Lava in Guru Granth Sahib

Prithipal Singh · #1 (**permalink**) 05-Nov-2005, 00:19 AM

I have found the site very informative, have always been trying learning {"Sikh" (to learn).}

This is my first posting, and would like to get some clarification on the Lavas.

They actually describe the unity of the atma (bride) to Paratma (God).
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/history-of-sikhism/6681-lava-in-guru-granth-sahib.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6681

Now days, its being used in the wedding ceremonies (believing) that is
the purpose the Lava was written..

Could someone please enlighten me,

1) When and who started using them in the wedding ceremonies ? Any historical evidence ?
*

kamaldeep · #2 (**permalink**) 04-Sep-2006, 10:40 AM

whts the mean of OUR FOUR LAVA

Arvind · #3 (**permalink**) 05-Sep-2006, 20:28 PM

I have this document saved in my PC. Not sure who translated this, so am unable to give the due credit to person who did this seva.

So just pasting the article here:

The Lavan is so beautiful! Guru Ram Das Ji wrote it for his own wedding. I love to read it every day out loud with my wife. Here's my translation of it:

LAVAN: SOOHEE, FOURTH CHANNEL OF LIGHT:
1. In the first round of the marriage ceremony, the Lord gives you His Instructions for performing the daily duties of married life. Instead of performing rituals by routine, embrace the righteous life of Dharma, and do nothing that separates you from God. Meditate on God’s Name. Embrace and practice Simran - the continuous remembrance of your True Identity. Worship and adore the Guru, the Perfect True Guru, and all the errors of your past shall be washed away. By your great destiny, you shall know that bliss which passes all understanding, and the Lord - Har, Har, will become sweet to your mind. Servant Nanak proclaims that in this first round, the marriage ceremony has begun.

2. In the second round of the marriage ceremony, the Lord guides you to meet the True Guru - the Primal teacher. Filled with the awe of the Infinite, your ego dissolves away. In awe of the One who is forever pure, sing His Wonderful Praises and see God in all. The Lord - the Supreme Soul, is the Master of the Universe. He fills everything, everywhere. He fills all spaces. Deep within you, and outside as well, there is only One God. God’s humble servants meet together and sing the songs of joy and ecstasy. Servant Nanak proclaims that in this second round, the music of the spheres resounds.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6681

3. In the third round of the marriage ceremony your heart is filled with Divine Love. By my great destiny I have met the humble Saints who love the Lord and I have found God. I have found the pure Lord and I sing His Wonderful Praises. I speak the Word of the Lord’s Bani. By great destiny I have found the humble Saints and I speak the silent language of the Infinite. The Lord’s Name - Har, Har, Har, vibrates and resounds within my heart. Meditating on God, I have realized the great destiny inscribed upon my forehead. Servant Nanak proclaims that in this third round, the heart is full with Divine Love of the One God.

4. In the fourth round of the marriage ceremony I have found God and my mind is filled with peace. Living as a Gurmukh, I have met Him with simple ease. My mind and body are full of sweet delight. I am pleasing to God - and night and day I lovingly focus my awareness on the One. I have merged with my Lord and Master and all my desires are fulfilled. The Lord’s Name resounds and reverberates within me and all around me. The One God, my Lord and Master, merges with His Divine Bride and her heart blossoms with His Holy Naam. Servant Nanak proclaims that in this fourth round, we have become One with the Eternal Lord.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6681

Wahe Guru!

Soul_jyot · #4 (**permalink**) 05-Sep-2006, 20:49 PM

Anand Karaj (Punjabi: ਅਨੰਦ ਕਾਰਜ, anand kāraj) is the name of the Sikh Marriage ceremony, meaning "Blissful Union" or "Joyful Union," which was introduced by Guru Amar Das Ji. The four Lavan (marriage hymns which take place during the marriage ceremony) were composed by his successor, Guru Ram Das Ji. It was originally legalised in India through the passage of the Anand Marriage Act 1909 but is now governed by the Sikh Reht Maryada (Sikh code of conduct and conventions)

kaur-1 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-Sep-2006, 01:31 AM

I recognise the commet "The Lavan is so beautiful! Guru Ram Das Ji wrote it for his own wedding. I love to read it every day out loud with my wife. Here's my translation of it:"

Its MrSikhNet.com !!! Gurmukstuk Singh Khalsa of New Mexico

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arvind

I have this document saved in my PC. Not sure who translated this, so am unable to give the due credit to person who did this seva.

So just pasting the article here:

The Lavan is so beautiful! Guru Ram Das Ji wrote it for his own wedding. I love to read it every day out loud with my wife. Here's my translation of it:

LAVAN: SOOHEE, FOURTH CHANNEL OF LIGHT:
1. In the first round of the marriage ceremony, the Lord gives you His Instructions for performing the daily duties of married life. Instead of performing rituals by routine, embrace the righteous life of Dharma, and do nothing that separates you from God. Meditate on God’s Name. Embrace and practice Simran - the continuous remembrance of your True Identity. Worship and adore the Guru, the Perfect True Guru, and all the errors of your past shall be washed away. By your great destiny, you shall know that bliss which passes all understanding, and the Lord - Har, Har, will become sweet to your mind. Servant Nanak proclaims that in this first round, the marriage ceremony has begun.

