Saturday, August 1, 2009

1) BIRTH CEREMONY / JANAM SANSKAR (first ceremony)

When Vaheguru blesses a couple with a child, at this auspicious moment the first rite is to utter "Vaheguru" Gurmantar4 to the child. The midwife should be a Sikh, so that she can enact this rite.

As soon as is possible after the birth Amrit is to be prepared in the following way:

· An Ardas (prayer of supplication) is performed before the start of the ceremony
· An Amritdharee5 Singh should get a Sarab Loh6 bowl and half fill it with water.
· Five patase7 should be added to the water
· This mixture is to be continuously stirred with a Sarbloh Kirpan8
· During the stirring, the Singh is to recite Japjee Sahib from memory and is to sit in the ‘Bir-Asan’ position, a Warrior stance9
· Once the Japjee Sahib recital is complete the Amrit is ready and an Ardas is to be performed and then the Amrit can be administered. Five drops from the tip of the Kirpan are to be given to the child and the mother is to drink the rest of the Amrit.

This is the first ceremony of initiation of a child into the Khalsa Panth (Sikh Nation). The mother is then to breast-feed the child, from this the child should become virtuous, a warrior, saintly, charitable and a vibrant Gursikh. Enacting any other sort of birth rites/ceremony is not allowed in Gurmat; for example lucky charms or strings tied on the child’s wrist or around his/her neck. To break all superstitions a Sarab Loh Kara is to be placed on the child’s right-hand wrist. Drinking alcohol and eating meat whilst celebrating the birth of a child is a grave sin. After the above ceremony10, Karah Parshad is to be prepared and an Ardas recited in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee. The child’s name is based on the first letter of the Hukamnama11 taken from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee.

4 Blessed word of the Guru
5 Initiated Sikh
6 Pure iron
7 Sweets made of sugar and glucose
8 Blessed sword
9 The left leg is to be folded inwardly to rest on and the right is to be upright, similar to a sprinters stance before a race
10 The Janam Sanskar and preparation of Amrit are to be done as soon after birth as possible, and can be performed at the place of birth. The taking of the child into the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib to be blessed and named are to be done as soon as is physically possible, but superstitions of the mother not going to the Gurdwara for 40 days are not to be adhered to.
11 Command of the Guru If possible on the same day a Sehaj Paath
12 should be started. The child and his/her mother should listen to the whole Paath. At the Bhog (completions of recital) Guru ka
Langar
13 is to be served to the Sadh Sangat (Holy Congregation).

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