Ghorian

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GHORIAN, hymns by GURU Ram Das in measure Vadahans in the Guru GRANTH Sahib. The word `ghondn` in PUNJABI is tlie plural form of ghon, a mare. In Punjabi folk poetry, a type of lyrical songs which are sung on the occasion of marriage are called ghondn. A Punjabi marriage comprises a series of ceremonies performed at different stages. In one of these ceremonies the bridegroom mounts a handsomely caparisoned mare to go to the house of the bride where a reception awaits. The sisters of the bridegroom feed the marc with crushed gram from a plate, embellish the bridle strings and sing the songs of ghori, other girls and women joining them in chorus, as the bridegroom climbs up on the back of the mare. These eulogize the bridegroom and his ancestry and wish him a happy marriage. In the songs, the word ghon (mare) occurs frequently, almost once in every verse. Raga Vadahans in the Guru Granth Sahib incorporates hymns cast in the moulds of folk songs commonly sung at the time of birth, marraige and death. Guru NANAK has composed poems, in this rdgd, called alahamanor dirges, songs of mourning. Guru Amar Das has also contributed to these hymns in the same style. Guru Ram Das, the Fourth Guru, has composed two ghondn hymns, reminiscent of ghondn of folk poetry. The folk forms meant for mundane occasions have been utilized by the Gurus to compose verses of spiritual reference and meaning. The ghondn hymns, composed by Guru Ram Das, are lyrics of exquisite beauty, woven round images and symbols appropriate to the occasion of marriage, more particularly, to the ceremony of ghon or mareriding. These hymns hold that human life is a precious opportunity to get united to God as marriage is the opportunity to get united with the bride. The human body is the mare, riding which the seeker of God could successfully and victoriously reach his goal. The mind is to be harnessed, conquered and controlled, just as the mare is controlled by the saddle and bridle. In the hymns, the mare {ghon) has been called tejani, tun and tukhdi, all synonyms of ghon. The holy men or saints form the marriage procession; God Himself lays out the feast for them. Thus is the spouse found and begotten. The sustained metaphor, in the ghondn hymns, unfolds itself in eight parts, as follows: 1. This mare, i.e. the human body, has been created by God. It is most valuable and precious, a marvellous specimen of the craftsmanship of the Creator. It is obtained by good fortune only. It is of immense value in the spiritual journey, for through the faculties and potentialities it is endowed with, man gets an opportunity to obtain union with God. 2. The saddle refers to the subjugation of the mind through the guidance of the Guru. Divine knowledge is the harness that controls the mind. Meditation on the Name enriches the mind and gives it poise. This is the conquest of the mind. A mind so saddled or controlled is of vital aid in the journey of the soul towards its spouse, the Lord. 3. Bridle is the jnana or divine knowledge. True realization leads to the control of the mind. This directs and guides one on the path of spiritual journey. 4. Love of God is the whip used to urge the mare on its spiritual path. Love cultivates, chisels and fashions the mind. A cultivated mind remains in perfect balance and poise, and is not swayed by worldly desires and lusts. The nectar of nam (Name) transforms the human personality or mind completely. 5. The journey that the soul has to cover riding this mare is the sansdr. This is an arduous journey with worldly desires and attractions obstructing one at every step. 6. The holy men and saints form the marriage procession. It is the holy company which inspires and aids man to cross the obstacles. Thus the bridegroom, the seeker, successfully completes the journey, repeating constantly the Name, receiving inspiration from the saints. 7. The experience of bliss is the marriage feast. The marriage procession reaches its destination and crosses into the house of`Hari, the Supreme Being. There they enjoy and relish the ambrosial food, the nectar of the Name. This is the first taste of bliss, tlic supreme state of ANAND. 8. Union with God is the solemnization of the marriage. The bridegroom finds the spouse within himself. It is his own real self. He realizes himself. This union is eternal and the joy so attained is unending. This is the spiritual meaning oftlie hymns composed by Guru Ram D^s in the style of the popular Punjabi folk form of ghondn. Ghorian" are sung to celebrate a wedding;Ghorian" Shabads are on marriage and other festive occasions.In addition to the classical music, the folk music (because of its wide appeal) is also given importance in the SGGS. In this regard, in addition to the Vaars listed above, there are some Shabads about the "Ghorian" and "Alahunian" etc. "Ghorian" Shabads are on marriage and other festive occasions.

Ghorian (Song of the Mare) Page 575 to 576 by Guru Ram Das

ਵਡਹੰਸੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ਘੋੜੀਆ वडहंसु महला ४ घोड़ीआ vad­hans mehlā 4 gẖoṛī­ā Wadahans, Fourth Mehl, Ghorees ~ The Wedding Procession Songs:

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥ Ik­oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ. One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਦੇਹ ਤੇਜਣਿ ਜੀ ਰਾਮਿ ਉਪਾਈਆ ਰਾਮ ॥ देह तेजणि जी रामि उपाईआ राम ॥ Ḏėh ṯėjaṇ jī rām upā­ī­ā rām. This body-horse was created by the Lord.

