A BRIEF INTRODUCTION, by Kulbir S. Thind, MD

What is Sri Guru Granth Sahib?

It is a religious scripture, a compilation of spiritual/mystical hymns with a common philosophy but written by different spiritual masters, prominent saints (Bhagats) and some others spiritual poets from the Indian subcontinent. The different authors who's writing are included in the scripture lived between the twelfth to the seventeenth century and belonged to different faiths and classes/strata of society. This scripture is also called Adi Granth (Adi means original & Granth means scripture) to differentiate it from another Scripture written by the tenth Sikh Guru.

What is unique about Sri Guru Granth Sahib?

This is the latest of the principal religious scriptures from the Indian subcontinent and this is the only known scripture that contains the original writings from the masters of a major faith know as Sikhism. The compilation of the original scripture was completed by the fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan Dev in 1604. Probably the most unique feature of this scripture is that it contains a universal message of spiritual living for the whole human race.

A brief history of compilation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak (Guru means a teacher, a spiritual guide) who lived between 1469 to 1539 was a mystic from the early age. He traveled far and wide during his adult life, not only in India but also in various other Asian countries and those of Arabia, over a period of about thirty years. Thus he not only studied and interacted with the Indian culture in its minute form but many other cultures as well. At that time Indian society was mostly ruled by Muslim rulers and it mostly practiced various forms of Hinduism and Islam. However, there were very few spiritualists among the Hindus or Muslims and the society was inflicted with numerous social ills. Guru Nanak had the vision of a true spiritual life that he then preached through the mystical hymns that he wrote and sang. The Sikh Gurus that followed Guru Nanak also preached the same philosophy and many of them wrote mystical hymns of their own. The fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan Dev complied Sri Guru Granth Sahib at Amritsar (North West of India), the spiritual center that he created. Besides the hymns that he wrote himself, he collected the hymns of the first four Sikh Gurus and a number of other saints/spiritualists with similar philosophy and thus compiled the Adi Granth. The volume was written by Bhai Gurdas under the direction of Guru Arjan Dev. Guru Arjan gave the volume to a follower Bhai Bano for binding. The later took it for binding to Lahore and on the way prepared a copy of the original volume. That first copy of the original is known as Bhai Bano's copy. Guru Arjan Dev installed the original Holy Book in 1604 at the Sikh temple (Harmandir Sahib) that he had got constructed at Amritsar. A famous Sikh follower by the name Baba Buddha was appointed as the first Granthi or keeper of the scripture. After the Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev in the hands of King Jahangir, Guru Hargobind became the sixth Sikh Guru in 1606. Subsequently Bhai Dhirmal, son of Guru Hargobind got hold of the scripture and refused to give it to the Guru. In 1706, the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, when staying at Damdama Sahib (North West India) recompiled Sri Guru Granth Sahib with the help of a close associate Bhai Mani Singh by adding hymns of the ninth Sikh Guru, the father of Guru Gobind Singh, and gave direction to his followers to consider the scripture as the eternal Guru. Thus the scripture is called Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Guru means teacher or guide, Granth means a holy book, whereas Sri & Sahib are respectful adjectives).



Who's hymns are included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib?

The scripture contains compositions of 6 Sikh Gurus (the first five Gurus and the ninth Guru), seventeen saints/Bhagats (Kabir, Farid, Namdev, Ravidas, Beni, Trilochan,  Jaidev, Sundar, Parmanand, Sadna, Ramanand, Dhanna, Pipa, Sain, Soorday, Bhikhan, Mardana); poets Balwand & Sata and eleven Bhattas or poets of the Sikh Gurus (Mathra, Jalap, Harbans, Talya, Salya, Bhal, Kulh Sahar, Nal, Kirat, Gayand, Sadrang).

Guru Granth Sahib contains 5894 hymns. 974 hymns are written by the first Guru, 62 by the second Guru, 907 by the third, 679 by the fourth, 2218 by the fifth, and 115 by the ninth Guru. 541 hymns are by sait/Bhagat Kabir. The remaining 381 hymns are by others saints/Bhagats and poets listed above.

Composition (internal structure) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib?

The scripture in its customary form has 1430 pages. The allocation of pages is like this: 1. Japji 1-8. 2. Musical hymns 8-1351. 3. Salok Sahskriti 1352-1359. 4. Gatha 1359-1361. 5. Funhe l36l-1362. 6. Chaubole 1363-1364. 7. Saloks of Kabir and Farid 1364-1384. 8. Swa-ee-ay (poetry of parise) of the Gurus by the Bhattas 1384-1408. 9. Saloks of the Gurus 1409-1428. 10. Rag Mala, the index of musical measures 1429-1430.

Most of the hymns in Sri Guru granth Sahib are classified according to musical forms called Rags. Under each Rag, the hymns are further arranged in the following order :1. Chaupadas, hymns of four verses. 2. Ashtapadas, hymns of eight verses. 3. Long poems. 4. Chhants, Verses of six lines. 5. Short poems. 6. Vars, consisting of two or more Saloks and a Pauri. 7. Poems of Bhagats in the same order.

The hymns are further classified according to the musical clef (Ghar) in which each is to be sung. Although according to the index of Rags in Ragmala, the total number of Rags and Raginis is 84, but only 31 have been used in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. So the Granth is arranged firstly according to the Rag, secondly, according to the nature or meter of the poem, thirdly by authorship, and fourthly the clef.

What kind of philosophy do the hymns in Sri Guru Granth Sahib reveal?

Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a treasure of divine knowledge, mysticism and a guide to a spiritual living for anyone who ventures to find instruction from it and live by it. The hymns help us with unwavering belief in God. A description of God is given in the very opening sentence of Guru Granth Sahib, which is called Mool-Mantar (basic creed). and is a Preamble of the first section called Japji: There is One God, He is the Eternal Truth, the Creator, Without Fear, Hate or Enmity, All-Pervading & Everlasting Divine Spirit, Self-Existent, and He is realized by Guru's Grace.

We are guided to live a family life and make a truthful living and share the earning with the less fortunate.

Lord's praise and meditation upon God's name is emphasized as a way to spirituality. According to the hymns 'spirituality' means love for God and his creation, humility/sweetness, empathy/compassion for others, a feeling of brotherhood with all mankind, contentment, forgiveness, devotion to selfless service of others, sharing resources with those in need, truthful & honest living, to be thankful of Gods gifts (that will count many if we attempt), doing one's best, staying on the right spiritual path and leaving the result to Him and accepting of His will.

Hymns tell us that following human attributes take us away from the path of spirituality: Anger, arrogance, self-righteousness, hate/animosity, bigotry, apathy/unconcern for others, being punitive, greed, attachment with worldly goods or beings, lust and falsehood/corruption.

Hymns give us a direction not to treat women as inferior and to shed barriers that divide human race, such as racism & cast system.

Love Letter

Meri Jaan, samjh ni aundi k ki likhan
likhan v ja na?
ena sama saath rehndeya beet geya
par kade inj mehsoos ni hoyea jeha k ajj
tainu dekhde hoye v bechaini
tainu na dekhde hoye v bechaini
tainu dekheya hi rooh tan jandi e
apne aap hath kolon copy te koi tasvir jahi ban jandi e
meri jaan samjh ni aundi k ki likhan
likhan v ja na?
likhan v ja na?

tera pyar meri zindagi
tera pyar mere yaar

na bhukh, na pyaas, na need da ehsaas
pata ni kyu mera eh jee kardae
tu hamesha rahe mere kol kol mere aas paas
dostan to door rehna chaunda e mera dil
apne aap, apne aap nal gallan karniyan
chann nu kuch kehn di koshish karni
pata ni andro andri ki ki banaunda
te ki ki dhaunda e mera dil
meri jaan samjh ni aundi ki likhan
likhan v ja na?
likhan v ja na?

tera pyar meri zindagi
tera pyar mere yaar

pehla kade v tere to ena sangeya nahi main
har gal bari asaani nal aakh dinda si
agge kade v tere to kuj mangeya nahi main
par ajj mangan di koshish kar reha haan
darr lagda hai k dil di gal aakh k kite galti na kar javan
tainu naraz karke kite jeonde na mar javan
meri jaan samjh ni aundi k ki likhan
likhan v ja na?
likhan v ja na?

tera pyar mera zindagi
tera pyar mere yaar

samjhan di koshish kar reha haan
sochan di himmat kar reha haan
k ehe anubhab kite pyar ta nahi
eh jo khirh reha hai mera rom-rom
eh jo charh reha hai suroor jeha
tere pyar di khirhi gulzaar ta nahi
jo v hai, jaisa v hai
mera eh khat ik vaari jaroor parh lavin
baki faisla tere hath hai
jaisa v chahein, jidan v chaien kar lavin
meri jaan samjh ni aundi k ki likahn
likhan v ja na!?
likhan v ja na!?

puchdi dhee ladli babbul ton, mainu maare ga tan nahi?
doli chaadan de darr ton, sooli chadega tan nahi?

putt hoya jawan tu hubb-2 sab nu dassda hai,
kandeyan wangu chubbdi dhee de, phull tarenga tan nahi?

putt di lohri paan layi punjab nu chalya hai,
canada saddan wali dhee di lohri pawenga ke nahi?

ijjat, liyakat te suhapann, sab kuch mere kol hai,
je sareya na maithon daaj, te mainu sadega te nahi?

mande kammi pati marr geya, mera ki kasoor,
dain da rutba de ke mainu latadenga tan nahi?

mehar hoyi hai rabb di, meri kukh nu bhaag laaye,
munda hai ja kudi, test karayenga te nahi?

dheeyan ghar diya nihaan, inna naal hi barkat hai,
hoyiyan dheeyan wekh jawan, kittey ghabravenga tan nahi?

so kyon manda aakiye, jittu jamme rajan,
babe nanak da ehe bachan, kittey bhulawenga tan nahi?

dheeyan hi maavan bandiyan ne, ihna nu durkari na,
doven hathi chaawan kardiyan ne, pairi hath lawenga ke nahi?

ehe kudiyan chidiyan ne, thodi der reh ke udd jaana,
inna wehde aayi kunja nu, choga pawenga ke nahi?

saha de naal larhdi jehdi,mukk challi wich punjab de,
uss maa nu milan layi kadi jawenga ke nahi?

puchdi dhee ladli baabal ton..............

Dukh ta bathere likhe rabb ne nasiba ch
vaddon wala na miliya koi diljani dosto
dukh ate dard hi han mere hisse aaye
Chava ate khushiya di kiti aa kurbani dosto
osdiya yaada le ke aayi sa iss mehfil ch
jis di odeek ch kati mai jawani dosto
jakhama te malam da kam kita tusi odo
jad tarraphi si eh jind nimani dosto
likhan da mainu chajh kado si aayea
tuhada dita hosla hi meri nishani dosto
jina loka nu mai na mili, na dekhiya
oh meri kavita nu den parwani dosto
meriya likhta nu tusi pasand ho karde
tuhade hugare naal bani hai kahani dosto
dil diya gallan kehadi kive eh HEER
je pj di na hundi meharbani dosto