Sohilaa Saaheb

[Akaali]

Vaaheguru jee kaa khalsaaa, Vaaheguru jee kee fatehh!!1

Sohilaa Saaheb (Keertan Sohilaa): Three Gurus – Guru Nanak Saaheb, Guru Raam Daas Saaheb and Guru Arjan Saaheb- contributed five shabads on the pain of separation and celebrating the bliss of union. The first three shabads were uttered by Guru Nanak Saaheb and the third by Guru Ram Das Saaheb and forth by Guru Arjan Saaheb. This is the night prayer said by all gursikhs before sleeping. It is the most harmonious naad ever uttered. It multiplies the aura to the sensitivity of protection that it eliminates any negativity for miles and miles. When you are endangered by any species of direct or indirect source; when you want to protect yourself with the surrounding of the entire magnetic field of the earth, recite Sohilaa Saaheb (Keertan Sohilaa). It is a cure for Insomnia!

The religious and artistic value of these hymns is superb.

*The first shabad visualises the union of the personal self with the Ultimate Reality.

*The second shabad presents the singularity of the Ultimate despite endless diversity of scriptures, teachers and philosophies.

*The third shabad rejects all modes of external piety and ritual, and vividly portrays the entire cosmos making harmonious worship. Instead of trays with lamps placed upon them with incense and other offerings, the skies become an integrated platter, the sun and moon the lamps, stars the beads, and all vegetation an offering of flowers. Loud chanting is replaced by the inner unstruck melody playing motionlessly.

*The fourth shabad explains the importance of the divine Name through which all suffering and transmigration is annulled.

*The fifth shabad celebrates life here in this world: we must avail ourselves of this wonderful opportunity to serve others and to win divine merit. The unknown mystery becomes known to the enlightened person who thereafter enjoys the bliss and freedom of immortality.

It is also recited before cremation, following a death. This Bani is found on angs 12 to 13 of SGGS.

http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php?title=Kirtan_Sohila

Gonna try to do vichaar of the shabds in Sohilaa Saaheb in this thread.

India is known for its traditional ways, customs, and rituals; during birth, marriage, and death. In this shabd guru sahib is talking about marriage. These customs are not related to gursikhi directly but are referenced because they were a common practice of the people of the land of punjab, and guru sahib uses them as references to make us better understand the meaning of the shabad. At the time of marriage there is a custom from the girl's side called maeeaan, where the aunts, sisters, get together, give the bride a bath, dress her up, sing songs of marriage, these songs fill the bride's mind of hopes of a good future with her husband and so on. These are songs of praise, happiness, sorrow, many emotions combined, because on one side the bride is leaving to her husband's home and leaving behind her sisters and aunts (chachia, mamia, masiaa).

In this shabad guru saaheb refers to the soul as the bride, as in many other shabds, and he is telling the soul bride, sing the praises of your husband lord and fill your mind with the hope and desire to meet the lord and be one with him. Sing these songs of praises (sohilaa) with your soul-sisters (satsangat), i.e. your sisters, aunts, etc. because your sisters, aunts will do ardaas for you that you find happiness in your future home and your beloved.

ਸੋਹਿਲਾਰਾਗੁਗਉੜੀਦੀਪਕੀਮਹਲਾ੧

sohilaa raag ga-orhee deepkee mehlaa 1

Sohilaa ~ The Song Of Praise. Raag Gauree Deepakee, First Mehl:

ੴਸਤਿਗੁਰਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ॥

ik-oNkaar satgur parsaad.

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਜੈਘਰਿਕੀਰਤਿਆਖੀਐਕਰਤੇਕਾਹੋਇਬੀਚਾਰੋ॥

jai ghar keerat aakhee-ai kartay kaa ho-ay beechaaro.

Guru Saaheb is saying in that house where your wedding songs are being sung, gurbaanee is being sung and your soul sisters are singing his praises and contemplating his virtues...

ਤਿਤੁਘਰਿਗਾਵਹੁਸੋਹਿਲਾਸਿਵਰਿਹੁਸਿਰਜਣਹਾਰੋ॥੧॥

T(i)t ghar gaavhu sohilaa sivrihu sirjanhaaro. ((1))

...in that house sing the songs of praise, and hope, think, meditate and remember the creator/husband lord.

ਤੁਮਗਾਵਹੁਮੇਰੇਨਿਰਭਉਕਾਸੋਹਿਲਾ॥

tum gaavhu mayray nirbha-o kaa sohilaa.

