Concept Of Naam In Sikhi

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CONCEPT OF NAM IN Sikhi
According to Gurmat (Guru's teaching), before the creation, God lived Absolutely by Himself, Formless. When He made Himself manifest, He first formed Himself into NAM (Divine Name) and then created Nature. After creating Nature, He did not go away from it, rather He sustained His creation with His Own presence into it, and felt delighted.
  • "Aapinai aap sajio aapinai rachio Nao
    Dui kudrat sajiai kar asan ditho chao."
    (Asa Mohalla 1- pauri 1, p-463)
    "God created Himself and assumed Name
    Second besides Himself He created Nature
    Seated in Nature He watches with delight what He creates."
    (Translation of the above)
NAM (Divine Name) and God are not two different entities. Nam is just another aspect of the Almighty, still Formless. Nam is the total expression of all that God is. Nam sustains everything:
  • "Nam sustains and controls all beings
    Nam supports the universe and its regions."
    (Gauri Sukhmani Mohalla 5, 16-5, p-284)
Nam is not expressed as mere noun and it does not mean that there is a special name of God and by enchanting of which, one will meet Him. He is Infinite and can be called with infinite names, but who can count His infinite names? The enlightened and the blessed ones remember Him through His Attributes:
  • "Tav sarb nam kathai kavan
    Karm nam barnat sumat.    "
    (Guru Gobind Singh- Jap Sahib)
God may be called by countless names by the devotees, who create these names according to the attributes of their Godhead, but the first and the foremost name of God is clearly depicted as 'SAT' (Eternal Truth) which shows the ever-existence of God:
  • "Kirtam nam kathai terei jihba
    Satnam tera pra purbla."
    (Maru Mohalla 5, p-1083)
The word NAM is a mystic Word used in practical religious life and in discipline of meditation. God is remembered by His attributive names. There is another aspect of it called true Name which emanates from a prophet's personal experience. It emerges from a vision that the Prophet has of the Divine Being. Such a mystic Word in Sikh religion is called 'Waheguru' or Wonderful God or 'Thou art Wonderful'. True Name is not the word by which we describe an object, but the total power, quality and character of Reality. Through the word 'Waheguru' the prophet has tried to sum up mystic power and experience of His presence all around. Prophets have given us Divine Names of the nameless God, which reflect His presence in our consciousness. Contemplation or meditation on true Name (Waheguru) is called practicing the presence of God in one's conscious.
  • Gurbani is Nam: "Gurmukh bani Nam hai.."
    (Sarang ki Var-pauri, p-1239)
    Gurbani is Guru: "Bani Guru, Guru hai Bani..."
    (Nat Mohalla 4, p-982)
    Gurbani is Nirankar:"Wauh wauh bani nirankar hai Tis jiwad avar na koi."
    (Slok Mohalla 3, p-515)
    'Wauh wauh Bani is the Formless One
    There is none as great as He."
    (Translation of the above)
    Gurbani is every Nad and Ved:
    "Sabh nad beid gurbani Man rata sarang pani."
    (Ramkli Mohalla 1, p-879)
It is, therefore, Nam that ultimately leads a person to Eternal Bliss. For God consciousness, one must come in contact with Nam, but without Guru one cannot attain Nam and would wander away in the darkness.


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