Form
Jaap Sahib is made up of 199 verses and is the first Bani of the Dasam Granth (p. 1-10). The Jaap Sahib begins with "Sri Mukhwakh Patshahi Dasvee," "By the holy mouth of the Tenth King." This appears to be a specific saying to authenticate the writings of Guru Gobind Singh himself.
Macauliffe says, "The Hindus have a work enitled Vishnu Sahasar Nam, 'Vishnu's Thousand Names.' The Jaapji was composed to supply the Sikhs with a similar number of epithets of the Creator."
Jap 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, "meditation."
Read more about this topic: Jaap Sahib
Famous quotes containing the word form:
“It is a besetting vice of democracies to substitute public opinion for law. This is the usual form in which masses of men exhibit their tyranny.”
—James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851)
“For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity, a human face;
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.”
—William Blake (1757–1827)
“There is no doubt that the loftiest written wisdom is either rhymed or in some way musically measured,—is, in form as well as substance, poetry; and a volume which should contain the condensed wisdom of mankind need not have one rhythmless line.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)