This beautifully produced series provides a perfect introduction to the world's six main faiths through their sacred texts, showing how they were compiled and/or written, and how people have used them as a guide through their lives.

Contributed articles.

This book examines three closely related questions in the process of canon formation in the Sikh tradition: how the text of the Adi Granth came into being, the meaning of gurbani, and how the Adi Granth became the Guru Granth Sahib. The censure of scholarly research on the Adi Granth was closely related to the complex political situation of Punjab and brought the whole issue of academic freedom into sharper focus. This book addresses some of these issues from an academic perspective. The Adi Granth, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs, means ‘first religious book’ (from the word ‘adi’ which means ‘first’ and ‘granth’ which means ‘religious book’). Sikhs normally refer to the Adi Granth as the Guru Granth Sahib to indicate a confession of faith in the scripture as Guru. The contents of the Adi Granth are commonly known as bani (utterance) or gurbani (the utterance of the Guru). The transcendental origin (or ontological status) of the hymns of the Adi Granth is termed dhur ki bani (utterance from the beginning). This particular understanding of revelation is based upon the doctrine of the sabad, or divine word, defined by Guru Nanak and the succeeding Gurus. This book also explores the revelation of the bani and its verbal expression, devotional music in the Sikh tradition, the role of the scripture in Sikh ceremonies, and the hymns of Guru Nanak and Guru Arjan.

The International Bibliography of Sikh Studies brings together all books, composite works, journal articles, conference proceedings, theses, dissertations, project reports, and electronic resources produced in the field of Sikh Studies until June 2004, making it the most complete and up-to-date reference work in the field today. One of the youngest religions of the world, Sikhism has progressively attracted attention on a global scale in recent decades. An increasing number of scholars is exploring the culture, history, politics, and religion of the Sikhs. The growing interest in Sikh Studies has resulted in an avalanche of literature, which is now for the first time brought together in the International Bibliography of Sikh Studies. This monumental work lists over 10,000 English-language publications under almost 30 subheadings, each representing a subfield in Sikh Studies. The Bibliography contains sections on a wide variety of subjects, such as Sikh gurus, Sikh philosophy, Sikh politics and Sikh religion. Furthermore, the encyclopedia presents an annotated survey of all major scholarly work on Sikhism, and a selective listing of electronic and web-based resources in the field. Author and subject indices are appended for the reader’s convenience.

Journal on Sikh studies.

One who does not give threats to anyone, nor accepts threats from others;Nanak's statement: Listen, O mind! Call that one alone wise. 16- Guru Granth Sahib 1427In the mid-1700s, the Age of Enlightenment in Europe was philosophizing about defending the right to dissent. Guru Teghbahadar Sahib in the subcontinent of India was championing the right to live the way anyone chooses to live. The Ninth Sovereign of the Sikhs protected the aforesaid right with his head, both through mindfulness and martyrdom. This remains unique in the annals of world history for the Guru created Millat-e-Nau, the new nation built on the political-spiritual consciousness of the 1Force-1Ness paradigm.You'll find yourself enriched as you read these profound and heartfelt observations about the infinite dimensions of the Guru and the impact of the Guru's legacy on humanity. The authors are subject-matter experts varying from scholars to researchers to poets. Artfully, they work together by relying on primary and secondary sources to shed light on the Guru's life, contributions and politics.

Contents Foreword vii 1. Guru Granth Sahib : A Scripture with a Difference Dr. Prithipal Singh Kapur 1 2. The Adi Guru Granth : A Vision for Universal Religion Dr. Kirpal Singh 14 3. Global Consciousness and Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Sutinder Singh Noor 23 4. Interfaith Dialogue and Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Jodh Singh 30 5. The Concept of Sahaj : A Transpoetic View Dr. Gurbhagat Singh 48 6. Ethical Concepts in Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Darshan Singh 58 7. Guru Granth Sahib and Religious Pluralism Dr. Dharam Singh 73 8. Guru Granth Sahib : Repository of Universal Values Prof. Riyaz Punjabi 83 9. Guru Granth Sahib : A Common Treasure of Mankind Dr. Jaspal Singh 92 10. Compilation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Rattan Singh Jaggi 112 11. Guru Granth Sahib and its Formation Dr. Gurnek Singh 128 12. The Poetics of Guru Granth Sahib Indra Nath Chaudhuri 136 13. Saint Poets in Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Maheep Singh 148 14 Bhatt Bani in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Wazir Singh 158 15. Editing Techniques in Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Mohinder Kaur Gill 165 16. Conserving Guru Granth Sahib Manuscripts Dr. Mohinder Singh 175 17. The Concept of Faith in Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Satnam Kaur 183 18. Sri Guru Granth Sahib : A Source of Sikh Values Dr. Harbans Kaur 193 19. Perennial Oriental Wisdom of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Anurag Singh 198 20. Communion : A Cardinal Message of Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Gurmeet Singh Maan 211

