Anand Karaj: Lavaan: The Sikh Marriage Ceremony
It is the search for Love.
And if there is one experience that can create bitterness, hatred, disappointment, or vengeance stronger than any other experience – it is when what we thought was Love disappoints us. Betrays us. Plays a game with us. I have written this before in other essays. And I write it again now. If there is ever a nuclear war, the moment that the first button for the first warhead gets pushed, the real cause behind it will be a person whose heart was simply so broken that life meant nothing anymore. And all the politics to justify it will just be the excuse.
This search for love that we play out with each other is one of the most powerful forces on earth. And yet we spend more time and energy learning how to drive an automobile than we do understanding how to manage and harness the longing for love, the pursuit of it, and the fulfillment of it.
Thank God Guru Ram Das showed us a way.
In the Engagement Shabads, Guru Ram Das gives us a way to prepare ourselves for marriage. Both the earthly marriage of husband and wife, and the heavenly marriage of the soul with the Divine One.
In the Lavaan, Guru Ram Das continues the lessons. Giving us practical instructions on the attitude one needs to have towards marriage. On the gifts that can come when the marriage is based on following the teachings of the Shabad Guru. And, by the Fourth Round, expressing the tremendous ecstasy that happens when, through marriage, we learn to merge into Love.
For the last couple of months, I have slowly been working on a translation of the Lavaan. Which is not perfect – but which I am grateful to share with you today.
What did working on this translation show me?
That society is based on the family. And if we truly want to have a peaceful, loving society, that begins with purity in the relationships between men and women. It isn’t possible that the connection and communication between men and women can be unkind, deceptive, confused, exploitive, game-playing – and then somehow there will be peace in the world. What happens at the global level is an amplification of what happens each and every day between the smallest pieces, so to speak. The simple and humble relationships that we cherish and hold most dear.
The fundamental reality that the Guru teaches is that the Light of the One dwells in all. We need to recognize it in ourselves first, and then recognize it in each other. And when our mating rituals take place in that Truth, in that Reality, then the frequency of peace and awareness it creates can bring the Divine down from the Heavens. Can cause Heaven and Earth to merge into One.
Marriage is not about what we desire. It’s not a promise that life will unfold according to our dreams, to what we want, to what we hope for. The Sikh marriage is a commitment to work out our karmas together under the Guru’s guidance, protection and instruction. That is the work that brings us to Anand – to bliss – to the state where every action reflects the reality of the soul. Not that we should be rich or not rich, have status or not, be successful in the world or not, have children or not. It’s a total surrender. We give ourselves to the Guru, we clear our karmas together, and in that process, our awareness changes, our consciousness changes, and the Love of the One is born within us. Together we merge into that Love, that One. That is where marriage can take us, if we commit to each other and to the path and teachings of the Shabad Guru.
The Anand Karaj and the Anand Sahib are also very related. Marriage is the work by which the adults realize the state of Anand. And the Anand Sahib is the guidance given by Guru Amar Das to the child about how to live life from the purity of the self. Parents and children together, as a family, as a unit, pursuing this study of how to live in the world from the reality of their own Spirit. If successful, that family unit would become so complete, so satisfied – there would be nothing outside of itself that it needed. These souls, at the Guru’s feet, clearing their karmas, building a life of truth, compassion, service and understanding. What a world would come from such a family.
What a world once came from those kinds of families.
Maybe I am idealizing a bit. I know I have a tendency to do that. But maybe for me, and for the countless people in the world who wished their upbringing could have been a little more peaceful…maybe this vision of a family developing Anand as a central part of their life…maybe that just seems like a promise of hope….for the future…
Marriage to create the security for the family that here, in this house, the Guru reigns and the blossoming of the soul’s destiny is the highest priority.
This translation is so pale and paltry compared to the original Gurmukhi. Guru Ram Das’s words are so powerful and mystical. There is so much happening in just a few words. And also between the lines – how they relate to each other and reference each other. It’s difficult to capture all that is being conveyed in translation. It’s as if Guru Ram Das is writing a ceremony of initiation into a totally different mystical reality. So please forgive if this reads too weak in places. There was no way to capture all that’s there in the original.
Here, for better or for worse, is my own humble attempt to translate the indescribably beautiful instructions of Guru Ram Das’s Lavaan.
Guru Ram Das’s Lavaan
Siri Guru Granth Sahib
Page 773-774
Oh Divine One
Within all
In this First Round
Of the marriage ceremony
We completely commit
To living a life
Filled with worldly duties
And obligations.
Darling One
Who created
The balance and union
Of the Sun
And the Moon.
