Is Learning Gurmukhi/Punjabi Important For A Sikh?

[notanotherloginplease]

Whenever I come on this forum, I always feel that if I write something in Punjabi I will be bashed badly which seems right too because Punjabi is not the official language of this forum but something I don't appreciate much.


Today I was reading about Quran and found that it was not written by Mohammed Ji but composed after his death by his followers. Even many years after his death, Quran wasn’t there. Originally it was written in Arabic and then later translated/interpreted to different languages because all Muslims do not understand Arabic as their predecessors do. This added more misery to the already miserably preserved document and result is what we can see everywhere.


That made me think about our Sri Guru Granth Sahib. It was written in Gurmukhi and has gone through minor font and script adjustments which could have affected it already but not to a great extent, But the matter of concern is translated versions of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. What we discuss here in English? Will it lead our next generations to same misery?


Do we need to push for Sikhs to learn Punjabi to correctly understand what’s written in Sri Guru Granth sahib?


Thoughts?

 

[RD1]

There is so much that is lost in translation...even if the utmost care was taken to translate the SGGSJ into English, there will still be so much that is not translated and interpreted precisely. And over time, with repeated changes, this can lead to a distortion of the teachings.

I think learning Punjabi is absolutely vital to most completely understand the SGGSJ. However, will there really be a resurrection of the language?

The unfortunate reality is that British colonization has institutionalized the english language, and now it has become the standard language of the world. Assimilation complete. I have absolutely no pride in being able to speak the language of my colonizer better than the language of my ancestors.

 

[Dalvinder Singh Grewal]

have

Whenever I come on this forum, I always feel that if I write something in Punjabi I will be bashed badly which seems right too because Punjabi is not the official language of this forum but something I don't appreciate much.


Today I was reading about Quran and found that it was not written by Mohammed Ji but composed after his death by his followers. Even many years after his death, Quran wasn’t there. Originally it was written in Arabic and then later translated/interpreted to different languages because all Muslims do not understand Arabic as their predecessors do. This added more misery to the already miserably preserved document and result is what we can see everywhere.


That made me think about our Sri Guru Granth Sahib. It was written in Gurmukhi and has gone through minor font and script adjustments which could have affected it already but not to a great extent, But the matter of concern is translated versions of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. What we discuss here in English? Will it lead our next generations to same misery?


Do we need to push for Sikhs to learn Punjabi to correctly understand what’s written in Sri Guru Granth sahib?


Thoughts?

I had planned to translate SGGS in English but was not getting the desired results. hence I planned to first explain in my own words in Punjabi which I found to be far better in understanding and when I am translating it in English from my own version of Punjabi I find it far better. I feel we must have knowledge of Punjabi to understand Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Since SGGS is the prime guide for Sikhism, I feel it essential for all Sikhs to have good knowledge of Punjabi.

 

[notanotherloginplease]

So what should be the way to go? How can we solve this issue?

Speaking punjabi at home with kids, Speaking punjabi at gurudwaras..teaching gurmukhi at gurudwaras. The most pitiful situation is we prefer English in gurudwaras even

Cant we just force the language a bit. I have seen that while we visit Japan or other such countries where you can rarely find a english speaker we try to learn enough of that language, Cant we just make punjabi compulsory in our forums, gurudwaras etc or atleast encourage users to speak and learn punjabi?

 

[Admin]

Cant we just make punjabi compulsory in our forums

A forum has to cater to a wider audience worldwide... and thanks to the British colonizing the entire globe from time to time in history, English language is read and understood much more widely than any other language...

SPN will have a dedicated Punjabi only section soon... however, the prerogative to learn Punjabi wholely rests with our own selves...

 

[sukhsingh]

I believe a translation of SGGS ji is in progress by murty Indian classical library a undertaking by harvard. I personally think to understand to the largest extent possible the SGGS ji one should learn panjabi, grammar etc. Translations are useful tools for someone like me who's first language is English but I think we must accept that it is of limited value for a serious researcher.. I have spent years just exploring mool mantar and find just trying to find a translation that captures its succinct wonderous expression almost impossible without having to use a significant number of additional grammatical devices.. Just the device of onkaar which is expressed as a symbol creates numerous problems

 

[RD1]

So what should be the way to go? How can we solve this issue?

