foaa •a nct � u (SGGS, p. 4)
Millions are the names (of the Formless Lord) and millions
His abodes. Millions are His unfathomable realms. Even to
talk of only millions is to be guilty of understatement.
Nevertheless, He can be praised through words. The songs
of divine knowledge can be composed through words, and
His attributes adored. His utterance can be recorded only
through words. Only through words can be conveyed what
He ordains. He who ordains is not subject to any ordinance.
What He ordains comes to pass. His power cannot be
described even in a whole lifetime. What pleases You is good.
You alone are everlasting, 0' Formless Lord.

1 .4. Pautf 20
� U§' Ug dO � II
'lf1<:it if3 � lfir II
H3' 'lfB13T 'OI1.la" � II

� � �-By .iifu ll
� Hf3' 'lfltiT � Mar II
By itU m � ffar n
1joT 1.f'1.it � OTft:r II
'Oifa' 'Oifa' 'OI'deT fu'fu H � II
1lfTU mm � m l:f'IY n
� yon..ft � � II�Oil (SGGS, p. 4)
The dust on the hands and feet and other parts of the body
can be washed with water. The doth soiled by urine can be
218 A STUDY OF GURU GRANIH SAHIB

washed with soap. But one defiled by sins can be washed

only by the love of the Nai:ne. Piety and sin are not mere
words. Whatever you do is recorded, arid you reap what you
sow. You come and go in accordance with the Divine order.

1 .5. Paun 27
i=t -eg � i=t U@'· � fu-? afu ROa" � u
� � � � '&:3" <i!1<i!<±il'd ll
'(JT(Jf 'tfift fi:rtl � '&:3" a"<i!<±iJIa 11

� � � '!JT<tt � � crr;:JT t:Jini � II

� fu'? <!J1.1? fl:;"fu -;::rrefu fuftr ·fuftr t:Jini � II . . .
� t:fa � <i!d iiiJ I crfu crfu .dil' t:rra" II
W �g3 � ;:t ?g � d"3' "3a' SdT3' � II
dl'<i!fo
5fa" '&:3". R" H fuf3' o � � � � n
W W H"eT � � 'R1'W wm '(')I'E't II
� it m=tt ;::rrfu o 'i1""Rt � ft:rfo � II
trait trait ar3t 'Cffu crfu f;::roffi � ft:rfo � II
crfu crfu � oft3'T � � f3J:r tT � II
;:r . f:atr . R m:rr � � o Cfa'<tT ;::rrEt 11.
i=t tl'fdH'SJ ·'ff'W tl'faH•fil§ � � cr;::rrEt 11=?..?11
(SGGS, p. 6)
What is that door, that place, where You sit and look after
all the creation. Innumerable are the instruments played there
by millions of players. Innumerable are the rags and raginis
sung by innumerable musicians. The air, water and fire sing
Your praises. Sung are Your praises by the Dharm Raj who
performs justice on the basis of what Chit and Gupt record. . .
All the regions of the earth, . the other worlds, and the
universe created by You sing Your praises. Sung are Your
praises by those with whom You are pleased, the devotees
steeped in the love of the Name. Innumerable others whom
I cannot recall, or know, sing Your praises. The only True
·
Lord whose name is True has been, · is, and shall be there,
the creator of the universe who shall be there after His
creation is no more. He has created the world in various
colours ;md kinds. Having created the world He looks after
all His cryation. This is a ma,rk ofHis greatness. He .does what
 TiruS SPEAKS THE GURU 219

He pleases and none else has any say. They who live in
accordance with His will, 0' Nanak, are the king of kings.

1 .6. Paufi 33-34

� � � Oij' �· ll
� o � � o � ll
� o t=f1�fct � Oij' � II
� o crrfH lfT'fl? Hfo lW II
� o �· � •ihi•fa 11
� 0 BO'I'3t ·� 'A"wg ll
ft::rEr ufu � ·cmr � Hfu 11
O'?iOf � � 'o -a-fu ussu
<fT'3T gaT fu3T � II
. � � � 'tfr3T5 11 '
f3'!r fuN 'Q'03T crrfu .01:ft mJH 'fi'TC5' II..JIS811 (SGGS, p. 7)
(On my own) I have no power to speak, or to remain silent.
I have no power to beg, or to give. I have no power to rule
or to collect wealth; both are · the sources · of commotion in
the mind. I have no power to gain divine knowledge or to
meditate. I have no power to find the way to liberation. He
who has the power creates and watches over His creation.
No one is superior or inferior, 0' Nanak.
God created the nights and the. days of the lunar month,
and the seasons; He created the air, the water and the fire,
and the nether worlds. In the midst of all th�e he installed
the earth as the place of earning merit (dharmsaV.

1 .7. Shalok
� 9Ef � ftr3"r )fT3T "GOf:3' 'Hil'? II .
·

� orf3' � � � � "fT(JT'g ·� .11

� � �· ·ll"alf. � II
-aoHl ))fTii � if � if � II
ft::roT '(')T!f � ore � :urfg II
� 3 tfl:f � if3l' '§it ?)1fg ll<:tll (SGGS, p. 8)
Air is the Guru, water is the father and earth the great mother.
The day and night are the female and male . nurses to keep
the whole universe engaged in play. Both good and evil are
220 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

watched by the Judge and everyone is dose to or distant

from His court · in accordance with the deeds. They who
appropriate the Name, and reflect on it, perform the hard task
well. Their countenances are bright, 0' Nanak, and many
others are liberated through them.

2. So-Dar
This composition is meant to be recited everyday at sunset.
�.;;o-dar' used at its beginning of the first
Its tide comes from
hymn which is noticed in connection with the japuji. It is
followed by two hymns of Guru Nanak in Rag Asa, and one
each by Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan in Rag Giijri. Guru
Nanak dwells on the greatness of the Supreme Being, its
incomprehensibility, and the utter need of His remembrance.
Guru Ram Das prays for the gift of the Name and dwells
on its indispensability. Guru Arjan gives reassurance about
complete trust in God who looks after all His creation.

2 . 1 . .Asa M. 1
)lill:fT � � Hfu � II
� � li'"W � II
� ()lH ?it ri 9l:f II
. ft3 gif l:f'"fu � 'Bl:f ll«=tll
� -f01Q � Heft lflfu "
li'"W ;:rrfu§" � O"T"fu ll«=tl�l
� ()lH ?it � � ll
� � ofb.lfd � tfTET II
"H Rfs fi.rfi? "U � 'lfTfu II
� ?> � l1.f1"fG ?> � II� II
('5T W 1-ffi" ?> � RiV II
..... . . -
� tRJ ?> ¥ 9qf ll

� 'ffiJ tig '(')T"jt ilfu II

('5T -& tp,.rr ('5T -a- me- nan
� lWfu � � 'e""fu II
ftrro feo afu � cttal QTfa- 11
 1HUS SPEAKS 1HE GURU 221 .

f�H'afcl 3- � 11
l:I"Rtf
� � � 'fl?iTf3" 11811�11 (SGGS, pp. 9-10)
By uttering the Name I live; when I forget, I die. If one
hungers for the True Name, all one's suffering is removed
when the hunger is appeased. Why should I forget Him, 0'
· my mother, who is the True Lord and whose name is True.
Even a particle of the greatness of the True Name has not
· been described though all have exhausted themselves with
its praises. Were they all to come together and sing the Lord's
praises, He would become neither greater nor smaller. He
never dies and never feels sorrow; He continues to bestow
and His stores never run short. This is His unique trait that
there was none like Him ever and there shall be none like
Him. His gifts are as great as He Himself is. He created the
day and the night. He who forgets the Lord is low. He who
does not appropriate the Name is the lowest of the low.

2.2. Rag Gujri M. 4

"iJfu � "RO Hf.3qJd � � � qJ0 wfH II
()){ ofta" fc«n.r Hf.3qJd Hd<:!181 afo � (l)'i1:f � 11�11

}fa Hl3" � H � orH (l)'l1:f � II

� (l)'i1:f }fa-r l.fO 'Hl:fTEt "iJfu ottafa" "ij}f(jt dijdIfH I I �1�1
(SGGS, p. 10)
0' God's devotee, my True Guru, the embodiment of Truth,
I make a supplication before you. Be merciful and show the
light of the Name to us who are no better than worms; we
have taken refuge with you. Show me the light of the name
of Ram, 0' my friend, my godlike Guru. May the Name
received through the Guru's instruction be my life-long friend
and singing praises of the Lord my life�long vocation.

2 .3. Rag Gujri M. 5

Cfl"fr ij- HO fila<iSFcl � ;::rr willd "iJfu � � 11
1ffi" 1JaO Hfu 'H3 � 'dT err � � afo 'lJ'fai-w 11�11
}fa � ;:IT H3Adlf.3 mg 'ff � II
wo 1J"a'H'1fu' l.IOH 1..fg � !J<i CifTli2' � 11�1�11
(SGGS, p. 10)
222 A STUDY OF GURU GRANlH SAHIB

Why are you anxious 0' my mind about the means of

subsistence when God makes . provision . for all . He has
created living beings in rocks and stones and created
sustenance too for them. He who joins the true . association
(sat-smigat) is redeemed through the grace of God. Through
the grace of the Guru he attains the supreme state (of
liberation).

3. So-Purkh ·

so-purkh used at the beginning of

The title is derived from
Guru Ram Das's hymn in Rag Asa on the Supreme Being
and His attributes . There is another hymn on the same theme
in this unit, followed by Guru Nanak's hymn in Rag Asa on
the need of the remembrance of God. A hymn of Guru Arjan
in Rag Asa dwells on human life as a rare opportunity for
liberation.

3. 1 . Rag .Asa M. 4
i=t � Foa""o ufu � foa,..,o ufu lffiiDfT ))fffi)f >mfTOT n
.

'Rftir � Hftir � � ;:ft uftJ 'fffi fFid,..,eiJ1d1 II

. Hfg ;:ftl)f � .,..,. 3' ;::ft>;fT otT i!'3 ldI II
-
=

ufu � � ;:ft Hftir � f�H1d<:!cl1d1 II

- - =

Qfu >wif � Qfu >wif � .,..,. '

fcp,.rr '(')�(')'(if ;!fa" r�'ifId 119JI...

I

3' � l.l01:f � C«f3T ;:ft '31l

- - - - --
�� - o '&ET II
3' :;::rnr :;::rnr Ea- � � 3' Ea- ;:tt 3' Focl'i!M Cf03T iter 11
=

�-� � iter � � 3' Wl1=aam .; m 11

- - -

. � >wif � HS � ;:ft � >wif fHoft:r HS mit I I

=

1=IQ � � � e:ra-3- � .,..,. ;:r � otT � llllll

(SGGS, pp. 10-11)
The Supreme Being is pure, without a stain. The Supreme
Lord is beyond comprehension and without any limits. All,
without an exception, meditate on You, 0' Sire, the True
Creator. All created beings belong to You and all receive Your
bounty. Meditate on the Lord, 0' sants, He is the dispelier
of all suffering. He Himself is the deity and Himself the
 TIIUS SPEAKS THE GURU 223

devotee. The created beings are nothing, 0' Nanak, in

comparison with the Creator.(!) ...
You are the Primal Being, the most excellent Creator, and
none else is so great as You. The One Only in every age
and for all times, You are the everlasting Creator. Only what
You will and what You do comes to pass. You alone have
created the universe and You alone can destroy it. Nanak
sings praises of the Creator who knows all and everything. (5)

3.2. Asa M. 5
seT � }fTQl:f � II
� � eft feiT "3ift � II
� cxr;:r � for3- o CfTH II
fi.R§ H'URatfa Sff. � orH ll<=tll
ffifi:rrfif � � "3ito a-· u
� fitw ;:rra- Mal � a- n<:t1�11 (SGGS, p. 12)
You have been blessed with a human birth. This is the
precious opportunity for you to meet God. Nothing else is
of any use to you: meditate on the Name in association with
sadhs (Sikhs). Put in your best effort to cross the dreadful
ocean (of transmigration). Your life is passing in vain in
pursuit of maya.

