Writers of the Guru Granth Sahib

The Guru Granth Sahib (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ; [ɡʊɾuː ɡɾəntʰᵊ saːhɪbᵊ]), is the central religious text of Sikhism, considered by Sikhs to be the final sovereign Guru of the religion.[1] It contains 1430 Angs (limbs, referring to pages of the scripture[2]), containing 5,894[3][4][5] hymns of 36 saint mystics which includes Sikh gurus (6 gurus, possibly as many as 7 or 8[6][7][8][9]), Bhagats (15 bhagats), Bhatts (11 bhatts) and Gursikhs (4 gursikhs).[10] It is notable among foundational religious scriptures for including hymns from writers of other religions, namely Hindus and Muslims. It also contains teachings of the Sikh gurus themselves.

Contributors of the scripture present Guru Arjan their writings, while Bhai Gurdas scribes the Adi Granth. Fresco from Gurdwara Baba Atal, Amritsar
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Guru Granth Sahib
ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ
Popular compositions
Other compositions
Various aspects
Poetical metres, modes, measures, and rhythms

Categorization of authors

Scholars categorize the authors of the Guru Granth Sahib into four groups:[11][5]

  1. Sikh Gurus
  2. Bhagats
  3. Bhatts
  4. Gursikhs

Sikh gurus
Main article: Sikh gurus

Philosophically, Sikhs are bound to believe in Shabad Guru — the words written in the Guru Granth Sahib — but the general belief is that the Sikh gurus established Sikhism over the centuries, beginning in the year 1469. The hymns of six Sikh Gurus are in the Guru Granth Sahib:[5][10]

Whilst these six gurus are widely accepted as having their writings included in the Guru Granth Sahib, there are some who argue compositions of Guru Har Rai and Guru Gobind Singh are also included.[6][7][8][9] A Salok Mahalla Satvan (7) and Dohra Mahalla Dasvan (10) have been attributed by some to the seventh and tenth gurus, respectively.[6][7][8][9]

Bhagats

In the below list, the Bhagats (Punjabi: ਭਗਤ, from Sanskrit भक्त) were holy men of various sects whose teachings are included in the Guru Granth Sahib. Their bani (compositions) come under the title Bani Bhagtaan Ki. The word "Bhagat" means devotee, and comes from the Sanskrit word Bhakti, which means devotion and love. Bhagats evolved a belief in one God that preceded Kabir's selecting the writings of the great Hindu Bhaktis and Sufi saints.

The 15 Bhagat authors were:[12][11][5][10]

Bhatts

Many Hindu Saraswat Brahmins who started to follow the word of Guru Nanak were known as Bhatts, meaning bards. The 11 Bhatt authors were:[11][5][10]

Gursikhs

The four Gursikhs (devoted Sikhs) were:[11][13][5][10]

Individuals and their contributions
Background Details and No. of Hymns
NameTimelineNo. of Hymns
Gurus
Guru Nanak15th Century974[14][5]
Guru Angad16th Century62[14][5]
Guru Amar Das16th Century907[14][5]
Guru Ram Das16th Century679[14][5]
Guru Arjan16th Century2218[14][5]
Guru Tegh Bahadur17th Century116[14][5]
Bhagats
Bhagat Jaidev13th Century[4]2[5]
Bhagat Farid13th Century134[3][note 1][note 2]
Bhagat Ramanand14th Century1[5]
Bhagat Namdev14th Century62[5]
Bhagat Trilochan14th Century5[5]
Bhagat Parmanand14th Century1[5]
Bhagat Dhanna14th Century4[5]
Bhagat Bhikhan14th Century2[5]
Bhagat Beni14th Century3[5]
Bhagat Pipa14th Century1[5]
Bhagat Sain14th Century1[5]
Bhagat Surdas14th Century2[5]
Bhagat Sadhana14th Century1[5]
Bhagat Ravidas15th Century41[5]
Bhagat Kabir15th Century541[14][5][note 3]
Bhatts
Bhatt Kalshar15th Century54[5]
Bhatt Balh15th Century[5]5
Bhatt Bhalh15th Century1[5]
Bhatt Bhika15th Century2[5]
Bhatt Gayand15th Century13[5]
Bhatt Harbans15th Century2[5]
Bhatt Jalap15th Century5[5]
Bhatt Kirat15th Century8[5]
Bhatt Mathura15th Century14[5]
Bhatt Nalh15th Century16[5]
Bhatt Salh15th Century3[5]
Gursikhs
Bhai Mardana 15th century 2[10]
Baba Sundar 15th Century 6[5]
Satta Doom 15th Century 1 var[4][5]
Balvand Rai 15th Century 1 var[4][5]

