Ardaas
The word Ardâs ( ਅਰਦਾਸ ) is derived from the Persian word 'Arazdashat', meaning a request, a supplication, a prayer, a petition or an address to a superior authority. It is a Sikh prayer that is a done before performing or after undertaking any significant task; after reciting the daily Banis (prayers); or completion of a service like the Paath, kirtan (hymn-singing) program or any other religious program. In Sikhism, these prayers are also said before and after eating. The prayer is a plea to God to support and help the devotee with whatever he or she is about to undertake or has done.
The Ardas is usually done standing up with 'folded hands'. The beginning of the Ardas is strictly set by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. When it comes to the conclusion of this prayer, the devotee uses:
The Ardas is usually done standing up with 'folded hands'. The beginning of the Ardas is strictly set by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. When it comes to the conclusion of this prayer, the devotee uses:
- The word Waheguru - "Waheguru please bless me in the task that I am about to undertake" when starting a new task.
- Or the words Akal Purakh - "Akal Purakh, having completed the hymn-singing, we ask for your continued blessings so that we can continue with your memory and remember you at all times".
Details
The power that this single prayer possesses is astonishing. Starting with "pritham bhagautee simar kai, Gur Nanak laee dhiaa-e phir Angad gur tay Amardaas, Raamdaasai hoee sahaee and ending with Naanak naam charhdee kalaa, tayray bhaanay Sarbaht dah Phahla. The ardas encompasses so many Sikh and Humanistic values. It is more than just a prayer; it is a new concept of therapy for the elevation of the human spirit, mind and body.
The main features and benefits of Ardas are:
In a congregational setting, the ardas is recited by one member of the assemblage with everyone standing reverentially, hands in prayer pose (see photos for example), facing the Guru Granth Sahib. Periodically throughout the recitation, the assembly as a whole repeats the word Waheguru in order to support the idea that God, the Wondrous Guru, is the Supreme Being capable of anything. At the completion of ardas, the congregation bows down as one and places their foreheads on the floor to symbolize the fact that they will go as low as necessary to support Waheguru and all that He stands for; in essence, they are placing themselves as the servants of God. Upon rising, the Sangat (congregation) proclaims Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji ki Fateh, "the Khalsa belongs to the Lord to whom [also] belongs the Victory" (Singh, Inderjit). Immediately after uttering these words, one member of the assembly states the phrase, Bole So Nihal, "he who pronounces these words shall be fulfilled" (Singh, Inderjit). In response to this statement, the entire Sangat heartily shouts, Sat Sri Akal or "Truth is the Timeless Lord".
As one can see, the combination of the way that ardas is performed as well as the content of the prayer lends itself to the power of the supplication.
The main features and benefits of Ardas are:
- It is a petition to God, the merciful creator of the universe.
- It lowers ones ego and brings calmness to ones mental state.
- Teaches one Nimrata Humility, Daya Compassion, fearlessness, Chardi Kala.
- One is reminded of the level of dedication required to become a better human being.
- It gives one inner strength and energy.
- It links the mind with the 'pure ones' from human history.
- It elevates ones spiritual state and builds ones confidence.
- It brings a sense of "community" to the person.
In a congregational setting, the ardas is recited by one member of the assemblage with everyone standing reverentially, hands in prayer pose (see photos for example), facing the Guru Granth Sahib. Periodically throughout the recitation, the assembly as a whole repeats the word Waheguru in order to support the idea that God, the Wondrous Guru, is the Supreme Being capable of anything. At the completion of ardas, the congregation bows down as one and places their foreheads on the floor to symbolize the fact that they will go as low as necessary to support Waheguru and all that He stands for; in essence, they are placing themselves as the servants of God. Upon rising, the Sangat (congregation) proclaims Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji ki Fateh, "the Khalsa belongs to the Lord to whom [also] belongs the Victory" (Singh, Inderjit). Immediately after uttering these words, one member of the assembly states the phrase, Bole So Nihal, "he who pronounces these words shall be fulfilled" (Singh, Inderjit). In response to this statement, the entire Sangat heartily shouts, Sat Sri Akal or "Truth is the Timeless Lord".
As one can see, the combination of the way that ardas is performed as well as the content of the prayer lends itself to the power of the supplication.
Ardaas
Ekh-oonkaar Vaaheguroo jee kee Fat'eh.
