Aarti comes from Sanskrit aratrika, “something that removes
darkness.” In the Hindu religion, earth, air, water, fire, and space
(represented by a flower, peacock fan, water, deeva, and yak tail fan) are
offered to a deity in a plate which is circled around the image of the deity. Songs
are sung and the “power” of the deity is transferred to the plate, then the
blessing is passed to the worshippers when they place their hands over the
deeva and then over their heads. I saw this when I went to a Hindu mandar in Toronto last year. Guru Nanak Dev Ji observed this ritual when he
stopped at Jaggannath Puri with Mardana. In Sikhi we do not do idol worship in
this manner, and Guru Ji instead composed the shabads below which are now sung
in the Sikh aarti. Guru Ji emphasized that instead of idol worship and physical
offerings, that the entire creation is an offering to God and is naturally occurring.
“Wherever my True Guru goes and sits, that place is
beautiful, O Lord King.
The Guru’s Sikhs seek out that place; they take the dust and
apply it to their faces.
The works of the Guru’s Sikhs, who meditate on the Lord’s
Name, are approved.
Those who worship the True Guru, O Nanak- the Lord causes
them to be worshipped in turn.
The Sky is Your platter,
The sun and moon are the 'Deepaks' the lamps (lights),
The Stars in the sky are the pearls,
The 'Dhoop' (Incense) is the fragrance,
That the wind propels,
The whole forest is Your flowers.
O! What a wonderful Aarti, this is!
You, are a destroyer of Fear,
The sound of Your Name, which is so subtle, that It goes
unheard,
Resounds endlessly.
You have a thousand eyes, forms, feet, noses…And you have
none…
I am charmed!
Your Light enlightens all!
It is by the Grace of the Guru that the real Light
(Knowledge) Manifests.
What pleases the Almighty is this Aarti (Creation)
I yearn for Your Lotus feet,
Night and day,
Nanak is like the thirsty bird that asks,
For a drop of water,
From You O Lord!
That drop (Grace) will make Nanak find comfort,
In the uttering of Your Name.”
Sri Ravidas Ji, Sri Dhana Ji, Sant Kabeer Ji and Sant Sain
Ji composed the rest of the aarti:
“O Lord, Your name is the Aarti, Your name is the Flower,
the saffron, and the sandalwood That is offered to You. Your Name is the
(Deeya) The Lamp, the oil and the cotton That is lighted in it. With the Light
that Your Name gives out, The whole world is brightened. Your Name is the
Thread and Your Name is also The Flowers that are strung into that thread. All
that I offer to You is Yours. Your Name is the flywhisk, that you use, The
(Chant of Your) True Name, We offer to You, All is false except Your Name!
The Aarti is adorned by the lighted lamp And the fragrance
of the incense. All is Auspicious. Thou art the Supreme and Pure Light. Thou
art the Lord of the Goddess of Wealth. My obeisance to Thee. And to the Lord
Rama, Beautiful Govinda, Who is described as Replete Pure Bliss! Sain prays to
Thee, Who obliterates all Fear.
Dear Lord! The Greatest of Yogis have not been able to
comprehend You, Those who worship the Unmanifest, Fail to realize You. Even
though they have persevered in their quest. Your Name resounds unheard (By the
worldly) And only He can hear (On who Your Grace descends) Pray to Your
satguru! Almighty Lord! Accept the Aarti, with the oil, Lit with the Chant of
Your Name, By You, the Lord of the Universe! Kabirdas performs the Aarti of the
'Beyond Description' and the 'Without Form'
O Gopaala, (Accept) your Aarti! You grant the wishes of
those who worship You! I ask for my basic sustenance (food, oil, lentils, good
quality grains) Which makes me feel fulfilled. I also pray for a good wife,
good clothes, good grain, a horse, a cow…”
Finally Guru Gobind Singh Ji writes:
“The Lord is pleased by the penance, prayers, rituals
recitation of the Scriptures, Meditation, music, dance of the Celestial Beings,
adorned with vermilion, various musical instruments, Ringing of bells and the
showering of flowers, and the tune of the Aarti . The cosmic worlds rejoice and
chant the Divine Name. I have come to Your door-step O Lord, having left the
world behind, Protect me, I am in Your service. Because of the Lord's command,
this order (Sikhism) Came into being. The Sikhs are urged to believe that the
Granth is the Guru manifest, Whoever is pure in heart, will find the answers
within the words of the Guru Granth Sahib. Its words are the Guru, and the Guru
is in the Guru Granth's Utterings, And within the words is the nectar (Of
knowledge) And the words urge disciples to believe in the Guru!”
References:
Above translation of aarti from https://manpreet159.wordpress.com/sikhism/aarti-english-translation/
Ek Onkar, Satgur prasad
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_eGHqUJIb0