Gurbani

Gurbani refers to the sacred hymns and spiritual compositions that constitute the core revelation of Sikhism. The term literally means “the Guru’s word” and is understood as the divine message conveyed through the Gurus and through other revered saints whose writings Sikhs accept as inspired. Gurbani forms the primary source of Sikh theology, ethics, and daily practice.

Most Gurbani is contained in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture regarded by Sikhs as the eternal guru. The text includes the devotional hymns of the ten human Gurus—from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh—as well as writings by earlier Hindu and Muslim saints such as Kabir, Namdev, Ravidas, and Farid. The scripture was compiled by Guru Arjan in 1604–05 as the Adi Granth and, in 1708, was declared the eternal Guru by Guru Gobind Singh, making it the living guide for Sikhs.

Gurbani is written primarily in the Gurmukhi script and is composed in multiple languages, with Punjabi as the major language but including works in Braj Bhasa, Persian, Sanskrit, and other linguistic forms. The hymns are organized according to musical measures called ragas, which influences their chant and recitation. Well-known sections include Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, and various other hymns that appear throughout the Guru Granth Sahib.

In practice, Gurbani is recited and sung in gurdwaras and homes as part of daily worship and study. It is studied for spiritual insight, moral guidance, and understanding of the Sikh path, and it remains a central element of Sikh identity and communal life.