Author: Dr. SS Bhatti, Chandigarh
Publisher: Sanbun Publishers, New Delhi
Year of Publication: 2015; Pages: 132; Price: Rs. 150.00 (Paper Back)
Reviewed by: Dr. Hardev Singh Virk, Visiting Professor, SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab (India).

Dr SS (Surendra Singh) Bhatti is a celebrated author with three doctorates in his kitty on three different subjects of his intensive life-long study. He is a multi-dimensional personality who does not believe in specialization, as understood in modern world dominated by Science & Technology, but who imbibes the spirit of “Holism” in his life and letters. In the Preface to Japuji, he writes: “My professional involvement in Creativity does not permit me to believe in Specialisation. My credo is Comprehensivity not Specialisation which, with its characteristic emphasis on knowing more and more about less and less, ends up by distorting, in my view, the personality and perception of the specialist.”

In my review of literature, I found Japuji had been rendered into different languages; translated or used as a tool for exegesis more than 250 times. The first exegete of Japuji was Udasi Sadhu Anandghan, whose Tika was challenged and replaced by Garb Ganjani Tika of Nirmala (Bhai) Santokh Singh  on the bidding of Uday Singh, the ruler of Kaithal. It was first published in 1910. In my view, this book under review is a by-product of the Ph.D. Thesis of the author on “Creative Mysticism: A Study of Nanak Bani with Special Reference to Japuji” submitted to Punjab University Chandigarh.

Author claims that his interest in Gurbani was inherited from his father. But he also claims in the Preface: “My research is thus the outcome of an assiduous application of the tools and methods of Architecture I have developed as teacher, theorist, researcher, and practitioner to the exegesis of Gurbani”. I will like to call the technique used by the author as Architectonics of Gurbani. His assertion is valid that this approach has not been applied before to the study of Gurbani; to see Guru Nanak’s Bani in a new light – holistically. Dr Bhatti has shown deep reverence and gratitude to the author of Japuji; “Guru Nanak is a prophet class apart because he brought ‘religion’ on a platter to the doorstep of the masses – illiterate, uninitiated, and without patronage of the clergy”.

The Prologue and Epilogue follow the preface and are helpful in delineating the technique used by the author in this exegesis. The author visualizes the Guru Nanak’s vision in the following terms: “Guru Nanak’s Creative Mysticism lays the foundation for a non-denominational, non-communal, non-sectarian, non-ethnic system of Holistic Humanism whereby anyone and   everyone is urged to an optimistic view and a fulfilling Way of Life”. The author defines a Sikh in the Epilogue as follows: “A Sikh is not a ruler. He is created to be servant of all humanity without any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, colour, or race. And yet he rules the world by winning everyone’s heart with love, humanity, compassion, selfless service that may be consummated in sacrificing his life for the sake of Dharma and the freedom to practice it in his own special way”.

In the introductory paras to Japuji: Exegesis, the author embarks upon his journey by calling Japuji, universally called Japuji Sahib, as the divine message received by Guru Nanak in his Revelation. This Revelation is communicated to common folks, who have been most cruelly oppressed and most wily exploited throughout the course of human history, in a staggering variety of metaphors to deliver the message. The author has himself used a beautiful metaphor of ‘artesian wells’ to explain the spontaneity of language used by Guru Nanak to preach his message. Most of foreign scholars are in a trap when involved in the exegesis of Gurbani. The author removes this trap by his exhortation: “Guru Nanak Bani is fresh and original, and by no means, a rehashing or syncretism of prevalent Hindu or Islamic religious thought”. 

In his characteristic style, the author elaborates the Architecture of Japuji in terms of (a) Design, and (b) Structure and Form.  Japuji is considered to be the epitome and magnum opus of Guru Nanak in the sacred Bani of Sri Guru Granth Sahib compiled by Guru Arjun. It is not set in Ragas.  This Dhur ki Bani was revealed to Guru Nanak and transmitted to people who came in his contact during his odysseys over long periods of time in India and abroad. It consists of 38 pauris, called levels by the author using his professional terminology. On the one hand, author claims that he does not believe in Specialisation but on the other, he has interpreted Japuji using tools of his own Specialisation. For example, he writes: “Guru Nanak’s Japuji is an Edifice (Architecture) of the Soul whose Concept has been stated in the Mool Mantra (the creedal proclamation)”.

