The quest for the true meaning of Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo

[Guest guest]

Sat nam,

 

I've been trying to come to terms with this, and have combed through

the web and this group to find the answer and can't find it, so if you

do have the answer, I would appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

 

I know that when we chant " Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo " , we connect to " the

Golden Chain of Teachers " , but when I deconstruct the mantra, I find this:

 

Ong Namo = I bow / offer my obeisances (stemming from the word " namah " )

Guru Dev = Guru Nanak

Namo = offer my obeisances (stemming from the word " namah " )

 

I'm not sure, however, if " Guru Dev " actually refers to Guru Nanak,

but I've read before that Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, is also

often referred to as " Guru Dev " . If this is so, then doesn't this

mean that when I say this mantra, that I'm bowing/submitting to Guru

Nanak?

 

Up until now, I've always been told that " Guru Dev " meant " inner

teacher " , but am wondering if that's not quite the case. Although I

find Sikhism to be a beautiful religion, I'm not Sikh myself, but have

certain concerns about bowing/offering my obeisances to Guru Nanak. I

do not wish to offend anyone with this post, and sincerely want to

further my development in Kundalini Yoga, and hope that anyone knowing

the answer to this question will take a few minutes to reply.

 

Thanks!

 

Blessings,

 

Nadh Singh

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,    Guru Dev is more literally "transparent Guru" - as transparent as the angels.  It does not refer specifically to Guru Nanak - though he is considered an example of a transparent Guru - and honored with that and many other titles, like "Dhan Guru Nanak," blessed Guru Nanak.    You will probably appreciate this quote from Yogi Bhajan's "Under the Blue Skies" course of 1975:In the house of Nanak, you may get hung up on Nanak, Guru Ram Das, or Guru Gobind Singh to any extent.  You may try, but it won’t let you be.  It is so slippery, it takes you to infinite God, Ek Ong Kar, anyway.The gurus laid the path of practical living more than anybody could do.  But they are transparent; they are examples; they are guides; they are milestones on the path of God.  They never claimed that they are God.  People saw and experienced God in them.  If you claim that you are God, it is a very phony claim.  But when people see God prevailing in you, that is reality. Guru Gobind Singh said, “Lord Ram came to tell you to chant to God.  You forgot chanting to God, you started forgetting God, and you started chanting to Lord Ram.  Lord Krishna came and told you, ‘Chant to God,’ and you forgot about God and started chanting to Lord Krishna.  Lord Buddha came and told you Chant to God,” and you forgot about God and chanted to Lord Buddha.  Isaac, Christ, Moses, and Mohammed; they came and told you to chant to God.  You forgot about God and started chanting to Moses and Mohammed and Christ.”  Guru Gobind Singh said, “Now God tells me to ask you when you are going to stop it because he says God created you to look through the creation, through the transparency of it.”  Look to the gross existence of God through the transparency of it and find who is the Creator.   Peace,Harbhajan Kaur

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Nadh Singh,

 

In 33 years time studying with Yogi Bhajan I never heard him refer to Guru Nanak as Guru Dev. When asked about Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo for the Aquarian Teacher manual, this was his reply (see below in quotes). Although here he mentions Guru Ram Das, he does not mean to say that we are bowing to Guru Ram Das either; I only heard Yogi Bhajan refer to bowing to your inner wisdom to bring in the wisdom of the Infinite when chanting Ong Namo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Whenever you chant

"Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo,"

through the grace and blessing

of Guru Ram Das, Bhagvatee,

the creative power of the universe,

God, the Ultimate, the Infinite,

dwells in you as a yogi and that

is what you teach.

Concentrate on the heavens

and beyond the heavens

when you chant it.

See what a difference it makes."

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Nadh Singhji,

It is clearly essential for you to have a deep understanding of mantra

in essence given the name Nadh, and to somehow tie it into Sikhism with

the name Singh.

 

Perhaps this story will help:

A friend and great yogi, John Koerhne, used to visit my husband and me

in Del Mar. On one of his visits he told of how Yogi ji said that in

chanting Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo we are like the moon circling the earth,

and with the earth circling the sun, and so on. It perked John's

curiosity about how far you could take this. So one day he chanted Ong

Namo Guru Dev Namo sincerely and continuously for two and a half hours,

and felt very blessed to discover himself revolving around Guru Nanak

Dev ji.

