Sri Guru Granth Sahib: Review Of ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ (saṯ Nām)

[Ambarsaria]

Part of a series to review ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥/Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯ nām karṯā purakẖ nirbẖa▫o nirvair akāl mūraṯ ajūnī saibẖaʼn gur parsāḏ.

ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ

Phonetics:saṯ nām

ArQ /Meaning:

ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ : ijs dw nwm 'hoNd vwlw' hY.

saṯ nām : The Name Is Truth.

Application: So one naturally wonders what is the name of the creator? Can it all be known? Would there be more of truth known as time passes from generation to generation?

Even though culturally and otherwise we commonly have references for a name for the creator like God (great danger in reference to the Abrahmnic connotation) ਰੱਬ/rub, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ/vāhigurū, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ/ parabẖū , etc.
The unencumbered name for such is ਸਤਿ / saṯ. Since ਸਤਿ / saṯ is a word, to ensure its usage to refer to creator the whole combination of the two words ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ/ saṯ nām provides a clear way to clarify that one is talking about or mentioning the one creator in ੴ /Ik▫oaʼnkār.

So can we know all about ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ (saṯ nām). The Gurbani tells us about some possible characteristics but also guides us that such a truth is infinite in nature. So complete description, search for the same with time frames, and all such is a bit futile. Some people in order to show reverence for Sri Guru Granth Sahib will postulate that all the specific details and answers are in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. This is a very myopic and dangerous stance and is not the guidance that our Guru ji taught or what Sri Guru Granth Sahib stands for. So do we throw up our hands in despair and say like “I will never know!”. The answer is that every little bit more that you understand and help others with is a thing to cherish and relish. Since ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ/ saṯ nām pervades through all creation and everywhere, once you get tired of just scratching your head, reading books or philosophizing in forums, go out and search for the truth in creation that surrounds us in animals, plants, the dirt and the mountains and galaxies beyond and relish/cherish all you find truthfully.

So over time more and more will be known and Sikhism teaches us to update our understanding of ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ/ saṯ nām continuously and endlessly. Sikhism gives you an evergreen path and you can never be stuck in dogmas, falseness and beliefs that get shattered but would always be in search of and in consonance with the truth. If that is not a basis of beautiful living, I don’t know much more that is.

ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ/ saṯ nām vāhigurū , the creator named ਸਤਿ/ saṯ we remember and we are enthralled (ਵਾਹਿ/vāhi) at our teacher(s) (ਗੁਰੂ / gurū ) for the help/guidance.

Any comments welcome and all errors are mine and I stand corrected.

Sat Sri Akal.

 

[spnadmin]

This is wonderful seva. I thank you.

 

[Seeker9]

This is wonderful seva. I thank you.

And me
Thanks so much Ambarsaria JI
I look forward to learning through this and other threads in the series

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Some people in order to show reverence for Sri Guru Granth Sahib will postulate that all the specific details and answers are in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

Veer Ji We could say truthfully that all the answers are there because it is the categorical imperative.Just as during the Second World War, a code was needed to decipher what the message meant,so it is with Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji,we could regard it as a form of Code Breaker.It 'all 'because it is at the heart of the matter and explains that at the periphery.

 

[Seeker9]

Since ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ/ saṯ nām pervades through all creation and everywhere

Grateful if this could be expanded in the context of Sargun and Nirgun

Is one referring to the formless Onkar whereas the other is referring to the manifestation of Onkar in all creation?

Thanks

 

[Ambarsaria]

Grateful if this could be expanded in the context of Sargun and Nirgun

Is one referring to the formless Onkar whereas the other is referring to the manifestation of Onkar in all creation?

Thanks

Seekr9 ji this being part of Gurmat Vichaar section, I suggest you post complete shabad(s) so that we can review it together in terms of your question regarding "Sargun and Nirgun". I will be more than happy to participate, contribute, review and provide my input as appropriate.

Veer Ji We could say truthfully that all the answers are there because it is the categorical imperative.Just as during the Second World War, a code was needed to decipher what the message meant,so it is that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji,it is a form of Truth Code Breaker.

