ਤੂੰ ਵਰਨਾ ਚਿਹਨਾ ਬਾਹਰਾ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਦਿਸਹਿ ਹਾਜਰੁ ਜਾਹਰਾ ॥ ਸੁਣਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਤੁਝੈ ਧਿਆਇਦੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਭਗਤ ਰਤੇ ਗੁਣਤਾਸੁ ਜੀਉ ॥੨੦॥

O Lord, You have no color or features; but Your presence is felt all over; the devotees, hearing and dwelling on Your virtues, are imbued with them (SGGS, p 74).

ਤ੍ਵ ਸਰਬ ਨਾਮ ਕਥੈ ਕਵਨ ਕਰਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਰਣਤ ਸੁਮਤਿ ॥੧॥

Who can tell all Your Names O Lord? The wise describe your virtues as the Naam (Jaap Sahib).

The above hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) and Jaap Sahib show that even as God is present every where, it is not possible to ascribe any names to Him. We describe someone by his (or her) name, color of the skin, features, gender or lineage. Since God does not have a physical form none of these apply in identifying Him. We however experience His presence all over in nature in the form of beauty, unexpected happenings, windfalls, natural calamities, turmoil and peace. Science is able to explain and in some cases forecast events, but it cannot make them happen or modify them. Man therefore cries out in wonder and awe:

ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬਾ ਤੇਰੇ ਚੋਜ ਵਿਡਾਣਾ ॥ ਜਲਿ ਥਲਿ ਮਹੀਅਲਿ ਭਰਿਪੁਰਿ ਲੀਣਾ ਆਪੇ ਸਰਬ ਸਮਾਣਾ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਜਹ ਜਹ ਦੇਖਾ ਤਹ ਜੋਤਿ ਤੁਮਾਰੀ ਤੇਰਾ ਰੂਪੁ ਕਿਨੇਹਾ ॥ ਇਕਤੁ ਰੂਪਿ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਪਰਛੰਨਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਕਿਸ ਹੀ ਜੇਹਾ ॥੨॥

O my Master, Your plays are awesome. You pervade water, earth and sky, everywhere; Pause: I can see Your Spirit wherever I look, but know not what You look like? Your unseen presence is felt uniformly in all, but still none is like another (SGGS, p 596).

ਕਬੀਰ ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲ ਕੀ ਮਉਜ ਕੋ ਕਹਿ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਨਮਾਨ ॥ ਕਹਿਬੇ ਕਉ ਸੋਭਾ ਨਹੀ ਦੇਖਾ ਹੀ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥੧੨੧॥

I enjoy being at Your lotus feet but am unable to describe the pleasure; there are no befitting words, the pleasure can only be experienced (SGGS, p 1370).

The all pervasiveness of the Creator, His Spirit, transcends both time and space; He is the Universal Truth, every thing that exists bears the stamp of His Name, Naam:

ਕਿਰਤਮ ਨਾਮ ਕਥੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਜਿਹਬਾ ॥ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਪਰਾ ਪੂਰਬਲਾ ॥

The tongue can only describe you by Your virtues; but You have been known as the universal Truth from time immemorial (SGGS, p 1083).

ਜੇਤਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਤੇਤਾ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋ ਥਾਉ ॥

Whatever has been created tells of the Naam; there is no place without Naam (SGGS, p 4).

The Universal Truth (ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ)or Naam (ਨਾਮੁ)is therefore the name of the Creator whose virtues may be summarized in the Mool Mantar (Root Manta) thus:

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

1 (One),All Pervasive Lord, the Universal Truth, Creator, Beyond Fear or Jealousy, Timeless and deathless, Does not Incarnate, Self Existent, Known through the Grace of the True Guru (p 1).

Some of the other Divine virtues mentioned in Gurbani (SGGS) are:

