Reality of the Name
We hear a good deal about the praise and contemplation of the Name, but we have not thought very much about Its reality. What is the Name, and which is the Name that leads to salvation?
What is that Name, by which the world, contemplating it, might attain the state of Nirvana?
Ramkali M9, 902-5
What Name of the Guru should one remember in meditation, to cross over the terrifying world-ocean?
Sorath M9, 632-10
The Lord has no name; He is without a name; let us salute the Nameless One.
Jap Sahib
Innumerable are His names, but he is beyond all. He has no limit, no end. How can he be described in words? Knowing this, the wise men and seers, in order to praise Him, have given Him many names which indicate His infinite nature. But even then they could not describe the Reality.
You have many names and innumerable forms; no one can describe Your virtues.
Asa M1, 358-15
Oh Lord and life of the world; all fortunes and treasures and powers are in the palm of Your hand; You have infinite names.
Dev Gandhari M5, 536-6
The Lord is unfathomable, and infinite are His names. The wise tried hard to describe His virtues, but could not properly evaluate Him.
Kalyan M4, 1319-5
Oh Lord, Your names are innumerable. The tongue cannot count them.
Bhairon M4, 1135-17
The tenth Guru in the line of Guru Nanak says:
How can all Your names be spoken or described?
Jap Sahib, Patshahi 10
There is a difference in the names. Some are descriptive and some are personal. The tongue utters Your descriptive names. Sat Naam is your old original name.
Maru M5, 1083-12
Which of these names should be accepted, or which is the highest one? Hindus lay emphasis on Om and sing the praises of Ram. Allah is used by Muslims, and Waheguru by Sikhs. Every religion has its own names. Which is the name that leads to salvation? What is the purpose of contemplating on a name or praising it? Is it merely to understand its meanings by repetition, or is it something else in addition? The repetition of words and meditating on their meanings can only lead to mental goals.
The Gurus have at various places, in their writings, emphasized the repetition of Names, the hearing of the Name, contemplation on the Name, dwelling on the Name in the heart, and seeing the Light of the Name.
Chant the Naam, Oh my friends, Oh GurSikhs. Chant the Naam, and through the Naam, obtain peace; through the Guru’s Teachings, enshrine the Naam in your heart and mind.
Asa M4, 367-16
Hearing the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind is in bliss. Reaping the profit of the Naam, through the Guru's Teachings, my soul has blossomed forth.
Asa M4, 367-17
As long as there is youth and health, meditate on the Naam. Along the way, the Lord shall go along with you, and in the end, He shall save you.
Sri Rag M4, 82 4-5
Oh Lord! Barren should be the mothers of those in whose heart You do not dwell. Their empty bodies wander without the Name and they die in woe.
Jetsari M4, 697-15
The devotees of the Lord and Master Pray again and again to the Master. We worms and insects seek Your shelter. Oh Master, have mercy and enlighten us with the Name.
Gauri M4, 492-9
The Gurus, in addition to mentioning repetition and meditation on the Name, have also spoken about hearing the melody of the inner Sound and seeing the light of the Name or Word of God.
By hearing the Name one knows himself, and gets the benefit of the Name. By hearing the Name sins are expiated, and the mind becomes pure. Oh Nanak, blessed are those who hear the Name. A devotee always meditates on It.
Sarang Var M4, 1240-16
By repeating the Name one gets the light of millions of suns.
Jetsari M5, 700-18
Have mercy and give us the Light of the Name.
Gujri M4, 492-10
The Name has in It the means of both complete hearing and seeing. In the Gurbani, mention is made of the Name abiding in the heart. It has been clearly stated that the Name is beyond the mind and the senses.
The Naam, the Name of the invisible and unfathomable Lord, is infinite.
Maru M1, 1041-19
From this it is clear that the Lord's true Name is not mere words, but is something else which dwells in the inner recesses of our being. There are sweet and enrapturing melodies in it which can be heard. There is light in it which can be seen. That Name is, in reality, invisible, imperceptible and infinite. It is all-pervading.
Kabir Sahib has clearly stated:
The millions of names current in the world do not lead to release; the primal Name, which is the secret formula, is rarely known.
The Gurus have mentioned that repetition of names has its own place and is necessary, but we cannot, in this way, merge with the Lord. Unless we get connected with God-in-action who has been described as Shabd or Naam, we cannot get release. But this can only happen through a Perfect Master.
