6. Why is Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji Momentous ?

From time immemorial, ever since the Almighty created this universe such that, 'Jab Udkarkh kara Kartara, Parja Dharat tab Deh Apaara' (meaning- when the Creator expands his will, the whole universe issues forth), he has been sending Divine personalities into this world to guide humanity, which has strayed from its spiritual path to be reunited with its true origin i.e. the creator lord. These personalities, through their spiritual experience blessed by Almighty or by Divine revelation, tried to guide the human race with their knowledge to follow the path of Truth and thus unite with the original source. This knowledge or the spiritual experiences of these Divine personalities could not be preserved, captured or recorded in their own lifetime and no effort was made in this direction either. It could be possible that the conditions and environments were such that this message of God (divine communion and revelation) or celestial order couldn't be written during the life span of these noble souls. After a long gap of time, the teachings or true experience of these divine personalities were recorded through the writings of their disciples. The disciples wrote about what they saw or heard from their sheer memory. Ultimately, these writings became the Holy Granths for the world to read, worship and accept. This divine knowledge remained hidden for layers of time. It is difficult to say how much of this Divine Knowledge was exaggerated or deleted as it passed from one person to another but it is true that this did occur. Eminent English Scholar, Mr. McAuliffe on Feb. 13, 1899, while giving his views on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at Akaal Bunga, Amritsar said," : Sikhism surpasses other religions in its particular quality of writing and preserving its religious doctrine and Sermons. No doubt other religious doctrines had their own prophets, but they didn't write even a single line with their own hand. It is possible that you have heard the name of Pythagoras, a great scholar of Greece. History records he had many followers and was considered a man of knowledge and outstanding reputation. History also shows that he didn't write a single word regarding his insights with his own hand. Another great teacher and philosopher was Socrates who became famous as a religious philosopher and educator around the year 500 B.C. in Greece. He used to say that he had Divine communication with God, which directed him towards noble deeds and prohibited him from doing bad ones. But he too did not leave anything in writing, which would have helped in recollection of his ideology and rules about his religious practice. Whatever his teachings are known to the world, are known only through his pupil, "Aristotle". After that "Budha", the Great dominated the Indian horizon in the field of religion. He too didn't write a single word. After him, a great famous religious Guru "Jesus Christ", the Great came to this world. He also did not write any of his words like other Prophets. His teachings are known only through a book called bible. On the contrary, Sikh Guru's occupy a unique place in this field. They did write or get written their teachings and principles of truth and preserved it in the form of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji for us. There is no parallel to it. The famous intellectual of the Panth, a true devotee of Gurmat, imbued in Naam, DR. Bhai Vir Singh Ji has given his views based on the historical evidence in the preface of "Santhya Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji". The holy books of "Jainism" were written about 900 years after the death of its founder"Mahavir". Similarly in Buddhism, their Granths were written 300 years after the death of Mahatma Gautam Buddha's. The time period when the Veda was written is also vague and controversial. This can be well understood since at present there are 21 versions of Rig Veda, 50 of Athravan Veda, 109 of Yajur Veda, 1000 of Saam Veda, 17,000 Shalokas are missing from Vishnu Puran and 500 Shalokas are missing from Agni Puran. The numbers of Shalokas in other Purans are not matching. Out of all the religious books, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the only religious text, which has remained and is maintained in all its original, glorious form.