Sikh Scriptures and Religious Sources

Usually every religion has got a scripture or set of scriptures which consists of the most fundamental teachings. So, the best way to study a religion is the careful examination of its scriptures. This approach is more applicable to Sikhism, for the status ascribed to the principal scripture is more than a mere sacred text so that it takes on the status of the only Guru or spiritual leader; this scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, is regarded as the manifestation of God in word. Other key scriptures include Dasam Granth, Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Nand Lal’s Vaars and Janam Sakhi. Dasam Granth is the scripture which contains all of the poetic writings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Guru; its poems are used in daily prayers of Sikhs. Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Nand Lal’s Vaars are two sets of poems composed by Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Nandlal, the former a companion of the fifth Guru and the latter a companion of the tenth Guru. As interpretations of Guru Granth Sahib, these sacred writings enjoy high status among Sikhs. Finally, Janam Sakhi, a religious-historical text and a biography of the first Sikh, Guru Nanak, is another key scripture of Sikhism. While dealing with the structure and content of these scriptures, this article examines the religious status of each of them.