# How To Read The Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji?



## jii (Dec 13, 2007)

I’ve had someone tell me that I should not read the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji if I can not read it properly, as it was said that one of the Guru’s stated one should not do something if they can not do it properly. My friend quoted the story of Guru Gobind’s son when he told him to print something when he disowned his son, (by the way if anyone has any links to the correct story please let me know, because I’m sure he recited the story wrong.) 

There is a number of questions that I would like to know on how to read the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Firstly is there any rules on how the verses should be read, because I have heard many people read the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in different styles and notes ie high and low pitch variations. 

Secondly, I wanted to know what is the correct procedure when one opens the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji to read it. Furthermore, how does this contrast to online versions which you can download? As one cannot open the online Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at a random page. Should one also wash before reading the online version? Is it right or wrong to have an online version?

Please help me one this, thanks.


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## Archived_Member1 (Dec 13, 2007)

here's a good place to start:

The Sikhism Home Page: Reht Maryada


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## kds1980 (Dec 13, 2007)

Just read it with respect.Apart from this everything else is ritual.Its upto you whether you want to follow them or not.


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## singhbj (Dec 20, 2007)

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

Here is an excellant link where you can read as well as listen to Gurbani. This can solve your problem.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji age :SearchGurbani.com ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh


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## simpy (Dec 20, 2007)

*When a baby is born, cannot speak or understand language, any body with small kids around can tell how long it takes............ we do everything to make them speak correctly, nicely, and all that......*

*Sadh Sangat Ji, here we are talking about Dhan Dhan Guru Maharaj..... What Guru does for us to recite, sing and understand Gurbani one cannot even imagine................................ LOVE IS GREAT, CAN DO ANYTHING EVEN UNIMAGINABLE......................*

*humbly asking for everybody's forgiveness*


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## amar7979 (Dec 20, 2007)

Surinder Kaur Cheema said:


> *When a baby is born, cannot speak or understand language, any body with small kids around can tell how long it takes............ we do everything to make them speak correctly, nicely, and all that......*
> 
> *Sadh Sangat Ji, here we are talking about Dhan Dhan Guru Maharaj..... What Guru does for us to recite, sing and understand Gurbani one cannot even imagine................................ LOVE IS GREAT, CAN DO ANYTHING EVEN UNIMAGINABLE......................*
> 
> *humbly asking for everybody's forgiveness*


 
Well said Surinder Kaur ji....Kudos.
I completely agree to it. We tend to make simple things look and feel complicated. 

"Jin prem kiyo tin hi prabh payo"​ 
!! 'Love' is the key to the Lord !!​


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Dec 20, 2007)

jii said:


> I’ve had someone tell me that I should not read the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji if I can not read it properly, as it was said that one of the Guru’s stated one should not do something if they can not do it properly. My friend quoted the story of Guru Gobind’s son when he told him to print something when he disowned his son, (by the way if anyone has any links to the correct story please let me know, because I’m sure he recited the story wrong.)
> 
> There is a number of questions that I would like to know on how to read the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Firstly is there any rules on how the verses should be read, because I have heard many people read the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in different styles and notes ie high and low pitch variations.
> 
> ...


 
Guru Piaraio Jio,
Gurfateh.

