AYsw guru pweIAY vfBwgI ] (1339-7, pRBwqI, mÚ 5)

By great good fortune, such a Guru is found;
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The term 'guru' has been used with different pre-fixes making one to feel that there are more than one Gurus. I would like to interpret the 'Guru' as above as Guru sabad. Would like to be enlightened by the members of the forum. Which Guru are we supposed to refer to herein.? Obviously safest answer would be 'sabad guru' should be consulted. But if the doubt arises from that is like as above whom or which Guru should we approch.Likewise the term has been used quite extensively in the case where it is stated that Guru will make one meet The LORD. Whis guru is being referred to? Are these all referring to the Creator/Lord or there is some deeper explanation?


Submitted for perusal and necessary clarification.
Thanks

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~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

Respected Randip ji,
ssa
I shall be grateful if you can enlighten us about the Concept of Guru as per the above question.I shall also look out for some inputs and post tham when ready.What do you say? I have been advised to take the help of the seniors ,especially, in the matter of sikhi.
Hope you will help us out.

__________________

~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

Guru: A general viewpoint

The word Guru is so popular in India that in order to understand the fundamental concept of 'guru' in Sikhism, one must first completely drive out of one's mind the prevalent popular notion of a guru. The popular term 'guru' often used for a Brahman, a yogic teacher or a guide or even a school teacher, has made the Guruship so cheap that a scholar describes these gurus as 'wicks which smell foul after the lamps are extinguished.'


The term 'Guru' in Sikhism is not used for a teacher or a guide or an expert or even a human body. The word Guru is composed of two terms-

• GU- means darkness and
  RU- means Light.

In Sikhism the word 'Guru' is, thus, defined as the Light that dispels all darkness, and that is called JOT (Divine Light). Guru Nanak was, therefore, the EMBODIMENT of Divine Light:

• 'Gur Nanak Dev Govind roop.'
  (Basant Mohalla 5, p-1192, Guru Granth Sahib)
  'Guru Nanak is embodiment of the Light of God.' (Translation of the above)

The Guru in Sikhism is a perfect Prophet or Messenger of God in whom the Light of God shines fully, visibly and completely. Guru is in union with Divine. Thus he ushers the devotees, the seekers of Truth into a spiritual birth. Through him the Glory of the Lord is transmitted to humanity. On account of his Divine prerogatives, the Guru, though human in form, is Divine in Spirit.



Literally Guru Nanak's body was a platform from which God Himself spoke and delivered His message- Gurbani (Divine Word). God manifested Himself through Guru Nanak:

• 'Gur meh aap samoai sabad vartaya.'
  (Var Malar ki Mohalla 1, p-1279)
  'In the true Guru (Nanak) He installed His Own Spirit Through him, God speaketh Himself.' (Translation of the above)

In another place in Gurbani it is said

• 'Gur meh aap rakhaya kartare.'
  (Maru Mohalla 1(15), p-1024)
  'In the body of Guru (Nanak) God revealeth Himself.' (Translation of the above)

God is in the Guru and Guru is in God. Though God is everywhere and in everybody but His traits are illuminated through the Guru. The Jot (Divine Light) that enshrined Guru Nanak's body and the Primal Jot of God are, therefore, one and the same:

• 'Gur Nanak Nanak har soai.'
  (Gaund Mohalla 5, p-865)
  'O Nanak, Jot of Nanak and God are one.' (Translation of the above)

Again the Janamsakhis (biographies) reveal that God spoke to Guru Nanak and said:

• 'Mei aad parmeshar aur tu gur parmeshar.'
  'I am the Primal God and thou art Guru God.' (Translation of the above)

Guru Nanak never claimed that only his disciples or devotees could get salvation or go to heaven. Since he was the embodiment of Divine Light, and as the Divine Light does not belong to any particular sect or religion, so he stood guarantee for the entire humanity, and said, "Whosoever meditates upon One God, the Formless, will get salvation."

• 'Jo jo japai so hoi punit Bhagat bhai lavai man hit.'
  (Gauri Sukhmani Mohalla 5, p-290)
  'He shall become pure whosoever repeateth His Name With devotion, affection and heartfelt love.' (Translation of the above)

When Guru Nanak conferred Guruship on Bhai Lehna (later called Guru Angad), the JOT was passed on and Guru Angad too became the embodiment of Divine Light. In the same way all the nine Gurus were the embodiments of Gur Nanak Jot. The tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh then conferred the Guruship on Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Scripture), which too became the embodiment of Divine Light. Gur Nanak JOT is, therefore, enshrined and preserved in Guru Granth Sahib (it is no longer the Adi Granth, but only the Guru Granth), and it is the Living Guru for ever. For the Sikhs, the Guru Granth is the manifestation of the Guru's Spirit and through it, Guru Nanak lives on in the Sikh Faith.