The Divine Frequency
Reflected and captured in scripture
Says
Commit to Dharma –
To the path of compassionate
Truthful living.
This will allow you
To turn your back
On those habits of mind
Which bring pain
To yourself and to others.
Darling One
Who created
The balance and union
Of the Sun
And the Moon.
Commit completely
To Dharma –
To the path of compassionate,
Truthful living.
Meditate
On the Divine
Within everything
And the Divine Identity
Within yourself.
The sacred books
Say
Commit
To your Divine Identity.
The Sound of Wisdom
That takes you to Truth
Is the perfect Guide
And Teacher.
Have reverence for this Sound.
Respect and meditate on it
Always.
The painful memories
In your subconscious mind
Created from the mistakes
You’ve made,
And the harm
You’ve done
Will be destroyed.
Your life will flow
With ease.
And your inner reality
And outer reality
Will merge
In endless bliss.
By tremendous good fortune
The mind
Has become attached
To the sweetness
Of the Divine Essence
Continually present
In all.
Servant Naanak says
In the First Round
We have begun
To create
This sacred life work. (1)
Oh Divine One
Within all
In this Second Round
Of the marriage ceremony
We intermingle our being
With the Sat Guru –
The Sound of Wisdom
That guides us to Truth
And we acknowledge
This Sound of Wisdom
As our perfect protector.
Darling One
Who created
The balance and union
Of the Sun
And the Moon.
The fear in our mind
Gives into
The Fearless One
Destroying our egocentricity
Which creates so much filth
Inside us.
Darling One
Who created
The balance and union
Of the Sun
And the Moon.
Unpolluted fear
Arises
(The fear of the Inner Being
To not reach
Its destination).
We sing,
Celebrating the qualities
Of the Divine Essence
Within all.
We see
The Divine Essence
Within all
And this happens
By being in the
Presence
Of the Power
That balances and unites
The Sun
And the Moon
The Lover
And her Beloved.
The Divine Identity
Inside me
Sees that Power
In all my surroundings.
The Master of Creation
Resides complete and full
In all.
Within
And without
We intermingle our being
With that One
Infinite Lord.
As servants
Of the Divine
We sing
With absolute happiness.
Servant Naanak,
By walking
The Second Round
The Unstruck Sound
That cuts through the ego
Resounds. (2)
In the Third Round
Of the marriage ceremony
The mind
Transcends its attachments
And becomes filled
With light and love.
Darling One
Who created
The balance and union
Of the Sun
And the Moon.
The saintly servants
Intermingle their being
With the Divine
And by tremendous fortune
Come to receive
The Divine Essence
Inside themselves.
Darling One
Who created
The balance and union
Of the Sun
And the Moon.
Through the experience
Of the Divine Essence
We find
Our own purity.
Singing of the
Virtues and qualities
Of the Divine
Our own mouths speak
In the Divine Frequency.
By tremendous fortune
The saintly servants
Receive this experience
And they talk about
The Infinite, Indescribable story.
Within the heart
The Divine beats
Continuously.
The melody
Of Infinity
Grows within us
By meditatively repeating
Har
The Essence of the Divine
Within.
What an amazing destiny
Is on our foreheads
Oh Beloved One.
Servant Naanak
Declares
That in this
Third Round
The experience
Of the Divine Essence
Takes root
Inside of us,
Oh my Beloved,
And the mind
Becomes free. (3)
Oh Divine One
Within all
In the Fourth Round
Of the marriage ceremony
Through the experience
Of the Divine Essence
Inside of ourselves
The mind
Has surrendered
To the Universal Flow
And lives in ease.
Darling One
Who created
The balance and union
Of the Sun
And the Moon.
The one who flows
With the integrity
Of the Teacher’s words
Intermixes her being
Easily
With that Divine Essence.
By fixing her attention
On the Divine
Her mind and body
Are made sweet.
Darling One
Who created
The balance and union
Of the Sun
And the Moon.
Fixing her attention
On the Divine Essence
Within the Creation
Sweetness comes.
My Lord and Master
Is pleased.
Night and day
I live totally attuned
To the Divine Essence
Through Love.
The thoughts
Of the mind
Have realized
The fruit –
The Master of Creation.
The Divine
Causes
Its Identity within me
To play the music
Of the Infinite
Stronger and stronger.
The Divine Essence in all,
The Transcendent Lord,
The Coordination Consciousness
They are the One
Doing
All of this work.
The wealth
Of absolute happiness
Comes into my heart
Through the Divine Spirit
Within me.