1. Someone told you all wrong. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee is OUR "Pio Daddeh ka KHAZANAH"....the TREASURE of our Creator and all that we need to do is LOVE..Jin PREM KIO tin PRABH Payio. Read all you want with all the LOVE ou can muster....dont be afraid of any "mistakes"..Guru Ji FORGIVES everything.
Nothing is going to "get broken"..nothing is going to get "torn"..nothing is going to "get dirty"....treat SGGS as your most precious and loving one....
b) That same someone also told you the story all wrong. Guru GOBIND SINGH JIs sons - all FOUR of them were exemplary souls..and ALL four were MARTYRED...the elder two Ajit Singh and Jhujaar Singh aged 14 and 16 died gallantly fihting the enemy on the battlefiled of Chamkaur while the younger two Zorawar Singh and fateh Singh ..aged 5 and 7...died bricked up alive by the Sirhind Governor for REFUSING to convert to Islam.
The "Guru's son" who made the supreme mistake of TWISTING GURBANI to please the MUGHAL EMPEROR..was Ram Rai eldest son of Guru Har rai ji - seventh Guru Ji. Ram Rai was elder brother of Eight Guru Ji Har Kishan Ji. He was sent to the court of Aurengzeb to explain Gurbani. When the Emperor asked him why Guru nanak Ji wrote Mittee MUSSALMAN KI perreh payeeh Ghumiar ( a reference to the Disposl of the dead - While Hindus cremate their dead..Muslims buried the dead beleiving that on the Final Day of Judgement they will all rise up and face God. Guru nanak ji in Vaar Asa wrote that the Muslim DEAD turn into CLAY and that very clay is then turned into POTS by POTTERS....and these "pots" BURN daily on the Fire. Thus while a Hindu/sikh dead body just burns ONCE..the muslim dead burn daily once they become clay pots..the REAL MEANING behind Gurbani being that once DEAD..the BODY is of no significance - it can be burnt, buried, cast away into the waters/sea..its all the same. When the Muslim Emperor asked Ram Rai..he was frightenend and replied..the Gurbani is WRONG..the word should have been BEIMAAN ( a irreligious/corrupt/bad person) and NOT "MUssalman". For this irreverence shown to Gurbani of Guru nanak Ji, Ram Rai was banished for ever from his fathers presence and later went to DEHRADUN where he established the Dehradun Ram Rai Dera for his own followers. Ram Raiyyas were declared excommunicated and sikhs were not allowed to associate with them.
3. MOST IMORTANT - Gurbani is written with its own UNIQUE GRAMMAR - siharees biharees aunkards etc are of the UTMOST IMPORTANCE as the MEANING CHANGES completley if one is not careful. Many words have to be pronounced with bindi while the bindi is not written - saying it as "written" would make the word MEANINGLESS. English example would be KNIFE. Only a idot would say the word kanife..while everybody else knows the "K" is SILENT and not to be pronounced even though it is there. An example would be GAVA..the correct pronounciation would be GAAVAAN..meaning I SING. Gava as written has no meaning. Ths it si vital that Gurbani be learnt from a TEACHER who is well aware of this..and not just some one who insists on "I SAY EXACTLY as is written..meaning or no meaning..only Guru Ji decides !! That would be like learning  to drive from a driving instructor who blindfolds himslef and trusts GURU JI will keep accidents away. Guru Ji has instructed us all to KEEP OUR EYES OPEN..aakleen sahib seveah..USE the God given INTELLECT !!!
4. I have been reading the Gurbani for the past 50 YEARS..I am still a LEARNER...i get new revelations daily...as Guru Ji declares SATGUR MERA NIT NAVAAN. After hundreds of Akhand Paaths / sehaj paaths..i have so much to learn..thats why we are called "SIKHS"..LEARNERS !! a SIKH is a SIKH from day one till the day he/she DIES
5. The SGGS has a PROTOCOL for opening (Parkash) and Closing SAMAPTEE. The SRM has clear instructions. Remember that ONLY the Complete BIR ( one volume SGGS) is GURU when PARKASH. Pothian/gukas are GURBANI but not GURU. Please respect all Gurbani but ONLY the SGGS commands special respect as GURU. Thus the Internet sggs, cds dvds computer Hard Disks etc are NOT "GURU" per se. What LOVE you show towards GURBANI is YOUR OWN perrorgative - dont be misled by self proposed custodians of respect..and no need to feel "guilty" over anything - i would not cover my "monitor/cpu" with a rumalla as the heat could cause a fire/my cpu to be burnt out..nor woudl i feel the need to carry my sggs "DVD" on my head with a sevadaar waving a chaur over it everytime i need to pop it in the cdrom to search for a shabad !! The CDROM tray is NOT a "Palki" by any standard and i dont need to wave a chaur over that either !!( But there are many who will scream "sacrilege" over such remarks..ignore them.) The SGGS/GURBANI is GYAAN GURU - the KNOWLEDGE is the SHABAD GURU - phyiscal deh is not important- following the DIVINE MESSAGE is.

