Guru Nanak's Gift to Humanity

Lets discuss the first verse

"O Lalo! As the Lord’s word comes to me so I deliver it."
(Ang 722)

as the lords word come to me, can simply mean as i learn lord's word. i deliever it. i teach to you

so, as i learn, i teach you.

"I myself know not what to say; all I speak is what the Lord commands."
(Ang 763).

i don't speak of myself, i am telling you what my lord wants me to. like I only say the words that lord wants me to.

NOW please find me a verse from Guru Nanak Dev ji, saying i speak directly to God, or God comes to me to deliever or reveal the massage so i can convey it to you. Did Guru Nanak Dev ji, ever said that the words that are comming out of my mouth are the words OF GOD.

 
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friend ji
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-gurus/23680-guru-nanaks-gift-to-humanity.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23680

Your suggested answers are not actually consistent with the available historical texts about the life of Guru Nanak. He did in fact burst into verse at important times when a moral and spiritual puzzle was solved for him -- through the jyot, the illumination of his mind and heart by the Satguru. That is why the Granth Sahib is viewed as "revealed." It did not come about after a prolonged stage of scholarly research and analysis. Hence the Gurus teach at the intuitive level, with layers of meaning in every verse.

Kindly translate and explain it , it is possible that i made a mistake. But i am still not able to find, any thing where Guru Nanak Dev ji, said the revelation OR Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is being revealed directly from God.

SikhSpectrum.com Monthly Issue No.5, October 2002 Boundless Scripture of Guru Granth Sahib by Harbans Lal
The Guru Granth Sahib is a sacred scripture of the world, and it is the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs. Because it is a scripture suitable of a universal religion, many world class philosophers and holy men consider it a unique treasure and a noble heritage for all humankind. As the Guru of the Sikhs, its adoration or veneration is an article of faith amongst the people of the Sikh religion. In the year 2004, the world will celebrate the Quad-Centennial of the Granth's First Compilation. In 2008, Sikhs will celebrate the Tercentennial of the Canonization of the Granth as the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

The sacred verses of Sri Guru Granth Sahib are called Gurbani, which means the Guru's word or the song messages enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. In Sikhism, the Guru is the 'Wisdom of the Word' and not a human or a book. God revealed the Word through the holy men and women from time to time, and the most recent revelations were entered in the text of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

To the Sikhs, any scripture not included in the Guru Granth is unacceptable as the Guru's word or authority behind their theology, and it is not allowed to be recited, sung, or discussed in Sikh congregations with the exception for the compositions of Guru Gobind Singh, Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Nand Lal. These were considered to elucidate the Guru Granth verses. Those who explain the scripture or teach the doctrines contained in the scripture are respected as teachers, granthi, missionaries, saints or enlightened souls.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23680

Sikhs regard Sri Guru Granth Sahib as a complete, inviolable and final embodiment of the message. There is to be no word beyond the Word. And, that's how their last guru, Guru Gobind Singh, spoke to the congregation on October 20, 1708 shortly before his ascension.

Those who desire to behold the Guru should obey the Granth Sahib. Its contents are the visible body of the Guru.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib contains hymns of 36 composers, written in twenty-two languages, employing a phonetically perfected Gurmukhi script on 1430 pages, in 511,874 words, 1,720,345 characters, and 28,534 lines. It has been preserved in its original form, since its final completion by Guru Gobind Singh in 1705.

It is well known that religious institutions protect themselves from erosion by enshrining their tenets and doctrines in some tangible form. The best and the most modern form of preserving the doctrinal purity today is the use of printed media and electronic storage. At the time of the Granth's compilation, the Sikh gurus could make use of only handwritten books, and they used it wisely. If available, all of the founders and the followers of great religions would have liked to compile one volume of their scriptures, as the Sikh gurus did, to preserve their scriptures for posterity.

Guru Granth was composed in poetry perhaps to both prevent alterations or adulterations, and to reach out to human heart. According to some writers, "its power is the power of the puissant and winged word, and no exegesis or commentary or translation can ever convey the full beauty of its thought and poetry." Further, poetry can be left to the culture and the times that follow to best interpret the message.

Thus the Guru Granth incorporates all of the features to place it alongside the world's greatest scriptures. Besides, this is the only scripture which in spite of its interfaith nature, was dictated, edited, proof-read, and signed for authenticity by the founders of the faith in their life time. These unique features helped preserve the Sikh religion throughout the numerous onslaughts it endured over the period of five centuries. The Granth proved to be a sufficiently foolproof means for continuously providing safeguard against adulteration and extinction of the Sikh religion for centuries to come.

It was the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Arjan Dev, who first compiled the Guru Granth in I604 in the city of Amritsar. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, prepared the second edition, which he completed at Damdama, a town in the State of Punjab in India in 1705. Since then, his authorized version has been transcribed and printed numerous times; and it always conforms to the Damdama edition in every respect.

More recently the text in its original font is available electronically on many web sites for every one to have free access. In addition to the edition in original Gurmukhi script, the Guru Granth on the web is available in Hindi, Sindhi, and roman English transliterations. Whereas translations in English, French, Spanish, Punjabi, Hindi, Sindhi and German are already available, those in Thai, Urdu, Hebrew and many Indic languages are in preparation.

The Granth compiled by Guru Arjan contained the hymns of the first five Gurus along with most of the saints and holy men of medieval India and the Far East. He installed this scripture in the Sikhs'central shrine, Hari Mandar, at the City of Golden Temple in 1604. Later, this copy was taken into possession by guru's rivals who did not wish to share it freely with the mainstream Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh then, took upon himself to recreate the entire Granth. He dictated to a Sikh scholar, Bhai Mani Singh, all verses he considered revealed including the hymns written after Guru Arjan.

It took him nearly five years at Anadpur Sahib and Damdama Sahib to complete this project in 1705. He founded Dandama town to immortalize this occasion. On October 20, 1708 Guru Gobind Singh gave his final sermon that conferred permanent gurudom on the Damdama version of the Granth. He selected the town of Naderh several hundred miles away from Damdama for this event. Since that day, the Granth has come to be known as Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib contains 5,894 hymns. Guru Arjan Dev contributed the largest number (2,216) of hymns. Besides the hymns of other Gurus, he also included 937 hymns of fifteen other saints and eleven poet laureates of the Guru's court whose compositions tallied with the gospel of the Sikh faith. Here, the Hindu, the Muslim, the Brahmin, and the untouchable, all meet in the same congregation of holy souls to create a truly universal scripture for our world

From the linguistic point of view, Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a treasury of the languages of its times that communicated well with every segment of the society. The language principally employed is the language of the saints, evolved during the medieval period. Based upon the local dialects, it was leavened with expressions from Sanskrit, Prakrit, Persian, Arabic, Bengali and Marathi etc. This language allowed for variations and still enjoyed wide currency in Southeast Asia. Its appeal is found in its directness, energy and resilience. In addition, the Guru designed a phonetically complete gurmukhi font to meet the need of inscribing the multi-linguistic scripture that is also musical.

The poetry of the Granth is in itself a subject worthy of the highest consideration. Music forms the basis of the rhythms and classification of the hymns. They follow a definite metrical system called raags. A raag in Indian classical music means a pattern of melodic notes. This form is not only used to preserve the originality of the composition, as the poetry written in this form is difficult to imitate, but more so to provide the divine experience through the medium of music and the sounds of God's creation. The total number of ragas is 31. The gurus themselves invented some of those. Under each Raag, the hymns are arranged in different meters as Chaupadas and Ashtapadas; long poems include Chhands, Vars, and Bhagat verses.

