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Guru Granth Sahib : Its Exegesis and Forms
Ms Inderjeet Kaur*
In Sikhism, the word Guru is used only for the ten prophet-preceptors,
Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh, and for none else. Now
this designation of Guru is fulfilled by the Guru Granth
Sahib, the Sacred Book, which was apotheosized as the
next Guru by the last living Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh,
before he passed away in 1708. After this, no living person,
howsoever holy or revered, can have the title or status
of a Sikh Guru. In this way, Guru Gobind Singh added one
permanent and final feature to the evolution of the Sikh
faith when he installed Guru Granth Sahib as the Guru
till eternity.1
History and Purpose of Exegesis
It is often said that the interpretation of a scripture
begins soon after its compilation. The same is true in
the context of Guru Granth Sahib also. For the true interpretation
of Guru Granth Sahib and Sikhism, the Sikh Gurus themselves
have explained how to understand and interpret the bani
or its belief system. As it is evident from the Sikh history
that the most important school of interpretation originated
in the lifetime of the Gurus themselves. The first effort
to interpret the Gurbani besides the Gurus was made by
Bhai Gurdas. It is said that when Guru Granth Sahib was
installed in the Harimander Sahib, the practice of exposition
of Gurbani was started. Since then, the tradition of interpretation
continued in one form or the other.
Guru Nanak, in his hymns, has clearly laid down the roadmap
to arrive at the goal. The goal of life is to realize
the Will of God. The Will of God can be realized by becoming
tuned to His Will. The approach emphasized here is as
much practical as academic. This is the unique feature
of the Sikh Gurus, which cannot be ignored for the perception
and interpretation of Gurbani. Consequently, in Sikhism,
the unity of the spiritual experience of the Gurus, their
ideology and their deeds, has to be accepted in order
to grasp their true meaning.
Religion, in the words of Rudolf Otto, is based on the
experience of the Numinous. The same is enshrined in the
Scriptures. Since the experience of the Numinous is primarily
non-rational or supra-rational, the nature of the scriptural
language is mostly symbolic, metaphorical and allegorical.
In order to make the mystical experience intellegible
and accessible to the common man, a convincing explanation,
the interpretation of the scripture is needed. The purpose
of the exegesis is not only to interpret the religious
experience but also to relate this eternal message to
every new historical situation. Exegesis thus aims at
providing a comprehensive study of the scripture from
the philosophical, literary, theological, philological
and comparative perspectives.2
A significant purpose of exegesis is to understand the
religious personality of the writer as manifested in every
single word, to look from the details to the whole, and
from the standpoint of the whole to set the details in
their true light. To understand the ideas or mind of its
author is another major purpose of exegesis because without
the understanding of the author’s mind, it is impossible
to make a thing comprehensive to the present reader. It
is easy to repeat verbally what one has heard, but difficult
to reproduce it in its true sense; and unless every detail
is brought out by a good paraphrase something will usually
be lost. The task of conveying the thought in another
language presents special difficulties. The translation
must neither be slavishly literal nor yet merely a free
rendering of the sense, but it must be in keeping as much
with the genius of the original text as with that of the
foreign language. The fixing of the true text is the important
task or responsibility of an exegete.
‘The central task of the exegesis is completed by
answering three questions: 1. What is the theological
(allegorical) meaning? 2. What is its moral (topological)
meaning? 3. What is its eschatological (anagogic) meaning?’3
The mystical meaning of a scripture cannot be discovered
by following the literal interpretation. So to remain
only on the literal level is to keep oneself one in darkness,
or to keep oneself away from the anagogic meaning which
is purposely the real meaning, the allegorical sense is
said to be lying behind the literal sense; the topological
sense is that kind of interpretation whereby a reader
finds a moral lesson in the words, and in the anagogical
sense the meaning is raised from earthly subjects to heavenly.4
Meaning and Need for Exegesis
Exegesis is the consonance of Words and Consciousness.
The exegesis is related with the philosophy, ideology,
history, society, culture etc. Due to its vastness of
field, it becomes difficult to give the correct and universal
definition of Exegesis. According to Oxford Dictionary,
the word Exegesis means, “An exposition, especially
of a Scripture; a gloss, is an explanatory note or discourse.”5
Its literal meaning is a critical explanation or interpretation
of Scripture6 and a literary commentary which is that
branch of theology which deals with the interpretation
and exposition of the Scriptures. The word has been derived
from the Greek word ‘exegeesthai’, (to explain
ex-out, hegeesthai, to guide) which literally means to
explain or to guide.7 In its original sense, ‘it
is a form of explanation, exposition, a critical analysis,
and interpretation of the scripture and to bring to the
surface the hidden meanings of the message otherwise unknown
of the terms contained in the scriptures. We also find
some other terms which are synonyms of exegesis, e.g.,
interpretation, exposition and explanation. Hermeneutics
is a comprehensive term which includes the meaning of
all these terms in its scope.’8 According to Richard
E Palmer, Hermeneutics is developed into an independent
discipline for formulating universally valid rules of
interpreting scripture since the 16th century. He further
defines Hermeneutics that it is not a science of explanation
but rather of understanding.9
Thinking, speaking and writing are three marvelous gifts
which man possesses. “A work of a literature is
not an object we understand by conceptualizing or analyzing
it; it is a voice we must hear and through ‘hearing’
(rather than seeing) understand.”10 There are several
reasons which demand the powerful need of exegesis. ‘Firstly
the composer of the scripture whatever he composes, does
so in rapturous mood, being in complete union with Almighty.
