Respected all
Adding another layer of interpretation to this discussion
But there is a very interesting text on this topic by S. Raghbir Singh "Bir" (nickname) written many years ago entitled "Bandginama". Nam simram and gurbani viewed together with many references from the gurus and the Guru. Raghbir was a careful scholar but the book is written with simplicity. The url is
http://www.amritbani.com/documents/Bandgi Nama.pdf
Raghbir is inspiring and after a few chapters he made the practice of deep Nam Simram sound within reach.
Happy Vasakhi all
Yes, that book is good. I was looking up "vichar" in the ebooks on my pc and found this passage. Vichar should be applied to Gurbani when one is looking up the meaning of the Kirtan being sung.
"The seeker, after an earnest study of the Guru Granth, would be startled
to find that the Guru's pleasure lies not in being idolized or worshipped.
The Guru wants us to mould ourselves on his pattern, and to make ourselves his inheritors and successors. We should understand the Guru and live according to his teachings:
Sikhism lies in pondering the Guru's teachings.
sikhi sikhia gur vichar
The Guru loves and adores the disciple who understands his teachings, and
lives in accordance with them. The true Guru loves to bestow all his precious belongings to the true disciple. His greatest delight consists in giving away the innermost spiritual secrets, all the divine knowledge that he possesses, with his heartiest blessing. The Guru himself is above imperfections and want and is fully conversant with all spiritual secrets and is in fact in atonement with God and he is keen to mould his Sikh in his image.
The Khalsa is my own image,
I reside in the Khalsa.
khalsa mero rup hai khas
khalse mahe hamkaro nivas
Guru Gobind Singb.
The devotee of God is like unto God;
You will find no difference between the two.
Hari ka sevak so hari jeha
bhed na janoh manas deha
Guru Arjan."