Appendix 1
When was Japji composed? There is some controversy about it. That, however, is immaterial. It is certain, that Japji was not composed at a time. Its different meters and the variation in length of various stanzas point to its being a compilation, rather than being a composition. The bits of stanzas were composed by Guru Nanak at different times. When these were brought together in the form of Japji cannot be said with certainity. On the authority of Bhai Gurudas (1560-1639 A.D.), Var 1, it is however known that when Guru Nanak settled at Kartarpur (around 1521), the daily routine of Sikhs consisted of recitation of Japji in the morning.
Since then the recitation of Japji, at the ambrosial hours of the morning has constituted the regular feature of Sikh life. It is never sung as a hymn with musical instruments. It is a poem of surpassing beauty, which the devotee remembers by heart and recites. It is in the form of meditation and provides a great inspiration and solace to the followers of Guru Nanak.
The Japji is a key to the Adi-Granth, and an epitome of its doctrines.
1 The Invocation
1 OANKAR sati namu karta purakhu nirbhau nirvairu akal murati ajuni saibhan gur prasadi.
The Adi-Granth, the sacred book of Sikhs, popularly known as Guru Granth Sahib, opens with the Invocation, given above in Roman script, which succinctly sums up Guru Nanak’s concept of God. In its entirety, the Invocation is known as Mul Mantra, the basic precept, which in short gives the essence of the cumulative teachings of the Sikh Gurus and various Bhaktas in the Adi-Granth. The whole of the Adi-Granth may be said to be a commentary and elucidation of the Invocation, which in its entirety, or in an abbreviated form, is repeated time and again in the Adi-Granth.
The Invocation has been translated and interpreted variously by the different Sikh and non Sikh scholars. Principal Jodh Singh, with whom Prof. Sahib Singh and Bhai Vir Singh broadly agree, paraphrases it as follows:
“This Being is One. He is Eternal. He is Immanent in all things and the Sustainer of all things. He is the Creator of all things. He is Immanent in His Creation. He is without fear and without enmity. This Being is not subject to Time. He is beyond birth and death. He is Himself responsible for His own manifestation. (He is known) by the Guru’s grace.”
M.A. Macauliffe in his monumental work The Sikh Religion has given three translations of the Invocation which vary only in one respect – the translation of the term gur prasadi. The translation at page 35 of the Sikh Religion, Volume I, reads: “There is but One God whose name is True, the Creator, devoid of fear and enmity, immortal, unborn, self-existent, great and bountiful.” At page 218 of the same Volume, the term ‘bountiful’ has been replaced by the word ‘beneficient’ while at an earlier place at page 195, in deference to the opinion of the majority of the learned Sikhs consulted by him, two words gur and prasadi (great and bountiful), were joined together as one word, and translated “by the favour of the Guru.”
The Invocation, however, consists of fourteen monosyllables. Each word is distinct from the other, a unit in itself and gives an attribute of God. From the view-point of Sikh theology, it would be of interest to determine the meaning of these monosyllables. The most important of these are the first two, 1 and Oankar, which are being dealt with in detail.
1. The first word in the Invocation is the digit 1 (not in words). This digit is commonly pronounced in Panjabi as ik, but Guru Nanak himself has pronounced it as ekankar :
ekam ekankar nirala. (Alpha, ekankar is unique – unlike any one else). Bilawal M(ahala) 1, Thitti, (1), Adi-Granth (A.G). page 838.
Again, hari simri ekankar saca, sabhu jagatu jini upala. (Contemplate God, the ekankar, the Eternal, who created the whole universe.) Tukhari M. 1, (6), A.G. 1112-3.
Bhai Gurdas, ameneunses to Guru Arjan in compiling the Adi-Granth, who was the first to write commentary on the Sikh scriptures, and whose hymns were termed by Guru Arjan as key to the Adi-Granth, has elucidated, firstly about the pronunciation of the digit 1, and secondly that the two words 1 and oankar are quite distinct, beyond any shadow of doubt:
eka ekankaru likhi dikhalia, ura oankar pas bahalia. (The digit 1 was written and shown as ekankar; Ura as oankar was placed along by). VARS, 3-15.
Again, ekankar ikang likh, ura oankar lakhaia (Writing ekankar distinctly, ura was deciphered as Oankar). VARS, 39-1.
What is the meaning of ekankar? Ekankar is combination of three words, ek plus an plus kar. Ek means one; an stands for infinity, and kar means ‘the Only’. Ekankar, therefore, means the One Infinite Only, or the Only Infinite One.
