This list of words provides a core vocabulary of about 330 of the most fequently used words in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, in order of frequency of usage (beginning with the words used most often)

(Abreviations: GL - Gurbani Language; MP - Modern Punjabi; var-variant; PP- postposition; v-verb; n-noun.)

GLWord

Romans

Meaning in English

hir

Har

God

namu

Naam

Name, God Conciousness, Divine Presence

gur

Gur, Guru

Divine Master, Enlightner, Teacher

rhaxu

Rahaau

Pause, (marks chorus, or main theme line)

mhla

Mahalaa

Identifies which Guru is author, neighborhood

ram

Raam

God, all prevading Spirit

gurmuiK

Gurmukh

In tune with the Guru

pRB

Prabh

Beloved

swa

Sadaa

Always

mnu

man

mind, self, mortal

sitgur

satgur

True or Perfect Guru, God

jIxu

jeeo

soul or life; respectful and affectionate appelation (Jee in MP)

ibnu

bin

without

jn

jan

(devoted) servant, slave

sB

sabh

all

guN

gun

quality, merit, virtue

mih

meh

in (postposition)

scu

sach

true, eternal

k]

ko

to (pp - noo in MP), any or which (koee in MP)

sbiw

sabad (or shabad)

Word, Naam

suKu

sukh

happiness, peace

maieAa

maayaa

worldly entaglements, illusionary & transient

s;ig

sang

with, close

hxu

hau

I (pronoun)

pRsaiw

prasaad (or parsaad)

grace, kindness, mercy

s]eI

soee

that one

ikrpa

kirpaa

kindness, mercy

s;t

sant

saintly person in tune with God, often used for Guru

A;tir

antar

within, in (MP - vich)

Bgit

bhagat

devotee of God, saintly person

isxu

siu

(pp) to, with (MP - noo)

ikAa

kiaa

what (MP - kee)

sgl

sagal

all

hxum{

haumai

ego, pride, sense of I (separate from God & creation)

paeIA{

paaeeay

obtain

h[

hay

O (form of address)

Gir

ghar

home

sbwu

shabad

Word

hm

hum

We, I

khu

kahu

says (kehna - to say)

Aav{

aavai

comes (aanaa, aavnaa - to come)

BaeI

bhaaee

brother, friend (used as address)

suAamI

suaamee

Master, Lord, Husband; (syn - thakur) (MP- maalik)

Aasa

aasaa

hope, desire

srb

sarab

all

tnu

tan

body

int

nit

daily - (MP - roz) (syn andin)

Bav{

bhaavai

to ge pleasing, appeal to

paeI

paaeeay

obtain

Be[

bhae

become

pUrn

pooran

complete, perfect

rsu

ras

delicious taste, enjoyment, spiritual rapture

ilv

liv

deep continuous love and absorption

iPir

phir

again

s[va

sevaa

service

jnm

janam

birth

jIA

jeea

living being, tongue

baNI

baanee

speech, Word

shij

sehaj

state of peace and balance, tranquility, spontaneous, naturally - with the flow, in tune with the Infinite

naxu

naau

Naam, name

e[k

ek

one (MP - ik)

krih

kareh

karnaa - to do

AaieAa

aaiaa

aanaa - to come

krm

karam

grace, action

r;ig

rang

dye, love

Aniwnu

andin

daily

crn

charan

feet - symbolizes devotion, humility

A;imRt

amrit

nectar, immortality

wuK

dukh

suffering, unhappiness

saW

sadh

saintly person,

kIAa

keeaa

action (MP - keeta)

krta

kartaa

creator

pRIit

preet

love

Avru

avar

other

Baie

bhaai

pleases; will; love (doojaa bhaai - duality)

vs{

vasai

live, abide

ivic

vich

in, within

mit

mat

wisdom, not

ipAar[

piaaray

beloved

purKu

purakh

person, being, God

jm

jam

death, god of death

vidAaeI

vadiaaee

greatness, glory

k]io

kot

millions (lit. 10 million)

mha

mahaa

great

j]it

jot

light

ihrw{

hirdai

(in the) heart, mind (MP - dil) abbrev: ridai

inrml

nirmal

pure (mal=impurity)

B{

bhai

fear ; syn - bhau

nwir

nadar

grace

wUja

doojaa

second, other, duality

pit

pat

honor

suiN

sun

listen

gurmit

gurmat

the Guru's teaching, wisdom

muiK

mukh

mouth, face, word

bil

bal

strenght, power; sacrifice (balihaaree)

Bxu

bhau

fear (bhaao - love)

