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The Guru Granth Sahib

CHENNAI, SEPT. 1. The first September 2004 is the 400th anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib which was enjoined upon Sikhs as the eternal, spiritual and shabad Guru by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and the last Sikh Guru. Realising that his end was near, Guru Gobind Singh assembled his followers and told them in 1708 A.D. that the line of Gurus was to end with him and the Sikhs were to look upon the Adi Granth or the Granth Sahib as the symbol of all the 10 Gurus and as their constant guide. History records that Guru Gobind Singh opened the Granth Sahib, placed a five paise coin and a coconut before it and solemnly bowed to it as his successor Guru Granth Sahib saying "waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki Fateh," he circumambulated the sacred volume and proclaimed "O beloved Khalsa, let him who desireth to behold me behold the Guru Granth, obey the Granth Sahib. It is the visible body of the Gurus. And let him who desireth to meet me, diligently search the hymns." Before leaving this world Guru Gobind Singh had ordained, "if anyone erects a shrine in my honour, his offspring shall perish."

The Sikh Gurdwara in Nander, Maharashtra, where Guru Gobind Singh expired on October 7, 1708 A.D. is called Abchalnagar (Hazur Sahib). This temple was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1832 A.D. in defiance of the Guru's interdiction. After Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the rule of his dynasty came to an end, as per the Guru's prophecy.

In Sikhism, the word Guru does not denote the usual meaning — a teacher or a human body but this is composed of two words GU and RU. GU means darkness and RU means light — the Light that dispels all darkness is called `Jot' or divine light. When impersonal God manifested His attributes in person, that person was called Guru Nanak: "jot rup her aap gur Nanak kahao" (Swayas Bhattan page 1408). Guru Nanak was thus the embodiment of the divine light.

The process of conferring the Guruship continued till the tenth Guru. Guru Gobind Singh seated the Holy Granth — the Divine Light on the throne of Guru Nanak and so the Guru Granth Sahib became the embodiment of the Divine Light. Bowing before the Guru Granth Sahib is not bowing before a book but it is bowing before the Divine Light.

Mahinder Singh

in New Delhi

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