Sri Guru Granth Sahib

by Guru Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh (Compiler), Guru Arjan Dev (Compiler)

The Guru Granth Sahib (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ [ɡʊɾu ɡɾəntʰ sɑhɪb]), is the sovereign active living Guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 pages, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708.

The text remains the holy scripture of the Sikhs, regarded as the teachings of the Ten Gurus. The role of Guru Granth Sahib, as a source or guide of prayer, is pivotal in Sikh worship.

It is written in the Gurmukhī script, in various dialects – including Lehndi Punjabi, Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Sanskrit and Persian – often coalesced under the generic title of Sant Bhasha.

Genres: Religion, Philosophy, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Theology, Poetry, History

1430 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1708

About the author

Guru Nanak (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ) is the founder of the religion of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus, the eleventh guru being the living Guru, Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Nanak travelled far and wide teaching people the message of one God who dwells in every one of God's creations and constitutes the eternal Truth. He setup a unique spiritual, social, and political platform based on equality, fraternity love, goodness, and virtue.

Guru Nanak’s teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, as a vast collection of revelatory verses recorded in Gurmukhi.

Through popular tradition, Nanak’s teaching is understood to be practised in three ways:
* Vaṇḍ Chakkō: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need
* Kirat Karō: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud
* Naam Japna: Meditating on God's name to control your evils to eliminate suffering and live a happy life.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is interesting to read the Sikh concept of God. There is much that to learn from here. I can see, reading the wisdom of the Sikh gurus, why Joseph Smith said that Heavenly Father has inspired many good people throughout the ages to bring greater enlightenment to their nation, and that the teachings of many were given to them not to lead people astray, but rather to bring them closer to the truth.

For example, I appreciate how content the Sikhs are to meditate on God, to contemplate his goodness, his faithfulness, his perfection. In my own church, I think we often get into the trap of focusing on our human frailties, which will never exalt the human condition. The gurus got it right, I think, when they suggested that it is by looking to God that we become one with Him, not by focusing on our weaknesses, shortcomings, sins, etc.

As best as I can understand, Sikhs see him as genderless (they use "he" for convenience in translations), formless, and incapable of incarnation (so, no Trinitarian idea about God being able to come down to earth and become flesh, at least). But they would probably also have a hard time with the concept of the Godhead--three gods (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) working in unison. Sikhs are very adamant about their monotheism. When the first guru introduced the concept in a land dominated mostly by polytheism, it was a step forward. He also taught equality (of the sexes, and against the concept of caste).

I am surprised to find that Sikhs believe that God has created many worlds, and many inhabitants thereon. For example, "There are worlds upon worlds of His Creation. As He commands, so they exist. He watches over all, and contemplating the creation, He rejoices."

[Huda Aweys · Rating 4 out of 5]

هأجل مراجعتى عن الكتاب اللى اتشرفت بترجمته للعربية حاليا :) لوقت تانى اكون متفرغه و رايقه فيه عشان اقدر أسهب في مراجعتى و أدي للكتاب الرائع دا حقه
و لغاية الوقت دا اسيبكم تسمعوا
Japji Sahib
بلغته الأصلية .. موش هتفهموا منه حاجه طبعا :) الا لو فيه حد منكم هنا بيعرف (جاوى) من ورايا

(اه يالئيم يا اللى عارف
بتذاكر من ورايا :) ؛

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQIeS...
زي ماقلتلكم موش هتفهموا حاجه .. لكن الصوت روح ؛) و اكيد هيوصلكم و دلوقتى اسيبكم تستمتعوا بنشيد الروح <3

[Hank · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Adi Granth - it's an amazing work, and I have great respect for Sikhism - but Trumpp himself is a terrible translator and actively tried to diminish the "independent" status of Sikhism and delegate it to a "sectarian offshoot" of Hinduism. This translations presents Sikhs as polytheistic, which does not do the Granth or Sikhism justice.

[Amish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the Guru Granth Sahib in its Hindi translation and was influenced at once.
Guru Granth Sahib is a spiritual guide for the whole human kind. The principles enshrined in this holy text are an example for us to follow.

[Deb Sawdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Japji is one of the reasons I am grateful to be on this earth. Chanting Japji as a daily practice is such a powerful healing practice and one of my loves.
When you are familiar with Japji, it doesn't need any translation for you to feel the spirit of the pauris.
If you seek an English translation to see the beauty of the words and language, definitely get this translation. It is heartfelt and beautiful.

