Is the name of God in Sikhism “Ek Onkar” or “Waheguru”?
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Respected Michelle Mone ji,
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!
In response to your question, the undersigned wants to say that, as understood by the undersigned, Ik Onkar (ੴ) means one Akalpurakh, (ਇਕ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ), who pervades everywhere (ਜੋ ਇਕ-ਰਸ ਵਿਆਪਕ ਹੈ). The word Waheguru is combination of two words ‘Wahe (ਵਾਹਿ), which means Akalpurakh/Parmatma, who deserves praise/admiration/laudation/compliment and ‘Guru (ਗੁਰੂ)’, which means Akalpurakh/Parmatma, who is kind to impart knowledge, in darkness of ignorance. In Sikhism, Akalpurakh and Shabad Guru are embodiment of each other.
Hope it helps. If you have any further questions, please do ask. If you find any deficiencies, please point out the same, for improvement in future.
Regards,
Your Brother
Kulvinder Ji,
Gurbani says Akaal Purakh, God (Ek Oangkar/Waheguru) is limitless and formless. Then how can Akaal Purakh be the embodiment of Shabad Guru and Shabad Guru is the embodiment of Akaal Purakh?
Gurbani is the word/message of God Akaal Purakh (Guru Nanak said “Jaisee May Away Khasam Ki Bani ….”) and Guru Granth Sahib which contains Gurbani, the word/message of God is the embodiment of Guru, which Guru Gobind ordained us the take as our living Guru (Sabh Sikhan Ko Hukam Hai, Guru Maneo Granth. Guru Granth Maneo Pargat Guran Ki Deh).
Please read Appendix 4 in the book shared in another post.
Respected Brother/Sister,
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!
The undersigned can be wrong but as understood by the undersigned, the First Guru Person Guru Nanak Sahib had made it clear in his discussion with Yogis that his Guru was Shabad:-
ਪਵਨ ਅਰੰਭੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮਤਿ ਵੇਲਾ ॥ ਸਬਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਧੁਨਿ ਚੇਲਾ ॥ ਅਕਥ ਕਥਾ ਲੇ ਰਹਉ ਨਿਰਾਲਾ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੁਗਿ ਜੁਗਿ ਗੁਰ ਗੋਪਾਲਾ ॥ ਏਕੁ ਸਬਦੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਕਥਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਅਗਨਿ ਨਿਵਾਰੀ ॥੪੪॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 943}
ਅਰਥ: (ਉੱਤਰ:) ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਹੀ ਹਸਤੀ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਢ ਹਨ। (ਇਹ ਮਨੁੱਖਾ ਜਨਮ ਦਾ) ਸਮਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਦੀ ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਲੈਣ ਦਾ ਹੈ। ਸ਼ਬਦ (ਮੇਰਾ) ਗੁਰੂ ਹੈ, ਮੇਰੀ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਦਾ ਟਿਕਾਉ (ਉਸ ਗੁਰੂ ਦਾ) ਸਿੱਖ ਹੈ।
ਮੈਂ ਅਕੱਥ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੀਆਂ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਕਰ ਕੇ (ਭਾਵ, ਗੁਣ ਗਾ ਕੇ) ਮਾਇਆ ਤੋਂ ਨਿਰਲੇਪ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ। ਤੇ, ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! ਉਹ ਗੁਰ-ਗੋਪਾਲ ਹਰੇਕ ਜੁਗ ਵਿਚ ਮੌਜੂਦ ਹੈ।
ਕੇਵਲ ਗੁਰ-ਸ਼ਬਦ ਹੀ ਹੈ ਜਿਸ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇ ਗੁਣ ਵਿਚਾਰੇ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ, (ਇਸ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਹੀ) ਗੁਰਮੁਖ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਨੇ ਹਉਮੈ (ਖ਼ੁਦ-ਗਰਜ਼ੀ ਦੀ) ਅੱਗ (ਆਪਣੇ ਅੰਦਰੋਂ) ਦੂਰ ਕੀਤੀ ਹੈ। 44।
The Fifth Guru Person Guru Arjun Sahib had compiled the Aad Granth and put it on a higher pedestal. After inclusion of Baani of Ninth Guru Person Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib, the Tenth Guru Person Guru Gobind Singh Sahib had completed the process when he ordained Guru Granth Sahib as our eternal Guru for all times to come. So, Shabad was Guru from the time of First Guru Person Guru Nanak Sahib.
Regards,
Your Brother
P S. As already requested, please send a pdf of your book at sewadarks@gmail.com.
Kulvinder Ji,
Please read Appendix 4 of the book. I hope you find the rest of the book beneficial.
Guru Nanak’s Guru (teacher) is God. He received the Word of God (Shabad/Bani) directly from God and he told this to us (see Appendix 4). We, on the other hand, are getting the word of God from our Guru (so our Guru is our teacher).
Guru Arjan Sahib put Aad Granth at a higher pedestal because it contained Gurbani the word/message of God. He did not proclaim Aad Granth, as Guru … he absolutely did not.
Aad Granth was up to Guru Gobind Singh, who included Bani of Guru Teg Bahadur plus one verse from himself and then proclaimed the Aad Granth + his added Banis as the Guru Granth Sahib, and as our eternal living Guru, before he left for the heavenly abode. There are many people who call the Guru Granth Sahib as Aad Granth or Adi Grath, which is strictly not correct.
