Comparison of Guru Nanak’s Divine Experience

MOOLMANTRA ‘ ’
Beant Kaur*

In this paper I describe the meaning of terms of ‘Moolmantra’, in the perspective of

major english eight translations of Gurbani. The hymns giving below text is called
‘Moolmantra’ in SIKH SCRIPTURE:
ੴ

।।
Instructions about Symbols used in paper:
First of all, the numerical numbers 1 to 8 used in first row of all tables denotes
these eight English Gurbani exegesis:
1. Gurbachan Singh Talib, Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Vol.-I ), Punjabi
University, Patiala, 1985.
2. Harjeet Singh Gill, NĀNAK BĀṆ Vol.- I) , Punjabi University, Patiala,
2007.
3. Gurbhagat Singh (trans.), VISMĀD The Sikh Alternative, Singh Brothers
Mai Sewan, Sri Amritsar, 2013.
4. Jaswant Singh Neki, DIVINE INTIMATIONS NITNEM, Hemkunt
Publishers, New Delhi, 2006.
5. Santokh Singh, (Dr.), Nitnayam Baanees Daily Sikh Prayers, Spiritual
Awekening Studies, Ontario, Canada, 2005.
6. G.S. Randhawa, Guru Nanak’s Japu Ji, Guru Nanak Dev University
Publication, Amritsar, 1994 (revised & enlarged).
7. Trilochan Singh, Bhai Jodh Singh, Kapur Singh, Bawa Harkrishan Singh,
Khushwant Singh, (translators.), Selection from THE SACRED

1
 WRITINGS OF THE SIKHS, Orient Black Swan and UNESCO, 2015
(revised).
8. Parkash Singh, GURU NANAK AND HIS JAPJI, Singh Brothers Mai
Sewan, Sri Amritsar, 1969.
and secondly numerical numbers used in tables in ‘round brackets ( )’ states the
page number of english Gurbani exegesis of respected column.

Below, with the help of tables, Attempts have been made to find differences and
similarities in translations of Jupji’s ‘Moolmantra’ given in eight english Gurbani
exegesis refer above.

ੴ
1
He is the Sole Supreme Being (1); 2the One (3); 3Ek Onkär (65); 4The One (37);
5
There is but One God, the Sole Supreme Being, the Ultimate Reality. The figure
'੧' (Ikk) denotes that God is non-dual (advait). The negation of duality implies
Absoluteness of God's Being. Being Absolute, God cannot be comprehended by the
mind. The word 'O-ańkaar' denotes that God manifests Himself ceaselessly
throughout His Creation in diverse forms, features, and colours, and in this way
becomes knowable to man. But, in spite of manifesting Himself diversely, God
remains One; He remains Immanent in His Creation, while at the same time
remaining Transcendent. Thus God is at once One and Many implying Unity in
Diversity (13); 6Lord God is One, Absolute and Supreme; Equal has He none, in
His Cosmic Scheme. Transcendent He is, yet Immanent too (91); 7There is one God
(28); 8He is One. He is the First. He is all that is (64).

1 2 3 4
He is the Sole the One (3) Ek Onkär (65) The One (37)
Supreme Being (1)

2
 5 6 7 8
There is but One Lord God is One, There is one God, He is One. He is
God, the Sole Absolute and (28) the First. He is all
Supreme Being, the Supreme (91) that is (64)
Ultimate Reality
(13)

1
of eternal manifestation (1); 2the Eternal the True (3); 3The True Näm (65); 4Primal
Being (37); 5In this Creation, all phenomena is an appearance and is ephemeral.
Reality ( Sat) is immanent in phenomena as 'Noumena' ( Naam). Naam is the
Essence of God pervading invisibly in His visible Creation. As God, being
Formless and Absolute, is unknowable to man's mind, He reveals Himself to man
through His Creation, which has both physical and metaphysical dimensions. For
realizing the metaphysical Reality pervading as Naam in His Creation, God's
Name, which is a spiritual notion of God adapted to our powers of perception and
thought, is used as an appellation to invoke Him to reveal Himself to the devotee
(13); 6Truth Eternal is His Name true (91); 7Eternal Truth is His Name (28); 8His
name is Truth (64).
1 2 3 4
of eternal the Eternal The True Näm (65) Primal Being (37)
manifestation (1) the True (3)
5 6 7 8
In this Creation, all Truth Eternal is Eternal Truth is His name is Truth
phenomena is an His Name true (91) His Name (28) (64)
appearance and is

3
ephemeral (13)

