Sri Guru Ram Das Ji · Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji · Ang 773 · Suhi
Lavan: the first and second rounds of the Sikh wedding
Lavan is the traditional title of a four-stanza composition by Sri Guru Ram Das Ji in Raag Suhi, at ang 773. At a Sikh wedding the couple walk around Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji once as each stanza is sung or read. The first two stanzas are given here.
The composition describes a marriage in which the soul is the bride and God the husband. On the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism's reading, the four stanzas mark four stages of a seeker's growth. The first joins spiritual effort with moral and social duty. The second brings the seeker to the True Guru and free of fear. The third awakens longing for God in the company of the holy, and the fourth is union.
Several lines in the first stanza are read differently by commentators, and the notes say which reading is followed.
- 1ਹਰਿ ਪਹਿਲੜੀ ਲਾਵ ਪਰਵਿਰਤੀ ਕਰਮ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ਬਲਿ ਰਾਮ ਜੀਉ ॥har pahilaRee laav paraviratee karam dhiraRaiaa bal raam jeeau
In this first round the Lord settles you in the work of active life. I give myself to you, Lord.
Note. 'Parvirti' is engagement in active life. The English translations held by BaniDB read the duties of married life. Prof. Sahib Singh reads taking up the work of remembering the Name. The refrain 'bal Ram jiu' is rendered on his reading: I am devoted to you, Lord.
- 2ਬਾਣੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਵੇਦੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਹੁ ਪਾਪ ਤਜਾਇਆ ਬਲਿ ਰਾਮ ਜੀਉ ॥baanee brahamaa vedh dharam dhiraRahu paap tajaiaa bal raam jeeau
Let the Guru's Word be your Veda of Brahma. Hold firm to dharma and leave wrongdoing behind. I give myself to you, Lord.
Note. This follows Prof. Sahib Singh, for whom Guru Ji's Word is the Veda for a Sikh. One English translation reads 'instead of the Vedas', and another applies the contrast to dharma.
- 3ਧਰਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਵਹੁ ਸਿਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ॥dharam dhiraRahu har naam dhiaavahu simirat naam dhiraRaiaa
Hold firm to dharma and meditate on God's Name. This remembrance of the Name is the Simriti set before you.
Note. This follows Prof. Sahib Singh. One English translation reads that the Simritis themselves teach the Name, and another takes 'simrit' as remembrance alone.
- 4ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਆਰਾਧਹੁ ਸਭਿ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਪਾਪ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥satigur gur pooraa aaraadhahu sabh kilavikh paap gavaiaa
Keep the True Guru, the perfect Guru, ever in mind, and every wrong falls away.
- 5ਸਹਜ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਹੋਆ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਮਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੀਠਾ ਲਾਇਆ ॥sahaj anandh hoaa vaddabhaagee man har har meeThaa laiaa
Great good fortune brings a calm joy, and the mind finds God sweet.
- 6ਜਨੁ ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਲਾਵ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਆਰੰਭੁ ਕਾਜੁ ਰਚਾਇਆ ॥੧॥jan kahai naanak laav pahilee aaranbh kaaj rachaiaa
God's servant Nanak says: with the first round the wedding has been set in motion.
- 7ਹਰਿ ਦੂਜੜੀ ਲਾਵ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਮਿਲਾਇਆ ਬਲਿ ਰਾਮ ਜੀਉ ॥har dhoojaRee laav satigur purakh milaiaa bal raam jeeau
In the second round the Lord has brought you to the True Guru, the great Being. I give myself to you, Lord.
- 8ਨਿਰਭਉ ਭੈ ਮਨੁ ਹੋਇ ਹਉਮੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ਬਲਿ ਰਾਮ ਜੀਉ ॥nirabhau bhai man hoi haumai mail gavaiaa bal raam jeeau
In awe of God the mind turns fearless, and the dirt of ego is scraped away. I give myself to you, Lord.
Note. 'Nirbhau bhai' joins fearlessness and awe. Prof. Sahib Singh reads fearlessness toward the world's dangers. The English translations read awe of the Fearless Lord.
- 9ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਭਉ ਪਾਇਆ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇਆ ਹਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਰਾਮੁ ਹਦੂਰੇ ॥niramal bhau paiaa har gun gaiaa har vekhai raam hadhoore
Holding that pure awe, one sings of God's qualities and sees God present close by.
- 10ਹਰਿ ਆਤਮ ਰਾਮੁ ਪਸਾਰਿਆ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸਰਬ ਰਹਿਆ ਭਰਪੂਰੇ ॥har aatam raam pasaariaa suaamee sarab rahiaa bharapoore
God, the soul of all, has spread out this whole expanse, and the Master fills it all.
- 11ਅੰਤਰਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਏਕੋ ਮਿਲਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਮੰਗਲ ਗਾਏ ॥antar baahar har prabh eko mil har jan mangal gaae
Inside and out there is one Lord God. Gathered together, God's people sing songs of joy.
- 12ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੂਜੀ ਲਾਵ ਚਲਾਈ ਅਨਹਦ ਸਬਦ ਵਜਾਏ ॥੨॥jan naanak dhoojee laav chalaiee anahadh sabadh vajaae
Servant Nanak says the second round has been set going, and the Word sounds on without a break.
Note. 'Anahad' is unstruck or unbroken, a sound with no end.
Our line is a reading of the intent. For the Gurmukhi source text and reference translations seeSikhiToTheMax and SikhRI's Guru Granth Sahib Project.[DB][EoS]