Guru Nanak’s emphasis on 1 emanated from two aspects of his thinking. One, that He is One only, and there is no other to equal Him. Words may change their meanings and concepts in course of time, but the connotation of a numeral is always the same and unchangable. It emphasises the unity of God in unmistakable terms. Guru Nanak’s emphasis on 1 was because the populace had forgotton the One God, and was running after the minor gods and godesses who were His creation.
Two, Guru Nanak used the digit 1 and not the word, as he wanted to emphasise that the Universe had emanated from One God and not from the zero, or void, the state of dispassion, or lifeless, unconscious matter. Guru Nanak has, in Rag Maru (Adi-Granth, pages 1023-38), elucidated that before the beginning of the creation, there was nothing but chaos and chaos for aeons of years, but even at that time the Only Infinite One was there, and He was wrapt in Himself in His eternity, in absolute trance, was alone and detached, had no rival, and sat in judgement over Himself. Only His Order, Hukam, prevailed, and He created Universe out of Himself.
According to Guru Nanak, the Universe sprang from the Only Infinite Ione, out of His Absolute Self, and He breathed His own light into His creation. In his primal form, he was Nirguna unmanifest, and when he revealed Himself in His creation, He became Sarguna, manifest.
Oankar : The second word in the Invocation is Oankar. This also sometimes is written as Oamkar, which, however, is not correct. Guru Nanak himself in his hymn Dakhani Oankar spells out the word as Oankar.
Swami Vivekananda would make us believe that the word oankar is of Vedic origin. He wrote : Oankar is the most holy word of the Vedas. A symbolic word meaning the Supreme Being, the Ocean of Knowledge and Bliss Absolute.
But the Sanskrit shape of the word was Å and later this got two other forms AoN and Aom all of these are pronounced Om. In his Dakhani Oankar, Guru Nanak spells it as Onam. If n is taken as nasal sound, it would pronounce as Om.
All these three forms were considered holy, an attribute of Almighty, and an object of concentration in prayer. According to certain interpretations Om consisted of three alphabets, A (a), a (o), and m (m). These three were interpreted to represent the Hindu trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
Guru Nanak adapted the word oankar a and gave it distinct shape and meaning. It is combination of two words: oan plus kar. Oan means the Supreme Being (God), and kar means ‘the Only’. Guru Nanak’s emphasis was on the Only Supreme Being (God), who had no rival or equal to Him.
Guru Nanak rejected the theory of incarnation, but retained the use of words Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and also many others, to illustrate the different and varied aspects of Almighty’s functions, in the language understandable to the people.
By combining the first two monosyllables, we get the word 1 Oankar, the Only Infinite One, the Only Supreme Being (God), from whom emanated the Universe. 1 oankar, therefore, is known as the bij mantra, the basic formula in Sikhism, which is the subject of meditation.
Sati: The literal translation is Truth. But in context of the sum total of Guru Nanak’s testament, it would be apt to translate it as Eternal. It is only God who has no beginning, no end, is not subject to change. He was, is, and shall for ever be alike.
Namu: The literal translation is The Name, rather the Divine Name. In Sikh theology, Namu for all practical purposes is synonymous with Sabad (Word). Divine Name is not something distinct from the Almighty. It instead is revelation of, and coextensive with, the Infinite One. It is expression of the nature and being of God in terms comprehensible to human understanding. According to Guru Nanak, before creation of the Universe, there was the Infinite One engrossed in Himself in trance in His True Name, His True Glory and His True Throne. When He created the Universe, He breathed his own light in his creation. In Japji (19), Guru Nanak says: “Whatever He created was (manifestation of) His Name; There is no place where His name does not pervade.” Namu, therefore, is the Universal Light or Spirit which is all-pervading and immanent in all His creation.
Besides, Namu is object of meditation. The contemplation of the Divine Name helps in realisation of the Lord in self. The Namu, kindles the inner light and helps in its mingling with the Supreme Light.
The Name of God and names of God are quite distinct and are not to be confused. The Adi-Granth uses various names of God prevalent at the time, such as Bhagvan, Gobind, Gopal, Ishwar, Ram, Allah, Rabb, Rahim, Khuda, but these are not essential. Namu is the total expression of God, manifest and unmanifest. It is expression of His Light or Spirit which is immanent in His creation.
The two syllables, Sati and Namu combined are known as Nam Mantra, and its recitation is ordained in the Sikh scriptures.
Karta: God is the Creator. He created the Universe. Before the creation of Universe, the power of creation lay in the Supreme Being unmanifest. In his long poem, Dakhani Oankar, Guru Nanak has dwelt upon the attributes of his Supreme Being, who is also the creator and spread His light in His creation. The Creator is indistinct from God. There is no Parallel to Him. He is omnipotent. Through His powers are winds, water and fire; and the earth is created out of dust. All is through His power, for He is the Creator Lord. His Name is the holiest of the holy.