Appendix 4 discusses this is detail.
The download link is
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AgJ9TLoOiZkMgpdR2vTeMUW7sh07Bw?e=hKJ84L
Can we please discuss separately instead of discussing on this forum?
When Shabad Guru is Akalpurakh’s Baani, as understood by the undersigned, they are embodiment of each other. Perhaps, it will be desirable to discuss separately instead of discussing on this forum. The undersigned has already given email address.
I have been able to download the book. No need of sending.
The Name and Naam of Akal Purkh are entirely different things. Name is Akal Purkh, which is meant for public communication like God, etc.
Naam is the overall system of Akal Purkh, which includes everything. This whole universe is under His Naam. Ritual recitation of Name is not going to help. We have to adopt the qualities of Akal Purkh in our daily life.
ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਦਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ, ਸਬਦ ਹੈ, ਸਚੁ ਹੈ, ਬਹੁਤ ਮਿਠਾ ਹੈ, ਰਸੁ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ, ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹੈ, ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਜਲੁ ਦੀ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਹੈ, ਗੁਪਤ ਰੂਪ ਵਿਚ ਵਰਤ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਿਚ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਵੀ ਹੋ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਸਰਲ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਵਿਚ ਕਹਿ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਜੁਗੋ ਜੁਗ ਅਟੱਲ ਗੁਰੂ ਗਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਵਿਚ ਅੰਕਿਤ ਬਾਣੀ ਹੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ। ਜੇ ਕਰ ਅਸੀਂ ਨਾਮੁ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਝਣਾ ਤੇ ਪਾਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਾਂ ਤਾਂ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਗੁਰੂ ਗਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਵਿਚ ਅੰਕਿਤ ਬਾਣੀ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਹੀ ਖੋਜਣਾ ਪਵੇਗਾ।
According to Gurbani, the Naam of Akal Purkh is Hukam, Shabad, Sachh, Very Sweet, Rasa Valla, Amrit, Nirmal Jal, Naam is operating in this whole universe in a secret form and is also appearing in the hearts of Gurmukhs. In simple language we can understand that Gurbani written in Guru Granth Sahib is the source through which one can understand and obtain the Naam of Akal Purkh. If we want to understand and find Naam, then we have to search from the Gurbani written in Guru Granth Sahib.
According to Guru Granth Sahib, the definition of Akal Purkh is:
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ
This has been written 33 times in Guru Granth Sahib.
The brief form of this definition of Akal Purkh is:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ
“ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ”, ਸ਼ਬਦ ਗੁਰੂ ਗਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਵਿਚ ੫੨੩ ਵਾਰੀ ਆਇਆ ਹੈ।
“ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ”, has been written 523 times in Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Sahib has used Akal Purkh for specifying as a Name for the creator and controller of this universe. We should keep in mind that the Name of Akal Purkh and Naam of Akal Purkh are entirely different according to Guru Granth Sahib.
ਗੁਰੂ ਗਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਵਿਚ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ੨ ਵਾਰੀਂ ਆਇਆ ਹੈ, (ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ (੧੦੩੮), ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ (੨੧੨))
The word “Akal Purkh”, has been used twice in Guru Granth Sahib.
ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਅਗਾਧਿ ਬੋਧ ॥ ਸੁਨਤ ਜਸੋ ਕੋਟਿ ਅਘ ਖਏ ॥੨॥ (੨੧੨)
ਤੂ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਾਲਾ ॥ ਤੂ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਅਲੇਖ ਅਗੰਮ ਨਿਰਾਲਾ ॥ ਸਤ ਸੰਤੋਖਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਅਤਿ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਸਹਜ ਭਾਇ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇਆ ॥੩॥ (੧੦੩੮)
The word “Akal Purkh”, consists of two words. Hence, this cannot be used for repetitive or ritual recitation purpose.
Hence, according to Guru Granth Sahib, we can use, “Ek Onkar Sat Gur Prasad” {“ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ”}, or “Akal Purkh” {“ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ”} for public communication for the Name of Akal Purkh.
However, the word, “Waheguru”, has never been used for the Name or Naam of Akal Purkh in Guru Granth Sahib.
Respected Michelle Mone ji,
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!
The undersigned wants to bring to your kind notice that Guru Granth Sahib is the eternal Guru of Sikhs for all times to come and all others are secondary sources. So, the touchstone of Guru Granth Sahib has to be applied on whatsoever is written in other sources before accepting the same. Therefore, please don’t get confused and seek any number of clarifications to get your doubts cleared.
Regards,
Your Brother
Michelle Mone Ji,
When we say name, by and large we mean a qualitative attribute of description of God. This in Gurbani is called “Kirtam Naam”. See page 41 of the book given at the link.
Kindly read this book and hope you have a good understanding of Ek Oangkar. I would say Mool Mantar is exposition of Ek Oangkar, Japji is an exposition of Mool Mantar, and the whole of Gurbani an exposition of Japji.
Please download and read the book at link. Many of your questions will be answered in this book:
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AgJ9TLoOiZkMgpdR2vTeMUW7sh07Bw?e=hKJ84L
Happy for any question and discussion on this book at the links given on page ii of the book.