17.18.5.3 Overcoming Death - 'Naam – The Name’ of Lord: In Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Continued From:
http://tdsinghharjidamarg.blogspot.in/2017/05/171852-overcoming-death-naam-name-of.html

Overcoming Death - ‘Naam – The Name’ of Lord

And to save mortals from such a distressful state, where he will be lost in darkness of Death, Dhan Shri Guru Raam Das Ji asks everyone to contemplate on ‘Naam’ and Dhan Shri Guru Amardas Ji asks to meditate on ‘Naam’ in following words:

ਜਿਨ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਾ ਹਰਿ ਚੇਤਿਆ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੇ ॥[1]

जिन हरि नामा हरि चेतिआ हिरदै उरि धारे ॥

(The Messenger of Death does not even approach those who contemplate on Naam, Har, Har.)

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇ ਸਦਾ ਤੂੰ ਜੰਮਣੁ ਮਰਣੁ ਸਵਾਰਣਿਆ ॥੮॥੧॥੨॥[2]

नानक नामु धिआइ सदा तूं जमणु मरणु सवारणिआ ॥८॥१॥२॥

(O Nanak, meditating forever on the Naam, you shall be blessed in both birth and death.)

ਜਮਕਾਲੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਨੇੜਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਜੋ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਵਣਿਆ ॥੬॥[3]

जमकालु तिसु नेड़ि न आवै जो हरि हरि नामु धिआवणिआ ॥६॥

(The Messenger of Death does not draw near those who meditate on Naam, Har, Har.)

Only ‘Naam’ can bring an individual from darkness to light as it illuminates the mind as per following words of Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji:

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਰਾਧੀਐ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਮਨੈ ਹੋਵੈ ਪਰਗਾਸੋ ॥ਜਨਮ ਮਰਣ ਦੁਖੁ ਕਾਟੀਐ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਚੂਕੈ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਕਾਣੇ ॥[4]

अम्रित नामु अराधीऐ निरमलु मनै होवै परगासो ॥जनम मरण दुखु काटीऐ पिआरे चूकै जम की काणे ॥

(They contemplate the Immaculate, Ambrosial Naam, and their minds are illuminated. The pains of birth and death are eradicated, O Beloved, and the fear of the Messenger of Death is ended.)

Again, what do we listen? The answer to this question is we want to listen what soothes our ego as we are just pre-occupied with self thoughts. Few of us love to listen under influence of rationality thinking knowledge is being shared. But again it does not save from Death. So what saves from Death? Well, Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji says only listening ‘Naam’ saves an individual from Death:

ਨਾਮੁ ਸੁਣਤ ਜਮੁ ਦੂਰਹੁ ਭਾਗੈ ॥[5]

नामु सुणत जमु दूरहु भागै ॥

(Listening to the Naam, the Messenger of Death runs far away.)

ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਕਰਨ ਸੁਣਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ॥ਮਿਟਹਿ ਅਘ ਤੇਰੇ ਜਨਮ ਜਨਮ ਕੇ ਕਵਨੁ ਬਪੁਰੋ ਜਾਮੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥[6]

मेरे मन करन सुणि हरि नामु ॥मिटहि अघ तेरे जनम जनम के कवनु बपुरो जामु ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

(O my mind, with your ears, listen Naam. The sins of your many past lifetimes shall be washed away; then, what can the wretched Messenger of Death do to you?)

As mortals we just add layer of filth on our consciousness every passing moment. But as per above words of Patshahi 5, ‘Naam’ erases the sins of many lives. And Death which feeds on sins of an individual to get hold him becomes wretched. So an individual should enshrine ‘Naam’ in his mind as per following words of Dhan Shri Guri Teg Bhadur Ji:

ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਰੁ ਨਿਸਿ ਬਾਸੁਰ ਮਹਿ ਨਿਮਖ ਏਕ ਉਰਿ ਧਾਰੈ ॥ਜਮ ਕੋ ਤ੍ਰਾਸੁ ਮਿਟੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਹ ਅਪੁਨੋ ਜਨਮੁ ਸਵਾਰੈ ॥੩॥੨॥[7]

राम नामु नरु निसि बासुर महि निमख एक उरि धारै ॥जम को त्रासु मिटै नानक तिह अपुनो जनमु सवारै ॥३॥२॥

(One who enshrines ‘Naam’ in his heart night and day - even for an instant - has his fear of Death eradicated. O Nanak, his life is approved and fulfilled.)

The Glory of Naam is such that even if it dwells in mind for an instant, an instant can be as small as a human consciousness can acknowledge. Instant is a relative concept that is it varies with individual’s awareness of recognizing ‘The Real Truth’. Mortals need to understand that Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji calls HIM ‘ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ – One WHO is enemy to none, One WHO does not hate anyone’. So, in HIS creation HE has given equal opportunity to every one. Thus by repeating HIS Naam an individual can scare the Death as said by Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji in following words:

ਨਾਮੁ ਲੈਤ ਜਮੁ ਨੇੜਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥[8]

नामु लैत जमु नेड़ि न आवै ॥

(Repeating the Naam, the Messenger of Death does not draw near.)

And Guruji further says that ‘Naam’ takes an individual to a state that he feels the bliss in following words:

ਸਰਬ ਕੁਸਲ ਸੁਖ ਬਿਸ੍ਰਾਮ ਆਨਦਾ ਆਨੰਦ ਨਾਮ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਕਛੁ ਨਾਹਿ ਤ੍ਰਾਸ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮੀ ॥[9]

सरब कुसल सुख बिस्राम आनदा आनंद नाम जम की कछु नाहि त्रास सिमरि अंतरजामी ॥

(The Naam is the ultimate ecstasy, bliss, happiness, peace and tranquility. The fear of death is dispelled by meditating in remembrance on the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.)

‘Naam’ has to be repeated to an extent that ‘Naam’ enters into each pore of human body. Each pore has to utter 'Naam' only then it resounds in The Eternity. And when Death hears ‘Naam’ uttered in such way it’s messenger just run away from an individual as said by Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji and Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in following words:

ਸੁਣਿ ਕੈ ਜਮ ਕੇ ਦੂਤ ਨਾਇ ਤੇਰੈ ਛਡਿ ਜਾਹਿ ॥[10]

सुणि कै जम के दूत नाइ तेरै छडि जाहि ॥

(Hearing Your Naam, the Messenger of Death runs away.)

ਜਾ ਕੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਸੁਨਿਐ ਜਮੁ ਛੋਡੈ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਸਰਣਿ ਨ ਪਾਵਸਿ ਰੇ ॥[11]

जा कै नामि सुनिऐ जमु छोडै ता की सरणि न पावसि रे ॥

(Hearing His Naam, the Messenger of Death will release you, and yet, you do not enter His Sanctuary.)

TO BE CONTINUED!





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[1] Tilang Mehla 4 - Ang 726 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[2] Maajh Mehla 3 - Ang 110 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[3] Maajh Mehla 3 - Ang 111Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[4] Raag Bilaval Mehla 5 Ghar 2 Yaanaraee Ke Ghar Gavana - Ang 802 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[5] Bhairao Mehla 5 - Ang 1150 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[6] Maroo Mehla 5 – Ang 1006 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[7] Raamkali Mehla 9 - Ang 902 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[8] Bhairao Mehla 5 - Ang 1142 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[9] Saarang Mehla 5 - Ang 1230 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[10] Pauree - Ang 962 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji)

[11] Maroo Mehla 5 - Ang 1000 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[12] Pauree - Ang 1240 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji)