Use of Bindi in Gurbani

In Gurbani, the words where bindi has not been applied in the required places, the pronunciation of bindi at those spots itself ensures the correct meaning. If bindi is not pronounced, the meaning takes on a different form, for example:

1 ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ॥ (Ang: 4)
2 ਸਾਈ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਮੋਲੁ ਕੀਮ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਜਾਣਦੋ॥ (Ang: 81)
In verse 1, the word ਸਾਈ means that and is pronounced as ਸਾਈ

In verse 2, the word ਸਾਈ means Master, Waheguru, and is pronounced as ਸਾਂਈ
3 ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਗਾਈ॥ (Ang: 202)
4 ਦੇਖਤ ਸਿੰਘੁ ਚਰਾਵਤ ਗਾਈ॥ (Ang: 481)
In verse 3, the word ਗਾਈ is a verb, meaning sings, and is pronounced as ਗਾਈ

In verse 4, the word ਗਾਈ is plural, meaning cows, and is pronounced as ਗਾਈਂ
5 ਡਡਾ ਡਰ ਉਪਜੇ ਡਰੁ ਜਾਈ॥ (Ang: 341)
6 ਹੰਸਾ ਹੀਰਾ ਮੋਤੀ ਚੁਗਣਾ ਬਗੁ ਡਡਾ ਭਾਲਣ ਜਾਵੈ॥ (Ang: 960)
In verse 5, ਡਡਾ means the Gurmukhi letter and is pronounced as ਡੱਡਾ

In verse 6, ਡਡਾ is a plural noun, meaning frogs, and is pronounced as ਡੱਡਾਂ
7 ਲਉਕੀ ਅਠਸਠਿ ਤੀਰਥ ਨੑਾਈ ॥ (Ang: 656)
8 ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਸਚੇ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹ ਤੂ ਸਚੀ ਨਾਈ॥ (Ang: 947)
9 ਨਾਈ ਉਧਰਿਓ ਸੈਨੁ ਸੇਵ॥ (Ang: 1192)
In verse 7, ਨਾਈ is a verb, meaning to bathe, and is pronounced as ਨ੍ਹਾਈ

In verse 8, ਨਾਈ is a noun, meaning greatness, and is pronounced as ਨਾਂਈ

In verse 9, ਨਾਈ refers to a barber, a name of a caste, and is pronounced as ਨਾਈ
10 ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਤੇਰੀ ਦਾਤੀ ਰਾਜਾ॥ (Ang: 608)
11 ਜਿਉ ਸੁਪਨੈ ਹੋਇ ਬੈਸਤ ਰਾਜਾ॥ (Ang: 179)
In verse 10, ਰਾਜਾ is a verb in the first-person singular form, meaning I shall be satisfied, and is pronounced as ਰਾਜਾਂ

In verse 11, ਰਾਜਾ is a noun, meaning king, and is pronounced as ਰਾਜਾ
12 ਗੁਨ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਨਿਧਿ ਮੋਰੀ॥ (Ang: 213)
13 ਮੋਰੀ ਰੁਣ ਝੁਣ ਲਾਇਆ ਭੈਣੇ ਸਾਵਣੁ ਆਇਆ॥ (Ang: 557)
In verse 12, ਮੋਰੀ is a pronoun, meaning mine, and is pronounced as ਮੋਰੀ

In verse 13, ਮੋਰੀ is the plural form of ਮੋਰ (peacock), meaning peacocks, and is pronounced as ਮੋਰੀਂ
14 ਜਉ ਤੁਮ ਦੀਵਰਾ ਤਉ ਹਮ ਬਾਤੀ॥ (Ang: 658)
15 ਜੇ ਬਹੁਤੇਰਾ ਲੋਚੀਐ ਬਾਤੀ ਮੇਲੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ॥ (Ang: 725)
In verse 14, ਬਾਤੀ is a singular noun, meaning wick, and is pronounced as ਬਾਤੀ

In verse 15, ਬਾਤੀ is a plural noun, meaning talks/conversations, and is pronounced as ਬਾਤੀਂ
16 ਗਾਛਹੁ ਪੁਤ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਜ ਕੁਆਰਿ ॥ (Ang: 1187)
17 ਪੁਤ੍ਰੀ ਕਉਲੁ ਨ ਪਾਲਿਓ ਕਰਿ ਪੀਰਹੁ ਕੰਨੑ ਮੁਰਟੀਐ ॥ (Ang: 967)
18 ਪੁਤਰੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਿਧਿ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਟੀ ॥ (Ang: 374)
In verse 16, ਪੁਤ੍ਰੀ is a feminine singular noun, meaning girl (daughter), and is pronounced as ਪੁੱਤਰੀ

In verse 17, ਪੁਤ੍ਰੀ is a masculine plural noun, meaning sons, and is pronounced as ਪੁੱਤਰੀਂ 

In verse 18, ਪੁਤਰੀ is a feminine singular noun, meaning doll, and is pronounced as ਪੁਤਰੀ
19 ਸਫਲ ਮੂਰਤੁ ਸਫਲ ਓਹ ਘਰੀ ॥ (Ang: 191)
20 ਜਿਨੑ ਕੇ ਬੰਕੇ ਘਰੀ ਨ ਆਇਆ ਤਿਨੑ ਕਿਉ ਰੈਣਿ ਵਿਹਾਣੀ॥ (Ang: 418)
In verse 19, ਘਰੀ is a singular feminine noun, meaning moment (24 minutes), and is pronounced as ਘਰੀ

In verse 20, ਘਰੀ is a plural noun, meaning in houses, and is pronounced as ਘਰੀਂ

From the above verses, it becomes clear that in Gurbani, words with the same form are pronounced either with or without a bindi depending on their meaning. If a bindi is misused or omitted where necessary, it can lead to a distortion of meaning.

In Gurbani, the absence of a bindi, adhak, or the subscript ‘ਹ’ in certain places (ਪੈਰ ਵਿਚ ‘ਹ’), does not mean that a mistake was made in writing. Rather, Gurbani is written in this way so that it can be read thoughtfully and with awareness, ensuring that its meaning is understood clearly and interpreted with wisdom.

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