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84-460: The continuous nonstop recitation of all the verses in the Guru Granth Sahib from the beginning to the end, in 31 Ragas as specified, in all 1430 pages, lasts more than 48 hours by a team of readers. Nearby, over a container of water a coconut is kept wrapped in saffron or white cloth. A ghee lamp is also kept burning. This ritual is considered very holy and is said to bring peace and solace to

168-511: A toradar (matchlock) or a musket . In modern times nihangs also carry revolvers , semi-automatic pistols , double-barreled shotguns and bolt-action rifles The Nihangs favour the dark blue colour for their clothing, which they adopted to emulate Guru Gobind Singh's attire when he escaped from Chamkaur through the Machhiwara jungle. The Nihang were particularly known for their high turbans ( dastar bunga ) and their extensive use of

252-540: A British civil servant, was next to publish a major but incomplete translation of the Guru Granth Sahib, covering the same ground as Trumpp. However, he interspersed his translation between Janamsakhis -based mythical history of the Sikh Gurus. A major source of his historical information was Suraj Prakash of Santokh Singh, and his primary translation advisor was the prominent Khalsa Sikh scholar Kahn Singh Nabha ,

336-468: A German philologist , published the first philological study and a major but incomplete English translation of the Guru Granth Sahib in 1877, after an eight-year study of the text and field interviews with Sikh intelligentsia of his time. Trumpp included his criticism of the Sikh scripture in the preface and introductory sections, and stated "Sikhism is a waning religion, that will soon belong to history". Many in

420-402: A annunciation metre), Ashtapadiyan (contemplative measure), Pehre (poems on the four parts of the day), Haftawaar or Var Sat (poems about the seven days of the week), Bara Maha (poems based on the twelve months of the year), Thhithi (astrological poems based on the fifteen lunar dates ) themes are found near the end of the most raga sections. In 1708, Guru Gobind Singh conferred

504-502: A central role in guiding the Sikh's way of life. No one can change or alter any of the writings of the Sikh gurus written in the Guru Granth Sahib. This includes sentences, words, structure, grammar, and meanings. This tradition was set by Guru Har Rai. He sent his eldest son Ram Rai as an emissary to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi. Aurangzeb, a devout Muslim ruler, objected to a verse in

588-402: A competing claimant to the Sikh guruship – had a copy of an earlier pothi ( palm-leaf manuscript ) with hymns and was distributing hymns of the earlier gurus along with his own of hymns. Guru Arjan considered these as spurious and became concerned about establishing an authentic anthology of approved hymns. Guru Arjan began compiling an officially approved version of the sacred scripture for

672-693: A difficult thought of science. One sings: having made the body he reduces it to ashes. Another sings: having taken life he gives it again. One sings: he is known (manifest), (but) seen afar off. Another sings: being present he sees in the presence. There is no end of sayings and tellings. The story, story is told by crores , crores, crores. He (i.e. God) goes on giving, they taking become tired. For ages and ages they go on eating. The Lord goes on executing his order. O Nanak! he expands unconcerned. [3] Translation by Max Arthur Macauliffe (1909) By His order bodies are produced; His order cannot be described. By His order souls are infused into them; by His order greatness

756-1463: A distinct tradition, and of the native Sikh clergy. He used considerable freedom in restating the archaic poetry into a "vaguely psalm-like translation". ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਆਕਾਰ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਹਿਆ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਜੀਅ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੁਖ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ॥ ਇਕਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ਇਕਿ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਸਦਾ ਭਵਾਈਅਹਿ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਤਾਣੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਕਿਸੈ ਤਾਣੁ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਦਾਤਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਗੁਣ ਵਡਿਆਈਆ ਚਾਰ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਵਿਦਿਆ ਵਿਖਮੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਸਾਜਿ ਕਰੇ ਤਨੁ ਖੇਹ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਜੀਅ ਲੈ ਫਿਰਿ ਦੇਹ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਜਾਪੈ ਦਿਸੈ ਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਗਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਵੇਖੈ ਹਾਦਰਾ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਕਥਨਾ ਕਥੀ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਤੋਟਿ ॥ ਕਥਿ ਕਥਿ ਕਥੀ ਕੋਟੀ ਕੋਟਿ ਕੋਟਿ ॥ ਦੇਦਾ ਦੇ ਲੈਦੇ ਥਕਿ ਪਾਹਿ ॥ ਜੁਗਾ ਜੁਗੰਤਰਿ ਖਾਹੀ ਖਾਹਿ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਚਲਾਏ ਰਾਹੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਵਿਗਸੈ ਵੇਪਰਵਾਹੁ ॥੩॥ Hukmī hovan ākār hukam na kahiā jāī. Hukmī hovan jīa hukam milai vadiāī. Hukmī utam nīch hukam likh dukh sukh pāīah. Iknā hukmī bakhsīs ik hukmī sadā bhavāīah. Hukmai andar sabh ko bāhar hukam na koe. Nānak hukmai je bujhai ta haumai kahai na koe. ॥2॥ Gāvai ko tāṇ hovai kisai tāṇ. Gāvai ko dāt jāṇai nīsāṇ. Gāvai ko guṇ vadiāīā chār. Gāvai ko vidiā vikham vīchār. Gāvai ko sāj kare tan kheh. Gāvai ko jīa lai fir deh. Gāvai ko jāpai disai dūr. Gāvai ko vekhai hādrā hadūr. Kathnā kathī na āvai tot. Kath kath kathī kotī kot kot. Dedā de laide thak pāhi. Jugā jugantar khāhī khāhi. Hukmī hukam chalāe rāhu. Nānak vigsai veparvāhu. Translation by Ernest Trumpp (1877) By (his) order are made

