Jaap Sahib was composed by the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh. Jaap Sahib is made up of 199 pauris or verses, in the form of rhymed couplets and the vocabulary is superb.
Jaap Sahib is a total and complete introduction to a non-individual Creator (God), or Nature itself.
The verses are in the form of rhymed couplets and the vocabulary and ingenuity are superb.
The immortal One is far beyond human comprehension, and Guru Gobind Singh has gracefully presented a composition for one to get an insight into the Supreme Being.
Jaap Sahib is a rhythmic hymn, composed like a necklace with pearls and jewels beautifully arranged around a string (the string refers to the Supreme God); the pearls and jewels are His attributes, virtues, and glories. Jaap Sahib is an introduction to God.
The glories sung (composed) by Guru Gobind Singh revolve around the following attributes of God: God is metaphysical, beyond time, Eternal, Unborn, not created, Self-existent, and without form, feature, color or contour. Therefore, neither can He be described or depicted, nor can anyone make His image or idol.
God is Universal, pervading in all of His manifestations. He cannot be confined to any particular place, land, country, religion, race, body or name. God is the Creator of the Universe and the laws governing it. His Law and Justice is Righteous and Ultimate. God is pervasive in His Creation and also extends beyond it; He is thus ingrained in His Creation and at the same time transcends it. God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and omniscient. Nothing can happen outside of His Will; whether good or evil, He is the Creator-Sustainer-Destroyer of His Creation. He Himself is the Life of life, the Death of death. He is the Darkness of darkness, the Light of light.
Enjoy this humble translation, and feel for yourself the Greatness of the Greatest.