Jaap Sahib (or Japu Sahib; , pronunciation: ) is the morning prayer of the Sikhs. The beaded prayers were composed by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh and is found at the start of the Sikh scripture Dasam Granth. This Bani is an important Sikh prayer, and is recited by the Panj Pyare while preparing Amrit on the occasion of Amrit Sanchar (initiation), a ceremony held to Amrit initiates into the Khalsa and it is a part of a Sikh's Nitnem (daily meditation). The Jaap Sahib is reminiscent of Japji Sahib composed by Guru Nanak, and both praise God. The Jaap Sahib was completed in 1677 as per the Chaupa Singh Rehitnama.
Meaning of jaap Following are some accepted meanings of jaap: The popular meanings of Jaap is to recite, to repeat, or to chant.S Deol (1998), Japji: The Path of Devotional Meditation, , page 11 Jaap also means to understand. Gurbani cites Aisa Giaan Japo Man Mere, Hovo Chakar Sache Kere, where Jap word means to understand wisdom.
Jaap is a Sanskrit word meaning "to utter in a low voice, whisper, mutter (especially prayers or incantations); to invoke or call upon in a low voice". Jaap Sahib is a rhythmic hymn composed like a necklace of pearls and gems, beauteously (beautifully) arranged around a string: the string is the Supreme God; the pearls and gems are His attributes, excellences, and glories. It basically helps reader do a daily Greetings to Waheguru in 199 verses, just like we do hello to each other. The glories sung by Guru Sahib revolve around the following attributes of God:
God is metaphysical, beyond time, Eternal, Unborn, Uncreated, Self-existent, and without form, feature, colour or contour. Therefore, neither can God be described or depicted, nor can anyone make an image or idols of that which is undefinable. God's manifestations are universally pervasive. God cannot be confined to any particular place, land, country, religion, race, garb, body or name. God is the Creator of the Universe and the laws governing it. Never can anyone be outside the ambit of these laws nor can anyone have the power to oppose them. God's Law and Justice is Righteous and Ultimate. God's is pervasive in all that 'He' has created, yet God also extends beyond 'His' creations; God is thus Immanent in His Creation and at the same time Transcends it. God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient; nothing, whether good or evil, can happen outside of the Creator's Will; God is the Creator-Sustainer-Annuller of His Creation. God is the Life of life, the Death of death, the Darkness of darkness, the Light of light.
Content
The Jaap Sahib is a recitation and praise of God. It includes various names of God in various languages. Understand the fact that god has no name but is called by various names by devotees based on their experience and the blessings they have obtained from him. There is only one sole religion of humans - humanity, and the worldly path that we choose to understand the natural power, our source, source of creation - is called faith only.
All faiths are rivers and are destined to merge into one great "Ocean - the lord, the light"; whatever you may call, think, believe or perceive.Amarjit Singh (1985), Concept of God in Jaap Sahib: An analytic study, Studies in Sikhism and Comparative Religion, Vol. 4, Issue 1, pages 85–92
Form Jaap Sahib is made up of 199 verses and is the first Bani of the Dasam Granth (p.1–10).
The Jaap Sahib, just like any other sikh composition, begins with the Mool Mantar and then the name of the composition and the author's signature:
Jaap 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 the Truth; ('God') (or The True God).
Structure Jaap Sahib starts with opening invocation "ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ।।", then comes the name of composition "ਜਾਪੁ।।", right after this is author's signature "ਸ੍ਰੀ ਮੁਖਵਾਕ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹੀ ੧੦।।".
Jaap Sahib is structured into 22 stanzas which cycles through 10 chhand. Each poetic meter alters the pace, rhythm and mood of the prayer. These poetic meters are as follows: +Poetic Meters of Jaap SahibNo.ChhandVerses FromTo 1 Chhapay/ ਛਪੈ 11 2 Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ 228 3 Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ 2943 4 Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ 4461 5 Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ 6263 6 Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ 6473 7 Charpat/ਚਰਪਟ 74788Ruaal/ਰੂਆਲ7986 9 Madhubhar/ਮਧੁਭਾਰ 8793 10 Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ 949511Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ9698 12 Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ 9910213Bhagwati/ਭਗਵਤੀ 10313214Chachari/ਚਾਚਰੀ 13314115Charpat/ਚਰਪਟ 142144 16Rasawal/ਰਸਾਵਲ 145149 17 Bhagwati/ਭਗਵਤੀ 150160 18 Madhubhar/ਮਧੁਭਾਰ 16117019Haribolmana/ਹਰਿਬੋਲਮਨਾ17118420Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ18518821Aik Acchari/ਏਕ ਅਛਰ18919622Bhujang Prayat/ਭੁਜੰਗ ਪ੍ਰਯਾਤ197199
Language The language of Jaap, is close to classical with words and compounds drawn from Sanskrit, Brij Bhasha, Arabic and Urdu. The contents of Jaap Sahib, are divided into various Chhand bearing the name of the related meter according to the then prevalent system of prosody in India.
Japji Sahib and Jaap Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib starts with Japji Sahib, while Dasam Granth starts with Jaap Sahib also called Japu Sahib.HS Singha (2009), The Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Hemkunt Press, , page 110 Guru Nanak is credited with the former, while Guru Gobind Singh is credited with the latter. The Jaap Sahib, unlike Japji Sahib, is composed in Braj bhasha, Sanskrit and Arabic, and with 199 verses, is longer than Japji Sahib. The Jaap Sahib is, like Japji Sahib, a praise of God as the unchanging, loving, unborn, ultimate power.
References
Bibliography
Neki, Jaswant (2008). Basking in the Divine Presence - A Study of Jap Sahib. Amritsar: Singh Brothers. Singh, Sahib (2003). Jaap Sahib Steek. Amritsar: Singh Brothers.
External links Jaap Sahib Jaap Sahib Bani in Punjabi Jaap Sahib Bani in Hindi Jaap Sahib Bani in English Punjabi Steek from Damdami Taksal