The Next Guy is a Book

Holy Watermelon

What is the Granth Sahib? What is the Adi Granth?

The Guru Granth Sahib is the last and eternal Guru, an authoritative collection of sacred verses from not only the greatest Sikh leaders, but also from faithful Muslims and Hindus. Like other sacred texts, this collection has an interesting history, including a contested editorial process. Who are them men who recorded their revelations in sacred song? How does this collection bridge the gaps between conflicting traditions in India? How has the Sikhi made its mark in the subcontinent and around the world?

The Adi Granth was completed in 1604, as a compilation of the best, surest writings of the previous four Gurus, along with those of the incumbent leader. The Granth Sahib is the same collection with additions of later Gurus. In addition to these writings, we have the blessed verses of other great religious thinkers, including Sufi Muslims, and Hindus; those 15 elevated Devotees (Bhagats), with 11 Bards (Bhatts), and 4 other faithful admirers and seekers of light are honoured with the inclusion of their songs of worship along with the hymns of the Gurus.

For a scriptural canon, it is shockingly inclusive, and organized in a truly unique scheme.

In this episode, we explore the nature of the hymns, their content, and the contention surrounding textual variants that exist across Sikh communities. Some great scholarly work has been done in this field, and we just scratch the surface.

All this and more...

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