Composed around 1602-03 at Ramsar Sarovar in Amritsar, Sukhmani Sahib’s 24 ashtpadis (192 pauris) now reach global seekers beyond Sikh boundaries, invoking universal names like Ram, Hari and Prabh for the formless creator.
A book offering an accessible English rendering of the sacred Sikh composition by Guru Arjan Dev, titled ‘Sukhmani Sahib: The Guru’s Pathway to Inner Peace – A Seeker’s Line-by-Line English Translation with Essence’, by blending line-by-line translation with personal reflections on each Pauri’s (verse) essence, will be released at Gurdwara Patshahi Dasvin in Chandigarh on January 14.
Author, retired IAS officer KBS Sidhu, also known for his blog KBS Chronicle, completed the project, starting in mid-April 2025, publishing one Pauri daily through his newsletter. He built upon open-source translations by prior scholars, adding intros to each ‘ashtpadi’ and concise “essences” for contemplation, all while emphasising his human limitations and seeking forgiveness for any errors.
Sidhu said, “This is not commercial; it’s getting printed at my own personal cost. I will also make the PDF of the book available free of cost.”
“Targeted at young Sikhs and Sikh diaspora youth weak in Gurmukhi, Sindhi Sikh communities revering Guru Nanak and Guru Arjan Dev, and even broader Hindu seekers, the book bridges spiritual traditions irrespective of theistic or atheistic views, highlighting manifestations of Akal Purakh in familiar terms to foster inner peace universally,” Sidhu said.
Asked why he worked on this project, Sidhu said, “After my retirement, I have been running KBS Chronicle. On it, I used to keep writing on various topics — sometimes on Sikh history, and scripture readings. I also shared my translation of some verses from Sukhmani Sahib. It drew positive feedback, with many readers encouraging me to work more on this. The readers kept saying that there are translations, but some of them are too literal. And because of this, you should translate.”
“I am not a trained scholar in Sikh or religious studies, in general. I have no claims of mastery or authority. What I offer is a seeker’s voice — a servant’s humble attempt to understand the depths of the divine wisdom encapsulated in these sacred lines,” he said.
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