Meaning & Translation
Sanskrit
ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ
Transliteration
Sat Naam
Pronunciation
saht nahm — in chanting, Sat is often extended long (Saaaat) with a short, resonant Nam
Full Translation
Sat means truth — that which is eternally real — and Nam means name or identity: the vibration by which truth is known. Together they form both a statement about the divine and an affirmation about oneself: the deepest identity of every being is truth itself. The phrase comes from the opening of Guru Nanak's Japji Sahib — "Ik Onkar, Sat Nam": the One Creator, whose Name is Truth.
Spiritual Significance
Sat Nam is the seed mantra (bija) of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan: silently linked with the breath — Sat on the inhale, Nam on the exhale — it runs beneath nearly every kriya and meditation in the practice. Chanted aloud, the Sat is traditionally extended long and the Nam kept short and resonant. It is also spoken as a greeting and farewell, each exchange a reminder: truth is your identity.
Cultural Context & History
The words are Gurmukhi, drawn from the Mool Mantar that opens the Sikh scriptures, where Sat Nam names the One whose identity is Truth. Yogi Bhajan carried the mantra to the West in 1969 with the founding of 3HO, and it became the heartbeat of the Western Kundalini Yoga community. Artists from Snatam Kaur to the Grammy-winning group White Sun — whose "Sat Nam" appeared on their 2015 debut album — have set it to music for a global audience.
Traditionally Accompanied By
For Leaders
Chords and structure for leading this chant on harmonium or guitar — transcribed from the linked recording. New to leading? Read our guide to leading kirtan →
Original key
C
Tempo & feel
Breath-slow (~68 bpm); each Sat Nam rides one full exhale
Chord Chart
Strumming & rhythm (4/4)
D = downstrum, U = upstrum, · = let it ring. breath-slow: down on Sat, soft lift on Nam; the exhale sets the tempo.
Call & Response Structure
Two words in long unison waves. The first line rocks gently from home to the subdominant; the second makes the fuller Am–F–G–C journey before settling. No call-and-response — everyone breathes and sings together.