840-548: A large chakram around his neck, and an iron chain. In times of war, arms worn on the Nihang's person would generally be reserved until the warrior lost the weapon he held, often a bow ( kamaan ) or spear ( barcha ). Armour consisted of sanjo or iron chainmail worn under an iron breastplate ( char aina ). Nihang war-shoes ( jangi mozeh ) were constructed of iron at the toe, making their pointed toes capable of inflicting cuts and stab wounds. The firearms carried by nihangs are either

924-572: A liquid, especially during festivals like Hola Mohalla . It is never smoked, as this practice is forbidden in Sikhism. In 2001, Jathedar (leader) Santa Singh , the leader of Budha Dal, along with 20 chiefs of Nihang sects, refused to accept the ban on consumption of shaheedi degh by the apex Sikh clergy - in order to preserve traditional Sikh practices. According to a recent BBC article, "Traditionally they also drank shaheedi degh, an infusion of cannabis, to become closer with God" The Nihangs carry

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1008-427: A pothi. The features in its Gurmukhi script and the language suggest that the hymns are significantly older, and that the pre-canonical hymns were being written down in early Sikhism and preserved by the Sikh Gurus prior to the editing by Guru Arjan. The existence of Guru Harsahai manuscript attests to the early tradition of Sikh scripture, its existence in variant forms and a competition of ideas on its contents including

1092-665: A rhythmic ancient north Indian classical form of music. The bulk of the scripture is divided into 31 main rāgas , with each Granth rāga subdivided according to length and author. The hymns in the scripture are arranged primarily by the rāgas in which they are read. The Guru Granth Sahib is written in the Gurmukhi script in various languages including Punjabi , Lahnda , regional Prakrits , Apabhramsa , Sanskrit , Hindi languages ( Braj Bhasha , Bangru , Awadhi , Old Hindi ), Bhojpuri , Sindhi , Marathi , Marwari , Bengali , Persian and Arabic . Copies in these languages often have

1176-482: A temple. The Granth is revered as eternal gurbānī and the spiritual authority in Sikhism. Guru Nanak composed hymns, which were sung by his followers in rāga set to music. His successor, Guru Angad , opened centers and distributed these hymns. The community would sing the hymns and his agents collected donations. This tradition was continued by the third and fourth gurus as well. The fifth guru, Guru Arjan, discovered that Prithi Chand – his eldest brother and

1260-688: A time that is recorded as a turbulent period in Sikh history where it was used as a means of uplifting Sikhs. It may have originated from Akali Nihang Sikhs within the Budha Dal division of the Dal Khalsa of the Sikh Confederacy and popularized by the Nirmala and Udasi sects from there. Its popularity increased during the 19th century, when mass-produced printed copies of the Guru Granth Sahib became available to

1344-468: Is a religion founded by Guru Nanak . It considers its scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib , as the living Guru . Sikhs install it in the sanctum of Sikh temples, and devotees reverentially greet it by bowing and prostrating before it. Since the early 20th century, Farquhar and other scholars consider it as a form of idolatry that believers practice the matha tekna (bowing down and touching one's head to

1428-412: Is always the focal point in any gurdwara, seated on a raised platform known as a Takht (throne), while the congregation of devotees sits on the floor and prostrate before the guru as a sign of respect. The Guru Granth Sahib is given the greatest respect and honour. Sikhs cover their heads and remove their shoes while in the presence of this sacred scripture, their eternal living guru. The Guru Granth Sahib