Guru Saaheb is emphasizing to 'Sing the Songs of Praise of my Fearless Lord' because through singing your love for him will grow.

ਹਉਵਾਰੀਜਿਤੁਸੋਹਿਲੈਸਦਾਸੁਖੁਹੋਇ॥੧॥ਰਹਾਉ॥

ha-o vaaree jit sohilai sadaa sukh ho-ay. ((1)) rahaa-o.

I am a sacrifice to that Song of Praise which brings eternal peace. ((1)(Pause))

By doing vichaar I learnt that sohila means song of praise, in this tuk guru saaheb is saying I'm a sacrifice to that song of praise that brings eternal peace. There are many types of songs in the world, but they only bring peace or happiness for a moment, or the quality associated with that song, he's talking about songs that bring eternal peace, which is gurbaanee.

ਨਿਤਨਿਤਜੀਅੜੇਸਮਾਲੀਅਨਿਦੇਖੈਗਾਦੇਵਣਹਾਰੁ॥

nit nit jee-arhay samaalee-an daykhaigaa dayvanhaar.

Day after day, He cares for His beings; the Great Giver watches over all.

ਤੇਰੇਦਾਨੈਕੀਮਤਿਨਾਪਵੈਤਿਸੁਦਾਤੇਕਵਣੁਸੁਮਾਰੁ ॥੨॥

tayray daanai keemat naa pavai tis daatay kavan sumaar. ((2))

Your Gifts cannot be appraised; how can anyone compare to the Giver? ((2))

ਸੰਬਤਿਸਾਹਾਲਿਖਿਆਮਿਲਿਕਰਿਪਾਵਹੁਤੇਲੁ॥

sambat saahaa likhi-aa mil kar paavhu tayl.

The day of my wedding is pre-ordained. Come, gather together and pour the oil over the threshold.

This tuk was brought up in gurbanee vichaar chat and many older singhs/singhnia probably know, that this relates to the punjabi tradition/culture in those days, and holds true in many households today, where a bride comes to the home of the groom after their marriage, the mother would pour oil in front of the door as a welcome, and as they come in they would put a coin in a glass of water, this also happens if someone's relative has come to their house after a long period of time. I think guru saaheb is referring to that punjabi tradition and relating it to the soul's wedding with akaal purkh.

ਦੇਹੁਸਜਣਅਸੀਸੜੀਆਜਿਉਹੋਵੈਸਾਹਿਬਸਿਉਮੇਲੁ॥੩॥

dayh sajan aseesrhee-aa ji-o hovai saahib si-o mayl. ((3))

My friends, give me your blessings, that I may merge with my Lord and Master. ((3))

Like the friends and sisters and relatives of the bride give her blessings, guru saaheb is telling the soul goto the sangat of gurmukhs and ask for their blessings so that you may merge with akaal purkh.

ਘਰਿਘਰਿਏਹੋਪਾਹੁਚਾਸਦੜੇਨਿਤਪਵੰਨਿ॥

ghar ghar ayho paahuchaa sad-rhay nit pavann.

Unto each and every home, into each and every heart, this summons is sent out; the call comes each and every day.

In this tuk, I think Guru saaheb is talking about death, that death comes to everyone, to each and every body.

ਸਦਣਹਾਰਾਸਿਮਰੀਐਨਾਨਕਸੇਦਿਹਆਵੰਨਿ॥੪॥੧॥

sadanhaaraa simree-ai naanak say dih aavann. ((4)(1))

So remember that sender in meditation... in simran, constantly, the one who summons us because our days are also dawning near.

Vaaheguru jee kaa khalsaaa, Vaaheguru jee kee fatehh!! :WW:

[amankaur]

Thanks for sharing this with us

[kam1825]

One thing i know you want to do Vichar of the Bani Sohila but with each Shabad can you also give us the uthanka please. (Where was the shabad recited, why was it recited and to whom was it recited. A quick summary of the circumstances under which the divine spread his shabad)

[Akaali]

Veerji I really don't know anything, when I do vichaar I try to research as much as I can to make myself understand and post so others may correct my mistakes if possible and add their vichaar of the shabd, because we can never do enough vichaar on any baanee, thats one really good thing you pointed out, about the shabd's history, and the time frame, year, circumstances, etc. I will see if I can find more info on it, but if you know please post as well, we can dedicate this thread to Sohelaa Saaheb.