Speaking punjabi at home with kids, Speaking punjabi at gurudwaras..teaching gurmukhi at gurudwaras. The most pitiful situation is we prefer English in gurudwaras even

Cant we just force the language a bit. I have seen that while we visit Japan or other such countries where you can rarely find a english speaker we try to learn enough of that language, Cant we just make punjabi compulsory in our forums, gurudwaras etc or atleast encourage users to speak and learn punjabi?

I don't think there is a simple solution to this. Its up to Punjabi people to embrace their ancestral language, value it, and learn it. When westernization has taken place, and knowing english has been equated with higher status, and chasing the western life is what we are inclined to, why would anyone really care about Punjabi? Especially when so many of us are very disconnected from our roots. Sad situation.The British have been quite successful in enforcing their language and culture globally. In addition, from what I have heard, even in India Punjabi is valued less than Hindi.

Also, since not all Sikhs are Punjabi, we have to be careful with 'forcing' the language.

I still fully agree though that Punjabi is necessary to fully grasp the SGGSJ.

 

[RD1]

I have spent years just exploring mool mantar and find just trying to find a translation that captures its succinct wonderous expression almost impossible without having to use a significant number of additional grammatical devices

I completely agree with this! There are many slight variations in the english translations of mool mantar. Capturing the true essence of it therefore becomes even more challenging.

 

[Original]

Good afternoon Everyone,

Interesting topic !

Language is a powerful piece of social technology. It conveys our thoughts and emotions as coded puffs of air [pad, meaning, shabad]. To understand a shabad, one need to understand a whole lot more, meaning, culture, environment, social circumstances, the conditions under which the shabad came to be written. Classic example is found on page 470 SGGSJ [bold].

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੧ ॥ ਸਿੰਮਲ ਰੁਖੁ ਸਰਾਇਰਾ ਅਤਿ ਦੀਰਘ ਅਤਿ ਮੁਚੁ ॥ ਓਇ ਜਿ ਆਵਹਿ ਆਸ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਹਿ ਨਿਰਾਸੇ ਕਿਤੁ ॥ ਫਲ ਫਿਕੇ ਫੁਲ ਬਕਬਕੇ ਕੰਮਿ ਨ ਆਵਹਿ ਪਤ ॥ ਮਿਠਤੁ ਨੀਵੀ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਗੁਣ ਚੰਗਿਆਈਆ ਤਤੁ ॥ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਨਿਵੈ ਆਪ ਕਉ ਪਰ ਕਉ ਨਿਵੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਧਰਿ ਤਾਰਾਜੂ ਤੋਲੀਐ ਨਿਵੈ ਸੁ ਗਉਰਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਅਪਰਾਧੀ ਦੂਣਾ ਨਿਵੈ ਜੋ ਹੰਤਾ ਮਿਰਗਾਹਿ ॥ ਸੀਸਿ ਨਿਵਾਇਐ ਕਿਆ ਥੀਐ ਜਾ ਰਿਦੈ ਕੁਸੁਧੇ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੧॥

Guru Nanak Dev Ji captured it beautifully, but see if you can get a translation or interpretations and post it for reflection. What prompted Guru Ji was the environment in the first place followed by subtle thought, hence, the shabad.

Sounds stand for word [shabad] that stand for real objects and actions. To understand the spirit and letter of SGGSJ, understanding of Gurmukhi is fundamental. Interpretations and translations can be had, but they will lack emotional content necessary for authentic translation and interpretation. What can a European know about the emotions of an Indian when their culture, environment and language is different ?

Does it matter if a language dies out ? The orthodox answer is that it does, because every language is a repository of ideas and culture, embodying a unique way of looking at the world. Indeed the contents of SGGSJ will remain intact indefinitely, but the perspective from within which it'll be translated or interpreted will be different, simply because of language change. And, the instinctive reaction to losing Punjabi would be regret, and from a linguistic perspective the loss would be a genuine shame. The same could be said for other endangered languages; they die out because people abandon them in favour of ones that serve their needs better. Hence the case for the diaspora Sikh.

English language is found in at least 100 countries. In addition to the millions for whom it is their first language, millions cite it as their second. It dominates international relations, business and science. All this indicates it to being on course to be the planets lingua franca. It just probably won't be the same English that native speakers are used to, meaning, us Brits. Good news is however, SGGSJ is universal and can be connected to via truth and truthful living. That in itself is shabad.

Goodnight n Godbless