1512-463: Is arduous; Some sing that He fashioneth the body and again destroyeth it; Some that He taketh away the soul and again restoreth it; Some that He appeareth far from mortal gaze; Some that He is all-seeing and omnipresent. Millions of men give millions upon millions of descriptions of Him, but they fail to describe Him. The Giver giveth; the receiver groweth weary of receiving. In every age man subsisteth by His bounty. The Commander by His order hath laid out

1596-461: Is known as Khalsa Swarupa . This comprises full attire of navy blue selected by Guru Gobind Singh after conflicts with Wazir Khan , the Mughal Governor of Sirhind , several edged bracelets of iron round on each of their wrists ( jangi kara ) and quoits of steel ( chakram ) tiered in their lofty conical blue turbans, together with the either a dori kirpan (an open blade kirpan that

1680-422: Is normally carried on the head and as a sign of respect, never touched with unwashed hands or put on the floor. It is attended with all signs of royalty, with a canopy placed over it. A chaur (fan whisk) is waved above the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib is taken care of by a Granthi , who is responsible for reciting from the sacred hymns and leading Sikh prayers. The Granthi also acts as caretaker for

1764-677: Is now preserved at the Toshakhana in Nanded, Maharashtra. The compositions of Guru Gobind Singh were not included in the Guru Granth Sahib and set into the Dasven Padsah ka Granth , which is more popularly known as the Dasam Granth . The compilation and release of this definitive edition of the latter was completed by Bhai Mani Singh. The Akali Nihang sect of Sikhs consider the Dasam Granth and

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1848-538: Is obtained. By His order men are high or low; by His order they obtain preordained pain or pleasure. By His order some obtain their reward; by His order others must ever wander in transmigration. All are subject to His order; none is exempt from it. He who understandeth God's order, O Nanak , is never guilty of egoism. [2] Some sing His power according to their abilities; Some sing His gifts according to their knowledge of His signs; Some sing His attributes, His greatness, and His deeds; Some sing His knowledge whose study

1932-404: Is that person who is subject of none but God only. Conceptually speaking, the terms Akaali, Khalsa and Sikh are synonymous. The term Akaali was first used during the time of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib . It became popular in the last decades of the eighteenth century. The term came to be associated with “commitment, fearlessness, boldness, struggle, and justice.” The word Nihang may come from

2016-553: Is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism , regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth ( Punjabi : ਆਦਿ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ), its first rendition, was compiled by the fifth guru , Guru Arjan (1564–1606). Its compilation was completed on 29 August 1604 and first installed inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar on 1 September 1604. Baba Buddha

2100-416: Is treated like a person and venerated with elaborate ceremonies which are a daily means of "merit bestowing ministrations". These daily ritual ministrations and paying of homage for the scripture by Sikhs, states Myrvold, is not unique to Sikhism. It moulds "meanings, values and ideologies" and creates a framework for congregational worship, states Myrvold, that is found in all major faiths. Ernest Trumpp ,

2184-411: Is worn with a rope attached and was meant to be used as a quick access weapon) or a pesh kabaz - a predecessor to the modern kirpan . When fully armed a Nihang will also bear one or two swords (either the curved talwar or the straight khanda , or another type of sword like saif or sarohi on his right hip), a katar (dagger) on his left hip, a buckler made from buffalo-hide ( dhal ) on his back,

2268-447: Is written, in order of appearance with page numbers: Each raga section contains the typical compositions of the Gurus in chronological order by Guru (who wrote in that raga ) followed by the typical compositions of the bhagats at the end however some form of certain types of special compositions such as the common recurring Vaar s (longer ballad type poems), Chhands (poems based on

2352-536: The varna system is not limited to ones heritage. The Nihang sect equally reveres the Guru Granth Sahib , Dasam Granth , and Sarbloh Granth . They attribute the later two works to Guru Gobind Singh. They consider the Dasam Granth and the Sarbloh Granth as extensions of the Guru Granth Sahib. As such, they refer to these scriptures as Sri Dasam Guru Granth Sahib , and Sri Sarbloh Guru Granth Sahib . They call

2436-425: The Dal Khalsa into two. The Taruna Dal was further divided in five jathas , each with 1300 to 2000 men and a separate drum and banner. Descend from lineage of Bidhi Chand , a contemporary warrior and companion of the Sikh Gurus. Prominent amongst Mazhabi Sikhs . The latter two groups being much less prominent than the former two. Each Dal consists of both a mobile and stationary group. The mobile group of