4 . . Sohila
This composition is meant to be recited every night before
going to sleep. The title is derived from sohila used in a hymn
of Guru Nanak in Rag Gaufi Deepaki which simultaneously
refers to death and wedding. It is followed by another hymn
of Guru Nanak in Rag Asa on the changing forms of the
creator. Another hymn by Guru Nanak in Rag Dha nasrl refers
to the arati appropriate for the Supreme Being. It is followed
by a hymn by Guru Ram Das in Rag Gaun Pfirabi on the
good fortune of meeting the Guru and appropriating tl1e
Name. The last hymn in the same Riig is by Guru Arjan on
libemtion ilirough the Name.
224 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

4. 1 . Rag Dhanasn M. 1
araro }{ l:f1CJ � � � �'
a•faol' � � HaT II
� � � � �'
'ffiiR? acsa • Fe � <R"aT I I '=til
a-AT � tlfu n
9'i! � 3cft � II
})f(')"J3T m:Te' � � ll'=tl�l
FI"JR' � 3'0 7)/) 3o ufu 3fu �'

FI"JR' � '(')"(')T fuir �Jl II

FI"JR' lR' f1::n.rg 7)/) fuir lR' cfn:r fuo . FI"JR''

� cfn:r fu<e � Htit ll�ll
Fl9 Hfu Bfa' Bfa' ft Hfu II
faH � wm Fl9 Hfu � ttfu II
qJO' 'fl11::it 14 fJ 1.fOal"? m1: II
. 'R fa"ff � F � m1: 11�11 (SGGS, p. 13)
The sun and the moon are the lamps in the sky as the salver.
The orb . of stars serves as studded pearls. The fragrance of
sandalwood is the incense and the air is · the flywhisk; the
entire vegetation serves as flowers for the Lord. What a
beautiful aratf is being performed for the Destroyer of Fear.
The unstruck music serves as the drum. Without an eye, You
see as if You have a thousand eyes; without any form You
assume a thousand forms. You have no feet and yet You have
a thousand feet which are pure. You have no nose but You
can smell things as if You have a thousand noses. I am
enamoured of this play. There is the same light in all, the
light of the Lord that shines in every human being. This light
is seen through the Guru's instruction. What pleases the Lord
is His real arati.

4.2. Gauri Purabi M. 5

�� � Ha HT3-r H3" 'Cm5' oft W II
l:!TJr l:flf<; � Bfa' � rnraT 'SliO "fffrw ll'=tll
� uR feoB' � II
H(5 qJO fi.rfg orr.R' � ll'=tl�ll
 THUS SPEAKS THE GURU 227

meditate on the only eternaltruth earn merit; · they praise God

for His grace and find Him. God likes the devotees who sing
his praises. They cherish the dust of the feet of those who
have found God; they discard greed and meditate on God.
What matters is not learning, or lack of learning, but what
one does to earn merit. One should learn that none is to
be denounced as depraved. One has to account for what
one does; there is no point in pride When we know that
we have to leave the world. Why should one forget the
Master who gave life and breath ? Remember the Lord whose
service brings peace. The servant of God should do what
the Master likes; the only proper approach to Him is
supplication (ardils).
Three pauffs in .Asa di Viir contain what may be called
political comment. One ofthese refers to the human frame
and beauty being left behind after death and reward or
punishment being received according to good or bad deeds.
In another paurf,, the reference is clearly to the Muslim ruler
(sultan). The third refers to the masters of caparisoned
horses, colourful barams, splendid palaces and tall residences
who wasted their lives without knowing God.
In the shaloks, Guru Nanak underscores God's greatness
and His attributes. Everything related to Him is true: the
universe, the worlds, the continents and the forms He has
created; His decree and his court, His ordinance and His
command; and His grace. They who meditate on Him
become holy. Great is God's exaltation; mighty is His Name;
true is His justice; and immutable is His station; He knows
everyone's innermost thoughts and desires; He confers
favours of His free will; all that happens is due to His will
(razii).
Marvellous is God's creation: the varied forms of speech
and scripture; the multiplicity of creation and its distinctions;
the created forms and their variety. God's power is manifest
everywhere: in the nether regions and the skies. Having
brought forth creatures he looks after them all. The creator
228 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

who made them is mindful .of them. God alone has no fear
of annihilation. Everything else is false and short-lived.
·

Human beings remain preoccupied with themselves, suffering

from the malady of self.:.centredness (haumai). They know
nothing of the essence of liberation. Only truth leads to
liberation and in order to be true one should bear truth in
one's heart. The door of liberation becomes accessible to the
one who listens to the Divine Name.
Several shaloks relate to the Guru. They who meet the
true Guru attain peace, and get rid of haumai through the
shabad. Through the true Guru's guidance one may receive
true instruction and become true. There can be no gian
without the Guru. The path to God lies in sincere dedication,
but · this path cannot be found without · the true Guru.
There is much other instruction in the shaloks of Asa
di Var. Neither caste nor power has any value in the
hereafter. Sensual pleasure and devotion do not go together.
In sweetness and humility lies the essence of merit. God has
fashioned all vessels; only they are exalted who receive His
grace.
In an explicit statement, the Turko-Afghan rule is
presented as characteristic of the Kaliyuga. There is the
famine of truth in the Kaliyuga, and falsehood has . spread
all over. Human beings have turned into goblins. Avarice,
evil, and lust are dominant like the raja, the mehta and the
shiqqdar. The chariot in the Kaliyuga is made of passion,
with falsehood as the charioteer.
The Musalmans praised the shari'at above all else to
have a sight of God. In their belief, the non-Muslims were
destined to suffer the torments of hell. However, only God
knows what would happen to human beings after death. The
Muslim claim to an exclusive possession of the truth had no
justification.
The shaloks are rather full · of comment on non-Muslim
beliefs and practices. Guru Nanak equates Hindus with the
Brahmanical systems of religious belief and practice. They
 lliUS SPEAKS Tiffi GURU 229 .

praise .God as laid down in the Shastras; they bathe at sacred

places and worship idols. They cherish the sacred thread and
the sacred mark on the forehead. However, in the . eyes of
Guru Nanak, neither the sacred thread nor the sacred mark
has any merit in comparison with the true Name. Guru Nanak
has much to say about · the pandit, the kingpin of the
Brahmanical system. He flaunts his wisdom and skill in
·

arguments in order to gather wealth. He reads books,

performs worship, and engages in contention. He recites the
Gayatri three times a day. But the only way to please God
is to meditate on Him with complete sincerity. The sacred
thread that the Brahman wears has no spiritual or moral
efficacy. The Khatri taxes cows and Brahmans, and panders
to the rulers who are regarded as 'unclean'. The upper caste
Hindus eat the meat of a goat slaughtered in the Muslim
fashion. And yet they sit in their cbauka to tell others not
to come near so that their food is not polluted.
The notion of impurity (sutak) to which the Brahman
attaches crucial importance is rejected by Guru Nanak. The
whole idea of sutak is an illusion; birth and death occur
through God's will; food and drink created by God is pure .
In connection with the idea of impUrity, Guru Nanak brings
in the question of gender. Women are regarded as impure
because of menstruation, but there can be rio regeneration
without them. The Brahman's performance at sbradbs serves
only his interest. If the earnings of a jajman are unlawful
and he feeds Brahmans for the benefit of his dead ancestors,
the whole exercise is futile; the ancestors cannot derive any
benefit.
The Vaishnava worship of Raina and Krishna as the
incarnations of Vishnu is futile. Even he is not the Supreme
Deity. The whole universe is dancing in praise of the
Supreme Being. His worship alone leads to liberation. Loving
devotion (bbao) to God arises from the awe (bbau) of His
power and greatness: Dancing and jumping are sources of
a passing pleasure. Common to the jogis and other ascetics
 TiiUS SREAKS TilE GURU 233

5.9. Shalok M. 1(2)

-e•fefo � � Q.Jd ll
. {fir ile>•Fefo � ma u
� � � � l.f1"f8" II
� � uR l.lfftJ wfu II
� � 'U'afu .. ::p-g II

'>'WY· l.I6N3f<J ll'03T � II

al'<efo -attt1w � crrq_u
aI'<e fo 'Rt3'T crr;:t <PH 11
foasQ foaa•§ � ?i"1:f 11
W OP' � l1dT8' t=fil'TQ II

� � aofi.r � II
fif?ft � � Hfo � II
fl:n:it fl:r1i:r,;r qro �1:tJI fa 11
� 'OI'd'fi-r � l.fl'fu II (SGGS, p. 465)
The disciples play the music and their preceptors dance. They
move their feet and roll their heads. Dust flies and falls on
their bare heads. The people watch, laugh, and go home.
The performers beat the time for bread. They bend their
bodies to touch the ground. They sing as gopis and Kahn;
they sing as Sita and Raja Ram. The whole world is created
by the Fearless Formless One whose name is True. Only they
serve · Him who receive His grace. They rise early in the
morning to meditate on His Name in love. They have
reflected on the Guru's instruction. He enables them to ferry
across through his grace.

5.10. Shalok M. 1
� � � l.l'f3' l.lft:r Ci<3fu � II
-a-e- H ft::r 'll'<e'fu f.m:r W � crtt � II
(SGGS, p. 465)
The Musalmans praise the shari'at, study it, and reflect on
it. On their view) the servant of God performs His service
with dedication to see His face. ('The true devotees of God
yearn to sing His praises, with the True Name as their
support).
234 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHffi

5. 1 1 . Shalok M. 1(2)
fi.rit � oft lS m:ft � II
� # � � � crit � ll
;:rfg ;:ITg � � m � � � II
(t)T(')Of f.i:rfo � � � H � aaa•_g 1 1�11

(SGGS, p. 466)
The clay of a Musalman's grave becomes the potter's dod
to make vessels and bricks. It cries when it burns in the kiln.
The poor thing burns and cries, and cinders fly from it.
Nanak, only the creator who made the world knows (what
would happen after death).

5.12. Shalok M. 2
� N t1'fa- � � ORI'H awfu II
� W � fufu fufu itol "t.JTfu II
� � � fu? frHfif ftm" wfu: II
� � � � � fatrf3" Tircrrfu II
� ;:furu.r � � � sT fu"ff wfu II
faotrr criJ 'R � 3T (flO CfT � awfu II
� � � � "Fe? fr;:IDr � ;:rfu 11�11
(SGGS, p. 466)
Human beings, inevitably; act in baumat. It keeps them
chained to transmigration. Where does it come from and how
is it removed ? It accords with the divine order that human
beings should wander (from birth to birth) due to acts
performed in baumai. It is a malady that contains its own
remedy. Through God's grace one may live in accordance
with the Guru's shabad. Listen to me 0' people, says Nanak,
this is the way to get rid of suffering . .

5. 13. Shalok M. 1
� '6TW � 'U'a'W � � 'A'J:rg II
aRe:il'a 11
-a;:s lfin.r -a;:s � -a;:s
�� Bi�o./�ss :gw ;§ llo,e:il� 1 1
� ·� � cnl"§ � g'Y � II
 TI!US SPEAKS TilE GURU 235

� HPw ora- 'dh:ft l:ffu � l:fTa' II

cifa. -cffl its- -gap- � ot aa •a 11
fcl8 irfg � BHaT � "ffi'!T �8-<:!CJ'S! II
. � fi.ro'T � � � � � II
� � itoaT '?Y l:l'"'¥ �8 � 11'1.11 (SGGS, p. 468)
False is the ruler and false the subjects; the whole world is
false. False are the tall mansions and they who live in them.
False is gold and false is silver, and false are the wearers.
False is the body, false are the robes, and false is the beautiful
form. False is the husband and false the wife, both humiliated
after death. The false are attached to the false in total oblivion
of the Creator. Whom can one befriend when the whole
world is ephemeral. Falsehood is sweet like honey. A full boat
is drowned by falsehood. Nanak makes the submission that
everything is false except You (0' True Lord).