Sinner veer, wonderful analogy. I agree in most part except that I have not sufficiently and personally used the code to be able to do so. I don't believe I have enough of a time left to do so in this abode. I can fully agree in it as a belief but Sikhism tells us to learn ever more and believe less let understanding more be the "Raison d'être". At least that is how I tend to approach.

Sat Sri Akal.

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

Ambarsariah Ji..Thnaks for starting this Thread...just wonderful...May the Blessings from Guru Ji flow you way...and give you the strength to post daily....

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

SAT in our Daily LIFE..is to be TRUTHFUL..always..no matter at what cost....Thats How SAT changes US....

 

[Seeker9]

More on Sargun and Nirgun as requested
Thanks
==========================================
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Page 290)

ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥
सलोकु ॥
Salok.
Shalok:

ਸਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧੀ ਆਪਿ ॥
सरगुन निरगुन निरंकार सुंन समाधी आपि ॥
Sargun nirgun nirankār sunn samāḏẖī āp.
He possesses all qualities; He transcends all qualities; He is the Formless Lord. He Himself is in Primal Samaadhi.

ਆਪਨ ਕੀਆ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਜਾਪਿ ॥੧॥
आपन कीआ नानका आपे ही फिरि जापि ॥१॥
Āpan kī▫ā nānkā āpe hī fir jāp. ||1||
Through His Creation, O Nanak, He meditates on Himself. ||1||

==============================================
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Page 387)

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
आसा महला ५ ॥
Āsā mėhlā 5.
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:

ਆਪੇ ਪੇਡੁ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੀ ਸਾਖ ॥
आपे पेडु बिसथारी साख ॥
Āpe ped bisthārī sākẖ.
He Himself is the tree, and the branches extending out.

ਅਪਨੀ ਖੇਤੀ ਆਪੇ ਰਾਖ ॥੧॥
अपनी खेती आपे राख ॥१॥
Apnī kẖeṯī āpe rākẖ. ||1||
He Himself preserves His own crop. ||1||

ਜਤ ਕਤ ਪੇਖਉ ਏਕੈ ਓਹੀ ॥
जत कत पेखउ एकै ओही ॥
Jaṯ kaṯ pekẖa▫o ekai ohī.
Wherever I look, I see that One Lord alone.

ਘਟ ਘਟ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਆਪੇ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
घट घट अंतरि आपे सोई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Gẖat gẖat anṯar āpe so▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Deep within each and every heart, He Himself is contained. ||1||Pause||

ਆਪੇ ਸੂਰੁ ਕਿਰਣਿ ਬਿਸਥਾਰੁ ॥
आपे सूरु किरणि बिसथारु ॥
Āpe sūr kiraṇ bisthār.
He Himself is the sun, and the rays emanating from it.

ਸੋਈ ਗੁਪਤੁ ਸੋਈ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥੨॥
सोई गुपतु सोई आकारु ॥२॥
So▫ī gupaṯ so▫ī ākār. ||2||
He is concealed, and He is revealed. ||2||

ਸਰਗੁਣ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ ਥਾਪੈ ਨਾਉ ॥
सरगुण निरगुण थापै नाउ ॥
Sarguṇ nirguṇ thāpai nā▫o.
He is said to be of the highest attributes, and without attributes.

ਦੁਹ ਮਿਲਿ ਏਕੈ ਕੀਨੋ ਠਾਉ ॥੩॥
दुह मिलि एकै कीनो ठाउ ॥३॥
Ḏuh mil ekai kīno ṯẖā▫o. ||3||
Both converge onto His single point. ||3||

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਿ ਭ੍ਰਮੁ ਭਉ ਖੋਇਆ ॥
कहु नानक गुरि भ्रमु भउ खोइआ ॥
Kaho Nānak gur bẖaram bẖa▫o kẖo▫i▫ā.
Says Nanak, the Guru has dispelled my doubt and fear.

