Guru is the guide
Hukam is the guidance
Shabad is the medium
Naam is the pukar (call)
Amrit is the quality of anyone who accepts Hukam
In general we take meaning of
Sabd as sound (
awaz), word (
akhar), talk (
kalam), name (
Ism), essence (
zameer), spoken word (
bachan), exposition (
wazahat), clarity (
sarahat), expression (
izhar), speech (
taqrir), etc. From grammatical point of view,
Sabd means a word, hymn or rendering. From linguistic point,
Sabd is a composition of sounds. The sound means depicting a thing or a naad (tune). The Vedas tell us that "
naad" brought into being fourteen
bhavans or regions of the universe. In the
Quran, it is mentioned that "k
alma" created fourteen
tabaqs or divisions. St. John, in his Gospel, has written that "Word" is the root cause of the creation.
In
Mahan KoshBhai Kahn Singh Nabha gives the meaning of
Sabd as 1. Tune; Sound; Sabd (
Dhun(i); Awaz; Sur) 2.Word; stanza; discussion 3. Knower of the God. (
Brahm Gyata) 4. Teachings of the master (
Gurupdesh) 5. The God, the Creator (
Brahm, Kartaar) 6. Religion (
Dharm; Mazhab) 7. Message (
Paigham; Suneha) 8. Stanza (The stanzas of various saints) 9.The working life (
karmic jeevan) 10. Meaning or purpose of the word (
Vachya arth; sabd da maksad).
[1]
Etymologically
Sabd is made of two word-sounds: ‘S’ and ‘
bd’. S or ‘
svai’ means self, (‘
hau’+‘mai’ also combined to be spoken as ‘
haumai’) and ‘
bd’ means to kill, finish or end.
Sabd thus means ‘to kill, finish or end
haumai’.
Guru Nanak has explained: “eradicating of
haumai with
Sabd in
Sidh Gosht.”[2] He says: “In egotism, the world was formed; forgetting the
Naam, it suffers and dies. One who becomes
Gurmukh contemplates the essence of spiritual wisdom through the
Sabd and he burns away his egotism.”
[3] Eradicating egotism and individualism from within, and erasing duality, the mortal becomes one with God
[4]. Without the
Sabd, the essence does not come and the thirst of egotism does not depart.
[5] The
Guru's Sabd abides within the mind, and egotism is eliminated from within.
[6]
Haumai is the one which detaches the being from God.
Haumai is the darkness which does not allow the being to see the God, the true light and put up effort to be one with Him. It does not allow the being to meditate on the God.
Guru removes this darkness of
haumai with
Sabd.
Sabd thus depicts the removal of
haumai, the darkness; it thus becomes
Guru;
gu+ru, the remover of darkness. It depicts the God, the giver of light; the light that is God.
Sabd thus is personified as God,
Guru and a being.
Sabd has been so described in Indian literature. In English it is ‘word’ and in Latin it is ‘
logos’. However in Sikhism, it has very deeper spiritual connotation as compared to other religious scriptures.
Sabd in
Sri Guru Granth Sahib has the connotations as God,
Hukum (Order) of the God received by
Sat(i)gur,
Guru Mantar, Gurbani etc [7].
The Holy Granth describes ‘the
Sabd’ implicitly. Before the creation,
sabd (as God) existed in its latent form and as such had no name. In this state, It was something completely established in Itself and was thus known as
Asabd (sound-less),
Anaam (nameless),
Alakh (non-understandable),
Agam (inconceivable),
Akah(i) (unutterable) and
Akath (indescribable). When it came into manifestation, It was called "
Sabd" or "
naam".
Sabd when hidden was
anaam; when in manifestation it became
Naam.
The unwritten or sound
sabd or Name is of two types: Firstly we have the attributive names of the Supreme Reality, such as,
Hari, Govind, Ram, Haq, Rahim, etc. Secondly, the names brought to the world out of empirical studies, observation of nature, or experience of great prophets, such as, the Name "
Om" in the Upanishads, ‘
Ahura Mazda’ in the
Zend Avastha or
Tao of Lao Tzu.
Wahiguru, Sat(i)nam and Onkar are immensely evocative and highly esteemed in the Sikh scriptures.
