The word Sikh literally means "a learner" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "shishya" which means disciple. In the Punjabi language "Sikh" also means to learn. A Sikh is a disciple of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Exalted thought needs to be transported on the vehicle of language to reach the masses. Poetic expression lifts prose to a higher plane. When verse and music meld, their beauty and sweetness makes mind transcend the humdrum of rational existence.

The sacred verses of Sri Guru Granth Sahib are called Gurbani, which means the Guru's Word or the Divine Messages enshrined in the Hymns of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. In Sikhism, the Guru is the 'Wisdom of the Word' and not a human or a book. God revealed the Word through Bhagats or holy people of all faiths and also the Gurus who in turn enshrined the Message in the beautiful prose of the Eternal Guru Granth Sahib.