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PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB 1 ISSN-2393-9745 JOURNAL PERSPECTIVES ON GURU GRANTH SAHIB Vol. IX 2014 Editor Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon CENTRE ON STUDIES IN SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB GURU NANAK DEV UNIVERSITY AMRITSAR - 143005 (INDIA) 2 PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB JOURNAL PERSPECTIVES ON GURU GRANTH SAHIB (Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib) Patron Dr. A.S. Brar Vice-Chancellor Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar Editor Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon Editorial Board Dr. Gulzar Singh Kang Professor Dr. Jagbir Singh, Delhi Professor Dr. Jaspal Kaur Kaang, Chandigarh Professor Dr. Harbans Lal, Texas, U.S.A. Professor PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB 3 OUR CONTRIBUTORS 1. Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon, Director, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar ñ 143005. 2. Dr. Gurnam Singh Sanghera, Honrary Visiting Professor, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar - 143005. 3. Dr. N. Muthumohan, Professor, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. 4. Dr. D.P. Singh, 2516, Pollard Drive, Mississauga, ON L5C 3H1 Canada. 5. Dr. Ranbir Singh, Professor Emeritus Ohio State University, U.S.A. Before moving to USA in 1965, he worked in the Irrigation Department, Punjab as Assistant Engineer to Deputy Director Designs in the Bhakhra and Beas Design Directorate. 6. Dr. Harmeet Sethi, Associate Professor, Deptt. of History, Postgraduate Govt. College for Girls, Sector 42, Chandigarh. 7. Mrs. Ruby Vig, Senior Research Fellow, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. 8. Dr. Gulzar Singh Kang, Professor, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. 9. S. Salinder Singh, Senior Research Fellow, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. 10. S. Sukhpal Singh, Senior Research Fellow, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. 11. S. Charanjit Singh, Project Fellow, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. 12. Mrs. Samrath Kaur, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. 4 PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB CONTENT 1. Formation of Early Sikh Identity Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon 1 2. Religion, Minority and Sikhs Dr. Gurnam Singh Sanghera 13 3. Kudrat (Nature) in Guru Nanak's Dr. D.P. Singh 27 Holistic Vision 4. Interpreting Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dr. N.Muthumohan 41 5. Misl Shaheedan: An Addendum Dr. Ranbir Singh Sandhu 53 6. Maharaja Ranjit Singhís Expedition Dr. (Mrs.) Harmeet Sethi 61 of 1819 7. Gurbani Sangeet: A Bibliography Mrs. Ruby Vig 73 8. gurmiq qy sU&Imq : fw. gulzwr isMG kMg 119 AiDAwqmk pirpyK 9. is`K ivrwsq dI sWB-sMBwl silMdr isMG 133 10. s. mnmohn isMG duAwrw suKpwl isMG/crnjIq isMG 145 sRI gurU gMRQ swihb dy tIky Aqy dyS dI vMf bwry fw. suirMdr kOr dy AnuBv 11. Book Review, Haqiqat-i-Sikhan Mrs. Samrath Kaur 173 PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB 5 6 PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB Journal ISSN-2393-9745 Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib Vol. IX 2014 Editor Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib GURU NANAK DEV UNIVERSITY AMRITSAR PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB 7 SUBSCRIPTION RATES India Life Membership Individual Rs. 150.00 per copy Rs. 2500/- Institution Rs. 300.00 per copy Rs. 6000/- Subscriptions are to be sent to the Professor Incharge, Publication Bureau, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar through Bank Draft drawn in favour of Registrar, Guru Nanak Dev University, payable at Amritsar. Published by Dr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Registrar and Printed by Dr. Raminder Kaur, Professor Incharge, Publication Bureau Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar-143005 (India) 8 PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB Form 4 (See Rule 8) Place of Publication Amritsar Periodicity of Publication Annual Printer's Name Dr. Raminder Kaur Nationality Indian Address Professor Incharge Publication Bureau Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar-143005-India Publisher's Name Dr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon Nationality Indian Address Registrar Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar-143 005-India Editor's Name Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon Nationality Indian Address Director, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar-143 005-India Names and addresses of the Guru Nanak Dev University individuals who own the Amritsar-143 005-India Journal and of the partners or share-holders holding more than one percent of the total capital. I, Dr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Registrar, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar-143 005, India, hereby, declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB 9 PERSPECTIVES ON GURU GRANTH SAHIB The quadri-centennial