ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>V&#256R SAT (Seven Days of the Week)</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 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">&#65279<i>V&#256R SAT</i> ("Seven Days of the Week"), title shared by two of the compositions in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib ---Kab&#299r's in measure Gau&#7771&#299 and Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s' in measure Bil&#257val. The one by Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s is entitled <i>V&#257r Sat</i>, while that by Kab&#299r has a variation in the form of <i>V&#257r Kab&#299r J&#299u Ke 7</i>. Kab&#299r 's poem comprises eight stanzas, each of four lines, besides a verse of <i>rah&#257u</i> (pause), which constitutes the refrain, adjuring man to sing God's praises. Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s' <i>V&#257r Sat</i> contains ten stanzas, each of six lines, besides the <i>rah&#257u</i> after stanza 1. The emphasis, again, is on the remembrance of God. All those days are reckoned auspicious which are devoted to meditation and repetition of His Name. None of the days of the week are made auspicious or inauspicious by the influence of the planet-deities governing them.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kab&#299r, using yogic terminology, traces the spiritual progress of a <i>bhakta</i> who is ultimately urged to set aside his ego to reach the destination. He also stresses the role of the true Gur&#363 in the process of realization. Beginning most of the stanzas with the name of a day of the week, Kab&#299r sets forth the ideals of pure living and constant remembrance of God. This leads to spiritual enlightenment and union with the Lord in the joy whereof all rituals and practices cease to have any meaning.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;God realization is also the theme of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s' <i>V&#257r Sat</i>. Love and humility are the qualities recommended for the devotee. He must seek and cultivate the Gur&#363's word which will enable him to overcome his ego. <i>&#346abda (sabad)</i> should be the basis of his contemplation and actions. This <i>&#347abda</i> is by God's favour grasped. By reference to the last three days of the week, Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s exhorts men to discard superstition and illusion, austerities and penances. The ideal the hymn presents is that of a <i>gurmukh</i>-- one whose face is turned towards the Gur&#363, one who to the Gur&#363's word is attuned.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"><i>&#346abad&#257rth Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib</i>. Amritsar, 1967<BR> <li class="C1"> S&#257hib Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib Darpa&#7751</i>. Jalandhar, 1962-64<BR> <li class="C1"> Kohli, Surindar Singh, <i>A Critical Study of Adi Granth</i>. Delhi, 1961<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">T&#257ran Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>