The Sikh Gurus never believed in the exclusivity of their teachings. The Gurus undertook travels to spread their message to peoples of different cultures in their own native languages. The Gurus did not believe in the ideas of any language being ‘sacred’ or ‘special’. It is in this spirit that various Sikh scholars have undertaken efforts to translate Sri Guru Granth Sahib into a number of languages in order to spread the teachings of the Gurus and to bring the Sikh religion to the people of the world as Guru Nanak wished.

“Enshrine the Lord’s Name within your heart. The Word of the Guru’s Bani prevails throughout the world; through this Bani, the Lord’s Name is obtained.” (Guru Amar Das, Maru, pg. 1066)

ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. THE NAME IS TRUTH. CREATIVE BEING PERSONIFIED. NO FEAR. NO HATRED. IMAGE OF THE UNDYING, BEYOND BIRTH, SELF-EXISTENT. BY GURU’S GRACE ~ CHANT AND MEDITATE: TRUE IN THE PRIMAL BEGINNING. TRUE THROUGHOUT THE AGES. TRUE HERE AND NOW. O NANAK, FOREVER AND EVER TRUE. || 1 || By thinking, He cannot be reduced to thought, even by thinking hundreds of thousands of times. By remaining silent, inner silence is not obtained, even by remaining lovingly absorbed deep within. The hunger of the hungry is not appeased, even by piling up loads of worldly goods. Hundreds of thousands of clever tricks, but not even one of them will go along with you in the end. So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil of illusion be torn away? O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will. || 1 || By His Command, bodies are created; His Command cannot be described. By His Command, souls come into being; by His Command, glory and greatness are obtained. By His Command, some are high and some are low; by His Written Command, pain and pleasure are obtained. Some, by His Command, are blessed and forgiven; others, by His Command, wander aimlessly forever. Everyone is subject to His Command; no one is beyond His Command. O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego.

|| 2 || Some sing of His Power-who has that Power? Some sing of His Gifts, and know His Sign and Insignia. Some sing of His Glorious Virtues, Greatness and Beauty. Some sing of knowledge obtained of Him, through difficult philosophical studies. Some sing that He fashions the body, and then again reduces it to dust. Some sing that He takes life away, and then again restores it. Some sing that He seems so very far away. Some sing that He watches over us, face to face, ever-present. There is no shortage of those who preach and teach. Millions upon millions offer millions of sermons and stories. The Great Giver keeps on giving, while those who receive grow weary of receiving. Throughout the ages, consumers consume. The Commander, by His Command, leads us to walk on the Path. O Nanak, He blossoms forth, Carefree and Untroubled. || 3 || True is the Master, True is His Name-speak it with infinite love. People beg and pray, “Give to us, give to us”, and the Great Giver gives His Gifts. So what offering can we place before Him, by which we might see the Darbaar of His Court? What words can we speak to evoke His Love? In the Amrit Vaylaa, the ambrosial hours before dawn, chant the True Name, and contemplate His Glorious Greatness. By the karma of past actions, the robe of this physical body is obtained. By His Grace, the Gate of Liberation is found. O Nanak, know this well: the True One Himself is All.

|| 4 || He cannot be established, He cannot be created. He Himself is Immaculate and Pure. Those who serve Him are honored. O Nanak, sing of the Lord, the Treasure of Excellence. Sing, and listen, and let your mind be filled with love. Your pain shall be sent far away, and peace shall come to your home. The Guru’s Word is the Sound-current of the Naad; the Guru’s Word is the Wisdom of the Vedas; the Guru’s Word is all-pervading. The Guru is Shiva, the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Paarvati and Lakhshmi. Even knowing God, I cannot describe Him; He cannot be described in words. The Guru has given me this one understanding: there is only the One, the Giver of all souls. May I never forget Him! || 5 || If I am pleasing to Him, then that is my pilgrimage and cleansing bath. Without pleasing Him, what good are ritual cleansings? I gaze upon all the created beings: without the karma of good actions, what are they given to receive? Within the mind are gems, jewels and rubies, if you listen to the Guru’s Teachings, even once. The Guru has given me this one understanding: there is only the One, the Giver of all souls. May I never forget Him! || 6 || Even if you could live throughout the four ages, or even ten times more, and even if you were known throughout the nine continents and followed by all, with a good name and reputation, with praise and fame throughout the world-still, if the Lord does not bless you with His Glance of Grace, then who cares? What is the use? Among worms, you would be considered a lowly worm, and even contemptible sinners would hold you in contempt. O Nanak, God blesses the unworthy with virtue, and bestows virtue on the virtuous. No one can even imagine anyone who can bestow virtue upon Him.

|| 7 || Listening-the Siddhas, the spiritual teachers, the heroic warriors, the yogic masters. Listening-the earth, its support and the Akaashic ethers. Listening-the oceans, the lands of the world and the nether regions of the underworld. Listening-Death cannot even touch you. O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss. Listening-pain and sin are erased. || 8 || Listening-Shiva, Brahma and Indra. Listening-even foul-mouthed people praise Him. Listening-the technology of Yoga and the secrets of the body. Listening-the Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas. O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss. Listening-pain and sin are erased. || 9 || Listening-truth, contentment and spiritual wisdom. Listening-take your cleansing bath at the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage. Listening-reading and reciting, honor is obtained. Listening-intuitively grasp the essence of meditation. O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss. Listening-pain and sin are erased. || 10 || Listening-dive deep into the ocean of virtue. Listening-the Shaykhs, religious scholars, spiritual teachers and emperors. Listening-even the blind find the Path. Listening-the Unreachable comes within your grasp. O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss. Listening-pain and sin are erased. || 11 || The state of the faithful cannot be described. One who tries to describe this shall regret the attempt. No paper, no pen, no scribe can record the state of the faithful. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind.

|| 12 || The faithful have intuitive awareness and intelligence. The faithful know about all worlds and realms. The faithful shall never be struck across the face. The faithful do not have to go with the Messenger of Death. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. || 13 || The path of the faithful shall never be blocked. The faithful shall depart with honor and fame. The faithful do not follow empty religious rituals. The faithful are firmly bound to the Dharma. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. || 14 || The faithful find the Door of Liberation. The faithful uplift and redeem their family and relations. The faithful are saved, and carried across with the Sikhs of the Guru. The faithful, O Nanak, do not wander around begging. Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord. Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. || 15 || The chosen ones, the self-elect, are accepted and approved. The chosen ones are honored in the Court of the Lord. The chosen ones look beautiful in the courts of kings. The chosen ones meditate singlemindedly on the Guru. No matter how much anyone tries to explain and describe them, the actions of the Creator cannot be counted. The mythical bull is Dharma, the son of compassion; this is what patiently holds the earth in its place. One who understands this becomes truthful. What a great load there is on the bull! So many worlds beyond this world-so very many! What power holds them, and supports their weight? The names and the colors of the assorted species of beings were all inscribed by the Ever-flowing Pen of God. Who knows how to write this account? Just imagine what a huge scroll it would take! What power! What fascinating beauty! And what gifts! Who can know their extent? You created the vast expanse of the Universe with One Word! Hundreds of thousands of rivers began to flow. How can Your Creative Potency be described? I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You. Whatever pleases You is the only good done, You, Eternal and Formless One!