[Techno_singh]

There is a reallny nice story to this.

one day at night ther was a farmer checking up on his crops etc, and it was late night .. wlaking around on his fields the man started doing sohila sahib with soo much love.

At this time guru nanak devji maharaj was doing bhagti.

The man done sohila sahib with so much pyaar guru nanakdev ji went and joined him and walked beside him. When the bhai sahibs sohila sahib finished, guru nanak dev ji too came out of bhagti mode. At this time a sevadaar of guru nanak dev ji came into guru nanak dev jis room and asked

'why are your feet bleeding ji?'

guru nanak dev ji replied ' when such baani is done with so much love, theres no place i would rather be, a bhai shaib was doing sohila sahib with soo much pyaar and i just had to join him'

The moral: When doing sohila sahib with pyaar, you know who's sitting next to you :wub:

[Mehtab Singh]

The moral: When doing sohila sahib with pyaar, you know who's sitting next to you :wub:

[Akaali]

ਰਾਗੁਆਸਾਮਹਲਾ੧॥

Rāg āsā mehlā 1.

Raag Aasaa, First Mehl:

Aasaa is a very old raga, once popular in the Punjab but seldom heard today. Aasaa is a devotional raga for the cold season and is performed in the early morning just before sunrise. However, it is also known as a twilight melody with a calm mystical mood. Aasaa was used by Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Daas, Guru Raam Daas, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Aasaa raag literally means the melody of hope. As the Gurus emphasised the singing of God’s praises before dawn, this raag is conducive to keertan before day-break. It is a soothing and pleasing raag, appropriate for the singing of the Asaa-dee-vaar, the morning-prayer of the Sikhs. Guru Ramdas’s Chhants ser the tone of this blissful composition:

“My eyes are damp with the nectar of the Lord;

My soul is filled with His love” [7].

Aasaa is a crooked (vakra) raag in that approaches to certain notes have to be made from a set position. Its variants as given in SGGS are Kafi and Asavari, both of which have many features in common with Aasaa. This raag may have originated in Maharashtra about the time of the major Muslim invasions. Its pleasing sound made it suitable bhajans by the Hindu devotees.

ਛਿਅਘਰਛਿਅਗੁਰਛਿਅਉਪਦੇਸ॥

Cẖẖi­a gẖar cẖẖi­a gur cẖẖi­a upḏės.

ਛਿਅ - Cheyy=Six, ਘਰ - Ghar=Schools of philosophy, ਗੁਰ=Guru, ਉਪਦੇਸ=Teachings

There are six schools of philosophy, six teachers, and six sets of teachings.

This refers to the Six Schools of philosophy in Hinduism.

http://www.encyclopediaofauthentichinduism...an_shastras.htm

ਗੁਰੁਗੁਰੁਏਕੋਵੇਸਅਨੇਕ॥੧॥

Gur gur ėko vės anėk. ||1||

But the Teacher of teachers is the One, who appears in so many forms. ||1||

The ultimate teacher, ultimate soul, ultimate everything is the ONE Lord, who comes in many forms, somewhere he's the teacher of all teachers.

ਬਾਬਾਜੈਘਰਿਕਰਤੇਕੀਰਤਿਹੋਇ॥

Bābā jai gẖar karṯė kīraṯ ho­ė.

O Baba: that system in which the Praises of the Creator are sung -

Ghar has several meanings. It can mean a physical house/household, a body home/dwelling, a system, etc. In this tuk it means a system or way of life or religion, I think, where praises of the creator are sung. Today, praises are being sung most commonly at the gurdwara, guru GHAR.

ਸੋਘਰੁਰਾਖੁਵਡਾਈਤੋਇ॥੧॥ਰਹਾਉ॥

So gẖar rākẖ vadā­ī ṯo­ė. ||1|| rahā­o.

follow that system; in it rests true greatness. ||1||Pause||

If we follow in that system and goto the gurdwara or sangat where his praises are being sung, guru saaheb says in that lies true greatness.

ਵਿਸੁਏਚਸਿਆਘੜੀਆਪਹਰਾਥਿਤੀਵਾਰੀਮਾਹੁਹੋਆ॥

visu­ė cẖasi­ā gẖaṛī­ā pahrā thiṯī vārī māhu ho­ā.