5 . 14. Sbalok M. 1 (2)

� w fHote•a u
(?('�' 1..f'1J � '0"'1=fT lfOdT

� � Hfe. � � ;fu ern � ��-

(sGGs, pp. 468-69)
Avarice is the ruler, sin is the mebtii, and falsehood is the
shiqqdiir. Lust is the deputy who is called and consulted for
planning. The subject people are ignorant, devoid of
knowledge; they submit without a murmur.

5 . 1 5 . Sbalok M. 1
'clf8' Hfu � � WrJT � � � � II
<'frg � g � l.f'ft:ra' ?Oc5r lf0'1'<tt � or't>w II
� � � � II
l.f6fu � fuq_ W'd' � II
� 1id1f3' afo � � II
'3tJ '('i'T(I)ot' }i1:fag '1..fT'E' 11�11 (SGGS, p. 4 70)
The Veda for the Kaliyuga is the Atharvana, and the name
of God is Allah. The commendable dress now is of the blue.
coloured cloth and power is with the Turks and the Pathans.
All the four Vedas, one each for the four yugas, have turned
out to be true. He who is dedicated to God in love, and stands
with the low, 0' Nanak, attains liberation now.
236 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAillB

5 . 16. Paun 14
Au•"i!<:!: • 'ilil'fir �
01"l..r:3" cru
-
= -
- - � 'R,"i!<:!:; 11
W � � . })f'rit <it ofta"r � II
� oft"8" "Hfo � crrfu � � 'R'"i!<:!:' II
*orr Bt:rfa" � '3'T fuR l:RJT ;sa •"i!<:!: • u
afo �· lui31<E<:!:1 llct811 . (SGGS, pp. 4 70-71)
Comely robes and beautiful form are left behind in the world,
and one is judged by the good or bad deeds performed in
one's life. He who issued orders at will in the world has now
. to traverse the narrow path. He looks frightening when he
goes to hell all-naked. He who does evil deeds has to regret
in the end.

5. 17. Shalok M. 1
� m A3� � H? � � � II
� Hli(jl ;::ftn.r CIT um 3 � � II (SGGS, p. 471)
Put on the janea, 0' PanQ.e, if you have the cotton of
compassion and the thread of contentment, with the knot of
continence. Such a thread does not snap, it is not soiled, and
it does not burn. Praise be to the one, 0' Nanak, who wears
such a thread.

5.18. Shalok M. 1
� � � qg � '&aftr � o ;:rr2t II
� few -3- � 'QTO � l:fT'i:ft II
� .y;:rr 'l..f::ffi:r � � � Wlft II
� � II
'O"'fH � wfu � Will (SGGS, p. 4 71)
You tax the .cow and the Brahman; the cow-dung (with which
you purify the ground) would not save you. You wear dhoti,
tikka and mala but you .eat the food of the malechh (whose
touch you say is polluting). Within your home you worship
your own deity but.in public you read the books of the Turks
and follow their ways. Discard this hypocrisy. Only by
appropriating the Name can one swim across (the ocean of
life).
 TIWS SPEAKS · THE GURU 237

5. 19. Shalok M. 1(2)

� � aofu � ll
W<:IT <ilaI'fsfo fun Q1fg '3"'T 11
·

fun urfu �· � (')'l'tf II

� fs � mft � ll
. � '(fl"fi:r � � II
=
'Ol'a tfg aofu � II
-
-

'ffil'H 'UdH W W � II
iroor 'Ol'a crfJw � II
� �-� ihft � ll
Bftr W<JT m a•R•e1 n (SGGS, pp. 4 71- 72)
They who eat human flesh, offer (five daily) prayers; they
who wield the knife put on the sacred thread. The Brahman
blows the conch in their homes. They have the same tastes.
False is the capital and false their trade. They subsist on
falsehood. The abode of dbarm and sarm is very far from
them. They are filled with falsehood, 0' Nanak, even though
the sacred thread is on the forehead and the ochre-coloured
dboti around their waist. With the knife in their hand, they
are butchers of the world.

5.20. Shalok M. 1(1)

'R orftJ � � mr '3- � Bfu u
tiTfr >n3' Bmft � aT;:p- mE II
H3" � ,.ro ii ;:W;rr � i5 iffB' II
1..l"fuw 'tfT<!T � -ij- ft::l? � � iffB' I I
R'3Cf � orftJ � R'3Cf � � II
= - - = -

(')l'(')'q R'3Cf � i5 � fa"p,.p-o � "ijfu- 11�11

= - - . - .-

(SGGS, p. 4 72)
If the idea of pollution (sutak) is admitted, it comes from
everything. There are worms in cow-dung and wood (which
are used for cbauka). The grain carries life within it. The
flrst source of life is water which causes (the grain) to sprout.
Thus, the source of st"itak is in the kitchen itself. 0' Nanak,
st"itak can be washed away by divine knowledge alone.
238 A STUDY OF GURU GRAN1H SAHIB

5.21 . Shalok M. 1(2)

HO W � 8� � � � � ��
>Hl:ft � � l.Rf � l.Rf l:fO � II
� 'Ff'3"Cl <:ffi'r> -u w re:a�,.. a1 wfu 11
=
-

(')'l7)Cf fu:Tr � mt IDf yfu -;:pfu 11�11 (SGGS, p. 472)

Avarice pollutes the mind and lies pollute the tongue. The
eyes are defiled by looking at beautiful women with lust and
at the wealth of others with greed. To hear slander is the
source of pollution for ears. 0' Nanak, the soul of a person
thus polluted is bound for hell.

5.22. Shalok M. 1(3)

r@ Fl"3"a" 9'CIH � -e-H � ;:rrfu II
mi' � QOltf � rl � HTfu ll
� l.fu!T � � f:e'3o � fra'rfu II
(')'l7)Cf � � � � � orfu 11�11
. (SGGS, p. 472)
The very idea of sutak is an illusion; it is mal-affiliation.
Human beings are born and they die in accordance with the
divine order; they come and go in accordance with the divine
will. All food created by God for subsistence is pure. For the
Gurmukbs who know this, there is no sutak, 0' Nanak.

5.23. Shalok M. 1(2)

'M5r ffi.fti1f 'M5r � 'M5r � � II
� � "§1:r3l � � OTJ II
�-!PW � � 'M5r � in:r"rQ II
H � 1-R'r � � :ffi.rfu � II
� m � � � � o -afu u
- -
=
-

(')'l7)Cf � '8'UO" E:a' RW j:'.jfu II (SGGS, p. 4 73)

Conceived by a woman, man is born to a woman; he is
betrothed .and married to a woman. Through man's union
with woman continues the propagation of humankind. When
a woman dies, her husband looks for another wife; through
a new woman his sexual desire is disciplined. Why should
the woman who gives birth to rajan (whose birth is regarded
 THUS SPEAKS THE GURU 239

as noble) be reviled ? Women themselves are born to women

and there is none who is not born of a woman. The only
exception to this, 0' Nanak, is the True Lord (who is never
born).

5.24. Shalok s 1
))f1l) � � ))f1l) � -efu II
� � � fEr&-� OJfq_ � II
fEr& Fo.il •81 li � fEr& � CRJfo $ 11
� � � 'ffro:_ � � � llctll (SGGS, p. 4 75)
God fashions all vessels and fills them. Some contain milk
in them and some are constantly over the fire. Some sleep
under quilts, and some keep standing to keep watch over
them. The Lord grooms those to whom He is gracious.

6. Anand
Recited on various occasions everyday, the Anand is not only
the most lyrical but also the most representative composition
of Guru Amar Das. The last two of its 40 pauns are by Guru
Ram Das and Guru Arjan. Guru Amar Das sings of the bliss
that comes on realizing God. On remaining with Him all
sorrows are forgotten. With God on his side all his affairs
are set right. All gifts come from Him and He bestows the
supreme gift of singing His praises with the Name lodged
in the heart. The True Name removes all hunger, and peace
comes to the mind. The sants should love the shabad, with
the Name as their support. They could overpower the five
adversaries and subdue the fear of Death. The Name is
received through God's grace as the source of peace and
bliss.
People talk of anand but anand is found through the
Guru and his grace. All siris are washed away, and one's eyes
are opened to gian. Attachment to the worldly things is
dissolved. This is the anand that one experiences through
the Guru. Only they know it who receive it through God's
grace by appropriating the Name and accepting His will.
 TIIUS SPEAKS THE GURU 243

in my mind with ease. The gem like Rags and their families
have come to sing the shabad. Sing the shabads in praise
of God to lodge Him in the mind. It is all bliss, says Nanak,
now that I have found the True Guru.

6.2. Paun 4
Ff"BT ?)'l'!f }ta-r � II
� ?)'l'!f ))fQ72 }ta-r ft::Tfo � rrfs dic;g•el'W II
·

crfu Hif3' Bl::f lff?i '>Wf8' � ft::Tfo fui:r rrfs � II

'fi'BT gdS'� oft:3"r ens � ft:m" � Bfu � II
a-ij- � !f<!Y � Haft:! tli3"Y � II
(SGGS, p. 91 7)
My only support is the True Name, a support that has
appeased all hunger. My mind is stilled by the peace fulfilling
all my desire. I am ever a sacrifice to the Guru whose
greatness is reflected in my state. Listen to me, 0' saitts
(Sikhs), says Nanak, cultivate love for the shabad. The True
Name is my support.

6.3. Paun 9
� 'fra- � � oft qorr � II
qorr � � -a-a'T fa'? � � II
30 HQ 1JQ � � qJd' � s;rcffif � � II
� � ens � � ffift W<tl' II
a-ij- � !f<!Y � � � � ll'tll
(SGGS, p. 918)
Come, my dear smits (Sikhs) to talk of the ineffable Lord.
How do we talk of the ineffable Lord and how can we fmd
Him ? Dedicate your body, mind and wealth to the Guru and
follow his instruction to meet the Lord. Follow the Guru's
instruction and sing the true batti. Listen 0' sants, says Nanak,
this is the way to talk of the Lord.

6.4. Paurf 14
ww Foa•81 gdl3'(1 -a-aT futrH lfl'dfaT � 11
'5'g � � 'dfi:r � � <'i"'tit � II
� falit � fooft '8? lfl'dfaT ;:rreT II
244 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANfH SAHIB

� fuol )Jity "3f;:pw ufa" � 'ffifT<tt II

qJO
� � � 9"a'J'3T tfOT'Y t.rqJ Foa•Al ii�BII
(SGGS, pp. 918-19)
Distinguished is the way of the bhagats (Sikhs). It is a hard
way. They discard greed, pride and desire, and do not
indulge in useless talk. Sharper than the edge of the double­
edged sword and narrower than the width of a hair is the
way they follow. By the Guru's grace, they who renounce
the self are merged with God. The path of the bhagats, says
Nanak, has remained distinguished throughout the cosmic
ages.

6.5. Pauti 21
� 3 � � -&ET � � qro m 11
qJO c} ft:ra'e- fcr;rrE' � � � II
'BOO

))fTy � JRT � � QJ0 fuo � o � aE II

� � � � 1l � � � ������
(SGGS, pp. 919-20)
The Sikh who wishes to be present with the Guru should
concentrate his mind on the Guru. He should meditate on
his feet and lodge him in his heart. Renouncing his self he
should remain attached to the Guru and recognize no one
else. Listen, 0' smits, says Nanak, this is the way to be present
with the Guru.

