"AJAPPAA JAAP": UNCHANTED CHANT Contemplate the Unspoken Speech, and the desires of the mind are
dissolved. Turning away from the world, the heart-lotus is filled with
Nectar. Then the mind does not wander around; it does not get
distracted. The mind that does not forget the Chant which is chanted
without chanting becomes immersed in the Primal Being of the ages.
Upon becoming a Gurmukh (Spiritual Being), all the sensese are
blessed with the five virtues, and one dwells in the Home of the Self
deep within. Nanak is the slave of that one who seeks the
Shabad and finds this inner Home (sggs 1291).
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The glory of the Divine Name (
Naam) and the efficacy of chanting it for realizing God has been underscored in the Gurbani (SGGS) as well as many other scriptures. Chanting of the Divine Name has been recommended as the antidote to man's
Haume (psychological ego) — all negative actions and negative emotions of the mind. Besides, the present age of
Kali Yuga is characterized by quarrel, disagreement, cheating, deceit, cynicism, hypocrisy, duplicity, misinformation, and so on. Also, we are short-lived, spiritually ignorant, and our mind is constantly disturbed and agitated by anxieties. In this age when it has become difficult to adopt the other methods like penance, etc., to realize one's True Nature, the method of chanting Divine Name in the form of hymns and
Mantra or repeating them as in
Japa or meditation is said to bestow the same result. The Gurbani (sggs) says:
- Ab klU AwieE ry]ieku nwmu bovhu bovhu]An rUiq nwhI nwhI]mqu Brim BUlhu BUlhu: Now, the Dark Age of Kali Yuga has come. Plant the Naam. It is not the season to plant other things. Do not wander lost in doubt and delusion (sggs 1185).
- ]jpu] Awid scu jugwid scu]hY BI scu nwnk hosI BI scu: Chant and meditate on who is true in the primal beginning, true throughout the ages, true here and now, and true forever and forever (sggs 1).
- nwmu n jpeI ikau suKu pwvY ibnu nwvY ikau sohY: Without chanting the Naam, how can one find Happiness? Without the Naam, how can one look Good? (sggs 1013).
- nwnk nwim rqy sy inrml hor haumY mYlu BrIjY: O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam are immaculate. The others are full of the filth of egotism (sggs 570).
- hir hir nwmu sIql jlu iDAwvhu hir cMdn vwsu sugMD gMDeIAw: Meditate on the cool water of the God's Name. Perfume yourself with the fragrant scent of God, the sandalwood tree (sggs 833).
Egoism or falsehood is but
Naamlessness. Therefore, egoism is opposed to the
Naam; as the two cannot coexist. In ego-mind, right way of living and selflessness cannot be practiced, and so the mind remains unfulfilled. The egoism is thus said to be the utter darkness (ignorance); which prevents us from understanding our True Nature, the Unconditioned Consciousness.
- AigAwnu AMDyru mhw pMQu ibKVw AhMkwir Bwir lid lIjY: The path of ignorance is utterly dark and treacherous; the mortal is loaded down with the crushing load of egotism (sggs 1326).
- nwim ibswirAY sBu kUVo kUir: Forgetting the Naam, one becomes the most false of all the false (sggs 226).
- haumY ivic Bgiq n hoveI hukmu n buiJAw jwie]haumY ivic jIau bMDu hY nwmu n vsY min Awie: In egotism, Bhagti cannot be performed, and His Hukam (Divine Law) cannot be understood. In egotism, the soul is in bondage, and the Naam does not come to abide in the mind (sggs 560).
Like the Divine Substance, His Divine Name (
Naam) is also True, Complete and Perfect. It has the power of destroying false ego and bringing the seeker into Blissful union with the Supreme Truth. To put it otherwise, once the veil of falsehood (egoism) is removed, the True One becomes visible through our truthfulness.
- hir cyiq mn myry qU gur kw sbdu kmwie]hukmu mMnih qw hir imlY qw ivchu haumY jwie: O my mind, think of God, and practice the Shabad. If you submit to God's Hukam (Divine Law), you will meet Him, and then egotism will depart from within (sggs 560).
- sc KMif vsY inrMkwru: In the realm of truth the Formless God dwells (sggs 8).
