| Religion: | Sikhism |
| Akal Ustat | |
| Subheader: | Dasam Granth |
| Previous: | Jaap Sahib |
| Next: | Bachitar Natak |
| Author: | Guru Gobind Singh |
| Verses: | 271 and a half[1] [2] |
Akal Ustat (Panjabi; Punjabi: ਅਕਾਲ ਉਸਤਤਿ, in Panjabi; Punjabi pronounced as /aːkaːl ʊsteːti/, lit. ‘the praise of the Timeless One’) is the name given to the second Bani (sacred composition) present in the second holy scriptures of the Sikhs called the Dasam Granth.[3] It is composed of 271 verses, and is largely devotional in nature.[4]
The word "Akal" mean the "timeless primal being" and the word "Ustat" (from the Sanskrit word 'stuti') means "praise". So together, the words "Akal Ustat" mean "the praise of the Timeless One".[5] In it, Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru writes that God is worshipped by various peoples in many different ways, and with varying names and methods:
The scripture is notable for its unalloyed disavowal of the caste system, and of cultural elitism in general. At various points in this composition, Guru Gobind Singh speaks out against the belief that some people are superior to others, by virtue of belonging to a particular religion, region, history, culture, colour or creed. Instead, he clearly and firmly states that "all human beings are equal ":
Within the Manglacharan Puran, Guru Gobind Singh further does a Teeka of the Akal Ustat, as Baba Binod Singh had asked Guru Gobind Singh what the Bani meant in terms of spirituality.[6]
Ritualism is criticized in the composition as an overemphasized method to reach God.
Parts of the work are read out during Amrit Sanchar baptismal ceremonies.
Occasional references are made to the Abrahamic mythology found within the Quranic texts and practices of Muslims. Most references in the work are directed at the corpus of Indic mythology.
Some Sikh writers have claimed that verses 211–230 of the work were not authored by Guru Gobind Singh, likely because they may be interpreted as praising the goddess Durga. Other Sikh scholars claim the composition is incomplete in its extant form and is missing parts.