ਅਗਮ, ਅਗਾਧ (unfathomable, inaccessible), ਅਚੁਤ(unshakable), ਨਿਰੰਜਨ (spotless), ਅਣਮੰਗਿਆ ਦਾਨ ਦੇਵਣਾ (Gives without asking), ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮੀ (Knows our mind), ਨਿਆਉ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ (Just), ਅਲਖ(Cannot be described), ਸੂਖਮ(Subtle), ਅਸਥੂਲ(Gross),ਸਾਂਝਾ (Belongs to all), ਸਭ ਦਾ ਪਿਤਾ(Father of all),ਸੁੰਦਰ(Handsome),ਸਰਬ ਕਲਾ ਸਮਰਥ(Omnipotent), ਸਰਬ ਵਿਆਪਕ (Omnipresent), ਸਰਬ ਜੋਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਜੋਤਿ (The Spirit in all the souls),ਕਿਰਪਾਲ(Benevolent), ਜਾਣਨਹਾਰ (Omniscient),ਦਇਆਲ(Compassionate),ਗੁਪਤ, ਪਰਗਟ(Hidden, Manifest),ਠਾਕੁਰ ਮਹਿ ਦਾਸ ਦਾਸ ਮਹਿ ਸੋਇ(Present in His Servants, and servants in Him),ਦੁਖ ਭੰਜਨ(Destroyer of suffering)ਨਿਹਚਲ(Unshakable),ਨਿਤਾਣਿਆ ਦਾ ਤਾਣ(Support of the destitute), ਨਿਮਾਣਿਆ ਦਾ ਮਾਣ(Honor of the honor-less),ਪਰਾਤਮਾ (Supreme Soul)ਸਭਹੂ ਮਧਿ ਨਿਰਾਰੇ(Present in all but unattached),ਸੇਵਕ ਦੇ ਕਮ ਸਵਾਰਨ ਲਈ ਦੌੜ ਕੇ ਪਹੁੰਚਦਾ ਹੈ(Accomplishes the Servants’ work),ਸੇਵਕ ਨੂੰ ਬੁਲਾ ਕੇ ਮਿਲਦਾ ਹੈ(Calls over to meet the servant), ਕਿਸੇ ਕੋਲੋਂ ਪੁਛ ਕੇ ਕਮ ਨਹੀ ਕਰਦਾ(Takes independent decisions),ਤੂ ਭਗਤਾ ਕੈ ਵਸਿ (Is in the control of the devotees), ਨੇੜੇ ਤੋਂ ਵੀ ਨੇੜੇ ਹੈ(Nearer than the nearest), ਪਤਿਤ ਪਾਵਨ (Lifts the fallen), ਨਾਰ ਨ ਪੁਰਖ(Neither woman nor man – Gender Neutral),ਬਖਸਿੰਦ (Forgives),ਭਗਤ ਵਛਲ (Loves the devotees),ਭਵ ਖੰਡਨ(Can stop rebirths),ਵਾਸਦੇਵ(Master of the universe),ਵਿਣ ਬੋਲਿਆ ਸਭ ਕਿਛ ਜਾਣਦਾ(Knows everything without man saying anything).

Men (and women) overwhelmed by such a Master are motivated to be like Him. They try to emulate the virtues as far as humanly possible and merge into the Creator with the Guru’s teachings:

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਬੂਝੈ ਗੁਣ ਕਹਿ ਗੁਣੀ ਸਮਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੧॥ ੩ ੧੧੦

One, who acts according to the Guru’s teachings, praises God and thus praising merges in Him (SGGS, p 110).

All creation exists to fulfill the Creator’s purpose. For this every one and every thing has a role which is made known as Divine command to the soul. Every one must accept that placement in situations like the country, family and religion of birth, life partner, children and profession are all according to Hukam and one must perform one’s role in these well.

ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥

Act according to the preordained commands (SGGS, p 1).

ਜੇਹਾ ਚੀਰੀ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤੇਹਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਕਮਾਹਿ ॥ ਘਲੇ ਆਵਹਿ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਦੇ ਉਠੀ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੧॥ ੨ ੧੨੩੯

Man comes to the world when sent and returns when recalled: while here, he has to carry out the commands as written (SGGS, p 1239).

An ordinary person cannot understand this and hence needs the help of the true Guru. The Guru teaches that Naam, dwelling on the virtues of the Creator, is Hukam:

ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥

Naam alone is the Divine command; this understanding comes through the true Guru (SGGS, p 72).

Simran or Naam Japna i.e. remembering God means praising Divine virtues. As we do that we become aware of the Divine commands and are motivated to carry them out. Naam Japna, which is also called meditation, is therefore not just reciting any mantra but becoming aware of Divine virtues and emulating them in thought, word and deed:

ਮਨ ਬਚ ਕ੍ਰਮ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਅਪਨਾ ਧਿਆਈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਸ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਰਣਾਈ ॥੪॥

I remember my Lord in thought, word and deed; and seek Your sanctuary (SGGS, p 200).

That Simran also means acting on commands accordingly is emphasized thus:

ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਉਜਲੇ ਕੇਤੀ ਛੁਟੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥

The toil of those who remember the Naam – and carry out the commands – are successful and many others are released from bondage in their company (SGGS, p 8).

ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਸੁ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਵਖਾਣੈ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਨੀਸਾਣੈ ॥ ਸਭਨਾ ਕਾ ਦਰਿ ਲੇਖਾ ਸਚੈ ਛੂਟਸਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸੁਹਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੩॥ ੧ ੧੦੯

One, who understands Hukam, praises God’s virtues; Through the Guru Shabad (teaching) he is marked with Naam (certified genuine); every one’s account is kept in God’s court, those glorified by Naam are released from further births (SGGS, p 109).

Naam and Hukam (Divine command) therefore go hand in hand. When man has a problem in understanding or carrying out the commands, he says he has difficulty in reciting Naam:

ਆਖਾ ਜੀਵਾ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਉ ॥ ਆਖਣਿ ਅਉਖਾ ਸਾਚਾ ਨਾਉ ॥

When I recite Naam, I live (succeed) when I forget I die (fail); it is difficult to recite the true Naam (SGGS, p 9).

