Flow and Pause in Gurbani Keertan

[Simran9]

I recieved the following in an email from a friend, just thought I'd share this with ya'll.

We were researching on the meaning and purpose of "Rahau" in Gurbani

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Gur Fateh!

While a lot has already been said by me on this subject, but I do want

to extrapolate on the importance of being fully aware of all aspects of

Gurbani while interpreting and in the process even challenge the most

accepted forms of past interpretations.

Let me talk on one aspect of Gurbani interpretation and how the message

has been concoted in our sub-conscious mind due to materialist pursuits

of some of our keertanias. While I have touched on this subject a few

years back on this forum, but I think it is important to go back and use

this example to reflect on the topic in discussion.

The writing below is not in relation to the shabad "Jan Nanak

Bhagat....", which has already been clarified in the past articles.. The aim is

to make us aware of being aware of all the pointers while interpreting.

Please read below..........

FLOW AND PAUSE IN GURBANI KIRTAN

It is important to understand a few terminologies before we proceed

further.

rahau - While reading through a shabad in Guru Granth Sahib, we find

that one line has the word 'rahau' written at the end. Except for raag

Majh, we find the m

ention of rahau in nearly all the other Bani.

Depending on it's type, for example, Chaupada (of 4 lines), Ashtpadi

(of 8 lines), etc., a shabad has that many defined lines. Somewhere in

the middle or in the beginning of the shabad one line has the word rahau

mentioned with the numeral 1. Rahau means 'wait' or 'pause' in Punjabi

- "Therau". The Gurus have clearly indicated that, while reading a

shabad, pause on this line.

Why the pause? Because the line with rahau is the central theme of the

shabad.

This is the line in which Guru is conveying the topic discussed in the

shabad and it contains the Gurmat Vichar, the 'right thought'.

Therefore, we are required to pause on this line and contemplate the message.

The other lines in the shabad are used to explain/extrapolate the

contents of the central theme given in the line of rahau.

These other lines (the non-rahau lines) talk about prevalent practices,

arguments, reasoning, intention, etc. and are used for strengthening

and explaining the Central Theme.

The point to note is that the numbering of lines is meanigful: the

numbering conveys a definitive message. The message here is: Wait/Pause and

contemplate on the message. In this line the Guru is telling us the

theme of the shabad. The number 1 of rahau indicates, read this line

carefully. Now read the other (non-rahau) line, and correlate it to the

message in rahau. Now proceed to the other (Non-rahau) line thereby keep

proceeding with all the other lines in a sequential manner.

At times, if rarely, we find more than one rahau in a shabad. All the

rahaus in that shabad (usually 2,3 or 4) convey the same central theme:

reflect on truth. Gurus thought it appropriate to explain the same

central theme in different combination of words and therefore gave more

than one rahau.

asthai - In Keertan, or any music, we find one line keeps getting

>repeated time and again. This common line, which is repeated each time after

a different line, is known as asthai in Indian classical music, or

Chorus in the western music.

antra - In Keertan, or any music, after singing the asthai, the

repetitive line, a different line is sung and upon its completion the asthai

is sung again and then a second different line is sung, followed by

asthai. This changing line is known as antra in Indian classical music.

The purpose of Keertan is to deliver the Gurus' message sweetly to the

listener. As rahau has the central theme of the shabad and contains the

spiritual message, its usage, as an asthai is repeated time and again

after every antra, which helps in the message getting drilled into the

listener's mind. The result is that the Guru's message gets delivered

many times while the shabad is being sung. This increases the probability

of retention of the central theme, Gurmat Vichar, by the listener's

mind.

Let us take a very popular shabad from Siri Raag, Page 44, which is

sung by raagis during a happy occasion in the family. Most of the Sikhs

will remember the shabad by its popularly known line:

"Lakh khushiyaan patshahiyaan

jey satgur nadar karey .........."

It's commonly found that raagis make the above line as the asthai while

singing the shabad because of the word khushiyaan (happiness). This

line is the second non-rahau line in the shabad and gets commonly used as

the asthai while singing.