[Sachin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words seize to speak where the prayers speak,
its all about feeling and inexplicable the pleasure, and with the translation by Khushwant Singh it becomes more clear the meaning.
Though it may have numerous interpretations,but the writer,Khushwant Singh, is so much attached with his religion and knows in depth about it that he has provided a lucid and appropriate explanation.
Notonly a good read, but a must read.
I hope to buy it as soon as i come across it the next time in the market, as i read it by issuing it from a library.
Sri Wahe Guru ji ka Khalsa
Sri Wahe Guru ji ki Fateh

[Aristotle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guru Granth Sahib is surely the greatest canonical text ever produced. It starts with Moolmantar and Japji Sahib and includes the hyms of 6 Sikh Gurus and various saints from different religious an social backgrounds.
The poetry and hymnical verse used in the granth are par excellence.

[Ayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The translation is very simplistic. It is a good attempt but misses the multiple dimensionality of the message contained in the Guru Granth Sahib. The poetic nature and the surrounding raag delivery is significantly lacking in this translation (which are crucial for deliverance).

[Gagandeep · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book basically contains lyrics of Shabads, which can be called as religious hymns or simply songs in layman language. The writings of various Sikh Great Men along with Kabir and Baba Farid is compiled in this book. It describes the advantages of having a GURU or GOD, how to commence your life, and some teachings as always present in all the religious textbooks of the world.

The original writing is in Gurmukhi, which is very difficult to understand. When translated to English, it becomes a dull, boring text where every time some teaching is described and then the whole song revolves around same path.

The thing I likes was that it doesn't compel anyone to follow certain rituals or do certain things to be a favorable of GOD.

But the teachings in it are already been heard.

[Itinerant Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

Jap Ji Sahib epitomizes Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji,
Mool Mantar epitomizes Jap Ji Sahib,
IkOankar epitomizes Mool Mantar.
Forsooth, all for one, “everything begins and end at ‘His Mercy’”.

[Hassan Aziz]

I think that reading the religious books gives human beings a lot of information and it opens the spirits and the minds of the human beings.

[Amneet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book in the entire world!

[Damandeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nanak Naam Chardi Kala
Tere Bhane Sarbat Da Bhala🙏

[Gurpreet panesar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best holy book ever! I'm a sikh and that's good

From Karan Singh Kpanesar

[Sadako Yamamura · Rating 2 out of 5]

The political writings of dictators aren't much different from Abrahamic religious texts and their derivatives. They can write hundreds of pages worth of praise for an abstract idea, but they never elaborate on what that idea is or how it is applicable to anything. Mostly because the idea is false, simplistic, and only means to control people. In the same way as Juche is praised endlessly without definition in North Korean political texts, here the Abrahamic god is praised repeatedly (and its enemies denounced) for almost 1500 pages and hardly anything of substance can be found. Although there are plenty of references to Hindu mythology it seems like they are being incorporated into Islam rather than the other way around. Sikhism is definitely better than Islam and Christianity but it doesn't deserve to be hyped up as much as it is, because in the end it is still nothing but a celebration of ignorance and obedience.

[Courier E · Rating 1 out of 5]

this religion is so beautiful, it reminds me of Hinduism and Islam, and the followers are basically like those two religions. I definitely really respect Sikhism and I think it's a wonderful thing it reminds me of my favorite website too Reddit.com

[Imaan Latif · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you agree to agree, your mind becomes free"

[P S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond reviews

[Lulu]

Compiled and composed during the period of the sikh gurus 1469-1708

[Prabh Kaur]

i read all the hymns everything but nvm this is def not what u should read to understand sikhi its more of js poems, there must be a diff book of stories + lessons instead

[Aristotle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trumpp doesn't do full justice to neither the central message nor the hymnical poetry of Guru Granth Sahib. There are better translations than this one. I will recommend this translation only for the academics. Other English translations like the Khalsa Consensus translations, Sant Singh Khalsa's translation etc are far better than this one.

[Aristotle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Japji Sahib is the first morning prayer of the Sikh faithful, I must say, this way the window of my insight into Sikhism before I researched further. The text is very serene and peaceful, especially if read originally in Gurmukhi. Merely listening to an mp3 of this thing will give you complete peace of mind.

[Tom Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a different translation, so I'm marking this one as close to the average of other reviewers as possible and moving on.

[Monika]

Sahib