Naanak declares
In the Fourth Round
By receiving the experience
Of the Divine Essence
We find union with
Our Invincible
Undying Lord. (4)
27 Responses to “Anand Karaj: Lavaan: The Sikh Marriage Ceremony”
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pls. help me here. if person have a disability. That person allow sit/ stand during their Anand Karaj. pls let me if this is true or not. I’m waiting for your respone. It’s very important.
bye
As far as I know, if the bride or the groom has any physical disability or not feeling well at that moment then they may choose to remain seated and bow their heads before and after the recitation of eacn round.
I don’t think its an issue. I have seeing this done in india as well as in the west.
It would be great to walk the arounds, which I think means completing the circle of no begining or end. just like we have a circle around the khanda.
ANAND KARAJ RASAM.
In Gursikhi their is no such stronch code of religious rituals .Our code is flexible ,where their is any such (disability) situation ,where the couple ,or iether of one is having a geniun reason that he or she can not stand ,listen to the Lavans in standing position can or rather are granted permission by the Wazir/Granthi Sahaib.But it should be by permission & after Ardas by Granthi Sahaib ,seeking Guru’s permission before Arambh of Anand Karaj.
One thing I bring to your notice that in India their are places where still Anand Karaj is listened by the couple in sitting only.
We have to see a long way to change the system and restore Guru Granth Honour .
Amarjit Singh Anand.
India.
Mob:09417006059
beautiful sister~
wha! you deeply touch and heal my spirit with your words.
thank you for being guru’s messenger into this realm.
i bow to the great work you have done.
love and blessings to you always.
hope our paths meet soon again.
adishakti kk
Fateh Ji, Pehnji thank you for telling us all about the marriage system. The question i have to ask you may or may not no the answer to it. When some one does fall in love then they get heartbroken what should they do or why does it happen? Please help me thank you!!
Sat Nam, Munjinder Singh ji.
Many blessings to you.
To create coziness on the earth where God comes to live is the longing of every heart. And Love is the energy to create it. Our hearts break when we see the possibility of that – but it doesn’t happen. It is one of the most sorrowful experiences that we go through in our human body.
When this has happened to you, meditating on Shabad Hazaray can help heal the wounds. There is a special way to recite it that will help – but I cannot remember it exactly. So let me do some research and then post that.
Many blessings again.
In Divine Love,
Ek Ong Kaar Kaur
Than you very much for the advice. I would be very greatful if you could let me no the way in wich to recite the shabad hazaray may God bless you Fateh Ji.
Dear Ek Ong Kar Kaur,
Infinite thanks for this beautiful job of translation. It is really a nectar for the heart.
Please keep up doing this wonderful mission of traslating the Guru’s words into such an aquarian way of communication, totally from the heart.
All my prayers and blessings for you,
At Guru Ram Das feet,
Nam Nidhan Kaur,
Santiago, Chile.
Dear Ek Ong Kar Kaur,
Amazingly have you described the anand karaj. One concern though in the picture above you can see that there are people sittin4g on chairs. Is that not disrespect to Guru ji? To put yourself on a higher level then many others sitting in the diwan and then to put yourself on a similar level as Siri Guru Granth Sahib JI. Is that not the opposite of sikhi? Our Gurus taught us equality and to sit on the floor with all, but yet we have completley thrown away those teachings.
Discouraged,
Gurjap Singh
Gurjaap Singh, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib is on a platform which is much higher then the sangat…even those that are sitting on chairs. From time to time a few chairs are used when people who have disabilities or are unable to sit on the floor. This to me is perfectly acceptable. One could argue the same thing about being unjust to those that have disabilities not being able to equally participate in the Gurdwara. I have seen these situations taken to extremes at the Harimandir Sahib where people are not let into the Gurdwara because they can’t walk…and they won’t allow a wheel chair or other devices to assist.
I agree with Gurumustak singh,
On one hand we are proud of our philosophy (Guru’s teachings) and we continously preach or state about the equality among everyone. Protection of the weak. At times it just seems like words. Lot of people have very strong views of equality this and that, But at practical terms they are empty.
At Guru themselves took care of disabled people at the temples in India. However, people who claim themselves as sikhs but they could not understand the depth of sikhism.
Who gave us the power to deny disabale people entering the temples, especially not Guruji. Then its our own EGO that we fail to see the true essence of sikhism.
Yet we say that protect the weak etc!! COME on people wake up! And realize the real message of Guruji, not what your mind dictates all the time. Just having GREAT thoughts or talking does not make us SIKHS or KHALSA we have to show it through our ACTIONS.