Sree Bhagautee jee Sahaa-e. Vaar Sree Bhagautee jee kee Paat'shaahee D'assveen
Pritham Bhagat'ee simar kaae Guroo Nanak laeen' D'hiaa-ae.
Phir Angad, Guroo t'ae Amar-Daas Ram-Daas-aae hoeen' sahaa-ae.
Arjan Hargobind no simro Sree Har Raae.
Sree Har-Kishan d'hiaa-ee-aae jis dit'haae sabhe dukhe jaa-aae
Teg-Bahaad'ur simri-aae ghar naau nid'he aavaae d'haa-e.
Sabh thaa-een' ho-e sahaa-e.
Dassvaen' Paat-Shah Sree Guru Gobind Singh Sahib jee
sabh thaa-een' ho-e sahaa-e.
Dassaan' Paat'shaahee-aan' d'ee jot Sree Guroo Granth Sahib jee
d'ae paat'h d'eed'aar daa d'heaan dhar kae bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Panjaan' piaareaan', chauhaan' Sahibzaad-eaan', chaalee mukt-eaan',
Hat'hee-aan', jappee-aan', tappee-aan', jinhaa' Naam jap-eaa, vand chhakeaa,
d'aeg chalaa-ee, tegh vaahee, daekh kae andit'h keetaa,
Tinhaan piaareaan', sache-aare-aan dee kamaaee daa
dHe-aan d'har kae Khaalsaa jee bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Jinhaan' singhaan' singhaniaan' nae dHaram haet sees deettae, baaNd baaNd kataa-ae,
Khopariaan' luhaa-ee-aan', charkharee-aan' tae charhae, aare-aan' naal chiraa-ae ga-ae,
Gurduaare-aan' dee saevaa la-ee kurbaaniaan' keeTee-aan', dHaram naheen' haareaa,
Sikhee kaesaan' svaasaan' naal nibhaa-ee, tinhaan' dee kamaa-ee dah
theaan dhar kae Khaalsaa jee bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Panjaan' Takhtaan', sarbatt Gurdvaareaan'
dah theaan dHar kae bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Prathmae sarbatt Khaalsaa jee kee Ardaas haae jee,
sarbatt Khaalsaa jee ko Vaheguroo, Vaheguroo, Vaheguroo, chitt aavae,
chitt aavan kaa sadkaa sarab sukh hovae,
Jahaan' Jahaan' Khaalsaa jee Sahib, ta'Haan' ta'Haan' rachheaa riaa-it,
Daeg taeg Fateh, bihrd kee paaej, Panth kee jeet,
Sir'ee sahib jee sahaa-ae, Khalsae jee kae bol baalae, bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Sikhaan' noon' Sikhee daan, Kesh daan, RehT daan, bibaek daan,
visaah daan, bharosaa daan, daanaan' s-ir daan, Naam daan,
sree Amritsar jee dah ishnaan, Chukiaan', Jhandae, Bungae
jugo j-ugg At'aaLL, dharam kaa jaaekaar. Bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Sikhaan' dah maaNN neevaan', maTT ouchee, maTT dah raakhaa Aap Vaaheguroo.
Hae Akaal-Purkh, Deen-Deaal, Karan-Kaaran,
Patit-Pavan, Kreepaa-Needhaan jee
Aapan-ae Panth dae sadaa sahaa-ee Dataar jeeo.
Sree Nankaanaa Sahib tae hor Gurdvaareaan', Gur'dhaamaan' dae
jinhaan' thon' Panth noon' vichhor-eaa geaa haee
Khullhae darshan dee-daara tae sevaa san-mbhaal daa daan Khaalsa jee noon' bakhsho.
Hae Nimaaneaan' dae Maan, Nitaaneaan. dae Taan',
Nioteaan' dee O-ut, Sachae Pit.aa Vaaheguroo,
Aap dah hazoor ............... dee Ardaas haae jee, (Here say the morning or the evening Nitnem, or mention the occasion for Ardas).
Akharr daa vaadhaa ghaataa, bhull chukk maaf karnaa jee,
sarbatt dae karaj raas karnae,
Sae-ee piaarae maelo jinhaan' miliaan' Taeraa Naam chitt aavae.
Nanak Naam charh'dee kalaa, T'arae bhaanae sarbatt daa bhalaa.
