Radha Soami Panch Naams

Paanch Naam Radhasoami

What are Panch Naams & their significance

Holy scriptures, Guru Granth Sahib in particular talks about Panch Naams or Five Names.  It is mentioned in Guru Nanak Dev Ji's speech on page number 3 in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Panch Parvan Panch Pardhan

ਪੰਚ ਪਰਵਾਣ ਪੰਚ ਪਰਧਾਨੁ ॥ (Panch parvan panch pardhan.)
ਪੰਚੇ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਦਰਗਹਿ ਮਾਨੁ ॥ (Panche pavahi dargah maan)
ਪੰਚੇ ਸੋਹਹਿ ਦਰਿ ਰਾਜਾਨੁ ॥ (Panche sohahi dar raajaan)
ਪੰਚਾ ਕਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਏਕੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ॥ (Pancha ka gur ek dhian)

Guru Nanak Dev Ji had met Supreme God Kabir who took him to Sachkhand. Therefore Guru Nanak Dev Ji was fully aware of the "Panch Pardhan" (dieties governing the five chakras) present in the human body and the secret mantras (Panch Parvan) of these respective deities. 

There are five chakras in human body which are governed by their deities. These are Mool Chakra, Swad Chakra, Nabhi Chakra, Hridya Chakra and Kanth Chakra. You can read in detail about these body chakras and other chakras in the article Body Chakra and Path to Sachkhand. All these chakras have specific mantras by recitation of which these chakras can be flourished. 

What Panch Naams are given in Radha Soami 

Radha Soami Gurus give Five Names or Panch Naams during initiation which are as follows.

  • Omkaar, Rarankar, Jyoti Niranjan, Sohang, Satnaam
  • RadhaSoami Panch Naam in Hindi: ओंकार, ररंकार, ज्योति निरंजन, सोहंग, सतनाम
  • RadhaSoami Panch Naam in Punjabi: ਓਮਕਾਰ, ਰਰੰਕਾਰ, ਜਯੋਤੀ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ, ਸੋਹੰਗ, ਸਤਨਾਮ 

Why are the Radhasoami Panch Naam Wrong

The founder of Radhasoami panth, Hazoor Shiv Dayal Ji Maharaj did not have any guru. He therefore was an ignorant. He read speech of God Kabir and as per his naive intellect, selected the wrong naam mantras from the speech of Kabir Sahib. The speech of God Kabir however is very clear when it describes these naams. The speech fully explains the trap laid by Kaal but this also proves that a Guru is paramount for salvation. Because Shiv Dayal Ji did not have a guru, he remained ignorant and misled all his followers.

Origin of Radha Soami Panch Naam

Shiv Dayal ji acquired these five naams from two shabads of Kabir Sahib. The two shabads of Kabir Sahib are listed below.

Kabir sahib has said both the shabads in which the reality of panch naams has been explained. In the shabad Kar Naino Deedar, Kabir Sahib has explained the full trap of Kaal. Shiv Dayal ji altered the shabads slightly. First few lines of the shabad Santo Shabadai Shabad Bakhana are given below.

Santo Shabadai Shabad Bakhana | Radha Soami Panch Naam

संतो शब्दई शब्द बखाना।।टेक।। शब्द फांस फँसा सब कोई शब्द नहीं पहचाना।।
santo shabdai shabad bakhana | shabad faans fansa sab koi shabad nahin pehchana ||

प्रथमहिं ब्रह्म स्वं इच्छा ते पांचै शब्द उचारा।
सोहं, निरंजन, रंरकार, शक्ति और ओंकारा।।
Prathamhin brahm swan ichha te paanche shabad uchara |
Soham, Niranjan, Rarankar, Shakti aur Onkara ||

The shabad clearly states the five naams which are prevalent in Radha Soami sect. However Shiv Dayal ji swapped shakti for satnaam. The word satnaam has been mentioned in shabad Kar Naino Deedar. 

In His shabad "Santo Shabadai Shabad Bakhana", Kabir Sahib has given a description of these five naams of Kaal. Kabir Sahib has clearly explained how these panch naams are a trap of Kaal.

One is therefore unlikely to achieve anything by reciting these panch naams. Therefore the fact is that the five naams given in Radhsoami are actually arbitrary and useless. Moreover in Radhasoami sect there is no concept of body chakras. They consider that their journey starts directly from Trikuti Chakra whereas the fact is that one cannot reach trikuti without crossing the body chakras. They are indeed the most deluded sect due to lack of knowledge.

Watch the Shabad Santo Shabdai Shabad Bakhana in the video below which has been beautifully explained by Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj.

Panch Naam given in Radha Soami Panth are up to Kaal

Description of Panch (5) naams given in Radha Soami Panth. These are up to Kaal only. These naams have been taken from Kabir Sahib's Bani but are not the naams for liberation

The video below gives a complete description of panch naams given in Radha Soami panth.


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