Another outstanding feature of the Guru Granth is the rescission and beauty of its prosody. Whilst a great deal of it is cast in traditional verse forms (e.g. shlokas and paudis), and could best be understood in the context of the well-known classical raags, several hymns and songs make use of popular folklore and meters (e.g. alahanis, ghoris, chands, etc.). The inner and integral relationship between music and verse has been maintained with scholarly rectitude and concern. The complete musicalization of thought was accomplished in a scientific and scholarly manner so that it makes for the unusually vigorous yet supple discipline of the Granth's own metrics and notations.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23680

The Guru Granth verses are often sung in a process known as kirtan. In this process the true meaning is revealed directly to the Surat (consciousness and awareness) through cosmic vibrations. The body's energetic vibrations from our voices bind us to the spiritual light of universal intelligence. As we chant the Granth's verses the universe speaks to us in metaphoric images.
The physical body of the singer experiences the essence of each word through the lightening energy in the brain and the calming vibrations in the body, all caused by sound currents. It keeps the mind to stay focused on the Word. It heals the physical body and cleanse inner thoughts. The sound waves of the Gurmat Raags connect the mind, body and spirit by alignment of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual entities. It implants in the psyche the basis for both spiritual and mental growth.

To see a Sikh congregation chant the sacred hymns in unison is to see massed spiritual energy bubble before your eyes. This is how the ordinary words change into the logos and become auspicious.

Reading of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, known as Gurbani paath, is a sacred rite for every Sikh that permits a connection to the Guru for spiritual guidance. It is more than a simple ritual or a complex scholarly endeavor; intellectual deliberation is engaged to seek wisdom while faith is cultivated in the process to receive the inner light. Reading the rhythmic poetry of Guru Granth is considered by some as healing in itself. Its chant is frequently prescribed to patients for relief of their symptoms and to reduce illnesses. It seems to facilitate understanding of pain and pleasure by "mindfulness" or "being in the moment".

In mystic literature of Guru Granth the appeal of the numinous becomes ineffable, if not inexplicable. And yet the great Sikh scripture is not a knot of metaphysical riddles and abstract theorizing. For the most part it employs the idiom of the common people, and draws its imagery and metaphors from the home, the street and the work place.

The hymns of the Guru Granth show an admirable use of the current figures of speech apart from their metrical richness and sweetness. Imagery was taken from everyday life and common occurrence to simplify subtle thoughts and profound concepts. The Gurus were keen lovers of nature and as such, have written glowing descriptions of panoramic environmental beauty, changes in the times of day, and the changes of seasons to inculcate love for the One Creator. Thus they made Guru Granth poetry an extraordinary breed of divinity, mysticism, immediacy, concreteness and urgency with which it touches the human heart.

One of the greatest glories of the Guru Granth is its all-embracing character. It is a scripture completely free from bias, animus and controversy. Indeed, the uniqueness of the Granth in this respect is all the more astonishing when we think of the obscurantism, factionalism and religious fanaticism of the periods in which it was composed. They were all counterbalanced by inclusion of the songs and verses of a wide diversity of holy men, saints, savants and bards. Of course, their hymns and couplets rendered in their own language and idiom were so dovetailed as to find a complete correspondence with themes or motifs in the compositions of the Sikh Gurus.

The Guru Granth, then, is unique in that it formed the first interfaith universal scripture. It is indeed a magnificent compendium of the religious, mystic and metaphysical poetry written or recited between the 12th and 17th centuries in different parts of the Mid-Eastern and Far-Eastern continents. It is also at the same time a reflection of the sociological, economic and political conditions of the day. The satire on the reactionary rulers, the obscurantist clergy, the fake fakirs and the like is uncompromising and telling.

In showing the path to spiritual salvation, the Guru Granth does not ignore the secular and creative life of living beings. In addition to its mysticism and spiritual depth, the poetry of the Gurus throws light on their contemporary situations. It lays bare the corruption and degradation of the society of those times and underscores the need of social reform and economic uplift. Guru Granth verses advocate a spiritual soul for their otherwise inhumane administration of the then rulers.

Obviously, the idea of Guru Arjan Dev was to celebrate the diversity in all religions and mystic experiences, and, at the same time, establish the fundamental unity of spirituality and faith through the scripture of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. In this scripture he founded an integral congress of all minds and souls operating on the same spiritual vibration. He elevated the songs of the saints, the Sufis and the bards to the elevation of the logos to salute the power of the Word whatever form it might take to reveal the glory of the One Reality.

