Sikh Aarti (Gagan Mai Thaal)
Sikh Aarti (Gagan Mai Thaal) in English · English
✦ Meaning
The Sikh Aarti, beginning “Gagan Mai Thaal”, was uttered by Guru Nanak Dev Ji at the temple of Jagannath Puri. Setting aside the lamp-and-tray ritual, the Guru sings that the whole cosmos performs God’s aarti — the sky is the salver, sun and moon the lamps, the stars the studded pearls, and the wind the incense. It is the Sikh hymn of boundless, universal worship.
Origin & Story
Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Raag Dhanasari) and tradition. English translation: Sant Singh Khalsa (public domain). · Guru Nanak Dev Ji (with shabads of later Gurus) · 15th–17th century CE
At Jagannath Puri, watching priests circle a tray of lamps before an idol, Guru Nanak sang a greater aarti: the heavens the platter, the luminaries its lamps, the fragrant winds its incense — all of nature forever worshipping the formless Lord.
Complete Text with Meaning
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ikOankaar satigur prasaadh ||
Meaning:One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
dhanaasaree mahalaa pehilaa aaratee
Meaning:Dhanaasaree, First Mehl, Aartee:
ikOankaar satigur prasaadh ||
Meaning:One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
gagan mai thaal rav cha(n)dh dheepak bane taarikaa ma(n)ddal janak motee || dhoop malaanalo pavan chavaro kare sagal banarai foola(n)t jotee ||1||
Meaning:In the bowl of the sky, the sun and moon are the lamps; the stars in the constellations are the pearls. The fragrance of sandalwood is the incense, the wind is the fan, and all the vegetation are flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1||
kaisee aaratee hoi bhav kha(n)ddanaa teree aaratee || anahataa sabadh vaaja(n)t bheree ||1|| rahaau ||
Meaning:What a beautiful lamp-lit worship service this is! O Destroyer of fear, this is Your Aartee, Your worship service. The sound current of the Shabad is the sounding of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||
sahas tav nain nan nain hai toh kau sahas moorat nanaa ek tohee || sahas padh bimal nan ek padh ga(n)dh bin sahas tav ga(n)dh iv chalat mohee ||2||
Meaning:Thousands are Your eyes, and yet You have no eyes. Thousands are Your forms, and yet You have not even one form. Thousands are Your lotus feet, and yet You have no feet. Without a nose, thousands are Your noses. I am enchanted with Your play! ||2||
sabh meh jot jot hai soi || tis kai chaanan sabh meh chaanan hoi || gur saakhee jot paragaT hoi || jo tis bhaavai su aaratee hoi ||3||
Meaning:The Divine Light is within everyone; You are that Light. Yours is that Light which shines within everyone. By the Guru's Teachings, this Divine Light is revealed. That which pleases the Lord is the true worship service. ||3||
har charan kamal makara(n)dh lobhit mano anadhino moh aahee piaasaa || kirapaa jal dheh naanak saari(n)g kau hoi jaa te terai naam vaasaa ||4||1||7||9||
Meaning:My soul is enticed by the honey-sweet lotus feet of the Lord; night and day, I thirst for them. Bless Nanak, the thirsty song-bird, with the water of Your Mercy, that he may come to dwell in Your Name. ||4||1||7||9||
naam tero aaratee majan muraare || har ke naam bin jhooThe sagal paasaare ||1|| rahaau ||
Meaning:Your Name, Lord, is my adoration and cleansing bath. Without the Name of the Lord, all ostentatious displays are useless. ||1||Pause||
naam tero aasano naam tero urasaa naam teraa kesaro le chhiTakaare || naam teraa a(n)bhulaa naam tero cha(n)dhano ghas jape naam le tujheh kau chaare ||1||
