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Society: Sikhism: Prayers: Ardas
Ardas
starts with ‘Pritham Bhagauti Simar Kai’
Ardas starts with ‘Var Sri Bhagauti Ji Ki’ (Chandi
Var- It comes after Chandi Charitar at p-119 of first part of Dasam Granth).
It was originally composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The word Bhagauti
in the start of Ardas has been used as Kharag and Akal Purkh
both.
Sacrifices
made by the Sikhs are recalled daily in Ardas (Sikh prayer)
In their daily Ardas, the Sikhs remember and respect
the sacrifices made by their great Gurus. The sacrifices of the brave
Sikhs who offered themselves for martyrdom to upkeep their religion and
righteousness are recalled.
The Sikhs pray,
“Five beloved ones, four
princes (Sahibzade), forty redeemed ones, those who have remained
steadfast in suffering, those who kept constant remembrance of Waheguru,
those who renounced the sensuous pleasures, those who have constantly lived
in the Divine presence, shared earnings, expressed magnanimity, have preserved
in their fight in the cause of justice, turned a blind eye to the faults
and failings of others and did not falter, concentrate your minds on the
struggle and achievements of those, O, revered members of the order of
the Khalsa and say: 'Waheguru'.
The Singhs of both the
sexes who courted martyrdom in the cause of religion and underwent unspeakable
sufferings of being dismembered alive bit by bit , cut to pieces,
scalped alive, broken on the rotating spiked wheels, sawed alive into two
pieces and boiled alive and those who made sacrifices in the service of
the centers of the Sikh religion, the Gurdwaras, but never wavered in their
faith and remained steadfast in the cause of Sikhism to the last hair of
their body and to their last breath O, revered members of the Khalsa Order,
concentrate your minds on the glorious deeds of those, and utter, glory
to Waheguru.”
Pray for gifts
of virtues
The Sikhs pray for gift of the Sikh faith, the gift of
the un-trimmed hair, the gift of the discipline of their faith , the gift
of wisdom, the gift of trust, the gift of confidence, above all the gift
of meditation on the Divine Name and bath in the holy pool of Amritsar.
Ardas
for humility, high wisdom and Sarbat Da Bhala
Sikh Ardas is for universal welfare. It creates self confidence.
The Sikhs pray for humility and high wisdom to serve the humanity
and recite the Name of Almighty God.
Power of prayer
The creatures pray to the Creator. If the prayer is said
from core of the heart and with full confidence, it is heard by the
Almighty. It is heard if the pleader is sincere in approach, inclination
and motives.
Dandaut bandan anik var sarab kala samrath,
Dolan te rakho prabhu Nanak de kar hath.
(256 M5)
Tu Thakar tum pai ardas
jio pind sabh teri raas
(208 Gauri Sukhmani M5)
Tudh aage ardas hamari jio pind sabh tera.
(383 Asa m5)
Dui kar jor karo ardas tudh bhavai tan ane
ras.
(727 Suhi M 5)
Guru Gobind Singh had full faith in God. He prayed confidently
before Almighty when he said,
“If one hundred twenty five thousand come to
fight with me, I will win over them.”
“Savaa laakh se ek laraon”
In the Sikh prayer, Divine grace and past sufferings and
glories of the community are recalled.
“This prayer first evolved during the eighteenth
century, has since undergone occasional minor amendments.”
(P260- World religions by Geoffery Parrinder)
It ends with the famous proclamation;
“Raj Karega Khalsa (Khalsa shall rule).”
After every Ardas, the Sikhs remind themselves of the perpetual
authority of Guru Granth Sahib by reciting:
AwigAw BeI Akwl kI
qbI clwiea pMQ ]
sB isKn ko hukm hY gurU mwina
gRMQ ]
gurU gRMQ jI mwina pRgt gurW
kI dyh ]
jwkw ihrdw suD hY Koj Sbd mYN
lyh ]
Agya Bhai Akal ki tabhi chalayo Panth,
Sab Sikhan ko hukam hai Guru manyo Granth.
Guru Granth ko Manyo pargat Guran ki deh
Jo Prabhu ko milna chahe khoj sabad men leh
(g. igAwn isMG, qvwrIK gurU
Kwls)
(Tawarikh Guru Khalsa by Giani Gian Singh Part-1, p-1142)
(See Reht Nama Bhai Prahlad Singh)
rwj krygw Kwlsw AwkI
rihh n koie ]
Kwr hoie sB imlYNgy bcih Srn
jo hoie ]
Raj karega khalsa Aaki rahe na koe,
Khawar hoe sabh milainge bacheh sharan jo hoe.
(qnKwhnwmw BweI nMd lwl)
(Tankhah Nama Bhai Nand Lal)
Meaning thereby:
“Under orders of the Immortal Being, The Panth
was started
All the Sikhs are ordained to accept the Granth as their
Guru;
Accept Guru Granth Sahib as living Guru for all ages
to come.
Whosoever is desirous of seeking communion with God,
let him search through the hymns of Guru Granth Sahib.
The Khalsa shall rule, and its opponents will be no more.
Those separated will unite, and all the devotees shall
be saved.”
For more reading,
Hymn of Sikh Patriotism
“Grant me this boon O God,
May I never refrain from righteous deeds.
May I fight fearlessly all the foes in the battle of
life,
With the courage of faith to achieve victory.
May my mind be enshrined by your teachings,
May my highest ambition be to sing your praises,
And when this mortal life embraces its end,
May I die fighting in the thick of battle field with
limitless courage.”
Edict
(Hukamnama) for addition in the Ardas:
On partition of India, Punjab was divided into two parts
in 1947. Many of the historical Gurdwaras went on to the list of Pakistan.
Akal Takht enjoined upon the entire Khalsa Panth on January 25, 1952 to
add the following lines to the Ardas:
“O Immortal Being, eternal helper of Thy Panth,
benevolent Lord, bestow on the Khalsa the beneficence of unobstructed visit
to and free management of Nankana Sahib and other shrines and places
of the Guru from which the Panth has been separated.”
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