Ans. In Guru Granth Sahib the praises of Naam Simran have been certainly given many times, but its definition has purposely been left untold. This means that every one of us is presumed to possess Simran (within), only it needs to be firmly entrenched by remembering it always never to forget it.
The very meaning of Simran is the sweet memory of the loved one. Singing the laudations of the loved one (God) with unison of mind and body is called Simran. Gurbani says:
ਮੇਘ ਬਿਨਾ ਜਿਉ ਖੇਤੀ ਜਾਇ॥
(SGGS, P. 269)
“Just as the crops will wither without rain”.
Similarly, the human soul will wither without Simran. Consider the day and night spent uselessly if God is forgotten. A person without Simran hits his head aimlessly like a ram or will keep griping and fretting:
ਬਿਨੁ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਜੈਸੇ ਸੀਝ ਛਤਾਰਾ॥
(SGGS, P. 239)
“Without Simran a person is useless like the horns of a ram”.
It would be proper here to give an example to illustrate how important it is to practice Simran. Imagine a traveller reaching another town after travelling a long distance. If on reaching there he forgets the purpose for which he came to this town. Now if he starts asking others why he came to this town, or what was his destination, then people will consider this person crazy and mentally unbalanced.
Now look at the situation of a human being, if on getting this life he forgets the purpose for which he came to this world, wouldn’t he get a similar reaction from others? Gurbani says: “Nao pave baajaari”. (Such a person is called aimless loiterer in a bazar, or a person without a principle).
One must so firmly entrench God’s memory in ones mind that He is not forgotten even for the fraction of a second. One should love God so intensely that one becomes one with Him. That will be called Simran.
To firmly grasp Simran in ones memory the Gurus have given us Bani. To sing and listen to it with devotion and love is the technique to remember God:
ਏਕ ਨਿਮਖ ਜੋ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਮਹਿ ਜੀਆ॥ ਕੋਟਿ ਦਿਨਸ ਲਾਖ ਸਦਾ ਥਿਰੁ ਥੀਆ॥
(SGGS, P. 239)
“Whoever lives in contemplation even for an instant, is made immutable for millions of days – for eternity”.
This wonderful instant (nimakh) which is mentioned many times in Guru Granth Sahib, is obtained by those who stand at the steps of the fearless God steadfastly:
ਨਿਰਾਲੰਬੁ ਨਿਰਹਾਰੁ ਨਿਹਕੇਵਲੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਤਾੜੀ ਲਾਵੈ॥
(SGGS, P. 1332)
“One should get absorbed only in the fearless God who is beyond the need of prop and sustenance”.
Knowledge by itself is dry and tasteless. With Simran it attains fragrance and flavour. It is important to note that Simran can be practiced any time. Even more importantly, the concentration and focus of the practitioner of Simran never breaks. He/she remains in the state of equipoise even while performing his/her worldly duties:
ਹਰਿ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਕੀ ਸਗਲੀ ਬੇਲਾ॥ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਬਹੁ ਮਾਹਿ ਇਕੇਲਾ ॥
(SGGS, P. 1150)
“To contemplate God every time is auspicious, there are rare ones who (always).contemplate on God”.