Whatever is spoken or heard, written or read is
Sabd. It reveals the real nature of things and explains the hidden reality or mystery thereof. The
Sabd is the revelation by God and the True guidance for a being to perform. The word of God is a lighted lamp in the darkness of ignorance which helps in self realization. It is in this context that the scriptures of various religions have the clear references to the basic common factor, the Divine Light as the only means for creation and maintenance of the universe and the regeneration of mankind.
Purpose of
sabd is to reach a state where thought is absent. Its scope lies in not allowing yourself to be moved by any form of allurement. Its nature is stillness and its activating agent is wisdom.
[8]
Sabd has been the cause of attention in various religions in various word forms. Almost all the religions have accepted
Sabd as pertaining to God in one form of other.
Sabd is considered as God Himself,
Sabd as written word,
Sabd as Name of God (
Naam),
Sabd as Sound,
Sabd as
Guru, etc. in all the religious scriptures, "
Sabd" is stated to be the root instrument of creation, development and the regeneration of the universe.
According to the doctrine of
Logos, as propounded by Philo Judaes, a Jew, who lived in Alexandria in the first-half of first century B.C. and first-half of first century A.D., the Word is the creative, actively expressed and revelatory thought and Will of God which is at once distinguished and identified with Him. It is the immanent Rational Principle in the universe, and it is the active principle in all divine and esoteric knowledge. The
Logos is the Reality of all realities underlying the whole universe. It is the First Substance from which everything has its origin.
Gurbani has used
Sabd as written as well as unwritten in the form of sound.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the written Word while recitation of God’s Name is sound word. In the sound form it is taken to mean dhun, naad, bani etc.
From the theological point of view;
Sri Guru Granth Sahib relates
Sabd to ‘The God’ ‘Order of God’, ‘Guru’, ‘Religion’, ‘God’s word given by
Guru’ and ‘
gurbani’. From the above the implications of word are given below:
Everything from beginning to end exists in
Sabd. The physical elements, the subtle and ethereal powers and vibrations, the causal seeds and essences, one and all are from
Sabd and nothing but
Sabd personified. We live and have our very being in
Sabd and ultimately dissolve into
Sabd. All the scriptures of the world tell us that
Sabd is above the material and efficient cause and All-Controlling Power of the Universe. He is all in all Himself and revels in His creation by supporting it by
Sabd.
[9] In speaking, in seeing and in words, one must remain immersed in the
Sabd. [10]
Guru
Etymologically the word
Guru is composed of two terms-
gu- means darkness and
ru- meaning Light. The word
Guru thus means from darkness to light or from ignorance to enlightenment. The term '
Guru' in Sikhism is not used for a teacher or a guide or an expert or even a human body but as a spiritual guide who enlightens the mind toward the God and guide one to be in union with the God.
Meanings- 1. Sweet forms of sugar (
Gud, Siahkand) 2. to put up effort, to kill, to damage, to raise (
yatan karna; udam karna; maarna; nuksaan karna; ubharna; ucha karna) 3. Originated from ‘
gri’ root meaning to gulp and teach;
Guru is the one who eats ignorance and explains the knowledge of the matter to the learner. (
Guru sabd gri dhatoo ton bania hai. Is de do arth han; niglna te samjhauna. Jo agyan nun kha janda hai ate Sikh nun tatt gyan samjhaunda hai uh guru hai) (Mahan Kosh).
[11]
Sabd-Guru
Sabd-Guru has a special connotation is Sikhism.
Sabd is considered as
Guru in
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Sabd and
Guru are interconnected.
The word is Guru; the Guru is the word; the word contains all nectars [12]. The
Sabd is the
Guru, to carry one across the terrifying world-ocean.
[13] Darkness is removed from the body by the light of lamp
of Guru’s Sabd.
Sabd is the
Guru and
Peer; the serious guide with depth of knowledge; this is why the entire universe is madly seeking the
Sabd. [14]
Guru is the one who gives
gyanthrough
sabd and enlightens the true disciple, a
Gurmukh removing darkness of ignorance and
salvaging through
Naam. When the
sabd is itself considered as
Guru, the repertoire of
gyan, the enlightening and salvaging process starts with the
Sabd Guru.