Aink

anik

(var. anek) many

wata

daataa

giver

git

gat

state, emancipation

was

daas

(devoted) servant, slave

wieAal

daiaal

kind, generous

mukit

mukat

liberated (muktee = liberation)

mnmuK

manmukh

self-willed, (opp. of Gurmukh)

sit

sat

truth

ibiW

bidh

Method, way

smaie

samaai

absorbed in

jgu

jag

world

wir

dar

door, portal

Agm

agam

incomprehensible (attribute of God); unapproachable

hukmu

hukam

command, will

kml

kamal

lotus

Oakur

thakur

Master

jb

jab

when

ictu

chit

mind, heart

ieh

eh

this

wanu

daan

charity, gift

ibKu

bikh

poison, sin

Wn

dhan

wealth; blessed

m[il

mel

union; melnaa - to unite

wrgh

dargeh

court

igAanu

giaan

knowledge, realization

mr{

marai

dies (marnaa - to die)

rt[

ratay

steeped, absorbed

iwnu

din

day

Ait

at

very

ismir

simar

remember with love, hold in your heart, meditate

A;wir

andar

in, within

m]h

moh

attachment, excessive unhealthy love; mohnaa - to attract or fascinate

iniW

nidh

treasure

saWs;ig

saadhsangat

holy company

iliKAa

likhiaa

written, destined (likhna- to write)

mir

mar

marnaa - to die; janam maran = birth & death

wIn

deen

poor, humble; religion, spiritual world

jsu

jas

glory

iWAaieAa

dhiaaiaa

meditate on, remember, repeat name

Go

ghat

vessel, heart, being

jxu

jau

if

p;c

panch

five, select

g]ib;w

gobind

God (var - Govind, Govinda)

pap

paap

sin

pair

paar

beyond, other shore

saihbu

saahib

Master, lord, term of respect

wieAa

daiaa

mercy

mair

maar

kill

rsna

rasnaa

tongue, speech

ivNu

vin

(syn. bin) without

Wuir

dhur

destined, primal

BI

bhee

also (MP: vee)

Baxu

bhaau

love

tb

tab

then

parbRhm

paarbrahm

God, Transcendental Reality

ipru

pir

Divine Spouse

inWanu

nidhaan

treasure

C]id

chhoD

abandon, leave

s;git

sangat

association, company

vdBagI

vadhbaagee

fortunate

ttu

tat

sublime essence

prm

param

supreme

kImit

keemat

price, value

bahir

baahar

outside, besides

itRsna

trisnaa

thirst, desire

kam

kaam

lust, physical pleasures

wrsnu

darsan

vision, experience of being in Presence

jl

jal

water (mp - paanee)

pavih

paaveh

paavna - to obtain

mstik

mastak

Forehead (MP mathaa)

Brmu

bharam

doubt, confusion

kaieAa

kaaiaa

body, self

pRItm

preetam

beloved

m{lu

mael

impurity

visAa

vasiaa

dwells

pR[m

prem

love

Agin

agan

fire

bRhm

brahm

Absolute Lord

Wrm

dharam

righteous actions, duty, religion

bhutu

bahut

much, lots, very

wIAa

deeaa

gave

Plu

phal

fruit

inrBxu

nirbhau

free from fear

xUpir

oopar

on, above

igAanI

giaanee

wise, knowledgable

Aru

ar

and

j;t

jant

being, creature

kar

kaar

task, affair

nr

nar

Man, mortal

s]Ba

sobhaa

glory

manu

maan

pride, honor

b[w

bed

Vedas (hindu scripture)

iKnu

khin

moment, instant

pRan

praan

life

ipta

pitaa

father

jgtu

jagat

world

b;Wn

bandhan

bonds, fetters

j]gI

jogee

yogi, one seeking union with God

mIt

meet

dear friend

riv

rav

permeating

A;it

ant

end, limit

kalu

kaal

death, time

kvn

kavan

which

rtnu

ratan

gem

kUzu

kooR

false

s;saru

sansaar

world

A;trjamI

antarjaami

Knower of deepest thoughts (God), Inner Guide

wurmit

durmat

evil mindedness

buiW

budh

intellect, wisdom

imlae[

milaa-e

help to meet, unite

sagr

saagar

ocean

prapit

paraapat

possess, obtain

jait

jaat

caste, social status, species

kR]Wu

krodh

anger, wrath

AaO

aath

eight

BaNa

bhaana

Will

g]pal

gopaal

God, cherisher of the world

Xo

ot

support

pUja

poojaa

worship

Arwais

ardaas

prayer

WUir

dhoor

dust

pCaN{

pachaaNai

(pachhananaa) to recognize

itAaig

tiaag

abandon, give up, renounce

ip;du

pind

body

j]in

jon

(var- joon)incarnation, life (in birth/life cycle), species

mIOa

meethaa

sweet (MP - mitha)

