Sikhi- Naam Dharam

Sikhi in today’s world is described as a religion…although looking at the definition of religion, it is clearly a man made concept. Sikhism is much more than only a religion, it is a dharma. It is the Dharma of Naam. Sikhism preaches the truth, which has been in existence forever, but not all understand it. The core of Sikhism is naam, naam is the eternal truth, and hence it never begins and is never ending. So how can we say Sikhism started only 500 years ago, when surely the truth of naam has been around since the beginning of time itself. Naam is the path which waheguru himself has given us, our path to salvation. Religion is bound by the fact that only man can follow it, whereas with dharma all of nature itself must abide and does abide by the laws set by Akaal Purakh. The sun gives light as it is what Waheguru requires of it, it is its dharma. The moon reflects that light as it is, it’s dharma is to do so and so all of existence should follow its dharma.

The importance of naam in sikhi is infinite but it is also important to understand why that is.
Sikhi aims to preach the truth, therefore its not surprising that so much emphasis is placed on the importance of Naam.
Naam is the foundation of life, dharma and naam coincide. From Naam came the pawan (air) from the pawan came jal (water), in each atom of life naam is present.
ਸਾਚੇ ਤੇ ਪਵਨਾ ਭਇਆ ਪਵਨੈ ਤੇ ਜਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਜਲ ਤੇ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣੁ ਸਾਜਿਆ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮੋਇ ॥
ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਮੈਲਾ ਨਾ ਥੀਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਰਤੇ ਪਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥3॥

Psychological pain (dukh) is experienced when we become far from naam, becoming far from naam causes us to become out of place. Following the path of naam is following the path of dharma. Dharma is the sustaining force of Universe, the Law of Nature which holds Universe, galaxies, sun, moons, stars, planets and all life ….Guru Nanak ji Says in Japji,
ਧੌਲੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਦਇਆ ਕਾ ਪੂਤੁ ॥
ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਥਾਪਿ ਰਖਿਆ ਜਿਨਿ ਸੂਤਿ ॥
The bull is Dharma, the son of compassion.
This is what patiently holds the earth in its place.
So if compassion is the mother of dharma, who is the father? Answer is, Waheguru Himself! So Waheguru with his Compassion Created Dharma for holding Earth, not only Earth but all the Creation!
So the real creator of dharma is Waheguru himself. But what is that Dharma which is the Law of Nature, which is the Divine Order of Go d, the Hukam? Baani gives answer to this question, it is Naam!
ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੀ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥
ਜਿਥੈ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥
ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥5॥

Naam is god’s law, by which whole shrishti(creation) must abide, which holds whole of creation in a magnetic discipline.
ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸਗਲੇ ਜੰਤ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਖੰਡ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸਿਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸੁਨਨ ਗਿਆਨ ਧਿਆਨ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਆਗਾਸ ਪਾਤਾਲ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਸਗਲ ਆਕਾਰ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਕੇ ਧਾਰੇ ਪੁਰੀਆ ਸਭ ਭਵਨ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਉਧਰੇ ਸੁਨਿ ਸ੍ਰਵਨ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਆਪਨੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਲਾਏ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਚਉਥੇ ਪਦ ਮਹਿ ਸੋ ਜਨੁ ਗਤਿ ਪਾਏ ॥5॥
The Naam is the Support of all creatures.
The Naam is the Support of the earth and solar systems.
The Naam is the Support of the Simritees, the Vedas and the Puraanas.
The Naam is the Support by which we hear of spiritual wisdom and meditation.
The Naam is the Support of the cosmic ethers and the nether regions.
The Naam is the Support of all bodies.
The Naam is the Support of all worlds and realms.
Associating with the Naam, listening to it with the ears, one is saved.
Those whom the Lord mercifully attaches to His Naam
O Nanak, in the fourth state, those humble servants attain salvation. ||5||

So what makes people different? Man kind is the only creature which is blessed with buddhi, the ability to use our conscious mind or free will, as some may call it, but is it a blessing or a curse, something which sometimes takes us far from our true lord? With Buddhi (intellect) comes haumai, the belief that it is “I” who is in control of my own life. This causes us to move far from the principle of surrendering ourselves to Akaal Purakh. This is what leads us to the belief that this life is our own and not his, who has blessed us with it. Haumai is what takes us far from naam, takes us far from our dharma.
ਹਉਮੈ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਵਿਰੋਧੁ ਹੈ ਦੁਇ ਨ ਵਸਹਿ ਇਕ ਠਾਇ ॥
ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਸੇਵਾ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਤਾ ਮਨੁ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਾਇ ॥1॥
ਹਰਿ ਚੇਤਿ ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਤੂ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਮਾਇ ॥
ਹੁਕਮੁ ਮੰਨਹਿ ਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਤਾ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ
Ego is opposed to the Name of the Lord; the two do not dwell in the same place.
In egotism, selfless service cannot be performed, and so the soul goes unfulfilled. ||1||
O my mind, think of the Lord, and practice the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
If you submit to the Hukam of the Lord's Command, then you shall meet with the Lord; only then will your ego depart from within. ||Pause||

Most of the prophets and holy men who tried to search God, look for real Dharma, had this sense of haumai in them, which led them to start practises which were not in uniformity with Law of Waheguru, i.e., calling themselves as chosen ones, the ultimate messengers, Manmat practises like deforming human body as created by Waheguru ji. But all these practises and rituals and rites are not acceptable in Court of Waheguru! Only thing which will take us to Waheguru, The Infinite Lord, is Shabad!
When one begins to come face to face with the reality that I am nothing, I do nothing, all is the blessing of Waheguru, then only can the haumai of the mind be defeated. When the morning sun of hukam rises we need not waste our energy destroying the darkness of haumai, the night itself fades with the coming of the day.

Being far from dharma, naam and hukam is what causes pain in our lives, unhappiness, the feeling of being incomplete. Why is it we look for happiness outside when the answer, the cure to every pain is within us, naam which waheguru has placed inside each and every person? Only thing we have to get it is to follow the words of True Guru.

ਨਾਮੁ ਅਮੋਲਕੁ ਰਤਨੁ ਹੈ ਪੂਰੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪਾਸਿ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸੇਵੈ ਲਗਿਆ ਕਢਿ ਰਤਨੁ ਦੇਵੈ ਪਰਗਾਸਿ ॥
ਧੰਨੁ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਵਡ ਭਾਗੀਆ ਜੋ ਆਇ ਮਿਲੇ ਗੁਰ ਪਾਸਿ ॥2॥
The Naam is a Priceless Jewel; it is with the Perfect True Guru.
When one is enjoined to serve the True Guru, He brings out this Jewel and bestows this enlightenment.
Blessed, and most fortunate of the very fortunate, are those who come to meet the Guru. ||2||

Happiness is a state of mind, so the real source of happiness must lie within the mind, not in external conditions.Everything in nature is held in the hukam of Akaal Purakh, and follows the patterns which he has set. The winds flow in the direction in which he wishes them to flow. The birds chirp in the hours of day, in which he wishes them to chirp. They are completing their dharma, following hukam as is required of them. When a person begins to become closer to waheguru, begins to understand the importance of hukam, it is then that he truly appreciates nature. When one begins to surrender themselves to Maharaj it is only then that they appreciate all which is already completely in surrender to him. That is when they can see Waheguru in even the smallest creature, such as an ant, as well as in the vast beauties of the mountains.

