The holy book Guru Granth Sahib or the Adi Granth is considered the living Guru and the supreme spiritual authority of the Sikh religion. Basically a collection of devotional hymns and poetry, the Granth Sahib lays down moral and ethical rules for development of the soul, spiritual salvation and unity with God. Since Sikhism shuns idol worship, Sikhs don't worship the Guru Granth Sahib as an idol but it is held in utmost respect for the writings of the Gurus it contains. The Guru Granth Sahib is perhaps the only Holy Scripture, which not only contains the works of its own religious founders but also writings of people from other faiths.

Read more here: » Sikhism: The Eternal Guru - Sri Guru Granth Sahib

A striking feature of the Adi Granth - popularly called the Guru Granth Sahib - is its distinctly lilting literary flavour, eloquently described as the "musicalisation of thought".

Even as one pays homage to Guru Granth Sahib, on the 400th anniversary of its being established as the Holy Book and as the eternal Guru of the Sikh faith, one is struck by the rich literary underpinnings of this compilation and the systematic manner in which each part has been set to music.

(See also: Adi Granth, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Guru Granth Sahib (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ) — Granth is Punjabi for book; Sahib is Hindi meaning master, from Arabic, meaning companion, friend, owner, or master — is more than a holy book of the Sikhs. The Sikhs treat this Granth (holy book) as a living Guru. The holy text spans 1430 pages and contains the actual words spoken by the founders of the Sikh religion and various other S ...

Including:

• Guru Granth Sahib - Printing

Read more here: » Guru Granth Sahib: Encyclopedia - Guru Granth Sahib

Gurgadi Diwas is observed on October 20, when on this day in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh canonised the sacred Aad Granth pothi that Sikhs worship as the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

He said: " As ordained by the Lord Eternal/ A new way of life is evolved./ All the Sikhs are asked/ To accept the Holy Granth as the Guru./ Guru Granth should be accepted/ As the living Guru./ Those who wish to meet God/ Will find Him in the Word."

(See also: Gurgadi Diwas, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Oneness: Rise Above Dogma, Realise The Truth

When I pass by the neighbourhood mosque, I bow my head in respect just as I do when I pass by the temple. The mullah's call to the faithful turns me towards prayer and God. I go through the same upsurge of emotions when I visit a church or gurdwara. When I bow my head in humility to Christ and the Guru Granth Sahib, I see in them my beloved Lord Krishna. Similarly, when I hear the Buddhist chant: ''Buddham Sharanam Gachchhami'', it continues to reverberate within me for long after, giving me the same sense of peace I experience when I say my usual prayers.

Read more here: » Oneness: Rise Above Dogma, Realise The Truth

Today, as the vernal equinox bathes the universe in a golden glow and Spring dances in seen and unseen splendour, it is amply clear that once you are with God, everything's possible.

Today is Jamshedji Navroze , the original new year. It is celebrated by Parsees today - as it was by the people of ancient Iran - with good reason. The day marks the birth of Creation and therefore, your birth and mine too. It also celebrates Prophet Zarathushtra's profound pronouncements, the beauty and truth of which I've gleaned with my own limited vision from the scriptures.

(See also: Jamshedji Navroze, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Idol worship, caste and ascetic austerity had no place in Nanak's religion. He believed in one God, Ek Omkar ; singing His praises was the best way of devotion. He advocated listening to kirtan or hymn singing and set his compositions to music in suitable ragas or melodies.

Nanak was 27 when he went out to spread the Name of God expounding the message of 'true path'. With Mardana as companion, he travelled throughout the country, going as far as Tibet in the north and Sri Lanka in the south. He even visited Mecca. Wherever he went, his hymn-singing drew large crowds. Mardana would faithfully reproduce notes on the rabab as Nanak sang his way to the hearts of the listeners.

(See also: Nanak, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

A personal reflection on God by Poonam Dhillon. �I believe in a universal God. It's a belief I've held since childhood. My mother was very God-fearing and indirectly, I imbibed a lot from her. We practised the Sikh religion, which basically preaches that there is only one God. Though I haven't read the Granth Sahib which contains the teachings of our ten gurus, in totality, I've heard it being read out at home a number of times on various occasions.�

Read more here: » Spiritual Inspiration: God and I by Poonam Dhillon

The traditional festivals of the Indian diaspora all reflect the ancient concept of the Utsav Mela, which encouraged everyone to congregate, meet and mix amid festivity and pageantry. In fact, the word mela (fair) is derived from the word mil , meaning 'to meet'.

Baisakhi epitomises the mela notion of convergence for it brings together people of all castes and communities on the first day of Vaisakha, the beginning of the traditional Indian New Year. Basically a harvest festival, Baisakhi marks the ripening of the Rabi harvest, especially in the Punjab. It is called the Naba Barsha celebrations in Bengal, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Pooram (Vishu) in Kerala.

(See also: Baisakhi, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The individual's moral fibre had to be strengthened through basic convictions. With this farsightedness, the tenth and last Guru, Gobind Singh, set about honing the faith's dynamics through innovation and personal example. His rigorous self-discipline and inner fortitude were exemplified by his equanimity and poise in the face of tragedies few encounter in their lifetime.

He was nine when he received the head of his father Guru Tegh Bahadur, beheaded in Delhi on the orders of the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. His father had chosen martyrdom to demonstrate to Aurangzeb - and the people of India - that a man convinced of his moral purpose and inalienable right to practise his own religion, is unafraid to die.

