Kirtam Naams in Gurbani

We all know that words like, 'Har', 'Raam', etc. in Gurbani are used for Vaheguru and not devte (unless the bani is specifically talking about them of course). This has also been clarified by Bhagat Kabeer Ji, ਕਬੀਰ ਰਾਮ ਕਹਨ ਮਹਿ ਭੇਦੁ ਹੈ ਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਬਿਚਾਰੁ ॥ਸੋਈ ਰਾਮੁ ਸਭੈ ਕਹਹਿ ਸੋਈ ਕਉਤਕਹਾਰ ॥੧੯੦॥ਕਬੀਰ ਰਾਮੈ ਰਾਮ ਕਹੁ ਕਹਿਬੇ ਮਾਹਿ ਬਿਬੇਕ ॥ਏਕੁ ਅਨੇਕਹਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਗਇਆ ਏਕ ਸਮਾਨਾ ਏਕ ॥੧੯੧॥

However, someone once mentioned to me this point; when Guru Sahib was travelling on his udasis, he would go into different villages and begin doing keertan of Gurbani, how were the common people to know that the keertan was in praise of Vaheguru and not devte?

Any takers?

When Sri Guru Ji and Mardana went on their udasis their Kirtan was so spectacular the Para Kala effect made the listener intitutively know the bani was referring to the one Waaheguru whose light manfiest everywhere. They knew this because they experienced it while Sri Guru Ji was reciting Dhur Ki Bani Kirtan. One example is Sri Guru Jis udasi to Bhagdad. During AMrit Vela , Sri Guru Ji sung the bani Sri Japji Sahib. Sri Japji Sahib has many persian/arabic words but for the most part a person fluent in these languages could not grasp the language of this bani as a majority of the bani in in Punjabi. However, most of the town went into deep samadhi after listening to this bani. Why? How did they know the bani was in Praise of Allah( waaheguru)? During that time singing was banned in Bhagdad, but the heart knows what Guru Ji is referring too. I have met Christians and secular people who dont undestand a word of Gurbani but they tell me they feel close to God when listening to Gurbani. How do they know Gurbani is in praise of God and not any devtas?


None of the shabads using Kirtam names show no indication they are in praise of the devtas. Take the following pangti for example
ਹਰਿ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਮੇਰੇ ਬਾਬੋਲਾ ਪਿਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਧਨ ਵੇਲ ਵਧੰਦੀ ॥
Nobody who listens to this shabad would think this pangti is referring to Raam Chander as their is not even the slightest indication that Sri Guru Ji was praising Raam Chander in this Shabad.

I have often thought on this issue too, how did Guru Nanak communicate with the people of different languages? It is really amazing. Guru Nanak visit so many countries, so many linguistic groups, so many cultures.How did Guru Nanak communicate? It is a very very intriguing topic for me. And I have not found anything written on this. All we can do is take a guess. I would say:

1. Guru Nanak communicated mostly in silence. It just seems natural that he must have kept quite mostly and when he spoke he spoke in very few chosen words and these words (even if they were not full sentences in local language) had profound divine effect on the listener. This is of course evident in Baghdad saakhi.

2. Guru Nanak had such a divine power over people who visited him that many did not need to talk at all. I believe that when they touched his feet, the divine Naam communicated itself to the person.

3. As far as Kirtan is concerned certainly it is quite possible that lay people when hearing the names 'Ram' and 'Gobind' might have taken it to refer to mythological Ram and Krishna. But when people would have received Naam, all these small things evaporated and they would divinely realize the true meaning.

It is clear from the Janamsakhis that Guru Sahib communicated with everyone He met and cleared their doubts. He not only sang Gurbani but also explained its meanings and then gave Naam. The language of communication was mostly “Sant Bhakha” within India as scholars call it but I have no doubt that Guru Sahib knew many languages and was well versed in Arabic, Persian and other regional languages. Since His mission from Akal Purakh was to spread Naam, He was given all the knowledge He needed to successfully carry out this mission. It is clear from Gurbani that He was familiar with beliefs and practices of other religions, sects and groups as well as their symbols which is why He redefined all these within the parameters of Gurmat. The clear proof which our scholars and so-called missionaries tend to ignore lies in the sakhi of Mecca. He slept with His feet towards the Ka’aba because Muslims believe that Allah is separate from creation yet they bowed to Ka’aba considering it the house of God and sacred. Guru Sahib’s concept of God is that He is Omnipresent and He proved it when the Ka’aba moved along with His feet. It was not simply to “correct” their misunderstanding about Quran but to repudiate the false doctrine of Islam and only a miracle of this kind could convince the people so engrossed in Shri’ah. Then a long discussion and conversation took place which could only be in the regional language. So it is not correct to assume that Guru Sahib did Kirtan only and never fully expounded its meanings or answered other questions.He explained and preached His doctrine well and clearly.

Further, He composed Gurbani in 19 Raags and there is no evidence in history that He ever had a music teacher. His knowledge of language and music were all divine gifts. Bhai Veer Singh’s artistic biography of Guru Sahib is glowing testimony to this fact. Guru Rakha

Thanks for your replies Gurmukho, there's nothing much more than can be said except Dhan Dhan SatGuru Nanak!

Gurbani mentions four avasthas of Jeev

Brahm = 1/2
Brahma = 1/2

ਯਾ ਜੁਗ ਮਹਿ ਏਕਹਿ ਕਉ ਆਇਆ ॥
ਗਉੜੀ ਬ.ਅ. (ਮਃ ੫) Panna 251

ਅਸੀ ਇੱਕ ਹੋਣ ਆਏ ਹਾਂ,

ਤੇ ੧+੧ ਕਰੀਏ ਤਾਂ ੨ ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ।

ਅਸੀ ਇੱਕ ਤਾਂ ਜਰੂਰ ਹੋਣਾ ਹੈ ਪਰ ੧/੨ + ੧/੨ =੧ ਦੇ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੋਣਾ ਹੈ ।

Brahm + Brahma = ਪੂਰਨਬ੍ਰਹਮਿ (Pooran Brahm)
ਪਰਤਛਿ ਰਿਦੈ ਗੁਰ ਅਰਜੁਨ ਕੈ ਹਰਿ ਪੂਰਨਬ੍ਰਹਮਿ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ਲੀਅਉ ॥੫॥ Panna 1409
Also Gurbani gives us the Gian to become ਪੂਰਨਬ੍ਰਹਮ (Pooran Brahm)

ਸਾਰਗ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
ਪੋਥੀ ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਕਾ ਥਾਨੁ ॥
ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਗੁਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਪੂਰਨਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

The Gian of Gurbani will make us Jeevs as ਪੂਰਨਬ੍ਰਹਮ
ਪੂਰਨਬ੍ਰਹਮ has been refered in Gurbani as
ਗੁਰ, ਸਤਿਗੁਰ, ਰਾਮ , ਪ੍ਰਭ, ਗੋਬਿੰਦ, ਹਰਿ etc

The ultimate stage of Pooran-Brahm is PAR-BRAHM
ਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਪਛਾਣਾ ॥੪॥੨੭॥੯੭॥ Panna 52

ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ is also reffered as ਗੁਰੂ, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ, ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ

But Unluckily we have been taking lead from the Hindu Granths as all the TIKAS are written by basically who only understood Hindu Philosphy and we have missed the real concept of Gurmat or Gurbani

There is no word like ਪ੍ਰਭ in their Scriptures they only have ਪ੍ਰਭੂ,

Where as in SUKHMANI SAHIB it is Written
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥ Panna 263

ਪ੍ਰਭ : Prabh is not ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ which is PARBRAHM as defined before

ਪ੍ਰਭ :is Actually POORAN BRAHM

We need very deep research into this TOPIC from within GURBANI itself

Bhul Chuk Muaf

Gurjeet Singh