# Naam : A Self Contained Definition



## Sikh80 (Nov 29, 2007)

The following is the definition extracted from the web-page stated below:

"Guru Granth Sahib Ji uses the word Naam many times. _Naam has been used for simran and also for the spiritual stages resulting from it. There, Naam signifies the realisation of the end as also the means adopted._"

http://www.info-sikh.com/PageNaam1.html


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## spnadmin (Nov 30, 2007)

Seeker07 ji

The article you link to has to be one of the most intelligible explanations of Naam I have encountered. Good resource that you are sharing with us. It deserves to be studied.


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## Sikh80 (Nov 30, 2007)

Respected Aad ji
Thanks for kind words.

I had started researching in April'07 and had got bogged down with this term 'Naam'. The way it has been stated at most of the places in Granth Sahibji, made me feel that I do not know Naam and hence can't practice Naam-simran. 

But this is the perfect definition of Naam . My search has ended with 
this small article so far as Naam is concerned.

Likewise the second point is about 'word of Shabad' .May be I come across anything more appropriate I shall post and the reasearch would end. 

Regards and all the best.


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## Sikh80 (Nov 30, 2007)

It is a second 'compact definition ' of Naam.

*"Naam* is not mere repetition of God's name. Naam here stands for attribute/s. It is a noun which describes the qualities of a person, thing, the Lord. We find many such forms in Mool Mantra. Naam Simran therefore is to concentrate on attributes of Waheguru and realize his grandeur and mercy. It leads to our realization of reality and its acceptance". 

Extracted from : sikhi wiki
Naam Japo - SikhiWiki, free Sikh encyclopedia.


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## Astroboy (Nov 30, 2007)

YouTube - Bhai Sadhu Singh Dehradun Wale - Sun Sun Naam Tumara Pritam
sun sun naam tumaaraa pareetam parabh paykhan kaa chaa-o


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## humanist (Nov 30, 2007)

Naam means the following phrase:
ek aumkar satnam sri vahiguru 
Naam simran refers to the recitation of the above phrase.
For details, please contact: Gobind Sadan, Mehrauli.


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## spnadmin (Nov 30, 2007)

Seeker07 ji

In response to you when you say, *

I had started researching in April'07 and had got bogged down with this term 'Naam'. The way it has been stated at most of the places in Granth Sahibji, made me feel that I do not know Naam and hence can't practice Naam-simran.

*Naam is so great that Naam cannot be known completely. There is no "concise" definition for Naam. And Naam cannot be "defined." Naam-simran  takes you to Naam.

But I would like to add -- before asking for Naam, we ask for dhyann. Before asking for dhyann, we ask for simran. The answer is in God's hukam -- but don't be surprised by His answer.


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## Sikh80 (Nov 30, 2007)

aad0002 said:


> Seeker07 ji
> 
> Quoting from aad ji's post
> 
> ...



It is true that Naam cannot be defined but it must be conceptualised before starting Simran so that we know as to what we are doing. 
Why should be beg for Naam.Is it not granted/realized if we move/live as per His Hukum or try to be equipoised. It is granted as per HIS will. Kindly correct me.
I shall be grateful if you could let me know as to what exactly is Dhyan .Is it meditation.


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## spnadmin (Nov 30, 2007)

Seeker07 ji

Responding to your comment, *It is true that Naam cannot be defined but it must be conceptualised before starting Simran so that we know as to what we are doing. 
Why should be beg for Naam.Is it not granted/realized if we move/live as per His Hukum or try to be equipoised. It is granted as per HIS will. Kindly correct me.
I shall be grateful if you could let me know as to what exactly is Dhyan .Is it meditation.*

Naam has to be conceptualized and defined in order to talk about it. Not in order to experience it. Conceptualization and talking gets in the way. You talk or you jap. Dhyan is meditation. Don't really want to talk too much myself about this. I have a tendency to talk too much.


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## Sikh80 (Dec 7, 2007)

Naam : what it is

Question has been asked what is meant by ‘Naam’ in one of the Khalsa discussion group. What I understand I share with you.

