Guru Nanak Aarti (Gagan Mein Thaal)
ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥ ਆਰਤੀ ॥
What is the Guru Nanak Aarti (Gagan Mein Thaal)?
Gagan Mein Thaal Gagan Mein Thaal is the aarti composed by Guru Nanak in Raag Dhanasari, in which the whole cosmos worships the formless Divine, with the sky as the tray, the sun and moon as lamps, and the stars as pearls.
Gagan Mein Thaal is the aarti Guru Nanak Dev Ji spoke in Raag Dhanasari, now recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib and sung as part of Kirtan Sohila. Instead of a lamp on a plate, it imagines the entire universe performing worship: the sky is the offering tray, the sun and moon are its lamps, and countless stars shine as pearls. The shabad turns aarti inward, teaching that true worship is living by the Divine Will, not the ritual of moving a flame.
Gagan Mein Thaal Lyrics (English)
Roman transliteration for easy chanting. Tap “Meaning” under any verse for the English translation.
Gagan mai thaal rav chand deepak bane taarikaa mandal janak motee
Dhoop mal-aanlo pavan chavro kare sagal banraae phoolant jotee ||1||
Meaning
The sky itself becomes a vast worship tray; the sun and moon are its lamps, and the constellations of stars are the pearls set upon it. The fragrant sandalwood breeze is the incense, the moving wind is the waving fan, and all the forests in bloom are the flowers offered to You.
Refrain
Kaisee aartee ho-e
Bhav khandnaa teree aartee
Anhataa sabad vaajant bheree ||1|| Rahaao ||
Sahas tav nain nan nain hahi tohi ka-o sahas moorat nanaa ek tohee
Sahas pad bimal nan ek pad gandh bin sahas tav gandh iv chalat mohee ||2||
Meaning
You have thousands of eyes, yet being formless You have no eyes; You take thousands of forms, yet You have no single fixed form. Thousands are Your pure feet, yet without a body You have not one foot; without a nose You carry thousands of fragrances. This wondrous play of Yours leaves me enchanted.
Sabh mahi jot jot hai so-e
Tis kai chaanan sabh mahi chaanan ho-e
Gur saakhee jot pargat ho-e
Jo tis bhaavai su aartee ho-e ||3||
Meaning
Within every being shines that one same Light, and it is by that Light that all creation is illumined. Through the Guru's teaching this inner Light is revealed. True aarti is simply this: whatever pleases the Divine Will is His real worship.
Har charan kaval makrand lobhit mano andino mohi aahee pi-aasaa
Kripaa jal dehi Naanak saaring ka-o ho-e jaa te terai naa-e vaasaa ||4||1||7||9||
Meaning
My mind is drawn like a bee to the honey of the Lord's lotus feet; night and day I thirst for that nectar. Grant the water of Your grace to Nanak, the thirsting rainbird, so that he may come to dwell forever within Your Name.
Meaning & Significance
Guru Nanak offered this shabad in place of a conventional lamp-and-plate aarti, and its central idea is that the Divine is already being worshipped everywhere, at all times. The sky is the tray, the sun and moon are the flames, the stars are pearls, the forest is the flower offering, and the wind itself waves the fan. Nothing human hands can arrange comes close to the aarti that nature performs without pause.
The refrain answers its own question: what kind of aarti could ever be worthy of You? The unstruck sound current, the anhad shabad, rings out like temple drums for the One who ends the fear of birth and death. The later verses point beyond ritual entirely, saying the same Light lives in every heart, and the truest worship is to accept and live by the Divine Will. This is why the aarti is sung, not enacted, at Sikh gurdwaras.
How Do You Perform This Aarti?
- Sing, do not enact. — In the Sikh tradition Gagan Mein Thaal is sung as kirtan rather than performed by circling a lamp; the shabad itself explains why a physical lamp is not needed.
- Choose the evening. — It is most often sung in the evening, commonly after Rehras Sahib, and forms part of Kirtan Sohila recited before rest.
- Set the raag or a simple tune. — It belongs to Raag Dhanasari; sing it in that measure if you can, or in any gentle, steady melody so the words stay clear.
- Follow the refrain. — Return to the Rahao line, Kaisi aarti ho-e, as the anchor between verses, the way the original is structured.
- Sit with the meaning. — Read the line-by-line meaning first, then sing slowly enough to reflect on the images of sky, stars and inner Light rather than rushing the words.
What Are the Benefits of Singing This Aarti?
Singing Gagan Mein Thaal is valued for the calm, expansive state of mind it settles the singer into.
- Widens the sense of the sacred: The cosmic imagery lifts worship out of a single shrine and helps you feel the Divine present across the whole of creation.
- Steadies the mind in the evening: Sung as part of the evening prayers, its slow measure helps release the day's tension before rest.
- Turns worship inward: By teaching that true aarti is living by the Divine Will, it gently shifts focus from outer ritual to sincere conduct.
- Deepens devotion: The closing plea for the water of grace nurtures humility and a longing to dwell in the Divine Name.
- Unites listeners: Sung together in sangat, it creates a shared, meditative atmosphere that many find grounding and uplifting.
Who Wrote This Aarti?
This aarti was composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, and is preserved in the Guru Granth Sahib under Raag Dhanasari, Mahalla 1. A widely told account places its utterance during Guru Nanak’s travels to the east, where, seeing an elaborate lamp aarti at a great temple, he responded with these verses to show that the grandest worship is the one the universe already performs for the formless Creator. Today it is sung daily in gurdwaras as part of Kirtan Sohila.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Guru Nanak Aarti (Gagan Mein Thaal)?
Gagan Mein Thaal is the aarti composed by Guru Nanak in Raag Dhanasari, in which the whole cosmos worships the formless Divine, with the sky as the tray, the sun and moon as lamps, and the stars as pearls.
Who composed Gagan Mein Thaal?
It was composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru, and is recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib under Raag Dhanasari, Mahalla 1.
When is this aarti sung?
It is usually sung in the evening, often after Rehras Sahib, and is part of Kirtan Sohila, the prayer recited before rest. It is sung as kirtan rather than performed with a lamp.
What is the main meaning of the shabad?
It teaches that the entire universe is already worshipping the Divine, and that the truest aarti is not a ritual with a flame but living in harmony with the Divine Will, since the same Light shines within every being.
Is Gagan Mein Thaal part of the Guru Granth Sahib?
Yes. The shabad appears in the Guru Granth Sahib in Raag Dhanasari and is commonly known as the aarti of Guru Nanak.
॥ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਹਿ ॥