Jaap Sahib

JAAP SAHIB

Jaap Sahib is the morning prayer of the Sikhs. The Prayer or Bani was complied by the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh. This Bani is one of 5 Banis that the Baptised Sikh must recite everyday and is recited by the Panj Pyare while preparing Amrit on the occasion of Amrit Sanchar (initiation), a ceremony held to admit initiates into the Khalsa Brotherhood.. The Jaap Sahib is the first Bani of the Dasam Granth, which is the second most holy book of the Sikhs and which was compiled entirely by the tenth master. It is often said that Jaap Sahib is Guru Gobind Singh’s Japji Sahib, and is the second Bani in the daily morning prayers of a Sikh.

Form Jaap Sahib is made up of 199 verses and is the first Bani of the Dasam Granth (p.1-10). The Jaap Sahib begins with "Sri Mukhwakh Patshahi Dasvee," "By the holy mouth of the Tenth King." This appears to be a specific saying to authenticate the writings of Guru Gobind Singh himself. Macauliffe says, "The Hindus have a work enitled Vishnu Sahasar Nam, 'Vishnu's Thousand Names.' The Jaapji was composed to supply the Sikhs with a similar number of epithets of the Creator." Jap is a Sanskrit word which means "to utter in a low voice, whisper, mutter (especially prayers or incantations); to invoke or call upon in a low voice." The form of the word here is Japu, which makes it a noun, "meditation."

Language The language of Jaap, is close to classical with words and compounds drawn from Sanskrit, Brij Bhasha, Arabic and Persian. The contents of Jaap Sahib, are divided into various Chhands bearing the name of the related meter according to the then prevalent system of prosody in India.Read More...