Veer Bhagat Singh ji, Veer Taranjeet Singh ji you may find the first Sabad in 3rd Astpadi instructive. Guru ji have clearly stated the intent of what he means,
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sukhmani-sahib/37788-sukhmani-sahib-astpadi-3-sabad-1-a.html
ਨਹੀ ਤੁਲਿ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬੀਚਾਰ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੀਐ ਇਕ ਬਾਰ ॥੧॥
Nahī ṯul rām nām bīcẖār. Nānak gurmukẖ nām japī▫ai ik bār. ||1||
None equal the seeking of creator’s understanding. Guru Nanak, it is so even if you do such effort to understand the creator once.
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sukhmani-sahib/37788-sukhmani-sahib-astpadi-3-sabad-1-a.html
ਨਾਮੁ is Understanding and not NAME.
Sat Sri Akal.
Ambarsaria ji,
What you say is great. I agree. But it is not specific, it is a general statement. However, Guru Sahibs are giving us specific instructions of what to do. I have been trying to convey these specific instructions to you.
Specifically: The phrase ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬੀਚਾਰ means to Contemplate Ram Naam, to utter it. "Ram Ram..." with an undercurrent of contemplation of focus on the name and on Ram.
As a whole this sentence means:
None of those things mentioned previously in the pauri are on par with the uttering of Ram Naam even once with a mind that is turned towards the Guru (in both sense of the word: the Formless God and the Guide Form, Guru Sahib).
The goal is not merely understanding but a practice of understanding. What is understanding? That I must get rid of/subdue my ego, my sense of "I" that is separate from my environment. The goal is to expand one's sense of self to be the True Self, God. (If there is one thing we can get out of Gurbani, it is this understanding) The practice is doing something to get rid of that ego, the sense of separation, the sense of a distinct identity that is focused on me and excludes everything else.
What is the practice? What are the specific instructions?
ਮਾਝ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥
माझ महला ३ ॥
Mājẖ mėhlā 3.
Maajh, Third Mehl:
ਗੋਵਿੰਦੁ ਊਜਲੁ ਊਜਲ ਹੰਸਾ ॥
गोविंदु ऊजलु ऊजल हंसा ॥
Govinḏ ūjal ūjal hansā.
The Lord of the Universe is radiant, and radiant are His soul-swans.
Those who meditate on Gobind become Gobind. If Gobind was a lake they become the swans on that lake, always connected to the water.
ਮਨੁ ਬਾਣੀ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਨਸਾ ॥
मनु बाणी निरमल मेरी मनसा ॥
Man baṇī nirmal merī mansā.
Their minds and their speech are immaculate; they are my hope and ideal.
They become pure and have pure ideas. Those ideas are pure that arise from a mind that is immersed in Gobind.
ਮਨਿ ਊਜਲ ਸਦਾ ਮੁਖ ਸੋਹਹਿ ਅਤਿ ਊਜਲ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਵਣਿਆ ॥੧॥
मनि ऊजल सदा मुख सोहहि अति ऊजल नामु धिआवणिआ ॥१॥
Man ūjal saḏā mukẖ sohėh aṯ ūjal nām ḏẖi▫āvaṇi▫ā. ||1||
Their minds are radiant, and their faces are always beautiful; they meditate on the most radiant Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
ਹਉ ਵਾਰੀ ਜੀਉ ਵਾਰੀ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਣਿਆ ॥
हउ वारी जीउ वारी गोबिंद गुण गावणिआ ॥
Ha▫o vārī jī▫o vārī gobinḏ guṇ gāvaṇi▫ā.
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
ਗਾਵਣਿਆ - to sing (needless to say with one's mouth, uttering, speaking) thus ਧਿਆਵਣਿਆ is focus on that which is being sung. Meditation through singing.
