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What does “Nanak” signify in Bani?

Ask SikhRI

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The word Nanak, which refers to Guru Nanak Sahib, the founder of the Sikh faith, appears throughout Guru Granth Sahib. It denotes the contributor or revealer of a composition, functioning as a “signature” used by Guru Nanak Sahib and the rest of...

The word Nanak, which refers to Guru Nanak Sahib, the founder of the Sikh faith, appears throughout Guru Granth Sahib. It denotes the contributor or revealer of a composition, functioning as a “signature” used by Guru Nanak Sahib and the rest of the Gurus as well.

The Gurus use it because we believe, in the Sikh tradition, they were all part of a continuation of the same journey, the same experience, the same Raj, the same idea which was brought into practice. They all experienced the Divine. Nanak signifies that continuation, authenticity, and personalization in the hymns, in the Banis, in the Sabads of the Guru Granth Sahib.

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Harinder Singh

Senior Fellow, Research & Policy

Harinder Singh is the Senior Fellow at the Sikh Research Institute. He holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University, an MS in Engineering Management from the University of Kansas, and an MPhil from Punjab University in the linguistics of the Guru Granth Sahib.

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