Sikh Funeral Prayers and Hymns: What Is Recited During Antam Sanskar

If you've never attended a Sikh funeral before — or you're coordinating one and need to understand the spiritual components — the liturgical structure can feel opaque. Multiple prayers happen at different stages, each with a specific purpose. Here's what gets recited, when, and why it matters.

At the Deathbed: Sukhmani Sahib

When death is imminent or has just occurred, family members gather to recite Sukhmani Sahib — the Prayer of Peace composed by the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev. It spans 24 sections and takes roughly two hours to complete. Its purpose is to bring comfort to both the departing soul and the people in the room.

If a full Sukhmani Sahib isn't feasible, the family continuously repeats "Waheguru" (the primary Sikh mantra). Immediately upon the final breath, those present exclaim "Waheguru" together.

There is no ritual impurity or contamination taboo in Sikhism — touching and being near the deceased is entirely permissible.

At the Gurdwara: Shabads of Detachment

The coffin is brought to the Gurdwara but stays in an anteroom, courtyard, or corridor — it never enters the main Darbar Sahib where the Guru Granth Sahib is installed. The congregation gathers around the coffin for an initial Ardas (the communal prayer) and sings Shabads (devotional hymns) focused on detachment from the physical world.

All liturgy during Antam Sanskar comes exclusively from the Guru Granth Sahib. No secular poetry, non-Sikh religious texts, or personal eulogies are permitted within the formal prayer service. The theological reasoning: the focus should stay on the soul's relationship with the Divine, not on earthly attachments.

At the Crematorium: Kirtan Sohila and Antim Ardas

The crematorium service is the liturgical heart of Antam Sanskar. Two key prayers anchor the ceremony:

Kirtan Sohila (Guru Granth Sahib, Page 12) — the evening prayer, composed of five hymns that trace the soul's journey from cosmic praise to spiritual transformation. It frames death not as an ending but as peaceful sleep: the soul awakens refreshed in the presence of God. This is recited before the committal.

Antim Ardas — the final prayer for the departed soul, recited while the congregation stands. It formally commends the soul to Waheguru and asks for the strength of acceptance (Chardi Kala) for the family.

Between these, Ragis (musicians) sing selected Shabads. Key compositions often included:

Ramkali Sadu (Page 923–924) — composed by Baba Sundar after the passing of Guru Amar Das. It explicitly instructs the family not to cry or indulge in ritualized mourning, directing them to sing praises of the Lord instead.

Baba Bolte Te Kaha Gae (Page 480) — revealed by Guru Kabir. It asks the congregation to reflect on the body as a temporary shell abandoned once the breath of life departs.

Pavnai Mahi Pavanu Samaia (Page 885) — revealed by Guru Nanak. It uses the metaphor of water blending into water and a sunbeam merging into sunlight to describe the individual soul returning to its divine origin.

After Cremation: Akhand or Sehaj Paath

Following the cremation, the family launches a complete reading of the Guru Granth Sahib (all 1,430 pages). Two formats:

Akhand Paath — continuous, non-stop reading over exactly 48 hours. Requires a relay of trained readers (Paathis) switching every 2 hours. Usually held at the Gurdwara because of the logistical demands of 24-hour access. Some Western Gurdwaras discourage this format due to limited volunteer readers.

Sehaj Paath — intermittent, paced reading over 10–13 days. Read by family members, relatives, or volunteers at convenient times. Highly recommended for diaspora families, as it allows participants to read sections personally and absorb the teachings rather than delegating everything to professional readers.

The Bhog: Concluding the Paath

The Bhog ceremony marks the completion of the full scripture reading. The final Ardas is recited, a Hukamnama (divine command) is taken from a random opening of the Guru Granth Sahib, and Karah Prasad — a warm sweet pudding of wheat flour, clarified butter, and sugar — is distributed equally to everyone present.

This moment represents the spiritual conclusion of the primary mourning period. After the Bhog, the family is expected to reintegrate into normal life.

What You Don't Need to Memorize

If you're coordinating the funeral, you don't need to know every prayer by heart. The Granthi leads the liturgical structure. Your role is logistical — booking the Gurdwara, coordinating with the crematorium, ensuring the timing works.

The Sikh Funeral Guide includes a ceremony sequence planner that maps each prayer to its place in the timeline, so you can coordinate transitions between the home, Gurdwara, and crematorium without needing to rely on memory during one of the hardest days of your life.