- ByKu BvnI hTu n jwnw nwnkw scu gih rhy: I know of no religious garbs, pilgrimages, or stubborn fanaticism; O Nanak, I only holdfast to the Truth (sggs 844).
The wonderful thing about the practice of the Divine Name is that there are no stringent regulations regarding its chanting — it can be handled by anyone at any time and at any place. If done with love,
sincere feeling, determination and intense concentration, it removes the inner "filth" (egoism, ignorance, illusion, conditioning, Maya, etc.) enabling one to see All-pervading Truth within.
- BrIAY miq pwpw kY sMig]Ehu DopY nwvY kY rMig : When the intellect is stained and polluted by sin, it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name (sggs 4).
- pRB kY ismrin mn kI mlu jwie]AMimRq nwmu ird mwih smwie: In the remembrance of God, the filth of the mind is removed. The Ambrosial Naam is absorbed into the heart (sggs 263).
- hir ismrn kI sglI bylw: Any time is a good time to meditate in remembrance (sggs 1150).
- ivxu nwvY nwhI ko Qwau: O Lord, without Your Name, there is no place at all (sggs 4).
The scriptures declare that earnest devotion only matters to the Divine. How can such devotion capable of enabling us cultivate deep
Bhagti and travel safely on our Spiritual journey be developed? To cultivate such devotion, a simple method has been prescribed in the scriptures — remain in a right environment within and without.
By remaining God-immersed within and seeking the company of God-intoxicated Beings without, we can aid devotion lying dormant within to awaken.
- ijsu AMqir pRIiq lgY so mukqw: Those internally attached to God’s Love are liberated (sggs 122).
- pRB kau ismrih iqn Awqmu jIqw: Those who remember God, conquer their mind (sggs 263).
- pRym Bgiq pRiB mnu pqIAwieAw: God's mind is pleased with the heart-felt Bhagti (sggs 686).
What are the practices of such devotion? Like rungs on a ladder, the practices of devotion are worship,
Japa (also called
Japu and
Jaap), and meditation or contemplation. These are like stepping stones, leading sincere aspirants to unbroken communion with their True Nature, the Pure Self within.
- ibnu pauVI giV ikau cVau gur hir iDAwn inhwl: How can I climb up to the Fortress without a ladder? By meditating on the Gur-Hari, the Lord, I am blessed and exalted (sggs 17).
- scY sbid sic smwie: With the practice of the True Shabad, one merges in the True Lord (sggs 560).
Let's try to briefly reflect on these practices. Worship is of two types: internal and external. To perform any external worship, one needs the support of the body, speech and the mind. However, the internal worship only needs the support of the mind since it is performed at the mental level. Thus, the internal worship is subtler (or superior) than the external, hence relatively more difficult.
- nwnk BgqI nwim smwie: Nanak is absorbed in devotional worship of the Naam (sggs 289).
- jip mn rwm nwmu ArDWBw: God' Name is only worthy of worship, O mind, Japa it (sggs 1337).
- nwau iDAweIAY nwau mMgIAY nwmy shij smwie: Meditate on the Name, worship the Name, and through the Name, you will be absorbed in intuitive Peace and Poise (sggs 26).
Japa is done by repeating a sacred word or
Mantra where one continuously fixes his mind on the divine and spiritual suggestions of the "mystic word". This technique keeps the mind uplifted, away from the enchanting worldly objects and their distracting fascinations. The object here is that by repetition of the same word the mind becomes more and more concentrated, quite, introverted and purified (
Dhyaana) in the process. As mentioned in the scriptures, only a purified mind can climb to the final Spiritual Illumination.
- gur kY sbid ivchu mYlu gvwie]inrmlu nwmu vsY min Awie: Through the Gur-Shabad, filth is washed away from within. The immaculate Naam comes to abide within the mind (sggs 560).
Japa can be divided into three categories: loud
Japa, soft
Japa and mental
Japa. The loud
Japa is that which can be heard by another person, such as
Kirtan. In loud
Japa, God's Name and glories are chanted or sung with or without the accompaniment of musical instruments. The main support of loud
Japa is the speech, with some support from the body. The soft
Japa is only heard by the
Japist (meditator). As the soft
Japa is only supported by the speech, it's subtler than the loud
Japa. The most subtle, hence more difficult, is the mental
Japa which is done by the support of the mind only.