Language is utilitarian. It has words only for entities that are real or abstract that are talked about in a specific group of people - commoners or specialists of one country or another or some community in some part of this planet. The word is an arbitrary verbal sound which is agreed to have some specific meaning with that group of people. This gives a word certain content. This way all words limit the entity that one is talking about by using the specific verbal sound. This is the limitation of language.

How can one refer to the ‘Absolute’ within which the entire creation is and which itself is limitless. Can there be a word for this ‘Absolute’. Yet we as human being need some word which means this ‘Absolute’. Such problems exist in science also. We use the term infinity in Mathematics; can any one figure out what infinity is; it is a concept which conveys that it is a number beyond our grasping ability. We all know the outer space is boundless; it has no boundaries; it is endless. Can any one imagine what a limitless space can be; this too is a concept beyond our comprehension.

‘Absolute’ is also beyond our mental abilities. Any specific name we give to this ‘Absolute’ from our dictionary, it immediately limits this unlimited because any word has defined meaning and thus has content; it immediately distorts my limited understanding of ‘The Sat’. 

As scientists and philosophers have coined words that give meaning to a concept viz. infinity, outer space etc; so have Guru Sahib give us a word ‘Naam’ which conceptualize ‘The Sat’ for us. 

See the vision and beauty of Guru Sahib’s conceptualization. The word ‘Naam’ means name. This word does not contain ‘The Sat’ in any way as it devoid of any physical meaning yet the entire creation, every entity of it is contained in it. This is because all the entities have some appellation; the generic word for all of them is name i.e. ‘Naam’. This as ‘The Sat’ is the source of all that constitute creation; ‘Naam’ is generic words for all appellations. Hence is logical and correct to use the word ‘Naam’ for ‘The Sat’. This is what Guru Sahib has done.

‘Naam’ is a concept which helps us to perceive the unperceivable in a limited way, to the extent our human faculties allow. This concept which Guru Sahibs have given to their Sikhs has to be lived through by them in their lives. We have to become imbued with ‘Naam’. It means the being of Sikhs should reflect ‘The Sat’. It means we have to become intrinsically like ‘The Sat’ to the extent human can. I elaborate: ‘The Sat’ is selfless, so the Sikhs should shed ‘Ahamkara’ and selfishness. ‘The Sat’ is self-existent, so the Sikhs should become self-sufficient, in other words they should live within their means. ‘The Sat’ is sustaining the entire creation, so the Sikhs should fully support themselves and their family and to the extent they can the creation of ‘The Sat’. ‘The Sat’ never wastes (you can see this in nature when you study the food chain of various species), so the Sikhs should be useful and thrifty. “The Sat’ never show-off the powers, so ‘The Sikhs should be humble. ‘The Sat’ supports evolution (as evident from evolution of higher and higher forms of lives over a long period of time), so the Sikhs should be creative …………. When the Sikh is imbued with ‘Naam’ i.e. the being of the Sikh is soaked with the ‘Sat-like’ attributes (as explained above), the Sikh is living with ‘Naam’; she or he is resonating with ‘The Sat’; she or he is experiencing Anhat Naad i.e. Un-struck sound.

Source: Post of s AmarPal ji [what is naam, on sikhphilosphy.net.]


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## Sikh80 (Jan 30, 2008)

jqu squ sMjmu nwmu hY ivxu nwvY inrmlu n hoie ] (33-5, isrIrwgu, mÚ 3)
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is abstinence, truthfulness, and self-restraint. Without the Name, no one becomes pure.


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## Astroboy (Jan 30, 2008)

ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥ 
Sirīrāg mehlā 3. 
Siree Raag, Third Mehl: 

ਗੋਵਿਦੁ ਗੁਣੀ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥ 
Goviḏ guṇī niḏẖān hai anṯ na pā&shy;i&shy;ā jā&shy;ė. 
The Lord of the Universe is the Treasure of Excellence; His limits cannot be found. 

ਕਥਨੀ ਬਦਨੀ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਜਾਇ ॥ 
Kathnī baḏnī na pā&shy;ī&shy;ai ha&shy;umai vicẖahu jā&shy;ė. 
He is not obtained by mouthing mere words, but by rooting out ego from within. 


