# Awake At Amrit Vela



## gurbanivichar (Jun 14, 2004)

This Shabad is by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Jap on Pannaa 2 

True is the Master, True is His Name-speak it with infinite love. 
People beg and pray, ""Give to us, give to us"", and the Great Giver gives His Gifts. 
So what offering can we place before Him, by which we might see the Darbaar of His Court? 
What words can we speak to evoke His Love? 
In the Amrit Vaylaa, the ambrosial hours before dawn, chant the True Name, and contemplate His Glorious Greatness. 
By the karma of past actions, the robe of this physical body is obtained. By His Grace, the Gate of Liberation is found. 
O Nanak, know this well: the True One Himself is All. ||4||


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## Amarpal (Jun 14, 2004)

Dear Khalsa Jee,

It is important for us to know what we sikhs are to understand from the term 'Amrit Vela' and why it is considered the proper time for paying our reverence to Almighty. 

I have some preliminary views on it, but I want others to express their's, may be I will learn something from it. The way we define 'Amrit Vela' should stand the questioning. 

Let us discuss and learn together.

With love and respect for all

Amarpal


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## Tejwant Singh (Jun 30, 2004)

*Amrit Vela*

Dear Cyber Sadh Sangat,

Before we discuss this wonderful concept of Amrit Vela, we should make ourselves aware of the accountability of our actions. In Sikhi, is accountability after death ( as in other major religions) or is it with every breath we take?

If we fail to understand the concept of Accounatbility in Sikhi, then the concept of AmritVela becomes mute.


Tejwant Singh


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## Admin (Jul 1, 2004)

> Before we discuss this wonderful concept of Amrit Vela, we should make ourselves aware of the accountability of our actions. In Sikhi, is accountability after death ( as in other major religions) or is it with every breath we take?
> 
> If we fail to understand the concept of Accounatbility in Sikhi, then the concept of AmritVela becomes mute.



Dear VaheguruSeekr Ji, 

This is an important topic, please put some more light on your observations...


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## Amarpal (Jul 1, 2004)

Dear Khalsa Jee (VaheguruSeekr)

The question you have posed must have come to the minds of many; I am one of them.
I have deliberated on this issue and have found that I cannot arrive at any firm conclusion about it. I have no way to rationally arrive at what will happen to me after death. My cognitive abilities do not take me far on this path. I can only create hypothesises, but have no way to test and conclude on them as to which is true. As a human I am handicapped.  

A saying came to my rescue: ‘If you take care of seconds and minutes, the hours and days will take care of themselves’; from this I have created the basis for my life.

 I have decided that I will hold myself accountable for all my thoughts, utterances and actions during my lifetime. I will only plant good roots all my life. What happens to me after this life it is for ‘The Almighty’ to decide; I do not think about it. Using the words you have used in your posting, I hold myself accountable in every breath that I take.

Guru Sahibs have made our Sikh Religion very simple so that a common human can follow. It provides for spiritual elevation of the individual living the life of a householder. The scripture that Guru Sahib gave us i.e. ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib’ does not indulge in hair-splitting arguments. Our Gurus knew that it is counter productive. Today, enough scientific evidence exist to prove that too much thinking paralyses our faculties to act. In our village too I was told by our elder ‘Too much thinking weakens our resolve’ and the natural result is that we do not act; I hold that there is lots of truth in this advice. 

What is beyond my life, and me, I do not think much about it. This live is what I want to use to become a real Gurmukh.

I hold myself accountable at the level of every breath, which is the wording taken from your posting.

About ‘Amrit Vela’ I will talk some time later.

With Love and Respect for all

Amarpal


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## Arvind (Jul 20, 2004)

Learned members,

Please enlighten me with 'Amrit Vela'. Is this related with timings. Recently, It came to my ears that 

12 midnight - 3 am: Saints, Mahapurush do Nitnem
3 am - 6 am: Grahsthi jeev do Nitnem

Even there was some talk about having multiple times benefit of doing Nitnem at these times compared to other times upto 12 noon.

Thanks.


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## Arvind (Jul 20, 2004)

Amarpal ji,

Please talk about 'Amrit Vela' soon. Or else give me pointer, if this is already talked here.

