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Summary of Question:"Amrit Vela"
Category:General Sikhism
Date Posted:Sunday, 3/21/1999 6:43 PM MDT

People say that a Sikh should get up around 3 AM (approximately 3 hrs. before sunrise--"Amrit Vela") in the morning and do "paath" and "simran". There are some people who work during the evening or night shifts which makes them unable to do "paath" at 3 AM. What can these people do? I am a university student and I have some classes in the late evening. During some days of the week, I get home at around 9:30 PM. I then have my dinner and I study a little. By the time I go to bed, its 11 PM or 1 AM. Now, if I go to bed this late, I can't get up in 3 or 4 hours. If I get up at 5 or 6 AM, then the problem is that the Amrit Vela is over!! Shree Guru Granth Saheb Jee mentions that it is very important to get up early and remember God during the "Amrit Vela". The following is a quote from the SGGS Jee: "AMRIT VELEY BOLEYA BABEEHA, TAA DAR SUNI PUKAAR" From what I understand, this means that the prayer of a Sikh is heard in HIS court only during the Amrit Vela. I think that the emphasis in the statement is on the word, "TAA" (THEN ONLY). Please correct me if I am wrong. Now, for those of us who can't get up during the Amrit Vela for one reason or the other, what can be done? If a person does "paath" after Amrit Vela, does that mean that his/her prayer is not considered to be very "powerful"? In other words, is the PUKAAR (voice, prayer) then heard in his DAR (court/door of God)? Please answer all the questions asked above. I appreciate your help. Thank you very much!!


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REPLY #1
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Amrit Vela is considered a very sacred time, and is a time of day when prayers and meditation are very powerful. I believe Guru teaches us this as a guideline, and so we understand the subtleties of our own energy and power. I think the most important thing is to remember God at all times. Guru gave us this technology to heighten our awareness and increase our connection to the One. It is not a matter of heaven or hell if we are not able to follow Guru's direction. In my opinion, the idea is for your first priority (when you wake up), to be prayer and meditation and the remembrance of God, regardless of what time you wake up. Perhaps you can try this and see how you feel; it is up to you to find a practice that works for you. SKK

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REPLY #2
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SADHNA - Communicating With Your Soul
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Everybody has God's light and it must be lit by a person's own discipline. And the glass to keep it lit and shining should be kept by the person's own courage, strength and grit. I believe it. I believe this is the love. I believe everybody has the chance to love one's soul and every soul has the right to shine and every shine has to bring light and brightness, beauty and bountifulness to all, generation after generation. You love your children? You do. They are beautiful. Isn't that innocent soul in you, also your life child ? Have you kissed the soul? Have you hugged the soul? Have you communicated with the soul in the morning at the ambrosial hours when there is absolutely no disturbance? Sadhna is nothing but where a disciplined one, the love, talks to one's own soul. is nothing but where one cleans his own mind. Sadhna is nothing but where one prepares for the day to become kind and compassionate for everyone, including the enemies. If you think you are poor, you are poor because you do not communicate with your soul, the source of prosperity, and the source of reality. If you think you are desperate, you are desperate because you have no sadhna. Desperation, depression, and a feeling of destitution come only to those who have no discipline or sadhna. Only a house that is not cleaned looks dirty, and the mind that is not cleaned stinks. Sadhna is the most selfish act of every act, because it is a self-cleansing. Cleanliness is Godliness. It is good to wear good clothes, look good, and to be bright, and beautiful, but when you want to be blissful and bountiful, you have to have a clear mind, a mind through which your soul; your spirit can shine. When you stand, take a stand, and stand tall. Walk tall and stand by the strength of your soul. Not the strength of your intellect, intelligence, and your cowardice. If you want to speak to anybody, to deal with any thing, to have any relationship, just have a relationship by the strength of your soul. Otherwise you will miss the goal of life.
-- Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Yogi

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REPLY #3
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So what we have is, "Amrit Vela Sach Naao Vadeeaaee Veechaar." We get up early in the morning, we rise, and we do our sadhana so that we can match up with the day, so we can match up with absolute reality. Face the reality with reality. Don't face the reality with laziness and slowness. If you do so, you will never be successful and then you are your own enemy. You can't make it. And that's why sadhana is an act.

Some people think sadhana is a punishment. I agree with them. I agree with them. Because those who want to punish themselves during the day, and they do not want to match up with reality as reality -- and those who do not want to prepare themselves -- they are afraid to face the day and they have that fear. They are always afraid of sadhana and shall continue to be so. Sadhana does not do anything to us except prepare us for a bad day. Guru Nanak has said: "Amrit Velaa Sach Naao Vadeeaaee Veechaar, Karamee Avay Kaparaa Nadaree Moakh Duaar, Naanak Avay Jaaneeai Sabh Aapay Sachiaar." "Nanak, this I know only this way, that my actions will be covered." How you can cover your actions? If you have a tremendous flexibility – then you are sharp; you are intuitive; you know what you are saying; you know what you are doing; and you also understand 100% of what the other person wants; and what he is saying, and what he is doing and what he is relating to. This is because life is a mutual interaction, and you, if you run life with only a single interaction -- your action within your mind -- you are a failure to start with, and mind you, 99% of all people do this mistake. They relate within their minds, within their feelings, with their ideas, with their thoughts, within themselves.
-- Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Yogi



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