One God, Many Names: A Brief History of Simran (Sacred Names/Mantras) in Sant Mat, by James Bean
The Maharshi Mehi sangat uses a different sacred name at all of the stages within instead of the five names. It’s also kept secret like the Five Names/panch naam.
Simran words vary from group to group, and over time. Something I’ve written about in my Origins of Sant Mat and the Five Names booklet: https://medium.com/sant-mat-meditation-and-spirituality/the-origins-of-sant-mat-the-five-names-and-the-identity-of-tulsi-sahib-s-guru-by-james-bean-eaa516deccf9
I’ve traced the Five Names back to the Dharam Das Kabir line of Masters. Those are the ones who were using the Anurag Sagar of Kabir long before Tulsi Sahib, Soami Ji Maharaj, and contemporary Sant Mat. The Five Names are all found present in their writings, the Ocean of Kabir (Kabir Sagar).
The Agra related groups use Radhasoami, and it’s a public domain mantra, if you will, not a secret name.
The Garib Das group, Radhasoami Satsang Sarai Rohilla, uses 6 names: the five names plus Radhasoami, following a kind of “middle path” between the Agra Radhasoami paths related to Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram with the Radhasoami Naam approach and those related to Baba Jaimal Singh/Sawan/Kirpal Singh satsangs, who use the Five Names.
The Sant Dadu Dayal sangat has a public domain sacred name, and it’s similar to Radhasoami in that it’s a name for the Formless God at the top plane or level. https://medium.com/sant-mat-meditation-and-spirituality/on-the-origin-of-the-holy-name-satyaraam-satya-raam-325cc8549cc0
Kabir used the name “Ram” a lot, as did Ravidas, Namdev, and other early or classic Sants.
Sant Dadu was a master in the Kabir line of masters. Adding “Satya”, transforming it into “Satya-Raam” makes sense, to distinguish it from those other “Rams” of Hindu mythology. Dadu had many Muslim initiates, probably not so culturally close to Hindu tradition, so Satyaraam no doubt seemed nicer. A beautiful name.
The Four Rams
“One Ram dwelt in Dasharath’s home,
One Ram resides within every being.
One Ram has expanded this entire creation,
And one Ram is beyond all of them.”
— Guru Kabir
“Consider the four meanings of ‘Ram’. The first Ram is our inner Self. Parashu-ram*** is said to be the second one. The third one lived in Dasharath’s**** home. The fourth Ram is the Primeval Sat Purush [God]*****.
“Call Him (Sat Purush), Ram or call Him Naam, Ram and Naam are one. Both are mutually indistinguishable; Satguru’s Sound Current reveals this wisdom.”
— Sant Dariya Sahib
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NOTES:
* Nirguna: Without Qualities; the Supreme Reality without form, the Formless Eternal All-pervading and Omnipresent Divine Consciousness;
** Kal: Gnostic Demiurge; False god; “According to Hazur, Kal or Brahman is the universal mind — the master and presiding deity of the spiritual-material region of creation… Kal or Brahman was instrumental in the creation of the lower divisions of creation known as Brahmand, and desh, and pind desh [material universe]. He thus not only acted as creator and the sustainer, but also as the destroyer of these regions. The functions of Kal or Brahman differ from that of Dayal or the true Supreme Being in the sense that Dayal creates through his own spiritual agency and never destroys the creation; He and His region are beyond all change, decay and dissolution. But Kal who conducts creation through the agency of spirit energy derived from Dayal, destroys the regions at his own will; he then acts as the personification of the destructive principles or the god of death. He and his regions are all subject to change, decay and dissolution.” (A.P. Mathur, “Radhasoami Faith, A Historical Study”)
*** Parashu-ram: the son of Sage Jamadagni, is regarded as the sixth incarnation of lord vishnu;
**** Dasharath: Ancient king of Ayodhya, the father of ram;
***** Sat Purush: The Eternal True Original Being, Spirit, Supreme Soul, God;
Ik Onkar Satnaam: “There is One God. Truth is His Name.” (Guru Nanak)