6.6. Pauti 22
'H � qJO 3 � � fuo HfdC!)d � o � II
� � o 5o '& mft � � ;:r'E 11
� tfc'>l 9d'fi.f � � H faC!)d � o trre' I I
fufu � � wfaT � Hfddld 'fl13'e" � II
� � �l�l'fa � � Hfa�� �-o trre- 11����
(SGGS, p. 920)
He who turns away from the Guru can never attain liberation.
He would find liberation nowhere else: ask the ones who
have sense of discrimination. He would wander in many lives,
finding no liberation without the True Guru. Ultimately, by
attaching himself to the Guru's feet and listening to the Guru's
 1HUS SPEAKS Tim GURU 245

sbabad, he would find liberation. Mark well (0' smits), says

Nanak, no one attains liberation without the True Guru.

6.7. Pauri 23
� W HfdQJ§ '& � � W � II
� "d' � ORr -a-al � fHftr � II
- -= '

f.Ro � � � � � f3?iT . 'fi'H'1"<!T II

� � � � Qfu afar -;:rftry � II
� � � � fur W � ����11 (SGGS, p. 920)
Come, 0' dear Silms of the Guru and sing the true bti'IJi. Sing
the bti'IJi of the Guru which is the supreme bli'IJi. It is lodged
in the hearts of those to whom God is gracious. Drink this
nectar, remain dyed in the love of God, and meditate on the
Sustainer of the Earth. Always sing this true btit:ti, says Nanak.

6.8. Pauri 24
Hfddld fsor .tra- a-m ft � II
-
=

� "d' a-m HfdQJ§ � trir a-m � II

� ri' � ri' cffit � � II
Qfu Qfu fo3' aofu CfR?>T � Cil"'&: o � II =

fu? f.Ro 'W fufu � � � W � II

� � Hfddld � trir � � 11�811
.....
-=
-

(SGGS, p. 920)
Other than the bat:ti of the Guru, there is no true ba��i. All
other bli'IJi is unripe. They who recite and they who listen
to it are unripe; they who have composed it are unripe. They
utter 'bar, bar' with their tongue but they do not understand.
Their mind remains engrossed in maya even when they recite
with ease. Other than the bat:ti of the true Guru, says Nanak,
there is no true btitJ.i.

6.9. Pauri 33
'8' 'ffiita'r Hftp,.rT Qfu � Hfu 'Rf"d' 'dl:ft "d'T � t:RJT Hfu � II
Qfu 'Rf"d' 'dl:ft '?1J f.;ffi:r "d'T if t:RJl Hfu � II
ufo l1fT'il' lf1'aT '))f'l'i! ftraT ft:ITo � � � 'fucrrWw II
C!Jd' � � "d'T � � � � � II
246 A STIJDY OF GURU GRAN'IH SAHIB

(SGGS, p. 921)
You came into the world, 0' my body, when God placed
the light in you. Only when He placed the light within, you
came into the · world. God Himself is the mother, He Himself
is the father, who created the soul and showed the world.
By the Guru's grace, it is seen as transitory, like a show. The
foundation of creation was laid, says Nanak, when God
placed the light in you and you came into the world.

6.10. Paun 39
Ey 'fiTW fffi:rgr � wfu � II
� fffi:rgr u.ffiJ � � m:!l' � � II
'd

� � W ?!f � � ft:!oT §S•ii!€1 II

fey � 'R9c')T a> l:fHtf � ft:rtr � R ;::JQ l.f""ii!'fr II
c;rij- � � fffi:rgr � wfa' � ll�tll . (SGGS, p. 922)
Sing this true song in praise of God in the true house. Sing
this song in the true house where (the Sikhs) meditate on
the True One all the time. They meditate on the True One
when it pleases You and when the Guru makes them
understand. This truth is the master of all. Only he receives
it upon whom it is bestowed by God. He sings this true song
in the true house, says Nanak.

6.11. Paun 40
� � ess•aMD� H&lcr � ��
'lf'l'a"a'ij') l.& � � � fii!1::lit II
... - ..- -
·
=

� acrr 'A3Ttf � ffi!l 'ffift 'tfT<it II

= -
.
-

'R'a' }'fl'ffi') se- l1dil � Old' '3- � II

= -

� 'lf'Old au-3" � Afadld 'i3'fu))fT 'S'a"lriJ II

- - - -- =·

fuoc@fa � i:!fd' � wcrr � � � 11ao11

(SGGS, p. 922)
listen to the Ana1id 0' the fortunate ones;· all your wishes
would be fulfilled. I have found the Supreme Being and all
my sorrows are gone. Suffering and ailment have ended by
listening to the true biitfi. The satits and friends are happy
to receive it from the Guru. Purified are all and redeemed
 TIIUS SPEAKS TiiE GURU 247

are all who hear it or recite it in the Guru's presence. By

attaching oneself to the Guru's feet, says Nanak, unstruck
music is heard aloud.

7. Lavan
The second Cbbatit of Guru Ram Das in Rag Subi is generally
referred to as Liivan. As leaders of a house holding fraternity,
the Gurus . were interested in the rites of the passage: birth,
marriage ·and death. Guru Nanak showed interest in the
songs of marriage and mourning after . death. Guru Amar
· Das's Anand is believed to have been composed on the
occasion of the birth of a grandson. It began to be recited
on several kinds of occasions quite early in the history of
the Sikhs. The Liivan of Guru Ram Das is now used for the
Sikh ceremony of marriage. Therefore, it has a peculiar
importance in the evolution of the Sikh rites of the passage.
The metaphors come from the ceremony of marriage in a
spiritual voyage towards God. Significantly, the number of
rounds is four and not seven, the number in the marriage
performed by a Brahman.

7. 1 . subi M. 4, Cbbant 2
� l.lfilsal � l.laf�ad1 aaH f�aif�l'!'W l1f8' tJTH � 11
weT l{UW �'§l tra'tf � l.fTU d+i'fe'W llf8' OTH � II
tra'tf � � '()'1!f � � "O"'tf f�a· fe'W 11 .
Afaa1a CJfd' l.lifT ))fi'(JT'Q'iJ l1fs f01sf�tr uru a1cg • Fe'W 11

'R'U"H-� � cg§s'iH Hfo � � Htor � 11

;:ro � � � l.fftn:ft � Ofl"tf � ll<=tll
(SGGS, pp. 773- 74)
For the first round, God promulgates the principle of active
life. His bar;i for you is the Veda and the source of
dharm;
it is the means of discarding sin. Appropriating dharm,
meditate on the name of God found commendable in the
scriptures. All sins are washed away by meditating on the
True Guru who is Perfect. Joy comes through good fortune
 TIIUS SJ?EAKS THE GURU 249

7.4.
�eQaal·�HfoffiJ'tf����CJTH� II
���'ij"ftrHfo-afoHtQT�ilfg(JT}f� II
� rflc5T � Ha 1(9 � � � � W"El !l
HO � � � � � 7i"f>.r � <;#'ti1el li

� l.[fs � � � 'lJO � 7i"f>.r f�di'Al ll

t=IQ � ij-g � � � � lff �f�C'i'Al ll811
(SGGS, p. 774)
For the fourth round, saba} enters the mind and God is
realized. He becomes sweet for the mind and the body. My
Master is pleased to make Him sweet; I meditate on Him day
and night. All my wishes are fulfilled and I have received
congratulations through the Name. The Lord Master has
accomplished the task and the bride's heart is suffused with
happiness through the Name. God's devotee, Nanak, utters
. the fourth round: 'I have found God, the eternal Master'.

8. Sukhmani
The best known of Guru Arjan's compositions, the Sukhmani
(Jewel of Bliss), is quietly read in many situations everyday.
In 24 AshtfJadis and about the same number of shaloks, it
expounds the bliss that comes from the Name Divine and
brings peace to the heart of the devotee. Regarded as a
comprehensive statement of Sikh philosophy, it dwells on
God, the Name, the Guru, the shabad, the hukam and the
nadar. God is both nirgur; and sargur;, with and · without
attributes. Contemplation of His attributes is an essential form
of devotion. He is the true Guru, · but the divinely inspired
human Guru is equally important. The Guru's instruction is
indispensable for liberation. The shabad refers to divine self­
revelation and it refers more emphatically to the Guru's
shabad or Gurbiir;i. The Sukhmani dwells on hukam and
bhiir;ii, laying equal emphasis on divine power and divine
grace . The bhiir;ii of the Compassionate Lord tends to merge
into his grace (nadar, kitpii, dayii, karm).
. 250 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

Apart from these key constituents of Sikh philosophy,

there is a great emphasis sadh-sangat, the God­
on
enlightened (Brahm-Giani), the liberated-in-life (jivan­
mukta), the smits, the Sikhs o f the Guru, and supplication
(ardas). The Sukhmani itself is a source of liberation as
Gurbavi. An ardas of the Sukbmani i s now recited as a
prelude to the formal Sikh Ardas. Then there are other
significant ideas in the Sukbmanf. Humility is an essential
attitude for receiving grace. Whoever reckons himself low
is really supreme. The true devotee becomes dust of the feet
of others. Worthless is the body that does not engage in doing
good for others. For the God-enlightened, all are alike; the ·
true Vaishnava remains engaged in action without expecting
any reward; the true Pandit imparts teaching to all the four
castes; the Name is open to the lowest of the low (charujal);
there is no rancour in the hearts of those who lodge God
in their heart; between the Sadb (Guru) and God there is
no distance. God's devotee is in essence identical with God.

8.1 . Sbalok 2
� t!"i:R' � � urfc wfz (')Tlf � II
� � � � <i 1.[9 WCT II<:tll
(SGGS, pp. 263-64)
You are the destroyer of the pain and suffering of the poor.
You are in every heart and there is no one above You. I have
taken refuge with You, 0' Lord, be with Nanak.

8.2. AsbfPadt 2(1)

'HU lfl"a' ftr3'r '83' lft3' o areT II
'HO � OTH � 'RfaT 'R"iJ'TET II

'HU � � 'e'3 ;::n.r � II

� � O"Ttf � � � ll
'HU � � ,ifu STaT II
-ma if O"Ttf fu'o wfu � II
� Y<'>il"iddo m otit '3i u
-ma if O"Ttf cffz tfl1.f � II
 . TiiUS SPEAKS Tim GURU 251

� O'l::f "fl"l@ lfO Ha II

� � Hl:f � 11911
-
=
(SGGS, p. 264)
Where there is no mother, no father, no son, no friend and
no brother to support you, there the Name remains with you.
Where the dreadful messenger of Death tramples you, there
only the Name remains with you. Where you are in terrible
trouble, the Lord's Name comes for your redemption in a
moment. Where many rituals fail, the Name of God removes
millions of sins. Tum to the Guru, 0' my mind, and meditate
on the Name. (By doing so) Nanak, you will fmd many
comforts.

8.3. AshfPadi 3(1)

WU � 'FaPwo 1lfs fu>wo II
l::fC � 'fi:rfi.rF3 � II
'Raf � 'OI"aH lJH 'fafaw II
li'aTF.i' � J:JO Hit fuftpw II
� l{Cf'O orre lfg t=f301' II
Yo � mf lfg l3"a7)T II
l1rit.9 acrfu m{ '&fu 'CJ1"3l lr
<e03' -&-f orij- lfg Sf1'3t II
?>tit � QTH O"H � II
� � O'l::f � fua" WO" II911 (SGGS, p. 265)
Recitation of sacred books, penance, discourse on divine
knowledge, meditation, exposition of the six schools of ·

philosophy, Shastras and Smritis, austerities, ceremonial

rituals, renunciation, wandering in forests, and many other
kinds of performance, charities, oblations, cutting the body
into pieces for sacrifice to the fire, fasting and vows of several
kinds - all these are not equal to the Name of Ram, even if
it is uttered only once.

8.4. AshfPadi 3(8)

'ffillr tRJH HfJ � t:Rftf 1i
tJfa' ci O'l::f Mfu � � II
li'aTF.i' fWw HfJ ·� fafcpw II
A'QRfal � lffl' fufa'>w n
252 A STIJDY OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB

ffiJl"g � HfJ � 9W I
Bfu CiT · ?)11j t=l'l@' -;:filn � II
ffiJl"g W<'it HfJ � W<'it II
Bfa" '& tiff "Bfo O'fi'O 1itf"'9" II
ffiJl"g 'S"' 3' €u � 'S"' n
- =
-

?)T"(')'(i f.i:rJ urfc <eR Bfu ?)11j llt:ll (SGGS, p. 266)

Of all dharms, the supreme dharm is meditation on God's
name and ethical conduct. Of all religious rites the supreme
rite is to remove the dirt of durmat through association with
sadhs (Sikhs). Of all efforts, the best effort is to repeat the
name of God. Of all bii.?J,is, the best is the amrit-ba?J,i (of the
Gurus) which is in the praise of God. Of all places, the best
place, 0' Nanak, is the one in which there is the abode of
the Name.

85. Ashtj)adi 4(8)

� � � 'l.l'fu � II
� � � 3'aT orfH II
� H"3 ftraT Ulf lfTfa"a' '3iJ II
?HCft' � HfJ � � II
'&fu o � � � ��
w 3' mr- Sldl�d It
� � � � woT II
� 3 � H � II
?HCit orfa' fHfa' � . tit Hrol ll
?)T(')'(Sf �� �awol llt:n (SGGS, p. 268)
You are the Lord and my supplication is addressed to You .
The soul and the body belong to You. You are our mother
and father and we are your children. There are many comforts
in Your grace. None knows your limit. You Lord are higher
than the highest. The entire creation is under Your control
and functions in accordance with Your co mmand. Your state
and extent is known to You alone. Your servant, Nanak, is
ever a sacrifice to You.
 'IHUS SPEAKS 1HE GURU 253

8.6. AshfPadf 7(1) ·

'FfT'Q" -a- HfaT H1:r � � II
-
=

H'QAfar rRI 'FfaTP.lT ii3" 11

'FfT'Q" -a- HfaT fi-R" � II
'FfT'Q" � HfaT � � II
'FfT'Q" -a- HfaT '§t l{J i;"aT II
H'QHfdl 'FT@ � � II
'FfT'Q" -a- HfaT urE 0'1-f 'd"aQ II
'FfT'Q" � HfaT Ea" � ;:t3'(") II
'FfT'Q" ott Hfuw � m7n � II
- - ..., .

(SGGS, p. 271)
The countenance becomes bright through association with
the Sadh (Guru). All dirt is removed through association with
the Sadh. Through association with him, all pride is subdued.
Divine knowledge comes through association with the Sadh.
·
Through association with him, God becomes close. All
matters are settled through . association with the Sadh.
Through association with him, one finds the gem of the
Name. One is dedicated to the one alone through association
with the Sadb. The praise of the Sadb cannot be adequately
expressed. It merges with the praises of the Lord.

8.7. AshfPadi 8(1)

m H ffi8' � ffl{Ho II
ftn:ro ott � "3 ill8' ftii:'c; I I
C«JH crcr3' � f6ij01alf II
f31:r m '&1' foaHg 'Q"dH II
� � ott ftrsr oill � II
� 9d'1f3" alaao HfaT � 11
}f(') 00' >i'3fu ft:n..ra'o' � II
'R9 €h.ffu � for'atrrg II
))fl'fu= � � (')llf � II
'(')T'O'Ci Bsi m tiOH m � 11�11

9d1Qdl 9dl�3 9d'1f3" '&1' tJqJ II (SGGS, p . 274)

A Vaishnava is he with whom the Lord is pleased. He is
indifferent to maya. He acts selflessly. Such a Vaishnava has
254 A S1UDY OF GURU GRANTII SAHIB

a pure dharm. He entertains no desire for reward. He is

dedicated solely to singing God's praises. He remembers God
with his body and soul. He is kind to all. He holds fast to
the Name and induces others to appropriate the Name.
Nanak, such a Vaishnava attains the supreme state. Such a
Bhagauti is lovingly dedicated to Bhagwmit.

8.8. AshfPadi 10(1)

cn:ft '&fc W � II
cntt afc � faQij•dl 11
cn:ft afc sE '3tacf � II
cn:ft afc 1:10 � � II
cn:ft afc iR" � � II
cn:ft '&fc � � II
cn:ft '&fc 'l;f1"31f � 1l""iJfu II
cn:it afc -afa � a1'El'afil 11
oreT afc � orH � II
(')T('iCf cro3" -a-r � 0 � 11�11 (SGGS, p. 2 75)
There are millions of worshippers, and millions of performers
of traditional rites. Millions live in places of pilgrimage and
millions roam in forests as renunciates. There are millions of
listeners of the Vedas and millions of an chorites. Millions
remain engaged in mediation and millions compose and
reflect on their poetry. Millions recite His names. (But) none
knows the limit of the Creator, . says Nanak.

8.9. Sbalok l
tJ1:{t -aR � fo<€P fa � 11
'*fTY
� � � (')T('iCf d"J""CJfu or8' 11�11 (SGGS, p. 278)
The humble live in peace, keeping their 'self subdued. The
haughty, 0' Nanak, are consumed by their own intense pride.

8.10. AsbfPadi 13(1)

'fra' � � � 't1.fZ II
'fra' � icrro "ffif "3' ouT � II
'fra' � � BY 'f1¥ ;:rrfe' II
Fra- � � oacr Hfu l.f1'"ft3 11
=
 TIIUS SPEAKS TifE GURU 25 5

'Ad -&" t!1lf5 HfJ � � II

lt3" -a- � w -a- mo 11
'Ad it � � crlf -o <lfe- u
'Ad -&" � W?> � � II
lt3- � � 'H � 11
� AaAfa1 � it � ll'lll (sacs, p. 279)
The slanderer of the Smit shortens his own life. The slanderer
of the Sant never escapes the noose of Death. The slanderer
of the Sant loses all peace. The slanderer of the Sant goes
to· hell. The understanding of the slanderer of the Sant
remains obscure. He who incurs the Sant's displeasure is
saved by none. The place where the slanderer of the Sant
sits is defiled. If the Sant shows compassion, 0' Nanak, even
the slanderer is redeemed through his grace.

8. 1 1 . AshfPadi 15(8)
w -a- lifo cmr m 'l.l"a'31fa' 11
f3"ff ;:TO � ilfo 1.&' mfu II
SOT? SOT? � fay '5fu II
W -&" � Fci � II
� � � "3T m 'Oij'd' ll
� � 'Rf3 trfu C«Jd" II
wm fi[Afz WW � II
� � WW l..fTH1'g II
� f:t:rf;:r; � orfu H"3'l' II
� it ;:TO 'Rfu' 'fi'HT3T ll'tll (SGGS, p. 283)
He who has faith in the Guru remembers the Lord. We hear
of bbagats in all the three world. The real devotee of God
is he who lodges the Only One in his heart. His deeds are
true, and true is his way of life (rabit). In his heart is truth,
and truth is on his tongue. His vision is true, and true is his
form. His dealings are true and he spreads truth. He who
knows the Supreme Being as True is absorbed in truth.

8.12. AshfPadi 17(3)

� w � ·� ,l
(5T(:l(f W
-
� 'freT � II
- =
256 A S11JDY OF GURU GRANI'H SAHIB

-a- lWcif <i" Hfo � II

(5T(jQ
� -a- lWcif oft fo"a'l.R? aTfa' II
� � � � 'Rfur ll
'l[9 W � O"'H <i" -afar II
lWcir �- 'US 'tl'8(')�)1dI II
"

lWcir oft � foaol'd' 11

R � "F;:rff � '4,¥ � II
"(')T(')'('i il � wfi:r wfi:r 'f1'H'I't II� II (SGGS, p . 285)
The setvant of the Master is obedient. The setvant of the
Master always. adores him. The setvant of the Master has faith
in him. The setvant of the Master follows the pure way. The
setvant of the Master acts as if he is in the presence of the
Master. The setvant of the Master loves the Name. The Master
cherishes the setvant and protects his honour. The Master is
compassionate towards the setvant. Nanak, the real setvant
is he who remembers the Master all the time.

8.13. AshfPadi 17(5)

oToft oftaT Hfu � � II
gFf}f � � <ffc 'g1{f II

ftu:r 'W J1l'ff 6 � ))fTfu II

'3T � dTl:f3" B' cffir � II

}fl"(')l1. ;:::ra(') '2.103" � '9"f3" II

f3H -a- � fu'ait t=r'f3" II
� 6 � � 6 a-fu II
i=l'a'lf � 'W (JTl:IT iffi:: II

Ci"'ir � crafu if � II
'Hfu "(')T(')'('i t('Sf 'l'li'8l:f fc;si3• <±1 111.111 (SGGS, pp. 285-86)

The tiny ant is empowered by the Lord to reduce an army

of millions to ashes. The Lord protects with His own hand
the one whose life He does not like to take. A human being
tries in various ways but all his effort is in vain. None but
the Lord kills or keeps. He is the Protector of all. Why are
you anxious, 0' mortal ? asks Nanak; meditate on the
Unseeable Lord.
 TIIUS SPEAKS 1HE GURU 257

8.14. Shalok
Jffi:r � f;::rfn- � AfdilJg f'3H W � II
f'3H -& frfor � � � -� qro � llt=tll
(SGGS, p. 286)
He who has realized the True Being, his name is the True
Guru. The Sikhs have been redeemed along with him. Nanak,
I sing the praises of God.

8.15. Asht!Jadi 18(1)

AfdilJg fmf ott � � II
� � q:Jg' FRT � II
fmf ott qJg' � }R}" � II
qJO � ofu 011j' � II
� :.
A f3ilJg � ."

1 11 q Ci '91J'O (iT'G II
qJa" W � fucrra' '3' � II
A f3i!!§ fmf � 7)T}f l:lQ -efE' 11
qro w � �i!s•afl '5' 11
AfdilJg fmf W m?'? � � II
� AfdilJg fmf � ;::fl'>;f '(')Tfg· � llt=tll

(SGGS, p. 286)
The True Guru looks after the Sikh. The Guru is always kind
to the sevak. The Guru removes the dirt of the Sikh's durmat.
He utters the Name through his utterance. The True Guru
cuts off the Sikh's fetters. The Sikh of the Guru desists from
evil acts. The True Guru gives the wealth of the Name to
the Sikh. The Guru's Sikh is extremely fortunate. The True
Guru settles the affairs of the Sikh in this world and the next.
Nanak, the True Guru grooms his Sikh with the fullest
involvement.

8.16. Asht!Jadi 18(8)

fodilJ6 lJiTfu 'f!'a'QJO 'ift � II
� wfu f;::rfn- ffiJTF>1 HuT II
� � · 'l{fg lJiTfu � II
� cftHf3' ))fTil' 'l.fl'8' II
ofu ftro 'i!W (')!'tit are II
-

Fc
'HCJ'S' f,od3 d '801' 11 1 � II
- �
=

"
�
258 A STIJDY OF GURU · GRANTif SAHIB

� i:lf3" � OU "ffi:rr II
g-@- 'l.@T'll WQ" -a: fray II
of;;; 'Oe'OT � cig trraT II
'l1ffoor l:l"TT '(')T'(')"'O" a f�hl'al 11 'ttl (SGGS, pp. 287-88)
He is nirgu1J and He is sargu1J too. By manifesting Himself
in the creation He has fascinated the world. He has created
all the wondrous things. He alone knows His worth. There
is no other like Him. He, the One, is within all. He is in all
forms and colours, like warp and woof. He becomes manifest
through the Sadb (Guru). Having created the universe, He
has infused it with His power. Nanak is many a time sacrifice
to Him.

