The Ardas (Punjabi: ਅਰਦਾਸ) is an established prayer in Sikhism. It is part of the worship service in a Gurdwara (Sikh temple), daily rituals such as the opening of the Guru Granth Sahib for prakash (morning light) or closing it for sukhasan (night sleeping) in larger Gurdwaras, the closing of congregational worship in Smaller gurdwaras, initiation rites such as the naming of a child or the cremation of a loved one, the daily prayer of devoted Sikhs, and any major Sikh ceremonies.
An Ardas consists of three parts. The first part recites the virtues of the ten gurus of Sikhism from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh, beginning with lines from Chandi di Var from the Dasam Granth. The second part recites the trials and triumphs of the Khalsa and the petition. The third greeting is the divine name. The first and third parts are fixed and cannot be changed, while the second part can be varied, shortened, and include a supplication such as seeking divine help or blessing to deal with daily problems, but it is usually in the agreed form. As it is sung, the audience or Sikh devotee usually stands, hands folded, many with heads bowed, and some often say “Waheguru” after certain sections.
The root of the word Ardas is related to the Sanskrit word ard (अर्द) which means “request, request, beg”. It is also related to the Persian word arzdasht which means a written “request made by an inferior to a superior”.
Ardas PDF
