There is a procedure for establishment of ghars in tuks of sabad and chhants. The ghars in tuks can be established by the following steps;
- Step One – Ghar of the sabad or chhant::
The first and foremost step is to determine the Ghar of the sabad or chhant. The Ghar of sabad /chhant might be mentioned in the heading of the sabad /chhant. If Ghar is not mentioned in the heading, then headings of previous sabads or chhants should be examined. The heading of Ghar on previous sabads/ chhants is applicable to all the sabads/chhants, that follow.
The Table 23 in this book depicts Ghar of all sabads and chhants in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, therefore, is quite helpful in this regard.
- Step Two – The meaning of Gurbani:
The ghars in tuks are determined by knowledge of meanings of Gurbani. Here under are few examples, wherein ghars in tuks of Gurbani are determined solely on the basis of knowledge of meanings of Gurbani;
1ਮੀਤ ਸਾਜਨ ਸੁਤ ਬੰਧਪਾ 2ਕੋਊ ਹੋਤ ਨ ਸਾਥ ॥ (SGGS 431)
There are two ghars in the above tuk precisely because the first ghar lists all relationships viz. “ਮੀਤ ਸਾਜਨ ਸੁਤ ਬੰਧਪਾ”, and the second ghar is the declaration viz. “ਕੋਊ ਹੋਤ ਨ ਸਾਥ” applicable to all the relations in first ghar.
1ਜੋਗੀ ਜਤੀ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਤੇ 2ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਭਗਵੇ ਭੇਖ ਭਏ॥੧॥ (SGGS 358)
There are two ghars in the above tuk since the first ghar refers to the disciplined lifestyle of yogis and jatis i.e. “ਜੋਗੀ ਜਤੀ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਤੇ”, and the second ghar describes their attire i.e. “ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਭਗਵੇ ਭੇਖ ਭਏ”.
1ਜਹ ਜਹ ਦੇਖਾ 2ਤਹ ਤਹ ਤੂ ਹੈ 3ਤੁਝ ਤੇ ਨਿਕਸੀ ਫੂਟਿ ਮਰਾ॥੧॥ (SGGS 25)
It is the context of fish in water. Wherever I (i.e. fish) see (within water), is the first ghar, You (The God) are everywhere, is the second ghar. The third ghar is that I shall perish if I come out of you (the water). ‘ਜਹ’ and ‘ਤਹ’ are indicators of first two ghars.
If there is any ambiguity in determination of ghars even after understanding the meanings of Gurbani or when there is ambiguity in the determination of uniform meaning of any tuk of Gurbani, the diacritical indicators on the last letters of words in tuks of Gurbani indicate ghars. And when combined with meanings of Gurbani, these diacritical marks help in determination of ghars in sentences of Gurbani.
- Step Three – The indicators of ghars in tuks of Gurbani:
With establishment of concept of Ghar, the hitherto underexplored significance of diacritical marks on the last letter of words in sentences of Gurbani has been put forth. The diacritical marks viz. sihari, bihari, onker and dullawan, that are associated with last letter of words, indicate presence of ghars in tuks of Gurbani.
Sihari Diacritical Mark:
1ਸਫਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ 2ਗੁਰੁ ਮੇਰੈ ਮਾਥੈ ॥ (SGGS 535)
The sihari diacritical mark in ‘ਮੂਰਤਿ’ signifies the first ghar in above tuk whereas onker diacritical mark in ‘ਗੁਰੁ’ signifies the beginning of second ghar.
1ਮਨ ਭੀਤਰਿ 2ਹੋਵੈ ਪਰਗਾਸੁ ॥ (SGGS 1235)
The sihari diacritical mark in ‘ਭੀਤਰਿ’ signifies the first ghar in above tuk whereas dullawan diacritical mark in ‘ਹੋਵੈ’ signifies the beginning of second ghar.
1ਤਾ ਕੀ ਸੰਗਤਿ 2ਨਾਨਕੁ ਰਹਦਾ 3ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਮੂੜਾ ਪਾਵੈ ॥ (SGGS 731)
The sihari diacritical mark in ‘ਸੰਗਤਿ’ signifies the first ghar; the onker diacritical mark in ‘ਨਾਨਕੁ’ signifies the second ghar whereas another onker diacritical mark in ‘ਕਿਉ’ along with the question raised thereby signifies the third ghar in the above tuk.
Bihari Diacritical Mark:
1ਦੇਵਤਿਆ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੈ ਤਾਈ 2ਦੂਖ ਭੂਖ ਤੀਰਥ ਕੀਏ॥ (SGGS 358)
The bihari diacritical mark in ‘ਤਾਈ’ signifies the first ghar in above tuk and the remaining tuk, therefore, comprises of the second ghar.
1ਧਿਆਨੀ 2ਧਿਆਨੁ ਲਾਵਹਿ ॥ (SGGS 71)
The bihari diacritical mark in ‘ਧਿਆਨੀ’ signifies the first ghar wherein special ponder is being proposed on the term ‘ਧਿਆਨੀ’ by way of first ghar of the tuk. The onker diacritical mark in ‘ਧਿਆਨੁ’ signifies the beginning of second ghar in the above tuk.