Sabd Guru Gyan Naam Naad (Anhad) Enlightenment Salvation Gurmukh
Guru Granth Sahib as Sabd-Guru
In the Sikh context Sabd Guru refers to the sacred compositions of the Gurus and the holy saints and sufis incorporated in the Scriptures
Sri Guru Granth Sahib. [15] Guru Gobind Singh anointed
Sabd-Guru as the ever living
guru of the Sikhs. Passing of
Guruship to
Sabd Guru rather than to a Guru in living body form was not just a sudden thought by Guru Gobind Singh. All the
Gurus themselves advocated
Sabd as Guru and emulated it so. They considered that the
sabd is the real guide, the
guru and not the body which is merely an instrument to deliver word. A scripture too is an instrument of delivering the word, hence is equally important. The essence is that the
sabd alone is guru and not its bodily forms. The follower of the
guru has to follow the
sabd and not the body activity or form. One has to have faith in the word and follow it up truly if one wants to get enlightened. These facts are available in
Guru Granth Sahib and the other contemporary records.
All the
Gurus considered
sabd as the supreme path provider and the true spiritual guide. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth
Guru passed on
Guruship to
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the
Sabd Guru.
[16]
The
Sabd Guru;
Sri Guru Granth Sahib is thus the True
Guru of Sikhs. All Sikhs are urged to follow the
Guru’s teaching as recorded in
Sri Guru Granth Sahib. They must realize the spirit of
Sabd through reading or through
Sadh Sangat; the congregation of the holy Sikhs in the presence of
Sri Guru Granth Sahib. If they follow the teaching of
Sabd as understand through the congregation of holy; the
Sadh Sangat, and mould their life according to
Sabd Guru; they shall surely be redeemed. It is futile to hanker after the mortals who use the
Sabd Guru to maintain their status and to gain power and pelf.
[17] The congregation of the holy
(Sadh sangat)is the instrument of delivery of the
sabd.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib is thus the supreme religious Sikh scripture. It is now venerated as the printed Word on 1430 full scale pages and revered as Guru. These Words are the hymns of 6 Gurus, (Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur) and great Hindu and Muslim saints of the twelfth century to seventeenth century A.D. The hymns are in lyrical form i.e., in 31 chosen Ragas and 29 Raginis making a great variety of 70 rag-raginis but all blended ina harmonious way. The teachings of
Guru Granth Sahib are natural and spontaneous. They have nothing ritualistic; whatever is taught is directly appealing and applicable without any difficulty. It is easily understood even by the commoner and practiced by all without any barrier of caste and religion.
Gurbani is a living rhythm imparted through S
anga. Bani in
Guru Granth Sahib is the creative force of the infinite rhythm. It has the permutation and the combination when recited it creates the internal rhythm of the body and the being.
The words of
Sri Guru Granth Sahib are all practical and lived through by the
Gurus and saints themselves. They are soul-stirring, guiding to spiritual heights and attainment of the Ultimate. Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogi found, “
Sri Guru Granth Sahib as the matchless Divine Treasure of synthetic embrace of the whole global community and a paradise of spiritual harmony.” Pear S Buck studied the scriptures of all great religions, but “did not find elsewhere the same power of appeal to the heart and mind as in
Sri Guru Granth Sahib.”
The power and projection of the sound current in the
sabds of
Guru Granth Sahib are in Ragas. These Ragas are a methodology of harmonious play of life force. The blessings of
Sri Guru Granth Sahib nurture in trees, humans, bees and birds, demons and angels alike. It is a song celestial which sings the glory of the sole god in one harmonious melody from the beginning to end. Once the honeybees sat on a branch to create the honey and tape the
Gurbani was played at a distance constantly. That beehive gave three times the honey of the other hives.
Guru Granth is matchless divine treasure of synthetic embrace of the whole global community;
Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a paradise of spiritual harmony. True integration, harmony and unity can only usher in, or a solid foundation of love. This love stands out beautifully harmoniously synthetically in its pristine purity and glory in
Sri Guru Granth Sahib where the hymns-celestial of divine lovers of different religion, faith, creed are enshrined in one religion of Love, in brotherhood on man and in sole father hood of God. So
Guru Granth Sahib flows and glows the salvation of humanity.
