SHABAD (Sanskrit śabda, of obscure etymology) is generally rendered as sound, voice or tone. Another series of meanings includes word, utterance, speech. In distinctive Sikh usage shabad means a hymn or sacred work from the Gurū Granth Sāhib. In the theological sense, it stands for the 'Word' revealed by the Gurū. In the Gurū Granth Sāhib it is spelt as sabad with its inflectional variations sabadu, sabadi and sabade. Its equivalent substitutes used in the Sikh Scripture are dhun or dhunī (Sanskrit dhvani), nād, anahat or anahad nād (Sanskrit nāda or anahata nāda), bachan, bāṇī, kavāo. Sabad is often linked with gurū to form gursabad or gur kā sabad (Gurū's word). Inasmuch as shabad is connected with both sound and voice, in English it may be rendered as 'word-sound'.

         In Gurū Nānak’s usage, and subsequently in that of his successor Gurūs, shabad means the Word of divine revelation or any aspect of Akālpurakh's revelation to mankind. The Word is 'spoken' by the voice of Akālpurakh. The 'voice' is the divine Gurū who may be one of the ten personal Gurūs of the Sikh tradition, but may also be the utterance of the mystical Gurū. This was particularly the case with Gurū Nānak for there was no personal Gurū who could speak the Word of Akālpurakh to him. The Gurūs' voice ---their utterances--as preserved in the Gurū Granth Sāhib is gurshabad or gurbāṇī. It is noteworthy that the term shabad, which occurs independently in the Gurū Granth Sāhib 1271 times, is also linked 572 times with the term gurū. It is nowhere used in the sense of ordinary human word or speech; in reference to common human speech other terms such as bolṇā, bolī, ākhan, kahan-kahāvan and kathan are used.

        The shabad or the Word is described in its frequent usage by Gurū Nānak and his successors more in terms of what it does than in terms of what it literally is. This is natural, for it is the function which gives it meaning and it is in actual experience that if is to be known rather than in any purely intellectual sense. One of the shades of signification of shabad is hukam, the Divine cosmic order or the Divine creative might. The word kavāo, a synonym of shabad, is used in this sense (GG, 3, 1003). And shabad itself: "By the Divine Word occur creation and dissolution; by the divine Word again comes about creation-- utapati parlau sabade hovai/sabade hī phiri opati hovai" (GG, 117). Again : "chahudisi hukamu varatai prabh terā chahudisi nāmu patālaṅ, sabh mahi sabadu varatai prabh sāchā karami milai baiālaṅ-- in all four directions, Lord ! is thy order operative; in all four directions and in the nether regions prevails thy Name. In all beings is manifest the eternal Lord's holy Word. By good fortune is the Eternal attained (GG, 1275). "Shabad not only creates, it also sustains (GG, 228, 282) as it also destroys and recreates (GG, 112.).

        Shabad is the subtle knowledge essential for emancipation. Says Gurū Rām Dās : "terā sabadu agocharu gurmukhi pāīai Nānak nāmi samāi jīu-- Thy invisible knowledge by the Master's guidance is obtained ; saith Nānak, this by absorption in the Name is attained" (GG, 448). "What can one offer to him through whom śabda is received? Offer him thy head, anulling egoism -- tisu kiā dījai ji sabadu suṇāe....ihu siru dījai āpu gavāe...." (GG, 424). "Quaff the Master's teaching that is amrit or elixir; thus shall thy self be rendered pure --gur kā sabadu amrit rasu pīu tā terā hoi nirmal jīu" (GG, 891). The Gurū's śabda is like an anchor for the wavering mind. Gurū Arjan says in the Sukhmanī "As is the edifice propped up by the pillar, so is the Gurū's śabda support of the mind -- jiu mandar kau thāmai thammanu, tiu gur kā sabadu manahi asthammanu" (GG, 282). In the Japu (GG, 8) in the line ghaṛīai sabadu sachi ṭaksāl, i.e. forge God-consciousness in such a holy mint, shabad is used in the sense of God-consciousness (jñāna). A similar sense is yielded by an affirmation in Gurū Amar Dās' Anandu : "Andarahu jin kā mohu tuṭā tin kā sabadu sachai savāriā -- they whose attachment to the world ceases their spiritual vision is purified" (GG, 917).

1. Sabadārth Srī Gurū Granth Sāhib. Amritsar, 1959
   ਍㰀氀椀 挀氀愀猀猀㴀∀䌀㄀∀㸀 䜀甀爀搀☀⌀㈀㔀㜀猀Ⰰ 䈀栀☀⌀㈀㔀㜀☀⌀㈀㤀㤀Ⰰ 㰀椀㸀嘀☀⌀㈀㔀㜀爀☀⌀㈀㔀㜀☀⌀㜀㜀㐀㤀㰀⼀椀㸀⸀ 䄀洀爀椀琀猀愀爀Ⰰ ㄀㤀㘀㈀㰀䈀刀㸀ഀഀ
2. Jodh Siṅgh, Bhāī, Gurmat Nirṇai. Lahore, 1932
   ਍㰀氀椀 挀氀愀猀猀㴀∀䌀㄀∀㸀 倀爀☀⌀㈀㤀㤀琀愀洀 匀椀☀⌀㜀㜀㐀㤀最栀Ⰰ 攀搀⸀Ⰰ 㰀椀㸀匀椀欀栀 倀栀愀氀猀愀瀀栀攀 搀☀⌀㈀㤀㤀 刀☀⌀㌀㘀㌀瀀 刀攀欀栀☀⌀㈀㔀㜀㰀⼀椀㸀⸀ 䄀洀爀椀琀猀愀爀Ⰰ ㄀㤀㜀㔀㰀䈀刀㸀ഀഀ
3. Nirukt Srī Gurū Granth Sāhib. Patiala, 1972
   ਍㰀氀椀 挀氀愀猀猀㴀∀䌀㄀∀㸀 䴀挀䰀攀漀搀Ⰰ 圀⸀䠀⸀Ⰰ 㰀椀㸀䜀甀爀甀 一愀渀愀欀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 匀椀欀栀 刀攀氀椀最椀漀渀㰀⼀椀㸀⸀ 伀砀昀漀爀搀Ⰰ ㄀㤀㘀㠀㰀䈀刀㸀ഀഀ
4. Sher Siṅgh, Philosophy of Sikhism. Lahore, 1944
   ਍㰀氀椀 挀氀愀猀猀㴀∀䌀㄀∀㸀 䨀漀搀栀 匀椀渀最栀Ⰰ 㰀椀㸀吀栀攀 刀攀氀椀最椀漀甀猀 倀栀椀氀漀猀漀瀀栀礀 漀昀 䜀甀爀甀 一愀渀愀欀㰀⼀椀㸀⸀ 䐀攀氀栀椀Ⰰ ㄀㤀㠀㌀㰀䈀刀㸀ഀഀ

W. H. McLeod