Bla

bhalaa

good

mUrK

moorakh

fool

inr;jnu

niranjan

God, The One unsullied by Maya or pollution

p[iK

pekh

pekhna - to see (syn. dekhna)

kul

kul

clan, ancestory

mata

maataa

mother

isRsio

srist

creation, universe

sut

sut

son, child

inkio

nikat

near, close

hmara

hamaaraa

Our, my

Bag

bhaag

bhaagna - to run away; bhaag - fortune, destiny

xUca

oochaa

high

tr{

tarai

tarnaa -swim, be saved; taraana - to save, help to swim

ic;ta

chintaa

worry (MP - fikar) (achintaa - free from worry)

narI

naaree

woman, wife

kla

kalaa

art, technique

l]B

lobh

greed

smrT

samrath

potent, capable

Ksm

khasam

master, God

imit

mit

measure (n)

s[j

sej

bed; divine bed representing union between God and the soul bride

nal[

naalay

(pp) with

pg

pag

foot

bat

baat

story, issue, conversation (syn. Gal)

B;dar

bhanDaar

warehouse, treasure

karj

kaaraj

affair, task

BrpUir

bharpoor

completely full

xupw[su

updes

teachings, preaching

grB

garabh

womb

srIr

sareer

body, self

b[A;t

be-ant

infinite; without an end

pu;n

pun

virtue, good deed

ibWata

bidhaataa

architect of destiny, God

mn]rT

manorath

hope, desire

AvgN

avgan

sin, weakness

isPit

sifat

praise, glory

B;jn

bhanjan

destroyer

b[ntI

bentee

prayer, request

bairk

baarik

child

j]ru

jor

power, to join (jorna)

inr;karu

nirankaar

The Formless One, God

prgasu

pargaas

Light, enlightenment

ivkar

vikaar

sins, evil

xuWr[

udharay

udharnaa - to be liberated

vsaieAa

vasaaiaa

vasnaa - to live, abide, be enshrined

pwarT

padaarath

substance, essence, treasure

Bir

bhar

full, overflowing

xupav

upaav

effort, way or solution

vaj[

vaajay

rings, play as of music

Oxur

thaur

Sanctuary, place of rest, support

s;gI

sangee

companion

AaigAa

aagiaa

command, direction

xUjl

oojal

bright, pure

smal[

samaalay

cherish, take care of, remember

jp

jap

repeat Name, medidate

sas

saas

breath

m]ihAa

mohiaa

mohanaa- to fascinate, attract

ivsair

visaar

forget; MP - bhulnaa

inrguN

nirguN

without any merit; absolute and unmanifested (God)

praeI

paraaee

stranger, not one of us, belonging to someone else

isAanp

siaanap

cleverness, wisdom

canNu

chaanan

light

kurbaNu

kurbaan

sacrifice

Wavt

dhaavat

running (dhaavnaa - to run)

pRitpal

pratipaal

cherish, take care of (pratipalak - cherisher)

svair

savaar

to set right, decorate,

AWar

adhaar

support

bUJih

boojhai

(v) understands

ibgs{

bigsai

blooms forth, joyous, radiant

janhu

jaanau

jananaa - to know

raKa

raakhaa

Protector (rakhshaa - protection), caretaker

srn

saran

shelter, protection (var. sharan, sarnaaee)

rhu

raho

stay, remain

ctur

chatur

clever, intelligent

wrw

darad

Pain, suffering

Gn[r[

ghanere

lots, great

saj[

saaje

fashions, creates

xUOt

oothat

while rising, standing; MP - uthnaa

bRhm;d

brahmand

universe

ApraWI

apraadhee

sinner, guilty

gl

gal

thing, talk

s]vt

sovat

sleeping; sovana - to sleep

kIrtn

keertan

singing praises, spiritual music

grIb

gareeb

poor, humble

Aol

aTal

eternal

isAaNa

siaaNaa

wise

sumit

sumat

sublime wisdom

Brvasa

bharvaasaa

trust, confidence. Var - bharosaa

ma:g{

maangai

asks

vrn

varan

n. color or caste; v. to desribe

w[s

des

abode, country, land

nmskar

namaskaar

salutation, bow in humility

nIka

neekaa

good, sublime

Ah;kar

ahankaar

pride, ego

imhrvan

meharvaan

generous, compassionate

saTI

saathee

companion

v{ru

vair

enmity (var. bair); vairee or bairee - enemy

AaigAakarI

aagiaa-kaari

obedient

lag

laag

(laagna) -to be attached

prvar

parvaar

family

m;tR

mantr

Word, secret (also mant)

slah

salaah

to praise

K;dn

khanDan

destroy

jagna

jaagna

to be awake, spiritually aware

AaO phr

aath pehar

24 hours, day and night

bRhm igAanI

brahm giaanee

God-conscious person, in tune with God

Wrm raie

dharam raai

righteous judge (hindu mythology) who judges all beings

hlit plit

halat palat

this world and the next

 

 Chardi Kalaa Home Page Please E-mail us your comments & suggestions