He was the tenth and the last guru and also the most famous after guru nanak. Singhs work remains one of the most accessible and researched books on the history and evolution of the sikh community. The sikhs have two holy books for their guidance and revelation of their underlying beliefs and principles as laid down by the ten gurus. The religion of the gurus fisher digital publications st. Guru granth sahib is not just a holy book of sikhs, its respected and treated as a living being as its officially the eternal guru teachers. First book also called granth or granth sahib, the sacred scripture of sikhism, a religion of india. It consists of writings by all 10 gurus as well as those from other sikh, hindu and muslim holy men. It means the descent of divine guidance to mankind provided through ten enlightened masters. The guru granth sahib is the name of the sikh holy book. The holy gurus and their commandments books gateway to.
The guru granth is opened every day in a ceremony known as prakash. In punjabi, the word sikh means disciple and the faithful are those who follow the writings and teachings of the ten gurus, which are set down in the holy book, the adi granth. The teachings of ten gurus can be found in the sikh holy book and living guru, sri guru granth sahib ji. After the death of the tenth guru, gobind singh in 1708, the sikh holy scriptures were called guru granth sahib. Sikhism was established by ten gurus, divine spiritual messengers or masters. A succession of ten gurus developed and established the tenets of sikhism. The hymns provide broad guidelines for harmonious living. List of world religions and founders, religious books, place.
Guru gobind singh incarnated on 22 december 1666 guru gobind singh, the final guru of sikhism became a guru on 11 november 1675 at the tender age of 9 and passed away on 7 october 1708. The sikh holy book, the guru granth sahib ks2 religious. He declared the the sikh holy book as his successor instead of a. Guru granth sahib ji is the name of sikhs holy books. A prayer is done to invoke the jot, or living light of the guru to manifest in the granth. Hinduism and sikhism are dharmic religions that originated in the indian subcontinent. Name date of birth guruship on date of death age at death major life highlights father mother 1. The sikh gurus were the prophets and leaders of sikhism, and all of their works and laws are written in the guru granth sahib, holy book of the sikhs.
Because of the execution of his father, he became the guru at the age of nine. This honour of being called a sikh guru applies only to the ten gurus who founded the religion starting with guru nanak in 1469 and ending with guru gobind singh in 1708. The guru granth sahib teaches through divine poetry that is set to a formal system of sikh. The first rendition of the holy book was compiled by the fifth guru, guru arjan dev ji 15631606 and it was called adi granth. Unlike the bible or the bhagavadgita, which are often carried around, dogeared and placed on a shelf with other books, there are strict rules and procedures for handling the adi granth. Guru, in sikhism, any of the first 10 leaders of the sikh religion of northern india. Sikhism is a faith whose followers are called sikhs.
Religious eminence in any person received appreciation at their hands. At the time of guru gobind singhs death in 1708, he passed the title of guru to the sikh scripture, guru granth. The tenth guru, guru gobind singh declared that there would be no other living gurus but instead sikhs could look to their holy scriptures for guidance, so the holy book became the guru teacher. The 10th guru, gobind singh, declared that he would have no living successor, and this collection of teachings would become the ultimate guru for the sikh. It is a collection of nearly 6000 hymns of the sikh gurus religious leaders and. It is a universal teacher for all religions giving the message of one god and respect to all humans of every religion. Later, the tenth guru, guru gobind singh ji, added all the 115 of hymns of the ninth guru, gur tegh bahadur ji to the adi granth and affirmed the text as his successor. The era of the 10 gurus of sikhism, a monotheistic religion that stresses doing good throughout life, spans nearly 250 years, from the birth of nanak dev in 1469, through the life of guru gobind singh.
The most sacred object in sikhism is the guru granth sahib also called the adi granth, the sikh holy book. A god loving muslim saint, mian mir, was a devoted friend of the guru. The guru granth sahib can be truly called the essence of all religions, since it contains hymns and verses from many sacred books of various religions and sects of hinduism. Also list all the qualities that make a persona good leader. Before its destruction, the library contained rare books and manuscripts on sikh religion, history, and culture.
In the religious sense, a sikh is someone who believes in one god, sat guru, or true teacher. The year 1469 marks the birth of guru nanak, the founder of sikhism. Shri guru nanak dev ji 1 sikh gurus 1 sikh society netherlands 1 singh teja 1 sodhi harbhajan singh 1 sri satguru jagjit singh ji 1 subedar baghel singh 1 surinder singh narula 1 surjit singh chawla 1 tejinder pal kaur 1 university of delhi 1 urdu translation japji sahib 1 v d savarkar 1 vidhata singh teer 1. Followed by over 20 million people worldwide, sikhism takes to the teachings of sikh gurus. The message of this book goes well beyond sikhism and is for anyone who wants to live a spiritually better life. It is comprised of hymns describing the qualities of god, composed by early sikh gurus. The 10 gurus masters spreading the gurus wisdom around. The guru granth sahib is the sacred scripture of the sikhs, and its bedrock is the body of compositions of guru nanak. A brief look at the life of guru gobind singh, the last of the ten sikh. Guru nanak dev ji, the founder of sikhi, was the first guru. It also contained handwritten manuscripts of the guru granth sahib and hukumnamas containing signatures of sikh gurus.
