There is a gross misunderstanding among the masses concerning what is the Naam, or what Naam means, or how and where the Naam can be obtained and what Naam should be used for meditation. The reason behind this situation is a result of the preaching practices used globly by the modern day preachers. This is another problem that has croped up in the last 300 years after Dassam Patshah Ji, whereas in the times of the Guru Sahibans only the Gurus were the preachers, or the ones who were blessed with the Braham Gyan were the preachers, anybody could not become a preacher, only the ones who were blessed by the Guru Sahibans and achieved tha Braham Gyan with Gur Kirpa were the ones who were authorized by the Gurus to preach. This means that only a Puran Braham Gyani can preach, the one who has the Tatt Gyan – Braham Gyan and have completed His Bandgi and reached the Param Padvi can preach because He has the Naam and only such a soul who has the Naam can give Naam to the Sangat and preach: Satgur Vich Amrit Naam Hai; Naam Amolak Rattan Hai Purey Satgur Paas; Santan Bin Aur Naa Data Biaa; Sant Japawey Naam; so the one who is a Sant, a Puran Braham Gyani, a Puran Khalsa, a Satgur can only give Naam and nobody else can do so.
The next question is what is Naam. If you look more at Gurbani there is a lot more that explains the Mahima of Satnaam as follows.
SATNAAM TERA PARA PURABLAA
Paar Braham Parmeshwar is "SAIBHUNG", which means He is the Creator of Himself, He is a Self Creator – Jisne Apni Sajna Aap Kiti Hai, Self lighted – Apne Sahare Aap Parkashmaan Hai -Doesn’t require any support. Akal Purakh – Paar Braham Parmeshwar first created Himself and then gave a Naam to Himself:
AAPINE AAP SAAJYEO AAPEE NE RACHYEO NAO
When did He create Himself, is a question which is not answerable, however, according to the Gurbani Paar Braham Parmeshwar is beyond time and space, He is infinite, has no boundaries, no limits – he is
Agam, Anant, Apaar and Beant. It is not possible for any human being to make an estimate, or for that matter even attempt to make an estimate of His capacity – His Agamtaa, Ananttaa, Apaartaa and
Beanttaa.
KARTE KI MIT KI JANEY KIA
In the Mangla Charan of Jap Ji Sahib, the time of Self Creation is defined as Aad Jugaad – Aad Sach Jugaad Sach. Therefore, the time of Self Creation can only be said as Aad Jugaad, which also means Para Purblaa. So Paar Braham Parmeshwar – Almighty created Himself first and then gave a Naam to Himself – and what was this Naam ? If we search the divine knowledge – Braham Gyaan of Akal Purakh – Shri Guru
Granth Sahib Ji, then we learn that this Aad Jugaadi and Para Purablaa Naam is SATNAAM:
KIRTAM NAAM KATHE TERE JIHVAA SATNAAM TERA PARA PURABLA A
According to Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha, SATNAAM is the Mool Mantra of GURMAT. SATNAAM is the pious Naam of Akal Purakh – Paar Braham Parmeshwar. In the Gyaan Saroop of Akal Purakh – Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Mool Mantra, Beej Mantra or Maha Mantra has been defined as SATNAAM only. Guru Ram Dass Ji has urged the Sangat (in Dhanasri Raag) to recite – do Simran – of Aad Jugadi – Para Purblaa Naam of Akal Purakh – SATNAAM only:
ICHCHA POORAK SARAB SUKH DATAA HAR JAKE VAS HAI KAAM DHENA
SO AISA HAR DHYAYIE MERE JIAREY TAA SARABH SUKH PAWE MERE MANAN
JAP MAN SATNAAM SADA SATNAAM
HALAT PALAT MUKH UJJAL HOI HAI
NIT DHYAIYE HAR PURAKH NIRANJNA
Guru Ram Dass Ji is urging the mind to concentrate on the Naam SATNAAM, and by doing so – reciting SATNAAM – SATNAAM SIMRAN, the soul will be able to reach the Ultimate – complete happiness –
complete silence, both here in the current life and after the life ends. In another Shalok Guru Ram Dass Ji has explained that SATNAAM is NIRBHAO – Fearless – (Jis Nu Koi Bhau Nahi Hai, Jo Nidar Hai, Jis
Nu Kise Da Koi Dar Nahin Hai – Rest everything is fearful, the entire universe is in fear – Baki Sabh Shrishti Bhau Vich Hai, He is the only one who is free from all the ties – Jo Sare Bandhana Tu Mukt
HaI), NIRANKAAR – no shape and according to the Mool Mantra these two qualities belong to Shri Akal Purakh – Paar Braham Parmeshwar only:
NIRBHAO NIRANKAAR SATNAAM
Bhai Gurdass Ji has also thanked Guru Nanak Dev Patshah for His contribution of SATNAAM, for bringing Mool Mantra on this earth from the Dargah, in his vaars (First Vaar First Pauri), SATNAAM can help us come out of the cycle of life and death and we can achieve salvation – Jivan Mukti.
NAMASKAAR GURDEV KO SATNAAM JIS MANTRA SUNAYEA
BHAVJAL VECHON KADH KE MUKT PDARATH MAHI SMAYEA
Pancham Patshah Shri Guru Arjun Dev Ji has very clearly explained in 16th Ashtpadi of Sukhmani that Paar Braham Parmeshwar has no shape, sign or color, He is beyond these three attributes of Maya. This
means anything that has a shape, sign and color is the Maya. His Naam is SATNAAM, and only that person will be given His Naam – SATNAAM, who is blessed by Himself with His Kirpa, and only on whom He will be pleased.
ROOP NAA RANG NAA REKH KICHU, TRAI GUN TE PRABH BHINN
TISE BHUJAYE NANKAA JIS HOWE SUPARSANN
SATNAAM is the priceless diamond, it is such a unique jewel whose price can’t be determined, because there is no price for the Naam, it is infinite. This priceless diamond is planted and instituted by Akal
Purakh Himself in the heart of a Param Padvi Braham Gyani (Sada Suhagan) through the Dargahi Sajnaa (ceremony). Such an enlightened soul is then filled with all the divine and spiritual powers and then
decorated by the Akal Purakh as a Puran Satguru in His Dargah. At such an elevated level of spirituality Nirgun and Sargun becomes one, where both the ends (Nirgun and Sargun) are tied together, and there remains no difference between the Bhagat and Paar Braham. Such Parm Padvi great souls are omni present like God Himself. Only such a Puran Satguru is authorized by Paar Braham to give Naam Daan to the Sangat – Satgur Sikh Ko Naam Dhan De. When such a person (with Gurkirpa) puts His hand on the forehead and blesses anyone with Naam -SATNAAM, then all the doors (Bazzar Kpaat) of such a lucky individual are opened, and Naam gets planted in the mind and hirda. Such human beings are considered very lucky – Braham Gyani Ka Daras Wadbhagee Paayie, Braham Gyani Ko Bal Bal Jaayie – and they very easily complete their spiritual pilgrimage under the Chattar and blessings of such a soul.