- bwhir jwqo BIqir AwxY]brqI brq rhY inhkwm]Ajpw jwpu jpY muiK nwm: Bring your out-going mind back home. Observe the fast of remaining free of desire. Chant the unchanted Chant of the Naam with your mouth (sggs 840).
- kMT rmxIX rwm rwm mwlw hsq aUc pRym DwrxI]jIh Bix jo auqm slok auDrxM nYn nµdnI: The mala around my neck is the chanting of God's Name. God's Love is my silent chanting. Chanting this most Sublime Word brings salvation and joy to the eyes (sggs 1356).
Meditation or contemplation is of two types: broken and unbroken or discontinuous and continuos. Naturally, as the name implies, the uninterrupted or continuos contemplation is subtler than the discontinuous contemplation; hence relatively more difficult.
- nwnk nwmu iDAweIAY sBnw jIAw kw AwDwru: O Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Support of all beings (sggs 29).
- pwrbRhm isau lwgo iDAwn: I focus my meditation on the Supreme Being (sggs 1148).
- iKMQw igAwn iDAwn kir sUeI sbdu qwgw miQ GwlY: He, a true Yogi, makes spiritual wisdom his patched coat, meditation his needle, and inserts the thread of the Shabad in it (sggs 477).
- Duin mih iDAwnu iDAwn mih jwinAw gurmuiK AkQ khwnI: The meditation is in the Celestial Sound, and knowledge is in meditation. Become Gurmukh, and speak the Unspoken Speech (sggs 879).
Further, the unbroken contemplation is of two types: contemplation with duality (with attributes) and contemplation without duality (attributeless). Contemplation on the formless (without duality) is where the contemplator and the contemplated become one. On the other hand, contemplation on the form (with duality) is where the contemplator thinks himself separate from the contemplated. Apparently, contemplation without duality ("He is me, I am Him") is considered subtler and superior to contemplation with duality.
- nwnk sohM hMsw jpu jwphu iqRBvx iqsY smwih: O Nanak, chant the chant of ‘Soham hansaa’ — ‘He is me, and I am Him.’ The three worlds are absorbed in Him (sggs 1093).
- sohM Awpu pCwxIAY sbid Byid pqIAwie: Recognizes within that "He is me"; who knows this secret through the Shabad is satisfied (sggs 60).
- nwmu inDwnu iDAwn AMqrgiq qyj puMj iqhu log pRgwsy: With the treasure of the Naam, focus Meditation deep within where the Embodiment of Light illumines the three worlds (sggs 1404).
- Bheda-bhaavnaat soham-ityasau. Bhaavanaa-'bhidaa paavnee mataa: Contemlation without dulity that "He is me" is considered as holy and supirior to contemplation with duality (Raman Maharishi).
Now, what is "
Ajappaa Jaap"? With sincere and faithful practice, after the
Naam Japa is perfected aloud, it becomes soft and then mental. At the mental level, it is done silently, making the sound mentally without the support of the tongue or any other external limbs of the body. This is what the Gurbani calls "
Ajappaa Jaap", unchanted or silent chant. The ultimate accomplishment in the performance of
Naam Japa is going to walk, stand, sit, eat, work, sleep, etc., while internally the
Japa continues without a break, spontaneously. This is the unbroken meditation.
- Ajpw jwpu n vIsrY Awid jugwid smwie]siB sKIAw pMcy imly gurmuiK inj Gir vwsu]sbdu Koij iehu Gru lhY nwnku qw kw dwsu: The mind that does not forget the Chant which is chanted without chanting becomes immersed in the Primal Lord of the ages. Upon becoming a Gurmukh (spiritual being), all the sensese are blessed with the five virtues, and one dwells in the Home of the Self deep within. Nanak is the slave of that one who seeks the Shabad and finds this inner Home (sggs 1291).
- nwm KumwrI nwnwkw cVI rhy idn rwq: Nanak Says: I ever remain intoxicated with the wine of Naam.
- ijnw swis igrwis n ivsrY hir nwmW min mMqu]DMnu is syeI nwnkw pUrnu soeI sMqu: Those who do not forget the Lord, with each breath and morsel of food, whose minds are filled with the Mantra of the Lord’s Name — they alone are blessed; O Nanak, they are the perfect Saints (sggs 319).
