Raga Asa

 

Chapter-VI

Raga – Asa

Raga Asa is a Sikh raga (composition) that emerged in Sikh tradition from Punjab. It is a part of Gurmat Sangeet musical tradition, which includes ragas used by Sikh Gurus for Gurbani. Itis not used in other Indian tradition. It is part of daily prayers conducted in Sikh Gurudwaras. In composing a tune, every raga follows rules that govern the number of notes that can be used and their interplay. It offers emotions of inspiration and courage and gives determination and ambition to the listener to put aside any excuses and to proceed with necessary actions to achieve the aim. It generates the feelings of passion and zeal to succeed, and the energy generated from these feelings enables the listener to find the strength to achieve success. The determined mood of this raga motivates the listener to be inspired. Thaat in Asa raga is Bilaval, its type is Audava-Sampurna, appropriate time of its rendering is evening, vadi is Ma and samvadi is Sa.

It appeared during 16^th century and was introduced in the classical singing styles of Gurmat Sangeet by Guru Nanak Dev ji- the founder of Sikhism. The raga originated from popular folk tunes of Punjab. It was used by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Angad Dev ji, Guru Amar Das ji, Guru Ram Das ji, and Guru Arjan Dev Ji . Also Bhagats like Kabir ji, Namdev ji, Dhanna ji, Ravi Das ji, Sheik Farid ji have composed verses to be rendered in this raga.

Rag Asa- Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Sodar

How is that gate and how the mansion sitting wherein You take care of all O God.

Countless musical instruments, of diverse types, resound there and numerous are the musicians.

Good many measures with their consorts, and good many minstrels sing His glory.

The wind, the water and the fire sing Your Glory and the Righteous Justice sings Your praises at Your door.

The recording angel Chitra Gupt, who know how to write and on the basis of whose scribed writ the Righteous Judge judges sing Your praise.

Asa- The Second Guru- Guru Angad Dev Ji

If hundred moons arise and a thousand suns appear, even with such light, without Guru there would be pitch darkness.

The world is the True Lord’s chamber and within it is the abode of the True One.

Some by His order, He absorbs in Himself, and some are destroyed by His writ.

Some are withdrawn from Mammon at His pleasure and others He makes them reside within.

This too can be said, as to whom He will rescue.

Nanak, he alone is known to be Guruward unto whom the Lord reveals Himself.

Asa Measure – The Third Guru- Guru Amar Das ji

Lord’s vision is obtained through good fortune. True detachment is attained through Guru’s instructions.

The Six Hindu system is prevailing but Guru’s system is profound and unequalled.

In Guru’s system the way to salvation is attained. The True Lord Himself comes to reside in that man’s mind- Pause.

Asa Measure- The Fourth Guru- Guru Ram Das ji

That Lord is pure. He is without stain. God is unapproachable, unfathomable and unrivalled.

All meditate, all meditate on You O’ Reverend One- the True Creator.

All the creatures are Yours and You are the er of life to all the creatures.

O ye saints,meditate on God- the Dispeller of all the distresses.

Asa Measure – The Fifth Guru- Guru Arjan Dev Ji

Mammon devours him finally, who loves her.

He who seats her comfortably him she greatly terrifies him.

Brothers. Friends and family indulge in strife on seeing her.

But, by Guru’s grace I have overcome her.

Seeing such her power even the strivers, the men of miracles deities, super human beings

and mortals are bewitched by her. All, except Saints, get entangled in her trap.

Bhagat Kabir ji

Asa of Sire, Venerable Kabir

Falling at my Guru’s feet, I supplicate and ask him, why was the men created?

What deeds make men come and go ? Tell and explain it to me.

O’ Divine Guru, show mercy unto me and put me on the right track, by which my bonds of fear may be severed.

Man does not burst the entanglements of mammon’s noose and therefore I do not seek shelter in the Profound God. He does not realise the dignity of self and salvation, and in this way his doubt is ot dispelled. The soul is never born, though man thinks it is born. It is free from birth and death.

When man’s ideal of birth and death departs, then, he always remains absorbed in God’s Love.

As, when pitcher breaks, the reflection in water blends with the object, similarly, says Kabir, when through virtue doubt flees, then soul is absorbed in the Profound Lord.

Bhagat Namdev Ji

The one Lord is in many manifestations and where ever I look, everywhere Lord is pervading.

Fascinating is the marvellous picture of mammon and only a few comprehend it.

Everything is the Lord, everything is God.

There is nothing but God- the sustainer of the world.

As one thread holds hundreds and thousands of beads, so is that Lord in warp and woof- Pause.

The water waves, foam and bubbles are not distinct from water.

This world is the play of the Transcendent Lord and on contemplating man finds it different from Him.

Ravi Das Ji

Asa Hymns of Venerable Ravi Das

The deer, the fish and the humming black-wasp, the moth, and the elephant are each destroyed for one defect. He, in whom are the five incurable vices, what hope is there for him ?

O’ Lord of mammon, man is in love with spiritual ignorance. His lamp of discrimination had dimmed. Pause

The creeping beings are thought lower existences who cannot discriminate between good and evil.

Human birth is very difficult to get, yet there in man associates with the low.

The men and lower animals, where ever they are, come into this world subject to their past actions.

Death’s unfailing noose, shall cling to them, which can by no means be warded off.

O slave Ravidas, dispel thy sorrow and doubt and consider Guru’s gnosis- the penance of penances.

O’ thou, the Destroyer of Thine devotees fear, make me supremely blissful in the end.

Bhagat Dhanna ji

In wandering about, many births have passed, but the body, mind, and wealth does not remain steady. Attached to and stained with the poison of greed and lust, mortal has forgotten Lord- Pause.

The fruit of sin is sweet to the demented soul, and it does not realise the Lord’s sublime mediation.

Turning away from virtue, his love for other kinds of sin increases and he again weaves the web of birth and death. He does not know the way to the Lord, who resides in the mind, and burning in the trap of worldly love, he falls into death’s noose.

Amassing the fruits of sins, man fills his heart so much that he forgets in his mind Lord- The Supreme Being.

When the Guru gives the wealth of the entry into Divine Knowledge enjoying Lord’s meditation the man merges with Him. By embracing the Lord’s love worship, I have realised the mental peace and thus being satiated I have got emancipation.

He, who is diffused and illumined with Divine Light recognises the Lord, who can not be deceived.

Dhanna has obtained the world sustainer Lord as his wealth, and meeting the saintly persons, he is merged into Him.

Sheikh Farid Ji

Asa Hymns of Sheikh Farid ji

They alone who have heart feel love for God are the true persons. They who have one thing in their heart and another on mouth are deemed false.

They who are imbued with God’s love, remain delighted with His sight. They who forgot God’s Name become burden on the earth- Pause

They, whom the Lord attaches at His skirt are real beggars at His gate.

Blessed are those mothers who gave birth to such persons and profitable is their advent in the world.

O’ my Cherisher, Your are Illimitable, Inaccessible and Infinite. I kiss their feet who have recognised the True Lord.

I seek Your protection , O’ Lord as You are my forgiving God. You bless Sheikh Farid with the bounty of Thine meditation, O, my God.