11 Guru Granth Sahib Facts - The Eternal Living Guru

Guru Granth Sahib Facts: The Eternal Guru 

#1

Guru Granth Sahib is the sacred main scripture of Sikhism.

J Singh [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

#2

Sikh first Guru- Shri Guru Nanak g was born around 1469. There are Nine Sikh gurus that succeeded him. The scripture contains spiritual and holy teachings compiled by Some of the gurus from time to time.

#3

The Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, named the Sikh scripture -  Guru Granth Sahib as his successor.  Guru Granth Sahib is given the highest respect and treated like living Guru.
So there are 11 Sikh Gurus, 11th being the eternal religious-spiritual guide Guru Granth Sahib.

Onesolidsingh [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

#4

The text consists of 1,430 pages and 6,000 line compositions.
These lines are poetically rendered and set to a rhythmic ancient north Indian classical form of music.

jasleen_kaur from USA [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

#5

Sikh's bow before it on entering Sikh gurdwara(temple).
Sikhs cover their heads and remove their shoes while in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib.

#6

Gurmukhi Script was standardized by Guru Angad Dev (second of the ten Sikh gurus.) in the 16th century. The whole Guru Granth and most Sikh historical literature have been written in the Gurmukhi script. 

#7

In general, hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib, are called Gurbani.

Dalip Singh [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Gurbani is directly received from inside after attaining a Supreme state, whereas the Granth or textual form is the worldly language of the same. It is the source of spiritual knowledge which gives eternal bliss.

Gurbani is also referred to as Dhur Ki Bani (the speech from the Supreme house).

#8

Guru Granth Sahib is composed in and divided by 60 ragas some of them are  
as

• Gauri Malva
• Asa Kafi 
• Asavari
• Tilang 

#9

The ceremonial reader of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is called Granthi. He is the person who reads sacred hymns to worshippers in Sikh temple in Sikh prayers The word is derived from Sanskrit word granthika which means a relater or narrator.

The Granthi also acts as caretaker for the Guru Granth Sahib, keeping the Guru Granth Sahib covered in clean clothes, known as rumala, to protect from heat, dust, pollution, etc.

Adi Granth was completed and installed at the Harmandir Sahib(Golden Temple) in 1604.
Baba Buddha who is the prime figure in early Sikhism and was first Granthi. 

Sumitsurai [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

#10

The Mul Mantar is the first composition of First Sikh Guru -  Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The Guru Granth Sahib begins with the Mul Mantar and it occurs more than one hundred times throughout the text.

Ik Onkar has a prominent position at the head of the Mul Mantar and the opening words of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. 

This means one and only one, who cannot be compared or contrasted with any other , the "unmanifest, God in power, the holy word, the primal manifestation of Godhead by which and in which all live, move and have their being and by which all find a way back to Absolute God, the Supreme Reality.

#11

Guru Granth Sahib is always the focal point in any gurudwara . He is seated on a raised platform which is  known as a Takht (throne). The congregation of devotees sits on the floor and bow before the guru as a sign of respect. Guru Granth Sahib is given the greatest respect and honor. 

Unknown Early 20th century Sikh painter [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

• It is normally carried on the head and as a sign of respect. 
• It is never touched with unwashed hands or put on the floor. 
• It is attended with all signs of royalty with a canopy placed over it. 
• No handwritten copies are ever destroyed.
• Sikhs cover their heads and remove their shoes while in the presence of this sacred scripture, their eternal living guru.
• In the process of printing, if some text is unused or unpreserved, It is burned by itself without any external material involved. This is called Agan Bheta. This makes the burning pure and unadulterated.

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