 

Now, Guru Nanak's Guru was Sat Nam, the pure Nadh of infinite Truth. It

seems logical that if John had kept chanting he would have gone beyond

imagery into the the essence, to encircle and finally merge in the

vibration of Nam, the living experience of God.

 

It is best not to get attached to form, in this case Guru Nanak, to

truly understand Nadh, of which he was but a channel.

 

Loving Blessings,

Guru Prem Kaur

Memoirs of a Yogini

[Guest guest]

Sat nam!

 

Thank you for your response; I find it interesting that in the Aquarian

Teacher's Manual it

states:

 

" blessing

>

> of Guru Ram Das, Bhagvatee, "

 

and I see the connectedness between this mantra and the chant, " Om Namo

Bhagavate "

they have in Hatha Yoga.

 

Thank you also for your clarification--it helps me out greatly.

 

Blessings,

 

Nadh Singh

 

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " Nam Kaur " <namkaur wrote:

>

> Sat Nam Nadh Singh,

>

> In 33 years time studying with Yogi Bhajan I never heard him refer to Guru

Nanak as

Guru Dev. When asked about Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo for the Aquarian Teacher

manual, this was his reply (see below in quotes). Although here he mentions Guru

Ram

Das, he does not mean to say that we are bowing to Guru Ram Das either; I only

heard

Yogi Bhajan refer to bowing to your inner wisdom to bring in the wisdom of the

Infinite

when chanting Ong Namo.

>

> " Whenever you chant

>

> " Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo, "

>

> through the grace and blessing

>

> of Guru Ram Das, Bhagvatee,

>

> the creative power of the universe,

>

> God, the Ultimate, the Infinite,

>

> dwells in you as a yogi and that

>

> is what you teach.

>

> Concentrate on the heavens

>

> and beyond the heavens

>

> when you chant it.

>

> See what a difference it makes. "

>

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

A great way to interpret 'Guru Dev' is to break it down...

 

Gu -- darkness

Ru -- light

Dev -- 'transparent form of God' or 'angel'

[Yogi Bhajan, when he gave me my name, explained Dev as the transparent form of

God.

Bibiji explained it as 'angel'. I actually relate to the first translation

more...but use 'angel'

or 'image of an angel' to translate my name for people who aren't really living

this way but

are simply curious.]

 

'Guru' is that what takes you from darkness to light. People commonly think of

'guru' as a

person -- however, as we know, we don't limit this concept to a person. In

fact, relating to

a person as a Guru is tricky as the individual, limited ego can get tangled up

in the

expression of the Universal Self. When I teach, I often talk about 'Guru' as

anything that

takes you from darkness to light -- an 'ah ha' moment, the light flowing through

the

words of someone, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib...

 

So ... 'Guru Dev' is not Guru Nanak, unless you're relating the the divine,

infinite teacher

within Guru Nanak that is within everything...not just Guru Nanak. Guru Dev is

the divine

teacher...that light and infinity that resides in every person and in

everything. In this way,

Guru Dev is 'Divine Teacher'.

 

Given all of this, one way to translate Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo is " I bow to that

Infinite,

Creative Energy of the universe and I bow to that Divine Teacher within every

being and

everything " .

 

I'm looking forward to reading the other answers on this.

 

Many blessings to you,

 

Dev Suroop Kaur

www.devsuroop.com

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " terrarium44 " <terrarium44 wrote:

>

> Sat nam,

>

> I've been trying to come to terms with this, and have combed through

> the web and this group to find the answer and can't find it, so if you

> do have the answer, I would appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

>

> I know that when we chant " Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo " , we connect to " the

> Golden Chain of Teachers " , but when I deconstruct the mantra, I find this:

>

> Ong Namo = I bow / offer my obeisances (stemming from the word " namah " )

> Guru Dev = Guru Nanak

> Namo = offer my obeisances (stemming from the word " namah " )

>

> I'm not sure, however, if " Guru Dev " actually refers to Guru Nanak,

> but I've read before that Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, is also

> often referred to as " Guru Dev " . If this is so, then doesn't this

> mean that when I say this mantra, that I'm bowing/submitting to Guru

> Nanak?