Man can see compliance with Hukam in nature and should follow the examples. Everything including entities like air, water and fire have assigned roles, which they diligently carry out. This manifests as their characteristics or nature. For example air is available to all equally, water maintains creature and plants, and fire burns. When man makes compliance with Hukam his nature, he in effect acknowledges and praises God as exemplified thus:

ਗਾਵਨਿ ਤੁਧਨੋ ਪਵਣੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੁ ਗਾਵੈ ਰਾਜਾ ਧਰਮੁ ਦੁਆਰੇ ॥

The air, water and fire praise You; Dharam Rai (who considers the deeds of all) praises You (SGGS, p 8).

Remembering and carrying out Divine commands has also been called fear (ਭੈ) and the examples of air, water, and fire are again used to describe Hukam as fear, not the fear of punishment, as is normally understood, thus:

ਭੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਪਵਣੁ ਵਹੈ ਸਦਵਾਉ ॥ ਭੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਚਲਹਿ ਲਖ ਦਰੀਆਉ ॥ ਭੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਅਗਨਿ ਕਢੈ ਵੇਗਾਰਿ ॥ ਭੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਧਰਤੀ ਦਬੀ ਭਾਰਿ ॥ ੧ ੪੬੪

It is in fear (commands) that the wind ever blows, millions of rivers flow, the fire does its job, and the earth bears the weight (SGGS, p 464).

Carrying out what is ordained is the natural way of acknowledging the Lord; one does not then say “I did it” or “I know what is good”. Ego is thus given up:

ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਆਕਾਰ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਕਹਿਆ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਹੋਵਨਿ ਜੀਅ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਉਤਮੁ ਨੀਚੁ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੁਖ ਸੁਖ ਪਾਈਅਹਿ ॥ ਇਕਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ਇਕਿ ਹੁਕਮੀ ਸਦਾ ਭਵਾਈਅਹਿ ॥ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥੨॥

While it is not possible to describe Hukam, it is with Hukam that we take the given life form with the soul, with Hukam is the high or low status, comfort and suffering; some are blessed while others remain in cycles of death and rebirth. Every one is subject to Hukam, none is beyond Hukam; one who understands Hukam does not talk in ego (SGGS, p 1).

Every deed, good or bad, is by Hukam based on our previous deeds i.e. karma:

ਨਾਨਕ ਪਇਐ ਕਿਰਤਿ ਕਮਾਵਣਾ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਮੇਟਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੨॥

We act as per our karma, which no one can erase (SGGS, p 791).

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚਾ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਦੁਹੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਹੈ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥ ਚੰਗੈ ਮੰਦੈ ਆਪਿ ਲਾਇਅਨੁ ਸੋ ਕਰਨਿ ਜਿ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਾਏ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥੨॥

The Creator alone is eternal, the mortals are subject to birth and death; He engages them in deeds, good or bad; they act as directed (SGGS, p 950).

In Japu ji Guru Nanak says once one reaches Sach Khand, the Realm of Truth, where the Formless lord resides; there one finds:

ਜਿਵ ਜਿਵ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਤਿਵੈ ਤਿਵ ਕਾਰ ॥

Every thing happens according to Hukam (SGGS, p 8).

As a corollary one who lives in Hukam, is in Sach Khand.

Those who understand Naam as above, for them:

ਨਾਮੁ ਧਨੁ ਨਾਮੋ ਰੂਪੁ ਰੰਗੁ ॥ ਨਾਮੋ ਸੁਖੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਕਾ ਸੰਗੁ ॥ ਨਾਮ ਰਸਿ ਜੋ ਜਨ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਨੇ ॥ ਮਨ ਤਨ ਨਾਮਹਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸਮਾਨੇ ॥

Naam is the wealth and beautiful looks; they find comfort in and seek Naam. Those satiated with the sweetness of Naam, ever remain absorbed in it (SGGS, p 286).

The wealth of Naam is not lost in any way and it increases as it is spent i.e shared:

ਐਸਾ ਹਰਿ ਧਨੁ ਸੰਚੀਐ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਭਾਹਿ ਨ ਜਾਲੈ ਜਲਿ ਨਹੀ ਡੂਬੈ ਸੰਗੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਤਹੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Let us accumulate such a wealth; it is not burnt by fire, is not drowned in water and never deserts: Pause: (SGGS, p 375).

ਖਾਵਹਿ ਖਰਚਹਿ ਰਲਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਵਧਦੋ ਜਾਈ ॥੩॥ ੫ ੧੮੬

When we spend the wealth of Naam together, brethren, it does not reduce; instead it keeps increasing(SGGS, p 186).

Lat us conclude with the Fifth Guru’s description of the state of those who are imbued with Naam and live according to Hukam:

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਬੋਲੇ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ ਜੋ ਸੁਣੇ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਉਤਰੈ ਪਾਰਿ ॥ ਜਨਮਿ ਨ ਮਰੈ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਸੇਤੀ ਓਹੁ ਰਹੈ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੪॥੨॥ ੫ ੩੭੦

The servant talks of Divine virtues; those who listen and act get across the world ocean; they are not subject to cycles of death and rebirth for they remain absorbed in Godfor ever (SGGS, p 370).