The "laavaan" are the hymns, four in number, sung during the solemnization of the Sikh wedding ceremony, called the "Anand Kaaraj" (meaning a blissful activity). The laavan appear on page 773 and 774 of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of the Sikhs.

These hymns were composed by the fourth Guru of the Sikhs, and are ordained to be sung in the musical composition of "Raag Suhi." The raag (or raaga) is a discipline of the Indian classical music which prescribes a mood, a style of singing and the composition of certain musical notes. The Raag Suhi connotes enthusiasm.

The text of the Guru Granth Sahib considered a poetry for the soul, contains the goals and technique for the spiritual ascendancy of the human consciousness. The ultimate goal is the absorption within the super-consciousness, referred to as Supreme Being, Timeless Persona, God, Creator etc.

The laavan describe the stages of this union, delineating the spiritual progression into four stages. Tradition and the code of ethics of the Sikhs ordain these four laavan to be recited and sung during the wedding ceremony (Anand Kaaraj), whereby they are considered as guidelines for the realization of a blissful married life. The Anand Kaaraj and the ensuing married-life become an enactment of the union with the Creator, whereby the married couple manifests the divine within their lives.

The term laavan is the plural form of the term "laav", which means "the activity/process of breaking away." Implicit here is the union with a new entity after breaking away from the previous one. The format of each six-line laav is that each stage of this spiritual and sacred union is mentioned in the first line and repeated in the last line. The four lines within detail the mechanism for achieving that stage.

"Suhi mehlaa chauthaa har pehlarhi laav, parvritti karam drirhaaiaa, bal raam jio baaNi brehmaa ved, dharam drirho, paap ttajaaiaa, bal raam jio dharam drirho, har naam dhiaavo, simritt naam drirhaaiaa sattgur gur pooraa aaraadho, sabh kilvikh paap gavaaiaa sehaj anand hoaa vaD-bhaagi, man har har meeThaa laaiaa jan kahaY naanak laav pehli, aarambh kaaj rachaaiaa. 1 ."

The first laav declares that the first stage in the progression towards blissful union, is the commitment to actions and deeds whereby we adopt the practices and traditions of the new entity. In the case of a marriage, it are the practices and traditions of one's spouse.

The phrase "bal raam jio" declares that all is done through the blessings of the Creator, unto which we humbly submit ourselves. The Gurbaani, the divine message of the Sikh Guru, is henceforth the holy scripture, while the commitment is to the righteous deed, and renunciation of evil/sin. The commitment to the righteous deed is affected by continually focusing the consciousness upon the entity with whom union is sought. This focus now drives our code of ethics.

Dwell only on the Guru, whereby all of our sins and misdeeds may be shunned. We are blessed with the greatest of good fortune of finding joy in the tranquility brought about by the mind sweetly attaching itself to the entity with whom union is sought. The Guru proclaims that this is the first stage of breaking away from old norms, and consequent union with the spouse, and the divine. The process/activity has henceforth been initiated.

"har doojrhi laav, sattgur purkh milaaiaa, bal raam jio nirbhau bhaY man hoe, haumaY maYl gavaaiaa, bal raam jio nirmal bhau paaiaa, har guN gaaiaa, har vekhaY raam hadoore har aattam raam pasaariaa, suaami sarab rahiaa bharpoore anttar baahar har prabh eko, mil har jan mangal gaae jan naanak dooji laav chalaaee, anhad sabad vajaae. 2 ."

The second laav declares that through the blessings of the Creator, for which we sacrifice our whole being, a personal bond with the entity is formed. The mind, which was full of fear of the unknown, becomes fearless. We trust the entity completely, and we renounce our self-conceit. We adopt respect for the entity with which union is being sought (the Creator or the spouse) , we sing its praises and it manifests around us in its virtuous qualities. All around us we observe its presence, and find it pervading every aspect of our life. Within and without, in all situations, this entity manifests. Within the company of like-minded and similarly driven congregation (or circle of friends), collectively highlight the qualities of the divine entity (or the spouse) and sing praise of our good fortune. The Guru has realized the second stage of union, where the divine song (usually unsaid) is being recited and sung.

"har tteejrhi laav, man chaao bhaiaa baYraagiaa, bal raam jio santt janaa har mel, har paaiaa vaDbhaagiaa, bal raam jio nirmal har paaiaa, har guN gaaiaa, mukh boli har baaNi santt janaa vaDbhaagi paaiaa, har kathi-aY akath kahaaNi hirdaY har har har dhun upji, har japiaY masttak bhaag jio jan naanak bole tteejee laavaY, har upjaY man baYraag jio. 3 ."

The third laav declares that through the blessing of the Creator, for which we sacrifice our whole being, the mind swells with the unquenchable love of the entity with whom the union is being sought. We are blessed with the realization of the divine (or the divine qualities of the entity with whom union is sought) via the company of learned people. The pure, virtuous form of the entity is achieved, by singing its virtues, and adopting (that is, living it) the message of Guru Granth Sahib. We are fortuitous to have the company of the learned people, to express our unspeakable sentiments. Within the heart and mind has sprouted the continuum of the divine music, and we contemplate on the Creator, for the fortuitous destiny bestowed upon us. The Guru declares that within the third stage, sprouts such unquenchable love, that any separation from it renders us incomplete.

"har chauth-rhi laav, man sehaj bhaiaa har paaiaa, bal raam jio gurmukh miliaa subhaae, har man ttan meeThaa laaiaa, bal raam jio har meeThaa laaiaa, mere prabh bhaaiaa, andin har liv laai man chindiaa fal paaiaa suaami, har naam vajee vadhaai har prabh Thakur kaaj rachaaiaa, dhan hirdaY naam vigaasi jan naanak bole chauthi laavaY, har paaiaa prabh avinaasi. 4 ."

The fourth laav declares that in the fourth stage, the mind is in a state of equipoise where the divine is attained effortlessly. In the case of a spouse, in the fourth stage, we attain the blissful union because within our natural, stable state of mind we comprehend our spouse, as if the two minds have become one. This is attained by keeping ourselves directed towards the divine message of Guru, and enveloping the mind and body with the divine sweetness. We become a manifestation of this sweetness. This pleases the Creator, and we remain continually fixated on the divine. The desired fruit of all our aspirations is attained, all around are felicitations and celebrations of the awareness of the divine. There comes the humble realization that all of this is being enacted by the Creator, and the mind blossoms with the consciousness of the divine. The Guru proclaims that in the fourth stage one attains the imperishable union with the immortal Creator.

Posted by Jasbir Singh