At present, within the Panth, there are many different styles of Gurbani ucharan. Even within each school of thought, there are further variations, but the two main differences center around whether laga-matras should be pronounced or not. Through the study of Gurbani viyakaran, it becomes clear that lagan-matras appearing at the end of words are often grammatical markers and do not always need to be pronounced.
To begin, let us look at the use of Aunkar in Gurbani.

• Singular male noun = Aunkar
• Plural/female noun = No Aunkar

An Aunkar is placed at the end of a singular ਪੁਲਿੰਗ (male) noun. For example, ਨਾਨਕੁ, ਕਬੀਰੁ, ਦਖੁ etc. all carry an Aunkar at the end because they are singular male nouns.

On the other hand, if the word is a plural or female noun, then no Aunkar is used. For example, ਭੁਖ, ਸੰਗਤਿ, and ਬਾਤ do not take an Aunkar because they are feminine words.

Now, let’s explore how this rule appears in Gurbani.

Singular Male Noun:
ਰੰਗਿ ਰਤਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰਿ
ਆਪੇ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਰੰਗੁਲਾ ਸਖੀਏ ਮੇਰਾ ਲਾਲੁ
ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰਾ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮੁ ਤੁਮ ਸੰਗਿ ਹੀਤੁ

Plural / Female Noun:
Now, let us look at an example of plural and female nouns. A clear example of the plural form can be seen in the 17th pauri of Jap Ji Sahib. In this pauri, Guru Sahib uses the word ਅਸੰਖ (countless), which makes everything in the pauri plural. Because of this, even if a noun is masculine, the Aunkar is not added since the word is being used in its plural form.

Example from Gurbani:
ਅਸੰਖ ਜਪ ਅਸੰਖ ਭਾਉ ॥
ਅਸੰਖ ਪੂਜਾ ਅਸੰਖ ਤਪ ਤਾਉ ॥
ਅਸੰਖ ਗਰੰਥ ਮੁਖਿ ਵੇਦ ਪਾਠ ॥
ਅਸੰਖ ਜੋਗ ਮਨਿ ਰਹਹਿ ਉਦਾਸ ॥

Here, every occurrence of ਅਸੰਖ makes the following noun plural, and therefore, we do not see an Aunkar at the end of these words.

As we can see, none of the nouns in this pauri carry an Aunkar because they are referred to as ਅਸੰਖ (countless), which places them in the plural form. If these same words, such as ਜਪ, ਗਰੰਥ, or ਦਾਤਾਰ, were used in the singular form, then they would take an Aunkar.

For example, in the tukh:
ਤੂ ਦਾਤਾ ਦਾਤਾਰੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਦਿਤਾ ਖਾਵਣਾ ॥

Here, ਦਾਤਾਰੁ is used in the singular sense, and therefore an Aunkar is added. In contrast, when ਦਾਤਾਰ was mentioned in Jap Ji Sahib in the plural form, it did not carry an Aunkar.

Singular Female Noun:
Now, let us look at the case of a singular female noun. In such nouns, an Aunkar is not used.

For example:
ਭੁਖਿਆ ਭੁਖ ਨ ਉਤਰੀ ਜੇ ਬੰਨਾ ਪੁਰੀਆ ਭਾਰ ॥

Here, ਭੁਖ is a feminine noun, and therefore it does not take an Aunkar.

Other examples of singular feminine nouns without Aunkar:
ਗੁਰਿ ਪੂਰੈ ਮੇਰੀ ਪੈਜ ਰਖਾਈ
ਮੇਰੀ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਪੋਚ ਸੋਚ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤ
ਤੂੰ ਮੇਰੀ ਓਟ ਤੂੰਹੈ ਦੀਬਾਣ

Conditions to the above rules

While the basic rules of Aunkar generally apply, there are certain conditions where exceptions are made.

Condition 1
If the word following the noun is a ਸਬੰਧਕੀ ਪਦ (Sambandhak / preposition word), then the Aunkar will be removed from the noun.

A Sambandhak (preposition) is a word that connects nouns or pronouns within a sentence, for example: andar, upar, vich, di, da, de etc.

The easiest way to remember this is to think of the preposition word as a chor (thief) that “steals” the Aunkar from the word before it.

• ਨਾਨਕੁ → By itself, ਨਾਨਕੁ is a singular noun and carries an Aunkar.

• ਨਾਨਕ ਦੀ → When followed by a preposition (ਦੀ), the Aunkar disappears.

Examples of Condition 1: Preposition “stealing” the Aunkar

1. ਸੂਤੇ ਕਉ ਜਾਗਤੁ ਕਹੈ ਜਾਗਤ ਕਉ ਸੂਤਾ
   Here, ਕਉ is the preposition. In the first part, ਕਉ comes before ਜਾਗਤੁ, so the Aunkar remains on ਜਾਗਤੁ. In the second part, ਕਉ comes after ਜਾਗਤ, so the Aunkar is removed. This shows that the preposition affects only the noun that comes before it, not after it.

2. ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਕਿਆ ਕਹਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਬਿਬੇਕ ਸਤ ਸਰ
   In this tukh, ਕੀ is a preposition. Therefore, the first ਗੁਰ loses its Aunkar, while the second ਗੁਰੁ keeps the Aunkar because there is no preposition following it.

3. ਸਗਲ ਉਦਮ ਮਹਿ ਉਦਮੁ ਭਲਾ
   Here, ਮਹਿ (vich) is the preposition. The first ਉਦਮ loses its Aunkar due to the preposition, but the second ਉਦਮੁ retains the Aunkar as there is no preposition after it.

