Celebrating the Lord of Miracles

Guru Ram Das' Birthday ~ October 9th

Every fall, we have the blessing of celebrating Guru Ram Das Ji's birthday. Guru Ram Das was the fourth Sikh Guru, and was known for his humility, service and deep devotion. He founded the city of Amritsar and designed the Golden Temple. There are 688 shabads of Guru Ram Das included in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and he wrote the Lavan (the Sikh marriage vows), as well as parts of Rehiras and Kirtan Sohila.

Guru Ram Das held a special place in the heart of the Siri Singh Sahib and our community looks to him for guidance, for healing, and for protection. Many of our ashrams were named in his honor. The Siri Singh Sahib gave us a special sadhana to do in celebration of Guru Ram Das's birthday. For 11 days prior to his birthday we chant the shabad 'Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru' for 31 minutes. This is the Shabad of Miracles. In many communities, ashram members, students and friends gather together to chant this shabad with devotion and faith, during the 11 days leading up to his birthday. Then, on October 9th, the day of Guru Ram Das Ji's birth, we have a special sadhana of chanting the shabad 'Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru' for 2 ½ hours in the Amrit Vela. What a special time to call on a miracle!

"You shall be blessed, because you belong to the Guru exactly the way Guru belongs to you.

Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru jina siria tinay savaria, Pooree hoee karamaat aap sirajanaharai dharia: God embodied himself to complete the miracle, that great, great is Guru Ram Das.

That is what it means.

Jina siria tinai savaria: The one who has embodied Him in any form or shape becomes completely perfected.

So let us celebrate this week in the glory and the Grace of the Guru.

Let us rebind ourselves. Let the bond become clear and understood. Let's recapture ourselves. Let us build for the future. Let us establish a tie that will not let go."

- Siri Singh Sahib, 1987

Photo of Guru Ram Das' Birthday Morning Gurdwara in Espanola, NM

by Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa

Annual Schedule:

- Daily chanting of Dhan Dhan Guru Ram Das Guru for 31 minutes, starting on September 28th, for 11 days leading up to October 9th

- Special morning sadhana of chanting Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru for 2½ hours on October 9th. This is usually done in a Gurdwara setting, with langar served afterwards.

There are many recordings of Dhan Dhan Ram Das Guru available online at Sikhnet and at Spirit Voyage. Also, you can watch a video clip of Guru Ram Das chanting led by Snatam Kaur in Espanola several years ago. Video by Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa.

Additional Videos from Hacienda de Guru Ram Das in Espanola, NM

May we live to serve and spread the blessing of Guru Ram Das and live in the grace of his beauty.

Worldwide Community

Theme of the Month ~ Nobility

“Nobility is such a virtue you can conquer the whole world with it.

It is a code of conduct to be noble.

Nobility is self determination not to be corrupt. It is a self declaration.”

- Siri Singh Sahib