Guru Nanak in this respect differed from all six schools of Hindu philosophy which either placed God as coeval with others like Soul, Prakriti or Maya in bringing about the creation, or otherwise relegated the position of God as the Creator.
Purakhu: The word is of Sanskrit origin and means He who is All-Pervading; who pervades in each and every particle. In context of human body, the word Purakhu gives the meaning of Soul, and in context of the Universe, it means God. Its literal meaning is Person. In Adi-Granth, the word Purakhu has been used in various contexts meaning person, man, great man, God, Soul, All-Pervading.
Guru Nanak has used adjectives to illustrate the attributes of the Purakhu who is the only Eternal entity, distinct from other persons. He is from the very beginning (adi purakh), All Pervading and Eternal (sat purakh), Creator (karta purakh), Immortal (akal purakh), and without the duality of maya (niranjan purakh).
Purakhu, as such, is the Universal Mind or Soul (Parmatma) which is omnipresent and omniscient. The human mind or soul (atma) formed part of the Universal Mind or Soul before it was parted, and is eager for communion. Guru Nanak has used this simile to delineate God as the supreme bridegroom and His creation as the bridge eager to meet Him.
Purakhu therefore is that Being, Mind or Soul which is All-Pervading.
Nirbhau: Literal meaning is Without Fear. The word is to be interpreted in sum total of Guru Nanak’s testament. In Var Asa, (Adi-Granth 464-5) the hymn 4 illustrates the meaning of the word. “In His fear, nay discipline, is the Universe, the wind, rivers, fire, earth, sun, moon, stars, wrestlers, divine heroes, demigods. The writ of Lord’s discipline is over the heads of all. The Formless One, Eternal, is alone without fear or discipline of any other. He alone is ‘fearless,’ all other incarnated gods, demigods, are dust before him.” Nirbhau, therefore, means Soveriegn. He alone is the Soveriegn and the whole universe, the globe, the galaxies and nether regions, move within His discipline, as ordained by Him.
Nirvairu: Literally means Without Enmity, but the translation does not seem to be apt in context of Guru Nanak’s hymns. The Infinite Lord is the Supreme Being, without parallel. He is Sovereign and the Universe is in His discipline. There is no equal to Him. Therefore, there is no question of His having an enemy to challenge Him. Nirvairu, in this context, means that he is without inner contradictions, or inconsistencies which pull Him apart. Nirvairu, therefore, means Harmonious.
Akal: Literally, it means Timeless. He who has a beginning, has an end. The Almighty is without beginning and has no end. He is not subject to birth or death. He is not encompassed within the limits of Time. Akal, therefore, means immortal.
Murti: Being Immortal, the Supreme Being is not without form. He is both nirgun, unmanifest, and sargun, manifest. It is in the latter form that he can be expressed in definite shape.
In Adi-Granth, Akal and Murti have come together at a number of places to give the meaning, the Being who is Immortal. He is embodied, but it is His spirit that lies in His products. The Almighty embodies in finite forms but is Himself Infinite. Murti, therefore, means Embodiment.
Ajuni: The Almighty is beyond the pale of birth and death. There is no cause of His coming into being. “He has neither father, nor mother, nor sons, nor kins, nor wife, nor lust.” Guru Nanak rejects the Hindu doctrine of incarnation of God in human form. “He works through all ages; He is always Harmonious, He is not involved in strife, nor comes nor goes.” Ajuni, therefore, means non-incarnated, or un-incarnated.
Saibhan: Self-existent. There is no cause for His existence. He is not produced from some other being. He is Himself the cause and effect of His existence. He is produced from the Self.
Gur: Who was Guru Nanak’s Guru? There is no other answer than God Himself. Here, Guru Nanak described Him as Gur, the teacher, preceptor, enlightener. Guru Nanak has used the word Gur for the Infinite One.
Prasadi: Bountiful. Guru Nanak here describes the element of Grace in God. It is from this aspect of His personality, that Guru Nanak develops his doctrine of Grace. Other equivalents used are kirpa, nadar, karam, bakhshish, bhana, daya, mehar, and taras. All these have some degree of difference in interpretation.
Prasadi is the positive form of his attribute, that He is the Giver. “His many bounties cannot be recorded: He is a great giver and has no particle of covetousness” (Japu, 25, Adi-Granth, page 5).