Best Regards.


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## Tejwant Singh (Jul 20, 2004)

*Amrit Vela*

I am so sorry. I forgot about this post all together. May be the old age is catching up on me.

As I mentioned in my first post:-



> Dear Cyber Sadh Sangat,
> 
> Before we discuss this wonderful concept of Amrit Vela, we should make ourselves aware of the accountability of our actions. In Sikhi, is accountability after death ( as in other major religions) or is it with every breath we take?
> 
> ...


 
Most of the religions believe that accountability is only after death, which makes one wonder that as we can  take nothing with us when we die, how can we carry all the ledgers of our lives there? 

This concept was created by a few, sitting crosslegged on their high chairs using fear tactics so that all the ones needing brokers to seek ONE GOD would fall under their spell, which even happens now a days.

*Farida, char gavaieah hund kei, char gavaieah sun,*
*Lekha rub mangesiah, tun kerei aahoh kum?*

*Hey man, you wasted 12 hours wandering around and the other 12 by sleeping,*

*When your time for accountability comes, how would you explain what you have been upto?*

Here Farid ji is talking about 8 paher meaning 24 hours.

A Sikh has a 'Day book' which he/she opens when they get up. The book is closed shut when we recite Soheila at night:-

*Deu sajan assissirian, jei hovei sahib seu meil*.

*Oh Vaheguru, give me the blessing when I meet you, in other words when my last breath is gone.*

So a Sikh is born ( conciously aware) when he wakes up and ready to die when he goes to bed.

In Sikh life accountability is must and it should happen with every breath we take, the same way a bookkeeper keeps track of every transaction in his day book.

Amrit Vela is the first transaction in our 'Day book'. Now the question arises what is Amrit Vela?

In the old days, everyone used to work from dawn to dusk. So Amrit Vela became the early hours of the morning. But now we all live in different time zones. All of us have different Amrit Velas depending on where we live.

Secondly, now we live in a 24 hour world where people get up at different times to do their Kirat. In Las Vegas where I live, everyone has a different Amrit Vela. 

In other words, Amrit Vela is when you are ready to start your day book, not any particular time of the day.

I know lots of Sikhs get up at 2AM, take shower, do Nitnem and go off to sleep. Would we call this Amrit Vela? 

My 2 cent worth

Peace & Love

Tejwant


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## Arvind (Jul 20, 2004)

I see the point Tejwant ji. As you said - Amrit Vela is when you are ready to start your day book, not any particular time of the day.

Not that I am doubting your knowledge, but somehow neither I am convinced about this very much, nor there is anything to offer from my side. So I guess, the quest carries on 

My madness took me to extent where I started doing calculations. This might be weird or total stupidity on my part, that I tried to do calculations that how many times Waheguru needs to be chanted by me, so that that makes up for all those years of mine, when I never devoted 10% of my daily swaas to Naam-Simran!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I appreciate your prompt response very much. About accountability, I am of the view that my each action, deed, saying - I mean everything emanated/done by my mind/body - I am the only person accountable for all those. But then this conflicts with general thought of Karta Purukh who gets the things done from all of us!

Crazy thought eh!


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## Tejwant Singh (Jul 20, 2004)

ThinkingOne ji,

Guru Fateh.

First of all, I am not here to convince anyone about anything. As mentioned before I have been blessed to think aloud with the SADH SANGAT. The journey belongs to each individual.

IK ONG KAAR is the ultimate accountant/auditor of our accounts. 

Our duty is to keep our Day Book updated.

Peace & Love
Tejwant


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## Arvind (Jul 20, 2004)

Got your point.

Present day book can be taken care of. Please think aloud, if there is any way to update old day-books. I think, back-dating is not allowed, but may be extra effort now onwards in present day-books can do something for the past ones too!


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## Amarpal (Jul 21, 2004)

Dear Member,

Amrit Vela for me is the small time span that is between my waking up after a sleep and when my mind starts getting engaged in worldly matters. This small span of time is 'Amrit Vela' for me. Here my mind is pure. I have trained myself to get up from my sleep with the word 'Vaheguru' on my toungue and 'Nirakaar Karta Purakh' in my mind. It doesnot matter to me which time of the day or night it is. The purity of mind is essential. It ie my considered opinion that it is the purity of mind which makes any Vela, Amrit.

