I have a question. Basically I started reading an edition of the ‘Sukhmani Sahib’. I believe it’s the 2002 edition that was edited by an Indian author named Harbans Singh Doabia. It contains the original Gurumukhi script and roman textures and also features an English translation. I was reading the ‘preface’ which is at the beginning of the book and gives a slight introduction; however I came across a piece of text which I found quite intriguing.
This is the text quoted “The Sukhmani Sahib does confer peace and all Divine Gifts on the sincere devotee by his constant worship, remembrance and repetition of the name etc. This name is ‘Waheguru’ as ordained by the Satgurus. Sincere prayers and following the ways shown in the sacred Gurbani will enable the sincere devotee to come in contact with the ‘WORD’ (which is unbounded and cannot be written in back and white and which possesses all the virtues and powers of God).”
That was the text I didn’t quite understand. It also went on to say “It is submitted that the ‘Shabad or Word’ has been described in various ways by the Gurbani. For instance it is mentioned as ‘Naunidh Naam’ (Ambrosial Divine Name, see Astpadi 23-i). We have to discover and see the divine within us, as ordered by the Satgurus. This subject will be dealt with in some details somewhere else.
My question is what is this ‘WORD’ referring to? Or even more what is this ‘WORD’? I was thinking maybe it was referring to the name ‘Waheguru’ at first but that’s not possible since it already mentioned ‘Waheguru’ several times. Is this ‘WORD’ actually mentioned somewhere or does the individual just come to the realisation of it? What intrigued me the most perhaps was when it mentioned “possess all the virtues and powers of God”. At this point I was thinking maybe it’s not referring to a word but maybe a being, a ritual, God itself, another name of God.
Anyone who is educated in this topic and knows a lot, please answer this question for me and give a good explanation. I would love reading the answer behind this.