Continuos
Japa leads one to realize that the same unbroken
Japa is already going on within even without any effort and choice! Thus,
Japa is a mean of tuning in with the subtle Divine forces within. The crux of the matter is to awaken the
Naam,
Shabad,
Mantra, eternal Bliss, or true
Amrit (immortality) that lies dormant within us. What's the proof of True
Naam,
Shabad,
Mantra, eternal Bliss, or true
Amrit being located nowhere else but within our bosom? The Gurbani reveals this secret as follows:
- nau iniD AMimRqu pRB kw nwmu]dyhI mih ies kw ibsRwmu: The nine treasures and Amrit is the Lord's Name. Within the human body is its place of rest (sggs 293).
- AMqir sbdu inDwnu hY imil Awpu gvweIAY: Deep within the Self is the treasure of the Shabad; it is obtained only by eradicating selfishness and conceit (sggs 228).
- mn qn AMqir hir hir mMq]nwnk Bgqn kY Gir sdw Anµd: The Mantra of the Lord’s Name is deep within my mind and body. O Nanak, eternal Bliss fills the inner Home of the Lord’s devotees (sggs 802).
- AMqir KUhtw AMimRiq BirAw sbdy kwiF pIAY pinhwrI: Deep within this body is the well verflowing with the Amrit; the water-carrier (Naam Japist or spiritual being) draws and drinks it in the Shabad (sggs 571).
The Supreme Reality is experienced through the meditation alone; the state free from anger, jealousy, contentions, desires and fear.
Japa Yoga is the very effective training for the mind in fixing itself to a single line of thought to reach the goal — deep meditation. To one who has gained a sufficient poise through the practice of
Japa, to him, meditation is natural, for meditation itself is but a conscious attempt to focus the mind at a single point.
Japa is thus very effective aid to meditation. We are told by the Realized Beings that a short period of meditation can take a
Japa-conditioned mind to unimaginable heights in an impossible short time. Thus, in this Kali Yuga, unbroken meditation through "
Ajappaa Jaap" is relatively the easiest, quickest, safest and surest way to link with Supreme Reality and experience Perennial Bliss or
Amrit Dhaaraa within.
- igAwnu iDAwnu gur sbdu hY mITw: Spiritual wisdom and meditation come to those unto whom the Gur-Shabad is sweet (sggs 162).
- rqnu rwmu Gt hI ky BIqir qw ko igAwnu n pwieE]jn nwnk BgvMq Bjn ibnu ibrQw jnmu gvwieE: The Jewel of Divinity is deep Within my Heart, but I do not have any knowledge of Him. O serf Nanak, the human life is lost in vain without the God's meditation (sggs 702).
- jwsu jpq Bau Apdw jwie:Meditating on Him, one hears the unstruck melody (sggs 236).
- hir ismrq siB imtih klys:Meditating on God, all suffering is eradicated. (sggs 194).
- jo pRwxI goivMdu iDAwvY]piVAw AxpiVAw prm giq pwvY:That mortal who meditates on God, whether educated or uneducated, obtains the state of Supreme Dignity (sggs 197).
- bUJhu igAwnI sbdu bIcwir: O wise one, understand by reflecting on the Shabad (sggs 840).
- scu krxI sbdu hY swru: The practice of truth is the essence of the Shabad (sggs 114).
- iJim iJim vrsY AMimRq Dwrw: Slowly and gently, the stream of nectar or Immortality (Amrit Dhaaraa), trickles down Within (sggs 102).
Once an individual gets fully established in the base of "
Ajappaa Jaap", then he will be able to adopt a way of life where his daily activities are in accord with the
Gur-Shabad. So, all Spiritual Teachings point to the importance of making sincere self-effort (
Uddam), without which we cannot integrate the
Naam,
Shabad,
Mantra,
Hukam, Eternal Bliss or
Amrit Dhaaraa in our lives. For a serious seeker, serious efforts are needed!
- sws sws sws hY jyqy mY gurmiq nwmu sm@wry]swsu swsu jwie nwmY ibnu so ibrQw swsu ibkwry: According to Gurmat (instructions of the Gurbani), with as many breaths as I have, I chant the Naam. Each and every breath which escapes me without the Naam — that breath is useless and corrupt (sggs 980).
