Gurbani Paath - Gutka Sahib vs Tablets and Phones

With increase of smartphones and tablets in the market, growing number of Sikhs are using these devices to read Gurbani. There were some people few decades back who wished to replace Akhand and Sehaj Paath with audio recordings but their attempt was unsuccessful. Now some are asking if doing paath from computer is the same. So here are just my opinions.

Reading Gurbani from phone, tablet or computer is acceptable if one is at work (during break) or traveling or where Gutka Sahib is not available. However, when one is actually sitting down to read Gurbani, every effort should be made to recite it from Gutka or Pothi Sahib which is the actual physical saroop. Electronics are nowhere near the printing or hand written saroop of Gurbani. I used to think that it made no difference but to find out I experimented a little by reading Sukhmani Sahib. Bliss, peace and tranquility and even focus on Gurbani was significantly more from Gutka Sahib than the tablet. As long as I read from Gutka Sahib I felt excited to read more and more and I enjoyed it but it became very shallow and empty from the tablet. Pothi Sahib made me feel like I am in a hazoori but tablet left me feeling like I had not read Gurbani at all even after I had finished. It became obvious to me that whereas Shabad is always present on the paper, it was not there in the tablet. Gurbani is displayed to us by the processor after processing some 1s and 0s. Guru Jot resides in the Shabad where it is actually present. Jot doesn't reside in any electronic device. I cannot comment on the amount of ‘phal’ one gets from reading from tablet or phone but it is not the same as Gutka Sahib. We can never put rumallas and do Chaur Sahib on tablets and computers (which I have seen some do), nor can we turn them on and consider it parkash of Gurbani or Sukh Aasan by turning them off (not that anybody suggests this).

From personal experience, I think as much Gurbani should be read from Gutka Sahib as possible. Nitnem should always be memorized and done from memory. Tablets are still better than nothing and should be used only when Gutka Sahib is not available, during travel or Gurbani Pothi doesn’t have the specific Bani. Electronic devices are a great tool if used properly like memorizing Gurbani but I think more harm is done than the benefit. Some don’t see the value of memorizing Gurbani because they always have their phone or tablet handy and some don’t sit down to do nitnem because they can do it anywhere from their egutka. Kirtanis are using tablets to sing Shabads. Whereas this had decreased beadbi (improper handling) of Gurbani, it has also increased dependency of Kirtanis on such devices and made them lazy to sing from memory. Much of their focus goes to the tablet and ultimately Anand of Kirtan gets reduced. Those who are attached to their electronic devices should recite Gurbani from memory or alternatively from Gutka Sahib for a week and see the difference themselves. Guru Rakha

Totally agree Bijla Singh Jee. Digital reading of Gurbani cannot replace the feeling one gets when you do Paath from an actual Gutka or Pothi Sahib. With the growing number of Lariwar readers around the western world, I wish we had Lariwar Sundar Gutkas readily available, but surprisingly there are none to be found. The Taksal of Baba Ram Singh Jee had printed a small number of Sundar Gutkas, but now there are non available.

It's possible for a thirsty person to find water in a desert but sadly it's not possible for Sikhs to find lariwar Sundar Gutkas. We need to change this situation.

100% correct - Bijla Singh jeeo - There are futher issues with these incumbent devices and I want more added here - here are my issues that I have had:


1. Originally I though a brilliant idea about 4 years ago - and started doing paath from iphone/tablet etc. issue was when someone messages you or send you email you get alerted so off goes your wild MUNN - FOCUS Lost - without focus on Gurbani we are lost.

2. iphones/android/electronic all this is bringing society to the brink of madness. Reasons people don't think no more - they reply instantly to whatever message they receive - tell me is this sikh way of responding?? This causes all sorts of misunderstandings over the simple points when a phone call would have made things much easier to understand than text.

3.These devices make interaction on facebook etc a joy to use - however the amount of venom thrown at each other - across jathebandi's , sikh groups has also increased over the last year - forget ekta we are asundering even further into darkness.

4. Sikh way of life is simple - these devices force you to commnicate now without thinking - unless the individual is savy enough to understand to be able to think - hwoever kids and teenagers dont have that thought process and these habits get instilled and they carry on - how in the world will they learn patience - which is the core of sikh principles????

5. Our minds are scattered bits of thought everyehwere - these devices answer that mind and make it even far worse. Facebook is a form of BHOTT POOJA - Brahminism - what is everyone doing - exactly what their mind wants them to do - when or how do you have time to bring in sikh principles which are against anything of the mind.- We have given our head which includes the mind. Sikhe clearly says limit seeing things - listening to things - these devices make you do the opposite.

The old Gursikhs used to say kaaleee naal ageee tohee hundee nahenn -- exactly what is happening - we are falling to a hole with these incumbent devices which answer the mind in a multuthreaded way - so the mind is so occupied - there isn't space for emptiness - there isn't space left for thinking on Sikh principles or any others either.

