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Sikh Wedding Ceremony - Anand Karaj
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The Sikh Wedding Ceremony called the Anand Karaj "The work of Bliss" starts with a supplication for any work on hand "Kita Loriye kam so har pai akhiye" to God. As Sikhs we start with this prayer, before the marriage ceremony.
Grihast Jeevan (married life) is considered to be the most exhalted form of living in Sikhism.
The Anand Karaj is a four part ceremony where the bride and groom circle the Guru Granth Sahib, our holy scripture. Symbolically and literally as everything in Sikhism, this is outward manifestation of an internal, spiritual action. We are people of the word-the word of the Guru, so the center of our lives is supposed to be the Guru's word. All of life's information is contained within the Granth "the HOLY book". Therefore, neither bride or groom is walking ahead of theother, they are walking together, in an orbit around the Guru, always keeping Guru in the center. Similar to the spiritual journey that the soul takes towards God. In Sikhism, the journey of the soul towards God is always used in the metaphor of the soul "marrying" the Great Soul god who has no beginning and no end.
The second hymn sung is Pale thandey lagi, where the brides father hands the pala, or the hem of the robe (of God) to the groom. Symbolically, they are taking this spiritual journey together towards god as well as the father of the bride giving over responsibility of his daughter to her husband.
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I have totally discarded praise and slander, O Nanak; I have forsaken and abandoned everything.
I have seen that all relationships are false, and so I have grasped hold of the hem of Your robe, Lord. ||1||
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The first round of the marriage begins where the bride and groom begin their life as one. The bride and groom are setting up to begin their journey together. It is the order of the Guru to do the "Parvirti Karam" which are the good deeds . Laying a good foundation of mutual respect and love of god so that the other steps of life can follow smoothly. As a married couple, they are required to fulfill worldly duties as a family. In this round the guru describes t the excitement of beginning life together just as the soul is excited to start to get to know God.
In the second round , of the married and spiritual life, it is here they develop faith in each other as well as God. At this step, the love is still fragile, any hint of mistrust could be devastating to the marriage. The spouses need to see God in each other, and behave as such so the ego doesn't get in the way. Whether together with the spouse or separate, behaving in such a way as to never offend or cause mistrust with one another. It is a developmental stage to the deeper divine love.
In the third round, the abiding love and desire is developed. The "chao" joy towards the new life, but there is also an understanding that the old life has passed, and there is a separation, Past the stage of initial infatuation, it is now where we love our spouse just for who they are. The material things don't matter, what they do doesn't matter. Attachment towards eachother and mutual spiritual attachement to God. Finding harmony with your spouse is tantamount to finding harmony with god.
In the fourth and final spiritual stage, the equilibrium and bliss sets in. The stage of complete balance. No separation, no mistrust, past no longer matter, the present together, is that of total oneness. Until the completely become two bodies with one spirit. The devoted lovers have completely merged in their mind, body and soul with God. Night and day, the focus is consciously on God. All desires have been fulfilled, and the seed of love has blossomed forth and resonates throughout life. God and peace have been found.
Sikhism is a way of life, in which we have to discharge our duty, Dharam towards the creator and his creation, in which we realize him. It teaches us to control and correct the attitude of our mind and attune our individual souls with the Divine Will and Universal Soul. We have to live such a life that when we ultimately face the Master, we do so with an untarnished and bright face, with a clear conscience. In Sikhism, we are to live like a lotus, unaffected by the turbulent tides and waves of the waters, yet living and enjoying in them.
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