Jaap Sahib

Jaap Sahib
ਜਾਪੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ
Jaap Sahib; ਜਾਪੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ
by Guru Gobind Singh
	The first page with the opening stanza of Jaap Sahib in the hand of Guru Gobind Singh
Original title	Jaap (ਜਾਪੁ)
First published in	Dasam Granth
Country	Mughal Empire(ModernIndia)
Language	Sant Bhasha(predominantly influenced byHindi-languages[such asBraj,Kauravi],Sanskrit,Persian,andArabic)
Subject(s)	Eulogy of Almighty
Genre(s)	Religion
Meter	Chantt
Lines	10 stanzas comprising 199 verses in total
Pages	Page 1-10 of Dasam Granth
Followed by	Akaal Ustat

Jaap Sahib(orJapu Sahib;Punjabi:ਜਾਪੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ,pronunciation:[d͡ʒaːpʊsaːɦɪb]) is the morning prayer of theSikhs.Thebeaded prayerswere composed by the Tenth Sikh Guru,Guru Gobind Singhand is found at the start of the Sikh scriptureDasam Granth.^[4] ThisBaniis an important Sikh prayer, and is recited by thePanj Pyarewhile preparingAmriton the occasion ofAmrit Sanchar(initiation), a ceremony held to Amrit initiates into theKhalsaand it is a part of a Sikh'sNitnem(daily meditation). TheJaap Sahibis reminiscent ofJapji Sahibcomposed by Guru Nanak, and both praise God.^[4]

Meaning ofjaap[edit]

Following are some accepted meanings ofjaap:

The popular meanings of Jaap isto recite,to repeat, orto chant.^[5]
Jaapalso meansto understand.Gurbani citesAisa Giaan Japo Man Mere, Hovo Chakar Sache Kere,where Jap word means to understand wisdom.^[6]

Jaapis a Sanskrit word meaning "to utter in a low voice, whisper, mutter (especially prayers or incantations); to invoke or call upon in a low voice".^{[citation needed]} Jaap Sahibis a rhythmic hymn composed like a necklace of pearls and gems,beauteously(beautifully) arranged around a string: the string is the Supreme God; the pearls and gems are His attributes, excellences, and glories. It basically helps reader do a daily Greetings to Waheguru in 199 verses, just like we do hello to each other. The glories sung by Guru Sahib revolve around the following attributes of God:

God is metaphysical, beyond time, Eternal, Unborn, Uncreated, Self-existent, and without form, feature, colour or contour. Therefore, neither can God be described or depicted, nor can anyone make an image or idols of that which is undefinable.
God's manifestations are universally pervasive. God cannot be confined to any particular place, land, country, religion, race, garb, body or name.
God is the Creator of the Universe and the laws governing it. Never can anyone be outside the ambit of these laws nor can anyone have the power to oppose them. God's Law and Justice is Righteous and Ultimate.
God's is pervasive in all that 'He' has created, yet God also extends beyond 'His' creations; God is thus Immanent in His Creation and at the same time Transcends it.
God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient; nothing, whether good or evil, can happen outside of the Creator's Will; God is the Creator-Sustainer-Annuller of His Creation. God is the Life of life, the Death of death, the Darkness of darkness, the Light of light.

Content[edit]

The Jaap Sahib is a recitation and praise of God. It includes various names of God in various languages. Understand the fact that god has no name but is called by various names by devotees based on their experience and the blessings they have obtained from him. There is only one sole religion of humans - humanity, and the worldly path that we choose to understand the natural power, our source, source of creation - is called faith only.

All faiths are rivers and are destined to merge into one great "Ocean - the lord, the light"; whatever you may call, think, believe or perceive.^[4]^[7]

Form[edit]

Jaap Sahibis made up of 199 verses and is the first Bani of theDasam Granth(p. 1-10).

The Jaap Sahib begins with the words:

ਸ੍ਰੀ

Sri

ਮੁਖਵਾਕ

Mukhwakh

ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੀ

Patshahi

੧੦ ॥

Dasvee

"By the holy mouth of the Tenth Emperor,"

This line is clearly intended to authenticate Guru Gobind Singh Ji as the Author of the Dasam Granth.

