ਗੁਰੂ

Punjabi

Alternative forms

• ਗੁਰ (gur)

Etymology

Inherited from Sanskrit गुरु (guru), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *gr̥Húṣ, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gr̥Húš, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷr̥h₂ús (“heavy”).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʊɾuː/

Noun

ਗੁਰੂ • (gurū) m (Shahmukhi spelling گُرو)

1. enlightener
   • Guru Granth Sahib, Bhatt Nalh, translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa, 1399:

     ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਘੋਰੁ ਅੰਧਾਰੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਮਝ ਨ ਆਵੈ

     gur bin ghor andhār gurū bin samajh na āvae

     Without the Guru, there is utter darkness; without the Guru, understanding does not come.

   • 100 BCE to 300 CE (probably), Advayataraka Upanishad, The Yoga Upanishads (translation), p.8:

     गुशब्दस्त्वन्धकारः स्यात् रुशब्दस्तन्निरोधकः । अन्धकारनिरोधित्वात् गुरुरित्यभिधीयते ॥ १६॥

     The syllable Gu indicates darkness, the syllable Ru means its dispeller, because of the quality of dispelling darkness, the Guru is thus termed.

2. guru, sage, teacher
   • Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Ramdas, translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa, ang 314:

     ਉਪਦੇਸ ਜਿ ਦਿਤਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਸੋ ਸੁਣਿਆ ਸਿਖੀ ਕੰਨੇ

     updes je ditā satgurū so suṇiā sikhī kanne

     The Sikhs listen to the Teachings imparted by the True Guru

Usage notes

• (Sikhism) There are a total of eleven Gurus: Ten human-form gurus and the eleventh, or current and everlasting Sikh Guru, is the integrated Sikh scripture known as the Guru Granth Sahib. See Sikh gurus on Wikipedia for more.

Declension

Declension of ਗੁਰੂ

	singular	plural
direct	ਗੁਰੂ (gurū)	ਗੁਰੂ (gurū)
oblique	ਗੁਰੂ (gurū)	ਗੁਰੂਆਂ (gurūā̃)
vocative	ਗੁਰੂਆ (gurūā)	ਗੁਰੂਓ (gurūo)
ablative	ਗੁਰੂਓਂ (gurūõ)	—
locative	ਗੁਰੂਏ (gurūē)	ਗੁਰੂਈਂ (gurūī̃)
instrumental	ਗੁਰੂਏ (gurūē)	ਗੁਰੂਈਂ (gurūī̃)

Derived terms

• ਗੁਰਪੁਰਬ (gurpurab)
• ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ (satigurū)
• ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ (vāhigurū)

References

• “ਗੁਰੂ”, in Punjabipedia [ਪੰਜਾਬੀਪੀਡੀਆ] (in Punjabi), Patiala: Punjabi University, 2025
• Singh, Bhai Maya (1895) “ਗੁਰੂ”, in The Panjabi Dictionary, Lahore: Munshi Gulab Singh and Sons.