ਅਨਦ ਰੂਪੁ ਸਭੁ ਨੈਨ ਅਲੋਇਆ ॥੪॥੧੭॥੬੮॥
अनद रूपु सभु नैन अलोइआ ॥४॥१७॥६८॥
Anaḏ rūp sabẖ nain alo▫i▫ā. ||4||17||68||
With my eyes, I perceive the Lord, the embodiment of bliss, to be everywhere. ||4||17||68||

======================================

Source: http://www.srigranth.org/

 

[Ambarsaria]

Seekr9 ji I have gotten help form Srigranth.org but included Bhai Manmohan Singh and Prof. Sahib Singh's discourse in Punjabi from the following,

http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=290&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=1&k=1

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Page 290)
ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥
सलोकु ॥
Salok.
Shalok:

ਸਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧੀ ਆਪਿ ॥
सरगुन निरगुन निरंकार सुंन समाधी आपि ॥
Sargun nirgun nirankār sunn samāḏẖī āp.
He possesses all qualities; He transcends all qualities; He is the Formless Lord. He Himself is in Primal Samaadhi.

ਆਪਨ ਕੀਆ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਜਾਪਿ ॥੧॥
आपन कीआ नानका आपे ही फिरि जापि ॥१॥
Āpan kī▫ā nānkā āpe hī fir jāp. ||1||
Through His Creation, O Guru Nanak, He meditates on Himself. ||1||

ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥ ਸਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰਗੁਨ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧੀ ਆਪਿ ॥ ਆਪਨ ਕੀਆ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਜਾਪਿ ॥੧॥
सलोकु ॥ सरगुन निरगुन निरंकार सुंन समाधी आपि ॥ आपन कीआ नानका आपे ही फिरि जापि ॥१॥
Salok. Sargun nirgun nirankār sunn samāḏẖī āp. Āpan kī▫ā nānkā āpe hī fir jāp. ||1||
Shalok: He possesses all qualities; He transcends all qualities; He is the Formless Lord. He Himself is in Primal Samaadhi. Through His Creation, O Guru Nanak, He meditates on Himself. ||1||
ਸਲੋਕ। ਰੂਪ-ਰਹਿਤ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਖੁਦ ਹੀ ਸੰਬੰਧਤ ਤੇ ਅਸੰਬੰਧਤ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਅਫੁਰ ਤਾੜੀ ਅੰਦਰ ਹੈ। ਨਾਨਕ, ਆਪਣੀ ਨਿਜ ਦੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਰਾਹੀਂ, ਉਹ ਮੁੜ ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਦਾ ਆਰਾਧਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।
ਸਰਗੁਨ = ਤ੍ਰਿਗੁਣੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਦਾ ਰੂਪ। ਨਿਰਗੁਨ = ਮਾਇਆ ਦੇ ਤਿੰਨਾਂ ਗੁਣਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਪਰੇ। ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ = ਆਕਾਰ-ਰਹਿਤ। ਸੁੰਨ = ਸੁੰਞ, ਜਿਥੇ ਕੁਝ ਨਾਹ ਹੋਵੇ। ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧੀ = ਟਿਕਾਉ ਦੀ ਉਹ ਅਵਸਥਾ ਜਿਥੇ ਸੁੰਞ ਹੋਵੇ, ਕੋਈ ਫੁਰਨਾ ਨਾਹ ਉਠੇ। ਕੀਆ = ਪੈਦਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੋਇਆ। ਜਾਪਿ = ਜਾਪੈ, ਜਪ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਯਾਦ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।੧।

ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ (ਭਾਵ, ਆਕਾਰ-ਰਹਿਤ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ) ਤ੍ਰਿਗੁਣੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਦਾ ਰੂਪ (ਭਾਵ, ਜਗਤ ਰੂਪ) ਭੀ ਆਪ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਦੇ ਤਿੰਨਾਂ ਗੁਣਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਪਰੇ ਭੀ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਹੈ, ਅਫੁਰ ਅਵਸਥਾ ਵਿਚ ਟਿਕਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਭੀ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! (ਇਹ ਸਾਰਾ ਜਗਤ) ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਨੇ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਰਚਿਆ ਹੈ (ਤੇ ਜਗਤ ਦੇ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਬੈਠ ਕੇ) ਆਪ ਹੀ (ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਨੂੰ ਯਾਦ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ।੧।

In summary my understanding of the essence of the above is that, the creator creates endlessly and through it sees the self without association with all the elements that get generated in creation.

Let us review how it appears. So the creator creates and that directly reflects the creator. However the creator has no need to be linked directly in itself to the goings on in the creation. The “Maya” or the trap is set by creator’s creation but creator does not have any association with such nor has the entrapment as a concept in creation.

An example perhaps in the context of say the famous five thieves perceived by many. Namely; Kam , Karodh, Lobh, Moh and Ahankar. So we are part of creation and we see these but it does not imply that these are actually created by the creator or have any association with the creator.

So in a way it answers the phrase that is heard at times uttered by some people as a catch-22 like fashion,

• ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਚਗ਼ੇ ਕੰਮ ਅਤੇ ਮਾੜੇ ਕੰਮ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਕਰਾਉੰਦਾ ਹੈ।
• The creator gets us to do good deeds and the bad deeds.
  • Sometimes there is a deduction that the creator created bad to guide the good as to what to avoid or show what is bad.

This Gurbani reference clears that mis-conception that the creator creates and is not a director post creation and expects the now created to get going in consonance with the rest.
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Just perhaps my little thoughts if it helps.

[/FONT]Sat Sri Akal.

[/FONT]PS: I will attend to the second part of your post later if necessary. I strongly suggest that if you are good with Punjabi that while going through Srigranth.org tha you turn on the Teeka by Prof. Sahib Singh and Punjabi discourse by Bhai Manmohan Singh. It helps me a lot even though I try to read it for me and see it for myself these two help a great deal.

[/FONT]

 

[Seeker9]

Dear Ambarsaria Ji

Many thanks for this

I will come back to it but have a couple of assignments on the go so may need to take a wee break

Re Punjabi, sadly I speak it but cannot read and write it. I am the only one in my family born here.
But I am attempting to remedy that and am also putting my own boys through Punjabi school at the
Gurdwara

Incidentally, I do not want to go off at a tangent but any recommendations for Punjabi learning resources
printed or online would be much appreciated

Thanks again

R

 

[Harry Haller]

SatNam-truth is his name, so we start with One creator present as one essence everywhere, whose name is the (eternal) truth.

The truth is a difficult one, there is the truth, and then there is the eternal truth, I have inserted the word eternal as the human truth can be difficult to quantify, for example, I walk down the street, 2 houses are burning, one contains my wife, one contains my mother, which house do I enter first, I have to confess from a human point of view I do not know, but the answer is known to eternal truth, I would like to think, even if the answer is 'take a close look at the fires, which one has a better chance of survival', but somewhere there is a truth that is holy and sacred and never wrong.

Such a truth , for me, I cannot imagine, a truth that penetrates all, sees through all known factors, all known circumstances, takes into account all known outcomes,

Living life so hard that you end up with 3 heart attacks at 36 (its ok im fine now), gives you a certain insight into people, people think you can read their minds, but its much simpler than that, its called perception, and living hard does fine tune your ability to be perceptive, I suppose as long as you have learnt something along the way, but for those that are in tune with the creator within, I would imagine they have an ability that dwarfs mine, an ability to sort out the eternal truth from the convenient truth or the truth at that time or the incomplete truth, I think that encapsulates SatNam for me, thank you

 

[Ambarsaria]

Harry Veer ji the "Eternal" part is subsequent words in this composition and applies to all the qualities of creator that are unchanging. Good point to flag it though as you did.

Sat Sri Akal.