>

> Up until now, I've always been told that " Guru Dev " meant " inner

> teacher " , but am wondering if that's not quite the case. Although I

> find Sikhism to be a beautiful religion, I'm not Sikh myself, but have

> certain concerns about bowing/offering my obeisances to Guru Nanak. I

> do not wish to offend anyone with this post, and sincerely want to

> further my development in Kundalini Yoga, and hope that anyone knowing

> the answer to this question will take a few minutes to reply.

>

> Thanks!

>

> Blessings,

>

> Nadh Singh

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Nadh,

 

I am being very brief because the battery of my laptop is running

very low. Gurudev is another term for guru. I dont know whether you

have knowledge of Hindi/ Punjabi language. So I am just mentioning

Dev means a god. So when u say Gurudev you are actually doing nothing

more than adding some more respect to it.

Gurudev does not mean Guru Nanak. It means you Guru. Guru Nanak never

wanted anyone to bow against him. He wanted everyone to bow against

the Nirankaar.

Kindly pardon and correct me if I wrote something wrong or hurt

anyone.

 

Thanks

Baljinder

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " terrarium44 "

<terrarium44 wrote:

>

> Sat nam,

>

> I've been trying to come to terms with this, and have combed through

> the web and this group to find the answer and can't find it, so if

you

> do have the answer, I would appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

>

> I know that when we chant " Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo " , we connect

to " the

> Golden Chain of Teachers " , but when I deconstruct the mantra, I

find this:

>

> Ong Namo = I bow / offer my obeisances (stemming from the

word " namah " )

> Guru Dev = Guru Nanak

> Namo = offer my obeisances (stemming from the word " namah " )

>

> I'm not sure, however, if " Guru Dev " actually refers to Guru Nanak,

> but I've read before that Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, is also

> often referred to as " Guru Dev " . If this is so, then doesn't this

> mean that when I say this mantra, that I'm bowing/submitting to Guru

> Nanak?

>

> Up until now, I've always been told that " Guru Dev " meant " inner

> teacher " , but am wondering if that's not quite the case. Although I

> find Sikhism to be a beautiful religion, I'm not Sikh myself, but

have

> certain concerns about bowing/offering my obeisances to Guru

Nanak. I

> do not wish to offend anyone with this post, and sincerely want to

> further my development in Kundalini Yoga, and hope that anyone

knowing

> the answer to this question will take a few minutes to reply.

>

> Thanks!

>

> Blessings,

>

> Nadh Singh

>

[Guest guest]

In teacher's training 2003 in Minneapolis, my group was taught that

Dev means " unseen. " The full translation, as I understand it, is as

follows:

 

Ong = infinite creator

Namo = I bow

Guru = teacher

Dev = unseen

Namo = I bow

 

To our group it was taught as " I bow to the infinite creator. I bow

to the unseen teacher [within] "

 

Kundalini-Yoga , " balli " <khalliballi

wrote:

>

> Hello Nadh,

>

> I am being very brief because the battery of my laptop is running

> very low. Gurudev is another term for guru. I dont know whether

you

> have knowledge of Hindi/ Punjabi language. So I am just mentioning

> Dev means a god. So when u say Gurudev you are actually doing

nothing

> more than adding some more respect to it.

> Gurudev does not mean Guru Nanak. It means you Guru. Guru Nanak

never

> wanted anyone to bow against him. He wanted everyone to bow

against

> the Nirankaar.

> Kindly pardon and correct me if I wrote something wrong or hurt

> anyone.

>

> Thanks

> Baljinder

>

> Kundalini-Yoga , " terrarium44 "

> <terrarium44@> wrote:

> >

> > Sat nam,

> >

> > I've been trying to come to terms with this, and have combed

through

> > the web and this group to find the answer and can't find it, so

if

> you

> > do have the answer, I would appreciate you sharing your

knowledge.

> >

> > I know that when we chant " Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo " , we connect

> to " the

> > Golden Chain of Teachers " , but when I deconstruct the mantra, I

> find this:

> >

> > Ong Namo = I bow / offer my obeisances (stemming from the

> word " namah " )

> > Guru Dev = Guru Nanak

> > Namo = offer my obeisances (stemming from the word " namah " )

> >

> > I'm not sure, however, if " Guru Dev " actually refers to Guru

Nanak,

> > but I've read before that Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, is

also

> > often referred to as " Guru Dev " . If this is so, then doesn't

this

> > mean that when I say this mantra, that I'm bowing/submitting to

Guru

> > Nanak?