Sikhism endeavors to uplift the human soul from the shackles of Maya (materialism). It aims at a virtuous life which leads to the ultimate realization of a state of Eternal Bliss. The objective of Guru Nanak's Guruship was to give instructions in the True Name, to save humanity from immersing in the ocean of distress and misery arising out of worldly life, and to blend the human souls with their Creator, thus, emancipating them from the cycle of transmigration breaking all barriers and bonds of sufferings. This is the essential character of Sikh faith.
The law of Karma or fatalism is repugnant to Sikh Religion as it does not reconcile with the merciful trait of the Almighty Lord. There is no such thing in Sikhism as eternal damnation or an everlasting pit of fire created by the revengeful God. Guru's grace erases the blot of thousands of evil deeds of the past and the present. It is also the savior of the future. Meditation on Nam burns countless sins. Singing the glory of the Lord through the Divine Word, can redeem a repentant sinner and, thus, doctrine of Karma ceases to operate. Such is the splendor of Guru Nanak's doctrine of God's Grace and Compassion.

• CHRONOLOGY OF GURUS
  • Siri Guru Nanak Dev Ji
  • Siri Guru Angad Dev Ji
  • Siri Guru Amardas Ji
  • Siri Guru Ramdas Ji
  • Siri Guru Arjan Dev Ji
  • Siri Guru Har Gobind Ji
  • Siri Guru Har Rai Ji
  • Siri Guru HarKrishan Ji
  • Siri Guru Teg Bhadur Ji
  • Siri Guru Gobind Singh Ji
  • Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Source:
A sikhi Site
Sikh Gurus

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~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

Very good post.

The word Guru must be read in context. This means understand of the way in which Bani is written. The Guru can work on many levels. It can mean God, it can mean teacher in the human form, but ultimately for the purpose for a Sikh it means God.

It should not be confused with the term used to describe a human Guru. So on the one leavel you have a teacher and on another level you have the Ultimate teacher i.e. waheguru. I will try and get examples of Bani, I haven't got time at the moment.

__________________
Randip Singh
Sikh History Website

"Let no man be proud because of his caste/race (Jaat).
For the man who has God in his heart, he alone is the true Brahmin.
O stupid fool, be not proud of your caste/race (Jaat), by this pride many sins arise.
Everyone says there are four castes/races (Jaat), but they are all created from the Lords seed (essence).
All men are moulded from the same clay, but the potter has fashioned it into vessels of numerous forms.
By joining the five elements, the form of the body is made, no one can say that the element is less in one and more in another" Pg 1128 SGGS

Thx. sir.

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~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

Respected Randip ji,
You had to explain the term 'Guru' .I am again stuck up here. The bani contains reference to Guru, however the bottomline is That SGGS ji/ Lord is our guru. In such a case what is the meaning of satguru/sri gurudev etc. In the following line and the line that has been stated in the first post of the thread.

Awip Cfwey CutIAY siqgur crx smwil ]4] (235-1, gauVI, mÚ 4)
If the Lord Himself saves you, then you shall be saved. Dwell upon the Feet of the True Guru. ||4||

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~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

In this case the True Guru mean the Lord himself. As is stated above it is very very very imporatant to read the term Guru in context.

__________________
Randip Singh
Sikh History Website

"Let no man be proud because of his caste/race (Jaat).
For the man who has God in his heart, he alone is the true Brahmin.
O stupid fool, be not proud of your caste/race (Jaat), by this pride many sins arise.
Everyone says there are four castes/races (Jaat), but they are all created from the Lords seed (essence).
All men are moulded from the same clay, but the potter has fashioned it into vessels of numerous forms.
By joining the five elements, the form of the body is made, no one can say that the element is less in one and more in another" Pg 1128 SGGS

Thx sir. I shall post another after few days.

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~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

I am posting some other lines that contain the term Satguru. It cannot be SGGS ji. Does it stand for the creator in the following line?

nwnk mnmuiK n buJY gvwru ]55] (944-5, rwmklI, mÚ 1)
O Nanak, the foolish self-willed manmukh does not understand. ||55||
kubuiD imt Y gur sbdu bIcwir ] (944-5, rwmklI, mÚ 1)
Evil thoughts are erased, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
siqguru BytY moK duAwr ] (944-6, rwmklI, mÚ 1)
Meeting with the True Guru, the door of liberation is found.
qqu n cInY mnmuKu jil jwie ] (944-6, rwmklI, mÚ 1)
The self-willed manmukh does not understand the essence of reality, and is burnt to ashes.
durmiq ivCuiV cotw Kwie ] (944-6, rwmklI, mÚ 1)
His evil-mindedness separates him from the Lord, and he suffers.
mwnY hukmu sBy gux igAwn ] (944-7, rwmklI, mÚ 1)
Accepting the Hukam of the Lord's Command, he is blessed with all virtues and spiritual wisdom.

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~~~**Jap mun Satnaam sda Satnaam...sda satnaam sda satnaam.....~~~

Sikh80 ji

After reading all the comments in this thread again and again, each day, day after day, I have to confess that I still do not understand why you are "confused." Please tell us more specifically what it is that confuses you. Are you asking: How can it be that a book called Siri GURU Granth Sahib is cGuru, when same book uses the word Satgur, also GURU? It sounds as if you are saying that there is a logical fallacy of some kind. Maybe I really am not understanding your question.

And the term sri gurudev does not appear in any of the Bani you have posted. So why do you write satgur/sri gurudev? Are you thinking these are the same?

Thank you for any response you can give that clears things up.

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ਮਨ ਕਰਹਲਾ ਗੁਰ ਗੋਵਿੰਦੁ ਸਮਾਲਿ ॥ man karehalaa gur govindh samaal O camel-like mind, dwell upon the Guru and the Lord of the Universe.