It is a renderingan interpretation of a very complex idiom. It attempts to keep intact all the metaphysical ambiguities and mystical rhythms of the original text that are generally lost in normal translations. The author has eminently succeeded in this linguistic exercise. H.S. Gill, Professor EmeritusCentre of Linguistics & EnglishSchools of Language, Literature, & Culture StudiesJawaharlal Nehru UniversityNew Delhi, India
The Japji is a profound religious text which Sikhs recite at the start of the day. It is the opening text of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of the Sikhs. 'Jap' means meditation and this is what the text is meant for. Written in simple English, the book is not a mere translation. O P Ghai's spiritual leaning has resulted in a book which helps readers to appreciate the beauty of the original.
There are three primary purposes of a religious prayer. 1. To refresh your remembrance and awareness of God. 2. To bring your wandering mind into the present moment. 3. To understand the meaning of the prayer and imbibe its teachings into your life in order to further your spiritual progress. By God's grace, presented to you here is the translation of the JAPJI SAHIB(composed in Gurumukhi script by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the First Guru and founder of the Sikh Religion) into English. At the end of the translation, I have also offered to you the Transliteration of JAPJI SAHIB, for those who may wish to recite as a prayer in the original Gurumukhi language. JAPJI SAHIB is a universal sacred hymn(prayer) about God and creation, composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh faith. The Japji Sahib consists of the Mool Mantra(Root Mantra) as the beginning followed by 38 hymns and a final Salok at the end of this composition. The Japji appears at the very beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs. It is regarded as the most important Bani or 'set of verses' by the Sikhs and is recited every morning by all practicing this faith. The word ‘Jap’ means to ‘recite’ or ‘to ‘chant’. ‘Ji’ is a word that is used to show respect as is the word ‘Sahib’. You are encouraged to read the translation several times, and the beauty of this glorious script will manifest in your mind. Harmony will come to your life as you begin to understand God and his attributes(as can be comprehended by a human), as revealed to us by God through Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Japji Sahib, the first Bani in Sri Guru Grant Sahib, holds the key to the entire Sikh philosophy. It has been translated by many scholars into various languages, especially in English. Each translation has contributed towards spreading the message of Gurbani beyond the lingual bounds. The uniqueness of the present translation is that the verse composition is translated using English and French meters, observing rhyme. The footnotes have been provided at various places by the editor to make the readers understand the relation between the signifier and the signified as translation has its own limitations.
