Meditation on Name produces Wismad, wonder and the object of such poetry as the Japp Sahib is the creation of the mood of aesthetic ecstasy: Sher Singh in the Philosophy of Sikhism writes: Sikhism offers a new path of salvation in addition to the traditional paths of knowledge, work and devotion - the path of the Name, Naam. The answer is, of course, that God's grace has offered companionship to man, so that man does not have to understand, but only to accept and adore. As the Guru keeps saying what God is not, we may well wander how there can be any communication with that which is so undefinable.

The immortal One is for Guru Gobind Singh sometimes the 'wholly Other,' far beyond human comprehension, before whom man can but bow again and again. The Mohammadan ear would surely delight in Allah and Nirsharik Karimur Rahim Husnul Chirag, Garibun Niwaz Kamal Karim Rajak Rahim Bahistun Niwas and many such others.

Only a few of these, such as Rahim and Karim, Razakai (Nourisher), Aruv (Pardoner), and Salamai (Peaceful) are among the Muslim's ninety-nine names of Allah: but all the names used would be familiar to Punjabi Muslims. Everlasting is Thy glory!'ДЄmong the thousand names there are seventy-five names used by Muslim. Thou art the embodiment of mercy Thou art the deliverer from birth and death. 'Thou fillest and feedest the whole universe, Thyself self-existent, auspicious and united with all. Something of the devoutness of the Guru's nature comes to a climax in the concluding verse: The fervour of the true Bhakta comes out in hailing the immortal as man's companion. Thou art the Great Companion Thou art the sure Providence.' 'Thou art the source of all light, And the object of all praise Thou art the supreme Lord of all, And the moon of the Universe.' 'All' seems to be the key word as the poet breaks through praising God positively: There is an all inclusiveness and universalism that keeps coming to the surface. 'Thou hast no form or feature, No caste or lineage None can describe Thy appearance, Colour, mark or garb.' As all these verses are in the form of rhymed couplets, the vocabularly and ingenuity of the poet are superb. Most of the verses point to the fact that one can only describe God by describing what God is not. The contents of Jaap Sahib, are divided into various Chhands bearing the name of the related meter according to the then prevalent system of prosody in India. The language of Jaap, is close to classical with words and compounds drawn from Sanskrit, Brij Bhasha, Arabic and Persian. Jap is a Sanskrit word which means 'to utter in a low voice, whisper, mutter (especially prayers or incantations) to invoke or call upon in a low voice.' The form of the word here is Japu, which makes it a noun, meaning 'meditation on nothing but TRUTH 'god'.' Macauliffe says, 'The Hindus have a work enitled Vishnu Sahasar Nam, 'Vishnu's Thousand Names.' The Jaapji was composed to supply the Sikhs with a similar number of epithets of the Creator.' The Jaap Sahib begins with 'Sri Mukhwakh Patshahi Dasvee,' 'By the holy mouth of the Tenth King.' This appears to be a specific saying to authenticate the writings of Guru Gobind Singh himself. Jaap Sahib is made up of 199 verses and is the first Bani of the Dasam Granth (p.1-10). During these three years guru Sahib may have composed Jaap Sahib, Swaiyey & Akal Ustat. Professor Sahib Singh says, ' That Guru Gobind SIngh went to Nahan in 1684 and lived there for approximately 3 years.

Guru Gobind Singh ji completed this bani before 1699, because this bani was recited during the installation of khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh was a worshipper of one God (Akal) this is proved by the first stanza of Jaap sahib. This bani has the same place in Dasam Granth as Japji Sahib in Guru Granth Sahib. It is the second bani of the five in the daily morning prayers routine of a Sikh. It is one of the Five Banis recited by most practising Sikhs each morning and bani that the Panj Pyare recite while preparing Amrit on the occasion of Amrit Sanchaar (Sikh Initiation), a ceremony held to admit initiates into the Khalsa Brotherhood. Jaap is the bani (set of hymns) uttered by Guru Gobind Singh ji, the Tenth Sikh Guru, the Tenth Nanak.

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