Concept Of Naam

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7. Naam and Human Goal

It is in the field of human goals that the world-view of Naam and its logic make a basic departure from the traditional Indian view on the subject. On this problem, the Gurus? views have not only been made clear and precise in their doctrine of Naam throughout Guru Granth Sahib, but these have also been emphasized and exemplified by their lives, which embody an unambiguous lesson on the issue. We shall, therefore, attempt to consider the subject from all the three angles, namely :

(a) the doctrine of Naam,

(b) other tenets and principles laid in Guru Granth Sahib,

(c) the lives that the Gurus led so as to lay down the ideal for others to follow.

(a) The Doctrine Of Naam :

Naam, the Ever-Creative Immanence of God, is engaged in directing the universe, which is real, to become a qualityful world. Every student of Guru Granth Sahib knows that the theme of a large number of prayers and hymns therein is a longing for the gift of Naam, or to be linked with Naam, e.g., "I am beholden to Him who enlightens me with Naam." "My Guru makes Naam permeate me." [1. p. 40]. "Let me not forget Naam, rest is all greed." [1. p. 1247]. "I beg from You the gift of Naam." [1. p. 289]. "He reaches the highest stage whom God benevolently yokes to His Naam." [1. p. 284]. "To ask for any boon other than Naam is to invite pain." [1. p. 958]. "To be imbued with Naam is the essence of true living." "Pray, link me to God." [1. p. 701].

 

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Accordingly, the highest ideal under the Naam Marga is to be yoked or linked to Naam in order to take the world of man to a qualityful goal. In this context, the significance of a God of attributes has already been explained. Naam being the opposite of egoism, this progressive movement is towards an ideal in which selfishness and egoism disappear and qualities of Naam are practised. And to be linked to Naam only means being its instrument and sharing the responsibility of this creative and qualityful development in the world. One imbued with Naam not only takes part in the world without a sense of duality and selfishness, but also strives to create a beautiful world of harmony and quality. Egoism is the cause of all pain, suffering and conflict, which hinder progress towards the goal. As against it, the practice of Naam and its ethics, namely, the unitary view of life, is both the ideal and the sovereign remedy for all ills and evils (sarab rog kaa aukhad Naam), and the way to human development.

"Destroy evil and you become a perfect man." [1. p. 404]. "Give up evil, do right and you realise the essence of God." [1. p. 418].

 

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(b) Other Tenets And Principals In Guru Granth Sahib :

Let us see if the same ideal is prescribed under the other doctrines of Guru Granth Sahib. In answer to a specific question as to how to remove the wall of falsehood obstructing man?s progress to become an ideal or a true man, the Guru gives a categoric reply : "By working according to the Will of God." [1. p. 1]. Again the same ideal of deeds (not of words, rituals, ascetism or even of yogic discipline) is prescribed in the hymns of cosmography quoted earlier about the role of man on earth. It is pointed out that "all assessment is made in accordance with the deeds and doings of man ...... By His Grace only the righteous get the insignia of God?s approval." [1. p. 7]. In Sikhism, God is the Creator of the Universe and invariably the prayer is to be of service to Him. "May I have millions of hands to serve Thee. Service is the way to cross the hurdles of life." [1. p. 781]. "Be ever alert in the service of God. Serve God every moment and relax not." [1. p. 647-8].

 

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This in effect means to be of service in the universe, which is the authentic creative activity of God, who is directing it towards a goal and with a purpose. This service in the universe is really the selfless and qualityful service of all who have to be looked upon alike. [1. p. 77]. The Guru says, "Where there is egoism, God is not; where God is, there cannot be any egoism." [1. p. 1092].

In Sidh Gosht, Guru Nanak has very clearly specified his mission and goal and thrown full light on the issue as to how he would lead his followers across. He says, "With the help of other God-conscious persons, I shall help man to remove his alienation from Naam and God and assist him to cross the difficult hurdles in life." [1. p. 939]. Guru Nanak has thus clarified as to what he means by ?carrying out His Will? and executing God?s mission of creating a society of God-centred men. The Guru says, "The God-man achieves the goal and makes all others do so." [1. p. 125]. That is exactly the reason why the Gurus have likened themselves to a ?servant of God,? ?a soldier in God?s Legion,? or ?a wrestler in the cause of God.? The world being the authentic creation of God, supported by His immanence, the service of God means the service of His creation, namely, the world, this life and man. It is in this light that the Guru?s hymns in Sidh Gosht and elsewhere have to be understood.

to be contd..........*********

 

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Here we may lay stress on two very important and relevant points : (i) The Gurus have repeatedly indicated a continuing process of development, evolution and progress in the empirical world, and (ii) they clearly point out that further progress from animal-men or egoistic men to supermen or God-centred men is not only possible, but is also aimed at. In the hymns of cosmography, already quoted, an ascending order of creation, form, or evolution is indicated.