With Love and Respect for all.

Amarpal


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## Arvind (Jul 21, 2004)

Extending it further: And if mind is always in the state of purity instead of just some small span of time, then one is always experiencing Amrit Vela!


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## Tejwant Singh (Jul 21, 2004)

ThinkingONE ji,

Guru Fateh.

Exactly..!!! 

Vela means it is the time to do.....something.  It does not mean any particular time of the day. I have no idea why and how our sikh scholars  narrowed down AMRIT VELA to the early morning making GURMAT very restricted which contradicts with the freedom it allows us.

And as you very well said...it is anytime for AMRIT VELA.

Peace & Love

Tejwant


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## Arvind (Jul 21, 2004)

Amrit Vela Sach Nao Vadyayee Vichar...

Probably the problem came while interpreting it as: Get up during Amrit Vela (some specific time), and Do praise the Ik Ong Kaar.

Whereas, looks like, it should be: The time when praising of Ik Ong Kaar is going on, is ALL Amrit Vela

Thanks much for the meanings Amarpal ji and Tejwant ji. 

With much appreciation and Best Regards.


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## eropa234 (Sep 1, 2009)

Amarpal said:


> Dear Khalsa Jee,
> 
> The word Amrit (immortality) Vela (time or state) Guru Nanank has not defined this term. 2 hours before the sunrise has absolutely no significance. Quote " Amrit Vela sat nau vadhai vechar" one who lives with the truth at alltimes lives in Amrit Vela or there is no time for his/her death.
> 
> No Vela is better than another is my conclussion using reason and rational as Guru Arjan Dev said" Kaaran karan kareem, kirpa dhar rahim", One who uses reason and rational in deeds is using the power of Rehim the almighty"


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## faujasingh (Sep 1, 2009)

I feel badly hungry at Amrit Vela :8- I tired getting up and doing some meditation but it struck me that the nearest restaurant which goes all night will close down at 5 am so i went there and gorged some sabzi roti !


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Sep 1, 2009)

faujasingh said:


> I feel badly hungry at Amrit Vela :8- I tired getting up and doing some meditation but it struck me that the nearest restaurant which goes all night will close down at 5 am so i went there and gorged some sabzi roti !



at that time..we are supposed to be Hungry for Naam..he he he.For some purists who are so stuck in their time warp (Amrti Vela is ONLY (Emphasis ONLY..) 2 hours to 4 hours BEFORE DAWN..and not any other time..your BODY HUNGER at this "holy time" would be sacriliege of te highest order !! But it happens to me all the time...especially when I have urgent last minute "Thesis" to write (one of my part time jobs is write Thesis/Assignments for University students and as is ususal with me..i get my brightest sparks doing work at the very last minute !!!)....then i will be getting hungry at odd hours.. 1 am..3 am..6 am..so on..
Seriously though, the Hunger of the Mann is NEGLECTED by most of us...the BODY has its own way to make us aware..HEY FEED ME..or i die...BUT the Mann's way is gentler..non-violent !! If we keep it continoulsy starving..it becomes weaker and weaker and eventually Hunger for Naam stops...so dont let the Mann get to that weak stage...make it strong by giving it spiritual food regularly...and DAWN is the best period for feeding the Mann.:happy::happy:


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## faujasingh (Sep 1, 2009)

gyani ji i wish aap ji was staying nearer to me. I would have of course taken your help, the irony is at that time there is no one to stop me. all i end up is ' bas ajj ta last day, kal to bas strictly follow karange' Mann jeda haiga oh haiga langur varga.


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## spnadmin (Sep 1, 2009)

faujasingh ji

You may be the first person I ever met who admitted to being hungry in the wee morning hours. But not the first person who ever was hungry at that time. When the world is asleep hunger is out of consciousness with everything else. Wake up -- and there it is right inside you. I do think Gyani ji gave very thoughtful advice. Don't starve your spiritual self, and find a way that makes your sadhana more effective in the patterns of your own life.


