RAS question
Which Sikh Guru compiled the Adi Granth (later known as Guru Granth Sahib)?
Correct answer: (C) Guru Arjan Dev.
Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, compiled the Adi Granth at Amritsar in 1604.
Explanation
Guru Arjan Dev is the answer because the Adi Granth began as the 1604 compilation made by the fifth Sikh Guru at Amritsar. NCERT describes Guru Arjan as having compiled the compositions of Guru Nanak, his successors and other religious poets, and adds that the collection was authenticated later by Guru Gobind Singh in 1706. This distinction matters: Guru Arjan compiled the foundational scripture, while Guru Gobind Singh's later role concerned its authentication and status in the Sikh tradition. The existing history context also links Guru Arjan with the building of the Harmandir Sahib and with his execution under Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1606, which made him the first Sikh Guru to be martyred.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Guru Gobind Singh is not the compiler of the Adi Granth; his role came later, when the text was finalised and authenticated as Guru Granth Sahib.
- (B) Guru Nanak Dev's teachings were included in the compilation, but he did not compile the Adi Granth himself.
- (D) Guru Angad Dev is associated here with the development of the Gurmukhi script, not with compiling the Adi Granth.
Concept
This tests the Sikh tradition within medieval Indian devotional history, especially the precise contribution of each Sikh Guru. It recurs in RAS because Guru-to-contribution matches are a compact way to test chronology, religious movements and cultural history together.