Gurbani: A Linguistic and Ontological Analysis
Gurbani, the sacred scripture of Sikhs as enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib (GGS), presents a unique linguistic and ontological framework that challenges conventional subject-object duality. While many philosophical traditions, particularly those rooted in Sanskritic thought, maintain a distinction between the subject (knower) and the object (known), Gurbani deconstructs this division, revealing an experiential reality where the knower, knowing, and known merge into Naam (Divine Consciousness). This article explores how the language of Gurbani achieves this deconstruction through poetic expression, paradoxical statements, and ontological dissolution of egoic distinctions.
Introduction
Languages that shape spiritual and philosophical traditions often reflect the ontological perspectives they uphold. Sanskrit, the classical language of Hindu philosophical texts, follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) structure, reinforcing the dualistic nature of reality in many of its philosophical frameworks, such as Dvaita (dualism) and Advaita (non-dualism). However, Gurbani, composed in a blend of Sant Bhasha, Braj, Persian, and Punjabi, transcends these grammatical constraints and instead operates in a way that dissolves subject-object distinctions.
This paper examines how Gurbani’s linguistic structure and its deeper ontological philosophy work together to deconstruct duality and reveal an experiential understanding of Oneness (Ik Oankar).
Subject-Object Duality in Classical Linguistic Structures
Many languages, including Sanskrit, inherently maintain a subject-object distinction as a fundamental grammatical and conceptual structure. For example:
- रामः पुस्तकं पठति (Rāmaḥ pustakaṁ paṭhati)
- Rama (subject) reads (verb) the book (object).
Even in Advaita Vedanta, which philosophically asserts non-duality, the grammatical structure retains distinctions between the self (Atman), the supreme reality (Brahman), and the world (Maya). The need to “realize” non-duality implies that duality is first accepted at the cognitive level before being transcended.
Gurbani, however, bypasses this cognitive dualism by presenting reality in a way that already assumes non-duality as the fundamental state.
Gurbani’s Unique Linguistic Approach 
Gurbani employs various linguistic mechanisms to dissolve subject-object distinctions:
- Metaphors of Interconnectedness:
“ਜਲ ਤੇ ਤਰੰਗ, ਤਰੰਗ ਤੇ ਹੈ ਜਲੂਆ ॥” (SGGS 1252) “The wave is from the water, and in the wave, the water is seen.”
- Here, wave (individual self) and water (Divine reality) are not separate entities but one continuous existence.
- The absence of a distinct subject and object emphasizes fluidity rather than separation.
- Paradoxical Expressions:
“ਤੂੰ ਮੈਹਿ ਮੈਹਿ ਤੂਹਿ” (SGGS 93) “You are in me, and I am in You.”
- This direct expression of unity dissolves boundaries between knower and known.
- Unlike Advaita, which distinguishes Atman from Brahman before merging them, Gurbani already assumes indivisibility.
- Naam as the Collapse of Duality:
“ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ” (Sat Naam Karta Purakh)
- The “True Name” is not an object to be known but a state of being that eliminates the separation between self and the Divine.
- This directly opposes the subject-object construct of conventional linguistic frameworks.
- Verb-Centric Expressions Instead of Objectification:
- While Sanskrit often employs noun-based ontological categories (e.g., Atman, Brahman), Gurbani emphasizes verbs and relational expressions.
- Instead of static definitions, Gurbani presents existence as a dynamic interplay of Divine Consciousness.
Ontological Implications: Beyond Cognitive Realization
The deconstruction of subject-object duality in Gurbani is not merely a linguistic device but a profound ontological stance:
- Haumai (Ego) as the Root of Duality:
“Haumai deeragh rog hai, daaroo bhi is maahi.” (SGGS 466) “Ego is a deep disease; its cure lies within itself.”
- Unlike other traditions that emphasize intellectual realization of non-duality, Gurbani points to ego as the source of perceived separation.
- The dissolution of Haumai is equivalent to the dissolution of the subject-object distinction.
- Naam as the Direct Experience of Non-Duality:
- Unlike Sanskrit’s approach to realization through study, debate, or meditative abstraction, Gurbani asserts that Naam itself dissolves the gap between subject and object.
- Naam is not an object of knowledge but a state of being where “knower, knowing, and known” are one.
- Ik Oankar: The Ontology of Unity
- The foundational statement of Sikh metaphysics, Ik Oankar, does not identify a subject and object.
- It is a statement of unity rather than definition, thereby avoiding any cognitive dualism.
Gurbani’s language, structure, and ontological framework present a revolutionary deconstruction of subject-object duality. Unlike Sanskrit, which maintains cognitive and grammatical distinctions even in Advaita discourse, Gurbani bypasses these categories altogether. Through fluid metaphors, paradoxical expressions, verb-centric formulations, and the concept of Naam, Gurbani presents a direct, experiential, and immediate realization of Oneness without requiring a transition from duality to non-duality.
This approach has profound implications for psycho-spiritual well-being, consciousness studies, and integrative health models, where the elimination of duality leads to inner coherence, resilience, and holistic healing.
Future Research Directions
- Comparative studies on how different languages construct or dissolve subject-object distinctions in spiritual texts.
- Empirical studies on how reading and meditating on Naam-centered Gurbani affects consciousness and cognitive patterns.
- Application of Gurbani’s non-dual ontological model in psycho-spiritual therapy and integrative medicine.