1
Creator, Immanent Reality (1); 2the Creator (3); 3Creator, Purakh (65); 4Existence
cum Essence, Creator Immanent (37); 5God, the Supreme Being, Himself is the
Creator (Kartaa) and being immanent in His Creation, is All Pervasive and fills all
beings (Purakh). He is thus Omniscient, knowing each one's inner mind, and
Omnipotent, doing everything everywhere -- evoluting, sustaining, and involuting
(14); 6Sole Creator, He pervades all Creation (91); 7Maker of all things (28); 8He is
the Creator of all. (64).
1 2 3 4
Creator, Immanent the Creator (3) Creator, Purakh Existence cum
Reality (1) (65) Essence, Creator
Immanent (37)
5 6 7 8
God, the Supreme Sole Creator, He Maker of all things He is the Creator
Being, Himself is pervades all (28) of all (64)
the Creator Creation (91)
(Kartaa) and being
immanent in His
Creation, is All
Pervasive and fills
all beings
(Purakh) (14)

4
1
Without Fear (1); 2beyond fear or faction (3); 3Fearless (65); 4Beyond any Fear
(p.37); 5God is without fear: Origin of fear is possible only if there is another being
besides Him. But, as God is Absolute, Himself immanent in all His Creation, whom
is He to be afraid of? A corollary to this attribute, stated positively, is that God is
All Bliss (15); 6He knows no fear (91); 7Fearing nothing (28); 8Fearing naught (64).
1 2 3 4
Without Fear (1) beyond fear or Fearless (65) Beyond any Fear (37)
faction (3)
5 6 7 8
God is without fear He knows no fear Fearing nothing Fearing naught
(15) (91) (28) (64)

1
Without Rancour (1); 2beyond faction (3); 3Without Enmity (65); 4Without any
rancor (37); 5God is without rancour or enmity: As God is the Sole Supreme Being,
Himself immanent and pervasive in His Creation, against whom is He to have
rancour, enmity, hatred or ill-will? A corollary to this attribute, stated positively, is
that God is All Love (15); 6is at enmity with no one (91); 7and at enmity with
nothing (28); 8striking fear in naught (64).
1 2 3 4
Without Rancour Beyond fear or Without Enmity Without any rancor
(1) faction (3) (65) (37)
5 6 7 8
God is without is at enmity with at enmity with striking fear in
rancour or enmity (15) no one (91) nothing (28) naught (64)

5
1
Timeless Form (1); 2beyond time or space (3); 3Eternal, Manifest (65); 4Entity
Immortal (37); 5God is a Being beyond time: An Eternal, Indestructible Entity (15);
6
Timeless and formless (91); 7Timeless is His Image (28); 8His Form, on lands and
waters is Eternity (64).
1 2 3 4
Timeless Form (1) beyond time or Eternal, Manifest Entity Immortal
space (3) (65) (37)
5 6 7 8
God is a Being Timeless and Timeless is His His Form, on lands
beyond time: An formless (91) Image (28) and waters, is
Eternal, Eternity (64)
Indestructible
Entity (15)

1
Unincarnated (1); 2beyond being or becoming (3); 3Immortal (65); 4Un-begotten
(37); 5God is Unborn, Uncreated, Beyond Incarnation: He Himself, being the
Primal Being, no being prior to Him can be conceived (15); 6not incarnate is He
(91); 7Not begotten (28); 8is Eternity (64).
1 2 3 4
Unincarnated (1) beyond being or Immortal (65) Un-begotten (37)
becoming (3)
5 6 7 8
God is Unborn, not incarnate is He Not begotten (28) His Form, on lands
Uncreated, Beyond (91) and waters, is
Incarnation (15) Eternity (64)
6
1
Self-Existent (1); 2beyond being or becoming (3); 3Self-born (65); 4Self-effulgent
(37); 5Self-illumined; He is from Himself, Self-existent, and Self-sufficient (15);
6
Self-existent—Being He is of His Own Being (91); 7being of His own Being (28);
8
the One Self˗existent (64).
1 2 3 4
Self-Existent (1) beyond being or Self-born (65) Self-effulgent (37)
becoming (3)
5 6 7 8
Self-illumined (15) Self-existent―Being being of His own the One
(91) Being (28) Self˗existent (64)

।।
1
Realized by grace of the holy Preceptor (1); 2perceived by the grace of the Guru
(3); 3Realized by the Guru’s Blessing (65); 4Dispels who darkness Through His
Grace! (37); 5He is attained by the Grace of the Enligtener (15); 6Guru’s grace
alone may us unto Him attain, (if the Lord’s Will does so ordain.) (91); 7By the
grace of the Guru, made known to men (28); 8Through the Grace of His true
servant, Continually repeat His Name (64).
1 2 3 4
Realized by grace perceived by the Realized by the Dispels who
of the holy grace of the Guru Guru’s Blessing darkness Through
Preceptor (1) (3) (65) His Grace! (37)
5 6 7 8
He is attained by Guru’s grace alone By the grace of the Through the Grace
the Grace of the may us unto Him Guru, made known of His true servant,
7
Enligtener (15) attain (91) to men (28) Continually repeat
His Name (64)

We see, there are so many interpretations and English terms are available, but we
can’t imagine that what accurate or original term is. The basic question is that how
can we solve/deal this issue?
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*Research Scholar, Shri Guru Granth Sahib Studies Department, Punjabi University,
Patiala, email- beantmalhi50@gmail.com, Mob: 9814694797