8.17. Ashrpadi 19(8)

i!"a' ;:rfu i!"a' A'81 fcl II
FcK fi1Hfa' i!"a' HO )){Tfu II
� � 'C!f'O � � II
Hfo "3f?:i ;:rrfu � sal�a 11
i!"a' FcK FcK t:rfo ">1f'fu II
1{00 '!fa ofu'§" lW fwwf4 II
'l1ffoor faAa 1a � :3" S"@" 11
FcK i)f'ijTftr � ore II
HO d'O � FcK lW CJT3T II
QJO 1.{lirfu '(')T'(')"'O" fu9 W3T ll'tll (SGGS, p. 289)
Recite only the One (Name) and sing praises of the One only.
Remember the only One and lodge Him alone in the heart.
Sing the praises of the only Infinite Lord. Think of the only
One with your mind and body. One and only One, God alone
is the Lord. The Perfect One pervades everywhere. The only
One has expanded into many. All sins depart by remembering
the only One. The One Lord has imbued my body and mind.
Through the Guru's grace, Nanak has realized the One.

8. 18. Shalok
fGa"a" fGa"a" "l[9' wfu>rrr 1.fftpw � Ado fl::! II· I

'(')T'(')"'O" aT "l[9' ito3l � 90J'3l C3"'fu 11'111 (SGGS, p. 289)

 THUS SPEAKS THE GURU 259

After much wandering I have come to take refuge with You.

Nanak's supplication, my Lord, is that he may appropriate
loving devotion for You.

8.19. Shalok
� f6d<:!Jo f68o(ld Eo 'R'H'Ttit ))fT'fu II
)}fTtfO � � 'l';fTil' ill Rfa' ;:::rfu 11�11 (SGGS, p. 290)
Both sargu1J. and .nirgutJ. is the Formless Himself. He Himself
was in meditation in the void (sU'rm). He created Himself and
He meditates on Himself.

8.20. AshfPadi 23(1)

AdHfdt � 'l{i' � II
'("'))1f � orr Wd'JT lftor II
Hd'fg Fl'fi.ratt � u.rG l-fT'fu II
.

� 'ddT '(')T(')T f�H<::1 fQ II

� fofu � 1.{9 orr '("'))1f II
Bm Hfu fuR orr � II
Eo RHTfu' � � � II
ORJQ o ;::r-Et lJffiOt1 � II
fufo � fi:m' ))fT'fu fe'trre'. ll
?)T(')Of fa'B" 'HO RBT 1.fi'E' II� II (SGGS, p. 293)
· I have seen the Lord in sat-smigat. His Name tastes good.
All the things that we see have sprung from the One. The
multifarious sights that we see represent the Name which is
the nectar of the nine treasures. Its abode is the human body.
The void and the unstruck music are there. It is a wondrous
marvel that cannot be described. Only he sees it whom the
Lord shows it. Such a man, Nanak, attains understanding.

8.21 . AshfPadi 24(8)

fi:m' Hf7> -aH � wfu 1.{tfu II
fa'B" 'HO � 'illo 'l{i' mfa' II
;::::roH ).f'd(l) 3T orr � � II
"'
� � aaa•8 @-u•a 11 _

frnnfg Hsr � 3T cit woT II

� '("'))1f HO l-fT'fu ffifTC'iT II
260 A STUDY OF GURU GRANTH .SAHIB

BoT fa7i"R" � SOH II

t:!1:f
� ?)T}f 'frnn.l"g 31" a- OfiDf II
R9 "if � 31" .ott H9r lR>l" ll
� � � 'O"l1:f lJ1:1")-f0l llt:ll (SGGS, p. 296)
He in whose mind the Sukhmani is lodged, hears it and
loves it. He remembers the Lord-God. His suffering due to
transmigration comes to an end. His human birth (that gives
him the rare opportunity) is redeemed. Pure is his repute and
sweet is his speech. The. One Name absorbs his mind. His
suffering, disease, fear and illusion vanish. His spotless
conduct gives him the reputation of a siidh. His praise is the
highest. This is why, Nanak, this is called the Sukhman"i
(Jewel of Bliss).

Rajesh Arya - Gujarat

 Bibliography

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Popularly known as Fandkot willa Teekil.
Bhalla, Sarup Das, Mahima Prakash, ed., Gobind Singh Lamba,
Patiala: Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, 1971.
Bhangu, Ratan Singh, Prachin Panth Prakash, ed. , Bhai Vir Singh,
New Delhi: Bhai Vir Singh Sahit Sadan, 1993 (rpt).
· Chhibber, Kesar Singh, Bansavalinama Dasan Patshahian ka, ed.,
Rattan Singh Jaggi (Vol. II, Research Bulletin of Panjabi
Language and Literature, ed., S.S. Kohli), Chandigarh: 1972.
Cunningham, J.D., A History ofthe Sikhs, New Delhi: Rupa and Co.,
2003 (3'ct impression in paperback).
Darshan Singh (ed.), Gitrn Granth Sahib Among the Scriptures of
the World, Patiala: Punjabi University, 2004.
Dharam Singh, "Sikh Attitude toward Religious Pluralism,"
Interfaith Study of Gurn Granth Sahib, ed., Balwant Singh
Dhillon, Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University, 2005.
Dhillon, Balwant Singh (ed.), Interfaith Study of Gurn Granth
Sahib, Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University, 2005.
Ganda Singh, Gurn Gobind Singh :, Death at Nanded : An
.

Examination of Succession Tbeories, Faridkot: Guru Nanak

Foundation, Bhatinda District, 1972.
-, (ed.), Bhai Nand La! Grantbavali, Malacca (Malasia): Sant
Sohan Singh, 1968.
Gopal Singh, Sri Gurn Granth Sahib (English Version), Vol. I, Delhi:
Gur Das Kapur and Sons, 1960.
Goswamy, B.N. and J.S. Grewal (eds. and trs.), Tbe Mughal and
Sikh Rulers and the Vaishnavas of Pintj.on, Simla: Indian
Institute of Advanced Study, 1969.
Grewal, J.S. , Ideologies, Institutionalization, and Panths: Kabir and
Gurn Nanak, S.C. Misra Memorial Lecture, Indian History
Congress, Mysore: 2003.
262 BffiLIOGRAPHY

Grewal, J.S., "Sant Ravidas," Religious Movements and Institutions

in Medieval India (History of Science, Philosophy and Culture
in Indian Civilization, Vol. VII, pt. 2), ed., J.S. Grewal, New
Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2006.
-, "The Poetry of Shaikh Farid," Lectures on History, Society and
Culture of the PUnjab, Patiala: Punjabi University, 2007.
-, Guru Nanak in History, Chandigarh: Panjab University, 1969
(reprinted in 1979 and 1998).
Guninder Kaur, The Guru Grmith Sahib: Its Physics andMetaphysics,
New Delhi: Manohar, 1995.
Gurnarn Kaur, " Guru Granth Sahib and Interfaith Dialogue,"
Interfaith Study of Guru Granth Sahib, ed., Balwant Singh
Dhillon, Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University, 2005.
Hukamname Guru Sahiban, Mata Sahiban, Banda Singh ate
Khalsafi de, ed., Ganda Singh, Patiala: Punjabi University,
1967.
Kirpal Singh, " Guru Granth Sahib : As a Precursor of Inter-Faith
Understanding," Interfaith Study of Guru Granth Sahib, ed. ,
Balwant Singh Dhillon, Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev University,
2005.
Koer Singh, Gurbilas Patshahi 10, ed., Shamsher Singh Ashok,
Patiala: Punjabi University, 1968.
Kohli, Surindar Singh, A Critical Study of the Adi Granth, Delhi:
Motilal Banarasidas, 1976 (rpt).
Mann, Gurinder Singh, The Goindvat Pothis: The Earliest Extant
Source ofthe Sikh Canon, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard
University, 1996.
-, The Making of Sikh Scripture, New York and New Delhi:
Oxford University Press, 2001.
McLeod, W.H., The Chaupa Singh Rahit-Nama, Dunedin: University
of Otago Press, 1987.
Oberoi, Harjot, The Construction ofReligious Boundaries: Culture,
Identity and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition, New Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 1994.
Padam, Piara Singh (ed.), Rahitname, Amritsar: Singh Brothers,
th
1995 (6 impression).
Pashaura Singh; Life and Work of Guru Arjan : History, Memory,
and Biography in the Sikh Tradition, New Delhi: Oxford
University Press, 2006.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 263

Pashaura Singh, Ibe Bhagats of the Guru Grmith Sahib: Sikh Sell·
Definition and the Bhagat Bat;ti, New Delhi: Oxford University
Press, 2003.
, Ibe Guru Granth Sahib: Canon, Meaning and Authority, New
Delhi : Oxford University Press, 2000.
Puran Singh, Ibe Spirit Born People, Patiala: Punjabi University,
1 999 (rpt.).
Randhir Singh, Bhai, (ed.) Prem Sumarg, Jalandhar: New Book
Company, 1965 (2nd ed.).
Sahib Singh, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Darpan, 10 Vols., Jalandhar:
Raj Publishers, n.d. It is a reprint of the third edition published
in 1 �2. .
Sainapat, Sri Gur Sobha, ed., Ganda Singh, Patiala: Punjabi
University, 1967.
Shabdarth Sri Guru Grmith Sahib ft, 4 Vols., Amritsar : Shiromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, n.d. (standard pagination)
Sukha Singh, Gurbilas Patshahi 1 0, ed., Gursharan Kaur Jaggi,
Patiala: Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, 1989.
Talib, Gurbachan Singh, Sri Guru Granth Sahib in English
Translation, Vol. I, Patiala: Punjabi University, 1997.
Talwara, Giani Joginder Singh, BatJiBeora (Sri Guru Granth Sahib,
Bhag I,), Amritsar: Singh Brothers, 2004 (rpt.).
Ibe Sacred Writings of the Sikhs, tr., Trilochan Singh, Bhai Jodh
Singh, Kapur Singh, Bawa Harkishan Singh and Khushwant
Singh, New Delhi: Orient Longman and UNESCO, 2000 (rpt.).
Trumpp, Ernest, Ibe Adi Granth or Ibe Holy Scriptures ofthe Sikhs,
'h
New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1989 (4 edn.).
Vir Singh, Bhai (ed.), Santhyii Sri Guru Granth Sahib ft, 7 Vols.,
New Delhi: Bhai Vir Singh Sahit Sadan; 1 997 (rpt.).