[18]
Sri Guru Granth Sahib is thus about the universe and for the universe and has the applicability for people from all walks of life globally. This universality aspect needs to be expounded and propagated further so that the message of
Guru Granth Sahib reaches all the corners of the world, is understood and applied to make the world a better living.
Keeping in view, the above aspects,
Sabd is discussed as in various religions in general and in Sikhism in particular in its various forms as God, God’s Order (
Hukum), and Guru. A Gurmukh’s salvation process by the
guru is also considered through God’s Name (
Naam), Divine Musical Hymn (
Bani), Divine Music (
Anhad Naad), Knowledge (
Gyan), Divine Light (
Jyot).
Sri Guru Granth Sahib is thereafter discussed as
Sabd Guru- as a Word revealed, as Record of Origin of Universe, its history of Installation, Doctrines, Concepts and Theories, its Universal Relevance. Finally how the word is expounded through
Sadh Sangat and
Khalsa are given out
.
[[
1] Mahan Kosh, National Book Shop, New Delhi, 1985 edn, p.46
[2] Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Siddh Gost M 1, p.943-945.
[3] ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਜਗੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਪੁਰਖਾ ਨਾਮਿ ਵਿਸਰਿਐ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਈ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਤਤੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਜਲਾਏ ॥
(rwmklI mhlw 1, pMnw.946:3) (
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Ramkali M 1: 946:3)
[4] ਹਉਹਉ ਮੈ ਮੈ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਖੋਵੈ ॥ਦੂਜਾ ਮੇਟੈ ਏਕੋ ਹੋਵੈ ॥(rwmklI mhlw 1, pMnw.943:5) (
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Ramkali, M1:943:5)
[5] ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਰਸੁ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਅਉਧੂ ਹਉਮੈ ਪਿਆਸ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥
(rwmklI mhlw 1, pMnw.945 :1) (
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Ramkali M.1:943:5)
[6] ਗuਰਕਾਸਬਦੁਮiਨਵiਸਆਹਉਮੈ iਵਚਹੁਖoਇ॥(m 1, ਪMਨਾ 61:5) (
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, M.1: p.61:5)
[7] Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha: Gurmat Martand, Part I, SGPC Amritsar, Oct., 1983, p.131.
[8] Extracts from "The Path of Sudden Attainment" by Hui Hai : a scripture of Mahayana
Buddhism translated by John Blofeld: Method of Enlightenment by sudden apprehension.
[9] Basant M1
[10]ਆਖਣੁਵੇਖਣੁਬੋਲਣਾਸਬਦyਰਹਿਆਸਮਾਇ॥ (ਮਃ3, ਪੰਨਾ 35:9) (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, M3, p. 35:9)
[11] Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, Mahan Kosh, p.419, 421)
[12] bwxI Guru hY bwxI ivic bwxI AMimRq swry[[(pMnw, 982) (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, p.982)
[13] ਸਬਦਿ ਗੁਰੂ ਭਵਸਾਗਰੁ ਤਰੀਐ ਇਤ ਉਤ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਣੈ ॥ (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
[14] sbdu gur pIrw gihr gMBIrw ibnu sbdY jgu baurwnM[[(pMnw, 635) (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, p.635)
[15] Harbans Singh (ed), 1992, Encyclopedia of Sikhism, , p.276
[16] Bhatt Wahi Talaunda, Pargna Jeend. As mentioned in ‘Guru Kian Sakhian’ (ed. Piara Singh Padam and
Giani Garja Singh Publishers Kalam Mandir, Patiala:1986, p.14)
[17] AwigAw BeI Akwl kI qBI clwieau pMQ[[
sB isKn ko hukum hY guru mwinau gRMQ[[
guru gRMQ jI mwinau pRgt gurW kI dyh[[
jo pRB ko imlbo chY Koj sbd my lyh[[
[18] Yogi Harbhajan Singh: Eternal Glory of Sri
Guru Granth Sahib: Simriti Granth; Aduti Gurmat Sangeet Sammelan 2001:
Jawadi Taksal, Jawadi, Ludhiana