Gurprasadi: The Sikh theologians, and following them the European scholars have joined the two words to give the meaning ‘By the grace of Guru’. In Adi-Granth, this expression does occur and the interpretation ‘by the grace of Guru’ is also correct. In Sikh theology, there are ten Gurus, and the light of the first Guru premeated the following ones, and that light now vests in Adi-Granth. As such, Gurprasadi is interpreted as, by the grace of Guru’s word, which is contained in Adi-Granth.
This, however, is a development later to Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak in the Invocation gave in monosyllables the attributes of God of his conception. In the Invocation, the interpretation ‘by Guru’s grace’ would be incorrect.
The Invocation: In short, the Mul Mantra, the Invocation, as translated above reads:
The Only Infinite One, the Only Supreme Being, the Eternal, the Universal Spirit, the Creator, the All-Pervading, the Sovereign, the Harmonious, the Immortal, the Embodiment, the Un-incarnated, the Self-existent, the Enlightener, the Bountiful.
2 The Japji
JAPU popularly known as Japji or Japji Sahib has the privilege of being the first testament following the Invocation in Adi-Granth. Japji has two slokas, one in the beginning, the other at the end, and in between are contained 38 pauris (stanzas).
1 The Theme
Japu means meditation. The object of meditation is God whose concept is deciphered in the Mul Mantra, the Invocation. Since, technically speaking, Mul Mantra does not form part of the Japji, Guru Nanak has elucidated the object of meditation in the first sloka. It is the Supreme Being who was Eternal in the beginning before the Time started in the Primal age, is now and would be for all times to come.
In the very first stanza, Guru Nanak raises two pertinent questions: “How is the Truth to be attained? How is the veil of falsehood to be torn aside?” These are two sides of the same coin. Japji’s theme revolves around the answer to the twin-problem. In the process Guru Nanak dweils on the existing religious practices, his concept of God and enunciates his doctrine of Nam-Japna, meditation on His Name, for communion with the Almighty, as light mingles with light and water mingles with water.
2 On Existing Religious Practices
Guru Nanak makes specific mention of some of the existing religious practices and totally rejects them or declares them inadequate for achieving the union with God.
In Guru Nanak’s times, the people in northern India were either following traditional form of religion by performing pilgrimages to holy places and making offerings and obeissance to various gods and goddesses, or were under the spell of Naths and Yogis who had a considerable sway, especially in the Panjab. Guru Nanak sets both theses paths aside.
He contends that unity with God cannot be achieved by pilgrimages and austerities, as also by showing mercy and giving charity which, however, bring some merit, but are not sufficient in themselves as a driving force.1 The external cleaning of body by bathing myriads of times at holy places leads nowhere. Fasting does not cure craving for worldly goods, which rather gets accentuated.2
The traditional Hindu belief about the trinity, Creator, Preserver and Destroyer in Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva is unreal and without foundation as these gods have no separate entity. It is His Will that only prevails and they function within His discipline.3 Nay, God is Himself the Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, Parvati (Shiva’s consort), Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth, Vishnu’s consort) and Maya, in subtle conjunction with whom Brahma is supposed to have brought about the creation.4 He performs all these functions, and there is no other separate entity. He is all alone and all in all.
Similarly, Guru Nanak sets aside the doctrine of Naths and Yogis. God cannot be achieved by the vow of silence and going in a trance. Myriads of devices and clevernesses which formed an essential form of their tenets, are of no avail and not even one would help in obtaining access to Him.5 The extension of life span to four ages, nay ten times more, by the Hath Yoga, and attainment of name and fame all over the world, would not do to bring Him any nearer.6 The working of miracles is vain and an empty show.7 For, He Himself is the Nath, Lord of all8 and in His word lies the Yogis’ Wordless Harmony.9 The whole world is on his strings.10
Besides the futility of Yogi’s religious doctrine and practices, Guru Nanak also disapproves his way of living, especially his earrings, bowl, wallet, ash-smeared-body, patched coat and the staff.11 All these lead one astray.
Guru Nanak retains the use of terms Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Siddh, Buddh, Nath and others, simply to illustrate different functions performed by the Almighty and to drive home the idea of One God, Supreme, to different sections of society, in the language which they understand.
God is Supreme
Guru Nanak makes specific mention of a number of gods, goddesses, other socio-religious leaders and objects of worship in various stanzas of Japji. These broadly are:
1. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and their consorts;
2. Indra (god of gods), his kingdom and enchanting beauties of his court;
3. Krishna and his consorts (gopis);
4. Yogis, Naths, Siddhas, Buddhas;
5. Pirs, Sheikhs (Muslim Divines), learned Seers, Saints, Sages;
6. Vedas, Puranas, Semitic texts – Torah, Zabur (Psalms), Injil (Gospel), and Quran;
7. Gods, goddesses, demons;
8. Celebates, zealots, warriors, brave and peaceful ones;
9. Earth, Sun, Moon, underworlds, heavens, spheres;
10. 68 places of pilgrimages, jewels, kings, king of kings.