2520-602: The Mahman Prakash , an early Sikh manuscript, Guru Angad Dev had taught and spread Gurmukhi at the suggestion of Guru Nanak Dev who invented the Gurmukhi script. The word Gurmukhī translates to "from the mouth of the guru". It descended from the Laṇḍā scripts and was used from the outset for compiling Sikh scriptures. The Sikhs assign a high degree of sanctity to the Gurmukhī script. It is

2604-570: The Mul Mantar . Many minor variations, and three significant Adi Granth recensions, are known; these provide insights into how the Sikh scripture was compiled, edited and revised over time. There is a fourth significant version called the Lahori bir, but it primarily differs in how the hymns are arranged and the final pages of the Adi Granth. In 1604, the first edition of the Sikh scripture, Adi Granth,

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2688-498: The Sarbloh Granth as extensions of the Guru Granth Sahib. As such, they refer to these scriptures as Sri Dasam Guru Granth Sahib, and Sri Sarbloh Guru Granth Sahib. They call the Guru Granth Sahib, Aad Guru Granth Sahib. They also sometimes refer to the granths as "Durbar", such as Aad Guru Durbar. The Sarbloh Granth has another name, as Sri Manglacharan Purana. They believe that all three of these scriptures are authentic, written by

2772-405: The chakram or war-quoit. Their turbans were often pointed at the top and outfitted with a chand torra or trident called astbhuja which could be used for stabbing in close-quarters. Other times, the turbans would be armed with a bagh naka (iron claw) and one or several chakram to slice at an opponent's eyes. These steel-reinforced turbans, it was said, afforded enough protection so that there

2856-606: The khanda , the scimitar, the axe, the rifle, and the arrow. The saif , the dagger, the spear: these indeed are our pirs (saints)! For this reason, weapons are meant to be kept in front of the Guru Granth Sahib. Number of hymns contributed to the Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib contains predominantly hymns of the following Sikh Gurus: Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Teg Bahadur. Whilst these six gurus are widely accepted as having their writings included in

2940-400: The "color" and, more specifically, the emotion or mood produced by a combination or sequence of pitches. A rāga is composed of a series of melodic motifs, based upon a definite scale or mode of the seven svara psalmizations, that provide a basic structure around which the musician performs. Gurbani raags are not time dependent. Following is the list of all sixty rāgas under which Gurbani

3024-555: The 18th-century and preserved in Guru Harsahai (35 kilometers west of Faridkot, Punjab ) till 1969, when the state government requested it be displayed for the 500 years celebrations. It was moved for the first time in over 200 years and briefly displayed in Patiala for the event. Thereafter, the Sodhis consented to transfers. In 1970, however, during another such transfer, this early version of

3108-413: The 19th and 20th-century, several manuscript versions of the Adi Granth and the Guru Granth Sahib hymns were discovered. This triggered contesting theories about authenticity and how the canonical text of Sikhism evolved over time. There are five views: The entire Guru Granth Sahib is written in the Gurmukhi script, which was standardized by Guru Angad in the 16th century. According to Sikh tradition and

3192-516: The 2000s, a translation by Sant Singh Khalsa appeared on major Sikhism-related websites such as 3HO /Sikh Dharma Brotherhood's Sikhnet.com. According to Namdhari Sikh literature, Diwan Buta Singh was the first person to print an edition of the Guru Granth Sahib, which was likely printed in 1868 or even earlier. Early printed editions of the Guru Granth Sahib from the late-19th century were not only printed in Gurmukhi script but also Perso-Arabic script , as evidenced by eighteen different editions of

3276-413: The Adi Granth manuscript was stolen. However, photos of some pages have survived. This manuscript is claimed by the Sodhis to be the oldest and one written in part by Guru Nanak. However, this claim is first observed only much later, in texts attributed to the 17th-century Hariji, the grandson of Prithi Chand. Based on the evidence in the surviving photos, it is unlikely that Guru Nanak wrote or maintained

3360-510: The Adi Granth with some variations include the Bahoval pothi (c. 1600), Vanjara pothi (c. 1601) and Bhai Rupa pothi (c. 1603). Another early variant manuscript is called the Guru Harsahai pothi, preserved by Sodhis and is believed to be the one that existed before Guru Arjan's compilation and one he gave to his eldest brother Prithi Chand . It was initially installed in Amritsar, then was moved in

3444-609: The Adi Granth) the Guru held this Akhand Path and then proclaimed the Adi Granth as the perpetual Guru of the Sikhs . Following this example, the Sikhs started the tradition of dedicating Akhand Paths to various activities. Before battles, the Sikhs would listen to an Akhand Path and then prepare for battle. An Akhand Path was arranged before the Sikhs set out to rescue 18,000 indigenous women captured by

