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Aarti gagan mein thaal
Gagan mein thaal is an Aarti (prayer) in Sikh religion which was recited by first guru, Guru Nanak. This was recited by him in 1506 or 1508 at the revered Jagannath Temple, Puri during his journey (called "udaasi") to east India. This arti is sung (not performed with platter & lamps etc.) daily after recitation of Rehraas Sahib & Ardās at the Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar.
Contents
Kaisi aarati hoye gagan mein thaal bhai harbans singh ji jagadhari wale gur ka darshan
Views of Ravindranath Tagore
Famous saint poet of India Rabindranath Tagore was once asked by Balraj Sahni, who used to teach at Santiniketan then, that the way he has written the National Anthem of India, why doesn't he write one for the world? He replied that it has already been written. It was written in 16th Century by Guru Nanak, and that this anthem was not only for the world, but for the entire universe. He was so influenced by this aarti that he himself translated it into Bangla language.
Text and translation
Guru Nanak Dev has imagined the entire universe decorated as a prayer platter on the altar of the almighty. The starting verses of the aarti are as follows :
Gagan mein thaal, rav chand deepak bane, taarka mandal janak moti dhoop malay aan lao, pawan chavro kare sagal ban raai phulant jyoti kaisi aarti hoye, bhavkhandana teri aarti.
anhat sabad bajant bheri kaisi aarti hoye, bhavkhandana teri aarti.
Means - The sky is the prayer-platter, the sun and the moon are the lamps, the stars and the constellations are the pearls and jewels. The air coming from the sandal laden Malay mountain are the incense, air is the fan, entire flora of the earth are the flowers..... oh... what an aarti is it ! o destroyer of fear !