The general view favors the monotheistic interpretation, but not the Semitic understanding of monotheism. Some consider it monotheistic, others monist.
Sometimes the disagreements include capitalizing g in god, or r in reality, which affects the implied meaning in English. These are rendered as 'There is one god', 'One reality is', 'This being is one' and others. It has been variously translated, with the interpretation of the first two words particularly contested.
They summarize the essential teaching of Guru Nanak, thus constituting a succinct doctrinal statement of Sikhism. It consists of twelve words in the Punjabi language, written in Gurmukhi script, and are the most widely known among the Sikhs. The Mūl Mantar ( Punjabi: ਮੂਲ ਮੰਤਰ, IPA: ) is the opening verse of the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib.
