World Religions › Early modern › Sikhism
Guru Granth Sahib
Compiled 1604; declared eternal Guru 1708· Scripture or text· Hindu, Buddhist, Jain & Sikh
Historical recordConfirmed by archaeology, outside sources or contemporary records.
The Sikh scripture, a collection of devotional hymns that Sikhs honor as their eternal, living Guru.
See it on the World Religions map →What it is
Guru Arjan compiled the first version, the Adi Granth, in 1604, gathering hymns of the first five Gurus and of Hindu and Muslim saints such as Kabir, Namdev and Sheikh Farid. Guru Gobind Singh added his father Tegh Bahadur's hymns and in 1708, before his death, declared the book the Guru forever. Its 1,430 pages, in Gurmukhi script, are arranged by musical modes (ragas) and sung. In gurdwaras it rests under a canopy, is ceremonially 'put to rest' each night, and is consulted for guidance.
Why it matters
Making a scripture the Guru ended the line of human Gurus and gave Sikhs one lasting authority; including non-Sikh saints signals the faith's openness.
Sources and history
Early manuscripts, including the Kartarpur Pothi, claimed as Arjan's original; Sikh chronicles of the 1604 installation; and the standardized printed text used worldwide.
Questions and debates
Scholars debate the history of early manuscripts and some disputed passages; limited access to the Kartarpur Pothi has slowed textual study.
Connections (4)
▸Guru Granth Sahib is the eternal Guru of SikhismHistorical record
The connection
Before his death in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh declared that no human would succeed him: the scripture, together with the Khalsa community, would be the Guru. Since then Sikhs bow before the Guru Granth Sahib, open it at random for guidance and to choose children's names, and treat it with the respect due a living Guru.
When and where
Nanded, in today's Maharashtra, India, 1708; Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru.
Historical evidence
Sikh chronicles and early rahit-namas (codes of conduct) record the declaration; gurdwara practice has followed it continuously since.
Questions and debates
Historians discuss how the shared authority of scripture (Guru Granth) and community (Guru Panth) was balanced in early practice.
▸Guru Granth Sahib was installed in Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib)Historical record
The connection
Guru Arjan installed the newly compiled Adi Granth in the Harmandir Sahib in 1604, naming the elder Baba Buddha its first custodian (granthi). The scripture is still carried in procession into the shrine before dawn each day and back to rest at night, while continuous singing of its hymns (kirtan) fills the temple.
When and where
Amritsar, Punjab, 1604; Guru Arjan and Baba Buddha.
Historical evidence
Sikh chronicles record the installation; the daily rites have continued for centuries; travelers' accounts describe the hymn-singing.
Questions and debates
The scripture's exact form before 1604, and disputes over custody of the earliest manuscripts, remain debated by scholars.
▸Guru Granth Sahib contains hymns of Guru NanakHistorical record
The connection
Guru Nanak's 974 hymns are the heart of the scripture. It opens with his Mul Mantar, the basic statement of faith ('There is one God, Truth is the name'), and his morning prayer, the Japji. Later Gurus wrote under the name 'Nanak', and Guru Arjan gathered the hymns that Nanak's successors had preserved.
When and where
Hymns composed in Punjab c. 1500–1539; compiled at Amritsar by Guru Arjan in 1604.
Historical evidence
Earlier manuscript collections, the Goindval Pothis (1570s), contain Nanak's hymns; since all the Gurus signed as 'Nanak', his own are marked Mahala 1 (first Guru).
Questions and debates
How Nanak's hymns were passed on before they were compiled, and the accuracy of attributions in early manuscripts, are still studied and debated.
▸Guru Granth Sahib includes poems from Bhakti, the devotional movementHistorical record
The connection
Guru Arjan included hymns by 15 bhagats (devotional saints) of different castes and faiths alongside the Gurus' own: Kabir, a weaver; Ravidas, a leatherworker; Namdev, a tailor; and the Muslim Sufi Sheikh Farid. Placing low-caste and Muslim saints in scripture expressed the Sikh belief that true devotion stands above caste and religion.
When and where
Compiled at Amritsar in 1604; the poets lived across North and West India between the 12th and 16th centuries.
Historical evidence
The bhagat bani (saints' hymns) sections of the scripture name each poet; many of the verses also survive in other Indian collections.
Questions and debates
Scholars debate how Arjan chose and edited these hymns, and why some versions differ from those preserved outside the Sikh tradition.