The Dasam Granth is considered to be a sacred book, it is the Adi Granth (Granth Sahib) which is regarded
as the Guru and the holy scripture of the Sikhs. The Guru Granth Sahib is considered to be the symbolic
representation of the ten Gurus and hence an object of deep reverence. Although some spadework had already
been done, the systematic compilation of the Granth was undertaken by Guru Arjan and completed in 1604 A.D.
The work contains the writings of the first five Gurus and the ninth Guru (including Guru Arjan's famous
compostion- the Sukhmani or the "Psalm of Peace"); the writings of the first sixteen Hindu and Muslim saints,
including Jaidev, Ramanand, Dhanna, Namdev, Ram Das, Farid, Mirabi and Kabir; and the compostions of
bhats or bards, who were contemporaries of the Gurus. The first few pages contain verses of surpassing interst-
Guru Nanak's Japji, So Dar (that door), So Purkh (that Supreme Being), and Kirtan Sohila (song of praise);
then follow main body of the text arranged according to thirty-one musical measures or Ragas; and finally we
have the Bhog (Epilogue) and an appendix, callled the Rag Mala (enumeration of Ragas and Raginis). The
Granth is written partly in Punjabi, and partly in a kind of Sant-bhasa ( a common language develpoed by
the Saints in North India), Braj-bhasa, dialect of Old Hindi, and Standard Delhi Hindi, mixed with some Punjabi
forms and forms of archaic Apabhramsa words and expressions. A historical document, the Granth not only
epitomizes the wisdom of the ages but also preserves the compositions of the Sikh Gurus in their original
from. The Sikh Gurus employed the vehicle of verse, which could not be altered by copyists.
The basic teaching of Sikhism is an uncompromisimg belief in monotheism. The mul Mantra (preamble to the
Japji) strikes the keynote of the Sikh religion: "There is but one God. He is the Supreme Truth". God or Sat
Nam has no form or substance, but His grace can be invoked by faith and righteous living. Sikhism believes
with Hinduism in the doctrines of the immortality of the soul and transmigration. Meditation on God, utterance
of the Name (Nam), the guidance of the Guru, the company of Saints, righteous living, and the service of humanity
(seva) are the means of salvation. The Name, uttered not mechanically, but with faith and meditation, is the
best form of worship. "they who meditate on God are emancipted; for them death's noose is broken." "The
name of the Lord is immaculate; he who would know must have faith." Besides meditation on God and utterance
of the Name, the disciples should follow the Guru's instructions, and chant his hyms. "Truth is above everything,
but higher still is true living." It is neccesary to conquer the five deadly sins- lust, anger, greed, attachment,
and egoism. We can love God only when we cease to love ourselves. We must first destroy the ego. Righteous
living and the destruction of egoism lead to the eteranl bliss of merging into the divine-"As water mingles with
water so the light merges with light." Sikh relgion is opposed to austere asceticism and emphasizes the ideal
of achieving saintliness, as a memeber of socity. "Abide in God amid the impurities of the world, thus shalt thou
find the way to salvation." A strong element of predestination is traceable in the Sikh hyms, but in spite of
frequent allusions to God's pre-ordained order. the importance of action (karma) is emphasized. "The Lord
driveth thee as is his will, but his pen writeth as are thy deeds." Sikh religion prohibits idolatry, caste system,
sati, use of wine and tobacco smoking. It stresses the importance of leading a good moral life and, therefore,
inculcates moral and domestic virtues, such as loyalty, gratitude for all favors received, philanthropy, justice,
truth and honesty.
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