The Gurus have stated that individuation was created by God and ?slowly there has been growth from small organisms, insects, etc., to animals, and finally to the present animal-man, with his subtle sense of perception, discrimination, reason, introspection.? [1. pp. 946, 466]. "For several births (you) were a mere worm, for several births an insect, for several births a fish, animal, ...... after ages have you the glory of being man." [1. p. 176]. " ...... after passing through myriads of species, one is blest with the human form." [1. p. 631]. "God created you out of a drop of water and breathed life in you. He endowed you with the light of reason, discrimination and wisdom ...... From a sinner He made you virtuous and the lord of all beings. Now it is up to you to fulfil or not to fulfil your destiny." [1. p. 913]. Further progress of man or animal-man, as stated in the hymn of Dharam khand, depends entirely on the deeds of the individuals.

 

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There are two worlds - the first is the world, which we can see, touch, hear, smell or taste - this is called “Maya”. The second is the Living Presence of the One Formless God, the Force, the Spirit of Nature - this is called “Naam”. When we bring the Force into our lives we enrich them. If we live only in the realm of the physical senses, without the Naam, we are only half-alive.

The whole of Gurmat is a way of life bringing the Naam into our everyday lives. The only command in the Sikh faith is “Jap”. This means Repeat, Remember, Awake! Love, Understand, Act! It is easy to understand the importance of Jap if we think of what happens if we don’t do it. We are slaves to the fashions of the present whatever they might be, we forget the Source of Life, we are asleep to the Spontaneous Harmony of Nature from the dancing of the stars to the hymn singing of the birds. When we Jap we say “Yes” to God, we say “Yes” to Life; when we refuse to Jap, we say “No!” to God. The choice is ours. The consequences are ours.

Gurmat is natural religion. Naam fills our world like fire in wood or perfume in a flower. God is the Life of life, the Soul of the cosmos, the Vital-Breath of life. The bridge between the world and the Naam is the Guru, the “bringer of light”. The Guru says that this way is from the first breath. The path of universal Grace is the natural religion existing at all times and places.

www.sikhspirit.com

 

[Sikh80]

Naam and sermon
Page 95
Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
Read of the Lord's Glories and reflect upon the Lord's Glories.
Listen continually to the Sermon of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, you shall cross over the treacherous and terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
Come, friends, let us meet our Lord.
Bring me a message from my Beloved.
He alone is a friend, companion, beloved and brother of mine, who shows me the way to the Lord, the Lord of all. ||2||
My illness is known only to the Lord and the Perfect Guru.
I cannot continue living without chanting the Naam.
So give me the medicine, the Mantra of the Perfect Guru. Through the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I am saved. ||3||
I am just a poor song-bird, in the Sanctuary of the True Guru,
who has placed the Drop of Water, the Lord's Name, Har, Har, in my mouth.
The Lord is the Treasure of Water; I am just a fish in that water. Without this Water, servant Nanak would die. ||4||3||
Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
O servants of the Lord, O Saints, O my Siblings of Destiny, let us join together!
Show me the way to my Lord God-I am so hungry for Him!
Please reward my faith, O Life of the World, O Great Giver. Obtaining the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, my mind is fulfilled. ||1||
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I chant the Bani of the Lord's Word.
The Sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, is pleasing to my mind.
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, is so sweet to my mind. Meeting the True Guru, I drink in this Ambrosial Nectar. ||2||
By great good fortune, the Lord's Congregation is found,
while the unfortunate ones wander around in doubt, enduring painful beatings.
Without good fortune, the Sat Sangat is not found; without this Sangat, people are stained with filth and pollution. ||3||
Come and meet me, O Life of the World, my Beloved.
Please bless me with Your Mercy, and enshrine Your Name, Har, Har, within my mind.

Through the Guru's Teachings, the Sweet Name has become pleasing to my mind. Servant Nanak's mind is drenched and delighted with the Naam. ||4||4||

Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
Through the Guru, I have obtained the Lord's spiritual wisdom. I have obtained the Sublime Essence of the Lord.

My mind is imbued with the Love of the Lord; I drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord.

With my mouth, I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; my mind is filled to overflowing with the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||1||
Come, O Saints, and lead me to my Lord's Embrace.
Recite to me the Sermon of my Beloved.

I dedicate my mind to those Saints of the Lord, who chant the Word of the Guru's Bani with their mouths. ||2||

By great good fortune, the Lord has led me to meet His Saint.
The Perfect Guru has placed the Sublime Essence of the Lord into my mouth.

