NAAM
TERO ARTEE (Dhanasri Ravidass Ji)
Bibi Harsimirit Kaur Khalsa
Guru Granth Parchar Mission of USA
(510) 432-5827 harsimiritkaur@khalsa.com |
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nwmu qyro AwrqI mjnu murwry ] (694, DnwsrI, rivdws jI)
“Your Name is my adoration and cleansing bath.”
Gurbani here mentions Artee service with a lit oil lamp, which
is an ancient Hindu ritual of praise and adoration to God. Dhanasri
Ravidaas Ji opens the hymn with “You Name”, instead
of “My adoration,” because he is showing humbleness.
The emphasis not on what he is doing, but on who he is worshipping.
He is worshipping God’s name. Name is a label that we place
on something as a verbal identification. When a name is mentioned,
one processes his thoughts towards the holder of the name. The
first thing a person thinks about when a name is mentioned is
his appearance, reputation, and character. When a Gursikh remembers
God’s name, he contemplates on God’s hukam of grace
which operates the entire universe.
hir ky nwm ibnu JUTy sgl pwswry ]1] rhwau ]
“Without the Name of the Lord, all ostentatious displays are
useless. ||1||Pause||”
It would be senseless to praise and thank someone who you never
heard about and who never did anything worthy of acknowledgement.
Likewise, it is ridiculous to have rituals or verbal thanksgiving
before someone without truly meaning it or even understanding why
you are even doing so. Why sponsor a lavish Akhanda Paath (No one
listens or understands), or robotically read banees daily to show
off or bribe God. People waste lots of money on one-day use of expensive
ramaalas, and don’t help the poor. Many people bow in front
of Guru Granth Sahib but never take any time at all to learn what
Guru Ji teaches, yet they are too much concerned about scrupulous
rituals of cleanliness before sitting near Guru Ji, touching gutkas,
or reciting shabbads.
nwmu qyro Awsno nwmu qyro aursw nwmu qyrw kysro
ly iCtkwry ]
“To Your Name is my meditation sitting posture on the mat,
and Your Name is the stone to grind the sandalwood. Your Name is
the saffron which I take and sprinkle in offering to You.”
The sitting lotus position of meditation on the floor is practiced
in order to tune out distractions. The entire body is relaxed. The
back and head are in an straight, up-right position to prevent sleep
and back strain, and the legs are folded crosswise for comfortable
balance. When we contemplate on God, experiencing Naam is overwhelming,
and the body must be still in order to control one’s reaction
to awe of God’s presence. The grinding represents labor of
love, dedication. The burning, sweet smelling sandalwood and precious,
sprinkled saffron stand for how we should always praise and thank
God the best way we can throughout our daily conduct.
nwmu qyrw AMBulw nwmu qyro cMdno Gis jpy nwmu ly
quJih kau cwry ]1]
“Your Name is the water, and Your Name is the sandalwood.
The chanting of Your Name is the grinding of the sandalwood. I take
it and offer all this to You. ||1||”
The sprinkling of water keeps the dust from flying around. This
maintains cleanliness. We likewise should protect ourselves from
contamination of our 5 vices.
nwmu qyrw dIvw nwmu qyro bwqI nwmu qyro qylu ly
mwih pswry ]
“Your Name is the lamp, and Your Name is the wick. Your Name
is the oil I pour into it.”
Without a container to hold the oil, the fire will not kindle. The
purpose of the oil is to keep the flame burning for a long time.
When we learn of truth, we must continually reinforce ourselves
and continue to learn, in order to stay kindled with joy, always
prepared to battle our ego. Our weapon is the sword of Gur Gian
Shabad.
nwm qyry kI joiq lgweI BieE auijAwro Bvn sglwry
]2]
“Your Name is the light applied to this lamp, which enlightens
and illuminates the entire world. ||2||”
Understanding and accepting Naam kindles the light. When we learn,
understand, and live Gurbani, people learn from our examples and
words about truth. The power in God’s name which sustains
the whole world is also causing our lives to be transformed. We
become enlightened from the darkness of our gumaan ego, as we are
lead by Guru Ji.
nwmu qyro qwgw nwmu PUl mwlw Bwr ATwrh sgl jUTwry
]
“Your Name is the thread, and Your Name is the garland of
flowers. The eighteen loads of vegetation are all too impure to
offer to You.”
Oil without a wick would cause the oil to burn away too quickly
or not burn at all. The wick regulates the flame to consume the
oil little by little. If we try to digest too much knowledge at
once, we will forget what we learn or learn nothing at all. The
flowers symbolize productivity, life, gentleness, beauty, and purity.
Nothing is completely pure in the universe. All molecules cannot
be completed separated from those near it. There will always be
a few that cling to the other. Only God is pure. A pure flower could
have a tiny spec of dust, which would render it impure. God is complete,
there is nothing that contaminates Him.
qyro kIAw quJih ikAw Arpau nwmu qyrw quhI cvr Folwry
]3]
“Why should I offer to You, that which You Yourself created?
Your Name is the fan, which I wave over You. ||3||”
This fan “chaur,” was made of peacock feathers tied
together and used to chase flies and mosquitoes away and to cool
the air. Fanning is a traditional gesture of respect. When someone
fans Guru Granth Saheb, he is imitating what God is constantly doing
for us. God is waving the grace of His presence around us.
ds ATw ATsTy cwry KwxI iehY vrqix hY sgl sMswry
]
“The whole world is engrossed in the eighteen Puraanas, the
sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and the four sources of
creation.”
People get tied up in fundamentalism and miss the whole point of
what sainthood is. People tend to pretend to love God by practicing
rituals with no sincerity. Bathing or visiting a shrine does not
improve one’s character; rather he should understand the meaning
of truth and living truthfully.
khY rivdwsu nwmu qyro AwrqI siq nwmu hY hir Bog
quhwry ]4]3]
“Says Ravi Daas, Your Name is my Aartee, my lamp-lit worship-service.
The True Name, Sat Naam, is the food, which I offer to You. ||4||3||”
Guru Granth Sahib gives Shri Ravidas the title “Bhagat Ravidaas”
rwgu soriT bwxI Bgq rivdws jI kI (657) “Raag Sorat'h,
The Word of Devotee Ravi Daas Jee,” who
is the first person to use the term Sat Naam, (stable basis of creation.)
Since God is so holy and perfect, nothing can sufficiently praise
Him. He Himself only is able to praise Himself. When we blend in
with Shabad, then only with shabad can we worship God. It is not
the words or pronunciation that matters. The meaning of the eternal
Guru Giyan Shabad is deeper than concept, sound, and measure. Understanding
Guru Shabad brings the relish of Amrit which causes us to improve
our character, as this is all God’s doings. This is what Bhagat
Ravidaas calls the true Artee.
Posted on August 25, 2010
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