English Words In Gurbani

In the recent debate between the Singhs and Jeonwala, Bhai Sukhbir Singh shed light on an amazing aspect of Gurbani. Jeonwala was out to prove that Sri Dasam Granth Sahib was composed after Punjabis started using English words as part of their daily Punjabi usage. However, Bhai Sahib recited the following shabad on Ang 644 from Salok Mehla 3rd

ਨਾਨਕ ਮੇਲੁ ਨ ਚੁਕਈ ਰਾਤੀ ਅਤੈ ਡੇਹ ॥੧॥
O Nanak, still, night and day, my Union with the Lord is not broken. ||1||

Here Guru Sahib uses "ਡੇਹ" referring to day. Now lets note that this shabad is by Sahib Sri Guru Amardas Patshah ji, the 3rd Guru Sahibaan, who was physically present in Punjab long before any European colonists arrived in India (from my knowledge). Guru Sahib knows ALL the languages. I will NOT be surprised, if after 200 years a new language is born in some remote part of the world, and after 800 years it is found out that there are words from this language in Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Our Guru is Eternal, our Guru is forever. There is no knowledge of the past/present/future that SatGuru Ji is not aware of, and so SatGuru Ji is the all-knower of every language.

ਆਦਿ ਸਚੁ ਜੁਗਾਦਿ ਸਚੁ ॥
ਹੈ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੋਸੀ ਭੀ ਸਚੁ ॥੧॥

Certified maha moorakhs like myself can never figure out the agaadh bodh brahm beechaar of Gurbani.

- Mehtab Singh

there are a lot of words in gurbani that are similar to english words. this is not coincidence. english and punjabi both have roots in the ancient indo-persian languages. of course there will be some similar words. naam-name is a primary example.

this jeonwalla person will use any excuse to further his agenda.

Good find Bhai Mehtab Singh Jee. The arguement used by Jeowala will also be used against Guru Granth Sahib Jee.

here are a few more:


ਲੰਕਾ ਲੂਟੀ ਦੈਤ ਸੰਤਾਪੈ ॥
The demons of passion which plundered Sri Lanka - the body - have been conquered.

ਲੂਟੀ from the root ਲੂਟ = loot (plunder, stolen goods)



ਤ੍ਰਿਹੁ ਗੁਣ ਬੰਧੀ ਦੇਹੁਰੀ ਜੋ ਆਇਆ ਜਗਿ ਸੋ ਖੇਲੁ ॥
The three qualities hold the body in bondage; whoever comes into the world is subject to their play.

ਬੰਧੀ from the root ਬੰਧ = bond, bind, band.



ਮੰਨੈ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਮੋਖੁ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥
The faithful find the Door of Liberation.

ਦੁਆਰੁ = door



ਰੰਗੀ ਰੰਗੀ ਭਾਤੀ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਜਿਨਸੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਜਿਨਿ ਉਪਾਈ ॥
He created the world, with its various colors, species of beings, and the variety of Maya.

ਜਿਨਸੀ = genus (species, type)



ਸਗਲੀ ਧਰਤੀ ਸਕਰ ਹੋਵੈ ਖੁਸੀ ਕਰੇ ਨਿਤ ਜੀਉ ॥
If all the earth became sugar, to continually excite the mind;

ਸਕਰ (ਸ਼ਕਰ) = sugar


there are more, like the prefix "a", which means not or without in both english and punjabi.

1kaur bhenji, you are right. But I was talking about words that are exactly the same as English words. For example, "ਡੇਹ" is pronounced as "ddayh", and is just about close to "day", and also has the same meaning.

and also

the numbers in punjabi and english
shay six
seven suth
eight ut
nine no(n)

our body parts
hands hath
nose nuk
legs luth
and so on

learned this in punjabi class a week or two ago.. punjabi and english are part of the indo-aryan language group

pretty cool eh(yes im from canada)

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Veer Mehtab Singh Ji, I think, you should not insist upon the idea that Day of english language is used by Guru Ji. As Bhein Ji has suggested and given excellant other examples; ਡੇਹ or day or DIN, have some similar origin, so all the words sound similar. Guru Sahib is always knowledged about everything but this is no way to praise Guru Sahib that He has used english language in Gurbani.

Sukhbir Singh in his argument has also tried to convince the other party that these words are not english words but have similar origin.

More similar sounding words, other than examples quoted above are,

AADH, MADH, ANNTT -----------initial, mid, end
MANN------mind
MATA------mother, maternal
PITA-------paternal
MERA----my
NAA-----ne
HAAN----Yaa
MYTH------Myth
SOOR------Sun
DUBIDHA---Dilemma

Bhul Chuk Maaf Hove Ji.

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Veer MB Singh ji, you are right. Who am I to do any sifat of Pooran SatGuru ji. No matter how much ever I do, its equivalent to zero. I was just amazed at this, thats all ji.

Bhul chukk maaf

- Mehtab Singh