The unfortunate ones do not find the True Guru; the self-willed manmukhs continually endure reincarnation through the womb. ||3||
God, the Merciful, has Himself bestowed His Mercy.
He has totally removed the poisonous pollution of egotism.
O Nanak, in the shops of the city of the human body, the Gurmukhs buy the merchandise of the Lord's Name. ||4||5||
I meditate on the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and the Name of the Lord.
Joining the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, the Name comes to dwell in the mind.

The Lord God is our Lord and Master, Inaccessible and Unfathomable. Meeting the True Guru, I enjoy the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||1||

 

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Extracts Of thread
Addressing those of us who give much importance to performance of 'seva' and good deeds,I have to say Naam is more important.In themselves all good deeds,acts of charity will ensure temporary pleasures of Swarg or heaven but they will never guarantee salvation or permanent merger with God in order to end the cycle of transmigration of soul.Good deeds must be motivated or accompanied by genuine meditation,Simran and Dhyana on the Name of the Lord,otherwise they are just empty acts of karma with their attendant results.That is why Guru has placed all emphasis on Naam as the first and foremost requisite in human life.Everything else will automatically follow through the infinite power of Naam and Guru's grace.Naam is Truth and Truth is Naam.Therefore concentration on Naam will lead to truthful living,the highest ideal according to Guru Nanak,which will then spontaneously result in true seva and good deeds.
Good deeds Vs Naam

 

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contd. from link*******25
Till man came on the scene, it was not possible for life to outgrow its animal existence and alienation from God. So far, like other animals, man too has been living an animal existence. But, the Guru emphasizes the opportunity available to man to become a superman, the highest ideal in the world of creation, and thereby be the humble but active agent of the Creative God, as indicated in the hymns of Sidh Gosht quoted above. "Man with his egocentric individuality is basically an animal, with all animal limitations" [1. p. 267] and alienation from Naam or God. But, he has the invaluable capacity to come into his own by breaking this alienation and establishing a link with Naam.

 

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The Guru again and again addresses man to give up his egocentric activity and instead to rise to his full stature and avail himself of this one opportunity. "After ages, this invaluable opportunity of human birth is obtained, but one loses it for nothing; one loses a ruby in exchange for a piece of broken glass." [1. p. 1203]. "Among eighty-four lakhs of species, man is assigned the supreme position, whosoever misses the opportunity, suffers the pain of transmigration." [1. p. 1075]. "Human birth is the epitome of fruitful effort, but man loses it for a trifle." [1. p. 1179]. "Human birth is precious." [1. p. 751]. "You have obtained the privilege of human body, now is your one opportunity to meet God." [1. p. 12].

 

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The Guru again and again addresses man to give up his egocentric activity and instead to rise to his full stature and avail himself of this one opportunity. "After ages, this invaluable opportunity of human birth is obtained, but one loses it for nothing; one loses a ruby in exchange for a piece of broken glass." [1. p. 1203]. "Among eighty-four lakhs of species, man is assigned the supreme position, whosoever misses the opportunity, suffers the pain of transmigration." [1. p. 1075]. "Human birth is the epitome of fruitful effort, but man loses it for a trifle." [1. p. 1179]. "Human birth is precious." [1. p. 751]. "You have obtained the privilege of human body, now is your one opportunity to meet God." [1. p. 12].

 

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This is how we understand Guru Nanak?s statements that his mission is, with the help of other God-conscious persons, to assist man to grow into superman, so as to cross egoistic obstacles in the sea of life, and thereby to help the process of evolution and creativity to supermanship, flowering into a beautiful world. Hence, the ideal is not only to be a superman oneself, but with the help of other supermen to convert everybody into supermen. [1.p.295]. And this physico-spiritual ideal, laid down in Guru Granth Sahib, can be reached only in this world by removing human alienation caused by ego (haumen) which is opposed to Naam, and which can be removed only by creative and altruistic living.

 

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Already we have looked at this issue from another angle and concluded that Naam is conducting a qualityful movement expressible and aimed at fructifying in the world of man. In the background of Indian religions, this is the way to emphasize the importance of creative living in the world, as also of what one may call, this-worldly interest of God. To say that God has moral qualities does not mean an anthropomorphic description of God, but it is a metaphoric way of expressing the essentiality of virtuous conduct which alone secures progress as against the egoistic and individualistic activity of the selfcentred man (manmukh), who generates forces of separatism, conflict, war and chaos. That is why the Guru also describes the God-centred man (gurmukh), the ideal in Sikhism, as having qualities of spontaneous beneficence, love, help to the poor, etc., essentially the same qualities as of God. In short, in the case of God-centred man, his love for God is in fact transformed into God?s love for man.

 

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It needs to be clarified here whether the ideal in Sikhism is linkage with God or merger in God. According to the Gurus, man, because of his individualism and selfishness, stands alienated from God?s immanence. Instead of serving God of attributes, man, in his ignorance and myopic vision, starts serving his own self and fails to rise to his full height of being a conscious and humble instrument of God?s creative functioning in the world. In His Transcendence, God?s Being is all by Himself in a Self-absorbed state, without sign of any visible form, devotion, love or creative activity. In that state, God?s Will, Naam or attributes are not expressed, since these can work only in the created world.

 

[Sikh80]

It needs to be clarified here whether the ideal in Sikhism is linkage with God or merger in God. According to the Gurus, man, because of his individualism and selfishness, stands alienated from God?s immanence. Instead of serving God of attributes, man, in his ignorance and myopic vision, starts serving his own self and fails to rise to his full height of being a conscious and humble instrument of God?s creative functioning in the world. In His Transcendence, God?s Being is all by Himself in a Self-absorbed state, without sign of any visible form, devotion, love or creative activity. In that state, God?s Will, Naam or attributes are not expressed, since these can work only in the created world.

 

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Second is the state when God?s Naam and Will are expressed and creative functioning in the universe goes on. To talk of merger in God in this state involves virtually a reversion to the first state of God being Self-absorbed. This is, therefore, a contradiction in terms, because while God is engaged in His Creative Activity, there can be no question of the cessation of this dynamic activity or merger of man in the Self-absorbed state. Besides, such an opposite process would be evidently counter to the expressed creative Will of God. True, there are some hymns in Guru Granth Sahib where merger with God appears to be indicated, but this merger or joining means only a link, as quoted earlier, with the Creative Immanence of God, because merger involves loss of identity and can be possible only in a pantheistic creed and not in a theistic creed like Sikhism.

 

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Below are quoted a few of the hymns which clarify the issue :

(i) "His body and mind are imbued entirely with the hue of Naam and he lives always in the company of God; as one stream of water intermingles with another, in the same manner his light merges in the light of God." [1. p. 278].

(ii) "The gurmukh is all admiration for the attributes of God; and he remains merged in God." [1. p. 942].

(iii) "Brahmgyaani looks solely to God for all support." "God lives by the side of Brahmgyaani." "Brahmgyaani is himself God." [1. p. 273].

(iv) "He devotes himself to God with his whole being and remains merged in his God." [1. p. 286].

 

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All these and similar other hymns are significant, because the idea of the superman?s identity being different from that of God appears in the same hymn as containing, side by side, the idea of his apparent merger in God. Evidently, the Gurus would not give two contradictory concepts in the same breath. Therefore, the seeming symbols of merger only signify a link between the superman (gurmukh) and Naam, especially as in all these and other such hymns, the superman has been indicated as a functioning and separate identity.

 

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We further amplify to show that the interpretation stated above is the only one that can be accepted :

(i) The Gurus do not lay two kinds of ideals for their disciples, i.e., one of link with the Creative Naam or His Will and expressible only in the created world, and the other of one?s merger in the Self-absorbed state of God, even while the created world exists and is being dynamically worked by His Immanence. Nowhere in Sikhism is there the least evidence or suggestion of two alternative ideals or duality of goals. Such a thing is contrary to the very fundamentals of Sikhism as expressed profusely in Guru Granth Sahib and in the entire Sikh tradition, which is not only anti-ascetic and anti-withdrawal from life, but stands for active participation in the world. Merger in the anonymity of Brahman may be the ideal in other Indian systems or salvation religions, where the world is either an illusion or of a lower category, or where participation in samsara is anti-spiritual, but it cannot be so where God is the Creator of this beautiful world, which is the only field of His Will and Creative Activity.

The goal is not heaven or salvation but love of Naam : "Heaven cannot equal God?s Naam. The God-faced has no desire for salvation." "I seek not power, nor salvation; pray, give me the love of God." [1. pp. 1078, 534].

 

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(ii) In Dharam khand, the Guru has clearly laid down that for every one on this earth, the only ideal is of virtuous activity and deeds, which alone meet God?s approval. The same direction is given in the Guru?s dictum : ?Higher than truth is truthful conduct or living.?

(iii) In the Hymn of Cosomography, as discussed earlier, the superman is limited only to the Region of Creativity. He is not merged in His Immanence, much less in His Transcendence, where the question of the separate identity of the devotee does not arise. Any such suggested merger would even be contrary to the clear denial of incarnation of God (avatarhood) in Sikh theology. For, a corollary of man?s merger in God would be God?s incarnation as man.