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Jaap Sahib

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Jaap Sahib
ਜਾਪੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ
by Guru Gobind Singh
The first page with the opening stanza of Jaap Sahib in the hand of Guru Gobind Singh
Original titleJaap (ਜਾਪੁ)
First published inDasam Granth
CountryMughal Empire (Modern India)
LanguageSant Bhasha (predominantly influenced by Hindi-languages [such as Braj, Kauravi], Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic)[1]
SubjectEulogy of Almighty
GenreReligion
MeterChhand
Lines22 stanzas comprising 199 verses in total[2][3]
PagesPage 1-10 of Dasam Granth
Followed byAkaal Ustat

Jaap Sahib (or Japu Sahib; Punjabi: ਜਾਪੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ, pronunciation: [d͡ʒaːpʊ saːɦɪb]) 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.[4] This Bani is an important Sikh prayer, and is recited by the Panj Pyare while preparing Amrit on the occasion of Amrit Sanchar (initiation), a ceremony held to Amrit initiates into the Khalsa and it is a part of a Sikh's Nitnem (daily meditation). The Jaap Sahib is reminiscent of Japji Sahib composed by Guru Nanak, and both praise God.[4] The Jaap Sahib was completed in 1677 as per the Chaupa Singh Rehitnama.[5]

Meaning of jaap

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Following are some accepted meanings of jaap:

  • The popular meanings of Jaap is to recite, to repeat, or to chant.[6]
  • Jaap also means to understand. Gurbani cites Aisa Giaan Japo Man Mere, Hovo Chakar Sache Kere, where Jap word means to understand wisdom.[7]

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".[citation needed] Jaap Sahib is a rhythmic hymn composed like a necklace of pearls and gems, beauteously (beautifully) 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

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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.[4][8]

Form

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Jaap Sahib is made up of 199 verses and is the first Bani of the Dasam Granth (p.1–10).

The Jaap Sahib, just like any other sikh composition, begins with the Mool Mantar and then the name of the composition and the author's signature:

ੴ

Ik Oankar

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ

Satgur

ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ।।

Prasaad

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ।।

{Ik Oankar} Satgur Prasaad

Manglacharan

ਸ੍ਰੀ

Sri

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ

Waheguru

ਜੀ

Ji

ਕੀ

Ki

ਫਤਹਿ।।

Fateh

ਸ੍ਰੀ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਹਿ।।

Sri Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Victory is of The Lord,

ਜਾਪੁ।।

Jaap

ਜਾਪੁ।।

Jaap

Name of the composition,

ਸ੍ਰੀ

Sri

ਮੁਖਵਾਕ

Mukhwaak

ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੀ

Patsahi

੧੦।।

Dasvee

ਸ੍ਰੀ ਮੁਖਵਾਕ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੀ {੧੦।।}

Sri Mukhwaak Patsahi Dasvee

From The Blessed Mouth Of The Tenth Emperor,

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).

Structure

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Jaap Sahib starts with opening invocation "ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ।।", then comes the name of composition "ਜਾਪੁ।।", right after this is author's signature "ਸ੍ਰੀ ਮੁਖਵਾਕ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੀ ੧੦।।".

Jaap Sahib is structured into 22 stanzas which cycles through 10 chhand. Each poetic meter alters the pace, rhythm and mood of the prayer. These poetic meters are as follows:

Poetic Meters of Jaap Sahib
No. Chhand Verses
From To
1Chhapay/ ਛਪੈ1 1
2Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ2 28
3Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ29 43
4Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ44 61
5Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ62 63
6Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ64 73
7Charpat/ਚਰਪਟ74 78
8Ruaal/ਰੂਆਲ79 86
9Madhubhar/ਮਧੁਭਾਰ87 93
10Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ94 95
11Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ96 98
12Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ99 102
13Bhagwati/ਭਗਵਤੀ103 132
14Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ133 141
15Charpat/ਚਰਪਟ142 144
16Rasawal/ਰਸਾਵਲ145 149
17Bhagwati/ਭਗਵਤੀ150 160
18Madhubhar/ਮਧੁਭਾਰ161 170
19 Haribolmana/ਹਰਿਬੋਲਮਨਾ 171 184
20 Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ 185 188
21 Aik Acchari/ਏਕ ਅਛਰ 189 196
22 Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ 197 199

Language

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The language of Jaap, is close to classical with words and compounds drawn from Sanskrit, Brij Bhasha, Arabic and Urdu. The contents of Jaap Sahib, are divided into various Chhand bearing the name of the related meter according to the then prevalent system of prosody in India.

Japji Sahib and Jaap Sahib

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The Guru Granth Sahib starts with Japji Sahib, while Dasam Granth starts with Jaap Sahib also called Japu Sahib.[4] Guru Nanak is credited with the former, while Guru Gobind Singh is credited with the latter.[4] The Jaap Sahib, unlike Japji Sahib, is composed in Braj bhasha, Sanskrit and Arabic, and with 199 verses, is longer than Japji Sahib. The Jaap Sahib is, like Japji Sahib, a praise of God as the unchanging, loving, unborn, ultimate power.

References

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  1. ↑ Sukhbir Singh Kapoor; Mohinder Kaur Kapoor. Dasam Granth: An Introductory Study. Hemkunt Press. p. 39. ISBN 9788170103257.
  2. ↑ 'Makin', Gursharan Singh. Zafarnama: The Epistle of Victory (1st ed.). Lahore Book Shop. p. 13. ISBN 8176471798.
  3. ↑ Singha, H.S. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Over 1000 Entries). Hemkunt Press. p. 54. ISBN 9788170103011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 HS Singha (2009), The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Hemkunt Press, ISBN 978-8170103011, page 110
  5. ↑ Grewal, Jagtar Singh (25 July 2019). "Literary Activity Recorded in Eighteenth-Century Sikh Literature". Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708): Master of the White Hawk. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190990381.
  6. ↑ S Deol (1998), Japji: The Path of Devotional Meditation, ISBN 978-0966102703, page 11
  7. ↑ Nihang, Dharam Singh. Naad Ved Vichar (in Punjabi). India. p. 20. ਐਸਾ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ।। ਹੋਵਹੁ ਚਾਕਰ ਸਾਚੇ ਕੇਰੇ (ਪੰਨਾ ੭੨੮)
  8. ↑ 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

Bibliography

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  • Singh, Dr. Santokh (1990). English Transliteration and Interpretation of Nitnaym Baanees, Sikh Prayers for English Speaking Sikh Youth. Sikh Resource Centre. ISBN 1-895471-08-7.
  • William Owen Cole, Piara Singh Sambhi (1995). The Sikhs: Their Religious Beliefs And Practises. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 1-898723-13-3.
  • 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.
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