Aarti in Sikhism

This aarti is performed in gurudwaras in the sikh religion. Most of the words I found from this website:- http://www.dalsabzi.com/Mantras/guru_aarti.htm. Although I found that most of the words were missing so I wrote them according to what I heard. I don't claim that all the pronunciations are accurate but I've tried my best to present them here. You can also download this aarti from the following link:- http://www.ikirtan.com/Bhai_Harjinder_Singh_Ji_(Sri_Nagar)/Bhai_Harjinder_Singh_Jee_(Sri_Nagar_Wale)%20Aarti.mp3

At Jagannaath Puri, a famous pilgrimage center of the Hindus, Guru Nanak noticed that the priests were more interested in the rituals and elaborate arrangements rather than in their love for God. So he stepped outside the temple and burst into the following masterpiece.

The following lines were composed by Guru Nanak Dev ji.



Gagan mein thaal rav chand deepak bane
Tarka mandal janak moti
Dhoop mal aanlo pawan chavaro kare
Sagal banrai phoolant jyoti
Kaisi aarti hove bhavkhandna teri aarti
Kaisi aarti hove bhavkhandna teri aarti
Anahad shabd vajant bheri
Anahad shabd vajant bheri
Sahas tav nain nan
Nain hai tohe kau
Sahas murat nan na ek tohe
Sahas pad bimal nan ek pad gandh bin
Sahas tav gandh ev chalat mohi
Sab mein jot jot hai sohi
Tis ke chaanan sab mein chaanan hoi
Gur sakhi jot pargat hoe
Jo tis bhave so aarti hoe
Har charan kamal makrand lobit mano
Aneno mohe aaee piyasa
Kirpa jal de nanak sarang ko
Hoe jate tere naam vasa
Hoe jate tere naam vasa

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.


The following lines were composed by sant Ravidas ji.



Naam tero aarti majan murare
Har ke naam bin chootey sagal pasare
Naam tero aasno naam tero ursa
Naam tera kesaro ley chitkare
Naam tera ambula naam tero chandano
Ghas jape naam ley tujhe kauchare
Naam tera diva naam tero baati
Naam tero tel ley maahe pasare
Naam tere ki jot lagaee
Bhayo ujiaro pavan sagalare
Naam tero taaga naam phool mala
Naam tero taaga naam phool mala
Bhar athare sagal juthare
Tera kiya tujhe kya arpu
Naam tera tuhi chavar dulare
Dus ath ath sathe chare khani
Ehe vartan hai sagal sansare
Kahe ravidas naam tero aarti
Sat naam hai har bhog tuhare
Sat naam hai har bhog tuhare

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 following lines were composed by sant Sain ji.



Dhup deep krit saaj aarti
Varan jau kamalapati
Mangala har mangala
Nit mangal raja ram raeko
Utam diyara nirmal baati
Utam diyara nirmal baati
Tu hi niranjan kamalapati
Ram bhagat ramanand jane
Puran paramanand bakhane
Ram bhagat ramanand jane
Puran paramanand bakhane
Madan murat bhay tare govindey
Sain bhane bhaj paramanandey

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.

The following lines were composed by sant Kabir ji.



Sun sandheya teri dev divakar
Ad pat aad samaee
Siddh samadh aant nahi paya
Laag rahe sharanaee
Leho aarti ho purukh niranjan
Sat guru pujo bhai
Thaada brahma nigam bechare
Alakh na lakheya jaaee
Taat tel naam kiya baati
Taat tel naam kiya baati
Deepak de ujiyara
Jot lae jagadish jugaya
Bhuje bhujan hara
Panche shabd anahad baje
Sang sarang paani
Kabir das teri aarti kini
Nirankar nirbani
Nirankar nirbani

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’

The following lines were composed by bhagat Dhanna ji.



Gopal tera aarta
Gopal tera aarta
Jo jan tumri bhagat karante
Tin ke kaaj savarta
Daal sidha mangu gheyo
Humra khushi kare nit jiyo
Paniya chandan nika
Anaaj mangu sab sika
Gau bhas mangula veri
Ek tajan turi changeri
Gau bhas mangula veri
Ek tajan turi changeri
Ghar ki gheehan changi
Jan dhanna leve mangi
Gopal tera aarta
Gopal tera aarta

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…

The following lines were composed by Guru Gobind singh ji.



Yate parsan bhaye hain maha muni
Devan ke taap mein sukh pave
Jag kare ek ved rare
Bhav taap hare mil dhyan e lave
Jhaalar taal murdang upang
Rabaab liye sur saaj milave
Kinnar gandharv gaan kare
Gaan jache upachar nirt dikhave
Shankhan ki dhun kaantan ki
Kar phoolan ki barakha barakhave
Aarti kot kare sur sundar
Pekh purandar ke bal jave
Danat dachan dey key pardachan
Baal mein kum kum aachat lave
Hot kulahaal dev puri mil
Devan ke kul magal gave
Tera vahe sas he karuna nidh
Meri ave viniti sun lije
Aur na mangat hoon tum te kachu
Chahat ho chit mein so hi kije
Kashtan sovat hiran kitar
Joojh marun to saach patije
Sang suhaye sada jag maye
Kirpa kar shaam ni hai man pije
Aae gaye jab te tumare
Tab te kou aankh kare nahi anyo
Raam rahim puran qoran
Aanek kahein mat ek na manyo
Simrat shashtar ved sabhe kahon
Bed khahein hum ek na janyo
Tristra paan kripa tumari kar
Main na kahyo sab tohe bakhanyo
Main na kahyo sab tohe bakhanyo
Main na kahyo sab tohe bakhanyo
Sagal dwar ko chad ke gayo tumharo dwar
Baan gaye ki laaj raas govind das tohar
Aise chandh partap te Din badhayo partap
Teen lok jai jai karein rare naam sat jaap
Teen lok jai jai karein rare naam sat jaap
Ke parchakra varki chatar chakra pukhe
Swayambar sugam sarva das sarva chukhe
Guru param paranasi dayalam swarupe
Saada ang sange apangandh tute
Guru param paranasi dayalam swarupe
Saada ang sange apangandh tute

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.

Commentary on this aarti:- This aarti includes vanis of various saints but the important thing is to see how they talk about the same power in different ways. Also the hints they give us which talk about his power which sustains the whole creation called the anahad shabd or the unstruck melody. Guru Nanak dev ji talks about it & tells us how this divine sound, this sweet melody is ringing within us which comes directly from GOD himself. It shows us the way to go back home. This anahad shabd is ringing within us at the eye centre or the 10th door you may call it by any name third eye, shiv netra, divya drishti etc. words don't change anything. It resounds there 24 hours a day waiting for us to hear it & catch it. Sant Ravidas ji goes one step ahead & talks about how this naam or shabd sustains everything that exists. He says that only this naad which sounds without any instruments which cannot be spoken or written, this divine sound is the only aarti of the Lord of all the souls & when one unites with it only then he does true aarti or worship of the supreme. Even sant Sain ji talks about the light aspect of it. He tells us how the power of GOD manifests itself as sound & light the divine flame which is burning day & night within us but we don't see it due to our ignorance. The most amazing detail is given by sant Kabir ji who speaks about this anahad naad & tells us how it resounds in 5 main melodies. Although there are many melodies within but there are 5 major ones which are told to the student so that he or she may calculate it's ascend in the higher regions according to them. These 5 major melodies or panch shabd represent the astral, casual, super casual, spiritual casual & pure spiritual regions. These melodies cannot be spoken but words which represent these melodies are given at the time of initiation. Here kabir also tells us how he worships this nirankar nirbani or the primal sound the voice of GOD. Bhagat Dhanna ji talks about the Lord as a devotee & Guru Gobind singh ji talks about how many scriptures say so many things about the same GOD & how he doesn't know him as someone apart from him, he talks about the highest state of a disciple where he is one with the supreme. Thus many hints & clues are given in the vanis of saints about anahad shabd the divine melody within but we never look closely for them & wander here & there when the thing we seek is resounding day & night within our body the temple of the living GOD.