Punjab Online: The Guru Granth Sahib

The Guru Granth Sahib

"Such is the nature of the true believer that like the sandal tree he imparts his fragrance to all."
-- Guru Granth Sahib p.721

In 1603, Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru, began to collect the inspired and inspiring poetry of both himself and the earlier Gurus. A Granth (meaning "book") was needed, because the Sikh philosophy was spreading widely, and because hymns of doubtful authenticity were being attributed to the earlier Gurus. Guru Arjan and the faithful Bhai Gurdas went to a quiet place near Amritsar where they compiled the Adi Granth ("the Primal Book"). Almost all the hymns are organized in 31 sections following musical scales (raag). Each line in the Adi Granth is referred to by its raag, author, and sometimes also by a title. Poems by Hindus and Muslims are also included. In 1708 the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, appointed the Adi Granth as his successor (so that after him there would be no human Guru), and it became the Guru of the Sikhs. The Adi Granth is therefore known as Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Gobind Singh and the Holy Book
Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last in the line of human Gurus. Before his death, he declared the authority of the Gurus as religious and political leaders would be passed into the sacred scriptures of the Guru Granth Sahib, as well as into the Sikh community of the Guru Panth. Although the Guru's own compositions do not appear in the holy book, he was a prolific poet, and much of his work is collected in the Dasam Granth.

The Text: The script used in the holy book is called Gurmukhi. The script was created by Guru Angad Dev for all people regardless of social class. Gurmukhi uses 10 vowels and 40 consonants.

Songs of Praise: The holy book has contributions by Sikh Gurus, bhagats, and Hindu and Muslim poets. The standard length of the scriptures is 1,430 pages. It is always stressed in the Sikh faith that only what is contained in the book is important. In other words, without the true name of God all ritualistic reading from the book is meaningless. Guru Nanak stated: "The only temple that matters is inside one's self" (Guru Granth Sahib, p.152)

Requirements for Reading: Unlike many other religions, both men and women can officiate at Sikh ceremonies, and either can read the Guru Granth Sahib. There is no ordained or special priest-like privaleges needed, only the ability to read is required.

Random reading: There are many ways of reading the Guru Granth Sahib. Practices include akhand path, a continuous 48-hour reading; and wak, guidance obtained by opening at random and reading the hymn on the left-hand page.

The Adi Granth and the Guru Granth Sahib: There are two names for the Sikh holy book: the Adi Granth, the primal text, and the Guru Granth Sahib, the embodied Guru of the Sikh tradition. It is the most important of all Sikh scriptures and is primal in the sense that Sikhs believe it uncovers the truth about God, the Primal Being, which has been true for all eternity. It contains hymns of varying lengths, mostly conveying the message that spiritual liberation comes through a belief in the divine name, or Nam, not through ritualism.