Under the heading ‘Design of Japuji’, author shows his Comprehensivity (pages 22-24) based on his knowledge of geometry, archaeology, history, seismology and physics (nuclear reactors, optics and gravitation). In the history of exegesis of Japuji, no other author has ever used the concept of geometry with such a distinction as the present author. He has used the metaphors of geometrical solids for interpreting concepts of Japuji. Some of the examples are as follows: “The Architecture of God’s Temple, as revealed by Guru Nanak, is an absorbing Construct of Time-Space Continuum employing all the basic geometrical solids: cube, pyramid, cone, sphere, cylinder, tetrahedron, and prism”. Further, the author uses metaphor of cylinder to explain Naam-Simrin: “Cylinder capped by a hemisphere, gives the shape of the Nuclear Reactor in which fission builds up a chain reaction to produce enormous quanta of energy from a tiny nucleus. Naam-Simrin is akin to bombardment of the nucleus with neutrons in that Naam is repeatedly aimed at the nucleus, the crucial centre of soul-consciousness (Surt), lodged within the cranium cavity”. The author has used the metaphor of Prism to explain the Transcendence and Immanence of God beautifully. As a physicist, I fail to understand and appreciate how the author has used the concepts of Physics with such alacrity and accuracy. The only other author who comes to my mind is Professor Puran Singh, who used scientific terminology with eclat in his prose.

Under the heading ‘Structure and Form of the Japuji’, the author displays his knowledge of Relativity Theory of Einstein and makes use of it to interpret Japuji. “The Time-Space Continuum, in Guru Nanak’s Revelation, holds the interdependence, inter-relationship, and interaction between Time and Space as sine qua non to their unique function as the two Elements of which the Architecture of Cosmos is made. The one and only one evidence of God’s Incomparable and Inalienable Architectonics is the existence of Nature in its bewildering Bounty and breathtaking Beauty”. The author compares the Edifice of Japuji to a 38-Storey Skyscraper starting from the Four-Pillar foundation of adi sach jugadi sach; hai bhee sach, Nanak hosee bhee sach. Literally pauri corresponds to step, stair or more precisely, level or floor. Hence the author starts his study of Japuji using ‘level’ for pauri.

From page 25 to 64, the author has interpreted Japuji level by level in his own unique style following no beaten track. According to author, Guru Nanak’s discourse has elements of directness, daring and interaction. Guru Nanak poses a question: “How to be a Sachiar”?  He demystifies and almost condemns the four techniques adopted by orthodox Hinduism for obtaining liberation (moksha) in life and advocates his own method: hukam raja-ee chalna, Nanak likh-aa naal “Submission to His Edict-Fiat Who’s Master of His will”. At level 2, Guru Nanak explains His Edic-Fiat and stresses that Humility is the Cardinal Principle and indispensable to the life of a Sikh. At level 4, the author has created some flutter by interpreting the first stanza: saachaa sahib saach naa-ay as follows: “Guru Nanak stresses and reiterates that True is the Master, True His Justice”. Almost all other exegetes of Japuji interpret it: “True is the Master, True is His Name”. Why the author interprets ‘naa-ay’ as ‘Justice’ is beyond my comprehension. It needs some justification by the author but it is missing in the text.

It is well known assumption in the Sikh Tradition that Guru Nanak’s Japuji is an abstract of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and Japuji is an elaboration of mool mantra. At level 5, Guru Nanak rejects Idolatory which has been Hinduism’s mainstay. At level 6, ritual bathing is considered futile if it is without the God’s express approval. At level 7, Guru Nanak is taking up other issues like inordinately-long life, the prestige and power of glory in this world but without God’s grace, all these traits and acquisitions of power and pelf are worthless. From level 8-11 are next four pauris devoted to the virtues and fruits of hearkening (suniai) the Holy Word. Next four pauris from level 12-15 are devoted to manne/mannai, which connotes that every idea needs to be put to the intellectual rigours of deep reflection (vichar) before accepting it at its face value, to avoid falling into trap of blind faith. Guru Nanak disapproves the life of mendicants, ascetics, fakirs, as they are an unsavoury burden on human society.