Naam is the true dharma, the truth which all must follow, naam which is not bound by religion or race, is the most essential truth of life. The only way to reach waheguru is through naam. No matter what religion they were born into, saints and bhagats have all found God through naam and not ritualistic custom. Whether it was Sheik Farid born in a Muslim family or Bhagat Ravidas born in a Hindu family or they were Dhruv or Prahlad born in Satyug, or Kabeer and Naamdev in Kalyug, all immersed in God through Naam simran.
This Gur-shabad states all the great Souls who immersed in Waheguru by following Naam Dharam.
ਬਸੰਤੁ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ਘਰੁ 1 ਦੁਤੁਕੀਆ
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਸੁਣਿ ਸਾਖੀ ਮਨ ਜਪਿ ਪਿਆਰ ॥
ਅਜਾਮਲੁ ਉਧਰਿਆ ਕਹਿ ਏਕ ਬਾਰ ॥
ਬਾਲਮੀਕੈ ਹੋਆ ਸਾਧਸੰਗੁ ॥
ਧ੍ਰੂ ਕਉ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਨਿਸੰਗ ॥1॥
ਤੇਰਿਆ ਸੰਤਾ ਜਾਚਉ ਚਰਨ ਰੇਨ ॥
ਲੇ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਲਾਵਉ ਕਰਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਦੇਨ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਗਨਿਕਾ ਉਧਰੀ ਹਰਿ ਕਹੈ ਤੋਤ ॥
ਗਜਇੰਦ੍ਰ ਧਿਆਇਓ ਹਰਿ ਕੀਓ ਮੋਖ ॥
ਬਿਪ੍ਰ ਸੁਦਾਮੇ ਦਾਲਦੁ ਭੰਜ ॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ ਤੂ ਭੀ ਭਜੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ॥2॥
ਬਧਿਕੁ ਉਧਾਰਿਓ ਖਮਿ ਪ੍ਰਹਾਰ ॥
ਕੁਬਿਜਾ ਉਧਰੀ ਅੰਗੁਸਟ ਧਾਰ ॥
ਬਿਦਰੁ ਉਧਾਰਿਓ ਦਾਸਤ ਭਾਇ ॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ ਤੂ ਭੀ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਇ ॥3॥
ਪ੍ਰਹਲਾਦ ਰਖੀ ਹਰਿ ਪੈਜ ਆਪ ॥
ਬਸਤ੍ਰ ਛੀਨਤ ਦ੍ਰੋਪਤੀ ਰਖੀ ਲਾਜ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਜਿਨਿ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਅੰਤ ਬਾਰ ॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ ਸੇਵਿ ਤੂ ਪਰਹਿ ਪਾਰ ॥4॥
ਧੰਨੈ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਬਾਲ ਬੁਧਿ ॥
ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ ਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਭਈ ਸਿਧਿ ॥
ਬੇਣੀ ਕਉ ਗੁਰਿ ਕੀਓ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸੁ ॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ ਤੂ ਭੀ ਹੋਹਿ ਦਾਸੁ ॥5॥
ਜੈਦੇਵ ਤਿਆਗਿਓ ਅਹੰਮੇਵ ॥
ਨਾਈ ਉਧਰਿਓ ਸੈਨੁ ਸੇਵ ॥
ਮਨੁ ਡੀਗਿ ਨ ਡੋਲੈ ਕਹੂੰ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਮਨ ਤੂ ਭੀ ਤਰਸਹਿ ਸਰਣਿ ਪਾਇ ॥6॥
ਜਿਹ ਅਨੁਗ੍ਰਹੁ ਠਾਕੁਰਿ ਕੀਓ ਆਪਿ ॥
ਸੇ ਤੈਂ ਲੀਨੇ ਭਗਤ ਰਾਖਿ ॥
ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਗੁਣੁ ਅਵਗਣੁ ਨ ਬੀਚਾਰਿਓ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਇਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਦੇਖਿ ਮਨੁ ਲਗਾ ਸੇਵ ॥7॥
ਕਬੀਰਿ ਧਿਆਇਓ ਏਕ ਰੰਗ ॥
ਨਾਮਦੇਵ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਬਸਹਿ ਸੰਗਿ ॥
ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਧਿਆਏ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਨੂਪ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ਰੂਪ ॥8॥1॥
We can clearly see from Baani that whosoever, from the time of creation till today has found the Truth, Waheguru, has done following Path of Shabad, which is essence of a Sikh’s Life!
Those within his hukam, those doing their dharma are never unhappy, since they have succumbed and surrendered to Akaal Purakh. They follow Guru-mat, not mann-mat. They follow the supreme hukam of Waheguru. Naam is the real Dharma, the law, the principle, the divine order of Waheguru ji! Naam is the eternal truth, eternal religion to be followed because this is the order of the creator. That is why sikhi is the dharma of Naam.
ਬਲਿਓ ਚਰਾਗੁ ਅੰਧ੍ਹਾਰ ਮਹਿ ਸਭ ਕਲਿ ਉਧਰੀ ਇਕ ਨਾਮ ਧਰਮ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਗਟੁ ਸਗਲ ਹਰਿ ਭਵਨ ਮਹਿ ਜਨੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥9॥
The lamp is lit in the darkness; all are saved in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, through the One Name and faith in the Dharma.
The Lord is revealed in all the worlds. O servant Nanak, the Guru is the Supreme Lord God. ||9

Akaal ji Sahai.