Gurmat Sangeet Darbar in Toronto on March 12 2005

Hopkinton, February 26, 2005

mehlaa 1 basant.

rut aa-eelay saras basant maahi.
rang raatay raveh se tayrai chaa-ay.
kis pooj charhaava-o laga-o paa-ay. 1

tayraa daasan daasaa kaha-o raa-ay.
jagjeevan jugat na milai kaa-ay. 1 rahaa-o.

tayree moorat aykaa bahut roop.
kis pooj charhaava-o day-o Dhoop.
tayraa ant na paa-i-aa kahaa paa-ay.
tayraa daasan daasaa kaha-o raa-ay. 2

tayray sath sambat sabh teerthaa.
tayraa sach naam parmaysraa.
tayree gat avigat nahee jaanee-ai.
anjaanat naam vakhaanee-ai. 3

naanak vaychaaraa ki-aa kahai.
sabh lok salaahay ayksai.
sir naanak lokaa paav hai.
balihaaree jaa-o jaytay tayray naav hai. 42

First Mehl, Basant:

The season of spring, so delightful, is here
Those who are imbued with Your love chant Your Name with joy.
Whom else should I worship? At whose feet should I bow? 1

I am the slave of Your slaves, O my Sovereign Lord.
Life of the Universe, how else might I find You 1Pause

You are One, and yet, You have countless forms.
Which one should I worship with fragrant incense?
Limitless are You. Your limits cannot be plumbed
I am the slave of Your slaves, O my Sovereign Lord 2

The cycles of years and the places of pilgrimage are Yours, O Lord.
Your Name is True, O Transcendent Lord.
Your State cannot be known, O Eternal, Unchanging Lord.
Although You are mysterious, still we chant Your Name. 3

What can poor Nanak say?
All people praise the One Lord.
Nanak bows at the feet of such people.
I am a sacrifice to Your Names, as many as there are, O Lord. 42

This is but one of the many shabads that appear under Raga Basant in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Over and over the joyous rejuvenation that occurs in Nature with the coming of Basant or Spring, is used as a metaphor for the rejuvenation of the soul when the Guru’s grace envelopes a Sikh.

On Saturday, the 12th of March the Toronto Sangat will have the opportunity to participate in a Gurmat Sangeet Darbar at the Mississauga Gurdwara Sahib in the Toronto area. Guru Ke Kirtaniya, primarily from the Toronto area will participate in the Darbar from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. and will joyously sing the glories of Waheguru according to Gurmat Sangeet Maryada. A few members from the Boston Chapter of the Gurmat Sangeet Project will also be traveling to Toronto to participate in the Darbar.Gurmat Sangeet Premis who either live in the Toronto area or are able to travel there are urged to avail of this great opportunity to celebrate the coming of Basant, real and metaphorical, with the Toronto Sangat.

Regards,

Sarbpreet Singh