Dr. Trilochan Singh: Scholar and Historian of the Sikhs

by AAD SINGH , ANANDPUR SAHIB, Saturday, March 27, 2010, 05:28 (5146 days ago) @ Gursant Singh

When we are asking Gurujee for Naam di daat, what is it exactly that we are asking for? References to what certain Gurmukh Mahapurkhs have said in this regard will be helpful in understanding this, so please bring that out or quote it, and also shed some light with your own understanding of this concept.

What is Naam di Daat? This is a wonderful question and an intricate one too. With respect to Naam let?s ponder upon the following Gur-hukams from Gurbani:

1) NAAM JAPO MERE SAAJAN SAINA||

2) NAU-NIDH AMRIT PRABH KA NAAM||
DEHI MEH ISS KA BISRAAM||

3) NAAM KE DHARE SAGLE JANT||
NAAM KE DHARE KHAND BRAHMAND||

In the first pankiti Siri Guru jee is instructing us to recite or japp Naam. Here Naam means Gurmantra that we are supposed to recite and japp. As we japp and recite this Naam, it leads us to Jyot Prakaashi roop of Naam which in essence is roop of Vaheguru himself.

In the second pankiti Guru Sahib is mentioning the Jyot-roopi Naam that is secretly present in everyone. ?Dehi me iss ka bisraam? i.e. it resides in the dehi (body). People who have used hand pumps in India know that in summer when the water goes deeper in Earth, sometimes one has to pour water from outside and then pump the handpump to bring water out. Same way, Naam Gurmantr has to be japped from outside to get to the treasure of Naam right inside us.

In the third pankiti Siri Guru jee writes about Jyot-Prakashi Naam that is essentially Vaheguru himself, that pervades the whole universe and the whole universe, galaxies and creatures are sustained by this all-pervading Naam.

It is written in books of Gurmukhs like Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee that while it all starts with the first stage i.e. by reciting and chanting Naam but it leads one first to the Naam treasure right inside our body and then connects us to the all pervading Naam i.e. Vaheguru himself. Naam and Naami-Vaheguru are one and the same.

In Jail Chithiaan, Bhai Sahib has written his personal account of pleading for Naam. He kept saying to Vaheguru jee "Naam japan la de" "Naam baksh" and doing so lost consciousness and fainted right during ardaas. Such was his bairaag.

I guess Naam dee daat actually is the daat of Vaheguru himself. Naam and Naami are one and the same just like Guru and Vaheguru are the same. Guru is the form of Vaheguru and same way Naam is the energy form of Vaheguru. It's the way one can join formless Vaheguru. It's our connection with the formless Vaheguru.