Thus Sayeth Gurbani- a Book Review With Quotations

Book Reviews and Book Lists

An imaginary portrait of Guru Nanak based on an 18th Century painting

More Books By Pritpal Singh Bindra

About the Book Thus Sayeth Gurbani

Thus Sayeth Gurbani is a reference book on Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Reigious scripture. It contains more than 10,000 conceptual quotations The book has been honoured with AKALI PHOOLA SINGH AWARD 1998 by Academy of Sikh Religion and Culture, Patiala, Punjab, India. The presentation of the award took place on Nov.21, 1998 at the Annual Dr. Ganda Singh Memorial Lecture in the prsence of top University Intellectuals from India and England.

About The Author

Pritpal Singh (Bindra), is a post graduate from the Punjab University. He lived and worked in England from 1960 before he decided to take up early retirement and fulfill his ambition of reading and writing. To achieve this goal he sold his business in 1983 and since then studying Sikh Scriptures, Religion and Polity. Apart from this monumental work on the Guru Granth Sahib, he has compiled a collection of sixteen short stories and a novel - Muklawa and other stories. He currently lives at Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

God: The Benefactor: Datha:

There are good many seekers. He alone is the Benefactor (Sfi M. I P. 18).

The Unique Lord is the Benefactor, He is the Giver to all. In His giving, there is no stint. Numberless are His brimful stores. The Giver is ever alive. (Gauri M.5 P.257)

The Formless Lord alone is the Saviour of sinners, Destroyer of dread and an ocean of peace. He is Benefactor, the Enjoyer and the Giver. There is no place without Him. (Gauri M. 5 P. 296)

There is but One Benefactor, all others are beggars. Hence, to whom else should I a-begging? .(Asa M.5 P.401)

Thou art the Benefactor and Giver, and we eat what Thou givest us to eat. (Sorath MA P.652)

The One Lord is the Benefactor of all the beings. There is not any other second. (Bilawal M. 5 P. 818)

Eiilogise thou the Benefactor, who gives sustenance to all. (Sarang M.2 P. 1239)

God: The Creator: Karta Purkh: Also see Creator:

(God), who created the world, has by diverse contrivances created the creation ofvaridus colours and kinds. Having created the creation, (He), as it pleases his Honour beholds His handiwork. (JapJi M. I P.6)

Thou Thyself art the Creator. It is by Thy doing that everything comes to pass. Besides Thee, there is no other second. (Asa M. 4 P. 12)

This world is a garden and my Lord is its Gardener. He ever takes care of it. No part of it is exempt from His care. Majh M.3 P118)

Thou, 0' Lord omnipotent and unapproachable Creator! Thyself hast created the Universe. In good many ways Thou hast fashioned the creation of various colours, wonderful dyes and kind............. It is all a play of Thine. (Majh M. I R 138)

Thou art the Omnipotent and inaccessible Creator, with whom should I compare Thee. Were there anyone as great Thee, I may Name him. Thou alone art said to be like Thee: (Gauri MA P.301)

Blessed, blessed is the Omnip otent Lord, the Creator,who, sitting in the judgement seat, has Himself caused the real justice to be done. (Gauri MA P.306)

The person, who meets the society of the saints, he enjoys God's Love. True is the Name of the Omnipotent Creator. It the mine of jewels. (Gauri M.5 P.319)

Nanak tells the Name of the Creator, the purifier of sinners. (Gauri M.5 P.322)

In their mind, the pious persons forget not the honourable God, who is the Mighty Creator and the slayers of Mur demoti (Bihagra M. 5 P. 544)

O Primal Lord, Thou art the remotest of the remote Creator. Thy limit cannot be ascertained. Thou art perpetually present in all the hearts 'and in everything. Thou are contained. amongst all. (Asa MA P.448)

He consults not, nor seeks the advice of another. Whatever He does, that He does by Himself (Gond M.5 P.863)

O my Creator Lord, Thou art Unfathomable and pervading all places. (Malar M. I P. 120 1)

The praise worthy True Name of the Creator Lord abides in the mind of Guru Ram Dass. I have grasped the all-powerful Guru, to embellish my sublime understanding. Sawayyas P. 1404

God: The Endower: Parsad(j):

O By the grace of he God, obtain the supreme state (as) the dry wood blooms forth. (Gujri M. 5 R 10)

Where the poor are looked after, there does rain the look of Thy grace, O Lord. (Sri M. I R 15)

Numberless sins, he forgives in an instant. Nanak, the Master is ever Merciful. (Sorath M. 5 R 260)

