Installation of Universal Guru

On 14^th September Sikh world is celebrating the installation of Guru Granth Sahib in Harmandir Sahib Amritsar. It is a celebration day not only for Sikhs but the whole of humanity. Enshrined in this Epic Granth are teachings of revered Masters of Sikhs and 11 Bhagtas who belonged to Bhakti movement much before Guru Nanak’s time. Inclusion of their Bani is evidence that the world was going on a dark path where humanity and humanitarian thinking had taken a back seat, religion and religious heads had started misguiding and pushing people into darkness of ignorance, superstitions, illiteracy and they were forced to live in subjugation of not only religious heads but Kings and Emperors. Bhagtas started a movement to fight for their rights to pray in temples and sing praises of One Almighty for whom the whole humanity is equal, challenging the powers and announcing that the division of the society is man made. All the efforts of those Bhagtas are included in the Granth who collaborated the same view as Gurus that there is only One True Lord and His truth is that for Him all humanity is equal and there is love for all even when they are different in race. That the differences been created by the Lord Himself for His own appeasement. The physical differences are the play of that Creator so that mortals understand His unlimited powers, His Infinite and eternal character.

In raag Mundawani Fifth Guru Ang (Page) 1429 has elaborated the greatness of Guru Granth Sahib because its main content is Shabad or Word that has come as Anahad Bani or untouched sound through utterances of the Gurus. Its compilation that was presented by Guru Arjun Devji the Fifth Master in a book form so that the Bani become eternal and the message of the Almighty is recorded and documented as reference to guide humanity on righteous path.          

Anahad Bani means a sound that comes without touch. To explain further a sound is usually created by friction of two metallic or even non metallic materials. Anahad is a sound that is creation of The Almighty that comes without friction. Gurbani is called Anahad Bani because it came as enlightenment to the writers themselves. Guru Arjun Ji has documented the greatness of Guru Granth sahib ji in Mundawani raag as follows:

Thaal wich tin vastu paiyo, sat santokh vicharo II

Amrit naam thakhur ka paiyo, jis ka sabas adharo II

Je ko khave je ko bhunche, tis ka hove udharo II

Eh vast taji nahin jayi, nit nit rakh uri dhare II

Tam sansar charan lagi tariye, sab Nanak brahm pasaro II 1II GG ang 1429

Meaning: Three things – truth, contentment and meditation are served in a platter. The Nectar Name of the Lord who is the support of all is also put in there. If someone partakes this fare and if someone relishes it, he is emancipated. This cannot be forsaken never ever so keep it enshrined in your mind. All that spread is His Creation so at His Feet you shall get the salvation and this dark world ocean is crossed. O Nanak, everything is extension of the Lord.

The creation of human beings and all the three worlds took a strange path where there was darkness of ignorance and religion was created where God and His message were forgotten and rules and regulations took precedent. Much bondage was created to divide humanity on basis of birth, colour of the skin, food, geographic and economic monopolies, boundaries etc. This all was done by people with vested interests and lust for domination, power and exploitation. The ideal human character was absorbed by the desires and if the desires are not fulfilled the doubt and fear were created and solution to these were given by the learned people forgetting all the while that there is one eternal Truth and that is the presence of Omniscient Lord. His will was forgotten. The world needed emancipation and that is to reach that status whose foundation was laid by the Creator Himself by placing a part of Himself in every body. The basic desire of every human being is to reach that ideal state where he has physical, material, psychic, intellectual and spiritual achievements and inner peace. Achieving this entire he reaches realm of harmony with himself, his near ones and the world around him. This is the real principle of emancipation.

All the religious books were saying same things in varied styles and languages but the interpretation of the religious doctrines were overpowered by the religious heads for their own vested interests and divisions in God’s will were created and humanity was divided.

Revelation of this truth came to Guru Nanak and he started preaching the truth and making reconciliation between two major religions of his time was his mission. He based his theory on Oneness of God who is a Universal Entity and sees the entire creation with equality, love, compassion and benevolence and not particular creed or race. All preaching of Guru Nanak, that of Bhagats that were collected by him during his various travels were documented and compilation of this work by adding the Banis of other Gurus and his own were done by Guru Arjun Devji the fifth Master.The compilation work took fifteen months and a monumental Granth was created with unique features like respect for writers irrespective of their caste and standing in the society, compilation featuring musical ragas of Indian music and the original banis of Bhagtas and others were maintained in their own languages thus a glimpse of languages and their structure for research is available. The art of expression of phrases and contemporary living and social customs were included for example the Barah Maha the seasons’ poetry and vairag the pain of separation were given a new expression and all the social customs to singing marriage songs, alahania etc were given new dimensions by associating it with Almighty.   

Wish everyone a very happy  first installation of Guru Granth Sahib Ji.