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3528-452: The Budha Dal, for example, is the Dalpanth . There has been incidents of conflict in the past between different groups of Akalis , even within the same faction. Some Nihang groups consume cannabis or shaheedi degh ( ਭੰਗ ), purportedly to help in meditation . Sūkha parshaad ( ਸੁੱਖਾ ਪ੍ਰਰਸਾਦ ), "Dry-sweet", is the term Nihang use to refer to it. It was traditionally crushed and taken as

3612-451: The Guru Granth Sahib is of a society based on divine freedom, mercy, love, belief in one god and justice without oppression of any kind. While the Granth acknowledges and respects the scriptures of Hinduism and Islam , it does not imply a moral reconciliation with either of these religions. It is installed in a Sikh gurdwara (temple). A Sikh typically prostrates before it on entering such

3696-562: The Guru Granth Sahib to Sikhs outside of India. These facilities are a part of the Gurudwara Rakabganj in New Delhi. Nihang The Nihang (also spelt as Nihung lit. "Crocodiles") or Akali (lit. "Immortals"), also known as Dal Khalsa , is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent . Nihangs are believed to have originated either from Fateh Singh and

3780-447: The Guru Granth Sahib, Aad Guru Granth Sahib . They also sometimes refer to the scriptures as "Durbar", such as Aad Guru Durbar . The Sarbloh Granth has another name, as Sri Manglacharan Purana . They believe that all three of these scriptures are authentic, written by the Gurus and are one and the same. For this reason, they will often place the Dasam and Aad Granths on the same level and on

3864-521: The Guru Granth Sahib, Macauliffe criticized Hinduism and wrote an introduction that presented the hymns of Sikh Gurus as Christian-like with affinities to "Protestant virtues and ethics", presumably for a British audience. Macauliffe's translation was well received by the Sikh community, and they considered it closer to how they interpret their scripture. Post-colonial scholarship has questioned Macauliffe's accounting for and incorporation of Sikh traditions as "uncritical" and "dubious", though one that pleased

3948-426: The Guru Granth Sahib, keeping the scripture covered in clean cloths, known as rumala , to protect from heat and dust. The Guru Granth Sahib rests on a manji sahib under a rumala until brought out again. Several rituals are performed every day in major Sikh gurdwaras (temples) such as the Golden Temple . These rituals treat the scripture as a living person, a guru, out of respect. The rituals include: Sikhism

4032-422: The Guru Granth Sahib, there are some who argue compositions of Guru Har Rai and Guru Gobind Singh are also included. A Salok Mahalla Satvan (7) and Dohra Mahalla Dasvan (10) have been attributed by some to the seventh and tenth gurus, respectively. It also contains hymns and verses of thirteen Hindu Bhakti movement sant poets (saints) and two Muslim saint poets. There are also idolatry verses for

4116-415: The Gurus and are one of the same. For this reason, they will often place the Dasam and Aad Granths on the same level and on the same throne (also known as the palki). They also sometimes do this for the Sarbloh Granth as well. In virtually all Sikh Gurdwaras , one will find an assortment of weapons such as swords , daggers, war quoits , etc. in front of the Guru Granth Sahib. This was brought about due to

4200-447: The Gurus such as Guru Nanak fused into some pages, those composed by bards (Bhatts). The hymns and verses are different lengths, some very long, others being just a few line verses. Twenty-two of the thirty-one ragas contain the contributions of bhagats . The following is a list of contributors whose hymns are present in the Guru Granth Sahib as well as the number of hymns they contributed: Bhagats: Bhatts: Pirs: Gursikhs: In

4284-517: The Indian subcontinent. In addition, several unauthorized versions were in circulation, issued by sects founded by one of the sons or relatives of earlier Sikh Gurus such as Prithi Chand , Guru Arjan's elder brother. Guru Gobind Singh issued the definitive final edition that included the hymns of his father, and closed the canon. This manuscript is called the Damdama bir, and a 1707 rare copy of this manuscript

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4368-609: The Moghuls and had taken them as slaves. In 1742, when Sikhs were in the jungles of Punjab , one Sikh woman warrior named Bibi Sundari, requested just before she died (due to the wounds inflicted in battle) to have an Akhand Path arranged for her. She lay there next to the Guru Granth Sahib and listened to the full recitation of this Path . After kirtan , Ardas and Hukam , she received the Karah Prashad , uttered "Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh" breathing her last. Thus began