- hir pVxw hir buJxw hir isau rKhu ipAwru]hir jpIAY hir iDAweIAY hir kw nwmu ADwru: Read about God, understand God, and enshrine love for Him. Chant and meditate on God's; hold tight to the Support of His Name (sggs 937).
Calculated
Japa such as just few short prayers, some chanting, some
Mantra recitation with rosary, and so on, is not sufficient; hence will not do the trick. Because this sort of
Japa cannot transform the mind enchanted with unproductive thought-wanderings. Our psychological ego is so powerful and stubborn that unbroken efforts are needed (
Aath Pahar). If we practice constantly, naturally and spontaneously ("
Ajappaa Jaap") only then material tendencies or negative emotions of the mind will disappear.
- gxqY syv n hoveI kIqw Qwie n pwie: Calculated service is not service at all, hence not approved (sggs 1246).
- rwm rwm sBu ko khY kihAY rwmu n hoie]gur prswdI rwmu min vsY qw Plu pwvY koie]1]AMqir goivMd ijsu lwgY pRIiq]hir iqsu kdy n vIsrY hir hir krih sdw min cIiq: Everyone chants God's Name, Raam, Raam; but by such chanting, Raam is not obtained. By Guru’s Grace, He comes to dwell in the mind, and then, the fruits are obtained. One who enshrines love for God Within his mind, never forgets Him; he continually chants His Name in his conscious mind (sggs 491).
Since
Sikhism is a way of life, Baabaa Nanak asked all Spiritual seekers (
Sikhs) to emphasize three practices in life:
Dharma Dee Kirat Karnaa,
Vand Shaknaa, and
Naam Japnaa. First, "
Dharma Dee Kirat Karnaa" is the right way of living which includes honest way of labor and work side by side with the search of the Truth. Second, "
Vand Shaknaa" is sharing with others in the society including selfless service (
Sevaa), charity,
Naam, virtues, etc. And the third is "
Naam Japnaa" which, as discussed before, is to engage in unbroken contemplation on God, or
Naam.
Naam Japnaa, therefore, is regarded as the third stage! In other words, the interesting and important thing to note here is that if we do not engage in the earnest practice of "
Dharma Dee Kirat Kamaaee", we will remain devoid of the practice of "
Vand Shaknaa"! And, thus, in the absence of both "
Dharma Dee Kirat Kamaaee" and "
Vand Shaknaa", we cannot practice
Naam Japnaa! It's that simple!
- schu ErY sBu ko aupir scu Awcwru: Truth is higher than everything; but higher still is truthful living (sggs 62).
- Axhody Awpu vMfwey]ko AYsw Bgqu sdwey: Share with others, even when there is almost nothing to share. Only such a rare one is called a true devotee (sggs 1384).
- ijnI nwmu iDAwieAw gey mskiq Gwil]nwnk qy muK aujly kyqI CutI nwil: Those who have meditated on the Naam and departed after having worked truthfully—O Nanak, they depart with radiant faces, and many are emancipated along with them (sggs 8).
- scI bwxI krm kry Anidnu nwmu iDAwie: He acts according to the True Word of the Bani; and night and day, he meditates on the Naam (sggs 593).
No wonder the Gurbani asks us to accept "
Naam Japnaa" as our True Religion! In other words, according to the Gurbani, "
Naam Japnaa" is the only Religion,
Dharma or
Panth of a real
Sikh (Spiritual seeker). In the following verses, here is what the Gurbani has to say in this context.
- sgl mqWq kyvl hir nwm: The Essence of all religion is God's Name alone (sggs 296).
- hir ko nwmu lY aUqm Drmw: Chanting God's Name is the highest religion (sggs 874).
- hir kIriq rhrwis hmwrI gurmuiK pMQu AqIqM: God's Praise is my occupation; and to live as Gurmukh, spiritual being, is my pure religion (sggs 360).
- nwmu idRVwvY nwmu jpwvY qw kw jug mih Drmw: Implant the Naam, and inspire others to chant the Naam; this is Dharma, true religion, in this world (sggs 680).
- mhw Drm sudwn ikirAw sMig qyrY sy cly: This is the greatest religion, and the best act of charity; this alone will go along with you (sggs 548).
- eyko Drmu idRVY scu koeI: There is only one Dharma; let everyone grasp this Truth (sggs 1188).
—T. Singh
Ajappa Jaap: Unchanted Chant 
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