WE just like to talk big and our actions don’t follow then we are worse than those politicians who just fill peoples mind and stomachs with words (lectures) but no action is taken.
Finally, People serve the disable, respect them. ONLY disabled people should be allowed to sit on cushions, or chairs.
G
Munjinder Singh ji,
Sat Nam and many blessings to you.
Here is one way in our tradition that we can recite Shabad Hazaray to help heal from the wounds of love.
There are four stanzas in the first part of Shabad Hazaray. These are the four letters written to Guru Ram Das by Guru Arjun Dev ji when he was in total longing to see his father afte his father had sent him to do work for the community in another city. These four letters are so powerful it is said they can unite those with the ones they love.
So we focus on those first four stanzas of Shabad Hazaray only.
Then, there is a Shalok from Sukhmani Sahib: aad sach jugaad sach hai bhe (pronounced “bhay”) sach naanak hosee bhe (bhay) sach. This is the opening Shalok from the 17th Ashtapadee. The story is that Guru Arjun Dev ji had written 16 verses of Sukhmani Sahib. And Baba Siri Chand, the son of Guru Nanak, asked him to write an additional 8 to complete the Bani. Guru Arjun Dev then asked Baba Siri Chand to finish it. Baba Siri Chand gave this Shalok – and said – ok – I have begun it, now you finish it. This Shalok differs slightly from the end of the Mool Mantra in the pronunciation of “bhe”. In the Mool Mantra, the pronunciation is “aad sach jugaad sach hai bhee (pronounced “bhee”) sach naanak hosee bhee (pronounced bhee) sach.” In Sukhmani, it is ” aad sach jugaad sach hai bhe (pronounced “bhay”) sach naanak hosee bhe (bhay) sach.”
This Shalok from Sukhmani is said to help you break through all blocks.
The way to do this meditation is to intermix this Shalok from Sukhmani Sahib with the four stanzas of Shabad Hazaray.
You begin by reciting the Shalok.
Then you recite the first stanza or letter of Shabad Hazaray.
Then you recite the Shalok
Then you recite the second stanza or letter of Shabad Hazaray.
Then you receive the Shalok
Then you recite the third stanza or letter of Shabad Hazaray.
Then you recite the Shalok
Then you recite the fourth stanza or letter of Shabad Hazaray.
Then you recite the Shalok four times.
And then you begin again.
So you do this entire recitation 11 times. And in doing that, it will break away the pain that we have from the past around love, and help us experience and merge into the Love that the Divine is waiting to give to us.
My prayers that this is helpful. Kindly let me know how it goes. If anyone has done this meditation and wishes to share their experience – we’d love to hear from you.
Sincerely and humbly yours,
Ek Ong Kaar Kaur
Guru Pyarey Sadh Sangat Jeo,
Please help me with a confusing statement that I have read on a few Sikh websites. Some state that Dhan Guru Ram Das Ji wrote Laavaan Shabad for His own marriage. Some state that He was already married before He Attained Gur Gaddhi, in which case this Shabad was wrtten after He was married. I asked some vey respected scholars who have an immense depth of Sikh Gian, and they said that Guru Ji wrote this Paavan Shabad when He was Guru, and He was already married when He attained Guruship, so it is not possible that He wrote this Shabad for His own marriage. I believe them when they explained to me that Guru Ram Das Ji wrote this Shabad as a depiction of deep love and yearning to be with, and ultimately merge with the One Akal Purakh Wahe Guru Ji, and therefore this Shabad is sung to solemnize the marriage of Sikhs. Please correct me and help us all with gaining accurate knowledge.
Humbly,
Geeta Kaur
Shabad Hazaray comes from letters that Guru Arjan Dev wrote to his father before becoming Guru. So clearly we have Gurbani that came before Gur Gaddi.
I don’t know why people try to confuse things. Even if they look like Sikhs they might be up to something. People are manipulating all sorts of things these days to meet their own ends.
Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Ji is a scholar as well and a trustworthy source.
Sat Naam.
Dear Bhenji,
Thank you for such a beautiful translation!
Harminder Kaur
Prabhu Singh Jeo:
Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa
Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh.
With deep humbleness, I don’t agree with this statement that people are manipulating things to meet their own ends. It is quite possible that they are still learning, and are simply trying to get factual information.
Also I have no idea why you added this sentence! “Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Ji is a scholar as well and a trustworthy source.”
I do not doubt Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Ji at all. I had posted the Laavaan question on another Sikh Discussion forum, and a member advised me to post my question on MrSikhnet blog to find an answer.
