Within Sanatan Sikhism there is no higher ‘Pooja’
(worship) than that of the ‘Parmeshvar’
(the Almighty) known by his various attributes such as ‘Va-eh
Guru’, ‘Nirankar,’ ‘Akaal’
etc. No human being how ever great, can ever be considered on par
with the Almighty.
With regards to himself, the great Sikh Guru Akali
Nihang Gobind Singh wrote:
‘Whoever calls me ‘Parmeshvar’,
they will fall into the pit of hell.’
Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh, ‘Dasam Guru Durbar’,
Bachittar Natak)
Kora
The 'Kora' belonging to Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh Ji, presently
kept at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur, Punjab
According to Sanatan Sikhism, the ten historical Sikh
Gurus were but human vessels through which Parmeshvar
revealed himself to man in this age of ‘Kal Yuga’.
It is because they gave true knowledge, and bestowed blessings of
highest God that they became acknowledged as ‘Satgur’
(true Gurus), i.e. true teachers of the highest truth. Further,
because this highest truth was revealed through their sacred words,
‘Gurbani’, as contained in the Adi
Guru Durbar, this is the most sacred object of worship for it is
the repository of the divine wisdom of limitless God.
In the Adi Guru Durbar, Akali Guru Arjan Dev Ji speaks
of Guru Durbar as:
‘Pothi (book) is the house of Parmeshvar.’
Adi Guru Durbar, Raag Saarang, Pa. 1226
The Adi Guru Durbar, being the house of God, has been
worshiped as ‘Isht Dev’ (the highest
Guru, i.e. the Guru of all Gurus), by Sikhs. This has been the case
since it was installed in at the ‘Guru Durbar’
(the court of the Guru), at ‘Hari Mandir’
Sahib, Amritsar, by Akali Guru Arjan Dev Ji in August 1604. On its
installment on the alter at the Durbar Sahib, Akali Guru Arjan Dev
Ji and the rest of the Sikh congregation, out of respect for Adi
Guru Durbar slept on the floor alongside the scripture:
‘In respect of Granth Sahib. All with
Guru slept on floor.’ ‘Suraj Parkash’, by Kavi Santokh
Singh, Vol.6, Pa.2142
Kartarpuri Bir
Folio from the 'Kartarpuri Bir' which was prepared by Akali Guru
Arjan Dev Ji
which is looked after by the Dhirmalia family since the times of
the Sikh Gurus in city of Kartarpur
Bhai Gurdas Ji, the eminent Sikh scholar of Akali
Guru Arjan Dev Ji wrote:
‘Shabad Guru, know as Guru. He who becoming
‘Gurmukh’ (a seeker of truth) focuses
his mind on it [the Guru] is its disciple.
‘Bhai Gurdas di Varaan’, by Bhai Gurdas Ji, Var
7, Pauri 20
Bhai Gurdas further wrote of ‘Shabad Guru’
and where it resides thus:
‘Guru is the form of complete ‘Brahm’
[greatest God], immovable and indestructible.
Highest Brahm is ‘Guru Shabad’
which resides in congregation of ‘Sadh Sangat’
[searchers of truth seeking spiritual enlightenment].
Sadh Sangat is ‘Sach Khand’ [true eternal abode]
where one trains in the loving devotion of God.’ ‘Bhai
Gurdas diyan Varaan’, by Bhai Gurdas Ji, Var 9 Pauri 1
Hari Mandir Sahib
'Inside the Harimandhir', a watercolour by William Carpenter, circa
1854 depicting
'Raagis' (musicians), 'Granthis' (readers of scripture) and 'Sangat'
(holy congregation) in the presence of Adi Guru Durbar
