Introduction To Gurbani

Guru Granth Sahib is a very unique holy book in many ways.

It is the only holy book among all the religions of the world which has been written by the founder of the Sikh religion Himself – Guru Nanak Dev Ji - and His successors.In addition to the Six Gurus, Guru Nanak Sahib has also honoured some special devotees of God, called Bhagats, by including their holy compositions in Guru Granth sahib. Of course, only those compositions have been included which met the criteria set by Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The Bhagats, fifteen in all, include Hindus and Muslims both, and they come from all walks of the society including the so called, Untouchables. According such an honor to other holy men regardless of their caste and religion is a uniqueness of Guru Granth Sahib only. The following Guru Sahiban’s holy compositions have been enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib: Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Angad Dev Ji, Guru Amar Dass Ji, Guru Ram Dass Ji, Guru Arjun Dev Ji, and Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji. Guru Arjun Dev Ji has the largest number of holy compositions (almost 40%) of Guru Granth Sahib, followed by Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Amar Dass Ji, Guru Ram Dass Ji, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib and Guru Angad Dev Ji in that order.

The whole Guru Granth Sahib is a compilation of holy poems most of which which have been written in 31 Raagas (kinds of lyrics). Besides these Raags, some others types of poetry like, pauris (in Vaars) sloaks, savayyes etc. have also been used. There are a few compositions like Jap Ji Sahib for which no single recognized Raag has been used. Guru Nanak Sahib used 19 Raags while Guru Ram Dass Ji and Guru Arjun Dev Ji used 30 Raags each. Raag Jai Jai Vanti has been used by Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib only.

There are fifteen Bhagats as follows:  Kabir Sahib,  Naam Dev Ji, Ravidass Ji, Sheikh Fareed Ji, Rama Nand Ji, Parma Nand Ji,  Trilochan Ji, Dhanna Ji, Sadhna Ji, Sain Ji, Beni Ji, Bheekhan Ji, Jai Dev Ji, Peepa Ji, and Soor Dass Ji. The Bhagats have used 22 Raags in all, but, no Bhagat has used all of them.  Among the Bhagats, the maximum contribution comes from Kabir Sahib and least from Soor Dass Ji (only one line).

There are eleven Bhatts (a slightly lower caste of Brahmans) who have written praise of the first five Guru Sahiban in Savayyaas. Ten of them are cousins of each other and  are nephews of Bhikha Ji who was the first one to come to the shelter of Guru Amar Dass Ji. His nephews joined him a little later. They were all in search of TRUTH. Bhikha Ji writes that before he came to the Court of Guru Amar Dass Ji, he visited a number of well-known holy men to seek Truth, but he was highly disappointed to see the difference in what they preached and what they practiced. When he met Guru Amar Dass Ji in Goindwal (district Amritsar) he found complete mental peace here and felt the presence of God. He invited his nephews to the Court of Guru Amar Dass Ji.  They were so much impressed by the spirituality in the Guru’s Court, that it was the end of their search. They stayed there for a long time and served the Fifth Guru, Sri Arjun Dev Ji as well.  They wrote a total of 123 savayyaas in praise of the first five Guru Sahiban.  Kullh  Sahaar ( also known as Kullh  and  Tullh) was their leader. Their individual contribution is as follows:

1. Kullh Sahar (54). 2  Nullh (16).  3  Mathura (14). 4  Guyund (13).  5. Keerat (8).

6. Jaalap (5).  7. Bullh (5).  8. Sullh (3).  9. Bhikha (2).  10. Haribans (2).  and

11. Bhullh (1).

Compositions of three Sikhs - Sunder Ji, Balwand and Satta have also been enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib.  Sunder Ji was a great grandson of Guru Amar Dass Ji, and Balwand and Satta who were cousins, were the Court bards of Guru Angad Dev Ji to Guru Arjun dev Ji.

Thus there are 35 Guru Sahiban and holy men whose compositions are enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Sahiban  =  6

Bhagats           = 15

Bhatts              = 11

Total                = 35

MEHLA (MASTER)

Guru Granth Sahib contains the holy compositions of six Guru Sahiban – The First Master, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the Second Master, Guru Angad Dev Ji, the Third Master, Guru Amar Dass Ji, the Fourth Master, Guru Ram Dass Ji, the Fifth Master, Guru Arjun Dev Ji, and the Ninth master, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib.  The other four Guru Sahiban did not compose any Gurbani for Guru Granth Sahib.  All the six Guru Sahiban whose holy Gurbani has been enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib, have used “Nanak” as their name, which means in the name of Guru Nanak. To make distinction between them for identification of their compositions, they have been addressed as MEHLA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9 respectively. Mehla is a Sanskrit word which means a woman.  Guru Sahiban have advised us that there is only one Male (Master) in this universe, and that is Waheguru (God), while all other human beings – male or female – are His servants.  So, Guru Sahiban have called themselves Mehla.  But for us it means Masters. You will notice that any composition by Guru Sahiban is labelled Mehla 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 9.

PAUSE (RAHAO)

Almost every holy shabad covers one or two central ideas with most shabads having only one central idea each. The central idea is illuminated in the sentence preceding the word, RAHAO (Pause).  So, the sentence preceding Rahao is very important to understand the meaning of the whole Shabad.