Nitnem means daily prayers.
Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji put a collection of Banees together and ordered his Sikhs to recite them daily. The purpose of nitnem is to keep the soul and mind of the Sikh focused on truth and truthful living.
Nitnem is a essential part of a Sikhs life. (It is a Hukam (command) from Guru Ji)
A standard routine for Nitnem:
Jap ji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Tav Prasad Savaiye, Chaupai Sahib and Anand Sahib are to be recited at Amritvela (early morning before sunrise). These are also the same banees that are recited while preparing Khanda bata da Amrit.
In the evening Rehraas Sahib is to be recited along with Ardas (standing up with palms pressed together).
Before going to sleep, the 4 Shabads of protection are to be recited, kirtan sohila is to be recited and also the end sloak in Japji Sahib is also to be recited again.
Some people state that there is no point in reading or listening to Gurbani if you don’t understand it. Sri Guru Har Rai states: “As grease sticks to the pot even when it is emptied, so does the guru’s word stick to the heart. Whether you understand it or not, the word bears the seed of salvation” as your spirituality increases, you will automatically be able to understand Gurbani better. But obviously if you learn to understand Gurbani you can progress quicker on your spiritual path that is why the Damdami Taksal (University of Sikhi) was created by Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji; to teach Sikhs the meanings and proper way of reciting Gurbani. If you can't read Gurmukhi listen to a Nitnem CD.
A lot of gutka Sahibs that contain the Nitnem have the shortened version of the actual Nitnem banees, (the British during their raaj in India altered these to weaken the roots of sikhi). Unfortunately most Sikhs are unaware of such tactics; to insure you get full banees buy a Taksali Gutka (issued by Damdami Taksal). These Gootkas contain the same version of banees that are contained in the guktas of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Ji. There are obviously other gutkas that do have full banees; but the majority don’t.
Most Sikhs will have access to most of the Nitnem; but I have seen a lot of gutka sahibs with the shortened versions of Rehras Sahib (where a lot of Dasam bani is missing) and without the four Shabads of protection. Also alot of the times the Shabad before the ardas is missing and the Dohra to be recited after the ardas is also missing. The best advice I can give is, seriously get hold of a Taksali gutka ASAP. Most Sikhs don’t know that the Sloak at the end of Japji Sahib is to be recited again at the end of Kirtan Sohila, this is a hukam by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji (it was one of the hukams before he left for sach khand). Also the Four small Shabads of protection which are to be recited at night before kirtan Sohila was a hukam from Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji. These Shabads don’t even take 2 minutes to recite, please sangat ji for the sake of two minutes lets not disobey the hukam of Guru Ji. All the people that say you don't need to do your Nitnem or you only have to do three banees at amritvela are wafflers.
If you want the Full version of Nitnem on Mp3 or the English translation contact me on my email.
