Glossary of Religious Terms A to G
- Adi Granth
- Adi means first,
Adi Granth is the first edition of the Guru Granth Sahib as was compiled
by Guru Arjun in 1604.
- Akal Purukh
- It means Timeless
One, or The Being Beyond Time and is applied as a name of God.
- Akhand Path
- An uniterupted
continous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib. It is undertaken by a
team of readers and takes approximately 48 hours.
- Amrit
- It means nectar.
It is sugar water which is used during the Khalsa initiation ceremony.
- Amrit Bani
- A term applied
to the Sikh Scriptures, meaning the words are as sweet as nectar (amrit).
- Amrit Vaila
- The early morning
hours of dawn. This is considered an auspicious time for meditation
and prayer as stressed by Guru Nanak.
- Amritdhari
- A Sikh who has
undergone the Khalsa initiation ceremony.
- Amritsanskar
- The rite of initiation
into the Khalsa brotherhood.
- Anand
- A state of bliss
which defies description. It is also the name of a composition by
Guru Amar Das found on pg. 917 of the Guru Granth Sahib.
- Anand Karaj
- The Sikh wedding
ceremony.
- Anand Sahib
- Composition by
Guru Amar Das found on page 917 of the Guru Granth Sahib. Parts of
it are used in a number of Sikh ceremonies.
- Anbhav Prakash
- The enlightened
perception of reality which is enjoyed by a person who has become
a gurmukh.
- Antim Ardas
- The last of the
Sikh funeral rites.
- Artha
- Wealth, it is
acceptable to acqure wealth, but it should not become an end to itself.
- Asa Di Var
- A collection
of hymns ment to be sung at dawn.
- Atma
- The soul which
is considered immortal.
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BBB
- Babur Bani
- References to
the invasion of India by the Mughal emperor Babur found in the Guru
Granth Sahib. God is said to have sent Babur as deaths messanger.
- Baisakhi
- The celebration
which takes place every April 13th. Guru Amardas initiated the annual
gathering of Sikhs at Goindwal in 1567. In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh
founded the Khalsa order on this day.
- Barhmaha
- Compositions
about the twelve months. By Guru Arjun in Raga Majh, by Guru Nanak
in Raga Tukhari and by Guru Gobind Singh in Krishavtar.
- Bani
- An abbriviation
of Gurbani, applied to any of the writings which appear in the Guru
Granth Sahib.
- Benati
- An appeal for
assistance made to Sikhs world wide.
- Bhagat Bani
- Any of the writings
which appear in the Guru Granth Sahib which were not written by the
Gurus.
- Bhog
- The ceremony
marking the conclusion of a Path.
- Bole So Nihal
- Part of the Sikh
salutation meaning "anyone who speaks will be happy."
- Buddha Dal
- The 'army of
veterans' formed by Nawab Kapur Singh in 1733 to look after Sikh holy
places, preach and initiate new converts to the Khalsa order.
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CCC
- Chandoa
- The canopy which
is placed over the Guru Granth Sahib.
- Chanpada
- A poetical composition
consisting of four lines in a specified meter.
- Charan Pahul
- Baptism ceremony
involving the drinking of water which the Guru or a member of the
Gurus family had dipped their feet in.
- Chaupai
- A four line stanza
form used by some of the Gurus.
- Chaur(i)
- Yak hair or manmade
fiber embedded in a metal placed in a wooden handle. It is cerimonially
waved over the Guru Granth Sahib as a symbol of respect.
- Chela
- A disciple of
the guru, used in the Guru Granth Sahib to refer to Sikhs.
- Chola
- Clothing of the
Gurus. Also applied to the coverings of the nishan sahib at a gurdwara.
-
DDD
- Dal Khalsa
- The Khalsa army
set up on Baisakhi day 1748 and divided up into 11 misls.
- Dasam Granth
- The book of writings
of Guru Gobind Singh compiled after his death by Bhai Mani Singh and
finished in 1734.
- Daswandh
- Giving of one-tenth
of ones income to charity.
- Deg Teg
- The dual responsibility
of the Panth to provide food and protection for the needy and opressed.
- Dhadi
- One who sings
the praises of God.
- Dharam Yudh
- War in the defence
of righteousness.
- Dharma
- Religion or teaching
or lifestyle, as in Sikh Dharma.
- Diwali
- Indian festival
also celebrated by Sikhs. From the time of Guru Amar Das onwards Sikhs
annually gathered on this day. In 1577 the foundation stone of the
Harmandir Sahib was also laid on this day.
- Diwan
- Congregational
worship where Guru Granth Sahib is present.
- Doha
- Verse form used
commonly by Guru Nanak and Kabir consisting of stanzas of two rhyming
lines.
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- Forty Immortals
- Forty Sikhs who
died in the battle of Muktsar in 1762 and blessed by Guru Gobind Singh.
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GGG
- Gaddi
- The seat or throne
of guruship.
- Giani
- A person of spiritual
knowledge.
- Granthi
- One who performs
the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib at religious occassions, it may
be a man or women.
- Gristhi
- Sikh ideal is
that of being married, having a family, earning ones living by honest
socially useful employment, serving ones fellow human beings and worshipping
God.
- Gurbani
- The writings
of the Gurus.
- Gurdwara
- Name given to
a Sikh temple. It means 'Gateway to the Guru'.
- Gurmat
- A general term
for Sikhism, including the teachings of the Gurus, as well as the
Rahit Maryada.
- Gurmata
- A resolution
passed in a council presided over by the Guru or the advice of the
Guru.
- Gurmukh
- Someone who has
become God oriented and God filled instead of self centred (manmukh).
- Gurmukhi
- The written form
of Punjabi used in the Sikh scriptures, propogated by Guru Nanak and
Guru Angad.
- Gursikh
- Someone who is
deeply and sincerely devoted to the service of the Guru.
- Gurpurb
- The celebration
of the anniversary of the birth or death of a Guru. Also applied to
the anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib in 1604
or the deaths of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh.
- Gutka
- Book containing the daily prayers of the Sikhs.