ਸਤਗੁਰਿ ਮਿਲਿਐ ਸਦ ਭੈ ਰਚੈ ਆਪਿ ਵਸੈ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ॥੧॥ 
Saṯgur mili&shy;ai saḏ bẖai racẖai āp vasai man ā&shy;ė. ||1|| 
Meeting the True Guru, one is permeated forever with the Fear of God, who Himself comes to dwell within the mind. ||1|| 


ਭਾਈ ਰੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ 
Bẖā&shy;ī rė gurmukẖ būjẖai ko&shy;ė. 
O Siblings of Destiny, one who becomes Gurmukh and understands this is very rare. 

ਬਿਨੁ ਬੂਝੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵਣੇ ਜਨਮੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਖੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ 
Bin būjẖė karam kamāvṇė janam paḏārath kẖo&shy;ė. ||1|| rahā&shy;o. 
To act without understanding is to lose the treasure of this human life. ||1||Pause|| 

ਜਿਨੀ ਚਾਖਿਆ ਤਿਨੀ ਸਾਦੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਬਿਨੁ ਚਾਖੇ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਇ ॥ 
Jinī cẖākẖi&shy;ā ṯinī sāḏ pā&shy;i&shy;ā bin cẖākẖė bẖaram bẖulā&shy;ė. 
Those who have tasted it, enjoy its flavor; without tasting it, they wander in doubt, lost and deceived. 

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸਾਚਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਕਹਣਾ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥ 
Amriṯ sācẖā nām hai kahṇā kacẖẖū na jā&shy;ė. 
The True Name is the Ambrosial Nectar; no one can describe it. 

ਪੀਵਤ ਹੂ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ਭਇਆ ਪੂਰੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੨॥ 
Pīvaṯ hū parvāṇ bẖa&shy;i&shy;ā pūrai sabaḏ samā&shy;ė. ||2|| 
Drinking it in, one becomes honorable, absorbed in the Perfect Word of the Shabad. ||2|| 

ਆਪੇ ਦੇਇ ਤ ਪਾਈਐ ਹੋਰੁ ਕਰਣਾ ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥ 
Āpė ḏė&shy;ė ṯa pā&shy;ī&shy;ai hor karṇā kicẖẖū na jā&shy;ė. 
He Himself gives, and then we receive. Nothing else can be done. 

ਦੇਵਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਕੈ ਹਥਿ ਦਾਤਿ ਹੈ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੁਆਰੈ ਪਾਇ ॥ 
Ḏėvaṇ vālė kai hath ḏāṯ hai gurū ḏu&shy;ārai pā&shy;ė. 
The Gift is in the Hands of the Great Giver. At the Guru's Door, in the Gurdwara, it is received. 

ਜੇਹਾ ਕੀਤੋਨੁ ਤੇਹਾ ਹੋਆ ਜੇਹੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇ ॥੩॥ 
Jėhā kīṯon ṯėhā ho&shy;ā jėhė karam kamā&shy;ė. ||3|| 
Whatever He does, comes to pass. All act according to His Will. ||3|| 

*ਜਤੁ **ਸਤੁ **ਸੰਜਮੁ **ਨਾਮੁ **ਹੈ **ਵਿਣੁ **ਨਾਵੈ **ਨਿਰਮਲੁ **ਨ **ਹੋਇ **॥*
*Jaṯ saṯ sanjam nām hai viṇ nāvai nirmal na ho&shy;ė. *
*The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is abstinence, truthfulness, and self-restraint. Without the Name, no one becomes pure.* 

ਪੂਰੈ ਭਾਗਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਿਲਾਵਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ 
Pūrai bẖāg nām man vasai sabaḏ milāvā ho&shy;ė. 
Through perfect good fortune, the Naam comes to abide within the mind. Through the Shabad, we merge into Him. 

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਹਜੇ ਹੀ ਰੰਗਿ ਵਰਤਦਾ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਪਾਵੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੪॥੧੭॥੫੦॥ 
Nānak sehjė hī rang varaṯḏā har guṇ pāvai so&shy;ė. ||4||17||50|| 
O Nanak, one who lives in intuitive peace and poise, imbued with the Lord's Love, obtains the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||17||50||


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