4452-655: The Persian word for a mythical sea creature ( Persian : نهنگ ). The term owes its origin to Mughal historians, who compared the ferocity of the Akali with that of crocodiles . The meaning of Akali in Sikhism however, is the immortal army of Akal (God). According to Pashaura Singh and Louis E. Fenech, there exists three main theories regarding the genesis of the Nihangs . These three theories are summarized below: Traditional Nihang dress

4536-511: The Sikh community regarded these introductory remarks to his translation as extremely offensive. Nonetheless, according to Indologist Mark Juergensmeyer, Ernest Trumpp's years of scholarship, translations, and field notes and discussions with Sikhs at the Golden Temple remain valuable reference works for contemporary scholars. Akshaya Kumar holds Trumpp's translation to be "literal and mechanical" emphasizing preciseness and fastidiously retaining

4620-462: The Sikh community. Macauliffe's version has been widely followed by later scholars and translators. According to Christopher Shackle, a scholar of Languages and Religion, Macauliffe's approach to translation was to work with Khalsa Sikh reformists of the 1890s ( Singh Sabha ) and exegetically present the scripture in a "progressive monotheism" fold that deserved the support of the British administration as

4704-441: The Sikh community. He sent his associates across the Indian subcontinent to collect the circulating hymns of Sikh gurus and convinced Mohan, the son of Guru Amar Das, to give him the collection of the religious writings of the first three gurus in a humble manner by singing the hymns registered in Guru Granth Sahib , 248. O Mohan, your temple is so lofty, and your mansion is unsurpassed. O Mohan, your gates are so beautiful. They are

4788-480: The Sikh scripture ( Asa ki Var ) that stated, "the clay from a Musalman's grave is kneaded into potter's lump", considering it an insult to Islam . Ram Rai tried to please the emperor by explaining that the text was miscopied and modified it, substituting "Musalman" with "Beiman" (faithless, evil) which Aurangzeb approved. The willingness to change a word led Guru Har Rai to bar his son from his presence, and name his younger son as his successor. The Guru Granth Sahib

4872-721: The attire he wore or from the " Akal Sena " (lit. Army of the Immortal) started by Guru Hargobind . Early Sikh military history was dominated by the Nihang, known for their victories where they were heavily outnumbered. Traditionally known for their bravery and ruthlessness in the battlefield, the Nihang once formed the irregular guerrilla squads of the armed forces of the Sikh Empire , the Sikh Khalsa Army . The word Akali/akaali means timeless or immortal. Literally, one who belongs to Akaal (beyond Time). In other words, an Akaali

4956-416: The author of Gurmat Prabhakar and Hum Hindu Nahin . Macauliffe's translation appeared embedded in the six-volume The Sikh Religion and was published by Oxford University Press in 1909. Unlike Trumpp, who was unconcerned with the sensibilities of the Sikhs, Macauliffe used his editorial abilities to incorporate such considerations. According to Indologist Giorgio Shan, while Trumpp criticized Sikhism and

5040-478: The blessing of the Guru Granth Sahib for the whole of the communion. It is said that when Guru Gobind Singh had completed the writing of the Guru Granth Sahib , he had five members of the congregation (Sadh Sangat) who chanted the completed Granth to him nonstop, for more than two days and nights. He stood there and listened to the entire Guru Granth Sahib without having any sleep whatsoever. People brought him water for his bath and for his meals where he stood. This

5124-679: The emphasis of a martial spirit within the Sikh religion, as well as an influential composition from the Dasam Granth known as the Shastar Naam Mala , written by Guru Gobind Singh . Within this composition, it praises various types of weapons from all over the world, including swords, saifs, curved swords (tulwars), arrows, guns, etc. There is a famous line within the composition which states, ਅਸ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਨ ਖੰਡੋ ਖੜਗ ਤੁਪਕ ਤਬਰ ਅਰੁ ਤੀਰ ॥ ਸੈਫ ਸਰੋਹੀ ਸੈਹਥੀ ਯਹੈ ਹਮਾਰੈ ਪੀਰ ॥੩॥ romanized: As Kripan Khando Kharag, Tupak Tabar Ar Teer || Saif Sarohee Saithhee, Yehai Hamare Pir ||3|| Translation: The kirpan ,

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5208-467: The floor) at the door of a Gurdwara or before the Guru Granth Sahib, and other daily rituals such as putting the scripture to bed ( sukhasan ) in a bedroom ( sachkhand ), waking it up every morning, carrying it in a procession and re-opening it ( prakash ) in major Sikh Gurdwaras. When open in the sanctum of a Sikh Gurdwara, it is within an expensive brocade and attendants fan it as an act of homage. According to Kristina Myrvold, every Sikh scripture copy