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## faujasingh (Sep 1, 2009)

you are right, lets see if i succeed. I hate myself for this but its been years. you wont belive my folks even get upset with me over this. My father blasts 'we have a muslim son, all he does is gets up and eats at 4 am and that too as heavy as roti subzi/meat as if he has to do roza and has to get his sehri'


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## ballym (Feb 5, 2010)

may be all this discussion is leading to this: Live in present tense. there is a Philopher promoting this. See Eckhart Tolle on Google


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Feb 5, 2010)

ballym said:


> may be all this discussion is leading to this: Live in present tense. there is a Philopher promoting this. See Eckhart Tolle on Google



GURBANI is ACTUALLY about the PRESENT TENSE. Again and again the SGGS proclaims..Gobind Milak kee EH Teri Bareeah.."EH" is the PRESENT TENSE...this HUMAN BIRTH...the most valuable..once ina a Lifetime type of Golden Chance..so many metaphors..stressing THIS TIME..the PRESENT TIME...the NOW !!

But sadly more than a few are constantly ..."looking back....past karmas..past lives..past deeds..blah blah blah...just like a studnet sitting in the Examination Room with exam paper in front of him..instead of answering the questions..constantly day dreams about..why i failed last time..what happeend..was it this..was it that..and then the Examiner says..Times UP...hand over your papers..and our student hands over a BLANK PAPER.....Others dwell upon..the FUTURE..what will i become..will i be a dog or  acat  or a bull..what will happen to me after i die...and so on..and Once again these too hand in BLANK PAPERS !! Only the very selected FEW..GURMUKHS spend time in the PRESENT..answering the questions..and hand over completed papers !!! That si why its said..GURMUKH janam swaar dargah challiah....!! The GURMUKH ahs doen hsi homework...and travelled ON....


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## eropa234 (May 7, 2010)

Arvind said:


> Amarpal ji,
> 
> Please talk about 'Amrit Vela' soon. Or else give me pointer, if this is already talked here.
> 
> Best Regards.



Dear Arvind Ji Amrit Vela.   AMRIT=Imortal  VELA-Moment, time

Amrit vela sach nau, Vadia vichar.

A Mind that remains attached to to truth is imortal while its attached to it. 
In my opinion in light of my understanding amrit vela is not a particular time. I do not believe that God listens to prayers offered at a particular time as a matter of fact no recitations or prayers are listened by God 

SGGS: Jagat Bhikari firat hai, Sub ko Data Ram. Kaho Nanak Mun Simir Teh, Puran Hove Kaam.

As the word runs like a beggar towards Ram uselessly. Says Nanak comprenend Ram with your mind as this is the purpose of Ram and Mind. Nothing ellse.
*
Once again - The entire shabad please so we can place the tuk into context. Next time I will delete the post. Thanks. Narayanjot Kaur *


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## spnadmin (May 7, 2010)

eropa234 said:


> Jagat Bhikari firat hai, Sub ko Data Ram. Kaho Nanak Mun Simir Teh,  Puran Hove Kaam.
> 
> As the word runs like a beggar towards Ram uselessly. Says Nanak comprenend Ram with your mind as this is the purpose of Ram and Mind. Nothing ellse.



eropa ji

Please explain your translation of the tuk above. I have a somewhat different meaning for these verses. Would you put your vichaar into the context of the complete shabad? This comes from the salokas of Guru Teg Bahadur.


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## ballym (May 7, 2010)

Gyani Jarnail Singh said:


> GURBANI is ACTUALLY about the PRESENT TENSE.
> ..just like a studnet sitting in the Examination Room with exam paper in front of him..instead of answering the questions..constantly day dreams about..why i failed last time..what happeend..was it this..was it that..and then the Examiner says..Times UP...hand over your papers..and our student hands over a BLANK PAPER.....Others dwell upon..the FUTURE..what will i become..will i be a dog or acat or a bull..what will happen to me after i die...and so on..and Once again these too hand in BLANK PAPERS !! Only the very selected FEW..GURMUKHS spend time in the PRESENT..answering the questions..and hand over completed papers !!! That si why its said..GURMUKH janam swaar dargah challiah....!! The GURMUKH ahs doen hsi homework...and travelled ON....