ਗੋਬਿਦੁ ਗੋਬਿਦੁ ਕਹੈ ਦਿਨ ਰਾਤੀ ਗੋਬਿਦ ਗੁਣ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁਣਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
गोबिदु गोबिदु कहै दिन राती गोबिद गुण सबदि सुणावणिआ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Gobiḏ gobiḏ kahai ḏin rāṯī gobiḏ guṇ sabaḏ suṇāvṇi▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
So chant Gobind, Gobind, the Lord of the Universe, day and night; sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord Gobind, through the Word of His Shabad. ||1||Pause||
ਗੋਬਿਦੁ ਗੋਬਿਦੁ ਕਹੈ - to speak, utter "Gobind, Gobind".
They say/utter (meditate on, ਧਿਆਵਣਿਆ) "Gobind, Gobind" day and night. They sing Gobind's praises about His gunas/qualities.
ਗੋਬਿਦੁ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਏ ॥
गोबिदु गावहि सहजि सुभाए ॥
Gobiḏ gāvahi sahj subẖā▫e.
Sing of the Lord Gobind with intuitive ease,
ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਏ - still mind, mind's natural state, without the chatterbox
Sing about Gobind with a still mind. Love - maximum empathy and non-judgement of other people - oozes out of a still mind.
ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਭੈ ਊਜਲ ਹਉਮੈ ਮਲੁ ਜਾਏ ॥
गुर कै भै ऊजल हउमै मलु जाए ॥
Gur kai bẖai ūjal ha▫umai mal jā▫e.
in the Fear of the Guru; you shall become radiant, and the filth of egotism shall depart.
Thus in fear (in fear there is alertness) of the Guru, sing about Gobind, utter "Gobind Gobind" and your egotism, the sense of separation between "I" and the environment (and other "I's", other people) shall depart. For one, this leads to love - maximum empathy and non-judgement of other people.
ਸਦਾ ਅਨੰਦਿ ਰਹਹਿ ਭਗਤਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਸੁਣਿ ਗੋਬਿਦ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੨॥
सदा अनंदि रहहि भगति करहि दिनु राती सुणि गोबिद गुण गावणिआ ॥२॥
Saḏā anand rahėh bẖagaṯ karahi ḏin rāṯī suṇ gobiḏ guṇ gāvaṇi▫ā. ||2||
Remain in bliss forever, and perform devotional worship, day and night. Hear and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord Gobind. ||2||
Those who do the above and get rid of the egotism, the separation, remain in peace and remain absorbed in devotional worship (ਗਾਵਣਿਆ and ਧਿਆਵਣਿਆ) day and night.
ਮਨੂਆ ਨਾਚੈ ਭਗਤਿ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਏ ॥
मनूआ नाचै भगति द्रिड़ाए ॥
Manū▫ā nācẖai bẖagaṯ driṛ▫ā▫e.
Channel your dancing mind in devotional worship,
They experience states of consciousness (states where one does not feel separation) not accessible to them before and these states become more and more accessible as the mind gets more and more absorbed in devotional worship.
ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਨੈ ਮਨੁ ਮਿਲਾਏ ॥
गुर कै सबदि मनै मनु मिलाए ॥
Gur kai sabaḏ manai man milā▫e.
and through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, merge your mind with the Supreme Mind.
Your mind becomes still and becomes Gobind (merges with Gobind) through Guru's shabad, through what He prescribes and instructs.
ਸਚਾ ਤਾਲੁ ਪੂਰੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਚੁਕਾਏ ਸਬਦੇ ਨਿਰਤਿ ਕਰਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੩॥
सचा तालु पूरे माइआ मोहु चुकाए सबदे निरति करावणिआ ॥३॥
Sacẖā ṯāl pūre mā▫i▫ā moh cẖukā▫e sabḏe niraṯ karāvaṇi▫ā. ||3||
Let your true and perfect tune be the subjugation of your love of Maya, and let yourself dance to the Shabad. ||3||
Essentially: Cultivate love, devotion, fear of Guru, concentration and a still mind as you chant Gobind, and your egotism and sense of separation will be eradicated.