How to interpret Gurbani:
Whenever we begin to interpret Gurbani, we have to ascertain whether the composition of Gurbani is a ‘Sabad’, a ‘Chhant’ or a ‘Vaar’. The interpretation methodology of each is unique.
In the present post, we shall discuss the methodology of interpretation of ‘Sabad’.
Each Sabad constitutes of stanzas. Each stanza is numbered sequentially. However, after first stanza, there might be a unique stanza termed as ‘Rahao’. The numbering of Rahao stanza is always independent from the sequential numbering of other stanzas of the ‘Sabad’.
The methodology of interpretation is mentioned in the title of Sabad as type of Ghar (as ਘਰੁ੧, ਘਰੁ ੨ etc.).
Each type of Ghar represents a unique method of Gurbani interpretation. In this post, let us understand the interpretation of GhaR 1 (ਘਰੁ ੧):
Interpreting Ghar 1:
Ordinarily, the message of Gurbani in GhaR 1 is accomplished in just one sentence. At times, when the message goes beyond one sentence, it has still to be understood understanding each sentence as a unit. This means there are never more than one messages in a single sentence, which is quite common in all other types of GhaR.
Interpreting Rahao (ਰਹਾਉ):
While the type of the Ghar in the title of Sabad is applicable to all stanzas of the Sabad, the stanza of Rahao, if any, is independent (ਰਿਹਾਅ) from that type of Ghar. Thus, the message of Gurbani in the Rahao stanza (often the central idea of Sabad) has never to be understood in the same Ghar that is applicable to all other stanzas of the Sabad.
The Sabad in the attached video is in Ghar 1 (‘ਘਰੁ ੧’).