1ਮਿਤਿ ਨਾਹੀ 2ਜਾ ਕਾ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥ (SGGS 1235)
The bihari diacritical mark in ‘ਨਾਹੀ’ signifies the first ghar in above tuk and the remaining tuk, therefore, constitutes of the second ghar.
1ਅਮਰੁ ਅਜੋਨੀ 2ਜਾਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਲਾ ॥ (SGGS 838)
The bihari diacritical mark in ‘ਅਜੋਨੀ’ signifies the first ghar while the sihari diacritical mark in ‘ਜਾਤਿ’ signifies the beginning of second ghar in the above tuk.
Onker Diacritical Mark:
1ਜਤ ਕਤ ਪੇਖਉ 2ਤਤ ਤਤ ਸਾਥੈ ॥ (SGGS 535)
The onker diacritical mark in ‘ਪੇਖਉ’ signifies the first ghar in the tuk. The second half of the tuk that begins with ‘ਤਤ’ corresponds to ‘ਜਤ’ in the beginning of first ghar, constituting the second ghar in the above tuk.
1ਗਿਆਨੀ 2ਗਿਆਨੁ ਕਮਾਵਹਿ ॥ (SGGS 71)
After first ghar in the above tuk is asserted by bihari diacritical mark in ‘ਗਿਆਨੀ’, the onker diacritical mark in ‘ਗਿਆਨੁ’ signifies the second ghar.
1ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ 2ਹਰਿ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਸਦ ਧਿਆਵਹੁ 3ਤਾ ਜੈ ਜੈ ਕਰੇ 4ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥੪॥ (SGGS 368)
The word Nanak, in itself, or in combination with other words is always a ghar in any tuk. Therefore, ‘ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ’ is the first ghar of the tuk. The second ghar is extended up to onker diacritical mark in ‘ਧਿਆਵਹੁ’ while fourth ghar in the tuk is determined by onker diacritical mark in ‘ਸਭੁ’in above tuk.
1ਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਜਨੁ 2ਅਗਿਆਨ ਬਿਨਾਸੁ ॥੧॥ (SGGS 1235)
The onker diacritical mark in ‘ਅੰਜਨੁ’ signifies the first ghar in the tuk. The second ghar is extended up to the onker diacritical mark in ‘ਬਿਨਾਸੁ’ in the above tuk.
Dullawan Diacritical Mark:
1ਕਬ ਕੋਊ ਲੋਗਨ ਕਉ ਪਤੀਆਵੈ 2ਲੋਕਿ ਪਤੀਣੈ ਨਾ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥ (SGGS 368)
The dullawan diacritical mark in ‘ਪਤੀਆਵੈ’ signifies the first ghar in the tuk. The second ghar is signified by sihari diacritical mark in ‘ਲੋਕਿ’ in the above tuk.
1ਜਿਨ ਡਿਠਿਆ 2ਮਨੁ ਰਹਸੀਐ 3ਕਿਉ ਪਾਈਐ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਸੰਗੁ ਜੀਉ ॥ (SGGS 760)
While the onker diacritical mark in ‘ਮਨੁ’ cuts short the first ghar, the second ghar is extended up to dullawan diacritical mark in ‘ਰਹਸੀਐ’ thus, rendering third ghar of the remaining tuk that also raises a question identified by onker diacritical mark in ‘ਕਿਉ’ in the above tuk.
1ਗਿਆਨੁ 2ਗਿਆਨੁ ਕਥੈ 3ਸਭੁ ਕੋਈ ॥ (SGGS 831)
The second ghar in the above tuk is asserted by dullawan diacritical mark in ‘ਕਥੈ’.
1ਸੋ ਬੂਝੈ 2ਜਿਸੁ ਆਪਿ ਬੁਝਾਏ ॥ (SGGS 839)
The dullawan diacritical mark in ‘ਬੂਝੈ’ signifies the first ghar in the tuk. The second ghar is signified by onker diacritical mark in ‘ਜਿਸੁ’ in the above tuk.
Oora (open):
1ਜਿਤੁ ਕੋ ਲਾਇਓ 2ਤਿਤ ਹੀ ਲਾਗਾ 3ਤੈਸੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇਓ ॥ (SGGS 1017)
Open oora in ‘ਲਾਇਓ ’ signifies the first ghar.
1ਗਾਇਓ ਰੀ ਗਾਇਓ 2ਪ੍ਰਭ ਨਾਨਕ 3ਗੁਨੀ ਗਹੇਰੋ ॥ (SGGS 1306)
The first ghar in the above tuk is signified by an open oora in ‘ਗਾਇਓ’.
1ਸਾਧ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਗੁਰੁ 2ਭੇਟਿਓ ਨਾਨਕ 3ਮਿਲਿ ਸਾਗਰ 4ਬੂੰਦ ਨਹੀ ਅਨ ਹੇਰਾ ॥ (SGGS 827)
The open oora which in ‘ਭੇਟਿਓ’ in combination with Nanak constitutes the second ghar in the above tuk.
Thus, with the three steps above, the ghars in tuks of Gurbani can be determined with uniformity which would lead to establishment of Ghar of entire sabad or chhant.