The English interpretation of the shabad is:

SRI RAAG, MEHLA V: All happiness is achieved only by Thy Grace. The

precious gift of this human life becomes fruitful when one chants the True

Word. One who has such destiny written on his forehead enters the

Mansion of the Lord's Presence through the Guru. || 1 || O my mind, focus

your consciousness on the One. Without the One, all involvlements a

re

worthless; emotional attachment to a mirage is verily false. || 1 || Pause

|| Hundreds of thousands of princely pleasures are yours to enjoy if

the True Guru bestows a Glance of Grace. If God bestows the Name of the

Lord, even for a moment, my mind and body are soothed. Those who have

such pre-ordained destiny hold tight to the Feet of the True Guru. || 2

|| Blessed is that moment, and fruitful is that time, when one is in

love with the True Lord. Suffering and sorrow do not touch those who have

the Support of the Name of the Lord. Grasping the seeker by the arm,

the Guru lifts them up and out, and carries them across to the other

side.

|| 3 || Embellished and immaculate is that place where the Saints

gather together. That person alone finds shelter who has met the Perfect

Guru. Nanak builds his house upon that site where there is no death, no

birth, and no old age. || 4 || 6 || 76 ||

If we were to sing this shabad in proper Keertan singing style by

making rahau (Mere man eikas sio chit laaye/eikas bin sabh dhund hai/sabh

mithiya moh maye) as asthai for repetition, then, upon reaching second

antra, the message that will get repetitively delivered to the mind will

be that we need to first make an effort to get our mind to focus on One

God, give up attachment to maya and emotional entanglements. If we

succeed in achieving this state of mind, then, as stated in the second

non-rahau line, thousands of pleasures will be attained only if God's Grace

falls upon us.

Note that the condition (rahau line to be used as asthai) is that we

make the effort to rid our mind of attachment/maya, then the result

(non-rahau line to be used as antra) is - if Satguru deems it worth then

Satguru provides hundreds of pleasures to the devotee.

Unfortunately, this shabad is commonly sung by raagis by ma

king the

non-rahau Line No.2 as the asthai (Lakh khushiyan patshahiyan jey satgur

nadar karey....), which gets repeated many a time during the shabad

singing. Now see the change in deliverability of the message to our mind.

We are seeking from our Guru thousands of pleasures by God's Grace and,

upon getting them, we will then strive towards ridding our mind of

attachment/maya!

Note that by using the non-rahau line as asthai, the condition has

changed to: if Satguru deems it worth, then Satguru provides hundreds of

pleasures to us and the result (rahau line being used as antra) is that

we will make the effort to rid our mind of attachment/maya!

By using the non-rahau line in this shabad as asthai, our mind is

subconsciously being told to live on HOPE, rather than make the EFFORT,

which is the reverse of what the Guru is telling us in this shabad, viz.-

Devotee first makes the EFFORT and then HOPE should arise for God's

Grace.

Interesting, isn't it? We tend to ignore the finer details of Gurus'

message, which is so clear.

Probably that's the reason why Sikhs of today lack the spirit/spiritual

discipline for which our forefathers were known. I hope people will

start making the effort of getting the Sikhs in their immediate contact to

understand the importance of rahau in Keertan singing and strive

towards singing Keertan in the correct manner.

Those who are active in Gurudwara Management/teaching Keertan should

make it a point to teach the youth only those shabads in which rahau is

made the asthai. For a teacher to correct what he has already learnt in

so many years is a tough proposition, but he can definitely make an

effort to select those shabads from his Keertan bank for teaching the

youth/children, in which the rahau is made the asthai. In this way, we may

be able to slowly steer in the direction of true deliverance.

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So...anyone else have any other theory on what "Rahau" means or its purpose in Gurbani? :T:

[Balwinder Singh]

Thanx for sharing

[Deep Singh]

yeah what the writer tells about Rahau is correct. I have also heard that according to Sampardayak viakhyas/kathas of Gurbani Rahau-lines tell the main theme of the Shabad. it is soooooooo great! i mean in the other thread we saw how well the numbering system is, and now this...i mean Gurbani is GURBANI!!! Waheguru Waheguru Waheguru...

[Khalsa4ever]

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

I've always wondered that... thanks for the answer!

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

[V]

Thanks for sharing that

Deep Singh veer

can u fiond me thaty thraed about the nunmbers in the Shabad ?

thanks

bhull chukk maaf

GurFateh

[DhadiMania]

[Deep Singh]

here is that thread Mr. Singh veerji:

http://forums.waheguroo.com/index.ppa?act=...&f=3&t=3494&st=

i just posted some info on why some numbers appeared in the Shabads. Veerji if i said something wrong correct me and bhul chukk maaf karna.