> >

> > Up until now, I've always been told that " Guru Dev " meant " inner

> > teacher " , but am wondering if that's not quite the case.

Although I

> > find Sikhism to be a beautiful religion, I'm not Sikh myself,

but

> have

> > certain concerns about bowing/offering my obeisances to Guru

> Nanak. I

> > do not wish to offend anyone with this post, and sincerely want

to

> > further my development in Kundalini Yoga, and hope that anyone

> knowing

> > the answer to this question will take a few minutes to reply.

> >

> > Thanks!

> >

> > Blessings,

> >

> > Nadh Singh

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Sat Naam,

 

The meaning of Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo deepens with time and ownership

of the mantra.

 

Given the idea that Waheguru became everything as the act of creating,

rather then the idea of crating things from afar (i.e. away in

Heaven), here is one level of owing this mantra.

 

Ong = creator in the ACTION of becoming everything that exists

 

Namo = I acknowledge Waheguru's existence as everything, but I do not

limit Wahegugu in anyway by acknowledging the existence

 

Guru = that which leads us (gur= process) from Unknown (gu

=darkness) to Known (ru= light)

 

Dev = the Divine Essence that is Everything, is in Everything

 

Namo = I acknowledge that Essence/Waheguru in/as myself

 

YogiJi said " If you can't see God in all, you can't see God at all " .

 

That God is (in) all and is (in) us.

 

 

This interpretation is constantly deepening.

 

Sat Naam,

 

Baldev Kaur Khalsa

 

 

 

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , robinscarlett <no_reply wrote:

>

> In teacher's training 2003 in Minneapolis, my group was taught that

> Dev means " unseen. " The full translation, as I understand it, is as

> follows:

>

> Ong = infinite creator

> Namo = I bow

> Guru = teacher

> Dev = unseen

> Namo = I bow

>

> To our group it was taught as " I bow to the infinite creator. I bow

> to the unseen teacher [within] "

>

> Kundalini-Yoga , " balli " <khalliballi@>

> wrote:

> >

> > Hello Nadh,

> >

> > I am being very brief because the battery of my laptop is running

> > very low. Gurudev is another term for guru. I dont know whether

> you

> > have knowledge of Hindi/ Punjabi language. So I am just mentioning

> > Dev means a god. So when u say Gurudev you are actually doing

> nothing

> > more than adding some more respect to it.

> > Gurudev does not mean Guru Nanak. It means you Guru. Guru Nanak

> never

> > wanted anyone to bow against him. He wanted everyone to bow

> against

> > the Nirankaar.

> > Kindly pardon and correct me if I wrote something wrong or hurt

> > anyone.

> >

> > Thanks

> > Baljinder

> >

> > Kundalini-Yoga , " terrarium44 "

> > <terrarium44@> wrote:

> > >

> > > Sat nam,

> > >

> > > I've been trying to come to terms with this, and have combed

> through

> > > the web and this group to find the answer and can't find it, so

> if

> > you

> > > do have the answer, I would appreciate you sharing your

> knowledge.

> > >

> > > I know that when we chant " Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo " , we connect

> > to " the

> > > Golden Chain of Teachers " , but when I deconstruct the mantra, I

> > find this:

> > >

> > > Ong Namo = I bow / offer my obeisances (stemming from the

> > word " namah " )

> > > Guru Dev = Guru Nanak

> > > Namo = offer my obeisances (stemming from the word " namah " )

> > >

> > > I'm not sure, however, if " Guru Dev " actually refers to Guru

> Nanak,

> > > but I've read before that Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru, is

> also

> > > often referred to as " Guru Dev " . If this is so, then doesn't

> this

> > > mean that when I say this mantra, that I'm bowing/submitting to

> Guru

> > > Nanak?

> > >

> > > Up until now, I've always been told that " Guru Dev " meant " inner

> > > teacher " , but am wondering if that's not quite the case.

> Although I

> > > find Sikhism to be a beautiful religion, I'm not Sikh myself,

> but

> > have

> > > certain concerns about bowing/offering my obeisances to Guru

> > Nanak. I

> > > do not wish to offend anyone with this post, and sincerely want

> to

> > > further my development in Kundalini Yoga, and hope that anyone

> > knowing

> > > the answer to this question will take a few minutes to reply.

> > >

> > > Thanks!

> > >

> > > Blessings,

> > >

> > > Nadh Singh

> > >

> >

>