5292-667: The forms (of all things), his order (however) cannot be told. By his order are made the living beings, by his order greatness is obtained. By his order are the high and the low, by his order pain and pleasure are set down. By his order some are pardoned, some are by his order always caused to wander about (in transmigration). Every one is under (within) his order, exempt from his order is no one. Nanak ! if one understand his order, he will not speak in self-conceit. [2] One sings his (i.e. God's) power, if one has power (so to do). Another sings (his) liberality, if he knows (his) sign. One sings his beautiful qualities and greatnesses. — Another sings

5376-426: The generic title of Sant Bhasha . The Guru Granth Sahib was composed predominantly by six Sikh gurus: Guru Nanak , Guru Angad , Guru Amar Das , Guru Ram Das , Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur . It also contains the traditions and teachings of fourteen Hindu Bhakti movement sants (saints), such as Ramananda , Kabir and Namdev among others, and one Muslim Sufi saint: Sheikh Farid . The vision in

5460-583: The masses. There are several variants of the Akhand Path, such as the Ati Akhand Path, which involves one person continuously reciting the scripture non-stop without breaking for any reason, usually completed in around 27 hours. This variant is rarely performed and requires a reader of high stamina and reading ability. Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib ( Punjabi : ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ , pronounced [ɡʊɾuː ɡɾənt̪ʰᵊ säː(ɦ)(ɪ)bᵊ(˦)] )

5544-650: The numeral "one" in the phrase Ik Oankar in his translation, in an attempt to bring the scripture closer to the Brahmanical-influenced interpretation of the sects that differed with the interpretation of the orthodox Khalsa . Trumpp's translation was seen to be a challenge to the administration's already-established view that the Sikhs were a distinct community, prompting the Khalsa to commission its own translation. Trumpp, as well as other translators, were commissioned by colonial administrators. Max Arthur Macauliffe ,

5628-480: The official script for writing Punjabi in the Indian State of Punjab. Gurus considered divine worship through shabad kirtan as the best means of attaining that state of bliss – vismad – which resulted in communion with God. The Guru Granth Sahib is divided by musical settings or rāgas into 1430 pages known as ang s "limbs" in Sikh tradition. It can be categorized into three sections: The word raga refers to

5712-602: The official versions and were the oldest publisher in Amritsar. However, in 2006, the Akal Takht banned them from printing the Sikh scripture after a sting operation showed that they were printing and mishandling the scripture as well as selling an illegal copy of the Sikh scripture to a Muslim seer. A subsidiary of the SGPC, the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee, is the authorized printer and supplier of

5796-544: The original Nishan Sahib, being navy/electric blue, and (sometimes) bright yellow or basanti with a tegha , dhal (shield) and katar . Yellow in Punjabi culture signifies sacrifice, revolt and honour while blue signifies courage, bravery and patriotism. In Punjab, Blue is the colour of Khalsa, and yellow the colour of Kshatriyas. Due to various passages from the Dasam Granth, the Nihangs see themselves as Kshatriyas , but believe that

5880-612: The participants and the passive listeners of the recital. During the reading it is tradition for langar (or communal food) to be available at all times, thus requiring the continual service and dedication of those in whose honour the Akhand Path is being held. By definition, a gurdwara is a space that has been appropriately dedicated to receive and house the Sikh scriptures. Gurdwaras play an important traditional role in Sikh society, as they provide food and rest to all visitors, and thus have ... To commemorate milestone events such as births, deaths, and weddings, Sikh Americans might arrange for ...

5964-514: The regular course of reading. They may slow down and read it clearly. In this case, the first and last two lines are not repeated. When the Pathee reaches the end of the Hukam, they continue in the reading of the Akhand Path. Akhand Path is supposed to be read loudly, clearly, and correctly. The reading concludes with a Bhog ceremony. The practice of Akhand Paths likely began in the late 18th century,

6048-508: The same throne (also known as the palki ). They also sometimes do this for the Sarbloh Granth as well. The Nihangs have developed their own coded language, known as Khalsa bole . In September 2023, a depiction of a Nihang Sikh was painted on the top-right section of an official illustration of the Dallas Cowboys football team as part of the Carpe Omnia ('seize everything') theme for

6132-577: The scripture being printed in Perso-Arabic script at Lahore, Gujranwala, and Sialkot between the years 1871 and 1895. Official versions of the Guru Granth Sahib are produced in Amritsar by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The SGPC printers are the only authorized worldwide publisher of the scripture, states the Sikh religious body Akal Takht . Prior to 2006, Jeewan Singh Chattar Singh & Sons used to print

