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Akal Ustat

Akal Ustat (Punjabi: ਅਕਾਲ ਉਸਤਤਿ, pronounced [aːkaːl ʊsteːti], lit. ‘the praise of the Timeless One’) is the name given to the second Bani (sacred composition) present in the second holy scriptures of the Sikhs called the Dasam Granth.[3] It is composed of 271 verses, and is largely devotional in nature.[4][3]

Akal Ustat
ਅਕਾਲ ਉਸਤਤਿ
Dasam Granth
Akal Ustat composition of Guru Gobind Singh inscribed on a plate of the 'Charaina' (translates to “four mirrors”) body armour worn by Guru Gobind Singh in the battle of Bhangani, ca.1688
Information
ReligionSikhism
AuthorGuru Gobind Singh
Verses271 and a half[1][2]

Synopsis

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The word "Akal" mean the "timeless primal being" and the word "Ustat" (from the Sanskrit word 'stuti') means "praise". So together, the words "Akal Ustat" mean "the praise of the Timeless One".[5] In it, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru writes that God is worshipped by various peoples in many different ways, and with varying names and methods:[5]

He is an Inconceivable Entity, External and Attire-less. He is without attachment, colour, form and mark. He distinct from all others of various colours and signs. He is the Primal being, Unique and Changeless.(3) He is without colour, mark, caste and lineage. He is the without enemy, friend, father and mother. He is far away from all and closest to all. His dwelling is within water, on earth and in heavens.(4)

— (Guru Gobind Singh, Akal Ustat, verse 3 to 4)

The scripture is notable for its unalloyed disavowal of the caste system, and of cultural elitism in general. At various points in this composition, Guru Gobind Singh speaks out against the belief that some people are superior to others, by virtue of belonging to a particular religion, region, history, culture, colour or creed. Instead, he clearly and firmly states that "all human beings are equal ":

Someone is Hindu and someone a Muslim, then someone is Shia, and someone a Sunni, but all the human beings, as a species, are recognized as one and the same.

— (Guru Gobind Singh, Akal Ustat, Verse 85-15-1)

Eternal God, thou art our shield, The dagger, knife, the sword we wield. To us Protector there is given The timeless, deathless Lord of Heaven; To us All-light's unvanquished might, To us All-time's resistless flight; But chiefly Thou, Protector brave All-steel, wilt Thine own servant save

Within the Manglacharan Puran, Guru Gobind Singh further does a Teeka of the Akal Ustat, as Baba Binod Singh had asked Guru Gobind Singh what the Bani meant in terms of spirituality.[6]

Ritualism is criticized in the composition as an overemphasized method to reach God.[5][3]

Parts of the work are read out during Amrit Sanchar baptismal ceremonies.[5]

Occasional references are made to the Abrahamic mythology found within the Quranic texts and practices of Muslims.[5] Most references in the work are directed at the corpus of Indic mythology.[5]

Some Sikh writers have claimed that verses 211–230 of the work were not authored by Guru Gobind Singh, likely because they may be interpreted as praising the goddess Durga.[5] Other Sikh scholars claim the composition is incomplete in its extant form and is missing parts.[3]

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  •  
    Concluding verses of Japu Sahib and opening verses of Akal Ustat - from the Anandpuri Hazuri bir (manuscript) of the Dasam Granth dated to the late 17th century
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    Verses of Akal Ustat - from the Anandpuri Hazuri bir (manuscript) of the Dasam Granth dated to the late 17th century
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    Detail of a page of a manuscript of the Sarbloh Granth showing verses of the Akal Ustat composition in a Teeka
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    Akal Ustat from the 1765 "Patna Missal" Dasam Granth Manuscript

References

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  1. ^ 'Makin', Gursharan Singh. Zafarnama: The Epistle of Victory (1st ed.). Lahore Book Shop. p. 13. ISBN 8176471798.
  2. ^ Singha, H.S. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (Over 1000 Entries). Hemkunt Press. p. 54. ISBN 9788170103011.
  3. ^ a b c d Pashaura, Singh; Fenech, Louis E. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. Oxford University Press. pp. 241–243. ISBN 978-0-19-100412-4. Akal Ustat (Praise of the Timeless One): Akal Ustat is a series of verses praising God, using phrases such as Akal Purakh or the Timeless Primal Being or Lord, and Sarbloh or the 'Lord of all Steel'. There are verses that explain that this lord takes form in numerous gods and goddesses, and also in Hindus and Muslims. This composition refers most frequently to Hindu mythology (e.g. mentioning God as manifesting as a demon-slaying goddess), with a few passing references to the Quran and Muslim practices as well. Many verses criticize an overemphasis on ritual as the best way to gain knowledge of God. A number of Sikh interpreters have concluded that this section is incomplete, and some have speculated that there are parts of this text that are later interpolations or that may actually belong in other parts of the Dasam Granth.
  4. ^ The encyclopaedia of Sikhism. Vol. 1. Harbans Singh. Patiala: Punjabi University. 1992–1998. pp. 60–61. ISBN 0-8364-2883-8. OCLC 29703420.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Rinehart, Robin (2011). Debating the Dasam Granth. Oxford University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-19-984247-6.
  6. ^ "Akal Ustat's Significance for Sarbloh Granth". Manglacharan. 2019-05-18. Retrieved 2023-06-03.

Bibliography

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  • The Wondrous Play, Dr. Jodh Singh.
  • The Life and Ideals of Guru Gobind Singh by Surindar Singh Kohli, 1986, Munshiram Manoharlal
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