You wrote that “Shabad Hazaray comes from letters that Guru Arjan Dev wrote to his father before becoming Guru.” May I request you to please back this up with a factual explanation? My understanding of Sikhism is, that with the exception of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, all Gur Bani was said/written only when all Gurus had already attained Gur Gadhi. Therefore, anything that was written or said before attaining Gur Gadhi cannot be Guru’s Bani. So Shabad Hazaray must have been written by Guru Arjun Dev Ji after He became Guru. Therefore the Saakhi that says that this Shabad comprises of the letters that He wrote to Guru Ram Das Ji cannot be accurate information.
I hope that we can all engage in a healthy discussion, and collectively reach a plausible answer.
Humbly,
Geeta Kaur
Geeta Kaur,
Prabhu Singh is right. If you study the old Granths about the Gurus lives you’ll find the Sakhi he talks about. Some of the regular users of sikhawareness.com may be able to give you exact page no.s from Suraj Parkash, unfortunately i don’t have the time right now, but may do so later.
matheen
Thanks Matheen Jeo,
I will wait for that information from you, whenever you have some free time. Or perhaps Prabhu Singh has that information. That will be very helpful to everyone. Thanks again for your reply.
Guru Fateh!
Geeta Kaur
Sat Nam, Geeta Kaur ji.
Blessings to you and thank you so much for bringing up this issue. It’s a really important one to discuss – especially when modern scholars say something that contradict the Sakhis that we have of the Gurus lives.
The problem is one that we have to be careful that we do not over-intellectualizing Sikh history. To say that Bani could not be written before the light of the Guru was passed is to misunderstand the relationship of Divine Light with time and space. That LIGHT of the GURU is eternal. Time and space is temporary. That Light is non-linear. The intellect is linear. Guru Ram Das wrote the Bani for his own wedding and it is Bani because he had the destiny to be Guru – and that destiny was maturing through time and space. Shabad Hazaray was written before Guru Arjun Dev ji was Guru – but it is Bani because he had the destiny to be Guru and that destiny was maturing through time and space. The capacity was already there -destined and inherent in these Gurus.
A rose bush will only produce roses. Those who had the destiny to be Guru produced Gurbani. Think of it as a fruit tree. The seed of a fruit tree can only produce a certain kind of fruit. But the tree has to be a certain age – a certain maturity – before it can produce the fruit in time and space. For these Gurus like Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjun – they were like trees maturing and some fruit came in an early season before the tree was completely mature. But those fruit still feed us.
My sincere hope that this is helpful in answering your questions.
Many blessings to you.
In Divine Love,
Ek Ong Kaar Kaur
Geeta kaur ji,
You have good questions, but I do agree what prabhu said that “people are manipulating things to meet their own ends.” Scholars from other religions or perhaps from hindu religion have contrused the history and even try to confuse sikhs from couple of centuries. You will find this info when you do deep research, but who has the time to do it. Even Indian Gover who is the majority of hindu zealouts have tried time to time finish sikhism or DIFFUSE sikhism showing that it has similar philosophy. If you do research you will find out how hindu scholars in the past blended Buddhism and Janism in their hindu temples. Over the centuries these religions almost became extinct in India except nothern india. Even Indian Gov in their constitution does not want to recognize Sikh religion has a separate religion but have entered sikhism sect of hinduism.
So, sect of hinduism. Therefore, a religion can be finished only few ways. Such as, by Force, manipulation of history, taking away the language, causing confusion in SGGS, denying rights to wear religion gears, etc.
Moghuls have tried monumental force but they failed to cause extinction of sikhism. So other ways is to diffuse sikhism wiht other religions then slowly take away the philosophy and teachings away from people and gradually overshadow it. Thats why india has greatest number of fake gurus and teachers.
I attended my undergrad at concordia university in canada and we were required to take Bible studies duration of our undergrad study. To everyone’s surpise we had lectures by christian theologist with phd’s from harvad, yale and they would openly lecture in our classrooms how can they convert everyone into christians in Canada and United States without any war or fight. They had great thougts: First reform immigration act not allowing any new comers to these two countries, then slowly take away their language and culture, Confuse them about their own religion as they are pagans and slowly make them realize that they are worshipping satan, also make people realize that they were born as sinners, then make laws so that it becomes difficult for people to practice their religion, Require certain codes at work place where people have to give up their religion rights in order have a job etc. And their projection is that entire North america can be converted into Chirstianity in 50yrs and without any blood shed. It would take 50yrs because this is how time is needed to get rid of old folks from the population which will show greatest resistant to change their minds about their philosophy, but it will be very easy to confuse young minds and by providing incentives to young minds they will want to forget about their own philosophy. Yeah!!!! This Club becomes greater in number and all the priests will become millionaires!!!