The seconds, minutes and hours, days, weeks and months,

ਸੂਰਜੁਏਕੋਰੁਤਿਅਨੇਕ॥

Sūraj ėko ruṯ anėk.

and the various seasons originate from the one sun;

ਨਾਨਕਕਰਤੇਕੇਕੇਤੇਵੇਸ॥੨॥੨॥

Nānak karṯė kė kėṯė vės. ||2||2||

O Nanak, in just the same way, the many forms originate from the Creator. ||2||2||

visu­ė cẖasi­ā gẖaṛī­ā pahrā thiṯī vārī māhu are all seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and many phases like these which come to pass, but there's only one sun that all these revolve around, no-one controls the sun, but we all work with it, we eat, sleep, work, according to these phases. In essence, Guru Saaheb is telling us that he has many forms, they come in many ways, but they all originate from the one and only sun we have. The asthaaee is telling is that follow that system which takes you closer to him, for ONLY in that system lies true greatness.

Bhul chuk muaaf karnee.

[sikhlionz]

Waheguru

[jivan]

There is a reallny nice story to this.

one day at night ther was a farmer checking up on his crops etc, and it was late night .. wlaking around on his fields the man started doing sohila sahib with soo much love.

At this time guru nanak devji maharaj was doing bhagti.

The man done sohila sahib with so much pyaar guru nanakdev ji went and joined him and walked beside him. When the bhai sahibs sohila sahib finished, guru nanak dev ji too came out of bhagti mode. At this time a sevadaar of guru nanak dev ji came into guru nanak dev jis room and asked

'why are your feet bleeding ji?'

guru nanak dev ji replied ' when such baani is done with so much love, theres no place i would rather be, a bhai shaib was doing sohila sahib with soo much pyaar and i just had to join him'

The moral: When doing sohila sahib with pyaar, you know who's sitting next to you :wub:

vjkkvjkp

:WW: :WW: :WW: :WW: :WW:

vah vah vah dat was wonderfull

dhan guroo nanak dev ji maharaj

nt jus sohilaa sahib but wen u do any bani with pyaar - u kno whos sitting next to you:D

vjkkvjkp

:WW:

[Akaali]

ਰਾਗੁਧਨਾਸਰੀਮਹਲਾ੧॥

Rāg ḏẖanāsrī mehlā 1.

Raag Dhanaasree, First Mehl:

This tells us that the shabad is written by Guru Nanak Saaheb, in raag dhanaasaree. Dhanaasaree is performed in the early afternoon and presents a cheerful, happy mood. It provided the setting for hymns by Guru Nanak Saaheb, Guru Amar Daas, Guru Raam Daas, Guru Arjan Saaheb and Guru Tegh Bahadar for a total of 101 hymns. These texts stress that person reaps what he sows. Only in the Lord may be found the riches that dispel fear and ignorance and thus cause man to realize his true self.

ਗਗਨਮੈਥਾਲੁਰਵਿਚੰਦੁਦੀਪਕਬਨੇਤਾਰਿਕਾਮੰਡਲਜਨਕਮੋਤੀ॥

Gagan mai thāl rav cẖanḏ ḏīpak banė ṯārikā mandal janak moṯī.

Upon that cosmic plate of the sky, the sun and the moon are the lamps. The stars and their orbs are the studded pearls.

This shabad really appeals to those with a keen interest in astronomy, it paints a picture of planets, galaxies and outer space. He's saying in the cosmic plate(thaal) of the entire sky (gagan) rests the sun and the moon (rav chand deepak bane). The stars (taarikaa) and their orbs (mandal) are the studded pearls (motee).

ਧੂਪੁਮਲਆਨਲੋਪਵਣੁਚਵਰੋਕਰੇਸਗਲਬਨਰਾਇਫੂਲੰਤਜੋਤੀ॥੧॥

Ḏẖūp mal­ānlo pavaṇ cẖavro karė sagal banrā­ė fūlanṯ joṯī. ||1||

The fragrance of sandalwood in the air is the temple incense, and the wind is the fan. All the plants of the world are the altar flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1||

The fragrance (dhup); malaanlo is made up of two words malaya and anlo; malaya is a mountain, and anul is wind. There are sandalwood flowers on that mountain and the fragrance from the mountain is brought over by the wind (pavan chavro kare), p.s. (this mountain is south of India). And all the plants of the world are the altar flowers being offered to you, O' Luminous Lord.

ਕੈਸੀਆਰਤੀਹੋਇ॥

Kaisī ārṯī ho­ė.

What a beautiful Aartee, lamp-lit worship service this is!