Everyone chants the Lord’s Name, Raam, Raam; but by such chanting, the Lord is not obtained. By Guru’s Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind, and then, the fruits are obtained.
Gujri M3, 491 1-2
Merely crying water, water, is of no avail. It is only when we get water that we feel its coolness and our thirst is quenched.
Yari Sahib says:
The tongue is tired of repeating Ram (Lord). By merely saying water, thirst is not quenched, this is done only when one drinks it.
It is said in the hymns of Kabir Sahib:
Without seeing and feeling, it is no use repeating the Name. If one were to become wealthy by talking of wealth no one would remain a pauper.
All names are for the Named. If one unites with the One whom the Name represents, one may remember Him by any name.
If we get water, it is immaterial if it is called pani, as in Punjabi; Eau, as in French; Hydor, as in Greek; Aqua, as in Latin; or water, as in English. When we meet the One whom these names represent we get Him and His virtues.
Hunger is not removed by crying 'bread, bread', or thirst by saying 'water, water'. The words 'water' and 'bread' are quite distinct from the actual water and bread. It is only by using these things that thirst and hunger are satisfied. We do not get the real benefit unless we unite with that which the Name represents.
Maulana Rumi says:
Repeat the Name and search for the Named; without this the Name is useless.
Saint Tulsi Das states that the real Name is superior both to Brahm and Ram (God), because Brahm, Par Brahm, Sat Naam, Alakh and Agam were all created by the Name.
The Name is higher and more bountiful than Brahm and Ram (God).
Ramayana, Bal Kand 25
Brahm is both ‛formless’ and ‛with form.’ Indescribable, unfathomable, beginningless and wonderful. According to me, the Name is greater than both of them. He has had them in His power through all the ages.
Ramayana, Bal Kand 22-1
The unfathomable has been realized through the Name. The Name is, therefore, greater than Brahm and Ram (God).
Ramayana, Bal Kand 22-3
Tulsi Das goes to the extent of saying that praise of the Name is infinite, since even Rama cannot adequately sing its praises.
How far can I sing the praise of Nam (Name)? Even Rama Himself cannot do so.
Ramayana, Bal Kand 25-4
The reason for this is that Rama is an incarnation of Brahm and Brahm and Par Brahm were all created by the Name.
Those who have forgotten the real Name and are repeating other names, cannot derive full benefit. They are entangled in this world like a worm that wastes its time running hither and thither in a dunghill. Those who give up the real Name and repeat other names, are like worms that waste their time in a dirt heap.
Sarang Var M3, 1247-5
Apart from the repetition of the real Name, all reading and recitals are within the sphere of maya. Except the Name nothing is permanent and except for its repetition, all reading and recitals lead to nothing.
False is all other reading, false is all other speech, false is the love of maya. Oh Nanak! without the Name nothing is eternal, they who read undergo woe and misery.
Sri Rag Var M3, 84-15
In the Gurbani only study and contemplation of the Name are regarded as true worship; but only a rare few understand this.
Oh Nanak, study and meditation on the Name is the only true worship; but very few realize this.
Sarang Var M3, 1246-16
The Gurus have said that reading and writing are worldly occupations. To gather knowledge is no more than to follow the way of the world.
Sorath Var M3, 650-11
The Reality in all religions is the Name of God which is supreme in all of them. The essence of all faiths is contained in the Name of the Lord.
Gauri M5, 296-4
No spiritual or other deed can equal repetition of the real Name. The Name is superior to all charities and alms-giving, recitals and austerities, study of the Vedas, and all other religious and meritorious deeds.
Everyone asks for happiness, but the Lord does as He wills. No deed, charity or devotion equals the practice of the Name.
Vadhans M1, 566-9
Donations to charity, meditation and penance – above all of them is the Naam. One who chants with his tongue the Name of the Lord, Hari, Hari – his works are brought to perfect completion.
Asa M5, 401-3
People study the Vedas and the Shastras in order to cross the world; they do many meritorious deeds, but above them all is the Name.
Asa M5, 405-9
Millions of meritorious deeds cannot equal contemplation on the Name. All outer deeds such as pilgrimages, alms-giving and charities, fasts, acts of piety, and so forth, fall short of It. It is only the practice of the Name which can take one to the highest spiritual regions. There is no other way.