(See also: Guru Gobind Singh, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Guru Gobind Singh was no ordinary mortal. The signs were there right from his birth. In 1666, on the Guru's birth, a pious Muslim fakir, Sayyad Bhikhan Shah, declared: "God has sent a new light on this earth".

He then decided to test the newborn 'prince'. Producing two jars of sweets obtained from a Hindu and a Muslim vendor, Bhikhan Shah tried to learn the child's preference from the jar he touched. The baby, however, clutched both jars and smiled, whereupon the fakir acknowledged him to be a master of both communities.

(See also: Gobind Singh, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

The Adi Granth (Gurmukhi: ਆਦਿ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ), literally "the first book" is an early compilation of the Sikh scriptures by Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru. Often, the term is used to refer incorrectly to the Guru Granth Sahib. In actual fact, the Guru Granth Sahib is an expansion of the Adi Granth which was written in 1604. ...

Read more here: » Adi Granth: Encyclopedia - Adi Granth

Darbar Sahib refers to the Main Hall within a Sikh Gurdwara. This hall is where the current and perpetual Guru of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib is placed on a Takhat or Throne in a prominent central position in the hall. Other related archivesGurdwara, Guru Granth Sahib, Sikh, Takhat

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Guru Gobind Singh (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ) (Patna, Bihar, India, December 22, 1666 – October 7, 1708, Nanded, Maharashtra,India) was the tenth and last of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on November 11, 1675 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Teg Bahadur. Before he died, he nominated the Guru Granth Sahib as the next perpetual Guru of the Si ...

Including:

• Guru Gobind Singh - Audio

Read more here: » Guru Gobind Singh: Encyclopedia - Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Arjan Dev (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਰਜਨ ਦੇਵ) (15 April 1563 - 30 May 1606) was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 1 September 1581 following in the footsteps of Guru Ram Das. He was born at Goindval. Before he died, he nominated his son Guru Hargobind as the next Guru of the Sikhs. The following is a summary of the main highlights of Guru Arjan's life: Huge number of hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib – over 2000 Author of Sukhmani S ...

Including:

• Guru Arjan Dev - Audio

Read more here: » Guru Arjan Dev: Encyclopedia - Guru Arjan Dev

Jayadeva Goswami was a composer of Hindu hymns and poetic works, including especially the Sanskrit work, the Gita Govinda, a now-famous work on the divine love of the Hindu god Krishna. Two of his hymns are also part of the Guru Granth Sahib of the Sikhs. Jayadeva was born near Puri in Orissa. His life can be dated to 12th century kings of Orissa. ...

Read more here: » Jayadeva: Encyclopedia - Jayadeva

Bhagat refers to a Holy Person who leads humanity towards God. A Bhagat is an Eastern equivalent to a Christian Saint. A Bhagat may also be a Guru in which case he would have a huge following or Sangat. A Bhagat does not usually preach to attract supporters but preach to highlight injustices in practises of the world. In Sikhism, there are over 15 Bhagats who came before the birth of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev Ji in 1469. The teachings of these Sikh Bhagats are given the same prominence in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Book as the t ...

Read more here: » Bhagat: Encyclopedia - Bhagat

Sikhism (Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖੀ) is a religion based on the teachings of ten Gurus who lived primarily in 16th and 17th century India. It is one of the world's major religions with over 23 million followers. Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from its Sanskrit root 'śiṣya' (शिष्य) which means "disciple" or "learner", or from the equivalent Pāli word 'sikkhā' (Including:

• Sikhism - History of Sikhism
• Sikhism - The Gurus of Sikhism
• Sikhism - The Ten Gurus of Sikhism
• Sikhism - The Guru Granth Sahib
• Sikhism - Sikh religious philosophy
• Sikhism - Primary beliefs and principles
• Sikhism - Underlying values
• Sikhism - Prohibited behavior
• Sikhism - Technique and methods
• Sikhism - Other observations
• Sikhism - Observations
• Sikhism - All welcomed
• Sikhism - Followers of Sikhism
• Sikhism - The Five Ks
• Sikhism - Sikhs around the world
• Sikhism - Sikhs and Punjabis
• Sikhism - The Khalsa
• Sikhism - Khalistan

Read more here: » Sikhism: Encyclopedia - Sikhism

Fariduddin Ganjshakar (Farid-ul-Din Masaud Shakar Ganj) c. 1173-c. 1266, was a respected Sufi Sheikh and noted Punjabi poet. He is also referred to as "Baba Farid" or "Shaikh Farid". He is buried near Pak Pattan in present-day Pakistan and revered by muslims as well as the Sikhs as one of the Sikh Bhagats because the Sikh Gurus included several of his verses in the Guru Granth Sahib. He was the spiritual master of Nizamuddin Awliya. He was also the spiritual disciple and khalifa (spiritual success ...

Read more here: » Fariduddin Ganjshakar: Encyclopedia - Fariduddin Ganjshakar

Satsang is the company of the highest knowledge and Truth; the company of a Guru; contact with a person or an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the Truth. This highest company also takes the form of hearing or reading the words of highest awareness, reflecting on, discussing and assimilating their meaning, meditating on the source of these words, and bringing this awareness into one’s daily life. From Siree Raag Mahala 1, 71, Guru Granth Sahib: How is the Society of the Saint ...

Read more here: » Satsang: Encyclopedia - Satsang