Rehat Maryada Section Two
A Sikh’s life has two aspects: individual or personal and corporate or Panthic.
(1) A Sikh should wake up in the ambrosial hours (three hours before the dawn), take bath and, concentrating his/her thoughts on One Immortal Being, repeat the name Waheguru (Wondrous Destroyer of darkness).
(2) He/she should recite the following scriptural compositions every day:
(a) the Japji, the Jaapu and the Ten Sawayyas (Quartets) - beginning “Sarawag sudh” - in the morning.
Ode to the might by the tenth lord.
Having first thought of the Almighty’s prowess, let us thing of Guru Nanak. Then of Guru Angad, Amardas and Ramdas - may they be our rescuers! Remember then Arjan, Hargobind and Harirai. Meditate then on revered Hari Krishan on seeing whom all suffering vanishes. Think then of Tegh Bahadar, remembrance of whom brings all nine treasures. He comes to rescue everywhere. Then of the tenth lord, revered Guru Gobind Singh, who comes to rescue everywhere. The embodiment of the light of all ten sovereign lordships, the Guru Granth Sahib - think of the view and reading of it and say, “Waheguru (Wondrous Destroyer of darkness)”. Meditating on the achievement of the dear and truthful ones, including the five beloved ones, the four sons of the tenth Guru, forty liberated ones, steadfast ones, constant repeaters of the Divine Name, those given to assiduous devotion, those who repeated the Nam, shared their fare with others, ran free kitchen, wielded the sword and everlooked faults and shortcomings, say “Waheguru”, O Khalsa.
Meditating on the achievement of the male and female members of the Khalsa who laid down their lives in the cause of dharma (religion and righteousness), got their bodies dismembered bit by bit, got their skulls sawn off, got mounted on spiked wheels, got their bodies sawn, made sacrifices in the service of the shrines (gurdwaras), did not betray their faith, sustained their adherence to the Sikh faith with sacred unshorn hair uptill their last breath, say, “Wondrous Destroyer of darkness”, O Khalsa.
Thinking of the five thrones (seats of religious authority) and all gurdwaras, say, “Wondrous Destroyer of darkness”, O Khalsa.
Now it is the prayer of the whole Khalsa. May the conscience of the whole Khalsa be informed by Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru and, in consequence of such remembrance, may total well-being obtain. Wherever there are communities of the Khalsa, may there be Divine protection and grace, and ascendance of the supply of needs and of the holy sword, protection of the tradition of grace, victory to the Panth, the succour of the holy sword, ascendance of the Khalsa. Say, O Khalsa, “Wondrous Destroyer of darkness”.
Unto the Sikhs
the gift of the Sikh faith, the gift of the untrimmed hair, the
gift of the disciple of their faith, the gift of sense of discrimination,
the gift of truest, the gift of confidence, above all, the gift
of meditation on the Divine and bath in the Amritsar (holy tank
at Amritsar). May hymns-singing missionary parties, the flags, the
hostels, abide from age to age. May righteousness reign supreme.
Say, “Wondrous Destroyer of darkness”. May the Khalsa be imbued
with humility and high wisdom! May Waheguru guard its understanding!
O Immortal Being, eternal helper of Thy Panth, benevolent Lord,
bestow on the Khalsa the beneficence of unobstructed visit to the
free management of Nankana Sahib and other shrines and places of
the Guru from which the Panth have been separated.
O Thou, the
honour of the humble, the strength of the weak, aid unto those who
have none to rely on, True Father, Wondrous Destroyer of darkness,
we humbly render to you (mention here the name of the scriptural
composition that has been recited or, in appropriate terms, the
object for which the congregation has been held.). Pardon any impermissible
accretions, omissions, errors, mistakes. Fulfill the purposes of
all.
Grant us the association of those dear ones, on meeting whom one
is reminded of Your Name. O Nanak, may the Nam (Holy) be ever in
ascendance! In Thy will may the good of all prevail!
(c) While the Ardas is being performed, all men and women in the congregation should stand with hands folded. The person in attendance of the Guru Granth should keep waving the whisk standing.
(d) The person who performs the Ardas should stand facing the Guru Granth with hands folded. If the Guru Granth is not there, the performing of the Ardas facing any direction is acceptable.
(e) When any special Ardas for and on behalf of one or more persons is offered, it is not necessary for persons in the congregation other than that person or those persons to stand up.