Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji brought Gurbani to the earth to save us. Gurbani guides us and gives us energies which helps us through all of life’s obstacles. Guru Ji also gave us the Gurmantar which is to be recited in meditation; this cleans our soul and purifies our mind. The Guru gave us many Mantars; another one is the Mool mantar. But the Gurmantar is more widely know amongst Sikhs. Sikhs refer to the recitation of the Gurmantar as Naam Simran.
Bhai Gurdas Ji, who was a well known Great Sikh of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, describes the Gurmantar in his writings (keep in mind that he was the writer of Guru Ji):
In Satyug, Vishnu in the form of Vasudev is said to have incarnated and ‘V’ Of Vaheguru reminds of Vishnu. The True Guru of Dvapar is said to be Harikrsna and ‘H’ of Vaheguru reminds of Hari. In the Treta was Ram and ‘R’ of Vaheguru tells that remembering Ram will produce joy and happiness. In Kalyug, Gobind is in the form of Nanak and ‘G’ of Vaheguru gets Govind recited. The recitations o f all the four ages subsume in Panchayan i.e. in the soul of the common man. When joining four letters Vaheguru is remembered, The Jiv merges again in its origin.
Listening to the teachings of the Guru, the Sikh becomes wise internally though apparently he looks a simpleton. He with full care keeps his consciousness attuned to the Word and listens to nothing except the words of Guru. He beholds the True Guru and without the company of the saints feels himself blind and deaf. The Guru's word he receives is Vaheguru, the wondrous Lord, and remains silently immersed in delight. He bows on the feet and becoming (humble) like dust goes on drinking the nectar of the feet (of the Lord). He remains involved like black bee in the lotus feet (of the Guru) and thus living in this world ocean remains unsmeared (by its water and dust). His is life of a liberated one during the life on earth i.e. he is a Jivanmukt.
Listening to the teachings of the Guru, the Sikh becomes wise internally though apparently he looks a simpleton. He with full care keeps his consciousness attuned to the Word and listens to nothing except the words of Guru. He beholds the True Guru and without the company of the saints feels himself blind and deaf. The Guru's word he receives is Vaheguru, the wondrous Lord, and remains silently immersed in delight. He bows on the feet and becoming (humble) like dust goes on drinking the nectar of the feet (of the Lord).He remains involved like black bee in the lotus feet (of the Guru) and thus living in this world ocean remains unsmeared (by its water and dust).His is life of a liberated one during the life on earth i.e. he is a Jivanmukt.
How is the dynamism of the Unmanifest known? How can the story of that divine Lord be told? He is wonderful for the wonder itself. The absorbents in the wondrous realization get themselves elated. The Vedas also do not understand this mystery and even the Sesanag (mythological snake having thousand hoods) cannot know its limits. Vaheguru, God is praised through recitation of the Word of the Guru, Gurbani.
The life of that Gurmukh is fortunate whom meeting some Sikh of the Guru has come to the shelter of the Guru. He bows before primeval Purusa (God) and becomes blessed after having the sight of such a Guru. After circumambulation he bows on the lotus feet of Guru. Becoming kind, the Guru recites True mantra Vaheguru for him. The Sikh with his capital of Devotion falls at the feet of Guru and the whole world bows at his feet. God (the Guru) eradicates his lust, anger and doubt and gets his greed, infatuation and ego erased. Instead, the Guru makes him practice Truth, contentment, dharma, name, charity and ablution. Adopting the teachings of the Guru, the individual is called a Sikh of the Guru.
One Oankar, the primal energy, realised through the grace of the divine master. Narayan, the lord of the destitute, assuming forms has established mastery over all. He is the formless King of all men and Kings who created various forms. As is creator of all the causes He is True to His reputation. Gods and Goddesses also could not know the extent of that Lord, the imperceptible and beyond all mysteries. The True Guru Nanak Dev inspired people to remember the True name of the Lord whose form is Truth.
Founding dharamsala, the place for dharma, at Kartarpur, it was inhabited by the Holy Congregation as the abode of Truth. Word ‘Vaheguru’ was imparted (by Guru Nanak) to the people.
To learn about Sikh-life, one ought to merge one’s consciousness in the Word in the Holy Congregation. Writing about Sikh life is to go on listening, understanding and continuously writing. Simran, meditation in Sikh life is learning the Guru-mantra (Vaheguru) which is sweet like sugarcane juice. The spirit of the Sikhism is like fragrance residing in sandalwood trees. The understanding of a Sikh of the Guru consists in the fact that even after having received the gifted alms (of Naam) and being fully knowledgeable, he considered himself as ignorant. The Sikh of the Guru, in the Holy Congregation listens to the word of the Guru and practises meditation, charity and ablution, and thus goes across the past present to a new future.