NAAM AMOLAK RATTAN HAI PURE SATGUR PAAS
SATGUR SEVE LAGYEA KADH RATTAN DEVE PARGAAS
This Anmolak Rattan – priceless diamond – SATNAAM was planted in Guru Nanak Patshah’s Hirda by Akal Purakh through Dargahi Saajnaa (ceremony), then Guru Nanak Patshah planted this priceless diamond in Guru Angad Patshah Hirda, and then Guru Angad Patshah planted SATNAAM in Guru Ram Dass Patshah’s Hirda and so on this priceless diamond went all the way to Dassam Patshah, making each one of them a Puran Satguru – a Puran Braham Gyani – decorating all of them with Param Padvi. Mathra Bhutt felt this priceless diamond – SATNAAM in Guru Ram Dass Ji’s Hirda and wrote:
SHREE SATNAAM KARTA PURAKH GURU RAM DASS CHITHI VASSEH
Paar Braham’s Para Purblaa Naam – SATNAAM is the treasure of all and complete happiness and peace. SATNAAM is Gurparsadi, and is given only by a Puran Satguru, Puran Sant and a Puran Braham Gyani Maha Purakh. The Gurparsadi Naam obtained from such an enlightened soul only can bring peace, calmness, contentment, commitment and belief in the mind of a person and opens all the doors – Bazzar Kapaat, puts him on to the way to salvation, otherwise no matter whatever we do to gain spirituality, nothing happens. This is the reason why most people remain frustrated and stay in Dharam Khand and below it for ages together.
SATNAAM PRABH KAA SUKH DAEE, VISHVAAS SAT NANAK GUR TE PAYEE
Most of the preachers preach the Gurmantra Shabad “Vaheguru” to the masses. Shabad “Vaheguru” signifies the Mahima of Akal Purakh, it signifies the Mahima of the Naam – Sat Naam, Shabad Vaheguru is not the Naam by itself, it is the praise of Naam – Sat Naam. Bhai Gurdaas Ji have given it the noun of Gurmantra: Vaheguru Gur Mantra Hai Jap Haumai Khoyee; but nowhere in Gurbani Shabad Vaheguru have been signified or described as Naam.
kaal kalam hukam haath kahhu ka-un mayt sakai ees bamm-yu ga-yaan Dhayaan Dharat hee-ai chaahi jee-o.
sat saach saree nivaas aad purakh sadaa tuhee vaahiguroo vaahiguroo vaahiguroo vaahi jee-o. (Page 1402)
The Bhatt’s have sung the Mahima of Dhan Dhan Chauthee Patshahi Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji in their Bani. When the Bhatts went to have Darshan of Dhan Dhan Guru Ram Dass Ji they had certain imaginations about the Roop of God in their mind, and by the eternal blessings of Dhan Dhan Paar Braham Parmesar and Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji, these Bhatts were able to see Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji in the same Roop (Krishan, Vithal or whatever they had in mind). At this point they uttered these words in praise of Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Ram Dass JI. Let us look at the meaning of these divine words, in which the Bhatts have described the Mahima of Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Ram Dass JI:
The Guru is so great that the time and space is under His control, nobody can abolish Guru’s Hukam, even Shiva and Brahama long for adopting the divine knowledge – Braham Gyan of the Dhan Dhan Guru because they want to become like Him, the Guru is beyond comprehension of a common person, He is strange, His deeds are very surprising, He can do wonders with His spiritual powers, He is completely truthful, He is Truth Himself, He serves the Truth – and what is the Truth – Dhan Dhan Paar Braham Parmesar, He is absolutely Stable, Maya lives under the feet – Charans of the Guru, the Guru is the Aad Purakh – God Himself, and is always indestructible, the Guru can never be distracted, means He has won over Panj Doots, Asa, Trishna, Mansha, He is the one who has won over His mind. And so the Shabad Vaahi Guru– means the appreciation of such qualities of the Guru which make Him no different than the Almighty Himself as explained by the Bhutts in praise of Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji, because the Guru is His Roop, there remains no difference between the Guru and Akal Purakh. Therefore, the Shabad Vaahi Guru has been sung in praise of Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji, and the praise of the Guru is same as praising the Almighty, because there is no difference between the Guru and God, and also the Almighty loves the Mahima of His Bhagats. The Shabad Vaahi means super, great, surprising, enlightening, enjoying, eternal, highlights all the divine qualities of the soul, and the word Guru pertains to Dhan Dhan Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji, who was a Puran Sant Satguru, a Puran Braham Gyani, a living God on this earth.
Dassan Das (Slave Of God’s Slaves)