Saturday, October 25, 2008

History of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Courtesy of Manvir Singh Khalsa

Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (1708 - Eternity)

October 20th marks the Gurgaddi diwas of Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee, when the Tenth Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh jee Maharaaj rested Guru-ship in the eternal Guru of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee. Saariaa nu Gurpurb di Vaadhaayee Hove!


Waheguru created His own Guru-form - the "Shabad Guru". Only Waheguru is capable of having someone meet Him or reach Him. In order to accomplish this huge task He formed His own Guru-form. Waheguru is jyot saroop, which means has the form of light. A light brighter than a million suns. Gurbani is also part of that. Like the sea and waves - both are water, yet both have different functions and forms. Waheguru is the ocean, and the Satguru (the True Guru) is the wave, that washes upon our souls, and gently pulls us back towards the sea (Waheguru). In 1469, the Invisible/Unmanifest (Nirgun) form of Waheguru manifested His attributes to the Guru-form which was Guru Nanak Dev jee. Through Guru Nanak Dev jee's coming each and every person had a chance to communicate with the Creator and acting upon the revealed message could achieve liberation whilst alive (jeevan-muktee), whereas in the past only the rare few Bhagats who practiced extreme efforts on meditating upon the Creator achieved union with Waheguru.
Aad Granth Sahib (also known as 'Pothi Sahib')The Fifth Nanak, Guru Arjan Dev jee, accumulated the Shabad revelation from first 5 Gurus, 15 Bhagats and 11 Bhatts and 3 Sikhs, and recorded it into the physical Word in the form of 'Aad Granth Sahib jee' (also referred to as 'Pothi Sahib'), which was earlier form of Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee. In 1604 the Aad Granth Sahib jee was installed on a high pedestal within Sri Darbaar Sahib, and Guru Arjan Dev jee from then on sat in the Sangat. Guru Arjan Dev jee showed so much respect to the Shabad-Guru that he would sleep on the floor and instead the Aad Granth Sahib jee would be placed to rest on the bed.
Aad Granth Sahib jee & Dheer MalPothi Sahib (known today as the Kartarpur Bir) was kept by the Sixth Nanak, Guru Hagobind Sahib jee in his house. From here it was stolen by his grandson called Dheer Mal, who intended to use it to further his claims on the succession of the Guruship. Some 30 years later the Sikhs of the Ninth Nanak, Guru Tegh Bahadur jee forcibly recovered it, but were instructed by Guru Sahib to return it. But as the Sikhs were far from the town, they placed it in the shallow river bed of the Satluj River. From here Dheer Mal recovered it, miraculously it was undamaged The Bir was taken by Dheer Mal and his family to where they lived in Kartarpur, thus the name Kartapur Bir ('Bir' meaning 'Volume').Kartarpur Bir

During Guru Gobind Singh Sahib jee's Guru-ship, Baba Deep Singh along with 24 other Singhs went to Dheer Mal (the grandson of the Sixth Guru) to ask him to return the Kartarpur Bir (the original Aad Granth Sahib jee that Guru Arjan Sahib jee compiled) that he had forcibly taken during the time of Guru Hargobind Sahib jee. Dheer Mal refused and replied, "If your Guru is the same 'Roop' (form) as the first and fifth Guru Sahibs, then why doesn't he fashion Gurbaani from memory?"Damdami Bir
Guru Gobind Singh Sahib jee stayed Talwandi Sabo (known as Sri Damdama Sahib today) for 9 months and 9 days in 1706 and dictated the entire Aad Granth Sahib jee with the addition of Guru Teg Bahadar jee's revealed Bani (sacred hymns), whilst Bhai Mani Singh jee undertook the task of scribing under Guru Sahib's supervision. Baba Deep Singh jee did seva of preparing ink and providing the resources for scribing. Undoubtedly, Guru Sahib got rid of certain unauthorised writings which had crept into some pirated copies and gave the Granth (Scripture) it's final form. As this Bir (Volume) was compiled by Guru Sahib at Sri Damdama Sahib, in Southern Panjab, this final form of the Granth Sahib jee became known as the 'Damdami Bir'.
Resting Guru-ship in the Guru Granth-Guru PanthThis Bir was then taken to Sri Hazoor Sahib, NandeR, in 1708 by Guru Gobind Singh jee. On 20th October, a day before Guru Gobind Singh jee physically passed away, he asked Bhai Daya Singh jee to bring Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee and do Parkaash (ceremonial opening). Guru jee placed a cocunut and 5 coins in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee and bowed his head before the Shabad Guru and announced that from now on the eternal Guru will be Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee. Guru jee told the Sangat: “With the directive of the Almighty, initiated is the Panth. All the Sikhs are decreed to acknowledge Granth as Guru. Believing in Khalsa, epitomises the Guru as corporeal. Sikhs desirous to achieve me, (may) search in them.”