In an instant He can make a groveling worm (a lowly placed person), a king. The Transcendent Lord is the Patroniser of the humble. (Gauri M.5 P.277)

The Lord is the fulfiller of aspirations and the Giver of all the comforts. In His power is the elysian cow. So, O my soul, meditate, on such Lord, then alone, shalt thou obtain all the comforts, O my mind. (Dhanasri MA P.669)

Reverend God, who is my Friend and my Master speaks sweetly. I have grown weary of trying Him, but He speaks not harshly ever. The Perfect Lord, who thinks not of my demerits, knows not the bitter word. To purify the sinners is said to be the creed of my God. He ignores not even an iota of a man's service. He is pervading everywhere and He is the nearest of the near. Slave Nanak, ever seeks the Lord's refuge. He the Lord is his Nectar-sweet Friend. (Subi M.5 P.784)

God: The Guru: Har:

He is the Infinite, Transcendent Lord, the Supreme God, and Nanak has obtained Him as his Guru. (Sorath M. IP.499)

I have churned the body ocean and I have seen an enamouring thing come to view. The Guru is God and God is the Guru, O Nanak. There is no difference between the'two, my brother.(Asa MA P.442)

God: The Immortal: AkalMoorat:

The knowledge of the Immortal Lord is beyond comprehension. By hearing His praise, millions of sins are effaced (Gauri M.5 P.212)

My Master is eternal, He is seen by practicing the meditation of Name. Her is born not, nor does He die. Ever and ever, serve Him, who is contained amongst all. Why serve another second, who is born and then dies? (Gujri M.3 P.509)

Thou art the Immortal Lord. Over Thy head, death i not. Thou art the Ineffable, Inaccessible and mammon-detached Lord (Maru M. I P, 103 8)

He is the ftuitful sight and Immortal Form, which perishes not ever. He is unborn and self-illuminated. O my Imperishable, Eternal and In-apprehensible Lord, everything is attached to Thee. (Maru M. 5 P. 1082)

God: The Infinite: Beant:

If there be any account (of His), then alone man can write His account finishes not and whilst describing the account (man himself) finishes. (Japji M. I P. 5)

Thou art the common father of us all, 0' L6rd. Thine are the nine treasures and inexhaustible stores. (Majh M.5 P.97)

Among the kings He is Supreme King and among yogis the Supreme Yogi. Among penitents He is the great Penitent and among householders He is the Enjoyer. (Gauri M.5 R284)

Such, a Saligram. (Hindu Idol) serve 1. Unto God is my worship, flower-offering and obeisance. My Saligram. is God, whose bell is heard in the world's four corners. (Asa M. 5 P. 393). O! Whom countless silent sages and so many penitents seek for. On whom millions of Brahmins meditate and whose Name is uttered by the knowledgeable. The pure Lord, whom people seek to meet, through contemplation, austerity, equanimity, religious rites, and obeisance, wandering over the earth and bathing at holies; whom the men, forests, grass-blades, beasts and birds all meditate on. (Asa M.5 P.455)

Amongst Kings, Thou art called the King, amidst landlords, Thou art the Land lord... amongst the peaceful, Thou art called the most peaceful and among the givers the Supreme Giver........... Amidst the warriors, Thou art called the great warrior and amidst enjoyers, the great Enjoyer...... Of all the courts, Thine is the True Court and amongst the protection givers, Thou art the Supreme. Ho much is Thy wealth, cannot be measured and Thine coins I cannot count. Amongst the Names, Thy Name, O Lord, is the most sublime and among the divines Thou art the great Divine Among the miracles, Thine, O Lord, is the best miracle and among deeds Thine Deed is the noblest. In all the wills, Thy Will, O Lord, is the supreme and in commands Thine is the over-riding Command. (Gujri M.5 P.507)


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No one knows the state of the Lord. The renunciators, celibates, penitents and many wise men have utterly failed. In a trice, He can make a pauper a king, and.a king a pauper. What is empty He fills, and what is fidl, He empties. Such are His ways. His mammon, He Himself has spread and He Himself is the Beholder thereof He assumes many forms and plays many sports, yet He remains distinct from all. Incompatible, Illuminated, Incomprehensible and Pure is the Lord who has lured away the whole world. (Bihagra M.9 P.537)

Loftiest of the lofty is His court. It has no end or any limit......... Myriads, myriads, myriads and hundreds of

thousands are keen, but none can find even a particle of His mansion. When is the auspicious moment when the Lord shall be met?.... If the Lord be kind to me, then alone I can make an effort to meet Him. (Wadhans M.5 P.562)

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