Warmest regards and welcome to reading the SGGS..

Gyani jarnail Singh


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## Astroboy (Dec 20, 2007)

Giani Ji,
You mentioned that the complete pothi is Guru and portions of the pothi are not Guru - ok I agree this from the SRM point of view. 

What is your opinion on Sikhism as a Universal teachings - helpful to all individuals who are seekers ? Not coming from SRM but as under a universal umbrella ? Can gutkas help as a teacher to a spiritual student ? Having in mind that English intepretations do really benefit most people - so the ultimate question a person benefitting from these verses (the wisdom contained in them), could want to associate with, as a guiding tool even if he isn't a sikh. 

Example, if a non-sikh finds the teachings of Kabir ( SGGS version only) as something which he can relate to and wants to keep it as his guiding instrument in his lifetime, not wanting to leave his religion - how would we explain to him what a True Guru is ?

<<<<<< edited >>>>>>
Thank you in advance and humbly forgive me.


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## spnadmin (Dec 20, 2007)

jii ji

You asked an important question and received 2 good answers from devout and truly learned souls - Giani and Surinder -- who will not steer you in the wrong direction. So wherever you go on this thread or in life, take their words to heart and keep what they say in mind.


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## vijaydeep Singh (Dec 21, 2007)

Gurfateh
Das thinks that yourself are talking about reciting where prononciation is needed wide its art called Santhia.

Three ways. to read and understand are vide
1.Principle Teja Singh ji or Prof sahib Singh Ji grammer.
2.Santhia from taksal.
3.Fareed koti teeka.

While for pronouciation some teacher is needed.


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## Archived_member2 (Dec 21, 2007)

Pray Truth for all and say Satsriakaal!
Dear all!

Quote from Jii Jee "I’ve had someone tell me that I should not read the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji if I can not read it properly, as it was said that one of the Guru’s stated one should not do something if they can not do it properly."
I do not know one so-called expert who has learnt Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee without doing mistakes. The same experts try now to convince others, how much Paap they gather by reading it wrong.


Balbir Singh


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## Randip Singh (Dec 21, 2007)

Gyani Jarnail Singh said:


> Guru Piaraio Jio,
> Gurfateh.
> 
> 1. Someone told you all wrong. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee is OUR "Pio Daddeh ka KHAZANAH"....the TREASURE of our Creator and all that we need to do is LOVE..Jin PREM KIO tin PRABH Payio. Read all you want with all the LOVE ou can muster....dont be afraid of any "mistakes"..Guru Ji FORGIVES everything.
> ...



Brilliant post as per usual by Gyani Ji.


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## Archived_Member1 (Dec 21, 2007)

vijaydeep Singh said:


> Gurfateh
> Das thinks that yourself are talking about reciting where prononciation is needed wide its art called Santhia.
> 
> Three ways. to read and understand are vide
> ...


 
how can there be three different ways to understand gurbani?  how would we know which is correct?

i have had limited instruction in santhia from Giani Gurdev Singh (damdami taksal), and am currently assisting on a project to translate the fareed koti teeka, but in my very small experience i have not seen any conflicting information between the two. 

what's the difference?

thanks!