Jaapis a Sanskrit word which means "to utter in a low voice, whisper, mutter (especially prayers or incantations); to invoke or call upon in a low voice." The form of the word here isJapu,which makes it a noun, meaning "meditation on nothing but the Truth; ('God') (or The True God).

Language[edit]

The language of Jaap, is close to classical with words and compounds drawn fromSanskrit,Brij Bhasha,ArabicandUrdu.The contents of Jaap Sahib, are divided into variousChhandsbearing the name of the related meter according to the then prevalent system of prosody in India.

Japji Sahib and Jaap Sahib[edit]

The Guru Granth Sahib starts withJapji Sahib,whileDasam Granthstarts with Jaap Sahib also called Japu Sahib.^[4]Guru Nanak is credited with the former, while Guru Gobind Singh is credited with the latter.^[4]The Jaap Sahib, unlike Japji Sahib, is composed in Braj bhasha, Sanskrit and Arabic, and with 199 stanzas, is longer than Japji Sahib. The Jaap Sahib is, like Japji Sahib, a praise of God as the unchanging, loving, unborn, ultimate power.

References[edit]

^Sukhbir Singh Kapoor; Mohinder Kaur Kapoor.Dasam Granth: An Introductory Study.Hemkunt Press. p. 39.ISBN 9788170103257.
^'Makin', Gursharan Singh.Zafarnama: The Epistle of Victory(1st ed.). Lahore Book Shop. p. 13.ISBN 8176471798.
^Singha, H.S. (2000).The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Over 1000 Entries).Hemkunt Press. p. 54.ISBN 9788170103011.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^eHS Singha (2009), The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Hemkunt Press,ISBN 978-8170103011,page 110
^S Deol (1998), Japji: The Path of Devotional Meditation,ISBN 978-0966102703,page 11
^Nihang, Dharam Singh.Naad Ved Vichar(in Punjabi). India. p. 20.ਐਸਾ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ।। ਹੋਵਹੁ ਚਾਕਰ ਸਾਚੇ ਕੇਰੇ (ਪੰਨਾ ੭੨੮)
^Amarjit Singh (1985), Concept of God in Jaap Sahib: An analytic study, Studies in Sikhism and Comparative Religion, Vol. 4, Issue 1, pages 85–92

Bibliography[edit]

Singh, Dr. Santokh (1990).English Transliteration and Interpretation of Nitnaym Baanees, Sikh Prayers for English Speaking Sikh Youth.Sikh Resource Centre.ISBN 1-895471-08-7.
William Owen Cole, Piara Singh Sambhi (1995).The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs And Practises.Sussex Academic Press.ISBN 1-898723-13-3.
Neki, Jaswant (2008).Basking in the Divine Presence - A Study of Jap Sahib.Amritsar: Singh Brothers.
Singh, Sahib(2003).Jaap Sahib Steek.Amritsar: Singh Brothers.

External links[edit]

[1] Sukhbir Singh Kapoor; Mohinder Kaur Kapoor.Dasam Granth: An Introductory Study.Hemkunt Press. p. 39.ISBN 9788170103257.

[2] 'Makin', Gursharan Singh.Zafarnama: The Epistle of Victory(1st ed.). Lahore Book Shop. p. 13.ISBN 8176471798.

[3] Singha, H.S. (2000).The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Over 1000 Entries).Hemkunt Press. p. 54.ISBN 9788170103011.

[singha110-4] HS Singha (2009), The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Hemkunt Press,ISBN 978-8170103011,page 110

[deol11-5] S Deol (1998), Japji: The Path of Devotional Meditation,ISBN 978-0966102703,page 11

[6] Nihang, Dharam Singh.Naad Ved Vichar(in Punjabi). India. p. 20.ਐਸਾ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ।। ਹੋਵਹੁ ਚਾਕਰ ਸਾਚੇ ਕੇਰੇ (ਪੰਨਾ ੭੨੮)

[7] Amarjit Singh (1985), Concept of God in Jaap Sahib: An analytic study, Studies in Sikhism and Comparative Religion, Vol. 4, Issue 1, pages 85–92

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