All these in unison are shown in obedience to One God who is the Creator of all and is Supreme.
For instance, in stanza 26, many of these gods, goddesses and socio-religious leaders are mentioned concentrating on God, and describing Him according to their light and understanding. For example, Vedas and Puranas describe Him as Eternal, Harmonious Brahman, whereas Brahma and Indra describe Him as the Creative and Sustaining Power of the World. Gopis and Krishna speak of Him as Love, and Shiva talks of Him as Destructive Power. To Siddhas, He is the Power achieved through Occult Ways, and to Buddhas, He is the Void of the Nirvana. To demons, He is the Strength, to gods He is the Spirit of Goodness. It is in this vein that Guru Nanak mentions of the learned, saints, ascetics, votaries of different sects speaking differently of Him in accordance with the preachings of their respective religious orders.12 There is no end to the ways He has been described. Millions of millions have described Him in millions of ways.13 Actually, none of them could describe Him adequately. He is One, Ineffable, beyond comprehension and expression. Only a perverse and a most unwise could contend that he does know the limits of God and His Creation.14
Guru Nanak recounts all these gods and goddesses, and socio-religious leaders, as also His creation, which includes the solar system, galaxies, earth, jewels, 68 places of pilgrimage, kings, emperors in the next stanza, 27, glorifying Him and singing His praise according to their own precept and understanding. He is the object of all prayer, all worship. Above all, all these luminaries are His creation and subject to death, whereas He, the Creator is Immortal. He is the Eternal One, Supreme Lord, Universal Spirit and works according to His Will. He does what He likes. His creation works within His discipline and cannot interfere in His Order.
Pertinently, the Guru uses the terms Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and others as diverse manifestations of God. It is in this vein that he mentions various luminaries. According to him there is not one Brahma, but countless of them who are performing constructive acts, are constructing and reconstructing the world. There is no end to them. So also Vishnu, Shiva and others. It is in this context, that he enumerates these gods, goddesses, demigods, demons, His creation – the Universe – and socio-religious leaders in stanza 35 and, says that these are beyond number, beyond count. As a matter of fact, Guru Nanak refers to them symbolically to highlight the Supremacy of One Lord. This sort of knowledge forms an essential part in man’s mind for a proper perspective and appreciation of God.
God is Ineffable
According to Guru Nanak, God is Ineffable and far exceeds the most exalted conception which the mind of a man can perceive. One who is exalted and achieves communion with God is like a drop in the ocean, and is not in a position to describe its extent. It is because he lacks both the knowledge and expression to describe Him.15 It is beyond his capacity. Indeed, myriads of men have given myriads of descriptions, but there is no end to that. They have failed to describe Him.16 His expanse is infinite. Countless have struggled to find His limits, but in vain, for His limits cannot be ascertained. The more one says, the more he has yet to say to describe Him. God is great, and one could describe Him only if He is as great.17 But God can be as Great as He pleases, i.e., He can surpass the greatness achieved by anyone else. He cannot be sized. As such, He is Unfathomable. Only God knows how Great He is. It would be a blasphemy if one were to contend that he has such a knowledge: only an outright stupid could presume that.18 He is the Primal Being, Infinite, without beginning, without end and ever alike.19
His Creation is Infinite
As is God Ineffable, so is His creation. His creation is legion and His works are countless. If one were to sit and write the account of His creation, how staggering it would be! It would be beyond one’s capacity and power to do so.20 His creation is infinite, and limits of His creation are beyond comprehension.21
For instance, when was creation started? What was the time, season, day, and month of creation? No one knows.22 The Pandits did not know, otherwise they would have written a Purana on that.23 There is no mention of that in the Quran. Yogis do not know it. Only He, who created the universe, knows it.24
Guru Nanak rejects the theory of evolution. According to him, God uttered one Word, and the whole universe throbbed into being. Myriads of rivers of life came gushing.25 He made various species, orders, colours, regions of earth, the heavens, the unvierse.26 His creation is boundless27 and He keeps watch over His creation.28
The universe was created through His Word, His Name (Word and Name are synonyms) and it is the mainstay of the world.
Guru Nanak delineates in countless numbers his creation on earth, in nether and upper regions, functioning in different ways.