Excerpts from Siree Guru Granth Sahib God is one. It is true. He is the Creator. He has no concern with anything. He has no enemy. He is immortal. He does not take birth. He came into existence on His own. He is realized by guru’s (divine teacher) grace reciting God’s name. “ Recite” Page 9 Be stable like a mountain, patience like a goldsmith. Be humble like an anvil; repeat the name of God like the repetition of a hammer. Intent like bellows and repeat the name of God from within, as fire gives heat. Make sincerity a pot; mint your mind with the name of God. That is how divinity is achieved. Blessed by God is the only one who can do this. Nanak says, only with God’s grace you can miss God and enjoy the fruit. ||38|| Hymn: Using air as a culture, life has been created by the reaction of water and earth. The way, day and night begin and end. Same way the whole creation takes birth and dies. Good or bad whatever they do are accounted for in God’s court. Everyone gets the fruit of their deeds, some soon others late. Whoever worked hard to recite the name of God? Nanak says, they have attained salvation and many more have accompanied them. God’s worship is not wearing saffron coloured or dirty clothes. O Nanak, God is worshipped sitting at home through true guru’s teaching. ||64|| You may wander in all four corners and read four Vedas and all other scriptures in all four ages. O Nanak, if you meet with the true guru, then God enshrines in the mind and obtains salvation. The guru is God. Worshipping guru the God with devotion attains salvation. First Master: Songs, sounds, pleasures and clever tricks; Joy, love and the power to command; Wearing clothes and food have no place in the consciousness. True intuitive peace comes by enshrining God’s name in the mind. Page 60 O mind, love God as the fish loves water. As the water gets deeper she enjoys more; the mind and body become peaceful. It cannot survive without water even for a moment. Water also feels the pain. ||2|| O mind, love the Lord, as the rain bird loves rain. The ponds get filled, the land becomes lush green but the rain bird does not get a drop. You receive what is in your fate. You only get what you earn. ||3|| O mind, love God as the water loves milk. Water mixed with milk changes its colour but does not let the milk change. Page 262 Hymn: Guru is mother, the father, the master and transcendent Lord. Guru is a friend the destroyer of ignorance, a relative and a brother. Guru is the bestowal, the teacher of God’s name. Guru’s lesson is distinct. Guru is the image of peace truth and intellect. Guru is the touchstone that transforms. Guru is a shrine, pool of nectar. To obtain guru’s divine knowledge is beyond imagination. Guru is the Creator, the destroyer of sins; Guru purifies the sinners. Guru exists from the beginning, for a long time, for ages. Reciting God through guru’s teaching attains salvation. O God; unite me with the guru by your grace; that I the sinner swim across holding on to guru the true guru the God the transcendent Lord the guru; Nanak prays and pays his regard to guru the God. ||1|| ||56|| Once you obtain divine treasure, do not tell anyone O kabeer; There is no market, no appraiser, no customer, and no price ||23|| O Kabeer; take your drum and beat it for ten days. Life is like people meeting on a boat on a river; they shall not meet again. ||80|| Be a pebble stone lying on the road by giving up ego. Such a humble slave shall meet the Lord. ||146|| What good is the pebble; which gives pain to the walking. O Lord, Your servant should be like dirt on the earth. ||147|| What good is the dust, which blows and sticks to the body. God’s servant should be such, as water in water. ||148|| What good is water which becomes cold and hot. God’s servant should just like God: ||149|| O Kabeer; it is good to serve both; one the saint the other the God. God is the bestowal of liberation; the saint