4. ਨਾਮ ਸੰਗਿ ਜਿਸ ਕਾ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ
   ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਨਹਿ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਜਾਨਿਆ
   In this example, the first ਨਾਮ has a preposition ਸੰਗਿ after it, so the Aunkar is removed. However, ਮਨੁ and ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ do not have prepositions after them, so their Aunkars remain.

Condition 2
If a singular male noun is part of a ਸੰਬੋਧਨ (Sanbodhan / calling out) phrase, then the Aunkar is removed.

Sanbodhan means calling out to someone directly.

Examples of Sanbodhan phrases:

ਭਾਈ ਰੇ, ਰਾਮੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇ
ਬਾਵਰੇ, ਤੈ ਗਿਆਨ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ
ਏ ਮਨ ਮੇਰਿਆ

When a noun is being used in a calling-out context, the Aunkar is removed.

Gurbani examples illustrating this:

1. ਸਤਿਗੁਰ, ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ
   Here, we are calling out to Satguru Sahib Ji, so there is no Aunkar on ਸਤਿਗੁਰ, even though normally there would be.

2. ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਜਉ, ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਮਨਾਵਉ
   In this tukh, it is not a calling-out phrase; it instructs to worship Satguru Sahib Ji. Therefore, the Aunkar remains on ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ.

3. ਮੇਲਿ ਲੈਹੁ ਦਇਆਲ, ਢਹਿ ਪਏ ਦੁਆਰਿਆ
   Here, a benti is being made to Akal Purakh. ਦਇਆਲ is used as a calling-out phrase (“meet with me, merciful Lord”), so the Aunkar is removed.

In normal instances, ਦਇਆਲ would carry an Aunkar, as seen in:

ਆਪੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦਇਆਲੁ ਹੈ ਆਪੇ ਦੇਇ ਬੁਝਾਇ
ਸਚਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਮਨਿ ਵੁਠਾ ਹੋਆ ਖਸਮੁ ਦਇਆਲੁ
ਹਰਿ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਹੋਇ ਦਇਆਲੁ ਸੋ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿ ਭਉ ਬਿਖਮੁ ਤਰਿ

ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ, ਲੈ ਲਾਹਾ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਹਿ
ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ, ਸਦਾ ਹਰਿ ਵੇਖੁ ਹਦੂਰਿ
ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ, ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇ

Here, we are calling out to ourselves (ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ), so there is no Aunkar on ਮਨ. In other contexts, ਮਨੁ would carry an Aunkar since it is a singular male noun:

ਮਨੁ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਹਰਿ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਪਾਇਆ ਦਰਗਹਿ ਮਾਨੁ
ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਨੁ ਜੀਤਿਆ ਗਤਿ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਘਰੈ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਇ
ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਭਗਤੀ ਰਤਿਆ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਹੋਇ

For this reason, when there is no Aunkar in ਨਾਨਕ, it often indicates a calling-out to Guru Sahib, and there should most likely (though not always) be a bishram after it:

ਨਾਨਕ, ਕੂੜੁ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰਿ
ਨਾਨਕ, ਵਿਗਸੈ ਵੇਪਰਵਾਹ
ਨਾਨਕ, ਸਚ ਸਵਾਰਣਹਾਰਾ

Condition 3: ਲੁਪਤ ਸਬੰਧਕ (Hidden Preposition)

Sometimes, a ਲੁਪਤ ਸਬੰਧਕ (hidden preposition) exists in a line. This means the preposition is implied in the tukh but is not explicitly written. When this happens, the Aunkar is removed from the noun it relates to.

Examples:

1. ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ
   Here, the hidden preposition is ਦੇ, so the meaning is “by the grace of Guru”. Because of this ਲੁਪਤ ਸਬੰਧਕ, ਗੁਰ loses its Aunkar.

2. ਲਖੁ ਲਖੁ ਗੇੜਾ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ
   The hidden preposition is implied for ਜਗਦੀਸ, as the meaning is “the name of Jagdish” (ਜਗਦੀਸ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ). This is why ਜਗਦੀਸ does not carry an Aunkar.

3. ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਜੋ ਕਰਹਿ ਬੀਚਾਰ
   Here, the hidden preposition is after ਰਾਮ, as the intended meaning is “the name of Ram” (ਰਾਮ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ). Hence, ਰਾਮ loses its Aunkar.

Four meanings of ਗੁਰਸਿਖ

1. ਗੁਰਸਿਖੁ = ਗੁਰੂ ਦਾ ਸਿਖ
   Because of the hidden preposition ਦਾ, ਗੁਰ loses its Aunkar. Here, Guru is singular, and Sikh is singular (with Aunkar).

2. ਗੁਰਸਿਖ = ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਸਿਖ
   Here, the hidden preposition is ਦੇ. The Aunkar is removed from ਗੁਰ, and ਸਿਖ has no Aunkar because it refers to multiple Gursikhs.

3. ਗੁਰੁ ਸਿਖ = ਇੱਕ ਗੁਰੂ, ਬਹੁਤ ਸਿਖ
   Example:
   ਮੰਨੈ ਤਰੈ ਤਾਰੇ ਗੁਰੁ ਸਿਖ
   One Guru carries over many Sikhs.

4. ਗੁਰੁ ਸਿਖੁ = ਇੱਕ ਗੁਰੂ, ਇੱਕ ਸਿਖ
   Both are singular; the Aunkar remains on ਸਿਖੁ.

Important note:
If a noun has an Aunkar, prepositions like ਦੇ, ਦੀ, ਦਾ cannot be attached to that word. This rule should be kept in mind when understanding the meaning of Gurbani.