However, you are also right that people maybe learning about sikhism and questions may rise in their minds. Learners and deceptors can be easily figured out. However I will not go into that otherwise this post will become very lengthy.
Another interesting question you had,
“with the exception of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, all Gur Bani was said/written only when all Gurus had already attained Gur Gadhi. Therefore, anything that was written or said before attaining Gur Gadhi cannot be Guru’s Bani”
Which is not true. I will try to point out important points:
It sounds true that anything that was written or said before attaining gur gadhi cannot be guru’s bani but let me shed some light on this matter.
1) When Guru Arjun dev ji wrote SGGS (dictated) at the end of old Granth few pages were left empty. Guru Arjun dev ji’s Mama ji (maternal uncle, Bhai Gurdass ji) was writing the old granth while being dictated by fifth guru. Bhai Gurdass ji asked the fifth Guru why he ordered to leave few pages empty at the end of the granth sahib? Guruji replied that Nanak’s ninth light will add more shabads to granth sahib and it will be completed. So guru ji knew what was going to happen several decades ahead of time. At the time of Guru Gobind singh, he added ninth Guruji bani to SGGS and completed as a living Guru of sikhs.
Therefore, fifth Guruji left those pages empty long time before ninth Guru ji was give gur gadhi and no one knew who would be the ninth Nanak’s light.
Geeta ji just like for Nanak dev ji, God knew everthing and it was planned out by God ji. Even Guru Gobind singh ji writes that God came to him while he was in deep meditation and one with God ji. God told him that he needs to go to the world and teach a way of life to mortals so that they can attain liberation while enjoying the richness of life has to provide, while respecting and honoring peopel with different religions, while protecting other religions so people can practice their religions with all the freedom.
Nanak’s light knew everything ahead of time, who is going to be the Guru.
2) SGGS also contains lot of gurbani from baghats, who were never given Gur Gadhi, so does that means that all the Bani inserted by the fifth guru by these numerous Bhagats is not Bani.
What Guruji has shown over here is that even normal human beings can attain the level of Guruji and become one with God without anyone in the middle. They have eliminated the middle person. Guruji and Bhagats have shown us the direct channel to God ji without getting lost among priests, and middle man. by including their bani’s Guruji have given them the equal status of Guru. Just like Guru Gobind singh got baptised by the panj and give them equal status. No one ever has given normal human beings equal status. at other places we cannot even comphrend the point of being equal status…..
See how people will try to confuse everyone. Because every great scholar in the world from different religions knows that only SGGS was written by the first author and that very moment, not 1 minute ago, not 1 hour ago, not 1 day ago, not 1yr ago, not 100yrs ago, not several hundereds of years ago.
So, they will try their cunning intellect to come up with irrelevant questions trying to decearse the validilty of SGGS.
However, true leaners may also have same questions but they are True leaners and not trying to find holes. Because holes exist in human beings only.
G
Dear Ek Ong Kaar Kaurji and Gurinderji,
Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa
Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh
Thank you for your responses to my question. I say this with great respect that I am still not quite convinced with some of your points. Please allow me to put forth my understanding, and I look forward to hearing back from you so that we can all learn from each other and reach a general consensus.
I liked the analogy of the rose bush, and I wholly agree with your statement: “That LIGHT of the GURU is eternal.” The keyword here is “GURU”. My understanding is that Amar Das Ji was an idol worshipper for most of his life, until he heard the sweet melody of Guru’s Shabads sung by the daughter of Guru Angad Ji. He immediately went to meet Guru Angad Ji. Amar Dasji never went back. He stayed with Guru Angad Ji, and served Him with devotion. Also, Bhai Lehna Ji himself was a Vaishnao disciple, and when he was on his way to Vaishnao pilgrimage, he wanted to do Guru Nanak Ji’s Darshan as well, because he had heard about this great and pious Sant. We all have read the widely accepted Sakhi about how he met Guru Nanak Ji. Bhai Lehna did not continue on his journey to Vaishnao Temple. He never went back. He stayed with Guru Nanak Ji and served Him with deep love and adoration.
The point I would like to make is this: When Amar Das Ji was worshipping idols of Hindu dieties, and when Bhai Lehna Ji was worshipping Hindu Goddess Durga, would you say that any Bani they wrote at that time can be considered as Gurbani?
And if you still think that, regardless of when they received GurGadhi, all Bani written by Guru Ji is indeed Gurbani, what are your thoughts on how the word “Nanak” can be written in their Bani? Because my understanding is that the Name, “Nanak”, could only be written *after* they became Gurus, because that is when Guru Nanak Ji’s Divine Light, the Jyot, was passed on to them.
