Mul Mantar

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Mūl Mantar in Guru Arjan's[1] or Bhai Gurdas'[2] handwriting, 17th century Kartarpur manuscript.
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The Mūl Mantar (

Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. It consists of twelve words in the Punjabi language, written in Gurmukhi script, and are the most widely known among the Sikhs.[3][4] They summarize the essential teaching of Guru Nanak,[3] thus constituting a succinct doctrinal statement of Sikhism.[5]

It has been variously translated, with the interpretation of the first two words particularly contested.

monist. The general view favors the monotheistic interpretation, but not the Abrahamic understanding of monotheism. It is rather "Guru Nanak's mystical awareness of the one that is expressed through the many."[3] The remaining ten words after the first two are literally translated as true name, the creator, without fear, without hate, timeless in form, beyond birth, self-existent, (known by) the grace of Guru.[3][6]

The verse is repeated in the Sikh scripture before numerous

Shabad, or hymns.[7] It existed in many versions in the 16th-century before it was given its final form by Guru Arjan in the 17th century.[8] The essential elements of the mantar are found in Guru Nanak's compositions, the various epithets he used for Akal Purakh
(Ultimate Reality).

Etymology

A mantar means "formula, succinct doctrinal or sacred words with spiritual meaning".[9][10] The word mūl means "root, main or "fundamental." The Mūl Mantar is thus "root formula",[9] or the root statement of Sikhism.[3]

Text

The Mūl Mantar is:[6]

Gurmukhi Transliteration Translation 1
(Eleanor Nesbitt)[3] 		Translation 2
(Eleanor Nesbitt)[11] 		Translation 3
(Pashaura Singh)[12]

ੴ
ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ
ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ
ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ
ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ
ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ
ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥

ikk(u) ōaṅkār(u)
sat(i)-nām(u)
karatā purakh(u)
nirapà'u niravair(u)
akāl(a) mūrat(i)
ajūnī saipàṅ
gur(a)-prasād(i)॥

There is one god,
named truth,
the creator,
without fear, without hate,
timeless in form,
beyond birth, self-existent,
(known by) the grace of the Guru.

This Being is one,
truth by name,
creator,
fearless, without hatred,
of timeless form,
unborn, self-existent,
and known by the Guru's grace.

There is one supreme being,
the eternal reality (true name),
the creator,
without fear, devoid of enmity,
immortal,
never incarnated, self-existent,
(known by) the grace of the Guru.

The extended version with the Jap verse is:[13][14][15]

Gurmukhi Transliteration Translation
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ

ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ
ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ
ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ
ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ
ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥

॥ ਜਪੁ॥

ਆਦਿ ਸਚੁ
ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ਸਚੁ॥
ਹੈ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ
ਨਾਨਕ ਹੋਸੀ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ॥੧॥

ikk(u) ōaṅkār(u) sat(i)-nām(u)

karatā purakh(u)
 nirapà'u niravair(u)
 akāl(a) mūrat(i)
 ajūnī saipàṅ
 gur(a)-prasād(i)॥

॥ jap(u)॥
 ād(i) sacch(u)
 jugād(i) sacch(u)॥
 hai pī̀ sacch(u)॥
 nānak(a) hosī pī̀ sacch(u)॥1॥

One creator, name is truth,

agentive (doer) being,
without fear, without hatred,
timeless form,
unbegotten, self-existent,
known by the Guru's grace.

Recite:
True at the beginning,
true through the ages,
is yet true,
O Nanak, and will be true.

Grammar

Adi Granth folio with Mūl Mantar of Guru Gobind Singh

The archaic language of the Guru Granth Sahib is highly

inflected;[16] the suffixed short vowels parenthesized above indicate various declensions. In the Mūl Mantar, the suffixed -u indicates nouns and adjectives in the masculine singular direct case, though some words ending with -ā (like karatā) can also indicate this case.[17] This suffix can also indicate an imperative when attached to a verb,[18]
as in japu.

The suffixed -a can indicate the masculine vocative case,[19] as in Nānaka, the masculine singular oblique case[20] in compounds as in gura prasādi, and a feminine singular direct adjective[21] as in akala, as well as the masculine plural direct case and the feminine singular direct case.

The suffixed -i can indicate the

locative[23] (as in ādi and jugādi) or instrumental case as in gura prāsadi;[24] these terms would be ādu, jugādu, and prasādu if taking the direct case. It is also another feminine singular direct case[25] (as in mūrati); -a and -i are among the predominant declensions for this case.[25]

Adjectives and

modifiers also agree in number and gender with their dependent element,[17]
hence ikku oaṅkāru, akāla mūrati, and the term mūlu mantaru itself.

Most of these cases still exist in the modern language in slightly different forms; features in the archaic language like the masculine singular direct suffix -u and feminine singular direct suffix -a parallel nominal declensions in other related languages.

The included grave accent included in the above transliterations illustrates tones and guide the verbal pronunciation of the verse.

Discourse

The extended version of the Mūl Mantar at the Darshani Deori, the main entrance leading to the pathway into the Golden Temple

The Mūl Mantar is a widely known part of Sikh scripture, but it has posed a challenge to translators.

masculine quality to the Mūl Mantar which does not appear in the original Gurmukhi. These sacred words of Sikhism do not presume a particular gender.[3] the Mūl Mantar serves as a "succinct statement which set the Sikh doctrine apart from the philosophical systems of both Indic and Semitic religious traditions."[5]

Some Sikh institutions, like the

Amrit Sanchar baptizing ceremony since its inception.[29] This is in line with the stand taken by the nihangs and other groups who stress the recitation of the complete Mūl Mantar, arguing that this tradition has come directly from the time of the Gurus, and there is reliable evidence to support this contention;[29] like the kamar kassā, or waist-belt body armor of Guru Gobind Singh, preserved at Moti Bagh Palace Museum in Patiala, bearing an inscription of the long form.[29]

See also

References

  1. OCLC 919186894. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  2. ^ Singh, Kavi Santokh. Sri Jap Sahib Stik Garab Ganjini Tika (in Punjabi). Giani Khazan Singh Pardhan. p. 6. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  3. ^
    ISBN 0-19-280601-7, Oxford University Press
    , pp. 22-24
  4. ISBN 978-0-19-564894-2
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-19-567921-2
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-0-19-567921-2
    .
  7. ISBN 978-0-7910-8356-7
    . Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  8. ISBN 978-0-19-564894-2
    .
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-0-19-564894-2
    .
  10. ^ Jan Gonda (1963), The Indian Mantra, Oriens, Volume 16, pages 244–247
  11. ISBN 978-0-470-65722-5
  12. ISBN 978-0-19-564894-2
    .
  13. ISBN 9788120816138
    . Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  14. ISBN 9788170103141
    . Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  15. ISBN 9780889204218
    . Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  16. ^ Shackle 1983, p. 35.
  17. ^ a b Shackle 1983, p. 18.
  18. ^ Shackle 1983, p. 73.
  19. ^ Shackle 1983, p. 72.
  20. ^ Shackle 1983, p. 62.
  21. ^ Shackle 1983, p. 31.
  22. ^ Shackle 1983, pp. 64, 69.
  23. ^ Shackle 1983, p. 88.
  24. ^ Shackle 1983, p. 91.
  25. ^ a b Shackle 1983, p. 30.
  26. ISBN 0-7007-1762-5
    .
  27. ^ Singh, Wazir (1969). Aspects of Guru Nanak's philosophy. Routledge. p. 20.
  28. ISBN 978-0-87779-044-0
    .
  29. ^
    ISBN 9789004242371.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )

Further reading
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