Gems of Gurbani

Guru Granth Sahib

Kirtan Sohila  5

Dhanasari  Mahala 1 Aarti

There is but One Lord. By true Guru’s grace He is obtained.

The sky is like a salver, studded with stars and their orbs look like pearls, the moon and Sun are like lamps that lighten the world, the wind is fanning the breeze that brings fragrance of sandalwood from malay mountains and the whole vegetation is full of flowers ready to make offerings to the Light O luminous Lord II 1 II What a beautiful adoration to the Lord with all His own creation is being performed O Lord the destroyer of the dread. The celestial music is being played that untouched word for your adoration that sounds in all beings equally like temple drums II rahao II

O Luminous Lord Your light and Being is manifest in all human beings that is how you have thousand of eyes but none of your own, you have thousands of forms bur self is without form, thousands are your holy feet but none are your own, thousands are the noses but none is your own. O how I am bewitched with all your play! Amongst all beings is your light that can enlighten everyone, every soul but with Guru’s teachings that Divine light becomes manifest. Whatever pleases Him that alone is His adoration! For me His Lotus feet are like that sweet honey for which day and night I remain thirsty. Grant Nanak, the pied cuckoo with the nectar of your mercy so that he may have an abode in Your True Name O Lord II 4 II 1II 7 II 9 II

Note: The Malay mountains are in south where most of the sandalwood in India is grown. The Aarti according to Hindu tradition is done by lighted Lamps in a salver with some fragrances in front of an Idol. The tradition that is followed is to move the salver four times at the feet of the deity, twice in front of stomach area, once on face and seven times on whole body. Nobody is ever explained why it is done in this particular way. Since Guru Nanak ji was against Idol worship and believed only in Formless God he wrote this beautiful Aarti for the adoration of the Lord where the whole nature created by Him is worshipping Him and we human need to realize that it is Him whose command we need to follow.