Jaap Sahib
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Jaap Sahib (or Japu ''Sahib'') (Gurmukhi: ਜਾਪੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ'')'' is the morning prayer of the Sikhs. The beaded prayers were composed by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh and is found at the start of the Sikh scripture
Dasam Granth The ''Dasam Granth'' (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ''dasama gratha'') is a collection of various manuscripts in Sikhism containing compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.
. This
Bani Bani may refer to: Places Africa *Bani Department, a department in the Séno Province of Burkina Faso *Bani, Bani, Séno, Burkina Faso * Bani, Bourzanga, Bam, Burkina Faso *Bani, Gnagna, Burkina Faso * Bani, The Gambia *Bani River, a tributary ...
is an important Sikh prayer, and is recited by the ''
Panj Pyare Panj Pyare ( pa, ਪੰਜ ਪਿਆਰੇ, ', the five beloved ones) is the collective name given to five men − Daya Singh, Dharam Singh, Himmat Singh, Mohkam Singh and Sahib Singh – by the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh during the hi ...
'' while preparing ''
Amrit Amrit ( ar, عمريت), the classical Marathus ( grc-gre, Μάραθος, ''Marathos''), was a Phoenician port located near present-day Tartus in Syria. Founded in the third millenniumBC, Marat ( phn, 𐤌𐤓𐤕, ) was the northernmost imp ...
'' on the occasion of ''
Amrit Sanchar Amrit Sanchar (Gurmukhi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸੰਸਕਾਰ "nectar ceremony"; also called Amrit Parchar, or Khande di Pahul ਖੰਡੇ ਦੀ ਪਾਹੁਲ) is one of the four Sikh Sanskaars. The Amrit Sanskar is the initiation rite ...
'' (initiation), a ceremony held to Amrit initiates into the
Khalsa Khalsa ( pa, ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, , ) refers to both a community that considers Sikhism as its faith,Kha ...
and it is a part of a Sikh's ''
Nitnem ''Nitnem'' ( Punjabi: ਨਿਤਨੇਮ) (literally ''Daily Routine'') is a collection of Sikh hymns (''Gurbani'') to be read minimally 3 different times of the day. These are mandatory and to be read by every Amritdhari Sikh as expressed in ...
'' (daily meditation). The ''Jaap Sahib'' is reminiscent of ''
Japji Sahib ''Japji Sahib'' (Punjabi: ਜਪੁਜੀ ਸਾਹਿਬ ) is the Sikh thesis, that appears at the beginning of the ''Guru Granth Sahib'' – the scripture of the Sikhs. It was composed by Guru Angad, and is mostly the writings of Guru Nanak. I ...
'' composed by Guru Nanak, and both praise God.


Meaning of ''jaap''

Following are some accepted meanings of ''jaap'': * The popular meanings of Jaap is ''to recite'', to repeat, or ''to chant''.S Deol (1998), Japji: The Path of Devotional Meditation, , page 11 * ''Jaap'' also means ''to understand''. Gurbani cites ''Aisa Giaan Japo Man Mere, Hovo Chakar Sache Kere'', where Jap word means to understand wisdom. ''Jaap'' is 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". ''Jaap Sahib'' is a rhythmic hymn composed like a necklace of pearls and gems, beauteously 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

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.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


Form

''Jaap Sahib'' is made up of 199 verses and is the first Bani of the
Dasam Granth The ''Dasam Granth'' (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ''dasama gratha'') is a collection of various manuscripts in Sikhism containing compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.
(p. 1-10). The Jaap Sahib begins with the words: : :"Sri Mukhwakh Patshahi Dasvee," :"By the holy mouth of the Tenth King," This line is clearly intended to authenticate Guru Gobind Singh Ji as the Author of the Dasam Granth. ''Jaap'' is 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 is ''Japu'', which makes it a noun, meaning "meditation on nothing but the Truth; ('God') (or The True God).


Language

The language of Jaap, is close to classical with words and compounds drawn from
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
,
Brij Bhasha The Braj language, ''Braj Bhasha'', also known as Vraj Bhasha or Vrij Bhasha or Braj Bhāṣā or Braji or Brij Bhasha or Braj Boli, is a Western Hindi language. Along with Awadhi (a variety of Eastern Hindi), it was one of the two predominant ...
,
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
and
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Dasam Granth The ''Dasam Granth'' (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ''dasama gratha'') is a collection of various manuscripts in Sikhism containing compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.
starts with Jaap Sahib also called Japu Sahib.HS Singha (2009), The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Hemkunt Press, , page 110 Guru Nanak is credited with the former, while Guru Gobind Singh is credited with the latter. 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


Bibliography

* * * 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


Read Jaap Sahib Bani in PunjabiRead Jaap Sahib Bani in Hindi
{{Guru Gobind Singh Sikh terminology Sikh scripture Sikh prayer Dasam Granth Prayer beads