Secular Thoughts of the Sikh Gurus

Foreword The basic concept of the Sikh Gurus is the universality of Almighty God and the brotherhood of man. The Supreme being is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. He is uniform, unborn and the Creator. He is the saviour, benefactor, kind and just. The Gurus exhorted mankind to sing the glory of the fear- less, the Ocean of Mercy, the Fountain of all comfort and source of all wisdom. All gifts are given by Him. He pervades all places, all hearts, all homes and hearths. His treasures are inexhaustible. His Name is the priceless jewel and His power, His Grace; His healing power is for everyone.

The Sikh Gurus also taught mankind that the soul is immortal; this physical form is the result of one's actions. All one's actions without remembering Him are futile as decorations on a dead body. Man will have to render an account of his deeds. Life devoid of goodness is all in vain. Futile are distinctions based on caste and pedigree. Anyone having conceit of his caste is ignorant of His ways.

Guru Nanak the first in the lineage of Ten Masters said that he would go with the lowliest of the low, as he does not know of any difference in men on the basis of caste or birth. The rich and the poor are all brethren. Guru Nanak advocated renunciation of luxury, anger and lust, but not of one's kith and kin. Instead of escaping to the forests and loneliness, one should lead a normal life of worldliness with one's family and exist like a lotus that stands above its roots which are in mud.

Guru Nank was born in 1469 AD at a time when India was in utter confusion and crisis.

Introduction To attempt a treatise on the holy works of the great Sikh Gurus is very much like measuring the depth of the ocean by a boatman's rudder! It is beyond common man's comprehension. Only a person completely dedicated to the Infinite can relish the sublime thoughts of these divine personalities. And such persons would not come to preach or describe their experiences and share their ecstatic joy to the public, because they shun publicity and want to enjoy seclusion.

But it is equally necessary to bring at least glimpses of the great spiritual experiments and experiences of such great Saints to the doorsteps of the public, because they need spiritual awakening. It is all the more necessary in multi-religious nation, where mutual understanding stands on basic concepts of the religious teachings and preaching’s of such great dedicated preceptors. The author owes a personal commitment. His first five years, the plea- sant days with thousands of brethren in the Gurdwaras at Rawalpindi has left an impression that will sustain him to have greater faith in the Gurus than anything else.

I was dedicated to the Guru by my mother, who hailed from Nanakganj, Sipri Bazaar, Jhansi, and who could attend the prayers in Gurdwaras from her childhood. I do not know whether it is still there. On Guru Parabs there used to be huge processions there with not only well-dressed band players, but with beautifully decorated elephants and the Panj Payaras being carried on them. Or it might have been the sacred Granth Sahibji, which used to be carried on the decorated elephants.

In Rawalpindi, being the only Bengali Sikh, I got most affection- ate VIP treatment. I would attend the prayer every day. The devotees would wait for me. I would enjoy their hospitality from lap to lap.

**Contents and Sample Pages**