 
VERY VERY WELL said. But it is difficult to set your mind to "present" ONLY.
If we keep our present well, our past can not be bad and our future is surely going to be good.
i do the mistake everyday.


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## Hardip Singh (May 8, 2010)

Following are the extracts on the same topic which was intiated by Das on the forum some times back:-

The exact meaning of the word “Amrit Vela” as per Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha in the ‘Mahan Kosh’, the two literal meanings are as below:-

AimRq vylw   :-  iek sMgXw  ,   ArQ  
                   1) rwq dy ipCly ihsy dIAW phu Putn qYM  pihlI cwr GiVAW     
                   2) mok dwiek vylw,  mukiq vylw  
Now, if we take the first literal meaning, than as per the time formula below
                1 Day  =   8 Pehar    and       1 Pehar   = 7.5  garhi
This in turns says   1 garhi  = 24 minutes
And , hence the “Amrit Vela” should be 24x4 garhi = around 1.6 hrs. before sunrise.

Now, the time of sunrise at any place in the world varies throughout the year, resulting in varying time for the “Amrit Vela”. Moreover, if say in I am enjoying the Amrit vela in the early morning than it does not hold good for say the whole of American Pensula.  Than what about those places on earth where no sun rise occurs due to some local whether conditions or say at north / south pole where for 6 months its day and the next six month its night, what shall be their “Amrit Vela” ?

Now, if we go for the second meaning given as above, “Amrit vela” is  “Mukat Vela” or the time when you all  pressure on your mind and soul cease and exit , one becomes easily united with the Almighty. This can occur any time in day or night depending upon the mental and the meditational level of the individuals. So, this meaning says it can occur any moment.

As my mind goes, this meaning seam to be more appropriate if we judge it as par with SGGS jee’s teachings.

I will be highly obliged, if the learned forum SPN members can put some light on the subject.

Reply from Giani Jarnail Singh Arshi :-

Its a very common mistake to just stick to customary, traditional, accepted...etc types of Literal Meanings of GURBANI.

GURBANI breaks all "barriers"...traditional thoughts, limits, traditions etc and strikes out into a Brand NEW direction of UNIVERSALITY. For ALL TIME and SEASONS.
Although various words have been used in Gurbani we cannot simply accept their traditional meanings...GURBANI has its OWN INDEPENDENT interpretation.

In this way, the SECOND Meaning of Amrit-Vela has a more Gurbani Raang, coloured meaning...

We must remember Guru Nanak Ji TOTALLY REJECTED all traditions/customs like Janeau, sihnaan at teeraths, praying like Robots or parrots...RITUALISM in all its forms and manners...castes, food taboos, bad days, good days, shubh/ashubh/snagrands and pooranmashis, good luck/bad luck etc types of superstitions/vehams/bharams, special times/not special/bad times etc etc and the traditionally accepted meaning of "amrit vela" being RESTRICTED to just a few hours of early morning fits into these rejected terms.

A Daily ROUTINE of Nitnem/bath/reading gurbani/vichaar of mukhvaak/contmeplation/meditation/attendace in Sangat in Gurdwara/listening to Kirtan/Katha etc are ESSENTIAL to have a DISCIPLINE of REHAT...the REHAT strengthens the BODY to ACCEPT the NAAM AMRIT which is essentially for the MANN !! its FOOD and needed to keep the Mann strong and healthy...BUT restricting all this to a special time and ritualizing it all defeats the purpose Guru Ji intended us to progress in...to be CONNECTED with the Creator ALL the TIME, and not "switch off" when the sun rises 

I hope these extracts will help us to understand the meanings better.
Regards.


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## eropa234 (May 8, 2010)

Hardip Singh said:


> Following are the extracts on the same topic which was intiated by Das on the forumn some times back :-
> 
> The exact meaning of the word “Amrit Vela” as per Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha in the ‘Mahan Kosh’, the two literal meanings are as below:-fficeffice" />
> ​AimRq vylw   :-  iek sMgXw  ,   ArQ
> ...



 *VERY well said Hardip Singh Ji.*


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