Notes on citations, spellings and pronunciation

Our content and wording are based on the original scriptures of the Wise Ones (Gurbani), which Sikhs regard as enlightened. The guiding question for us is what advice we can derive today based on the preserved timeless spiritual wisdom. To ensure transparency and enable independent research and verification, verses referred to are quoted in the original. It should be noted that in the original scriptures, individual words are not separated (Larhivar). They need to be discovered while reading. Since today the separated spelling style dominates, we use this form.

References to publications are based on the APA Style. Citations from the central work for Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib (GGS), are referenced as follows:

GGS, page, reference to the respective Enlightened One. Here we use the original spelling: M.1/M.2, etc. This is an abbreviation for Mahala (Body) and refers to the line of the ten direct Enlightened Ones since Gur Nanak. If a quote is based on another Wise One, the respective name appears, such as Bhagat Farid, Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Namdev, Bhagat Ravi Das, or Bhatt Kalshar. A verse from Gur Nanak on page 465 in today's online or printed standard edition of the Guru Granth Sahib is referred to as follows: GGS, 465, M.1.

Verses from the Dasam Granth (DG), which contains the writings of the tenth Enlightened One Gur Gobind Singh, have a special significance for Sikhs belonging to the Khalsa order. They are marked as follows: DG, page. A verse from Gur Gobind Singh on page 290 in the Dasam Granth in today's online or printed standard edition is referred to as follows: DG, 290.

If a Wise One from the line of the ten successive Enlightened Ones is named directly, the respectful addition Gur is used according to Gurbani (ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ਭੰਨਣ ਘੜਣ ਸਮਰਥੁ ॥ GGS, 317, M.5; ਗੁਰ ਅਮਰਦਾਸ ਸਚੁ ਸਲੵ ਭਣਿ ਤੈ ਦਲੁ ਜਿਤਉ ਇਵ ਜੁਧੁ ਕਰਿ ॥੧॥ GGS, 1386, Bhatt Sal; ਸ੍ਰੀ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਗੁਰ ਰਾਮਦਾਸ ਚਿਤਹ ਬਸੈ ॥੧॥ GGS, 1404, Bhatt Mathura). This helps to distinguish the ambassador or the message (Gur) from the nameless source (Guru) that sends the message (ਬੋਲਾਇਆ ਬੋਲੀ ਖਸਮ ਦਾ ॥ GGS, 73, M.5; ਗੁਰਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਸਾ ਕਾਰ ਕਮਾਵਹੁ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਕਰਣੀ ਕਾਹੇ ਧਾਵਹੁ ॥ GGS, 929, M.1; ਭੁਲਣ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਅਭੁਲੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥ GGS, 60, M.1; ਆਦਿ ਅੰਤਿ ਏਕੈ ਅਵਤਾਰਾ॥ ਸੋਈ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਮਝਿਯਹੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ॥ DG, 1386).

Words from Gurbani are pronounced as closely as possible according to the original scripture. The rationale behind this is that vowels in Gurbani can have an impact on grammar and meaning. For instance, a short "u" (Aunkar, ਔਂਕੜ) can indicate the singular form, while a short "e" (Lavan, ਲਾਂਵਾਂ) can signify the preposition "through." Therefore, a proper understanding of Gurbani when listening to it without having the text in front of you can be achieved easier if the vowels are pronounced.

Words like Punjab (Panj Ab, land of the five waters), whose spelling has been established since colonization based on English spellings but does not correspond to the original spelling and pronunciation, are written in accordance with the original word; in this case Panjab.