celebration of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib in Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar, is the most solemn occasion for the Sikhs. Guru Nanak's experience of the numinous forms the core of Sikh Scripture. Besides the six Sikh Gurus, the sacred writings of fifteen medieval Indian Bhagats and Sufis and persons associated with the Sikh Gurus are preserved in it. The language used in it transcends the boundaries of both religion and region. Its style is a unique blend of music and poetry. The Sikhs look upon it as the very Word of God. In the recent years a number of scholars from diverse fields have shown a keen interest in the Sikh Scripture to fathom its vast ocean of wisdom. To provide a forum to all such scholars, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar has launched a new yearly journal Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib. It carries high quality research papers relating to the various aspects of Guru Granth Sahib. All other communications are to be addressed to the Editor, Journal of Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib, Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India, Phone: 2258802-09 (3442). Contributors are requested not to send already published material for publication in the journal under any circumstances. Views expressed in the articles and published in the Journal are of the author's and are not to be attributed to the Centre on Studies in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University or its editors unless expressly so stated. For the purpose of Review, two copies of each book are to be sent to the Editor. 10 PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB SUBSCRIPTION FORM Editor, Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Dear Sir, Please enrol me/my institution as a subscriber for the research journal entitled Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib, for the year_____________ A Bank Draft for Rs.__________in favour of Registrar, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar is enclosed. Yours Sincerely, Dated______________ Name________________ Address _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ SUBSCRIPTION RATES India Life Membership Individual Rs. 150.00 per copy Rs. 2500/- Institution Rs. 300.00 per copy Rs. 6000/- Note : 1. Subscription can be sent directly to the Professor Incharge, Publication Bureau through crossed Bank Draft in favour of Registrar, Guru Nanak Dev University payable at Amritsar. 2. The list of Research Journals published by University is given overleaf. PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB 11 RESEARCH JOURNALS 1. Personality Study and Group Behaviour Annual 2. Law Journal Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar Annual 3. Journal of Regional History Annual 4. Punjab Journal of English Studies Annual 5. Journal of Sikh Studies Annual 6. Guru Nanak Journal of Sociology Annual 7. Indian Journal of Quantitative Economics Annual 8. Punjab Journal of Politics Annual 9. PSE Economic Analyst Annual 10. Koj drpx (pMj`bI) s`l`n` 11. Pradhikrit (Hindi) Annual 12. Perspectives on Guru Granth Shib Annual 13. Drm EiDEYn piqRk` s`l`n` 14. Journal of Management Studies Annual 15. Journal of Sports Traumatology Annual and Allied Sports Science 12 PERSPECTIVES ON SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB FORMATION OF EARLY SIKH IDENTITY Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon The Sikh Religion is deeply rooted in the numinous as well as historical experience of Guru Nanak and his nine successors. An analysis of Guru Nanakís writings makes it abundantly clear that he intensely felt himself to be an instrument of God and made the Divine Will known to the people through the medium of his Bani. It is a fact that none of the prevalent religious traditions of India deserved his unqualified approval. His criticism of the decadent state of contemporary religious orders leaves no doubt that he was not interested in any manner to follow their suit. Like a genuine prophet, he unequivocally challenged the evil order whether it was social, religious or political.1 In order to bring about a radical change in the existing social order he denounced the caste system and values attached to it. For the establishment of a fresh world order, he propounded the ideals of Unity of God and brotherhood/sisterhood of humankind which in turn transformed the whole gamut of human relationship. Guru Nanakís successors continued to strive for his mission which ultimately fructified in the emergence of a new socio-religious dispensation, in the shape of Sikh Panth in Northern India. The present study looks into the markers of Sikh identity that the Sikh Panth had come to enjoy at its earlier stage of history. II There is no doubt that Guru Nanakís world-view was quite different from that of the other religious traditions prevalent in India at that time. Sometimes one come across scholars who feel that Guru Nanak was akin to the medieval Bhagats and was chiefly concerned with social reforms and has nothing to do with the establishment of a new religion.