ਧੰਨੁ ਮਾਣਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਪੁੰਨਿ ਪਾਈਆ ਰਾਮ ॥ धंनु माणस जनमु पुंनि पाईआ राम ॥ Ḏẖan māṇas janam punn pā­ī­ā rām. Blessed is human life, which is obtained by virtuous actions.

ਮਾਣਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਵਡ ਪੁੰਨੇ ਪਾਇਆ ਦੇਹ ਸੁ ਕੰਚਨ ਚੰਗੜੀਆ ॥ माणस जनमु वड पुंने पाइआ देह सु कंचन चंगड़ीआ ॥ Māṇas janam vad punnė pā­i­ā ḏėh so kancẖan cẖangṛī­ā. Human life is obtained only by the most virtuous actions; this body is radiant and golden.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰੰਗੁ ਚਲੂਲਾ ਪਾਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਵ ਰੰਗੜੀਆ ॥ गुरमुखि रंगु चलूला पावै हरि हरि हरि नव रंगड़ीआ ॥ Gurmukẖ rang cẖalūlā pāvai har har har nav rangṛī­ā. The Gurmukh is imbued with the deep red color of the poppy; he is imbued with the new color of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, Har.

ਏਹ ਦੇਹ ਸੁ ਬਾਂਕੀ ਜਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਜਾਪੀ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸੁਹਾਵੀਆ ॥ एह देह सु बांकी जितु हरि जापी हरि हरि नामि सुहावीआ ॥ Ėh ḏėh so bāʼnkī jiṯ har jāpī har har nām suhāvī­ā. This body is so very beautiful; it chants the Name of the Lord, and it is adorned with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.

ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਪਾਈ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਖਾਈ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਮਿ ਉਪਾਈਆ ॥੧॥ वडभागी पाई नामु सखाई जन नानक रामि उपाईआ ॥१॥ vadbẖāgī pā­ī nām sakẖā­ī jan Nānak rām upā­ī­ā. ||1|| By great good fortune, the body is obtained; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is its companion; O servant Nanak, the Lord has created it. ||1||

ਦੇਹ ਪਾਵਉ ਜੀਨੁ ਬੁਝਿ ਚੰਗਾ ਰਾਮ ॥ देह पावउ जीनु बुझि चंगा राम ॥ Ḏėh pāva­o jīn bujẖ cẖanga rām. I place the saddle on the body-horse, the saddle of realization of the Good Lord.

ਚੜਿ ਲੰਘਾ ਜੀ ਬਿਖਮੁ ਭੁਇਅੰਗਾ ਰਾਮ ॥ चड़ि लंघा जी बिखमु भुइअंगा राम ॥ Cẖaṛ langẖā jī bikẖam bẖu­i­angā rām. Riding this horse, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.

ਬਿਖਮੁ ਭੁਇਅੰਗਾ ਅਨਤ ਤਰੰਗਾ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਰਿ ਲੰਘਾਏ ॥ बिखमु भुइअंगा अनत तरंगा गुरमुखि पारि लंघाए ॥ Bikẖam bẖu­i­angā anaṯ ṯarangā gurmukẖ pār langẖā­ė. The terrifying world-ocean is rocked by countless waves, but the Gurmukh is carried across.

ਹਰਿ ਬੋਹਿਥਿ ਚੜਿ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਲੰਘੈ ਗੁਰੁ ਖੇਵਟੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਤਰਾਏ ॥ हरि बोहिथि चड़ि वडभागी लंघै गुरु खेवटु सबदि तराए ॥ Har bohith cẖaṛ vadbẖāgī langẖai gur kẖėvat sabaḏ ṯarā­ė. Embarking upon the boat of the Lord, the very fortunate ones cross over; the Guru, the Boatman, carries them across through the Word of the Shabad.

ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗੀ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗਾ ॥ अनदिनु हरि रंगि हरि गुण गावै हरि रंगी हरि रंगा ॥ An­ḏin har rang har guṇ gāvai har rangī har rangā. Night and day, imbued with the Lord's Love, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Lord's lover loves the Lord.

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰਬਾਣ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਹਰਿ ਉਤਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਪਦੁ ਚੰਗਾ ॥੨॥ जन नानक निरबाण पदु पाइआ हरि उतमु हरि पदु चंगा ॥२॥ Jan Nānak nirbāṇ paḏ pā­i­ā har uṯam har paḏ cẖanga. ||2|| Servant Nanak has obtained the state of Nirvaanaa, the state of ultimate goodness, the state of the Lord. ||2||

ਕੜੀਆਲੁ ਮੁਖੇ ਗੁਰਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ਰਾਮ ॥ कड़ीआलु मुखे गुरि गिआनु द्रिड़ाइआ राम ॥ Kaṛī­āl mukẖė gur gi­ān driṛ­ā­i­ā rām. For a bridle in my mouth, the Guru has implanted spiritual wisdom within me.

ਤਨਿ ਪ੍ਰੇਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਚਾਬਕੁ ਲਾਇਆ ਰਾਮ ॥ तनि प्रेमु हरि चाबकु लाइआ राम ॥ Ŧan parėm har cẖābak lā­i­ā rām. He has applied the whip of the Lord's Love to my body.

