Guru Granth Sahib: A Universal Message And Messenger
A Prayerful Reflection: Kanwal Prakash Singh
The year was 1469, and in the dusty
In a caste-ridden, Moslem-ruled, and terribly divided
A Divine Messenger was born to spread a hopeful, universal message:
Oneness, Equality, Dignity, and Brotherhood of all God’s children;
His followers named this humble Teacher: Guru Nanak.
In Word and Song, Nanak reaffirmed and proclaimed: There is One God,
A Supreme Reality, an Eternal Truth; Father and Mother to all Creation;
The sanctity of life, all faiths and traditions across the human horizon;
Nanak revealed the path to know God, manifested within and all around.
His poetic utterances, “Shabad” (Word), reflect Divine Love and Wisdom;
Enshrined as a spiritual treasure in the Sikh holy book, the Adi Granth,
Beside the hymns of his successors, Hindu Bhagats, and Muslim Saints;
Each reaffirming a unity-in-spirit about basic precepts on matters of faith;
The Fifth Nanak, Arjan Dev, installed this interfaith revolutionary Granth
At the holiest Harmander in 1604 as a spiritual anchor for the young faith;
The hymns of the Ninth Nanak, Teg Bahadur, later added to the original
By the Tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, with a final command to his followers:
Honor Guru Granth Sahib as the Living Guru, a spiritual Guide henceforth;
Meet the Guru personified; behold your Wonderful Lord in the Shabad;
Meditate and celebrate, serve and sacrifice, and discover in Naam-Simran
God’s benevolence and greatness mirrored across the Word and the Song.
Sikhs, since 1708, have proudly celebrated the Shabad, as their Eternal Guru
Descended from heavenly Realm in exulted poetry as 5,894 hymns; each keyed
To a designated Raaga that transport human soul to higher purpose and vision,
Affirming their faith and spirituality in universal textures and rhythms;
Believe that all Divine inspirations originated in Satguru’s Heavenly Temple;
The Word as Eternal Song is reverberating throughout His countless galaxies,
Star-studded corridors, cosmic enclaves, unseen worlds, limitless blue skies,
Spreading radiance, ecstasy, music, and melody in all imaginable directions;
The Granth, as a tapestry of illuminating thoughts and visions of the sacred,
Honors the entire spectrum of Divine wisdom, revelations, and eternal Truth;
Accepts all faiths, precepts, philosophies as unique paths to One destination,
Advocating their rightful place and respect as our collective spiritual heritage;
Defense of sacred rights and human dignity as an act of faith and conscience;
Courage to face and conquer evil that terrorizes and injures the human soul;
Wisdom to embrace, recognize, and celebrate: “All humanity as One Race;”
Stretching in faith, a canopy of hope and peace across all human continents;
With a kindred spirit, thread all humanity in a Circle of Brotherhood;
Dispel ignorance and bigotry; confront injustice, prejudice, and intolerance;
Dismantle walls that divide people: faith from faith, culture from culture;
Discovering God’s Presence in colorful mosaics of all Songs and Scriptures;
Recognize and know, all spiritual paths lead to our common Cosmic Center;
Witness God’s mystery and majesty, beautiful universe and welcome mansions,
Sanctuaries paved with prayer, peace, and pure Light for all living beings;
Experience the Divine and matters of faith, with an open heart and humble spirit.
The Sikh Guru Granth Sahib is a composite Treasury of languages and cultures:
A repository of wisdom that transcends frontiers and ages; honors Messengers;
A Bridge that spans spiritual shores; a Vessel that ferries seekers across thresholds;
A Teacher that commands: see “God’s Light and Presence in every living being.”
Satguru, The True King, leads everyone past temporal hurdles; in eternal Hope,
Delivers all mortals from earthly and hereafter fears and cycles; blesses
For, “No one is outside the Circle of God’s Love, Mercy, and Compassion.”
Scriptures offer a glimpse of God’s magnificence, spiritual insights, and direction:
Praise the Infinite and Immaculate Lord with service offerings at His Altar;
Find humanity in respecting other ideals, cultures, and unfamiliar traditions;
Affirm humanity by assuring justice, equality, and freedoms of fellow beings;
Live spiritual lessons through works that make a difference for God’s Children.
Faith leaders gathered on this anniversary to honor The Granth at the Golden Temple:
A return visit to Nanak’s travels to their “Cathedrals of Spirit,” in the 15th century;
Beyond the colorful pageantry, welcome opportunity, intense pride, and proclamations,
Such gatherings need to honor the true mandate of our faiths and each noble “Granth.”
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA December 20, 2019
The year 2019 have been a historically momentous year as the world celebrated the 550th Birthday of Sikh faith Founder Guru Nanak Devjee. This Fall marked the arkash Utsav of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib at Harmander Sahib on September 1, 1604 A.D.) and 344th Martyrdom of Guru Teg BahadurJee.This is also a very significant week in the history of Sikhs and Guru Gobind Singh and martyrdom of his four sons in December 1704. I wondered if the Sikh commandmentof Naam Japna may be the Source of their indomitable courage throughout history.
The Sikhs honor Guru Granth Sahib as an Eternal Living Guru personified, the heart and soul of their faith, and source of Divine wisdom, faithful veneration, and spirit of robust Charhdikala. The Sikhs always believed that Guru Granth Sahib was a universal spiritual treasure for all mankind. Thanks to internet, Sikh pioneers, travel and communication media, the Sikh Holy Scripture is being introduced to the world.
