In 1704, Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh formally bestowed
Guruship on Shabad Guru - Adi Guru Durbar Sahib. Giani Gian Singh
Nirmala spoke of Akali Guru Gobind Singh bestowing Guruship on the
Adi Guru Granth thus:
‘I will attach you to such a Guru’s
hem who never changes body, who remains as one, immortal,
and without discrimination preaches the truth. Solving all
problems, such an unbiased sinless, desire-less Sat Guru I
will make yours. One who will keep on granting all your wishes
and never desires any offering. Saying all this, the one with
the plume [Akali Guru Gobind Singh] had the ‘Adi Siri
Granth Sahib’ displayed, then placing five coins and
one coconut in front of it, circumventing it four times bowed
in front of it and said:
“From today this Granth Sahib,
the granter of ‘Dharm’ [spirituality], ‘Arth’
[material wealth], ‘Kama’ [pleasure of five senses]
and ‘Mokh’ [salvation] is your ‘Sat Gur’.
It was the command of Immortal God then was the ‘Panth’
[spiritual path] started. All Sikhs are commanded to look
upon the Granth as Guru. Acknowledge the Granth as Guru -
the revealed physical form of the Guru. They who desire
to meet God, let them search the Granth.”
Heeding this command all Sikhs bowed before
Granth Sahib and circumvented it. From that day, Siri [Guru]
Granth Sahib has been acknowledged as Sat Gur.’
‘Twarikh Guru Khalsa’, Giani Gian Singh Nirmala,
Pa.1142
Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj
Gold panel depicting the tenth Sikh Guru accompanied by his Akali
Nihang Singh Khalsa warriors
Though ‘Guru Granth’
was designated as highest Guru of Sikhs, in order to appreciate
its deep spiritual secrets, Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh Ji left
the traditionally trained ‘Gianis’
( interpreters of scripture) of the Guru Granth to expound this
wisdom. These Gianis belonged almost entirely to one of the original
four Sikh Sampardas, the Nirmalas.
In the 19th century, one such famous family lineage
of professional Nirmala Gianis based at Amritsar existed from the
times of Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh. Bhai Ram Singh
Nirmala had taken Amrit from the hands from Akali Nihang
Guru Gobind Singh himself. His son, Bhai Surat Singh Nirmala
was appointed as superintendent of buildings of Hari Mandir Sahib
by Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1805. Later, Bhai Surat
Singh’s son, Bhai Sant Singh Nirmala was
the ‘Vidiya Guru’ (teacher) of Kavi
Santokh Singh, the author of the very influential 19th
century Sanatan Sikh historical text, ‘Siri Gurpartap
Suraj Granth' (also known as Suraj Prakash).
"Om"
Illustration of the sacred "om" with Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
and Lakshmi, from the 'Military Manual of Maharaja Ranjit Singh',
attributed to the workshop of Imam Baksh Lahori (1822-1830)
Apart from professionally trained Gianis within the
Sanatan Sikh world, ‘Bhais’ (scripture
readers), ‘Gurdev Singhs’ (teachers
of a particular classical skill such as ‘Raag’
(music), ‘Shastar Vidiya’ (martial
arts) etc), ‘Jathedars’ (Akali Nihang
leaders), ‘Pundits’ (Sanskrit learned
Sikhs) and ‘Gurus’ (Nirmala and Udasi
spiritual leaders) also existed.
96 Crore Jathedar Akali Nihang Baba Santa Singh Ji
The present Shromani Jathedar (supreme commander) of the Akali Nihang
Singh Khalsa, and rightful head of Sikhism
Though individual study of Sikh scriptures was
greatly encouraged, these individuals also served as exegetes. Out
of all the above designations for Sikh exegetes the last term, ‘Guru’,
is viewed with deep hostility within present day mainstream Sikhism.
