<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>AMRIT VEL&#256</TITLE>
<style type="text/css">
.BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;}
.C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;}
.BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;}
.CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;}
</style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="AMRIT,VELĀ">
<META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD>
<BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false">
<FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma">
<p class="C1">&#65279AMRIT VEL&#256, lit. ambrosial hour (<i>vel&#257</i>=time or hour), the last quarter of night or predawn morning hours, is reckoned in Sikh spirituality as period of time most conducive to concentration and appropriate for meditation and practising <i>n&#257m</i>, i. e. repetition of God's Name. Says Gur&#363 N&#257nak in the <i>Japu : amrit vel&#257 sachu n&#257u va&#7693i&#257&#299 v&#299ch&#257ru</i> (early morning is the time for practising <i>n&#257m</i>, God's Name synonymous with God Himself, and for contemplating His greatness - GG, 2). Gur&#363 A&#7749gad, N&#257nak II, says: <i>chauthai pahari sab&#257h kai surti&#257 upajai ch&#257u/ tin&#257 dar&#299&#257v&#257 siu dost&#299 mani mukhi sach&#257 n&#257u</i> (during fourth quarter of night, joy sprouts forth in the hearts of awakened ones; they go, befriend the rivers and brooks (for ablution) and have the True Name in their minds and on their lips - GG, 146). Shai<u>kh</u> Far&#299d, the Muslim saint, whose compositions are also included in the Sikh Scripture, is more forthright. Says he, "If you lose the last part of night to sleep, O Far&#299d! count yourself as dead even as you live. (Remember that) if you have forgotten God, He has not forgotten thee (GG, 1383). Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s, laying down the daily regimen for a Sikh accorded primacy to early rising to contemplate God's Name, "Let him who calls himself a Sikh of the Gur&#363, rise early and meditate on God" (GG, 305). And, Gur&#363 Arjan, N&#257nak V, says : "Rise early in the morning and repeat God's Name" (GG, 255). To quote Bh&#257&#299 Gurd&#257s: "The Gur&#363's Sikh rises early in the morning, performs ablutions at <i>amrit vel&#257</i> and recites the Gur&#363's word" (<i>V&#257r&#257&#7749</i>, 40:11)</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>Amrit vel&#257</i> in Sikhism is the prime hour not for its own sake, but because of its suitability for practising <i>n&#257m</i>, i. e. for remembering God and contemplating His greatness. No special auspiciousness attaches to <i>amrit vel&#257</i>. Every moment of one's life is meant for the remembrance of God. As Gur&#363 Arjan says, "Blessed is the hour (<i>vel&#257</i>) when one gets absorbed in contemplation of Him" (GG, 562).</p>
</font>
<p class="BIB">
BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"><i>Shabd&#257rth Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib J&#299</i>. Amritsar, 1964<BR>
<li class="C1"> Padam, Pi&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, ed. , <i>Gur&#363 Granth Vich&#257r-Kosh</i>. Patiala, 1969<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Major Gurmukh Si&#7749gh (Retd.)<br></p><BR>
</font>
<img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt="">
</HTML></BODY>
