Ardaas Part 1/5

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Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh

Please read new article on Abhiyaas Blog called "Ardaas part 1/5."

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh

[wannabekaur5]

waheguruuuu!!!

without boosting anyone's ego... bhul chuk maaf if i do but i think this site has really good articles!!Everyone should read them... done a whole lot of good for me

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Ardaas part 1/5

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Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh

Ardaas is a prayer, a request which is made in front of Guru Granth Sahib jee, the Pooran Jot. This prayer can be so powerful, and if done with the correct intentions and right attributes then this prayer will reach Sach Khand (where Waheguru Jee resides) and prayers or requests will be answered by Waheguru Jee Himself.

brQI kdy n hoveI jn kI Ardwis ]

The prayer of the Lord's humble servant is never offered in vain.

If the ardaas is to be fulfilled, it must be ensured that one is not requesting an order to Waheguru jee and one must perform the ardas with humility. Most people do Ardaas for wordly things and demand certain things from Waheguru Jee, their prayers remained unanswered. If only they realised that:

nwnk hukmu n cleI nwil Ksm clY Ardwis ]22]

O Nanak, no one can issue commands to the Lord Master; let us offer prayers instead. ||22||

This is a personal discussion, where the seeker has the opportunity to speak to Waheguru Jee with full faith. The seeker may choose to talk about the following:

• Progression in spiritual Jeevan.
  
• Material or physical needs.
  
• To seek help from Waheguru in times of need, in sickness or pain.
  
• To thank him for anything He may have given.
  
• That we submit to his will, and accept any thing that may happen, whether it is happiness or pain.
  
• For the well being and comfort of others.
  

Two types of prayer

One form of Ardaas is in the form of Sangat where one Gursikh would do Ardaas for the whole of the sangat thanking Guru Sahib for giving them an opportunity to be in Sangat or for the well being of the Khalsa Panth. Daas has come across a few Gursikhs who prefer not to recite the full panthic Ardaas, they believe it is not heart-felt. Daas can say that the panthic Ardaas has a lot of benefits, because one remembers;

• All the 10 Gurus and Shabad-Guru
  
• The Gursikhs, Panj Piyare, all the past Gursikhs who have done Naam Kamai and have lived a Gursikhi Jeevan.
  
• All Shaheeds that have died for the Khalsa Panth, all the children, Bibiya(n), Bezurags, who gave their lives for us and most important of all remember that they kept their Kesh intact as long as they had breath in their astral body.
  
• We remember all Gurdwaras, Takhats and places of Gurus history in panthic Ardaas.
  
• We do ardaas that the whole Khalsa Panth can Jap Waheguru mantra.
  
• We do ardaas that Gursikhs be blessed with presents of Sikhi, Kesh, Rehit, Bibek budhi.
  
• We do Ardaas that we have our minds lowered whilst we have our intellect of Gurmat higher.
  
• We do Ardaas that we get to do Samaal of Gurdwaras.
  

This type of Ardaas can be as long as one wishes but one should only talk about panthic things in this Ardaas and that the Sangat be blessed, forgetting ones own requirements.

The other type of Ardaas is the personal Ardaas. In this Ardaas one is not required to add the Panthic Ardaas and can be done in terms of what ones soul desires. When we learn how to do Ardaas properly the response will be instantaneous. Daas has realised that when Daas does Ardaas, it sometimes takes a long time for it to be answered or at other times it may be answered straight away, but never has Daas felt that the Ardaas was un-answered.

qIny qwp invwrxhwrw duK hMqw suK rwis ]

The Lord is the One who removes the three fevers; He is the Destroyer of pain, the warehouse of peace.

qw kau ibGnu n koaU lwgY jw kI pRB AwgY Ardwis ]1]

No obstacles block the path of one who prays before God. ||1||

One must do ardaas with humility and full faith in Waheguru jee, if the ardaas is to be answered.

The first stage of Ardaas

Most of us are at this stage, where we ask for worldly things. Although it is not a sin to ask for worldly or materialistic objects we still need to realise that:

ivxu quDu horu ij mMgxw isir duKw kY duK ]

To ask for any other than You, Lord, is the most miserable of miseries.

dyih nwmu sMqoKIAw auqrY mn kI BuK ]

Please bless me with Your Name, and make me content; may the hunger of my mind be satisfied.

If one was to stand up with folded hands and closed eyes but did not practise Naam, understand the glory of Naam, and did not implement naam into their jeevan. Then if they were to ask for Naam, whilst craving for worldly comforts and materialistic things, then their Ardaas would remain unfulfilled and un-answered. Doing such an act will just lead to hypocrisy. One needs to practise Naam, remove the filth of ego, and then do Ardaas. In this way one’s Ardaas will be parvaan (accepted) because Naam is the main focus. Then it is not a sin to ask for worldly comforts, health, and happiness. Bhagat Dana has asked for many things:

DMnw ]

Dhannaa:

gopwl qyrw Awrqw ]

O Lord of the world, this is Your lamp-lit worship service.

jo jn qumrI Bgiq krMqy iqn ky kwj svwrqw ]1] rhwau ]

You are the Arranger of the affairs of those humble beings who perform Your devotional worship service. ||1||Pause||

dwil sIDw mwgau GIau ]

Lentils, flour and ghee - these things, I beg of You.

hmrw KusI krY inq jIau ]

My mind shall ever be pleased.

pn@IAw Cwdnu nIkw ] Anwju mgau sq sI kw ]1]

Shoes, fine clothes, and grain of seven kinds - I beg of You. ||1||

gaU BYs mgau lwvyrI ]

A milk cow, and a water buffalo, I beg of You,

iek qwjin qurI cMgyrI ]

and a fine Turkestani horse.

Gr kI gIhin cMgI ]

A good wife to care for my home

jnu DMnw lyvY mMgI ]2]4]

- Your humble servant Dhanna begs for these things, Lord. ||2||4||

In the above Shabad Bhagat Dana first speaks about doing devotional worship then Bhagat Jee talks about the things he needs. This is an exellent example of a devotee who first makes Naam practise their core focus whilst asking for the basics of house-holder.

One will see that when they learn how to do Ardaas in the correct manner and advance in their spirituality, then they will realise there is not much in these worldly-materialistic comforts. Daas will talk about this in next week’s article which will be “Ardaas part 2/5.”

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh

[Sarbloh]

Great article! Thanks for sharing.