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Dec 22, 2007)

namjap said:


> Giani Ji,
> You mentioned that the complete pothi is Guru and portions of the pothi are not Guru - ok I agree this from the SRM point of view.
> 
> What is your opinion on Sikhism as a Universal teachings - helpful to all individuals who are seekers ? Not coming from SRM but as under a universal umbrella ? Can gutkas help as a teacher to a spiritual student ? Having in mind that English intepretations do really benefit most people - so the ultimate question a person benefitting from these verses (the wisdom contained in them), could want to associate with, as a guiding tool even if he isn't a sikh.
> ...


 
Guru Piyario Jio,
Gurfateh.

Yes you are right that the SGGS in one volume is the "GURU" as per SRM and accepted by all Sikhs.
2. As per GURBANI being the Shabad GURU....each and every single tuk is worthy of the ultimate respect as it is Divine Message of the Creator. This is universal and applicable to all mankind irrespective of his/her native religion..i would even include atheists.
It would surprise you to learn that there is one very special type of "poetry" in SGGS that is known as ONE-LINE POETRY. ( Just one line is a complete poem and contains the netire message/teaching) This type of literary work was introduced in japanese about 400 years ago ( HAIKU STYLE) and is very very rare in any language - NONE so far is found in Hindi/Punjabi/Sanaskrit. Only this One tuk is found in SGGS. In English and French it was experimented with in the beginning of the 20th century....now a days it is quite popular form.
The tuk that is in this form of poetry is on page 1251 in Raag Sarang..."Chhadd  mun Har bemukhaan ko sang... O my mind leave the company of non-beleivers (in God). 
THIS is a complete philosphy in itself. It is universally beleived that we are what due to the company we keep..thus if we keep the company of non-beleivers..we will become non-beleivers...if we associate with saints and saadh snagat..we are more likely to become saints (rather than {censored}).
None of the Gurus ever insisted that their followers become "SIKHS" and thus LEAVE their native religions..all were welcome in their Saadh Sangat..to listen and imbibe...follow as and what they liked. Some became better at imbibing while others were slower...yet all were welcome and sikhs (learners)
Even in 1699 at Vasakhi anandpur sahib..Guru Ji "REQUESTED" for Five Heads..He got the Five and Ordained the Khalsa...BUT the "joining in" was entirely VOLUNTARY. Guru Ji certainly never ordered those not willing to be Khalsa to leave..or label them as "non-sikhs" as some "Khalsa" do today. The Khalsa initiation is still VOLUNTARY and only to those of AGE of REASON/MATURITY - meaning those who can make up their own minds..!!
3. To answer your query..YES one cna take any GURBANI he/she wishes as the guiding post in life...say the sloks of Bhaght Kabir Ji or Sheikh Farid Ji. There is so much wisdom and spirituality..and its a fact that the entire 1429 pages of SGGS are in complete agreement - there is no disagreement or clash irrespective of whether it is bani of kabir ji or bani of farid ji or bani of Guur Teg bahadur Ji..or Bani of Guru Angad Ji. Guru Nanak ji sahib as the Fountain Head began this process of delivering His Divine Message thru Gurbani...and the rest of the distingushed pearls in SGGS complement whatever Message Guru nanak ji Sahib delivered..all the PEARLS are strung together on the SAME STRING....take your PICK !!

Love towards all and enmity towards NONE.

Gyani jarnail Singh


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## spnadmin (Dec 22, 2007)

Gyani Jarnail Singh said:


> Guru Piyario Jio,
> Gurfateh.
> 
> 
> ...



Historical documentation supports your argument Gianni ji. First what we all remember: That when Guru Arjan Dev ji began the process of compiling the Adi Granth, under the supervision of Bhai Gurdas, the task was exactly what you say. There was a lengthy process of evaluating texts and deciding how the texts should fit together, how they should be set in a sequence, how they were compatible with one another. If anyone is interested, I found a pdf file in which Singh Sahib Sant Singh Khalsa describes the discoveries he made as translator about the thinking that went into the creation of the Adi Granth. You are welcome to a copy of i t.

I have to come back and edit this thread because there is some Gurbani I want to include but can find it for some reason.


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