If I cut my body into pieces, and burn them in the fire, and if I make my body and mind into firewood, and night and day burn them in the fire, and if I perform hundreds of thousands and millions of religious rituals-still, all these are not equal to the Name of the Lord.
If my body were cut in half, if a saw was put to my head, and if my body were frozen in the Himalayas-even then, my mind would not be free of disease. None of these are equal to the Name of the Lord. I have seen and tried and tested them all.
If I made a donation of castles of gold, and gave lots of fine horses and wondrous elephants in charity, and if I made donations of land and cows - even then, pride and ego would still be within me. The Name of the Lord has pierced my mind; the Guru has given me this true gift.
There are so many stubborn-minded intelligent people, and so many who contemplate the Vedas.There are so many entanglements for the soul. Only as Gurumukh do we find the Gate of Liberation. Truth is higher than everything; but higher still is truthful living.
Sri Rag M1, 62 6-11
The praise of the Name is beautifully sung in the Adi Granth:
The many Shastras and the many Simritis – I have seen and searched through them all. They are not equal to Har, Har Rai – Oh Nanak, the Lord’s Invaluable Name.
Chanting, intense meditation, spiritual wisdom1 and all meditations; the six schools of philosophy and sermons on the scriptures; the practice of Yoga and righteous conduct; the renunciation of everything and wandering around in the wilderness; the performance of all sorts of works; donations to charities and offerings of jewels to fire; cutting the body apart and making the pieces into ceremonial fire offerings; keeping fasts and making vows of all sorts – none of these are equal to the contemplation of the Name of the Lord, Oh Nanak, if, as Gurumukh, one chants the Naam, even once.
You may roam over the nine continents of the world and live a very long life; you may become a great ascetic and a master of disciplined meditation and burn yourself in fire; you may give away gold, horses, elephants and land; you may practice techniques of inner cleansing and all sorts of Yogic postures; you may adopt the self-mortifying ways of the Jains and great spiritual disciplines2; piece by piece, you may cut your body apart; but even so, the filth of your ego shall not depart. There is nothing equal to the Name of the Lord. Oh Nanak, as Gurumukh, chant the Naam, and obtain salvation.
With your mind filled with desire, you may give up your body at a sacred shrine of pilgrimage; but even so, egotistical pride shall not be removed from your mind. You may practice cleansing day and night, but the filth of your mind shall not leave your body. You may subject your body to all sorts of disciplines, but your mind will never be rid of its corruption. You may wash this transitory body with loads of water, but how can a wall of mud be washed clean? Oh my mind, the Glorious Praise of the Name of the Lord is the highest; O Nanak, the Naam has saved so many of the worst sinners.
Gauri M5, 265 10-19
Commentaries on the Vedas, Puranas and other scriptures all say that all practices except that of the Name are of no avail.
Commentaries, Vedas, Puranas and other scriptures all proclaim: that all practices save that of the Name are false and vain, the prattle of children.
Suhi M5, 761-16
The traditions of the house of Nanak emphasize the practice of the Name. The house of Nanak relies on the Name alone.
Bhairon M5, 1136-18
All true Saints, holy men and devotees have engaged in the practice of the Name and all religions preach it.
The Name is the path of Nanak and Kabir; know it in your heart. Dhru and Prahlad were intoxicated with it.
Dulan Das
The primal poet knew the greatness of the Name, He became a Saint by repeating It in the reverse order.
Ramayana, Bal Kand 18
The devotees of the Lord praise the Name at all times. Standing, sitting and in sleep they repeat the Lord's Name, for this, oh Nanak, is the eternal task of the devotee.
Gauri M5, 286-5
All the religions sing Its praise. The essence of all religions is the Name of the Lord.
Gauri M5, 296-4
The best of all duties is this duty; perform the purest act, the repetition of the Name of the Lord.
Gauri M5, 266-13
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Footnote:
1) This is the wisdom of the yoga paths.
The limitations of the various paths of yoga vis-à-vis the One True Yoga – Surat Shabd Yoga – are explained by Kirpal Singh in the book "The Crown of Life".
As Kirpal Singh describes in "Spirituality – What it is", True Spirituality is only the connection of the soul with the Oversoul through Naam as long as this connection is present.
2) The term here refers to discipline in asceticism and self-mortification. This has nothing to do with True Spirituality, which does not require self-mortification. See also 1).