Guru Granth Sahib: The living Guru

Guru Granth Sahib: The living Guru

3 Oct 2008, 0032 hrs IST, KULBIR KAUR


The concept of oneness of all creation is the focal point of the 'Guru Granth Sahib'. It advocates the unity and sanctity of all forms of life, w

Golden Temple in Amritsar (Getty Images)
hether high or low in the evolutionary table. Guru Nanak says: "When I cast my look around, I see none other. He pervades all places, and abides in all hearts."

The sacred `Guru Granth Sahib', is considered as the living Guru of the Sikhs. All compositions included in it are treated as Gurbani, the Guru's own words. No distinction is made between the Guru and the Bani or word as the word. The Shabad is contained in the Granth and, therefore, it is the Guru. Whoever reads it attentively, listens or sings to the hymns, is believed to get into direct contact with the Guru who is regarded as incarnate in these hymns because "the Word is the Guru, and the Guru is the Word".

Sikh simply means 'a seeker of Truth' and the Sikh dharma, through the philosophy of the `Guru Granth Sahib', provides a spiritual path for those who are looking to answer the eternal question, "Who am I and what am I here for?" Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, had laid down the guidelines for an ideal Sikh as: Nam Japo practise the name, Kirat karo earn your livelihood through honest labour and Vand Chhako, share your possessions in the spirit of love and service. Purity of mind and body, contentment, forgiveness, justice and patience all go to make an ideal Sikh. The `Guru Granth Sahib' says, "Let Truth be the strict norm of all you think and do so that your pain and anxiety may go and all felicity come to you".

The `Guru Granth Sahib' is a unique collection of compositions of not only the Sikh Gurus but of bhakti saints drawn from different communities. Written in Sant Bhasha, with Gurmukhi as the script used for transcription, the holy book was prepared by Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru. The first copy was calligraphed by Bhai Gurdas. Words and phrases from Persian, Arabic, Hindi and other Indian languages have been used. These compositions, which are devotional hymns and prayers to the Supreme, contain the message of love and devotion, truth, humility, mercy, brotherhood, equality, service to others, and purity of mind and soul.

All 3,384 hymns consisting of 15,575 stanzas spread over 1,430 pages, are arranged under different ragas or musical modes of the Indian classical music system as there is a strong belief that spiritual experiences can best be had through a combination of word and music, that is, Shabad-kirtan. The Shabad-kirtan creates an atmosphere of sanctity and establishes a link between the Almighty and the devotee.

The gurus regard humans as the crown of creation; the body as the temple of the living God since it is through this temple that the Creator is to be realised and worshipped. Mystical experiences have been made comprehensible in images taken from household life. For instance, the lotus, which grows and blooms in muddy water but still remains unsullied, has often been used to express the idea that to realise God we need not renounce the world. There is no place for renunciation in the sacred Granth, inspiring the Sikhs to live an active worldly life, with Gurbani on their lips and hearts.

For the Sikhs, the 'Guru Granth Sahib' is the ultimate authority, spiritual as well as historical. Sikhs strive to live in response to the `Guru Granth Sahib', the living Guru.

The writer teaches sociology at Delhi University. This is the 300th year of the conservation of the `Guru Granth Sahib': `300 saal, Guru de naal'.


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