Rajesh Arya - Gujarat

 Index

Abchal Nagar 152 137-40, 1 58, 160, 1 6 1 , i67, 177,

Abdali, Ahmad Shah 201 178, 179, 181, 190, 2 1 5
abbai-dan 1 22, 129 anbad bi:ir;i 88
tid purkb 76 anbad sbabad 8 1 , 88
Adi Bir 189 Apbbramsba 1 59
Adi Bir Bare 189 aratii/iirati 52, 167, 174, 224
Adi Grantb 30, 32-34, 163, 168, 169, ardiis (supplication) 101, 1 19, 227,
187, 191-93, 196, 199, 202 250, 252, 259
Afghan 48 Arjan, Guru 29, 36, 45, 49, 57 , 63,
abankar/banki'ir 100, 101 , 1 10, 153, 67, 75, 77, 78, 84, 86, 97, 98, 1 0 1 ,
180 104, 105, 1 1 2, 1 16, 1 20, 1 2 1 , 124,
Ajama/ 170 125, 134, 142, 143, 149-%, 158,
Ajapal Singh, Baba 195 1 59, 161, 166, 167, 170, 1 7 1 , 173,
Aka! Takht 203, 404 178, 181, 182, 185, 189, 190, 192,
Akalis 204 205, 2o6, 210, 220, 223, 239, 242,
Alabar;ian 125 249
Allah 47 Asa di Var 46, 63, 70, 7 1 , 80, 213,
Amar Das, Guru 43, 49, 54, 56, 62, 225-28
66, 73, 83, 90, 95, 96, 102, 103, asa miibi niras 82
107-110, 1 14, 1 1 5, 1 19, 123, 125, Atbarvana 137, 235
140-45, 147, 148, 1 6 1 , 165, 167- aukbad 1 1 5
69, 171, 178, 180-82, 185, 190, auliya 64, 67
205, 239-41 , 247 Aurangzeb 131
amrapad 122 avadbut 60
amrit 92
amrit-bi'ir;i 93, 1 1 6 Babur-biir;f 47
amrit-nam 97 Badan Singh, Giani 29, 30
Anand 1 25, 142, 143, 167, 213, 239, batrag 6 1 , 1 14, 248
242, 246, 247 bairiigi(s) 107, 108
Anandghan 29 Balmik 170
Anandpur 192 Balvand 190
anbbai pad 180 batidagi 80
anbbau nagar 117 biir;f 74, 80, 82, 86, 88-93, 95, 97,
Angad, Guru 42, 48, 62, 72, 83, 90, 101, 1 04, 1 10, 1 1 1 , 113, 1 1 5, 1 18,
95, 102, 107, 108, 1 14, 1 19, 123, 1 2 1 , 137, 138, 140, 142, 145, 146,
266 INDEX

149, 1 52, 155, 165, 166, 197, 241, chauthi padvf 141
245-47 Chhant 247
ba1,1i-shabad 93 Chhibber, Kesar Singh 194, 198, 211
Bmino Bir 191 chiri vichhunne 106
Basari.t 143, 144 Christianity 206
Beni 169, 170, 174, 179 cosmic ages 216
hhagat($)/bhakta(s) 49, 56 , 57, 78, creation 246
108-13, 129, 1 5 1 , 161 , 169, 170, Cunningham, J.D. 202, 204, 212
190, 205, 209, 244, 256
Bhagat BaQi 33, 34, 161, 168, 169, Dal Khalsa 203
171 , 177, 183, 184, 208 dan 82, 1 18, 119, 135
bhagti 5 1 , 54, 61, 78, 79, 81, 100, dars 79, 135
101, 103-105, 109, 1 10, 1 13, 115, darshan 87, 1 10
121, 128, 129, 140, 143, 146, 165 Darshan Singh 36
bhagtilbhaktt-jog 60, 181 darveshes 63, 66, 67, 208
bhai 104, 109 Dasam Granth 1 59, 202, 203
bhajan 130, 1 31 Dasven Patsbah Ka Graruh 202
Bhalla, Sarup Das 194, 199, 200, 2 1 1 daya 75, 79, 249
Bhangu, Ratan Singh 194, 200 {ibiir,lhi 119, 1 20, 141, 147
Bhans 161 , 178, 182, 184 Dhanna 169, 170, 173, 174
hhau 104 Dharam Singh 205, 212
Bhikhan 173 dharm(s)!tjharma 53, 94, 98 , 129,
birhti 106 143, 148, 155, 181, 214, 237, 247,
Brahma(s) 5 1 , 75, 80, 141 252
brahm-giani 121, 250 dharm khand 125, 215
brabmacharis 1 1 3 Dharm Riij 218
Brahman(s) 38, 39, 4 1 , 43-45, 47, dharmsal 116, 1 18, 215, 2 19
50-53, 65, 66, 137, 145, 226 dhian 89
Brahmanical dispensation 57 Dhillon, Balwant Singh 36, 210
Brahmanical rites 183 Dhir Mal 192
Brahmanical system(s) 228, 229 Dhruv 170
Brahmanical tradition 215 dhur ki ba�Ji 93
Brijinder Singh, Maharaja 30
· Divine Name 228
Buddhs 71 Divine Order 207, 209, 216
dubidha 94, 111, 1 14
chafujal(s) 44, 150, 250 duhagan(s) 40, 43
chaliila 44 dukh 78
chatsal 1 16 durmat 61, 118, 122, 252
Chaturbhuj 29
chauka 39, 56, 229 ekankar 76, 88
chauki 155
Chaupa .Singh Rahit-Nama 197 Jaqirs 67
Chaupa Singh, Bhai 194 Jarman 77
chautha padlsuim 82, 98 five khafu!s 215
 INDEX 267

Gajindra 170 GurbatJ.i ViakaratJ. 159

Ganda Singh 193, 195, 196, 2 1 1 Gurdas, Bhlii 29
· Ga17ika 170 gurdwara 1 1 3
Gaura Singh 212 Gurmat 6 1 , 1 10, 1 12, 135, 205
Gayatri 50, 229 Gurmatas 201
gender 207, 225 Gurmukb(s) 81, 108, 109, 1 1 1-1 13,
Ghulam Muhiyuddin 194 141, 145, 231
gittn 41, 61, 84, 85, 89, 127, 128, Gurmukh Panth 61, 134
137, 166, 226, 239 gurmukbi 148, 158
gittnfs 94 Gurnam Kaur 205, 2 12
giiin kbaM 125 Gurprasadi 75
Giiin Singh, Giani 29, 194 Gur-Sabhtt 114
Gill, Harjeet Singh 33 gur-sangat 1 14, 135
Gobind Singh, Guru 158, 189, 192, gursmit-sabba 135
193, 195-200, 203 Gur-Shabad 92, 182, 196
God's attributes (agam, agochar, Gursikh(s) 108, 109, 1 1 1 , 140, 145,
ajuni, aka/, mitarjam� athtth, 153
be-ant, bhai-bhanjan, data, din­ Guru 50, 52, 53, 56, 66, 69, 72, 74,
dayal, karta, kartar, murati, 78, 8o-86, 88, 91, 93, 95-98, 105,
nirankar, nirbhau, nirgu?J, 108, 1 10, 1 1 1 , 1 1 3-15, 1 17, 1 19,
niroair, sada-hudura, sukhdata) 124, 129, 135, 138-40, 143, 146,
73, 75, 76, 102, 124, 149, 151,
156, 165, 219, 221, 225 , 228, 230,
209, 241, 258, 259;
239, 241c244, 250, 253, 257, 258
bha'!Jii n, 75, 77, 78, 80, 102.
guru(s) 53 , 66, 82, 83, 134, 207
104, 142, 145, 208, 249;
Guru Granth Sahib 30- 34, 153, 154,
-creation 227;
1 58-61, 164, 166-68, 171-73, 1 76-
- fatherhood 207;
78, 182-84, 189, 190, 193-95, 197-
hukam 48, 55, 56, 63, 69-73,
99, 201, 203-206, 208-210, 213
75, 77-79, 86, 92, 100, 102, 103,
Guru Har Sahtti Pothi 190
105, 106, 108, 110, 1 13, 123, 138,
Guru Khalsa 198, 203
147, 214, 226, 240, 249
Guru Panth 193, 197, 198, 200, 203,
Goilidval Pothfs 190
Gopal Singh 31, 35
204
. gopfs 232, 233 Guruship 139, 194-99, 202
Goswamy, B.N. 212 Guroak 92
Grewal , j.S. 186, 212
Grewal, Reeta 211 hiiji 67
Gulab Singh,. Kavi 194 halemi raj 134, 153, 156, 186
Guninder Kaur, 31, 34, 35 haqiqat 67
GU'!JVa1iti 167 harams 46, 48, 227
Gurbakhsh Singh 212 Harimandar sahib 151, 1 52, 201,
Gurbii?Ji 69, 89, 91-93, 98, 101, 107, 203, 204
1 1 5, 140, 142, 149, 161, 166, 169, Harji 29
177, 183, 184, 192, 213, 249 Harkishan Singh, Bawa 3 1 , 34
268 INDEX

baumai 41, 47, 50, 6 1 , 81, 82, 85, Kabir 169-73, 179, 183
87, 89, 90, 94-96, 100, 102-104, Kahn 233
109-12, 122, 130, 131, 138, 144, Kaliyuga 46, 95, 125, 1 37, 139, 143,
170, 228, 234 144, 148, 154, 155, 179, 181, 182,
Hindu(s) 37, 67, 206, 207, 228, 229 228, 235
hukamnamas/bukamname 203 , kalma 64
204, 212 kfim 100, 126-28, 153, 180
Hukumat Singh 212 Kansa 74
kant (sauh) 43
Islam 37, 184, 206, 208, . 209 Kapur Singh 34
Islamic beliefs and practices 63 karam kbaiuj 125
Islamic epithets for God 79 karm 72, 79, 82, 94, 98, 143, 181,
Islamic mysticism 208 226, 249
Islamic tradition 209, 215 karm-kfint;l 91, 240
isnan 82, 1 18, 1 19, 135 Kartarpur Potbf/Bir 168, 177, 189-
92
jagat jalandii 144, 205, 210 kasumbh 44, 103
Jaggi, Ralli;ln Singh 2 1 1 katha 101, 1 15, 1 16, 1 19, 164
Jai Singh 2 1 2 Khalsa Pailth 203
Jaidev 169, 170, 175, 176, 179 Khatri(s) 38, 39, 43-45, 137, 145, 229
Jain monks 37, 62, 148 Khazan Singh 30
jajman 41, 229 Khivi (Mata) 177
Janak 181 Khushwant Singh 34
Janak-raj 181 kirpa (nadar, prasad) 69, 70, 72, 75 ,
]anam>akbis 158, 164 79, 80, 82, 101, 128, 226, 249
janeii (sacred thread) 38, 39, 236 Kirpal Singh 20, 212
jangam(s) 61, 62, 130 kirtam-nam 97
Japu/japufi 37, 58, 69, 71, 80, 88, kirtan 101, 116-18, 163, 164, 182
100, 107, 125, 159, 164, 167, 213, ktrya 98
215, 220, 226 . Koer Singh 194, 198, 2 1 1
Jawahir Mall, Sain Sahib Bhagat 195 Kohli, Surindar Singh 3 1 , 3 5 , 211
jivan-mukta 100, 122 Krishna 53, 54, 56, 74, 179, 229, 232
fivan-mukti 126 krodh 100, 126-28, 153, 180
jivan-pad 122 Kshatriyas 53
fivat marna 82 kucbajji 40, 167
joban 100 Kurukshetra 148
Jodh Singh, Bhai 29, 34
jog 59, 182 Lakshman Singh, Bhagat 30
jogi(s) 61, 62, 66, 82, 129, 130, 1 37, li:il 101
148, 208, 2 15; langar 147, 177
- ideas and practices 58; Latif, Syed Muhammad 194
- terminology 60 Lavan 125, 213, 247;
john Malcolm 202, 204, 212 -marriage ceremony 124
 INDEX 269