Meaning:Your Name is my prayer mat, and Your Name is the stone to grind the sandalwood. Your Name is the saffron which I take and sprinkle in offering to You. Your Name is the water, and Your Name is the sandalwood. The chanting of Your Name is the grinding of the sandalwood. I take it and offer all this to You. ||1||
naam teraa dheevaa naam tero baatee naam tero tel le maeh pasaare || naam tere kee jot lagaiee bhio ujiaaro bhavan sagalaare ||2||
Meaning:Your Name is the lamp, and Your Name is the wick. Your Name is the oil I pour into it. Your Name is the light applied to this lamp, which enlightens and illuminates the entire world. ||2||
naam tero taagaa naam fool maalaa bhaar aThaareh sagal jooThaare || tero keeaa tujheh kiaa arapau naam teraa tuhee chavar ddolaare ||3||
Meaning:Your Name is the thread, and Your Name is the garland of flowers. The eighteen loads of vegetation are all too impure to offer to You. Why should I offer to You, that which You Yourself created? Your Name is the fan, which I wave over You. ||3||
dhas aThaa aThasaThe chaare khaanee ihai varatan hai sagal sa(n)saare || kahai ravidhaas naam tero aaratee sat naam hai har bhog tuhaare ||4||3||
Meaning:The whole world is engrossed in the eighteen Puraanas, the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and the four sources of creation. Says Ravi Daas, Your Name is my Aartee, my lamp-lit worship-service. The True Name, Sat Naam, is the food which I offer to You. ||4||3||
sree sain ||
Meaning:Sri Sain:
dhoop dheep ghirat saaj aaratee || vaarane jaau kamalaa patee ||1||
Meaning:I am a sacrifice to the Lord of Lakshmi. ||1||
ma(n)galaa har ma(n)galaa || nit ma(n)gal raajaa raam rai ko ||1|| rahaau ||
Meaning:Hail to You, Lord, hail to You!
uootam dheearaa niramal baatee || tuha(n)ee nira(n)jan kamalaa paatee ||2||
Meaning:Sublime is the lamp, and pure is the wick. You are immaculate and pure, O Brilliant Lord of Wealth! ||2||
raamaa bhagat raamaana(n)dh jaanai || pooran paramaana(n)dh bakhaanai ||3||
Meaning:Raamaanand knows the devotional worship of the Lord. He says that the Lord is all-pervading, the embodiment of supreme joy. ||3||
madhan moorat bhai taar gobi(n)dhe || sain bhanai bhaj paramaana(n)dhe ||4||2||
Meaning:The Lord of the world, of wondrous form, has carried me across the terrifying world-ocean. Says Sain, remember the Lord, the embodiment of supreme joy! ||4||2||
prabhaatee ||
Meaning:Prabhaatee:
su(n)n sa(n)dhiaa teree dhev dhevaakar adhapat aadh samaiee || sidh samaadh a(n)t nahee paiaa laag rahe saranaiee ||1||
Meaning:Hear my prayer, Lord; You are the Divine Light of the Divine, the Primal, All-pervading Master. The Siddhas in Samaadhi have not found Your limits. They hold tight to the Protection of Your Sanctuary. ||1||
leh aaratee ho purakh nira(n)jan satigur poojahu bhaiee || Thaaddaa brahamaa nigam beechaarai alakh na lakhiaa jaiee ||1|| rahaau ||
Meaning:Worship and adoration of the Pure, Primal Lord comes by worshipping the True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny. Standing at His Door, Brahma studies the Vedas, but he cannot see the Unseen Lord. ||1||Pause||
tat tel naam keeaa baatee dheepak dheh ujayeaaraa || jot lai jagadhees jagaiaa boojhai boojhanahaaraa ||2||
Meaning:With the oil of knowledge about the essence of reality, and the wick of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, this lamp illluminates my body. I have applied the Light of the Lord of the Universe, and lit this lamp. God the Knower knows. ||2||