Controversial authors

Mardana and Tall

Two more writers of the present recension of the Adi Granth are a matter of debate among scholars, namely Bhai Mardana and Bhatt Tall.[10]

According to different scholars:

  • Two hymns under the title Mardana 1[17] are said to be compositions of Bhai Mardana; however, others refute this claim, because the pen name Nanak is used inside the hymn,[18] and because Mardana is a type of shalok.
  • Similarly, there is a Swaiya (poetical metre) under the name of Bhatt Tall,[19] which according to some scholars is a Gurmukhi copyist's error for Kal i.e. Bhatt Kalshar.[20]

Sri Chand
Mural from Gurdwara Ramsar Sahib of Sri Chand meeting Guru Arjan and Bhai Gurdas at Amritsar. Likely a depiction of the tale of him contributing a verse during the composition of the Sukhmani Sahib

According to a sakhi, when Guru Arjan had finished composing sixteen astpadis (cantos) of the Gauri Sukhmani composition, popularly known as Sukhmani Sahib, Sri Chand, the son of Guru Nanak, visited him. During this visit, it is said that Guru Arjan requested him to continue the composition he was compiling and complete the seventeenth canto of the Sukhmani Sahib. Sri Chand humbly recited the verse of his father following the Mul Mantar in the Japji Sahib. Thus, it became the seventeenth canto of the Sukhmani Sahib.[21][22]

See also

Notes
  1. including 130[3][4][15] saloks, or short verses
  2. Some of these may be by his successors, or by the Bhagat Farid of the 15th century, rather than Farid's own compositions.[15]
  3. 243[3] of Kabir's hymns are saloks, or short verses.[14] One hymn formerly believed to as that of Kabir was later attributed by Guru Arjan to Namdev.[16]

References
  1. Keene, Michael (2003). Online Worksheets. Nelson Thornes. p. 38. ISBN 0-7487-7159-X.
  2. Howard, Veena R. (2017). Dharma: The Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh Traditions of India. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 219. ISBN 9781786732125.
  3. Sukhbir Singh, Kapoor; Mohinder Kaur, Kapoor (2002). Guru Granth Sahib: an Advance Study. New Delhi: Hemkunt Press. pp. 24, 72, 219, 291, 344. ISBN 9788170103219. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. Kerry Brown (2002). Sikh Art and Literature. Routledge. pp. 114–115, 120 (Appendix II). ISBN 978-1-134-63136-0.
  5. Singh, Prithi Pal (2006). The History of Sikh Gurus. New Delhi: Lotus Press. pp. 170–171. ISBN 978-81-8382-075-2.
  6. Singh, Sardar Harjeet (2009). Faith & Philosophy of Sikhism. Gyan Publishing House. pp. 103–104. ISBN 978-81-7835-721-8.
  7. Sikh art and literature. Kerry, August 17- Brown. London: Routledge. 1999. p. 198. ISBN 0-415-20288-4. OCLC 39765536.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. Singh, Anurag (December 2018). "Punjab: Cradle of Indian Civilization and Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh" (PDF). Gyankosh: An Interdisciplinary e-Journal. 1: 29.
  9. Singh, Pashaura. "Fearlessness and human justice: Exploring Guru Tegh Bahadur’s teachings and sacrifice from a fresh perspective." Sikh Formations 17.4 (2021): 409-434.
  10. Datta, Amaresh (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo, Volume 1. Sahitya Akademi. p. 79. ISBN 9788126018031. Another fact, inattention to which has been making the unwary commit serious mistakes about the authorship of the Guru-compositions is that all the six Gurus whose works are preserved in the Adi Granth, use Nanak as their nom-de-plume. The category 'A' consists of the works of six Gurus, whose names are Nanak (1469–1539), Angad (1504–1552), Amar Das (1479–1574), Ram Das (1534–1581), Arjan Dev (1563–1606) and Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675). Category 'B', comprises the Bhagats, namely, Kabir (Muslim weaver of Kashi, 1398–1495); Namdev (Calico-printer of Maharashtra; 1270–1350); Ravidas (leather-worker of Kashi, 1267–1335); Sheikh Farid (Muslim of West-Punjab, Pakistan; 1178–1271); Beni (not known); Dhana (Jat peasant of Rajasthan, b. 1415); Jaideva (Brahman of Bengal, 1201–1245); Bhikhan (Muslim of U.P. 1480–1573); Parmanand (Maharashtra, date not known), Sain (Barber from Rajasthan, 14th–15th centuries), Pipa (Rajasthan; b. 1425); Sadhana (Muslim of Sindh, Pakistan; date not known), Ramanand (Brahmin of U.P., 1366–1467) and Surdas (Brahmin of U.P., b. 1258). In category 'C' may be included the panegyrists, namely, Balwand, Kal or Kalashar, Jalap, Kirat, Bhikha, Salya, Bhalya, Nalya, Gayand, Mathura, Balya and Haribans-all Bhatts and one Dum, namely Satta, who shares the authorship of a Var with Balwand, the Bhatt. The Bhatts have written panegyrical verses in honour of the first five Gurus. Two Salokas (Adi Granth 553) of Gura Nanak in Raga Bihag are found in the name of Mardana (Musician of West Punjab 1459-1534)–Guru Nanak's companion in his odysseys.
  11. Nayar, Kamala Elizabeth; Sandhu, Jaswinder Singh (2020). "Notes". The Sikh View on Happiness: Guru Arjan's Sukhmani. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 219. ISBN 9781350139893. 16 The fifteen bhagats (devotional poets), whose verses have been incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib, are Kabir, Ravidas, Sheikh Farid, Ramanand, Beni, Namdev, Sadhana, Sheikh Bhikhan, Parmanand, Sain Nayee, Dhanna, Pipa, Surdas, Jaidev and Trilochan. The bhagats belonged to the Hindu (Vaishnava) Bhakti, nirgun Bhakti or Sufi traditions, and either predated or lived during the Guru Nanak period.

    17 The eleven bhatts (Hindu court bards), whose verses have been incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib, are Kalashar, Balh, Bhalh, Bhika, Gayand, Harbans, Jalap, Kirat, Mathura, Nalh and Salh. Bhai Baldeep Singh, 'What Is Kirtan?: Observations, Interventions and Personal Reflections', Sikh Formations 7, no. 3 (2011), 282 n. 13. While the Brahmin ballad singers were connected with the divine courts (darbar sahib) of the later Sikh Gurus, their verses praise the first five Sikh Gurus. The bhatt verses are collectively referred to as Bhatt Bani, which is included in the concluding section of the Guru Granth Sahib (pp. 1389-1406).

