A Gift of Grace: The Essence of Guru Nanak's Spirituality

Index

Preface

He spoke of love and compassion for all. He saw in the skies not only stars but the worlds beyond our world in an endless loop—an idea that his contemporaries could not fully comprehend. He called upon his followers to burn worldly love and think of the love that is endless and eternal. He knew that sickness in the human heart is not a common disease but a condition caused by our indifference to spiritual life. It is an eternal agony that is cured only by the love of the Lord, the Creator and sustainer of this universe. When we forget Him, we go astray and miss the opportunity to gain enlightenment in this life, which is a precious gift. He told his listeners that the sacred word ( shabad ) is a priceless pearl, and, when not used, it slips out of our grip and is hard to get back. He implored people around him, ‘Love the Lord as lotus loves water.’ Get thirsty for the Name. He compared himself to a papiha (a songbird that is known to call for rain), seeking the water of God’s mercy. Our life, he said, is like a long and sleepless night. There is only one source of light and grace— Ek Onkaar Sat Naam (One True Name). Don’t wander all alone in the wilderness. Don’t try to swim in the turbulent sea on your own. Seek help from the One, the Only One. He will tell you how to find pearls in the ocean, how to transform your ordinary mind into a temple, and how to end the sorrow of your soul permanently.

He was Guru Nanak, born in 1469 in a modest Hindu family, who founded one of the newest world religions. He wrote 976 hymns and other compositions in 19 ragas that are exceptional in their poetic beauty and spiritual depth. This book simplifies Guru Nanak’s message for the modern reader. Some of the foundational themes found in the first part of this work include love and compassion for fellow human beings, being a caring member of the family and the community to which one belongs, charitable giving, caring for and working to retain nature’s beauty and environment, and maintaining a regular practice of name recitation (naam simran).

Japji Sahib, which is the seminal text and the very centre of Guru Nanak’s spiritual legacy, is included in its entirety in the second part of the book. Each meditation is presented as transliterated text, followed by its English translation and a brief commentary. Besides Japji Sahib, this book includes in the third part a representative selection of Guru Nanak’s sacred hymns (shabads), which were written in a soulful musical language and infused with the spirit of enlightenment. They contain profound insights into establishing connection with the loving God and are a vital source of the message of love and compassion.

Both Japji Sahib and the sacred hymns are textually challenging works to render in another language. The beauty and depth of their meaning, together with a lyrical depiction of hymns based on different Indian ragas, are hard to retain in translation as one tries to save the tonal quality of the original text. Though an effort has been made to match the depth of meaning and aural experience of the original, no such attempt is likely to yield a perfect result. And this one does not. If the reader comes to understand and appreciate the essence of Guru Nanak’s spirituality from this book, it will be a great reward for me.

This book includes material that was first presented in Japji: The Path of Devotional Meditation, a book that I co-authored with my husband Surinder Deol, and which was published in USA in 1998. I want to express my thanks to Surinder for his help and guidance in the writing of this book, and revision of some of the previously published text. Following a spiritual tradition is like building a bridge that narrows distances and brings people together—something that is urgently needed in our meaninglessly violent and chaotic world. It is a challenge to follow the spiritual path while leading a material and competitive life in a modern society with all its distractions. This book aims to make your task easy and enjoyable.

PART I

THE SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION

Devotional Meditation

Contemplate in the name of God solely—

Fruitless is all other ritual.

[Raga Suhi]

Guru Nanak preached the path of total devotion, in which recitation of the Name ( naam simran ) is a form of meditation. According to a survey by Daniel Goleman, ¹ the root of devotional paths can be traced to ancient classics such as Srimad Bhagavatam, which recommended chanting the name of Sri Krishna. Recitation of the Name is also advocated in many other spiritual traditions. The Koran contains the ninety-nine most beautiful names of Allah. Sufis use these names in what they call ‘remembrance’—a time of intense meditation. Christians offer prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, remembering him as the son of God. Buddhists make use of mantras such as Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum (the embodiment of the body, speech, and mind of the Buddhas, O Padmasambhava, please grant all blessings).

Devotional meditation originates in the heart and soul of a devotee, and is directed outward to a higher being (the flow of feeling and emotions is from the subject to the object). For the performer, it is what transpersonal psychologists call a ‘peak’ experience, in which one is elevated from the immediate surroundings and transported to a world of soul consciousness.

People often ask, how can reciting a name, chanting a mantra, singing a shabad, or participating in a kirtan make any difference? It is a valid question. There are three answers. First, recitation of a sacred word, such as Om, Jesus, Allah, or Ek Onkaar, concentrates our mind like nothing else, and narrows down our attention on the object of recitation. For example, if we say Waheguru (the most popular description of God among Sikhs, which means ‘greetings to the greatest guru of all beings’), we direct our gratitude and salutation to a single source of cosmic energy that is very difficult to visualize in normal course. The picture that emerges in our mind is not the picture of an individual being but of the whole cosmic sphere. Once we hear the Name, we have an opportunity to engage in some creative imagery of our own. We can elevate ourselves mentally. We can try to picture in our mind how the Supreme Being might look. We can see the ‘sound and light show’ of the universe in perpetual motion, while reflecting on the unbreakable bond between the Creator and His Creation.

Second, recitation of the Name bridges the gulf between the individual and the deity. It can turn quickly into a creative dialogue or conversation, whereby the deity speaks to the individual and provides answers to tough questions. For a person of deep faith, it is the voice of the inner self. But in order to listen to this voice, whether it comes from inside or outside, we have to be in touch with our higher self.