Sikhs in particular and the religious world in general must be congratulated to have received this scripture. We, the Sikhs, must be humble and grateful to be chosen by Guru Gobind Singh who assigned us the task of being the keepers of the light of Sri Guru Granth Sahib on this Day of October 20, 1708.

Copyright ©2002 Harbans Lal. About The Author

Specifically to your question friend, start with the Eternal Teacher.

ਚਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਰਾਤਾ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥
chith har sio raathaa hukam apaaraa ||
My consciousness is attuned to the Lord, by the Order of the Infinite.

ਜਾਤਿ ਰਹੇ ਪਤਿ ਕੇ ਆਚਾਰਾ ॥
jaath rehae path kae aachaaraa ||
My pursuit for worldy pride and honour is over.

ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਭਈ ਸੁਖੁ ਆਤਮ ਧਾਰਾ ॥੪॥
dhrisatt bhee sukh aatham dhhaaraa ||4||
When He blessed me with His Glance of Grace, peace was established in my soul. ||4||

ਤੁਝ ਬਿਨੁ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਦੇਖਉ ਮੀਤੁ ॥
thujh bin koe n dhaekho meeth ||
Without You, I see no friend at all.

ਕਿਸੁ ਸੇਵਉ ਕਿਸੁ ਦੇਵਉ ਚੀਤੁ ॥
kis saevo kis dhaevo cheeth ||
Whom should I serve? Unto whom should I dedicate my consciousness?

ਕਿਸੁ ਪੂਛਉ ਕਿਸੁ ਲਾਗਉ ਪਾਇ ॥
kis pooshho kis laago paae ||
Whom should I ask? At whose feet should I fall?

ਕਿਸੁ ਉਪਦੇਸਿ ਰਹਾ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥੫॥
kis oupadhaes rehaa liv laae ||5||
By whose teachings will I remain absorbed in His Love? ||5|| (By implication, no one's teachings except the Satguru)

ਗੁਰ ਸੇਵੀ ਗੁਰ ਲਾਗਉ ਪਾਇ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23680
gur saevee gur laago paae ||
I serve the Guru, and I fall at the Guru's Feet.

ਭਗਤਿ ਕਰੀ ਰਾਚਉ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਇ ॥
bhagath karee raacho har naae ||
I worship Him, and I am absorbed in the Lord's Name.

ਸਿਖਿਆ ਦੀਖਿਆ ਭੋਜਨ ਭਾਉ ॥
sikhiaa dheekhiaa bhojan bhaao ||
The Lord's Love is my instruction, sermon and food.

ਹੁਕਮਿ ਸੰਜੋਗੀ ਨਿਜ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਉ ॥੬॥
hukam sanjogee nij ghar jaao ||6||
Enjoined to the Lord's Command, I have entered the home of my inner self. ||6||

ਗਰਬ ਗਤੰ ਸੁਖ ਆਤਮ ਧਿਆਨਾ ॥
garab gathan sukh aatham dhhiaanaa ||
With the extinction of pride, my soul has found peace and meditation.

ਜੋਤਿ ਭਈ ਜੋਤੀ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23680
joth bhee jothee maahi samaanaa ||
The Divine Light has dawned, and I am absorbed in the Light.

ਲਿਖਤੁ ਮਿਟੈ ਨਹੀ ਸਬਦੁ ਨੀਸਾਨਾ ॥
likhath mittai nehee sabadh neesaanaa ||
Pre-ordained destiny cannot be erased; the Shabad is my banner and insignia.

ਕਰਤਾ ਕਰਣਾ ਕਰਤਾ ਜਾਨਾ ॥੭॥
karathaa karanaa karathaa jaanaa ||7||
I know the Creator, the Creator of His Creation. ||7||

Ang 221

Tread carefully... it is all about revelation.

Friend Ji
You are basing your questioning on your own assumptions, let me prove it

“Lets discuss the first verse

"O Lalo! As the Lord’s word comes to me so I deliver it."
(Ang 722)

as the lords word come to me, can simply mean as i learn lord's word. i deliever it. i teach to you’
This is incorrect( you assume it), its about God’s word to understand as it comes through Guru Nanak as he passes on and understand it.
You wrote

“so, as i learn, i teach you.”
He doesn’t say as I learn, he simply says what I get from him I pass on you and understand it.

