Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak HOME The Guru Granth Sahib is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. Gurū Nānak was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. The Adi Granth, its first rendition, was compiled by the fifth guru, Guru Arjan (1564–1606). Its compilation was completed on 29 August 1604 and first installed inside Golden Temple in Amritsar on 1 September 1604
Guru Nanak Guru Granth Sahib The first verses There is but one God. True is His Name, creative His personality and immortal His form. He is without fear, sans ‘enmity’, unborn and self-illumined. By the Guru's grace¹(He is obtained). Embrace His meditation¹⁹. True in the prime, True in the beginning of ages, True He is even now and True He, verily shall be, O Nanak ! By pondering, man cannot have a conception of God, even though he may ponder over lacs of time. Even though one be silent and remains absorbed constantly he obtains not mind's silence. The hunger of the hungry departs not, even though he may pile up loads of the worlds (valuables). Man may possess thousands and lacs of wits, but not even one goes with (him) or (avails him in the Lord's court). How can we be true and how can the screen of untruth be rent? By obeying, O Nanak! the pre-ordained order of the Lord of will. By the Lord's order bodies are produced. His order cannot be narrated. With His fiat the souls come into beings and with His fiat greatness is obtained . By His command the mortals are made high and low and by His written command they obtain woe and weales. Some obtain gifts through His order and some through His order are ever" made to wander in transmigration. All are subject to His fiat and none is exempt from His fiat. O Nanak! If man were to understand Lord's fiat, then no one would take pride". Who can sing His might ? Who has powers to sing it? Who can sing His bounties and know His resplendent effulgence? Some chant the Lord's beautiful excellences and magnificences. 2 Who can chant (God's) knowledge, whose study is arduous ? Some sing that (He) fashions the bodys (and then) reduces it to dust . Some sing (that God) takes away² life and again restores it. Some sing (that God) seems and appears to be far off. Some sing (that He) is beholdings (us) just face to face. There is no dearth (of persons) who dwell upon (the Lord's)discourses. Millions give ¹0 millions upon millions of descriptions and sermons (regarding God). The Giver¹a continues giving (but) the recipients grow weary of receiving. All the ages through the partakers partake (of His provisions). The Commander, by His command , makes (all) walk on His path. O Nanak! the carefree Master makes merry. True is the Lord, true His Name and the true have repeated His Name with infinite love. [….]

Guru Nanak HOME

The Guru Granth Sahib is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. Gurū Nānak was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. The Adi Granth, its first rendition, was compiled by the fifth guru, Guru Arjan (1564–1606). Its compilation was completed on 29 August 1604 and first installed inside Golden Temple in Amritsar on 1 September 1604

Guru Nanak

Guru Granth Sahib

The first verses

There is but one God.
True is His Name, creative
His personality and immortal His form.
He is without fear, sans ‘enmity’,
unborn and self-illumined.
By the Guru's grace¹(He is obtained).
Embrace His meditation¹⁹.

True in the prime,
True in the beginning of ages,
True He is even now
and True He, verily
shall be, O Nanak !

By pondering,
man cannot have a conception of God,
even though he may ponder over lacs of time.

Even though one be silent
and remains absorbed constantly
he obtains not mind's silence.

The hunger of the hungry departs not,
even though he may pile up
loads of the worlds (valuables).

Man may possess thousands
and lacs of wits,
but not even one goes with (him)
or (avails him in the Lord's court).

How can we be true and
how can the screen of untruth be rent?
By obeying, O Nanak!
the pre-ordained order of the Lord of will.

By the Lord's order bodies are produced.
His order cannot be narrated.

With His fiat the souls come into beings
and with His fiat greatness is obtained .

By His command the mortals
are made high and low and by
His written command they obtain woe and weales.

Some obtain gifts through His order
and some through His order
are ever" made to wander in transmigration.

All are subject to His fiat and none is exempt from His fiat.
O Nanak! If man were to understand Lord's fiat,
then no one would take pride".

Who can sing His might ? Who has powers to sing it?

Who can sing His bounties and know His resplendent effulgence?
Some chant the Lord's beautiful excellences and magnificences.

2

Who can chant (God's) knowledge,
whose study is arduous ?
Some sing that (He) fashions the
bodys (and then) reduces it to dust .
Some sing (that God) takes away²
life and again restores it.
Some sing (that God) seems and appears to be far off.
Some sing (that He) is beholdings
(us) just face to face.
There is no dearth (of persons) who dwell upon
(the Lord's)discourses.
Millions give ¹0 millions upon
millions of descriptions and sermons (regarding God).
The Giver¹a continues giving (but)
the recipients grow weary of receiving.
All the ages through the partakers partake (of His provisions).
The Commander, by His command ,
makes (all) walk on His path.
O Nanak! the carefree Master makes merry.
True is the Lord, true His Name and the true
have repeated His Name with infinite love.
[….]