[[File:Sikh.man.at.the.Golden.Temple.jpg|thumb|A Sikh man at [[Harmandir Sahib]], also called the Golden Temple]]
According to Nanak the supreme purpose of human life is to reconnect with [[Akal]] (The Timeless One), however, egotism is the biggest barrier in doing this. Using the Guru's teaching remembrance of ''{{unicode|[[Nām Japō|nām]]}}'' (the divine Word or the Name of the Lord)<ref name="Pruthi 2004 204">{{cite book|last=Pruthi|first=Raj|title=Sikhism and Indian Civilization|year=2004|publisher=Discovery Publishing House|isbn=9788171418794|page=204}}</ref><ref name="NaamSimran">{{cite book | url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paths-Divine-Ancient-Indian-12/dp/1565182480/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385026816&sr=1-1&keywords=1565182480 | title=Paths to The Divine: Ancient and Indian: 12 | publisher=Council for Research in Values & | author=McLean, George | date=15 Jun 2008 | location=1565182480 | pages=599}}</ref> leads to the end of egotism. Guru Nanak designated the word 'guru' (meaning ''teacher'') to mean the voice of "the spirit": the source of knowledge and the guide to salvation.<ref name="p254">{{cite book|last=Parrinder|first=Geoffrey|authorlink=Geoffrey Parrinder|year=1971|title=World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present|publisher=Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited|location=United States|isbn=978-0-87196-129-7|page=254}}</ref> As Ik Onkar is [[Panentheism|universally immanent]], ''guru'' is indistinguishable from "Akal" and are one and the same.<ref name=singh2013 /> One connects with ''guru'' only with accumulation of selfless search of truth.<ref name=dhillon1999>{{cite journal|last=Dhillon|first=Bikram Singh|title=Who is a Sikh? Definitions of Sikhism|journal=Understanding Sikhism – The Research Journal|date=January–June 1999|volume=1|issue=1|pages=33–36, 27|url=http://www.iuscanada.com/journal/archives/1999/j0101p33.pdf|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref> Ultimately the seeker realizes that it is the consciousness within the body which is seeker/follower and the Word is the true ''guru''. The human body is just a means to achieve the reunion with Truth.<ref name=singh2013>{{cite journal|last=Singh|first=R.K. Janmeja (Meji)|title=Gurbani's Guidance and the Sikh's 'Destination'|journal=The Sikh Review|date=August 2013|volume=61|series=8|issue=716|pages=27–35|url=http://www.hemkunt2.org/PDF/The%20Sikh%20Review,%20August%202013.pdf#page=24|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref> Once truth starts to shine in a person's heart, the essence of current and past holy books of all religions is understood by the person.<ref name=dhillon2004>{{cite journal|last=Dhillon|first=Sukhraj Singh|title=Universality of the Sikh Philosophy: An Analysis|journal=The Sikh Review|date=May 2004|volume=|series=|issue=|pages=|url=http://www.sikhreview.org/pdf/may2004/pdf-files/philo1.pdf|accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref>
