Keywords
interpretation
modernization
Gurbani
Gurmukhi
How to Cite
Abstract
For devout Sikhs, the words of Guru Nanak and his successors, or Gurbani, as canonized in the Guru Granth Sahib (GGS), are the core guide for living this human life. There are variations of language used in the GGS, but they are all vernaculars, and all written in Gurmukhi script. The words would have been directly comprehensible to Sikhs at the time of the human Gurus, whether read directly or listened to in recitation or in kirtan (singing). Indeed, this direct access to Gurbani, without the mediation of a priestly class, was and is an important feature of the Sikh faith tradition. In this context, it is important to recognize the impact of displacements in time and location that affect the depth and breadth of direct access to Gurbani.References
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