So Shabad Hazaray could not have been written by Guru Arjun Dev Ji before He attained GurGadhi. This pavan Shabad must have been written after He was Guru. Which further means that the set of letters that Arjun Mal Ji wrote to Guru Ram Das Ji is a different composition all together. From what I have learnt is that the location of these letters is still under debate by various scholars and historians.
Similarly, Laavaan could not have been written by Bhai Jetha Ji (Guru Ram Das) for his own wedding since we know that he was married before he attained GurGadhi. Laavaan Shabad contains the Name “Nanak” , so my understanding is that this Shabad was written after Guru Ram Das Ji received GurGadhi and He became the Fourth Nanak.
On a side note, there is no such title, or heading in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji that is called Shabad Hazaray. I read somewhere that Shabad Hazaray is so called because reciting this Shabad once is like reciting it a thousand times. My belief is that *all* Shabads in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji are equally divine, and reciting *any* Shabad once is akin to reciting it a thousand times.
Gurinder ji, I respectfully disagree with your example of the last few pages of Aad Guru Granth being left empty deliberately, so that the those pages could be filled by the Bani of the Ninth Nanak, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Please allow me to put forth the understanding that I have gained with Gurmat Vichaar from NJ Gurdwara’s Bhai Sahibji. Lets visualize a practical experiment. Take 10 blank sheets of paper, and fold them into half so that they form a booklet. Now you have twenty pages of a blank booklet. Now lets say that you are being dictated on Topic #1, and you are filling in the pages with writing. But the dictation ends when you have completed only 14 pages. You have some pages left at the end of the booklet that are empty. Now you are being dictated on a different topic. So you will again take 10 blank sheets of paper and fold them again making a booklet of 20 pages since you don’t know how many pages will be needed to complete Topic #2. Maybe you may need all of 20 pages or you my need 19 pages or, as in the previous booklet, you may need only 14 pages. But since you rather have more sheets than less, you stick to taking 10 sheets of paper again. So now when you are writing Topic #2, you use up, let say, 18 pages. So you have two pages empty in this second booklet. Similarly you continue this exercise with the next booklet and so on until you finish writing all the different topics in each booklet. You then keep (or attach) all these sections (booklets) together to form one big “book”. Some sections may contain 6 empty pages, some may contain one empty page, some may contain half of an empty page.
I am sure you will agree with me that Professor Sahib Singhji is a very distinguished and highly respected Sikh scholar. He did immense research along with two other eminent professors (I don’t remember very well but I think their names are Teja Singh and Ganda Singh?) One of the books that he wrote is called Aad Bir Baarey. In this book, Professor Sahib Singhji explains why the empty pages are found in the Aad Granth. There are empty pages throughout the Aad Granth. Just like in the book in the practical experiment above.
Guru Arjun Ji dictated Bani in a very systematic and scientific manner, complete with a numbering system. Guru Ji organized all Bani by Raag when He dictated to Bhai Gurdasji. So using the booklet example, the first “topic” was in Sri Raag, the second topic was in Majh Raag, the third topic was in Raag Gauri, and so on. Now in each Raag, Guru Ji further organized the Bani according to the succession of each Guru. For example, the first booklet would contain all Banis in Sri Raag , which in turn would be cataloged first by Guru Nanak Ji’s Bani, then Guru Angad Ji’s Bani, Then Guru Amar Das Ji’s Bani, then Guru Ram Das Ji’s Bani, then His own Bani, then the Bani of Bhagats and Sants (If I remember correctly, I think Bhatts were grouped together in one section, bu that is a topic for future discussion.)
So, because of this unique arrangement of the Aad Guru Granth according to the Ragas and the Gurus, when Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s Bani was added, the Bani was included in the corresponding sections. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji did not write any Shabads in Sri Raag, Or in Majh Raag, therefore the pages at the end of the Sri Raag and Raag Majh sections continued to remain empty. Ninth Nanak Ji’s Shabads *first* appear in the third section, because He wrote Shabads in Raag Gauri.
So, in my humble opinion, to say that Guru Arjun Ji left some pages empty, decades in advance, because these pages were to be filled with Ninth Nanak’s Bani is inaccurate.
I have a few more thoughts to share with you to illustrate my understanding, but this post has already gotten very lengthy so I think I should stop. :-)
Humbly,
Geeta Kaur
Geeta kaur ji
Thank you for your response even though it took long time, luckily I browsed mrsikhnet otherwise I might have missed your comment.
