Sukhmani Sahib by Sri Guru Arjan Dev (Presentation: Syed Afzal Haider)
Izharsons, Lahore, Pakistan. Pages: ll+320. Price: Rs. 1200/-. US $ 33/-
In every community scriptures play a vital, multifaceted role. They act as guiding lights for smooth functioning of a society, facilitate spiritual discipline and elevation, and, during crises become sources of equipoise. Even if one is not a practicing theist prayers help him acquire self-confidence while facing vagaries of life. Sukhmani Sahib is one such font of spiritual, moral and psychological strength. There are any number of legends and parables highlighting its healing powers. One such relates to Hakim Alimuddin Ansari who was then the Governor of Lahore. He was suffering from acute and chronic stomach ailment. One day he happened to visit Amritsar. There Baba Buddha cured him with a massage and directed him to the fifth guru of Sikhs Arjan Dev. The latter asked him to listen to the Sukhmani recitation every day, which Ansari did and benefitted both physically as well as spiritually.
Variously described as the beatitude of mind, the jewel of bliss, the psalm of peace and the provider of comfort, this collection of hymns – authored by Guru Arjan Dev – is part and parcel of daily prayers in the homes of many a devout Sikh and Hindu. Forming a part of Guru Granth Sahib, Sukhmani Sahib has structural unity. It has twenty four salokas. There are twenty four cantos called Ashtpadis, each containing eight stanzas. Each stanza has ten lines that form five couplets. The saloka of each canto gives the general idea of the stanzas that follow. This archetypal hymn has thematic unity too, viz., moral, spiritual and temporal evolvement of the individual.
While presenting this tome Haider has underscored similarities between Islamic and Sikh precepts. To buttress this thesis he has juxtaposed certain aayats – both Arabic original and English translation – from the Holy Quran (Sura Nur, Sura Baqra et al) with verses from Guru Granth Sahib that preach monotheism or the oneness of God. He also acknowledges that Sikh Gurus were all well read in the field of comparative religions. Further, he points out the non-sectarian character of the composition. His expatiations on Zikr, Tauheed and the essence of Sukhmani Sahib are illuminating. What makes this excellently produced work a collector’s item is the presentation of the verses in Gurmukhi along with their translation as well as transliteration in Urdu and English. The translations are lucid and should attract readership transcending linguistic, religious and cultural stratifications.
The price is a bit on the high side, but then good things seldom come cheap.
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