6216-547: The scripture by his son and successor Guru Gobind Singh. In 1704 at Damdama Sahib , during a one-year respite from the heavy fighting with the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb , Guru Gobind Singh and Bhai Mani Singh added the religious compositions of Guru Tegh Bahadur to the Adi Granth to create the final edition, called the Guru Granth Sahib. Prior to Guru Gobind Singh, three versions of the Adi Granth pothi with minor variations were in circulation at Sikh shrines across

6300-471: The title of "Guru of the Sikhs" upon the Adi Granth . The event was recorded in a Bhatt Vahi (a bard's scroll) by an eyewitness, Narbud Singh, who was a bard at the Rajput rulers' court associated with gurus. Sikhs since then have accepted the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture, as their eternal-living guru, as the embodiment of the ten Sikh Gurus, the highest religious and spiritual guide for Sikhs. It plays

6384-575: The tradition of rendering an Akhand Path within 48 hours. If the Akhand Path is to be recited in Gurmukhi, then it must be completed within 48 hours, without recitation in 31 Ragas as specified. If it is to be done in English, it will take more than 72 hours to complete. During an Akhand Path, if a Hukam is taken at the end of a program, the Pathee (person reading the Path) reads the Gurbani that they have arrived at in

6468-410: The way of the world. Nanak, God the unconcerned is happy. [3] The first complete English translation of the Guru Granth Sahib, by Gopal Singh , was published in 1960. A revised version published in 1978 removed archaic English words such as "thee" and "thou". In 1962, an eight-volume translation into English and Punjabi by Manmohan Singh was published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee . In

6552-571: The words as well as the syntax of the original verses, avoiding any creative and inventive restatement to empathize with a believer. On the other hand, Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair noted the clear influence from the Brahmanical leanings of his Nirmala collaborators, among the British-supported Sikh class which had been long enjoying British patronage as they helped to keep "hostile" elements under control. For example, they induced Trumpp to omit

6636-606: The worship-houses of the Saints. As his associates returned with their collections, Guru Arjan selected and edited the hymns for inclusion in the Adi Granth with Bhai Gurdas as his scribe. This effort yielded several drafts and manuscripts, some of which have survived into the modern era. The oldest surviving manuscript version of the Adi Granth is the Guru Nanak Dev University Manuscript 1245, which has been dated to c.  1599 . Other early editions of

6720-454: The “Holy Book [which is] Guru,” a practice known as Akhand Path, which takes approximately two full days and nights in its entirety. Some Gurdwaras hold a weekly Akhand Path and this gives the congregation ( Sadh Sangat ) a beautiful opportunity to establish a close relationship with the Guru - the Granth and the communion that provides the chance to carry out volunteer work ( Seva ) thus obtaining

6804-498: Was appointed the first Granthi of the Golden Temple. Shortly afterwards Guru Hargobind added Ramkali Ki Vaar. Later, Guru Gobind Singh , the tenth Sikh guru, added hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur to the Adi Granth and affirmed the text as his successor. This second rendition became known as the Guru Granth Sahib and is also sometimes referred to as the Adi Granth. The text consists of 1,430 angs (pages) and 5,894 shabads (line compositions), which are poetically rendered and set to

6888-410: Was complete and officially approved by Guru Arjan. It was installed at the Golden Temple , with Baba Buddha as the first granthi or reader. No hymns were added by Guru Hargobind , Guru Har Rai and Guru Har Krishan . In the Sikh tradition, Guru Hargobind is credited for adding the rāga tunes for nine out of 22 Vars. The hymns of IX Guru Tegh Bahadur, after his beheading in Delhi, were added to

6972-581: Was no need for any other form of headgear. Today, Nihang still wear miniature versions of five weapons ( pancha shastra ) in their turbans, namely the chakram , the khanda (sword) , the karud (dagger), the kirpan , and the tir (arrow). There are four main factions amongst the Nihangs of the modern-era, them namely being: Originally created for older members (over 40) by splitting the Dal Khalsa into two. Their headquarters are located in Raqba . Originally created for younger members (under 40) by splitting

7056-565: Was the first Akhand Path. The second Akhand Path was in Nanded after Guru Gobind Singh sent Banda Singh Bahadur to Punjab . The Akhand Pathees (reciters of the Granth) were Bhai Gurbaksh Singh, Baba Deep Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh (of Panj Piaray), Bhai Santokh Singh, and Bhai Hari Singh (who used to write the daily diary of Guru Gobind Singh). Before giving the Guruship to the Guru Granth Sahib (then called

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