    18 Bhai Mardana (GGS, 553) was a Muslim rebab (bowed string instrument) musician, who accompanied Guru Nanak on his travels. Bhai Rai Balwand was a Muslim rebab musician and Satta was a Muslim drummer during the time of Guru Angad up to the time of Guru Arjan; they both sang gurbani-kirtan and composed a Ramkali var that was included in the Guru Granth Sahib (pp. 966-8). Baba Sundar was the great grandson of Guru Amar Das and grandson of Mohri, who wrote Sadu (Call of Death) (GGS, 923-4).
  12. Bahri, H.; Bansal, G.S.; Puran, B.; Singh, B.; Singh, B.; Buxi, L.S.; Chawla, H.S.; Chawla, S.S.; Das, D.; Dass, N.; et al. (2000). "4. Bhagats and Saints". Studies. 63 (2): 169–93. doi:10.1007/1-4020-3044-4_4. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  13. Bak̲h̲ashī, Locana Siṅgha (2000). Buxi, Lochan Singh (ed.). Saint-poets of Guru Granth Sahib: history and heritage. Delhi: National Book Shop. p. 171. ISBN 978-81-7116-248-2.
  14. Christopher Shackle; Arvind Mandair (2013). Teachings of the Sikh Gurus: Selections from the Sikh Scriptures. Routledge. pp. xviii–xix. ISBN 978-1-136-45108-9.
  15. William Owen Cole; Piara Singh Sambhi (1995). The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Sussex Academic Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-1-898723-13-4.
  16. William Owen Cole; Piara Singh Sambhi (1995). The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Sussex Academic Press. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-1-898723-13-4.
  17. Page 553, Adi Granth, Translation of Sant Singh Khalsa
  18. ਇਸ ਸਲੋਕ ਮੈਂ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਮਰਦਾਨੇ ਕੇ ਪੂਛਨੇ ਸੇ ਤਿਸ ਕੇ ਪ੍ਰਤਿ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਤਾ ਅਰੁ ਮਨਮੁਖਤਾ ਕੀ ਮਦਰਾ ਕਾ ਰੂਪੁ ਬਰਨਨ ਕਰਤੇ ਹੈਂ ਔਰੁ ਦੋ ਪਰਕਾਰ ਕੀ ਮਦਿਰਾ ਮਨਮੁਖੋਂ ਕੀ ਔਰੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖੋਂ ਕੀ ਕਹੀ ਹੈ॥ ਪ੍ਰਥਮ ਮਨਮੁਖੋਂ ਕੀ ਮਦਿਰਾ ਕਹਤੇ ਹੈਂ॥: Fareedkoti Teeka, Adi Granth
  19. ਟਲ' ਜੀ ਕਹਤੇ ਹੈਂ ਹੇ ਭਾਈ ਐਸੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੋਂ ਕੋ ਸਹਜ ਸੁਭਾਵਕ ਨਿਰੰਤਰ ਹੀ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਹੇ ਭਾਈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੋਂ ਕੇ ਦਰਸਨ ਕਰਨੇ ਤੇ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਦੁਖ ਜਾਤਾ ਰਹਿਤਾ ਹੈ॥੧੦॥: Page 1392, Teeka Fareedkoti, Adi Granth
  20. Page 1392: ਟਲ = ਹੇ ਟੱਲ! ਹੇ ਕਲ੍ਯ੍ਯ! ਹੇ ਕਲ੍ਯ੍ਯਸਹਾਰ!: Teeka by Professor Sahib Singh, Adi Granth
  21. The encyclopaedia of Sikhism. Vol. 4. Harbans Singh. Patiala: Punjabi University. 1992–1998. pp. 265–65. ISBN 0-8364-2883-8. OCLC 29703420. It is said that Baba Sri Chand, elder son of Guru Nanak and founder of the Udasi order, came to Amritsar to meet Guru Arjan, then engaged in composing the poem. The Guru who had by that time completed sixteen astpadis, or cantos, requested him to continue the composition. Baba Sri Chand, out of humility, only recited the Sloka of Guru Nanak following the Mul Mantra in the Japu- "adi sachu jugadi sachu hai bhi sach Nanak hosi bhi sachu"- In the beginning, in the primal time was He the Eternal Reality; in the present is He the Eternal Reality. To eternity shall He the Reality abide (GG, 285). This sloka was thereupon repeated by Guru Arjan at the head of the seventeenth astpadi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. Nayar, Kamala Elizabeth (2020). "Guru Arjan's Life, Work, and Martyrdom". The Sikh View on Happiness : Guru Arjan's Sukhmani. Jaswinder Singh Sandhu. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. pp. 38–40. ISBN 978-1-350-13988-6. OCLC 1140790571.
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