At level 16, Guru Nanak moves on to take up the question of Cosmogony. Guru Nanak explodes the prevalent Myth of a Bull supporting the earth on its horns – with logical and scientific reasoning. The author reiterates that Guru Nanak Bani is neither Mythology, nor Metaphysics, not even Poetry (Muse) - nor Mysticism or Creativity treated as be-all and end-all of intellectual and/or psycho-emotional pastime. Then how to grasp the distinctiveness of Guru Nanak’s approach? In my own writings, I labelled Guru Nanak’s approach as Scientific Vision but Dr Bhatti has called it a unique Revelation. The author is a firm believer in Guru Nanak’s Revelation when he writes: “By virtue of Creative Mysticism, Guru Nanak sees what is happening in the Universe. Where is the Mythical Bull standing when, in the vast emptiness of Space, countless worlds twirl about – unsupported? Nobody – absolutely no body, anywhere in the world – had proclaimed the Truth in such categorical and convincing terms, in the 15th century! Does one still need a proof of the Guru’s unique Revelation”? Some scientists, who indulged in exegesis of Japuji, try to ignore the Revelation theory in Gurbani and call it Guru Nanak’s empirical observation, as a scientist makes it in a laboratory. There are others who project Guru Nanak as a fore-runner of Renaissance Scientists in Europe. But Dr. Bhatti has proved it logically in his own way in Japuji.

Guru Nanak talks of himself as neech (depraved and lowly) while recounting millions of purblind fools, liars, cut-throats and sinners in this world in pauri 18. If we leap frog to level 22, we find Guru Nanak presents a bewildering glimpse of the Cosmic Expanse such as not hitherto been attempted by any Prophet. It speaks volumes for the authenticity and magnificence of his Revelation, which is made of an altogether special stuff: Creative Mysticism wrought in the mint of the Soul, furnished, fuelled, and fired by the Divine Grace.

Towards the end of his discourse in Japuji, Guru Nanak is guiding the seeker to the final stages of his Spiritual Pilgrimage. According to author: “Ethics, Dharma, The Cosmic Moral Law, is the ineluctable matrix of Guru Nanak’s Creative Mysticism whereby he insists that Life is a rare and difficult performing art which can be aesthetically appreciated and artistically created only by living it fully, deeply, and inspired. In the last four pauris, Guru Nanak speaks of 5 Spiritual Realms: Dharam Khand, Gyan Khand, Saram Khand, Karam Khand and Sach Khand. In Sikh praxis, Guru Nanak established: “Truth is the highest of all forms of Reality, but higher than Truth is Truthful Living”. The Japuji text ends with a Slok attributed to Guru Angad, which according to the author is the most concise, succinct and stupendous of all summaries and commentaries on Guru Nanak’s Japuji.

In the second part of the book, Japuji: Poetic Rendering, the author has provided a translation of Japuji in Free Verse, along with its Transliteration for the readers who are not well versed with Gurmukhi Script. In the Inference, the author recounts how he was motivated to render the Japuji in to English after his study of Scriptures of major World Religions; as a consequence his fascination grew for Guru Nanak’s divine lyricism.  Author’s experience of three-decade-long practice of writing poetry in four languages stood him in good stead.

I was looking for howlers in the text, to my surprise, there are hardly any except on page 33, where ‘Holy Word’ is written as ‘Holy World’. Another trait of the Author is his fascination for use of Capital Letters in the Text. In my view, the original Text of Japuji needs to be juxtaposed along with explanation of pauris (levels) for sake of convenience. I congratulate the author for creating a unique exegesis of Japuji in conformity with the needs of younger generation well versed with Architecture, Science and Technology. However, the common reader will find some new concepts and English terminology used by the author, somewhat hard to digest.