Re: Sikh Marriage Ceremony - Anand Karaj
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Dear Veer Arvind jeo,[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]At the time of the Anand Karaj four 'Lawaan' are taken around Guru Granth Sahib to signify that while these two bodies are getting married, simultaneously two souls are also being wedded to the Shabad Guru. Henceforth to be blessed with the eternal bliss the pre-condition is that one is not to go out of the orbit of Guru Granth Sahib. Now the 'Lawaan' in Suhi Rag given by Guru Ram Das ji has four stanzas. The essence and central idea for eternal bliss as has been given in each stanza can be enumerated briefly as follows: [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]First Lawn[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ਪਰਵਿਰਤੀ ਕਰਮ [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Second Lawn [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਭਉ ਪਾਇਆ [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Third Lawn [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ਉਪਜੈ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਰਾਗੁ ਜੀਉ [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Fourth Lawn [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ਪਾਇਆ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਅਵਿਨਾਸੀ[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Unlike the philosophy of Shastras dividing the life span into different Ashrams the gurmat does not put it to different compartments. If one is to get wedded to Him, the life has to be treated as one composite unit. In this the person has to get himself involved in the affairs of the family in a such a manner that being in the family life he has to become a monk. This is the art of life which has been preached in the 'Lawaan'.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The first Lawn tells us that the person has to get himself involved actively in the affairs of the world. He is not to abdicate the social and moral responsibilities by renouncing the world. To attain this the the person is to adhere to Dharma. This can be done only by avoiding sin. Crime is physically outraging or harming some person or property whereas the same thing is done vicariously without actually perpetuating it is called sin. Thus murdering, outraging the modesty of someone or looting a person is a crime but enjoying these in day dreams is sin. The first stage of committing a crime is sin. A person who is not a sinner cannot be a criminal. The State is neither capable nor committed to eradicate the sin. This can be done only be teachings of Moral Values or Dharma. Thus for achieving the crime free society it has to be made a sinless society.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The second lawn tell us that the Satguru has been so benevolent that He had helped us meet the Lord. Herein the relationship of the Guru and Waheguru with Sikh has been explained. The daughter, the Sikh prays to her father, Guru, that bless me with such deeds and manners that I should be accepted by my groom the God. [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ਬਾਬਾ ਮੈ ਵਰੁ ਦੇਹਿ ਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਵਰੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਬਲਿ ਰਾਮ ਜੀਉ [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]( [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ਪੰਨਾ[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]: 773) This has ushered in the pious fear. It is the pious fear not the awful fear. Because we are scared and feared from a bull or even a snake. But the fear which has affection and love is a pious fear, like the fear of the father, the mutual fear of husband and wife or the fear of a good teacher. The clergy gives the fear but the Guru gives us the pious fear.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The third lawn tells us that though the blessings of the blessed ones I have acquired the Bairag or renunciation in my heart and mind. Here the Bairag, renunciation or detachment is not of a Sanyasi or Sufi. The Sanyasi when he renounces the world, he even renounces the love. This makes him so aloof from the world that he becomes a burden on the society. Likewise the Sufi gets himself so much involved in the love that he sees even the love stories of the society [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ਇਸ਼ਕਿ ਮਜਾਜੀ [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]as a means to understand and emulate the love for God [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ਇਸ਼ਕਿ ਹਕੀਕੀ[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]. But here he also abdicates his primary duty towards the family or the society. The gurmat wants a balanced life with Sahaj as the binding force.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Fourth Lawn tells us that we have found the eternal Lord Gurmukh as the groom. The whole process has been completed with His grace and desire and that He has found a place in my heart. This is the essence of the Lawaan, Parkarma and should be understood in this sense[/FONT]
