Gems of Gurbani

Guru Granth Sahib

Onkar   1

Onkar Bani was written by Guru Nanak ji at Kartarpur where he settled after his various travels, missionary work and to continue his journey in reflecting and understanding the True Lord. He also reflected upon all his interaction with people of various and different beliefs and consolidated his own belief in Waheguru the Only One Lord who is Creator, Person, Unborn, Fearless, Immaculate, Timeless and from whom the life springs. Satguruji wrote several Banis here and he reflected upon his own life and His life’s mission to propagate the Word that he seems to have received directly from Lord Himself. The Bani Onkar is a monologue that he seems to explain to a Pandit. It is an extension of God’s Word that he had received directly when his father took him to school to learn Sanskrit from a Pandit. The Pandit was teaching the alphabet s or sa when he came to school and asked Guruji if he knew this alphabet. Guruji’s sermon on words that came from his mouth stunned not only the Pandit but others too. Guruji reflected upon all these words that were spoken by Lord Himself through him were added with experience of all travels and knowing the various other beliefs and finalizing his own Belief and consolidating it as foundation of Gurmat. Onkar and Sidha Gosht are two such Banis that clarifies the existence of Oneness of Lord and objective of life in human form. This monologue with a Pandit shows that there are differences in Belief. The Creator who has created this world is like a tree that branches out from oneness into multiplicity of races, regions, worlds, weathers, nature, earth and soil, waters and oceans and all the variety that we see in the creation. Whereas Brahmanical belief takes us from various branches towards the main trunk (God) and fails to recognize that the Creator is the Person who plays all His play. The belief of Brahman divides the Society that created various demons of desires and lusts whereas Gurmat tells us to control these demons and walk towards Oneness who takes care of everyone.

Onkar Bani is documented on Page 929 onwards in Guru Granth Sahib. It is written in 54 stanzas and composed in Raag Ramkali dakhani.

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