At a glance
- Religion
- Sikhism
- Script
- Gurmukhi
- Length
- 1,430 Ang (pages) in the standard edition
- Compiled
- By Guru Arjan in 1604 as the Adi Granth; completed under Guru Gobind Singh
- Contributors
- Six Sikh Gurus and Hindu and Muslim saints (bhagats)
- Status
- The eternal, living Guru of the Sikhs since 1708
From Adi Granth to living Guru
The fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan, compiled the first version of the scripture, called the Adi Granth, in 1604 and installed it in the Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple, in Amritsar. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, added the hymns of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, completing the text.
Before his death in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh declared that there would be no further human Gurus. The scripture itself, from then on called Guru Granth Sahib, became the Guru. Sikhs therefore treat it not only as a book but as the living presence and voice of the Guru.
Who contributed
Most hymns were composed by Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur. Guru Arjan contributed the largest number.
The scripture also includes compositions by bhagats, saints from different religious and caste backgrounds, such as Kabir, Ravidas, Namdev and the Muslim Sufi Sheikh Farid. Their inclusion reflects the Sikh teaching that truth and devotion are not limited to one community.
Language and script
Guru Granth Sahib is written in Gurmukhi, a script standardized by the second Guru, Guru Angad. Its language draws on Punjabi and several related languages and dialects of north India, including Braj, Lahnda, Sanskrit-derived and Persian vocabulary. Reading and understanding it often requires study, and many Sikhs learn Gurmukhi for this reason.
Every printed copy has the same 1,430 pages, so a passage can always be found by its Ang number.
Structure
The scripture opens with the Mool Mantar, a statement of the nature of the Divine beginning with Ik Oankar, “one Creator,” followed by Japji Sahib, Guru Nanak’s morning prayer. The main body is arranged into thirty-one raags, musical measures, and within each raag hymns are grouped by author and form. It ends with a closing section of various compositions.
Main teachings
The hymns teach devotion to the one formless Divine, remembrance of the Divine Name (Naam), the equality of all people, rejection of caste and empty ritual, the danger of ego, honest living, service and humility. They describe liberation as union with the Divine through grace, love and disciplined living.
How the scripture is treated
Guru Granth Sahib is treated with the respect due to a living Guru. In the gurdwara it rests on a raised platform under a canopy, is covered with cloths called rumalas and is fanned with a chaur. People cover their heads, remove their shoes and sit on the floor in its presence. At night it is ceremonially carried to a resting room, and in the morning it is brought out again.
A daily hukamnama, an order or guidance, is read by opening the scripture at random and reading the first hymn on the left-hand page.
Reading and singing
Kirtan, the singing of hymns from Guru Granth Sahib, is central to Sikh worship. An akhand path is a continuous, uninterrupted reading of the whole scripture, taking about forty-eight hours, often held for important occasions. Sikh weddings take place by walking around the scripture four times while hymns are sung.
Translation
English and other translations are widely used for understanding, but Sikhs regard the original Gurmukhi text as authoritative. Translators differ in interpretation, and Sikh institutions are careful about which translations are used in religious settings.
A concise summary
Guru Granth Sahib is the Sikh scripture and eternal Guru, compiled by Guru Arjan and completed under Guru Gobind Singh. Containing hymns by Sikh Gurus and saints of other traditions, arranged in musical measures, it teaches devotion to the one Divine, equality and service, and stands at the centre of all Sikh worship.