Ordinary mode of worship which constitutes going to the temple, decorating a platter of offerings with "dipak" (little lights made of cotton dipped in an earthern bowl) and encircling it around a sacred image while chanting, is implicitly being denounced.

What is sought is a worship ("arti") like the cosmos - wherein skies form the platter ("thal"), sun and moon, lamps ("dipak"), numerous stars, the pearls ("moti")...In the background plays the primal music motionlessly, silently - "anhada sabad!".

ਭਵਖੰਡਨਾਤੇਰੀਆਰਤੀ॥

Bẖav kẖandnā ṯėrī ārṯī.

O Destroyer of Fear, this is Your Ceremony of Light.

Through the simile of the everyday, in a sense 'real' arti, has been portrayed. If seen from the angle of cosmos; the cosmos is celebrating; worshipping the Ultimate Creator. The images are so rich, so delicate, so light and beautiful! Along with the visual, aural permeate. The Guru himself is wonderstruck by their magnificence. But the images don't smother the theme. With its diaphanous texture, the simile seems to have acted as the catalyst fusing imagery into theme or vice versa, succeeding triumphantly.

In nature your worship is performed dailyyy, all sorts of magificent things are happening everyday. :WW:

ਅਨਹਤਾਸਬਦਵਾਜੰਤਭੇਰੀ॥੧॥ਰਹਾਉ॥

Anhaṯā sabaḏ vājanṯ bẖėrī. ||1|| rahā­o.

The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad is the vibration of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||

This tuk and the above one are referring to worships performed with artee and the beating of drums. And guru saaheb relates this to the worship of akaal purkh through his creation.

ਸਹਸਤਵਨੈਨਨਨਨੈਨਹਹਿਤੋਹਿਕਉਸਹਸਮੂਰਤਿਨਨਾਏਕਤਹੀ॥

Sahas ṯav nain nan nain heh ṯohi ka­o sahas mūraṯ nanā ėk ṯohī.

You have thousands of eyes, and yet You have no eyes. You have thousands of forms, and yet You do not have even one.

ਸਹਸਪਦਬਿਮਲਨਨਏਕਪਦਗੰਧਬਿਨੁਸਹਸਤਵਗੰਧਇਵਚਲਤਮੋਹੀ॥੨॥

Sahas paḏ bimal nan ėk paḏ ganḏẖ bin sahas ṯav ganḏẖ iv cẖalaṯ mohī. ||2||

You have thousands of Lotus Feet, and yet You do not have even one foot. You have no nose, but you have thousands of noses. This Play of Yours entrances me. ||2||

ਸਭਮਹਿਜੋਤਿਜੋਤਿਹੈਸੋਇ॥

Sabẖ meh joṯ joṯ hai so­ė.

Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.

ਤਿਸਦੈਚਾਨਣਿਸਭਮਹਿਚਾਨਣੁਹੋਇ॥

Ŧis ḏai cẖānaṇ sabẖ meh cẖānaṇ ho­ė.

By this Illumination, that Light is radiant within all.

ਗੁਰਸਾਖੀਜੋਤਿਪਰਗਟੁਹੋਇ॥

Gur sākẖī joṯ pargat ho­ė.

Through the Guru's Teachings, the Light shines forth.

ਜੋਤਿਸੁਭਾਵੈਸੁਆਰਤੀਹੋਇ॥੩॥

Jo ṯis bẖāvai so ārṯī ho­ė. ||3||

That which is pleasing to Him is the lamp-lit worship service. ||3||

ਹਰਿਚਰਣਕਵਲਮਕਰੰਦਲੋਭਿਤਮਨੋਅਨਦਿਨਮੋਹਿਆਹੀਪਿਆਸਾ॥

Har cẖaraṇ kaval makranḏ lobẖiṯ mano anḏino mohi āhī pi­āsā.

My mind is enticed by the honey-sweet Lotus Feet of the Lord. Day and night, I thirst for them.

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਜਲੁਦੇਹਿਨਾਨਕਸਾਰਿੰਗਕਉਹੋਇਜਾਤੇਤੇਰੈਨਾਇਵਾਸਾ॥੪॥੩॥

Kirpā jal ḏeh Nānak sāring ka­o ho­ė jā ṯė ṯėrai nā­ė vāsā. ||4||3||

Bestow the Water of Your Mercy upon Nanak, the thirsty song-bird, so that he may come to dwell in Your Name. ||4||3||

Sorry about not much vichaar being near the second half, bhul chuk muaf.