Sukhmani Sahib ( pa, ਸੁਖਮਨੀ ਸਾਹਿਬ) is usually translated to mean ''Prayer of Peace'' is a set of 192 '' padas'' (stanzas of 10 hymns) present in the holy ''

Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib ( pa, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and Guru Maneyo Granth, eternal Guru following the lineage of the Sikh gur ...

'', the main scripture and living Guru of

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

from ''Ang'' 262 to ''Ang'' 296 (about 35 count). This

Gurbani Gurbani ( pa, ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ) is a Sikh term, very commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib. In general, hymns in the central text of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahi ...

text (writing of the

Gurus Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverenti ...

) was written by the 5th Guru,

Guru Arjan Guru Arjan (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਰਜਨ, pronunciation: ; 15 April 1563 – 30 May 1606) was the first of the two Gurus martyred in the Sikh faith and the fifth of the ten total Sikh Gurus. He compiled the first official edition of ...

(1563–1606) at Amritsar in around 1602. Guru Arjan first recited the bani at Gurdwara Barth Sahib in the

Gurdaspur district Gurdaspur district is a district in the Majha region of the state of Punjab, India. Gurdaspur is the district headquarters. It internationally borders Narowal District of Pakistani Punjab, and the districts of Amritsar, Pathankot, Kapurthala ...

Punjab, India Punjab (; ) is a state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the north and northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and ...

Content

The composition deals with such topics such as ''

Simran Simran (Gurmukhi: ਸਿਮਰਨ; hi, सिमरण, सिमरन ; from Sanskrit: , ''smaraṇa'', 'to remember, reminisce, recollect'), in spirituality, is a Sanskrit word referring to the continuous remembrance of the finest aspect of ...

'' (general meditation that leads to merging with God) and '' Nam Japna'' (meditation of '' Naam''), the greatness of Saints and ''

Sadh Sangat Sangat (Punjabi: ਸੰਗਤ) is a Sikh term with its origin in the Sanskrit word ''sangh'', which means company, fellowship and association. In Sikh vocabulary, the word has a special connotation. It stands for the body of men and women who meet ...

'' (holy congregation), true devotion, doing good deeds, the nature of the mind, the badness of slandering, concepts relating to '' Brahmvidya'', ''

Advaita ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' (l ...

'', '' Sargun and Nirgun'', materialism and death, ''

Hukam Hukam ( pa, ਹੁਕਮਿ) is a Punjabi word derived from the Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in co ...

'', and other similar topics.

Recitation

Sukhmani Sahib is frequently recited by Sikhs is one of the popular '' Banis'' (compositions of the Guru). It can be done individually or as a group usually in either a place of worship (''

Gurdwara A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...

'') or at home. Reciting the entire Sukhmani Sahib takes about 60 to 90 minutes, and is sometimes undertaken by everyone in a smaller congregation with turn by turn reading. Reciting the ''Gurbani'' of Sukhmani Sahib is believed to bring peace to one's mind and aid help remembering God constantly.

Form

Sukhmani Sahib belongs to the '' Raag Gauri'' with ''Gauri'' meaning pure. The term ''Sukhmani'' comprises two words: ''Sukh'' (peace) and ''Mani'' (the treasure or jewel of the mind) It typically is found in ''Gutka'' form (small prayer book).

Structure

Sukhmani Sahib is divided into 24 ''Ashtpadi'' (Section). The ''Ashtpada'' is the

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 ...

word for a verse that has eight (''Asht'')

metrical feet The foot is the basic repeating rhythmic unit that forms part of a line of verse in most Indo-European traditions of poetry, including English accentual-syllabic verse and the quantitative meter of classical ancient Greek and Latin poetry. The ...

('' pādi''). Before the Ashtpadi begins there is a Salok of two lines and then each ''Ashtpadi'' contains eight ''padas'' of 10 hymns per ''pada''.

History

Sukhmani Sahib was composed by

around 1602 before he compiled the

Adi Granth The Guru Granth Sahib ( pa, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the re ...

. The Guru compiled it at Ramsar ''Sarovar'' (Sacred pool), Amritsar which at the time was in thick woods. It is believed

Sri Chand Sri Chand (8 September 1494–13 January 1629, Gurmukhi: ਸ੍ਰੀ ਚੰਦ), also referred to as Baba Sri Chandra or Bhagwan Sri Chandra, was the founder of the Udasi sect of ascetic Sadhus. Early life He was the eldest son of Guru Na ...

came to Amritsar to meet Guru Arjan and he engaged in the creation of Sukhmani. The Guru had written 16 canto and requested Sri Chand to finish the composition. Sri Chand out of humility only recited the Salok from the Mul Mantar by

Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated w ...

. His father. Therefore this Salok was put by the Guru in the start of the 17 canto. Prominent Sikh saint Baba Nand Singh would tell Sikhs to recite Sukhmani Sahib twice daily.

References

External links

Read Sukhmani Sahib & Translation OnlineRead Sukhmani Sahib Bani in Punjabi, Hindi and English
{{Sikhism Sikh scripture Hymns