I can tell with a hand on my heart i got rid of my incumbent device year ago - got an old nokia - which is a phone and mp3 - I listen to katha/ gurbani on mp3 - use the phone as a phone- my focus increased ten fold not only in Gurbani but also in what i do day to day. I can plan better writing things down than on electornic device - this has also been scientifically proven I can send you links if need. When you write - you mean it different than when you type on an electronic device. Challenge is for one to try this - and i gurantee your mind will say NO WAY HOSEEE

I also like to read from an actual pothi/gutka than a tablet. Tablet is okay if you are outside. But if you are at home I think Pothi/Gutka should be used. It's just unfortunate that no one is publishing Lariwar Gutkas. We only have Nitnem Gutkas available which is not enough for people who want to read more bani in Larwar. It's hard to come by a Lariwar Sundar Gutka.

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Manmat of Doing Kirtan by Looking at a Pothi or Mobile Phone
Bhai Harbhajan Singh Jee (Anandpur Sahib)

Reading Bani by looking at a Pothi is legitimate however singing Kirtan by looking at a mobile phone or Pothi Sahib is not. Generally, mobile phones are used everywhere, even when using the lavatory, mobile phones are in the pocket. For this reason, this object (mobile phone) which can never be clean is not acceptable to sing or read Bani from. Another reason is that we use our mobile phones for all types of worldy dealings and chats and many individuals’ hands touch the phone. For this reason it is not respectful to read and sing Gurbani from it. Without seriously thinking about something our deed is thus; like the Gurvaak: “ਮਤਿ ਥੋੜੀ ਸੇਵ ਗਵਾਈਐ ॥੧੦॥” (Raag Asa Mahalla 1, Panna 468).

It is Guru Maharaj Jee’s hukam: “ਅਕਲੀ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਅਕਲੀ ਪਾਈਐ ਮਾਨੁ ॥… ॥੧॥” (Salok Mahalla 1, Panna 1245). More Hukams are: “ਬਾਣੀ ਤ ਗਾਵਹੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਕੇਰੀ ਬਾਣੀਆ ਸਿਰਿ ਬਾਣੀ ॥ ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਮੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਤਿਨਾ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥… ॥੨੩॥ ” (Ramkali Mahalla 3 Anand, Panna 920). “ਮੁਖਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਕਰੈ ਵਿਰਲੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਵਸਾਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨ ਕੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਵਸਿਆ ਮੋਖ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਤਿਨ੍ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੮॥੨॥” (Vadhans Mahalla 3, Panna 565).

Dear brothers and sisters, singers of Gurbani! At your feet with great love and respect and folded hands it is a request that for doing Kirtan please enshrine the Shabad inside your heart. Then see when singing Kirtan of that enshrined shabad the wonderful anand-rass that comes in our mind and soul and how those listening in sangat also become nihaalo-nihaal (delighted and wonderstruck). We should think that olden Singhs, householder Singhs despite being job and business men would still do Kirtan from memory. Many Singhs had so much Bani memorized that they would singlehandedly do Kirtan all night. So if a time or situation ever arose when there was no access to a Pothi or mobile phone then we would be left stranded from Kirtan. It is even a worldy catchphrase that “ਪੈਸਾ ਗੰਠ ਤੇ ਬਾਣੀ ਕੰਠ” (Money on hand and Bani memorized). Whatever Bani we have memorized will go along with us (to the next world) and this mobile phone Bani will get left behind here. For this reason let us enshrine our father’s–grandfather’s treasure chest in our hearts. It is a Gurvaak: “ਕੇਵਲ ਨਾਮੁ ਰਿਦੇ ਮਹਿ ਦੀਜੈ ॥੪॥੨੬॥੭੭॥” (Asa Mahalla 5, Panna 389). So Naam and Bani will only go with us if it is enshrined in our mind and soul. Another Gurvaak is: “ਇਹ ਬਾਣੀ ਜੋ ਜੀਅਹੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਰਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥” (Bilaval Mahalla 3, Panna 797). For this reason let us not merely swill and gargle this Amrit Bani, but let us gulp a mouthful or two and take it inside. It is only then that this Amrit medicine will have an effect and cut away the haumai and disease of many life times. For this reason, it is again a request that even if we only do Kirtan for a little while, let it be from memory. Only then will we earn the Guru’s happiness.

ਭੁਲਾਂ-ਚੁਕਾਂ ਦੀ ਖਿਮਾ ਕਰਨੀ ਜੀ ।
Please kindly excuse any mistakes and shortcomings.

I alway felt swiping while reading gurbani from smartphones without washing hands not right. Even then sudhaee of the smartphone is not possible.

The article by Bhai Sahib is an eye opener. He has presented a point of view no-one I believe has highlighted!

About time some Gursikhs ahve come out supporting the original way of doing keertan and looking at Guru Sahib in original form rather than tab or a mobile phone. I agree 100%,.

secondly read this article below - no wonder one can never be at peace reading bani from a mobile phone - i wish i was aware of this much earlier in life.

http://www.enoughproject.org/files/publications/minetomobile.pdf