2. In the second round of the marriage ceremony, the Lord guides you to meet the True Guru - the Primal teacher. Filled with the awe of the Infinite, your ego dissolves away. In awe of the One who is forever pure, sing His Wonderful Praises and see God in all. The Lord - the Supreme Soul, is the Master of the Universe. He fills everything, everywhere. He fills all spaces. Deep within you, and outside as well, there is only One God. God’s humble servants meet together and sing the songs of joy and ecstasy. Servant Nanak proclaims that in this second round, the music of the spheres resounds.

3. In the third round of the marriage ceremony your heart is filled with Divine Love. By my great destiny I have met the humble Saints who love the Lord and I have found God. I have found the pure Lord and I sing His Wonderful Praises. I speak the Word of the Lord’s Bani. By great destiny I have found the humble Saints and I speak the silent language of the Infinite. The Lord’s Name - Har, Har, Har, vibrates and resounds within my heart. Meditating on God, I have realized the great destiny inscribed upon my forehead. Servant Nanak proclaims that in this third round, the heart is full with Divine Love of the One God.

4. In the fourth round of the marriage ceremony I have found God and my mind is filled with peace. Living as a Gurmukh, I have met Him with simple ease. My mind and body are full of sweet delight. I am pleasing to God - and night and day I lovingly focus my awareness on the One. I have merged with my Lord and Master and all my desires are fulfilled. The Lord’s Name resounds and reverberates within me and all around me. The One God, my Lord and Master, merges with His Divine Bride and her heart blossoms with His Holy Naam. Servant Nanak proclaims that in this fourth round, we have become One with the Eternal Lord.

Wahe Guru!

Arvind · #6 (**permalink**) 06-Sep-2006, 20:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaur-1

I recognise the commet "The Lavan is so beautiful! Guru Ram Das Ji wrote it for his own wedding. I love to read it every day out loud with my wife. Here's my translation of it:"

Its MrSikhNet.com !!! Gurmukstuk Singh Khalsa of New Mexico

Gurmustuk Singh is the man, so full of sewa. I love reading mrsikhnet.com... actually more than that looking at the beautiful pictures he has posted there. Simply takes one to a different world full of joy.

Thanks kaur ji.

Prithipal Singh · #7 (**permalink**) 24-Jun-2007, 23:51 PM

SSA,

My questions were:
The Lava's actually describe the unity of the atma (bride) to Paratma (God).
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6681
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6681
Merge with God...
One person mentioned that this was written by Guru Amar das ji, and another mentioned last lava was written by Guru Ram das ji.

We are interpreting the Lava as (1st round to get married ??) I do not see anywhere written "marriage between husband & wife ?"
If you read all the 4 Lavas. with spiritual context in mind, it makes more sense going in to the four steps in spiritual attainment, then
4 rounds of physically unity. In the 4th round, you do become one with God.!!!!!!!!
Where it is interpreted "round of marriage ceremony", read the actual gurmakhi text. I do not see anand karaj, or ano other marriage ceremony word used.
if any one can shed more light on this, would be obliged.

Can anyone give a reference where its written that this was written for Guru Amardas ji for his Marriage ???

Yes, the Lava's were adopted by Singh sabha in the Sikh marriages from the Nirankaris, and Namdharis started in late 1860-1880.
Please check..
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/histor...and-karaj.html

I still believe this was NOT for marriage purposes meant by our guru's..
(My personal humble opinion)

Prithipal

kds1980 · #8 (**permalink**) 25-Jun-2007, 03:18 AM

ANAND KARAJ | The Sikh Encyclopedia

ANAND KARAJ

ANAND KARAJ: Aanand Kaaraj is the SIKH marriage ceremony. The exact date of its origin is not known but references can be found that the marriage of the children of GURU Sahib had been performed by way of this ceremony. Guru Sahib had made it obligatory for a Sikh not to marry except through Aanand Kaaraj ceremony. In Sikh marriage system, the couple circumambulates Guru GRANTH Sahib four times in clockwise direction while hymns from Guru Granth Sahib (at pp. 77374) are read and the ceremony is complete after an Ardaas (the Sikh prayer). Some SIKHS don't perform nuptial rounds around Guru Granth Sahib because they believe that this is copy of the Sapatpadi, the Hindu marriage ceremony. They profess that simple recitation of four hymns from Guru Granth Sahib followed by an Ardaas completes the ceremony. According to the Aanand marriage ceremony, both the partners should be Sikh or at least they should declare that they accept SIKHISM as their religion and promise to have initiation as early as possible. An Act "Aanand Marriage Act" was passed, on October 22, 1909. It does not mean that the Sikh marriage ceremony has its origin from this date. Bhai Daya SINGH, in his Rahitnama (code of conduct), has mentioned the Sikh wedding rites. The real Nirankaris, Baba Dayal and Baba Darbara Singh, resurrected these ceremonies in the early years of the nineteenth century.

The King · #9 (**permalink**) 29-Jul-2007, 01:18 AM

Hi, am new here, and thought I'd post re this subject.

Have to agree with Prithipal Singh. I was always under the impression, and am sure I have read this somewhere, that the 4 lava were NOT used as a marriage ceremony until Baba Dayal and Baba Darbara Singh introduced it.

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6681
I have seen no readings, and I am the first to admit I am not fully read up on these facts, to suggest it was ever used by the Gurus or their own children.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=6681

My reading suggest that up to Baba Dayal and Baba Darbara Singh's intervention Sikhs would still us the Hindu ceremony, and that was the specific reason why they sought to introduce a specific 'Sikh' way to get married.

Just my opinion, humble apologies if I've got this wrong.