How to bow...

[Guest SScom]

VJKK VJKF

Is there a specific way we SHOULD bow (mattha-tek) before Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee? ie, prayer before hand, position of hands when bowing, should the head touch the floor etc etc.

What do you think/ know?

[Gurbar Akaal]

Theres no specific way, matha tek how your heart feels

[Guest SScom]

ive heard stuff over time like "u shud bow with the palm of ure hands facing upwards" n stuff like that... oh and your dastaar should not touch the floor etc etc.

[Taksali Singh]

VJKK VJKF

Is there a specific way we SHOULD bow (mattha-tek) before Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee? ie, prayer before hand, position of hands when bowing, should the head touch the floor etc etc.

What do you think/ know?

95322[/snapback]

WJKKWJKP!

If you want to do Ardaas thats up to you, but there is a proper way to Matha Taek. The Forehead MUST touch the floor and your hands should be placed on the floor with the palms down. The reason for this is because the whole concept of MATHA TAEK is to put your Matha (Forehead) on the floor, to touch Guroo Saahibs feet. The reason we put our palms down is because we are touching the Charan of Saadhsangat and of Guroo Saahib.

Remember to be respectful and take your time. Seeing your Guroo is an auspicious occasion, saver the moment, you are blessed to be given the opportunity!

WJKKWJKP!

[Pheena]

Theres no specific way, matha tek how your heart feels

95323[/snapback]

Well Said. Do not get into too much technicalities. Let it be an expression of your Love. Love is not Technical or a Formality.

[sher_panjabi]

agree with Taksali_Singh

hands should be open flat and touching the ground and also fore-head should touch ground.

Reason for having hands open flat and touching grand:

1) Like Taksali_singh veer ji said, that you are touching the Sadh Sangat's Charan Dhoor (the dust of their feet)

2) You are expressing that you are placing everything before Guru Ji - i.e. you are submitting your mind and body to the Guru.

...... having your hands closed or turn with palm up = expression showing that you have something in your hands... opening the palm and placing down = giving expression

3) This what a Giani Ji told me - false or true i don't know. Our forehead and palms have the lines of our destiny written on them (we don't read them but rather have faith in Waheguru). When doing Matha we place our forehead and palms to the ground expressing that we are submitting our destiny in the hands of the Guru.

Matha Tekh = expression of our love and submission to Guru Ji, which is not merely a physical act, but involves humbling the mind and lowering our intellect infront of Guru ji.

[Guest SScom]

good good.

its a shame coz i think bowing infront of Guru Jee has just become a formality for many people. Its a quick entry into darbaar sahib, rush to the front, jump the queue if need be so they can sit down quicker, will jus bend on their knees, bow head up n down faster than lightning, get up, get parshaad, go sit down, eat parshaadh,... and leave.

To truly mathaa tek, you got have that pyaas for Guru Jee to bless you. Gotta have that desire inside. When sometimes ive known ive done something wrong, i feel so scared as i approach Guru Jee. And everytime i mathaa tek, ive always been even more scared as people used to tell me when i was younger that u shud mathaa tek like this n that n i was unsure so thanks for clearing that up for me.

But something once said bout the whole hands down thing was that u shud have ure hands, palm upwards when matha tek-ing as u should be asking Maharaj to give you kirpa or something like that. Never did really make sense so never done it that way.

[Ek Kaur]

In katha I heard that fristly your forhead should touch the floor out of respect. Also that your palms should be facing down as Guru Ji could then change your kismit by changing the lines on both your forehead and palms.

But I agree that an individual should not worry about any formailities and matha tekh out of pure devotion to Guru Ji.

[GuruManeyoGranth]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Thanks for the good points.

Matha Tekh = expression of our love and submission to Guru Ji, which is not merely a physical act, but involves humbling the mind and lowering our intellect infront of Guru ji.

Once I heard from a Parchaarak that as we approach Maharaaj Jee, to humble our mind and intellect in front of Guru Jee, we should try and recite the following shabad in our minds in full humility:

kabeer maeraa mujh mehi kishh nehee jo kishh hai so thaeraa ||

Kabeer, nothing is mine within myself. Whatever there is, is Yours, O Lord.

thaeraa thujh ko soupathae kiaa laagai maeraa ||203||

If I surrender to You what is already Yours, what does it cost me? ||203||

But I usually forget.

Bhul Chuk Maaf

Waheguroo

[Bahadur Sherni]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

When a Graduate Bhai Sahib from Sikh Missionary College came to our local Gurudwara he said that you should matha tekna with ur forehead touching the ground, with your palms facing downwards, and your elbows touching the ground. He said 10 parts of the body should touch the ground. 2 feet, 2 hands, 2 elbows, 2 knees, ur forehead and nose.

However, I cannot answer the extent to which this is valid. Recall that the act of matha tekna is expression of our love and submission to Guru Ji, which is not merely a physical act, but involves humbling the mind and lowering our intellect infront of Guru Maharaj. There is huge significance of metha tekna.

The essence of Matha Tekna is that you devote yourself to Akal Purakh.

Man Tan Tera Dhan Bhi Tera

Bhulla Chukka Dee Khima

Sabh da Rakha Waheguru