pa(n)che sabadh anaahadh baaje sa(n)ge saari(n)gapaanee || kabeer dhaas teree aaratee keenee nira(n)kaar nirabaanee ||3||5||
Meaning:The Unstruck Melody of the Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds, vibrates and resounds. I dwell with the Lord of the World. Kabeer, Your slave, performs this Aartee, this lamp-lit worship service for You, O Formless Lord of Nirvaanaa. ||3||5||
dha(n)naa ||
Meaning:Dhannaa:
gopaal teraa aarataa || jo jan tumaree bhagat kara(n)te tin ke kaaj savaarataa ||1|| rahaau ||
Meaning:O Lord of the world, this is Your lamp-lit worship service. You are the Arranger of the affairs of those humble beings who perform Your devotional worship service. ||1||Pause||
dhaal seedhaa maagau gheeau || hamaraa khusee karai nit jeeau || pan(h)eeaa chhaadhan neekaa || anaaj magau sat see kaa ||1||
Meaning:Lentils, flour and ghee - these things, I beg of You. My mind shall ever be pleased. Shoes, fine clothes,
guoo bhais magau laaveree || eik taajan turee cha(n)geree || ghar kee geehan cha(n)gee || jan dha(n)naa levai ma(n)gee ||2||4||
Meaning:A milk cow, and a water buffalo, I beg of You, and a fine Turkestani horse. A good wife to care for my home - Your humble servant Dhanna begs for these things, Lord. ||2||4||
savaiyaa ||
yaa te prasa(n)n bhe hai mahaa mun dhevan ke tap mai sukh paavai || jagay karai ik bedh rarai bhav taap harai mil dhiaaneh laavai || jhaalar taal miradha(n)g upa(n)g rabaab le'ee sur saaj milaavai || ki(n)nar ga(n)dhrab gaan karai gan jachh apachhar nirat dhikhaavai ||54||
sa(n)khan kee dhun gha(n)Tan kee kar foolan kee barakhaa barakhaavai || aaratee koT karai sur su(n)dhar pekh pura(n)dhar ke bal jaavai || dhaanat dhachhan dhai kai pradhachhan bhaal mai ku(n)kam achhat laavai || hot kulaahal dhevapuree mil dhevan ke kul ma(n)gal gaavai ||55||
savaiyaa ||
he rav he sas he karunaanidh meree abai binatee sun leejai || aaur na maagat hau tum te kachh chaahat hau chit mai soiee keejai || sasatran so at hee ran bheetar joojh maro keh saach pateejai || sa(n)t sahai sadhaa jag mai kirapaa kar sayaam ihai var dheejai ||1900||
savaiyaa ||
pai gahe jab te tumare tab te kouoo aa(n)kh tare nahee aanayo || raam raheem puraan kuraan anek kahai(n) mat ek na maanayo || si(n)mirat saasatr bedh sabhai bahu bhedh kahai ham ek na jaanayo || sree asipaan kirapaa tumaree kar mai na kahayo sabh toh bakhaanayo ||863||
dhoharaa ||
sagal dhuaar kau chhaadd kai gahayo tuhaaro dhuaar || baeh gahe kee laaj as gobi(n)dh dhaas tuhaar ||864||
dhoharaa ||
aaise cha(n)dd prataap te dhevan baddio prataap || teen lok jai jai karai rarai naam sat jaap ||56||
cha'tr cha'kr varatee cha'tr cha'kr bhugate || suya(n)bhav subha(n) sarabadhaa sarab jugate || dhukaala(n) pranaasee dhiaala(n) saroope || sadhaa a(n)g sa(n)ge abha(n)ga(n) bibhoote ||199||
Benefits of Chanting Sikh Aarti (Gagan Mai Thaal)
Guru Nanak’s hymn of universal worship — the whole cosmos as God’s aarti
Lifts the heart beyond ritual to wonder at the Divine in all creation
Sung in the evening and at the close of worship
Cultivates awe, gratitude and a sense of God’s boundless presence
How to Chant Sikh Aarti (Gagan Mai Thaal)
Recite or sing the Aarti reflecting on the wonder it describes — all of nature worshipping the One. Read in Gurmukhi with transliteration and meaning provided.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Read the full Sikh Aarti (Gagan Mai Thaal) with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts