At the end of his life, in 1708, Guru Gobind Singh passed the mantle of the Guruship to the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. This ended the time of the physical masters of the Sikhs. And began the reign of the Shabad Guru, itself, as the Spiritual Light and Guide for the Sikh community. Additional Reference Publications:
The Sikh Religion Volumes 1-6 by Max Arthur Macauliffe
Living Reality by Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, Ph.D.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Darshan by Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, Ph.D.
Guru Nanak was a master of sound. In Guru Nanak’s time, only a human being could be considered a Guru. Yet, when people asked Guru Nanak who his Guru was, Guru Nanak would reply, “The Shabad.” Guru Nanak did not look to another person to guide him. In his mastery of sound, he could meditate, penetrate into the etheric realms, and simply hear the Universal Wisdom that calls the soul home. All teachings, all traditions, all books of wisdom are a tiny expression of that Sound of Wisdom. Guru Nanak had such a profound level of mastery, he could perceive and hear that Universal Sound directly. He referred to it as the “shabad” or as “gurbani” – the frequency of divine guidance. When Guru Nanak sang a song, he served as a channel for the Shabad. The songs he wrote become a living manifestation of the Shabad Guru. Then, other people could meditate upon these songs and awaken themselves.