Ik-Oankar

Guru Granth Sahib is comprised of 1430 pages, but the essential learning is said to be stated in the opening verse itself. The scripture opens with the word “Ik-Oankar”, which is better understood if we examine it in parts. It becomes clear then that the first word in the Guru Granth Sahib, “Ik”, is really not a word but a digit. It is the number one, written in the Gurmukhi script.

When the Teacher begins to talk of Him, he starts by uttering

, “Ik”, meaning singularity. To the evolved devotee, ready to absorb the true impact of this deep statement, the significance can quickly strike home. There is none but One, “Ik”. For such a devotee, there remain no further questions to ask—if all is One, what else is there to know? Questions dissolve when all duality mixes into one singularity. But some asked, “Who is the One?” The answer is given in the next word,”Oankar”—the One who uttered the Primal Sound, and creation came to be. This exposition is enough for some, meaning that there is none but the One, and all exists as created by Him. But still others ask, “What are the qualities of such a One?”

And the Guru Granth Sahib answers:

True is His name, the Doer-Creator, the Protector.

And then the scripture mentions these qualities:

Free of fear/Without enemies/Timeless and undying of Form Beyond birth/Self existent.

Such a wondrous Creator, how do we realize him? And the Guru Granth Sahib has an unambiguous answer:

Through the grace and merciful gift of the Teacher will you find Him.

This opening verse of the Guru Granth Sahib is referred to as the Mool Mantra, or the basic formula of understanding the scripture itself. The Guru Granth Sahib begins with intonation of “Ik-Oankar”, which is clarified by the Mool Mantra, and the rest of the scripture can be seen as a detailed exposition of these concepts. “Ik-Oankar” is the very foundation of the scripture.