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh
Sree Bhagautee jee Sahaa-e. Vaar Sree Bhagautee jee kee Paat'shaahee D'assveen
Pritham Bhagat'ee simar kaae Guroo Nanak laeen' D'hiaa-ae.
Phir Angad, Guroo t'ae Amar-Daas Ram-Daas-aae hoeen' sahaa-ae.
Arjan Hargobind no simro Sree Har Raae.
Sree Har-Kishan d'hiaa-ee-aae jis dit'haae sabhe dukhe jaa-aae
Teg-Bahaad'ur simri-aae ghar naau nid'he aavaae d'haa-e.
Sabh thaa-een' ho-e sahaa-e.
Dassvaen' Paat-Shah Sree Guru Gobind Singh Sahib jee
sabh thaa-een' ho-e sahaa-e.
Dassaan' Paat'shaahee-aan' d'ee jot Sree Guroo Granth Sahib jee
d'ae paat'h d'eed'aar daa d'heaan dhar kae bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Panjaan' piaareaan', chauhaan' Sahibzaad-eaan', chaalee mukt-eaan',
Hat'hee-aan', jappee-aan', tappee-aan', jinhaa' Naam jap-eaa, vand chhakeaa,
d'aeg chalaa-ee, tegh vaahee, daekh kae andit'h keetaa,
Tinhaan piaareaan', sache-aare-aan dee kamaaee daa
dHe-aan d'har kae Khaalsaa jee bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Jinhaan' singhaan' singhaniaan' nae dHaram haet sees deettae, baaNd baaNd kataa-ae,
Khopariaan' luhaa-ee-aan', charkharee-aan' tae charhae, aare-aan' naal chiraa-ae ga-ae,
Gurduaare-aan' dee saevaa la-ee kurbaaniaan' keeTee-aan', dHaram naheen' haareaa,
Sikhee kaesaan' svaasaan' naal nibhaa-ee, tinhaan' dee kamaa-ee dah
theaan dhar kae Khaalsaa jee bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Panjaan' Takhtaan', sarbatt Gurdvaareaan'
dah theaan dHar kae bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Prathmae sarbatt Khaalsaa jee kee Ardaas haae jee,
sarbatt Khaalsaa jee ko Vaheguroo, Vaheguroo, Vaheguroo, chitt aavae,
chitt aavan kaa sadkaa sarab sukh hovae,
Jahaan' Jahaan' Khaalsaa jee Sahib, ta'Haan' ta'Haan' rachheaa riaa-it,
Daeg taeg Fateh, bihrd kee paaej, Panth kee jeet,
Sir'ee sahib jee sahaa-ae, Khalsae jee kae bol baalae, bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Sikhaan' noon' Sikhee daan, Kesh daan, RehT daan, bibaek daan,
visaah daan, bharosaa daan, daanaan' s-ir daan, Naam daan,
sree Amritsar jee dah ishnaan, Chukiaan', Jhandae, Bungae
jugo j-ugg At'aaLL, dharam kaa jaaekaar. Bolo jee Vaaheguroo.
Sikhaan' dah maaNN neevaan', maTT ouchee, maTT dah raakhaa Aap Vaaheguroo.
Hae Akaal-Purkh, Deen-Deaal, Karan-Kaaran,
Patit-Pavan, Kreepaa-Needhaan jee
Aapan-ae Panth dae sadaa sahaa-ee Dataar jeeo.
Sree Nankaanaa Sahib tae hor Gurdvaareaan', Gur'dhaamaan' dae
jinhaan' thon' Panth noon' vichhor-eaa geaa haee
Khullhae darshan dee-daara tae sevaa san-mbhaal daa daan Khaalsa jee noon' bakhsho.
Hae Nimaaneaan' dae Maan, Nitaaneaan. dae Taan',
Nioteaan' dee O-ut, Sachae Pit.aa Vaaheguroo,
Aap dah hazoor ............... dee Ardaas haae jee, (Here say the morning or the evening Nitnem, or mention the occasion for Ardas).
Akharr daa vaadhaa ghaataa, bhull chukk maaf karnaa jee,
sarbatt dae karaj raas karnae,
Sae-ee piaarae maelo jinhaan' miliaan' Taeraa Naam chitt aavae.
Nanak Naam charh'dee kalaa, T'arae bhaanae sarbatt daa bhalaa.
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh