By Gurnam Singh | Opinion |
Within the Sikh scriptural canon, the concept of ‘Naam’ functions as the central pillar around which all other spiritual, ethical and even social practice revolves. Appearing over 2,500 times in the Guru Granth Sahib (GGS), Naam serves as the unifying “thread” connecting the diverse contributions of the Gurus, Bhagats and Bhatts. Indeed, all the various contributors, directly and indirectly refer to the concept of Naam.
It’s also worth noting that whilst Guru Nanak offers perhaps the most expansive explanation of Naam within his writings, given that the concept can be found in the writings of Bhagats who predate Guru Nanak, one must accept its wider, universal and timeless relevance, beyond the Sikh tradition. Indeed, we often find in Gurbani the word ‘Sat’ associated and even conjoined to the word ‘Naam’, as for example in ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ/Sat naam. Sat (ਸਤਿ), is derived from Sanskrit meaning “True,” “Existence,” or “Eternal.” Its contextual meaning here is to that which is beyond time. And Naam (ਨਾਮੁ), which literally means “Name,” refers to the Divine force, entity, vibration or power that sustains the entire universe.
Whilst the context in which the concept Naam will to some extent determine the precise meaning, it is critical that this basic formulation is not forgotten when seeking to understand the true message of Gurbani, which we must not forget is mostly presented in poetic form, which appeals to both our emotions and cognition. It is only through the blending of ‘feeling’ and ‘thinking’ that one can truly appreciate the value and power of Gurbani.
As mentioned above, the concept of Naam appears well before the appearance of Guru Nanak where he first uttered the concept in what is commonly known as the ‘Mool Mantar’/Primordial Utterance. It is here that Guru Sahib sets out the fundamental qualities of the Divine, and positions ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ/Satnaam second after ੴ/Ik Oankaar, (One Universal force)’. This observation should not be seen to be diminishing Guru Sahibs greatness. To the contrary, it underscores the profundity of Guru Nanaks teaching, which transcend time, plase, culture and tradition.
The Sufi Bhagat’s association with Naam
The Sufi mystics of India from as far back as the 8th Century, used the concept of Zikr or remembrance, a word that is commonly used in Panjab. In Islam, generally, Zikr represents a fundamental act of worship involving praising, glorifying and remembering God through specific phrases, prayers, Quranic recitation and even righteous actions. Given parallels between Zikr and Naam Simran as a means of attaining Divine grace, it is no surprise that Guru Arjan, the compiler of Guru Granth Sahib, incorporated some of the writing of the Suffi Bhagats in Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Baba Fardi, for instance, in the following shabad makes a powerful observation that that without the “fragrance” of Naam, the human body is just a decaying vessel.
SEE ALSO: Guru Nanak’s Canvas
ਆਸਾ ਸੇਖ ਫਰੀਦ ਜੀਉ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਦਿਲਹੁ ਮੁਹਬਤਿ ਜਿੰਨ੍ਹ ਸੇਈ ਸਚਿਆ ॥ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ ਮਨਿ ਹੋਰੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਰੁ ਸਿ ਕਾਂਢੇ ਕਚਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਤੇ ਇਸਕ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਰੰਗਿ ਦੀਦਾਰ ਕੇ ॥ ਵਿਸਰਿਆ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇ ਭੁਇ ਭਾਰੁ ਥੀਏ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਆਪਿ ਲੀਏ ਲੜਿ ਲਾਇ ਦਰਿ ਦਰਵੇਸ ਸੇ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਧੰਨੁ ਜਣੇਦੀ ਮਾਉ ਆਏ ਸਫਲੁ ਸੇ ॥੨॥ ਪਰਵਦਗਾਰ ਅਪਾਰ ਅਗਮ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਤੂ ॥ ਜਿਨਾ ਪਛਾਤਾ ਸਚੁ ਚੁੰਮਾ ਪੈਰ ਮੂੰ ॥੩॥ ਤੇਰੀ ਪਨਹ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਤੂ ਬਖਸੰਦਗੀ ॥ ਸੇਖ ਫਰੀਦੈ ਖੈਰੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਬੰਦਗੀ ॥੪॥੧॥
“They alone are true, whose love for God is deep and heart-felt. Those who have one thing in their heart, and something else in their mouth, are judged to be false. ||1|| Those who are imbued with love for the Divine, are delighted by His Vision. Those who forget the Naam, are a burden on the earth. ||1||Pause|| Those whom the He attaches to the hem of His robe, are the true dervishes at His Door. Blessed are the mothers who gave birth to them, and fruitful is their coming into the world. ||2| O Sustainer and Cherisher, You are infinite, unfathomable and endless. Those who recognize this Truth, I kiss their feet. ||3|| I seek Your Protection; You are Forgiving. Please, bless Shaykh Fareed with the bounty of Your meditative worship. ||4||1|| (GGS, Asa Sheikh Fareed, p488)
Similarly, with considerably more force, in the following shabad, Kabir not only emphasises the importance of Naam, but he does so having first set out a devastating critique of some of the prevailing religious beliefs and practices of the Yogi’s.
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“ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥ ਨਗਨ ਫਿਰਤ ਜੌ ਪਾਈਐ ਜੋਗੁ ॥ ਬਨ ਕਾ ਮਿਰਗੁ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਸਭੁ ਹੋਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਕਿਆ ਨਾਗੇ ਕਿਆ ਬਾਧੇ ਚਾਮ ॥ ਜਬ ਨਹੀ ਚੀਨਸਿ ਆਤਮ ਰਾਮ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਮੂਡ ਮੁੰਡਾਏ ਜੌ ਸਿਧਿ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਮੁਕਤੀ ਭੇਡ ਨ ਗਈਆ ਕਾਈ ॥੨॥ ਬਿੰਦੁ ਰਾਖਿ ਜੌ ਤਰੀਐ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਖੁਸਰੈ ਕਿਉ ਨ ਪਰਮ ਗਤਿ ਪਾਈ ॥੩॥ ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਨਰ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਕਿਨਿ ਗਤਿ ਪਾਈ ॥੪॥੪॥“
“If Yoga could be obtained by wandering around naked, then all the deer of the forest would be liberated. ||1|| What does it matter whether someone goes naked, or wears a deer skin, if he does not remember the Lord within his soul? ||1||Pause|| If the spiritual perfection of the Siddhas could be obtained by shaving the head, then why haven’t sheep found liberation? ||2|| If someone could save himself by celibacy, O Siblings of Destiny, why then haven’t eunuchs obtained the state of supreme dignity? ||3|| Says Kabeer, listen, O men, O Siblings of Destiny: without the Lord’s Name, who has ever found salvation? ||4||4||” (Gauri, Kabeer Ji, GGS, p324)
The Mantric Interpretation and its Limitations.
While Naam is popularly associated with the phonetic repetition of a mantra (Naam Japna), careful vichar/analysis of Gurbani reveals a more expansive understanding of the concept of Naam. That is not to deny the clear association with Naam with the practice of meditation on the Divine, but, if one explored Gurbani carefully, one discovers Naam being linked to a range of other significant aspects of Sikhi. For example, in some Shabads, Naam is presented as being synonymous with ‘Gur-Giaan’ (Divine Wisdom) and is realized through the cognitive process of ‘Shabad-Vichaar’ (reflective contemplation on the shabad or message of the Guru).
In contemporary Sikh practice, Naam is frequently conflated with the “Gur-mantra” Waheguru. While the practice of rhythmic remembrance is an established aspect of the tradition, the GGS positions Naam as a curative and transformative reality that transcends long established practices associated with ritualism meditational practices, often associated with Tantric Yoga. Guru Nanak explicitly distinguishes Naam from such mechanical incantations:
“ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਅਉਖਧੁ ਤੰਤ ਨ ਮੰਤਾ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਮਰਣੁ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਹੰਤਾ ॥ “There is no other medicine, Tantric spells or magical mantras; Meditative remembrance of the Divine destroys all evil.” (GGS, M 1, p. 416)
Here, Simran is framed not as a repetitive act, but as a “dwelling” or a meditative absorption that reconfigures the practitioner’s internal state, addressing the root of spiritual ailment.
The Necessity of Shabad-Vichaar
The realization of Naam is contingent upon the Shabad (the Infinite vibrating word). Gurbani suggests that Naam is the fruit of a deep engagement with scriptural wisdom which is only possible through Shabad-Vichaar, a thorough, untainted, and keen understanding (Soojh-Boojh).
ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਪਾਏ ਕੋਈ ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੨॥. “Without the Shabad, no one realizes the Naam; through the Guru’s Grace, it comes to dwell within the mind.” (GGS, M 3, p. 124)
Without the analytical and reflective capacity of the mind to engage with the Shabad, the Naam remains latent. Thus, the “attainment” of Naam is an intellectual and spiritual awakening rather than a physical acquisition. Here one can draw an analogy with Naam representing the reward of attaining higher spiritual consciousness, i.e. the attaining of ‘Naam’, but that this can only be achieved through ‘Shabad Vichar’, which itself is dependent on nurturing ‘Bukh Bibeik/discerning intellect’. This is plausible given that one of the key qualities that humans possess over all other species is the power of thought and a theory of mind, which offers the possibility of self-realisation.
Naam as The Substance of Wisdom
The Guru Granth Sahib identifies the “substance” of Naam as spiritual enlightenment. In this philosophical framework, Naam is manifested as the dawning of Aatam-Giaan or Self-Knowledge). As Guru Ramdas utters: ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੋ ਦੇਇ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇ ॥ “The Guru’s Wisdom is the Treasure of the Naam; the Guru implants this Divine Name within.” (GGS, M 4, p. 759)
Gurbani is clear that, given that we are trapped in the clutched of Haumei/Ego, it is only through a combination of personal effort and grace that we can create the possibility of achieving Naam. Naam enters the human consciousness through Gur-Kirpa (Divine Grace), which is manifested as the dawning of an internal orientation where the mind becomes attuned to the Divine Factor (Mool) already residing within. As Guru Amardas states: “ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥ O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light – recognize your own origin.” (GGS, M4 p440)
The Importance of Self-Inquiry and Reflection.
The methodology for realizing Naam is Aatam-Vichaar (Inner Inquiry or Introspective Meditation). This is described as the “highest action” (Ootam Karanee), shifting the focus from external rituals to the internal search for Truth. As Guru Nanak states, ਊਤਮ ਕਰਣੀ ਸਬਦ ਬੀਚਾਰ ॥੩॥. “The highest of all actions is reflection on the Shabad.” — (GGS, M 1, p. 158). In a similar vein, Guruy Amardaas extols the virtues of enquiry and reflection. ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਾਚੀ ਸਾਚਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ “The Guru’s Teachings are True, and True is such contemplation.” (GGS, M 3, p. 666).
Vichaar, according to Sikh teaching, enables one to experience the oneness between the individual soul (Atman) and the Supreme Reality (Parmatman). It is an inquiry into one’s spiritual life that yields existential clarity.
The Uniqueness of Naam
While the GGS utilises vocabulary from the broader Indic tradition, it recontextualizes these terms into a unique framework. In Vedic and Vedantic traditions, Om is often described as the primordial vibration or a seed-syllable (Bij-mantra). In Sikhi, the term is transformed into Ik Oankar (੧ਓ). The addition of the numeral ‘1’ (Ik) shifts the focus to universal divinity and oneness, moving away from the tripartite associations of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva. Furthermore, while Om is a sacred sound to be intoned, Naam is a “treasure of wisdom” to be realized through ethical conduct and reflective understanding.
In Buddhism, Nama refers to the psychological factors of a sentient being. In contrast to Rupa, which represents form and matter, Nama relates to the mental aspect of existence, encompassing feelings, perceptions, volitions, and consciousness.
In Bhakti Hinduism, Nama often refers to the specific name of a deity used for devotional chanting. In total contrast, which recognising the numerous qualities of the Divine manifested in the natural world, the essence of the Divine as the unbounded timeless entity, ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ/Sat naam, is beyond labels. As Guru Arjan states: “ਕਿਰਤਮ ਨਾਮ ਕਥੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਜਿਹਬਾ ॥ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਪਰਾ ਪੂਰਬਲਾ ॥ With my tongue I chant the Names given to You. ‘Sat Naam’ is Your perfect, primal Name.” (GGS, M5 p1082)
Concluding thoughts
This article on the concept of Naam in Sikhi has only scratched the surface. Naam is such a profound concept that even a PhD thesis would not be able to capture its expansive parameters. One can only wonder what Guru Arjan Ji had in mind when he suggests in the following lines that Naam is the support for literally the whole universe and all that is contained within it. ਨਾ”ਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸਗਲੇ ਜੰਤ ॥ ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਖੰਡ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡ ॥ The Naam is the Support of all creatures, The Naam is the Support of the earth, solar systems and galaxies’. (GGS, M5 p248).
Naam in the Sikh tradition represents the pinnacle of spiritual and cognitive development. It is the bridge between the human intellect and Divine reality. But unlike traditions where phonetic utterance of mantras alone is meritorious, the GGS insists that without Vichaar and nurturing Budh Bibeik or discerning intellect, such utterances will be of limited value. In this regard, the challenge is to combine the emotional act of remembering with developing a deeper appreciation of the Divine. In this regard, Naam must not be seen as a magical word to be repeated for merit, but a state of spiritual clarity achieved through the relentless practice of Shabad and Gurbani Vichaar. By positioning contemplation as the primary vehicle for realisation, the Guru Granth Sahib offers a path that integrates devotion with profound critical reflective inquiry.
Gurnam Singh is an academic activist dedicated to human rights, liberty, equality, social and environmental justice. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Warwick, UK. He can be contacted at Gurnam.singh.1@warwick.ac.uk
* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
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