Ans. All our Divine Masters respected and revered, more than themselves, the Shabad (Divine Word), and the Adi Granth, because it is the embodiment of the Divine Word. They enjoined others also to do the same, e.g.,
ਏਕੋ ਸਬਦੁ ਏਕੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਵਰਤੈ ਸਭ ਏਕਸੁ ਤੇ ਉਤਪਤਿ ਚਲੈ॥
(SGGS, P. 1334)
“There is one Divine Word, one Lord who pervades the universe”.
However, the word “Guru” began to be prefixed to the Adi Granth from October 8, 1708, when Guru Gobind Singh gave the pontificate to this embodiment of Sikh philosophy at Abchal Nagar (Nanded). The directive of the tenth Master was:
“Consider the Adi Granth as my virtual form (body). Anyone who would like to converse with me, should read Guru Granth with devotion. He will be talking with me”.
The tenth Master further added,
“Upon the commandment of Akaal Purakh (God) this Panth (the Sikh way of life) was started. All Sikhs are directed to accept the Adi Granth as bherr the Guru and consider it as the embodiment of all the Gurus. Whoever wishes to meet God can find Him in the Divine Word (in Guru Granth Sahib).(The Sikh code of conduct by Bhai Prehlaad Singh).
Another witness account on the same issue is Bhai Kesar Singh Chhibber. In his “Bansavali Naama” he quotes as follows:
“Then the Guru gave the directive, the end of corporal Guru has arrived. Guru Nanak, the divine Master had ordained that there will be ten corporal Gurus. Now the tenth Master has bestowed the pontificate to Guru Granth Sahib. Today our Guru is embodied in the Granth Sahib.Anyone who goes astray from the Granth is lost”.
In “Gur Bilas Patshahi Chhevin“, written by Kavi Sohan Singh, nearly eight years after the demise of the tenth Master, the following passage is given:
“In the age of Kali Guru Granth is the Guru. Consider it the embodiment of the ten Gurus. Anyone who wants to see the Guru should see Guru Granth Sahib and anyone who wants to converse with the Guru, should read it with devotion”.
Sohan Lal Suri writes in his book, “Umdat-ul-tawarikh“, that when the Sikhs asked the tenth Master, upon whom was he going to bestow the Guruship, his reply was,
“Adi Granth is the Guru. There is no difference between God and the Granth. Seeing Guru Granth Sahib will be equivalent to the joyous vision of all the Gurus”.
Long time prior to this, Guru Arjan Dev, who compiled the Adi Granth, had clearly stated the reason for its compilation.
“Early one morning it occurred to him that a new Panth (Divine way) of Guru Nanak had come into being. However, in order that its tenets be established for all times, and for the whole world, it was necessary that the Adi Granth be compiled. Thus the Adi Granth came into being”.
These are the words according to “Mehma Prakash“.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh