Asa di Var is a collection of sacred hymns of Sikhism, meant to be recited at dawn. It has been composed by Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. Later additions have been made by Guru Angad, the second Sikh guru.
Asa di Var literally means ‘ballad of hope.’ It was sung to inspire the soldiers going for a battle. It helps in instilling a martial spirit in the common people. The original collection composed by Guru Nanak consisted of a total of 24 ‘pauris’ (stanzas) and 44 ‘salokas’ (staves). Guru Angad contributed another 15 staves to the collection. Each stanza states an idea of preaching, while the staves elaborate on it using examples. The preaching usually deals with social and religious issues occurring in everyday life. The hymns throw light on the manner in which a person can attain spiritual success. They act as a guide for building one’s character. They stress on the removal of ego, selfishness and conceit, which are the main obstacles in the development of character.
