Further...
“ੴ” is written as “Ekkankar” throughout Sri Guru Granth Sahib. I quote here Fifth Nanak literally defining ੴ as Prabh,
On 276 SGGS
ਕਈ ਕੋਟਿ ਖਾਣੀ ਅਰੁ ਖੰਡ ॥ ਕਈ ਕੋਟਿ ਅਕਾਸ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡ ॥ ਕਈ ਕੋਟਿ ਹੋਏ ਅਵਤਾਰ ॥ ਕਈ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਿਸਥਾਰ ॥ ਕਈ ਬਾਰ ਪਸਰਿਓ ਪਾਸਾਰ ॥ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਇਕੁ ਏਕੰਕਾਰ ॥ ਕਈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕੀਨੇ ਬਹੁ ਭਾਤਿ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਤਿ ॥ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਆਪੇ ਆਪਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥੭॥
Ka▫ī kot kẖāṇī ar kẖand. Ka▫ī kot akās barahmand. Ka▫ī kot ho▫e avṯār. Ka▫ī jugaṯ kīno bisthār. Ka▫ī bār pasri▫o pāsār. Saḏā saḏā ik ekankār. Ka▫ī kot kīne baho bẖāṯ. Parabẖ ṯe ho▫e parabẖ māhi samāṯ. Ŧā kā anṯ na jānai ko▫e. Āpe āp Nānak parabẖ so▫e. ||7||
In Essence: There have been many millions of various lives and realms, many millions of skies and cosmos, many millions births of beings, thus in many ways the Creator has unfolded, many times He expended His expansion, forever and ever, He has been only the one Creator [Ekkankar]. Many millions of kinds of creation He created, all emanate from Prabh and merge in Him eventually. No one knows His limits; Nanak says Akalpurakh is all by Himself.
Above the concept of Ekkankar is expressed in detail , in no way Ikkankar or Ekkankar has any limit like of trinity concept. Still it is used in context of Prabh, the Creator.
Bhai Gurdas actually rightful way explains why Guru Nanak Dev uses “1”with “OOrha” without guessing unlike others. Bhai Gurdas writes:
“ਏਕਾ ਏਕੰਕਾਰੁ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੇਖਾਲਿਆ ।
aykaa aykankaaruz|ikhi daykhaaliaa|
By writing 1 (One number) in the beginning, Ekkankar is defined as the one only [This is the right pronunciation of ੴ]
ਊੜਾ ਓਅੰਕਾਰੁ ਪਾਸਿ ਬਹਾਲਿਆ ।
oorhaa aoankaaru paasi bahaaliaa|
oorhaa aoankaaru paasi bahaaliaa|
[With the first number], and by using “oorha” as “Onkaar” with it, [idea continues]
ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਭਾਲਿਆ ।
sati naamu karataaru nirabhau bhaaliaa|
The True Name of fearless Creator is made understood.
ਨਿਰਵੈਰਹੁ ਜੈਕਾਰੁ ਅਜੂਨਿ ਅਕਾਲਿਆ ।
niravairahu jaikaaru ajooni akaaliaa|
and also it is explained that the Creator is beyond enmity, birth [and death]. [Vaaran Bhai Gurdas]
As we go through Sri Guru Granth Sahib, we will find the use of “Ekkankar” just as we understand the meaning of ੴ by Gurus including Guru Nanak Dev on 30, 53, 85, 189, 222,227, 276, 284, 294, 296, 381, 507, 608, 688, 736, 782,, 821, 838, 901, 904, 905, 916, 930, 999,1034 and 1039, SGGS.
So Bhai Gurdas gets help from Gurbani/in Guru’s own words only. What Bhai Gurdas has written about it, is genuine and above all guesses, he is very much aware of what he is saying, it would be highly unlikely that he wouldn’t have asked Guru Arjun Dev Ji about the pronunciation of ੴ.
The SGGS must be searched WITHIN for any queries or answers...there is no need to go look elsewhere..be it vedas or purans or pandits mouthing OM OM Aum etc...:redturban:
“Sikhi/ is a way of living in Creator’s love” well defined through Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji; it has nothing to do with previous faiths or philosophies; if Parma Nanda or other individuals want to claim that Guru Nanak Dev has no new knowledge , it is their problem; in “Sattyarth”, Arrya Smaji Daya Nand calls Guru Nanak Dev “an atheist” because such people’s egoist agenda is to tell the world that they found the Creator first, and they never realized that there could have been civilizations, which existed before Hindus, and could have been destroyed thousands years before them. Still unknown civilizations are buried out there, we would never find to what spiritual peak people might have reached. Knowledge of the Creator comes to those upon whom He bestows His grace; it might have come to many another parts of the planet as well. Clouding enlightened ones’ views becomes agenda of those who are diseased with conceit. Look at an eminent Sikh Historian Khushwant Singh; he considers the word “Ram” “Seeta” used in Jap Ji for Ram Chandra ji and Seeta Ji. All other Names like Krishn, Braham, Narrain used for all pervading “Ikkankar”in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, are interpreted by such kind of people as Hindu – Gods or concept of Gods. We cannot stop fundamentalist - Hindus or people with such agenda calling Sikhs Hindus though openly Fifth Nanak declares that Sikhs are not Hindu [1136 SGGS]. Who are they to judge this path anyway when Fifth Nanak explains once for all that Guru Nanak - path is neither Hinduism nor Islam? This declaration is right there in Sri Guru Granth Sahib but they don’t accept it, and keep playing with the words; it is their psychiatric – games; Sikhs know that they cannot, and they don’t worship idols or believe in any of them. By guessing and giving new meanings to ੴ by articulating it differently is nothing but a muscular game of mind. What Dr Sahib Singh ji says about the meaning of “Kaar” in context of “Ekkankar” sounds right as we see Guru Nanak Dev and his descendants using “Ekkankar” as “all continuously pervading power”? When Dr Sahib Singh quotes “Sanskrit word” he defines it as it is interpreted in Sanskrit but when “Kaar” is used in context of “work” he uses it in that sense, how anyone can prove him wrong, what is the base? Is it that “one word has one meaning” technique that should be a base to understand a language?
Talking about originality of Guru Nanak Dev, there is no evidence that any one ever used “Ekkankar” before, so that is original, If we take Parma Nanda’s own words and accept that Guru Nanak Dev has added one [number] with Omkaar/Onkaar to express “oneness” of Onkaar, it becomes more clear that all Hindu Seers before Guru Nanak Dev were wrong, because they failed to define Creator’s oneness, isn’t it originality? Guru Nanak Dev is not interested in who is the first to know Him, he doesn’t question all the prevailed Hindu and Ibrahim - faiths; however, it is the mountain of hypocrisy in all faiths he questions. If “Onkaar” comes from ancient belief, Guru also informs us that in the Vedas, worshipping of the Creator is indicated, but people have forgotten [919 SGGS]. Bhai Gurdas, Dr Sahib Singh and other Scholars are not incorrect in defining “ੴ/ as “Ekkankar/Ikkankaar. Guru nanak ji doesnt lose face..we DO.
