Author: Dr. Dalvinder Singh Grewal
Publisher: National Book Shop
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 304
ISBN/UPC (if available): 9788171165483
Description
Year 2008 is very special for the Sikhs globally. They are celebrating the tercentennial of installation of Holy Granth as the Guru of Sikhs. Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is alternatively known as Sabd Guru; the Sabd (word) as the Guru (the master). Sabd – Guru is not a terminology suddenly emerged. The concept of sabd guru had been propounded by Guru Nanak, reaffirmed by his successor Gurus and finally authenticated by the Fifth Guru, Arjan Dev once he compiled it and installed it at Sri Harimandir Sahib and venerated it more than himself. Not only in Sikhism, but in all other religions sabd, word, logos or its equivalent and relative terminologies have been given equal veneration globally, hence it has global significance.
Guru Nanak has explained sabd in Japuji and Sidh Gosht. In 38th stanza of Japuji, Guru Nanak describes the making of sabd: ‘‘Let continence be your workshop, patience the goldsmith, intellect the anvil and knowledge the hammer; let fear (of God) be the bellows, sincere effort the fire and His love the crucible wherein the nectar ‘Naam’ is melted and there from the sabd is coined.’’ In this stanza Guru Nanak indicates the Sabd, Naam and the God on the same platform.
In Sidh Gosht, Guru Nanak explains this in the from of question and answer. The question is.’’ ‘‘Who is your Guru; of whom are you the disciple?’’ The reply is: ‘‘The holy word is the Guru and I am its disciple by controlling the intellect with devoted meditation.’’ Here sabd is given the clear status of Guru.
‘Whats’ and ‘whys’ of Sabd, guru, sabd-guru; importance of sabd – guru and special place of Sabd – Guru are very important for the Sikhs to understand in this context.
Contents
Acknowledgements
1. Word- the Master – An Introduction
2. Word in Various Religions
3. Word in Sikhism
4. Word as God
5. Word as God’s Order
6. Word as God’s Name
7. Word as the Sound Eternal
8. (Sabd) as Divine Musical Hymn (Bani)
9. (Sabd) Word as Source of Gyan (Knowledge)
10. Word Sabd as the Divine Light
11. Sabd (Word) and Salvation
12. Word-The Master (Sabd-Guru)
13. The Word (Sabd) and the Guruword (Gurmukh)
14. Guru Granth Sahib as the Word Master – The Master (Sabd Guru)
15. Guru Granth : A Record of the Word Revealed
16. Granth – Panth As the Sikh Guru : A Historical Perspective
17. Guru Granth As a Deity for Maharashtra Villages
18. Theories, Concepts and Doctrines Propounded in Sri Guru Granth Sahib
19. Origin of Universe- Recorded in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Compared with Other Religions and Science
20. Universal Relvance of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
21. Khalsa As Sangat : The Expounder of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
22. Bibliography