| |
The Laava
The Four Rounds
The main part of the Anand Karaj is the reading and then the singing of each laav in turn. When the Laav is sung, the couple as a pair joint by a piece of cloth circle the SGGS. This has relevance to the occasion and should not be considered a ritual without meaning. When the couple circle the SGGS each time they making a commitment to God with the Guru as spiritual witness and support. And as one circles the Sri Guru Granth Sahib you are reminded that the Guru should be the center of your life, from which springs your spiritual guidance and understanding that you require for your souls long journey across this world ocean. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the center and the Sadh Sangat is your worldly witness and support.
The four nuptial rounds were written by Guru Ram Das for his own wedding. They explain the journey of the souls toward the Almighty. In them he tells us of the duties that a person undertaking a life of marriage should perform.
In the first round, the Guru asks the partners to:
- commit to righteousness
- renounce sinful actions
- Remember, mediate and embrace Naam
- Only by good fortune, is real peace obtained
- Worship the one Waheguru and all your sins will vanish
In the second round, the Guru asks the partners to advance further towards meeting the True Guru - God:
- have fear of God and your ego will disappear
- Sing God's praises and feel His presence
- God is everywhere, outside and within, sing in Joy
In the third round, the Guru says that the partners mind is filled with "Divine Love":
- meeting the Sadh Sangat (Holy Congregation)
- which is only obtained by good fortune
- Recite Gurbani and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord
- The [[Naam] will vibrates and resounds within your heart
- and you will know your future destiny.
In the final round, the Guru says that the partners mind become peaceful and they will have found the Lord:
- God's Will seems sweet to these Gurmukhs.
- You will lovingly focus your consciousness on the Lord, day and night
- All your desires will be fulfilled
- The Souls will blend with Waheguru and only Naam will occupy your heart.
For each stanza the bride and groom first sit and listen while the bani is read and then the hymn is sang by
the kiratani jatha whilst the bride and groom walk around Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in a clockwise direction. At the end of each stanza the bride and groom sit back down in front of Guru Ji at the same level as the sadh sangat and listen to the bani being read out.
The walking around Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji signifies the fact that the Guru is the centre of the couple's life from which the knowledge and understanding of the journey of the soul can be achieved. The Laava is not simply a physical and legal contract, but to a Sikh it signifies the holy union between the two souls who are united as one 'Ek Jot Doe Murti' meaning they become one spirit in two bodies. |
|
|
|