Third, recitation of the Name is also a form of meditation and confers all the benefits associated with meditation. But it needs to be said that Nanak does not recommend deep and socially isolating meditative practices common in Hinduism and Buddhism. The best meditation is the recitation of the Name in the solitude of one’s home or in the company of other believers. Nanak’s spirituality is deeply rooted in the family and the community. Therefore, the practitioner is empowered to have a ‘peak’ experience as well as a ‘plateau’ experience (sharing one’s spiritual pursuits with family, friends, and community).

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1Daniel Goleman, The Meditative Mind: The Varieties of Meditative Experience (New York: TarcherPerigee Books, 1988). [The book was originally published in 1977 as The Varieties of Meditative Experience .]

Guru Nanak’s Life and Work

An understanding of the mystical significance of the Guru’s teachings requires a brief introduction to his life and the core of his message. He was born on 15 April 1469 ¹, in a village near Lahore, now in Pakistan. The place was later renamed Nankana Sahib in the Guru’s memory. Most accounts of the Guru’s life are based on contemporary hagiographical sketches (janam sakhis) written for pedagogical purposes. As a precocious child, Nanak uttered words of wisdom that were beyond the understanding of people around him. The family priest, who read his horoscope, predicted that both Hindus and Muslims will revere him. His name will be known on earth and in heaven. As he walks, the ocean will part to give him way. So will the earth and the sky. He will worship and acknowledge only the Supreme Being, and he will command others to do the same.

Nanak, as a student, surprised his teachers with his sharp and philosophic mind. Married at the age of sixteen, he had two sons. It soon became clear that young Nanak did not have much interest in the material reality of a householder’s life. His sister invited him to move to Sultanpur, and persuaded her husband to get him a job with the local nawab. As the job involved only mundane accounting, Nanak spent most of his time on his search for the True One.

In August 1507, the spiritual Nanak had a mystical experience involving a revelation while bathing in the Bein River. After three days, he emerged from the river as a messiah, chanting that there is neither Hindu nor Muslim. His acquaintances were taken by surprise, who had given up on him as drowned. After this great transformational event of self-enlightenment, he was always addressed as Guru Nanak. The Guru subsequently set out on a long journey of discovery, that took him to several of Hindu pilgrimages within India and also to the sacred Muslim cities of Mecca and Medina.

It is difficult to account for the significant influences on the Guru’s life, but he shared many of his beliefs with those in mystical and devotional traditions that produced saints like Kabir. There is no evidence to corroborate guesses regarding the Guru’s meeting with Kabir, although there is some possibility that they were contemporaries. The Guru witnessed the brutal tyranny of Mughal Emperor Babur’s invasion of India and wrote about it. The last part of the Guru’s life was spent in Kartarpur, where he laid the institutional foundation of the Sikh faith. Japji Sahib (The Morning Prayer) was written during this period.

The Guru joined his Supreme Beloved on 22 September 1539. The following account of this event appears in Puratan text: ‘Guru Baba Nanak then went and sat under a withered acacia, which immediately produced leaves and flowers, becoming verdant again. Guru Angad (his principal disciple and the successor) prostrated himself … The assembled congregation sang hymns of praise, and Baba Nanak passed into an ecstatic trance. While thus transported, and in obedience to the divine will, he sang the hymn entitled Bara Maah (The Twelve Months). It was early morning and the time had come for his final departure….

‘Hindus and Muslims, who had put their faith in the Divine Name began to debate what should be done with the Guru’s body. We shall bury him, said the Muslims. No, let us cremate his body, said the Hindus. Place flowers on both sides of my body, said Baba Nanak, flowers from the Hindus on the right side and flowers from the Muslims on the left. If tomorrow the Hindus’ flowers are still fresh let my body be burned, and if the Muslims’ flowers are still fresh let it be buried.

‘ … Baba Nanak then covered himself with a sheet and passed away. Those who had gathered around him prostrated themselves, and when the sheet was removed, they found that there was nothing under it. The flowers on both sides remained fresh, and both Hindus and Muslims took their respective shares.’²

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1Guru Nanak’s birth account is available in various traditional histories known as janamsakhi s. It was agreed by hagiographers that the Guru was born in the month of Vaisakh (April). But during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign, based on the judgement of a court historian, the birth celebration was moved to Kattak or Kartik (which is October−November) to bring it closer to Diwali. Thus, a new practice was established and it continued during the British rule. SGPC (the highest Sikh religious authority) has officially declared 15 April 1469 as the birth date of Guru Nanak, although the practice of celebrating it in October− November (the first full moon following Diwali) has been allowed to continue.

2Adapted from W.H. McLeod, trans. and ed., Textual Sources for the Study of Sikhism (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1984), p. 25.

Guru Nanak and Hinduism

Guru Nanak was born into and lived in a social and cultural environment that was predominantly Hindu in its beliefs and practices. Hinduism, a denomination drawn from a Persian word, is a complex set of beliefs, doctrines, and practices. It is a mixture of religion, philosophy, and culture. All Sikhs are followers of Guru Nanak, but the Guru has a sizeable following outside of the Sikh community as well. Many Hindus show reverence to Guru Nanak as an incarnate saint.

We need to note three principal differences. First, Guru Nanak preaches a strictly monotheistic faith, whereas Hinduism, in theory, is monotheistic in the sense that there is a unified concept of God, Brahma, or the Ultimate Reality. In practice, however, Hindus worship several gods and goddesses, treating them more or less as autonomous beings.

Second, Guru Nanak makes spirituality a family-centred pursuit that encourages people to lead a spiritual life, while also fulfilling their communal and societal obligations. In Guru Nanak’s theology, there is no concept of sanyas (giving up domestic life). Enlightenment needs to be pursued while being a model householder.

Third, Guru Nanak firmly believes in the equality of all