“"I myself know not what to say; all I speak is what the Lord commands."
(Ang 763).

i don't speak of myself, i am telling you what my lord wants me to. like I only say the words that lord wants me to. (your
Look at the word “command” of the God, its like passing on what God's will is. How anyone knows what God wants? Only if someone experienced HIM/ encountered Him, that is enough to understand Guru Nanak in context of “as His word comes, understand that” You just assume instead of understanding what is being said.


You asked
“NOW please find me a verse from Guru Nanak Dev ji, saying i speak directly to God, or God comes to me to deliever or reveal the massage so i can convey it to you. Did Guru Nanak Dev ji, ever said that the words that are comming out of my mouth are the words OF GOD.”

Friend ji,
It has been already proved, you are just playing with the words. Just to answer it, let me prove in fact God summoned Guru Nanak and spoke to him
Guru Nanak expresses about his encounter with the God in his own words, bear in mind, it has not been said by others. Of course Now let me give you that encounter (with God) in Guru Nanak’s own words. Since as per your own words, you are a student, I will lay out what Guru Nanak means in a nut shell. In the following Shabad Guru Nanak says that God put him into a real job, that is praising God, HE summoned him to Him and asked him to praise Him, honored him literally to do His praise and that is what Guru Nanak did through his life (Praise the One God)and also asked other to do it as per God’s Will after the encounter.

Here it is. Sikhs do not boast about it since this encounter was not about arguing with other but to follow His will and ask other to follow it.
That concludes why Guru Nanak clearly states how he was summoned by God to Him to deliver His message. Guru Nanak expresses clearly why he praised Him and asked others to do it( and clean themselves within and spoke against hypocrisy- it’s necessary to do His praise otherwise without sincerity towards God it comes down to hypocrisy) Remember reason or example can satisfy only those who are really to get it. Your question in green font is answered in the following Guru Nanak’s Gurbani
ਪਉੜੀ ॥ ਹਉ ਢਾਢੀ ਵੇਕਾਰੁ ਕਾਰੈ ਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਰਾਤਿ ਦਿਹੈ ਕੈ ਵਾਰ ਧੁਰਹੁ ਫੁਰਮਾਇਆ ॥ ਢਾਢੀ ਸਚੈ ਮਹਲਿ ਖਸਮਿ ਬੁਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਸਚੀ ਸਿਫਤਿ ਸਾਲਾਹ ਕਪੜਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਸਚਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਭੋਜਨੁ ਆਇਆ ॥ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਖਾਧਾ ਰਜਿ ਤਿਨਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਢਾਢੀ ਕਰੇ ਪਸਾਉ ਸਬਦੁ ਵਜਾਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚੁ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ ਪੂਰਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੨੭॥ ਸੁਧੁ (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji 150)
Pa▫oṛī. Ha▫o dẖādẖī vekār kārai lā▫i▫ā. Rāṯ ḏihai kai vār ḏẖarahu furmā▫i▫ā. Dẖādẖī sacẖai mahal kẖasam bulā▫i▫ā. Sacẖī sifaṯ sālāh kapṛā pā▫i▫ā. Sacẖā amriṯ nām bẖojan ā▫i▫ā. Gurmaṯī kẖāḏẖā raj ṯin sukẖ pā▫i▫ā. Dẖādẖī kare pasā▫o sabaḏ vajā▫i▫ā. Nānak sacẖ sālāhi pūrā pā▫i▫ā. ||27|| suḏẖu
pauri. Me, the bard out of work, the Lord has applied to His service. In the very beginning He gave me the order to sing His praises night and day.The Master summoned the minstrel to His True Court. He clothed me with the robe of His true Honour and eulogy. Since then the True Name has become my ambrosial food. They, who under the Guru's instruction, eat this food to their satisfaction, obtain peace. By singing Shabad of His praise, I the minstrel spread the Lord's glory. Nanak, by praising the True Name I have obtained the perfect Lord.