He dwells not only on the physical level but becomes the
denizen of celestial regions. The mystic experience he
achieves is conveyed through symbols which underneath
carry the different meanings from that of those at the
surface level. Thus the symbolic meanings are beyond the
comprehension of a layman as well as a scholar to some
extent. Secondly, like every living organ, language also
develops with the change of time. It changes with the
passage of time and some old words become obsolete and
their meanings become vague. The new words come into use
in place of the old ones as Piar Singh holds that change
is the nature of language with time and space.’11
In the modern world, where the science and technologies
are rapidly developing thereby effecting a change in the
thinking and attitude of the people. In order to meet
the new challenges, the interpretation of the scripture
thus became necessary. ‘Thirdly, an exposition of
the scripture is needed not only because of the symbolic
language but also because of the nature of spiritual experience.
Almost whole of the Scriptural lore is the result of the
devotional and intuitional set of mind. The resultant
problem of comprehension ensues. For the reasons enumerated
above, scriptures need the exegesis. According to R E
Mcnally their exposition and interpretation is of great
import to set forth and explain their full thoughts.12
Another significant reason for the coming generations
is to give authentic and relevant information about the
philosophy, history, culture, etc., of their religion.
Forms of Exegesis
Since, every religion has its own exegetical tradition,
so we find some exegetical literature in all the religions.
The only purpose behind these commentaries as we have
already mentioned, is to explain the esoteric meaning
of a text to the present reader. In fact, exegesis is
an effort to bring together both the subjective and objective
dimensions of interpretations. The concepts like exegesis,
exposition, explanation, interpretation, etc., are different
in their nature and form but all are related to the interpretation
or exegesis. Somehow all these become integral parts of
the interpretation. It can also be said that these are
the integral parts of interpretation.
In the same way, the exegetical literature has its own
forms or types. Tikas, Viakhias, Bhashayas, Parmarthas,
Padarthas, etc., are the various fonds of exegesis. In
Sikhism, tika or exegesis is the common inclusive term
used for exegetical works. Its etymological meaning is
to explain or a commentary13 and it explains the meanings
of a text in brief. ‘Viakhia or exposition is that
form of exegetical literature in which the exegete endeavours
to bring out the meaning in greater detail. In it, along
with the word meaning, central idea and meaning of a sabad
is derived in the context of total composition and personal
comments and, where necessary, the cogent sources of other
exegetical literature are given. It actually is the study
of a given text in totality from the various aspects.
The Bhashya is a form of Viakhia to some extent. Its main
stress is on the obscurities involved in the writing.
Like the Viakhia, the exegesis in Bhashya intends to add
certain elements from the outer sources to explain and
explicate the meanings more clearly. Paramarth literally
means spiritual meaning. The meaning other than the literal
one of a text. We find this mode employed in the Puranic
literature form which it came into Sikh exegetical literature
during the Udasi or Nirmala saints' endeavour of Sikh
exegesis. The exegete explains and explores the essential
inner content of the text sometimes for the purpose of
clarification, sometimes to strike a rapport with his
audience or readers. The writer intends to go deep into
the layer of the meaning of the words and bring hidden
meanings to the surface. Padarth literally (pad+arth)
are the word meanings, i.e., the literal meaning in the
form of synonyms.’14
The Truth of the Scripture as we all know is the eternal
truth. It needs interpretation in order to relate the
eternal truth to every historical situation. The twentieth
century Sikh scholars are attempting to explain the eternal
message of the Gurbani in the context of the first half
of this century. These scholars, on the one hand, have
been responding to and rebutting the Western challenge
by interpreting the Sikh doctrines and practice in the
light of Western modes of interpretation. They adopted
their methodology but defended the unique features and
status of the Sikh religion. On the other hand, they have
been striving hard to maintain the distinct identity of
the Sikh doctrine and practice of Sikhism in the face
of Chauvinistic Hindu designs which sought to disapprove
the claim of Sikh religion as distinctly revealed faith.
The interpretation of this period is, therefore, a departure
from the traditional interpretation. It is maintaining
its continuity as it based on the eternal message of the
Gurbani but it is also a departure as it has been using
the new tools and modes of interpretation to respond to
the prevailing challenges to the Sikh religion.15
~~~
Bibliography
1. Encyclopaedia ofSikhism, Vol. lV, Punjabi University,
Patiala, 1998, p.239-252.
2. Dr Gurnek Singh, Guru Granth Sahib: Interpretations,
Meaning and Nature, National Book Shop, .Delhi, 1998,
p. 7.
3. New Catholic Encyclopaedia, Vol. V, Catholic University
of America, Washington, 1967, p.708.
4. James D Wood, The Interpretation af the Bible, Gerald
Duckworth and Co. Ltd, London, 1958, Glossary.
5. Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles,
Oxford University Press, New York, 2002, p.885.
6. New Webster’s Dictionary, Surjit Publication,
Delhi, 1979, p.539.
7. Chamber’s Twentieth Century Dictionary, Allied
Publishers, New Delhi, 1966, p.372,
8. Dr Gurnek Singh, op.cit., pp.17.
9. Dr Anand Spencer, Understanding Religion: Theories
and Methodology, Vision & Venture, Patiala, p.157.
10. Richard E Palmer, Hermeneutics: Interpretation Theory
in Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Heidegger, and Gadamer, North
Western University Press, Evanston, 1969, p.9.
11. Piar Singh, Tikakari: Sidhantak Vishleshan, Tikakari,
Itihaskari Patarkari Kujh Dristikon, Punjabi University,
Patiala, 1984, p.98. 12. New Catholic Encyclopaedia, Vol.
V, p. 707.
13. Sir Monier William, Sanskrit English Dictionary, Motilal
Banarasidas, Delhi, 1979, p.429-30.
14. Dr Gurnek Singh, op.cit., p. 23.
15. Dr Gurnek Singh, Ibid., p.26.