The attendant unfolds the rumala wrappings from the guru granth, then opens to a. It stresses the importance of doing good actions rather than merely carrying out rituals. The guru granth sahib is the living guru of the sikhs the tenth guru, guru gobind singh declared that there would be no other living gurus but instead sikhs could look to their holy scriptures for guidance. For the sikh community, baby naming is a family affair in which religion plays an important part. Why does the sikh priest fan the holy book in a sikh.
The famous people and important leaders of sikh history include influential women, fearless warriors, and countless brave and heroic martyrs who stood fast for their faith when confronted with infamous tyrannical villains. Compiled by guru arjan dev, it has writings of the sikh gurus and other saints. What is the bedroom of the guru granth sahib called answers. Sikhism was established by ten gurus, divine spiritual messengers or masters, over the period from 1469 to 1708 that is, over a period of 239 years. It is a voluminous text of 1430 pages, compiled and composed during the period of sikh gurus, from 1469 ad to 1708 ad. Why do sikhs believe their holy book is important answers. By setting an exceptional example of how to live a holy and worthy life. This honour of being called a sikh guru applies only to the ten gurus who founded the. In fact the guru granth sahib is the only major religious book that contains writings by teachers of other faiths. When guru gobind singh left this world, he gave the holy book guru granth sahib ji the status of guru.
The main holy book in sikhism is the guru granth sahib. The holy text spans 1430 pages and contain the actual words spoken by the founders of the sikh religion the ten gurus of sikhism and various other saints from other religions. Last human guru 16661708, announced the guru granth sahib as successor, introduced the five ks and military rule in sikhism guru granth sahib holy book, sikh holy book. Name, date of birth, guruship on, date of death, father, mother. A newborn is named during the formal presentation of the baby to the sikh s holy book, the guru granth sahib. The sikh gurus are spiritual leaders of sikhi, who established this religion over the centuries, beginning in 1469. Guru granth introduction to sikhisms holy scripture. Baby naming in the sikh community babycenter india.
Anyone wanting to become well acquainted with the lives of sikh gurus and to know sikhism better should read this books. Despite being so young, it is the fifth largest religion in the world with over 20 million followers. Thus, the guru granth sahib, in spirit, is more than a holy book for the. Sikh books of value contain numerous literary pieces on guru granth sahib and more valuable books of gurus and other topics of relevance. The sri gur granth sahib is the holy book for sikhs, as guru gobind singh teached us. Finally, he collected the writings of all prior gurus, forming the first manuscripts of the sikh holy book, the sri guru granth sahib. What are the top ten religions and what is the holy book for. Most sikh names are derived from the guru granth sahib. Worship and pray to the one god and to none other 2. The dasam granth is a composition primarily of the tenth guru, guru gobind singh.
No one can change or alter any of the writings of the sikh gurus written in the. The time period of guru gobind singh ji was 1666 to 1708. They take new names and wear the 5 ks five physical symbols that sikhs must wear. Sikhism was founded by guru nanak in 15th century ce in northern parts of india specially present punjab region. The holy book for the sikhs is called the sri guru granth sahib ji. Shri guru granth sahib is not written by one human but by saints from all across societies and religions. Thus, with this in mind, in a very simplified form the teachings of sikhism could be described as follows, 1. The etymology of the term gurdwara is from the words gur a reference to the sikh gurus and dwara gateway in gurmukhi, together meaning the gateway through which the guru could be reached. At the time of his the death in 1708, guru gobind singh bequeathed his title of guru to the sikh scripture, guru. The sikhs by patwant singh is a detailed overview of sikh history and tradition that reads like a captivating story. Thanks for your a2a the holy book, sri guru granth sahib is the heart and sole of the sikhs. He began the tradition of adding the suffix singh to the. Guru granth sahib ji is the central religious scripture of sikhism, regarded by sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal living guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. We use your linkedin profile and activity data to personalize ads and to show you more relevant ads.
The book portrays very well how the sikh gurus lived lives in confirmation of what they taught. Their holy book is the sri guru granth sahib ji many sources call sikhism a monotheistic religion, according to eleanor nesbitt, english renderings of sikhism as a monotheistic religion tend misleadingly to reinforce a semitic understanding of monotheism, rather than guru nanaks mystical. He sacrificed his own life, facing down emperor aurangzeb on behalf of the kashmiri hindus, ending aurangzebs threat to either convert to islam or be executed. Simran, aged 11, explains the importance of the sikh holy book, the guru granth sahib. These teachers were enlightened souls whose main purpose in life was the spiritual and moral wellbeing of the masses. Translation of the sikh religion holy scriptures the guru granth sahib, or adi granth, is the religious scriptures of sikhism.