Lehna 177 murati 76

liberated-in-life (mukta) 100, 121, Musalman(s) 37, 42, 64, 65, 67, 208,
127, 131, 250 228, 233, 234
liberation 121, 128, 1 52, 215, 216, Muslim(s) 37, 42, 46, 205-207, 209,
219, 226, 249 227
liberation-in-life (mukti) 88, 100, Muslim beliefs 225
102, 120, 121, 1 23, 1 26, 130, 206
lobb 100, 153, 180 Nabha, Bhai Kahn Singh 30, 195
nad(s) 58, 80, 89, 165
Macauliffe, Max Arthur 30, 35, 194 nam 48, 66, 81, 82, 90, 93, 1 18, 1 19,
Machhandar 59 135, 141, 1 53, 165 (see also
mabdud 65 Name)
Mahesh(es) 5 1 , 76, 80 Namdev 1 69-73, 179, 183
mabzar 155 Namdharis 195, 202
majftb 44 Namdhari, Bhai Kala Singh 195
malecbb 39 nam-dbarm 69, 98
Malhotra, Karamjit K. 2 1 1
Nam-simran 106
mamta 100, 102, 127, 130, 131
namaz 64
Mani Singh, BhiH 29
Name 39, 5 1 , 52, 55, 56, 58, 65, 69,
Manmohan Singh 3 1
' 70, 78, 85, 86, 88, 91, 93, 95-98,
mamnukb(s) 54, 79, 1 12, 1 13, 138,
101-103, 108, 1 10, 1 13, 1 1 5 , 1 17,
143, 226
1 19, 120, 138, 142, 146, 147, 165,
Mann, Gurinder Singh 32, 35, 163,
166, 180, 182, 210, 214, 218, 220,
164, 168, 185-87, 190-93, 210
221 , 225, 229, 239, 243, 249, 251,
mmitar 78, 84, 85, 87, 145
252 (see also nam)
ma 'rijat 67
Nanak, Guru 29, 34, 37, 38, 4 1 , 42,
Mara Soble 1 54
48, 50, 5 1 , 53, 54, 58-67, 69, 72,
maun-dbarfs 62
82-84, 86, 88, 93, 94, 1 0 1 , 103,
maya 55, 58, 62, 66, 72, 74, 81, 89,
94·, . 96, 100, 101, 103, 104, 120, 105-108, 1 14, 1 22, 123, 1 25 , 132,
123, 124, 1 26-28, 130, 131, 142, 134, 135, 137, 139, 140, 143, 147,
143, 1 50, 173, 231, 240, 241, 254 1 53, 154, 156, 158-6 1 , 164, 165,
McLeod, W.H. 21 1 167, 169, 171, 177-79, 181, 185,
Miharban 29 189, 190, 192, 205-207, 209, 215,
mob 100, 126, 1 53, 180, 226 220, 222, 223, 225, 228-30, 247
monis 1 13 Nand Lal, Bhai 194, 196, 197
MS 1 192 191 Narain Singh 31
MS 1245 190 Narotam, Pandit Tara Singh 29
Mughal administration 152 Naths 71
Mughals 48 nindaks (opposition) 149, 1 55 , 255
mukti pantb 1 27, 128 nirankar 73, 102
mUlmmitar 69, 213 nirbbai/nirbbau pad 122, 1 26, 129
mulla(s) 37, 62, 63, 65, 67, 207, 208
Mundavar;x 160 Oankar 167, 205
270 INDEX

Oberoi, Harjbt 202, 2 1 1 Rabb 208

Oberoi, ].P.S. 3 3 Radhakrlshnan, S. 29
rag(s) 165, 218, 243;
pad nirbat;� 126, 129 - Asa, Batrari, Basarlt, Bhairo,
padha 55, 56, 1 24 Bilawal, Dhanasari, Gaurf,
pafu;la 56 Gauri Deepaki, Gaurf Purab'i,
pandit(s) 38, 42, 50-52, 54, 55, 62, Gujn, ]aijavanff, Kedara, Mati
94, 139, 215, 229 Gaura, Maril, Prabhati, Ramkali,
pant;lit-jotki 56 Sorathf, Sri, Siihi, Tilang 80, 81 ,
pardesi 103 88, 97, 1 05, 106, 109, 1 1 1 , 1 12,
Parmanand 176 155, 162, 165, 166, 220, 222, 223,
parm-pad 122 247;
Partap Singh, Baba 195 - Rag units 161;
parupkar io7, 210 - raginis 218
parnpkan 1 25, 146, 210 Rag Mala 160, 184
Pashaura Singh 32, 36, 164, 169, Rahtras 1 59
186, 187 rahit 256
Pathans 235
Rahitnama(s)/Rahitname 194, 196-
198, 202, 2 1 1
Patna 203
Rai Balvand 1 6 1 , 1 67, 177, 178, 184
patshiib(s) 48, 49
rai'yat 47
patt 1 1 0
raj 100, 182
pattal 41
raj-jog 107, 1 12, 1 2 1 , 124, 179, 181,
pilgrimage 148
182
pint;l 41
Ram/Rama (Raja) 53, 54, 179, 229,
Pipa 175
232, 233
pir(s) 37, 63, 64, 67, 207, 208
Ram-raj 152
pluralism 205
Ramkati ki Var 161, 177, 178, 184
Pothi 189
Ram Das, Guru 43-45, 49, 57, 62, 74,
Prahlad 1 69 75 , 84, 90, 96, 103, 1 11 , 1 20, 123,
Prahhld Singh (Prahlad Rai), Bhai 1 24, 142, 143, 1 45-47, 149, 159-
194 , 198, 202 161, 164, 165, 167, 170, 171, 178,
prasad 72, 75, 79 180-82, 190, 196, 210, 220, 222,
prem 104 223, 239, 242, 247
Prem Sumarg 197, 2 1 1 Ram Rai 192
Punjabi 159 Ram Singh, Baba 195, 202
Puran Singh 29, 35 Ramanand 176
Puranas 42, 5 1 , 70, 176 Ramdas Sarovar 151
Puri:Uan janamsakhi 189 Ramdaspur 152
Ranjit Singh 212
qiiZi(s) 37, 47, 62, 63, 65-67, 207, Ravidas 169, 170, 172, 173, 1 79, 183
-�08, 215 raza 70, 72, 75, 77, 100, 1 38, 141,
qudrat 77 208, 214, 227
Qur'an 64, 67, 208 riip 100
 INDEX 271

sacbch kbaiu(i 125 Sarovar 152

sacbcbi sangat 114 · sat-nam 97
Sada Nand 29 sat-sang 1 16
sada-suhagan 40, 43, 45, 90, 109 sat-sangat 92, 1 1 4-16, 1 18, 1 19, 165,
Sadd 161 , 163, 182, 184 222, 260
sadh(s) 66, 80, 108, 1 1 1-17, 151 , Sat Sri Akal Purkh fi ka Khalsa 203
250, 252, 253, 258 satf 144
sadb-sabba 1 14, 135 satt 76
sadh-sang 98, 105, 1 16, 117-19 Satta 161, 167, 177, 178, 184, 190
sadh-sangat 104, 1 14, 1 16-18, 120, sauh 43
1 50, 151; 166, 176 Semitic books (Kateb) 42, 67, 70,
sadhiks 62, 82 215
Sadhna 175 sequence of 3 1 Rags 160
sadhs (Sikhs) 127, 128 sev 107
sadhfl.s 84, 113 sevak(s) 88, 108, 1 12, 120, 145, 181,
sadtqs 63 256
sahaJ 91, 178 Sewaram Singh 30
sabajjog 60, 179 shabad(s) 52, 53, 55, 56, 61, 66, 69,
Sahib Singh 29, 3 1 , 35, 159, 185, 72, 75, 81-83, 88-92, 94, 96, 97,
189, 190, 210, 215, 225 101, 102, 104, 106, 109- 1 1 1 , 1 14,
saimbhau 76 115, 123, 126, 135, 137, 140-42,
Sain 169, 170, 173, 175 1 44, 148, 1 49, 151, 153, 155, 165,
Sainapat 194, 196, 198, 2 1 1 179-82, 197, 240-43, 245, 248,
Sakhi Rahtt KJ 197 249
saliks 63 Shabad-Batfi 105, 197
Salak Sabskrlti 160 Shabad-Guru 82, 93
sandhya 56 Shabdarth Sri Guru Granth Sahibfi
smigat 83, 92, 101, 105, 106, 1 12, 68, 99, 132, 133, 1 56, 1 57, 187,
1 1 4-16, 135, 141, 142, 146, 179, 188, 212
180, 182, 200 Shackle, C. 185
sant(�J 66, 105, 108, 1 1 1-17, 120, shab.ids 63
1 2 1 , 129, 130, 143, 150, 151, 169, shatkh(s) 37, 63, 65-67, 207, 208
183, 222, 225, 243, 246, 248 Shaikh Farid 169, 172, 183, 184, 209
sant-sabha 1 14, 1 16, 135 Shaivas 37
sant-sang 1 16 Shaktas 37
sant-satigat 1 1 8 Shakti 241
Sant Singh, Munshi 194 shari'at 63, 67, 233
Santokh Singh, Bh:'il 29, 194 Shastra(s) 50, 51, 55, 86, 229, 251
sanyast(s) 61-63, 1 i 3, 130, 148, 174 Sheena Pall 2 1 1
saram kbarut 125 Shiromal)l Gurdwara Parbandhak
Sarbat Khalsa 197 Committee (SGPC) 204
Sarbat Sangat 1 97 Shiva 141 , 241
sargu1J 73, 75, 258, 259 sbradhs 41, 226, 229
sarm 237 Shudra(s) 38, 43, 44, 53, 137, 145
272 INDEX

siddh(s) 62, 71, 82, 105, 134 tariqat 67

Siddh Gost 81, 82, 122, 167, 205 Taru Singh, Bhai 200
sifat-siilah 135 Tegh Bahadur, Guru 101, 126-28,
Sikh(s) 54, 55, 57, 102, 107-109, 1 1 1 , 1 3()...33, 160, 161, 192, 206, 209
1 1 2 , 1 19, 134, 140, 142, 145, 146, Teja Singh, Professor 29, 3 1 , 1 S5
148, 150, 178, 181, 182, 210, 240- Teja Singh of Bhasaur 187
242, 244, 246, 257 tirath(s) 52, 56, 80, 85, 108, 143, 2 1 4
Sikh hhagtf 105 Toynbee, Arnold 29
Sikh Panth 68, 156 traditional forms 166
Sikh-sabhii 135, 206 trikutf 81
singf 208 Trilochan 170, 174, 179
Singh Sabha Movement 30 Trilochan Singh 34
sitpiio 1 1 3 true song 246
Sita 233 Trumpp, Ernest 30, 35
Smriti(s) 55, 86, 251 turiavasthii 123
So�Dar 159, 167 Turk(s) 67, 235, 236
So-Purkh 74, 159, 167 Turko-Afghan rule 46, 228
sohila 40, 159, 167
Sri Gum Granth Sahib Datpan 159 udiis 131
suchajjf 40, 167 ulamii 64, 65
Sudama 170
Sil.fi(s) 64, 65, 183 Vaishnava(s) 4 1 , 53, 54 , 57, 169,
silhii 101 183, 229, 254
sukh 78, 214 Vaishnava bhagatslbhaktas 168, 184
Sukha Singh 194, 199, 200, 2 1 1 Vaishnava bhagti/bhakti 105, 1 75,
Sukhmanf 167, 213, 249, 260 226
sultiin(s) 46, 48, 49, 77, 106 varna(s) (caste, jilt, jiiti, outcaste,
Sunder, Baba 161, 182 Sud, Vais, Vaishya) 38, 43-45, 5 3 ,
sunn 259 9 5 , 100, 1 10, 140, 145, 150, 207,
sumi-mafu;Jal 107 225, 230
Sumer Singh, Bawa 194 varnadharma 45
Suri. � '"'han Lal 194 Vars 167
sutak (pollution) 39, 43, 56, 229, vars of Bhai Gurdas 158
237, 238 Ved/Veds/Veda/Vedas 51, 54, 55,
70, 80, 88, 89, 137, 138, 176, 2 1 5 ,
Takht Damdama 192 235, 255
Talib, Gurbachan Singh 31, 35 Vir Singh, Bhiii 29, 30, 35
Tankhiinamii 197 Vishnu(s) 50, 5 1 , 54, 75, 80, 141, 1 79
tapsis 1 13
Taran Singh, Professor 29, 35 World-Preceptor Nanak 179 ,