ਤਨਿ ਪ੍ਰੇਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਲਾਇ ਚਾਬਕੁ ਮਨੁ ਜਿਣੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜੀਤਿਆ ॥ तनि प्रेमु हरि हरि लाइ चाबकु मनु जिणै गुरमुखि जीतिआ ॥ Ŧan parėm har har lā­ė cẖābak man jiṇai gurmukẖ jīṯi­ā. Applying the whip of the Lord's Love to his body, the Gurmukh conquers his mind, and wins the battle of life.

ਅਘੜੋ ਘੜਾਵੈ ਸਬਦੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਅਪਿਉ ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਪੀਤਿਆ ॥ अघड़ो घड़ावै सबदु पावै अपिउ हरि रसु पीतिआ ॥ Agẖ­ṛo gẖaṛāvai sabaḏ pāvai api­o har ras pīṯi­ā. He trains his untrained mind with the Word of the Shabad, and drinks in the rejuvenating essence of the Lord's Nectar.

ਸੁਣਿ ਸ੍ਰਵਣ ਬਾਣੀ ਗੁਰਿ ਵਖਾਣੀ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗੁ ਤੁਰੀ ਚੜਾਇਆ ॥ सुणि स्रवण बाणी गुरि वखाणी हरि रंगु तुरी चड़ाइआ ॥ Suṇ sarvaṇ baṇī gur vakẖāṇī har rang ṯurī cẖaṛā­i­ā. Listen with your ears to the Word, uttered by the Guru, and attune your body-horse to the Lord's Love.

ਮਹਾ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਪੰਥੁ ਬਿਖੜਾ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਪਾਰਿ ਲੰਘਾਇਆ ॥੩॥ महा मारगु पंथु बिखड़ा जन नानक पारि लंघाइआ ॥३॥ Mahā mārag panth bikẖ­ṛā jan Nānak pār langẖā­i­ā. ||3|| Servant Nanak has crossed over the long and treacherous path. ||3||

ਘੋੜੀ ਤੇਜਣਿ ਦੇਹ ਰਾਮਿ ਉਪਾਈਆ ਰਾਮ ॥ घोड़ी तेजणि देह रामि उपाईआ राम ॥ Gẖoṛī ṯėjaṇ ḏėh rām upā­ī­ā rām. The transitory body-horse was created by the Lord.

ਜਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਜਾਪੈ ਸਾ ਧਨੁ ਧੰਨੁ ਤੁਖਾਈਆ ਰਾਮ ॥ जितु हरि प्रभु जापै सा धनु धंनु तुखाईआ राम ॥ Jiṯ har parabẖ jāpai sā ḏẖan ḏẖan ṯukẖā­ī­ā rām. Blessed, blessed is that body-horse which meditates on the Lord God.

ਜਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਜਾਪੈ ਸਾ ਧੰਨੁ ਸਾਬਾਸੈ ਧੁਰਿ ਪਾਇਆ ਕਿਰਤੁ ਜੁੜੰਦਾ ॥ जितु हरि प्रभु जापै सा धंनु साबासै धुरि पाइआ किरतु जुड़ंदा ॥ Jiṯ har parabẖ jāpai sā ḏẖan sābāsai ḏẖur pā­i­ā kiraṯ juṛanḏā. Blessed and acclaimed is that body-horse which meditates on the Lord God; it is obtained by the merits of past actions.

ਚੜਿ ਦੇਹੜਿ ਘੋੜੀ ਬਿਖਮੁ ਲਘਾਏ ਮਿਲੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਮਾਨੰਦਾ ॥ चड़ि देहड़ि घोड़ी बिखमु लघाए मिलु गुरमुखि परमानंदा ॥ Cẖaṛ ḏėhaṛ gẖoṛī bikẖam lagẖā­ė mil gurmukẖ parmānanḏā. Riding the body-horse, one crosses over the terrifying world ocean; the Gurmukh meets the Lord, the embodiment of supreme bliss.

ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕਾਜੁ ਰਚਾਇਆ ਪੂਰੈ ਮਿਲਿ ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾ ਜੰਞ ਆਈ ॥ हरि हरि काजु रचाइआ पूरै मिलि संत जना जंञ आई ॥ Har har kāj racẖā­i­ā pūrai mil sanṯ janā jañ ā­ī. The Lord, Har, Har, has perfectly arranged this wedding; the Saints have come together as a marriage party.

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਵਰੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਮੰਗਲੁ ਮਿਲਿ ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾ ਵਾਧਾਈ ॥੪॥੧॥੫॥ जन नानक हरि वरु पाइआ मंगलु मिलि संत जना वाधाई ॥४॥१॥५॥ Jan Nānak har var pā­i­ā mangal mil sanṯ janā vāḏẖā­ī. ||4||1||5|| Servant Nanak has obtained the Lord as his Spouse; joining together, the Saints sing the songs of joy and congratulations. ||4||1||5||

References

1. Kohli, Surindar SINGH, A Critical Study of ADI GRANTH. Delhi, 1961.