Religions and religious teachers do not exist in a vacuum. Sikhism for ks1 and ks2 children sikhism faith homework. Guru granth sahib or sri guru granth sahib ji or sggs for short, is more than just a holy book of the sikhs. The sikhs treat this granth holy book as a living guru. The understanding of the scriptures within a religion is often imperative to the. The granth was compiled by the fifth sikh guru, guru arjan dev ji.
Bani of bhagats by g s chauhanthe lives and selected works of saints included in holy book sri guru granth sahib ji. The guru granth sahib is used to guide the everyday thoughts and actions within a sikh family and the rituals involved. Hinduism is the oldest religion originating from the vedic period around 10,000 bce even older, as more older artifacts are not present now, while sikhism was founded in the 15thcentury by guru nanak. Eleanor nesbitt looks at the founder of the sikh faith guru nanak, the sikh concept. The holy book contains writings of the sikh gurus, muslim fakirs and hindu saints. Under a canopy at the end of the temple is the location where the holy book is. The teachings of the sikh religion were passed down from guru to guru and then written down in a very special book, the guru granth sahib. Sikhism simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The guru granth sahib, also know as the adi granth. The holy books is like the king of kings so the fanning also known as chaur sahib which we do is only to respect it. The central sikh library was then folded into the sikh reference library. It is a collection of nearly 6,000 hymns of the sikh gurus religious leaders and various early and medieval saints of different religions and castes. Our recommenders noted two different translations of the holy text, one by gurbachan singh talib and.
He organized the sikhs into khalsa to oppose the tyranny of the mughals. Sikhism gurus and historical figures learn religions. The granth sahib is kept in all gurdwaras and in many sikh houses. Book also called granth or granth sahib, the sacred scripture of sikhism. Mostly compiled by 5th guru, then 10th added some of 9th. So, the meaning of guru granth sahib is a master book by the teacher. In the naming ceremony, a passage or hukam is read out from the holy book of sikhs and the first letter of the first word from the hukam is picked for the initial of the childs name.
The word sikh in the punjabi language means disciple, sikhs are the disciples of god who follow the. The name nanak, like nanaki, his sisters name, may indicate that they were. Guru nanak dev, first of the 10 gurus, founded the sikh faith, introducing the concept of one god. It is the repository of all sikh spiritual heritage, written in punjabi by the gurus who led sikhism in the early days of the religion, beginning in late 1400s. The holy book of the sikh religion is the guru granth sahib. Buddhism 376 million followers tripitaka pali canon 5. What are the top ten religions and what is the holy book. The adhi granth, later known as the guru granth sahib, is the central religious text of the sikh faith. Apr 15, 2020 the holy tank surrounding the holy temple now universally famous as the golden temple at amritsar was completed by guru arjan dev. As he was the last sikh guru in human form, he passed on the guruship of sikhs to guru granth sahib, the holy text of sikhs. Guru nanak dev ji was the first guru of sikhs and guru gobind singh ji the final guru in human form. The most important part in sikhism is the internal religious state of the individual. The guru granth sahib is used to guide the everyday.
All sikh books have descriptive information about sikhism and sikh gurus life. Please note that outside sikhism it can be said a holy book or a. Originally, the religion relied on the teaching of living gurus. The sikhs had ten gurus in human form and after the tenth guru it was decided that henceforth the guru granth sahib would become the eleventh guru and would remain so for. Guru, granth, and sahib are the three words of the holy book s name. An attendant places the guru granth atop pillows on a cot draped with an embroidered rumala coverlet drapery over which a canopy is suspended. World gurudwaras will strive to be most comprehensive directory of historical gurudwaras and non historical gurudwaras around the world.
The guru granth sahib is the holy book of the sikhs. Simran, 11, explains who the ten gurus are and why they are important to those who follow. She tells us that 5867 sacred hymns or shabads make up the guru granth sahib and that it is. The punjabi word sikh learner is related to the sanskrit shishya disciple, and all sikhs are disciples of the guru spiritual guide, or teacher. It has over 3000 hymns and instructions to lead a good sikh life. The guru granth sahib is a collection of teachings and writings by guru nanak and other gurus as well as sikh, hindu and muslim saints. Sikhism though has a very specific definition of the word guru. Implying that there is nothing that is beyond or outside the one god. This book contains the teachings of all gurus, and hass been identically printed since the first copy, containing the same amount of pages, same words, and same paper size to preserve it. The adi granth, its first rendition, was compiled by the fifth sikh guru arjan. Guru tegh bahadur ji was the ninth of the ten gurus of sikhism, becoming guru on saturday, 16 april 1664 following in the footsteps of his grandnephew, guru har krishan. The establishment of the sikh religion began with guru nanak in 1469.
311 95 159 280 915 874 991 1280 135 184 660 342 179 162 711 28 1149 1392 817 258 288 73 111 710 748 1381 638 1382 968 508 70 680 1243 31 261 127 174 1469 728 1208 1410 1478 512 1415 1056 1