There can be no Naam without Shabad

The Gurbani’s edict is that without attuning to the Shabad (or engaging in the Shabad-Vichaar, Reflections, contemplation, ਸਬਦ ਦੀ ਖੋਜ…), Naam cannot be Realized (ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਪਾਏ ਕੋਈ).

Thus, in nutshell, untainted, keen and thorough Understanding (ਸੂਝ-ਬੂਝ) of the Gurbani is the Naam – ਗੁਰਮਤ ਦਾ ਗਿਆਨ ਹੀ ਨਾਮ ਪਦਾਰਥ ਹੈ.

  • ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੋ ਦੇਇ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇ ॥: Gur Giaan padaarath naamu hai hari naamo dei drirhaai (sggs 759).

In other words, the Naam enters the mind through the Grace of the Gur-Giaan (Gur Kirpaa-ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ …).

The following verse essentially indicates all of this: ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਪਾਏ ਕੋਈ ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੨॥: Binu sabadai naamu n paae koee gur kirpaa manni vasaavaniaa. ||2|| (sggs 124).

No wonder the Gurbani puts so much emphasis on Vichaar (i.e., Shabad-Vichaar, Reflections…)! What is Vichaar?

The Gurbani time and again indicates that “everything” is within (i.e., the Divine Factor, Mool…). The Divine Teaching of the Gurbani reveals how we all are One with this Truth, here and now. Vichaar enables one to experience and realize this.

Therefore, the spiritual practice of Vichaar, the quest of one’s True Self (Self-inquiry, Inner Inquiry, Self-Reflection, Contemplation, etc.: ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਪੜਤਾਲ) within is the introspective meditation that yields Self-Knowledge (Aatam-Giaan: ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਸੂਝ).

  • ਊਤਮ ਕਰਣੀ ਸਬਦ ਬੀਚਾਰ ॥੩॥: Ootam karanee sabad beechaar ||3|| (sggs 158).
  • ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਾਚੀ ਸਾਚਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥: Gurmati saachee saachaa veechaaru (sggs 666).

Hence, the practice of Vichaar in particular relates to Giaan or Knowledge — not knowledge in the intellectual sense — but the Knowledge of Aatamaan and Parmaatam and the realization of their Oneness.

Therefore, Vichaar, then, is the search for Self-knowledge, Truth, Aatam-Giaan

Vichaar (Shabad-Vichaar, Aatam-Vichaar, etc.), thus, leads to Realization of one’s own True self within.

12 comments

  1. most revered,
    gurbani has got all the clue, but 1 in million can de-code it, who so ever does it, has obviously transcended , manan,chita,wisdom and ego square and is peacefully treading in the realm of Anthakarna where its all Manoo-Nassa fully vibrating as a sound principal.
    love and regards,
    prince

  2. It should be very interesting to understand the reference meanings of the words NAME and NAAMu. Generally no differentiation is made in our normal understanding.However there is a very distinct difference between NAME and NAAMu. The proper word for NAME in gurbaanee is NAA-u.
    NAME is always a PROPER NOUN WORD and is reference for something as single only.
    NAAMu on the other hand is a COLLECTIVE NOUN word for a Single Pair of two Similar Proper Noun words.
    In my understanding theNAME (NAA-u) is the refernce for any DIVINE ENTITY whereas
    NAAMu is the reference for POWER associated with the ENTITY.
    Therefore NAME (NAA-u) word is either MASCULINE GENDER or FEMININE GENDER whereasNAAMu is always GENDER FREE.
    I think in this context of grammar of NAME and NAAMu the reference meanings should be looked for.

  3. that rainboo is passing right within our body [here and now]

    The Gurbani asserts all is within…
    ਸਭ ਕਿਛੁ ਘਰ ਮਹਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਨਾਹੀ ॥ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਟੋਲੈ ਸੋ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਹੀ ॥ (sggs 102)
    Thank you Prince Jio!

  4. most revered,
    Thanks a lot, gurbani is the real rainboo bridge, which connects jiva with the saach khand, the most realistic part is, that rainboo is passing right within our body [here and now] through 5 koshas, 3 bodies, 7 chakras and the 3 consciousness, the path is clear and illuminated by janana, can be accessed through pure turiya or Nirvikalpa state, which is vibrating as sound principle.

    love and regards,
    prince

  5. Welcomr to the Gurbani Blog Prince Ji. Thank you for sharing the Vichaar.
    The Gurbani connects Shaabad, Baanee, Naam, and Giaan (Atmic-Giaan):
    ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਬਦੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਬਾਣੀ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਤਾ ਪੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸਭ ਭੁਖ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੮॥੧੫॥੧੬॥ (sggs 119).
    ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹੈ ਬਾਣੀ ॥ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੀ ॥ (sggs 1057).
    ਤਤੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮ ॥ (sggs 1146).

  6. most revered,
    Naam is the source or Dhun Atmic Bani and names are but only Varan Atmic Bani, mind can elaborate on name/s, but has no clue what so ever on naams, never the less it has full full phenomena to reflect on Naam or to hear that anhad naad, are we talking about tuning to that sound current/ vibrations.?

    prince

  7. Thank you for taking time to comment on this post:
    The Giaan of the Gurbani makes us Understand the Divine Hukam, Shabad, Parmaatam, Jot…:
    • ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥ (sggs 72)
    • ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੮॥ (sggs 223)
    • ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਵਰਤੀ ਜਗ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਇਸੁ ਬਾਣੀ ਤੇ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਾਇਦਾ ॥੩॥ (sggs 1066).
    • ਏਕੋ ਸਬਦੁ ਏਕੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਵਰਤੈ ਸਭ ਏਕਸੁ ਤੇ ਉਤਪਤਿ ਚਲੈ ॥ (sggs 1334).
    • ਜੇਤਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇਤਾ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋ ਥਾਉ ॥ (sggs 4).

    • ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੋ ਦੇਇ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇ ॥ (sggs 759).

  8. Sat Sri Akal ji,
    I am little confused about “naam”. Does naam only means spiritual wisdom and gian..why in sukhmani sahib guru sahib has written “NAAM KE DHARE SAGLE JANT,,NAAM KE DHARE KHAND BREHMAND”
    What is “naam simran”…. What is the essence of gurmantar?
    Please explain the following “UCHRO RAM NAAM LAKH BARI,,AMRIT RAS PIYO PRABH PYARI”
    and ” WAHEGURU GURMANTAR HAI JAP HAUMEY KHOYI”
    >> “CHALAT BAISAT SOVAT JAGAT , GURMANTAR RIDHEY CHITAR”

    regards,
    kaur

  9. Thanks Dr. T.Singh ji,
    Very well explained Singh sahib ji. when a person becomes physically ill he/she goes to a Doctor for medicines and treatment and doctor cures by prescribing some medicines. Similarly when a person like me who is mentally ill due to the attack of waves of Bikaars or Haumai (desires, greed, etc.) visits your site and read your articles and blog under the guidance of SGGS he/she gets cured. So you might not be the Doctor of Philosophy/ Literature /Medicine but a Doctor of Spirituality in the real sense.
    Please clear my doubt regarding Naam simran (recitation, japna) and Naam enlightenment(naam pragat hona) and taking Naam daan from a spritual guru (puran bhramgyani)
    Thanks and regards
    G.S.

  10. Thanks for your kind words!

    As our lives are interwoven (One Jyot in all…) , we all are together on this journey, learning from each other.

    As a beginner student, I am learning along with you.

  11. Dear Gurpreet Singh Ji, thank you for the comment on this post.

    For the sake of discussion, simply put: the relationship between the mind and the “Aatma” can be said as between the ocean and waves, gold and a bracelet, clay and a pot …

    For example, both the ocean and the wave are water. Waves arise at the surface of the ocean due to wind. If there is no wind created disturbance (as deep in the ocean), there will be no waves. Hence waves are disturbance at the surface of the ocean due to wind. Although both the ocean and its waves are made of the same one water, but for the sake of discussion one is called the ocean and the other is called the wave.

    ਜਲ ਤੇ ਤਰੰਗ ਤਰੰਗ ਤੇ ਹੈ ਜਲੁ ਕਹਨ ਸੁਨਨ ਕਉ ਦੂਜਾ ॥੧॥: Jal te trang trang te jalu kahan sunana kaou dojaa ||1||: From the water, waves rise up, and from waves, the water (i.e., absence of that wave is water – ਉਸ ਲਹਰ ਦੇ ਅਭਾਵ ਤੇ ਜਲੁ ਹੀ ਹੈ…); both are only different by figures of speech (in conversation – ਸਿਰਫ ਕਹਣ ਸੁਣਨ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਦੂਜਾ ਹੈ…) . ||1|| (sggs 1252).

    Similarly, the mind in essence arises due to the disturbance created on the surface of the Infinite Pool of Pure Consciousness (“Jyot” …) by the stormy winds of Maya. When impulses, emotions, or waves of Bikaars or Haumai (desires, greed, etc.) subsides, the mind once again reverts back to its Mool (“jyot swaroop” …), just as only water remains as water after the wave has ceased to exist as a separate entity from the water.

    Perhaps that’s why the Gurbani repeatedly tells us that the mind can only be reconciled with the mind.

    Implication is that our mind could be our best ally, and the same mind could be our worst enemy or nightmare!!

    P.S.: Gurpreet Singh Ji, I am not a “Dr.”.

  12. Sat Sri Akaal Dr. T.Singh ji
    From this article i have observed that Naam is the profound transcendental vibratory energy (aatma, jyot swaroop,.. ) deep within the nucleus of the lotus heart and through gurmat(shabad vichar, divine knowledge, ) it can be realized ( pragat hunda hai). “Nau nidh amrit prabh ka naam dehi mein iska bisram…(sri sukhmani sahib)”.
    My question is what is the relationship between Man(mind), Naam(atma)?
    regards
    GS

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