Sikh Scriptures

The fundamental & the guiding light of the Sikh Holy Scriptures is the Guru Granth Sahib, previously known as the Adi Granth which later came to be conferred the title of Guru Granth Sahib – with  the last of the Gurus, Guru Gobind Singh Ji having passed on the leadership & lineage of the Sikh tradition to the authority of the Guru Granth Sahib –the scriptural canon enshrining the teachings of the 10 Gurus.

It includes compositions not just by the six gurus - Guru Nanak Ji, Guru Angad Dev Ji, Guru Amar Das Ji, Guru Ram Das Ji , Guru Arjan Dev Ji,and Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, but inclusions from the writings & works of  Bhakti saints like Ramananda, Namdev, Kabir and Sufi Sheikh Farid among others. This inclusion from the writings of intellectuals from diverse backgrounds reflect upon the tradition’s inclusive worldview. The text is a collection of devotional hymns and poetry known as Gurbani or "Word of the Guru" with about 1,430 pages divided into 39 chapters composed in musical ragas, preaching moral & ethical values for attainment of spiritual salvation.

The select writings of the text include Japji, Ardas, Tav-Prasad Savaiye, Lawan, and Zafarnama among others, each with its own characteristics, functions & significance in the Sikh traditions, written in Gurmukhi script along with a number of different languages including Persian, Punjabi, Sindi&Brajmongand  others, compiled by the prophets themselves. It is distinctive from the holy scriptures of other religions. The very purpose of this was to relate to the masses, making the message more accessible by use of popular languages catering to every individual or community who read it , or imbibed values from it.

As the Sikh tradition disregards any form of idol worship, the Guru Granth Sahib itself takes to leading the community, symbolic of the ethical & moral values it represents, establishing and exemplifying the foundations of Sikh ideologies.

Other important scriptures & texts of Sikhism include the Dasam Granth, JanamSakhi, and Bhai Gurdaas’sVaars.