I don’t think that I am trying to convince anyone or we are trying to win an discussion. Majority of the population is made to think in Linear way or Linear thought process. Which is that if A is possible then B is possible.
Third dimensional humans cannot create an idea and few can formulate a real thought and the level of humanity which is receptive only to the physical plane and our five senses are limited to the realm of linear thought. Thought process proceeds from a set of fixed opinions or assumptions and therefore people (scholars) reaches their own conclusions based strictly on those base assumptions. The important point is that thinking should not be restricted what are only senses dictate or what we have learned. Thinking is a continuous process in different dimensions.
I have great respect for scholars but their conclusions are based upon on their own hypothesis and come up with theories why this happened and why that happened. Even scholars are tuned into one thing to approve their hypothesis and that’s how they will gain popularity.
At this present time if you are able to tell what is another persons mind or a thought process going on then you have achieved a different dimension of thought process. How can we now make assumptions what their exact thought process was at that time.
Your thought is “my understanding is that the Name, “Nanakâ€, could only be written *after* they became Gurusâ€
First of all, Nanak is one channel of same thought process or a thought process tuned into same frequency of uniting with the ultimate one. Nanak does not pertains to Physical form. Nanak is a channel, frequency or same light. Very simple analogy, Just like many candles can be lit up from one primary candle yet the primary candle remains, even though other candles can be of different color or even morphology. But the light is the same and the parent candle is still lit up. So, those normal human beings who were able to tune into that same frequency of Nanak and that’s why their shabads were included in SGGS, even though their physical form was different and their presence was at different times. But the word Nanak is not used to give them the credit for their achievements and to show the world that ordinary human beings can reach to very high levels.
Again you state that any shabad written before Gurgadhi. Again we are deriving our conclusions based upon Physical form, what we see and what we feel. These assumptions are made within the realm of senses. For instance, our senses tell us that earth is stationary yet it rotates around itself and around the sun.
We can only speculate what their thoughts were at that time. But what ever is in SGGS is for sure a valid proof of what their thoughts were at that very moment. That’s I rather follow what Guruji has left for us than follow a random scholar whose conclusions are based upon only on their own hypothesis.
I rather search Guru Shabad and attach to it than waste my lifetime in speculations. Even if one speculations is fulfilled another ten speculations will arise and the life is just wasted on deriving conclusions.
You are absolutely right that the entire Sir Guru Granth Sahib is equally divine.
Finally, I rather follow divine scholars ( Guru )than mortal scholars who may just want to fulfill their own achievements.
Dear Ek Ong Kaar Kaur,Â
Thank you for the great translation! Also, do you know the meaning behind why the man leads in the lavan? I have heard that some Sikhs have done the Pherai side by side, while others have not done them at all. Also, I read about a story with Guru Nanak and how Guru Nanak refused to be married using the Hindu tradition and wrote the Mool Mantra on a piece of paper, placed it on a chair and walked around it stating that, that would be his marriage ceremony. Is this true? Thanks!
Iam really pleased and delighted the way you have thrown this light on us by making us aware and translating Our GURU’s words. This will definitely help the people like me to understand and implement the same in their life. If people apply and understands these words of Guru Ji in their married life i think the present soaring rise in divorce will surely start reducing. Thankyou so much. I think this is the blessing of God on you that has enlightened us to understand these lovely words of Guru Ji and I wish that you explore all the more so that the people like us can become aware and remain under the Hukam of our Guru Ji.Â
Best Wishes,
Ruby
Hi
I am a Hindu Boy, Looking to marry a sikh girl. Now also not only is our religion different but so is my race. Now the problem is that my parents are okay, but her parents are not okay and have told her that they will kill themself if she does not marry a Punjabi Sikh fellow. Please help me on what to do, and what does Guru Nanak say about marriage. I have done many readings and Guru Nanak says that all humans are one, no matter what caste, religion you are from. How do I make her parents understand?
As for as I can ascertain, Lavaan were written by Guru Ram Das Ji as statges/steps/circles towards spiritual union with the Akal Purkh. Incorporation or integration into Anand Karj is purely ritualistic, not the original intent. Go read Guru Granth Sahib for more clarity. Alas! most couples go through the perfunctory ceremonial ritual of Lavaans without knowing or understanding what they mean. Guru Nanak emphasized elimination of rituals.
Guru forgive me for any indiscretion,Sadh Sangt please forgive me as well, please go read Lavaan in Gurmukhi and in English!
WJKKWJKF,
Lavaans are the four stages to meet God from Parvirti Karam to Paaya Prabh Abinasi.