The First Sikh Spiritual Master: Timeless Wisdom from the Life and Techniques of Guru Nanak

by Harish Dhillon

Explore the life of a great spiritual leader―and walk the peaceful path toward God-realization. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born during a period of political and religious turmoil in India in the fifteenth century. Tension between Hindus and Muslims had escalated, leading to greater polarization of the two religions. By establishing Sikhism, Nanak created a synthesis of Hinduism and Islam with the belief that God is One. He advocated a casteless society based on truth, unity and equality. During his twenty-three years of traveling he taught not only in India but also in Tibet, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and in the area of the present-day countries of Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran, preaching the truth as he perceived it and showing humankind the path to salvation. Highlighting his quest for tolerance and compassion, this fascinating biography tells the story of a unique spiritual leader who showed a gentle, peaceful path to realizing God. Admired, loved and respected even in his lifetime, Guru Nanak continues to command admiration and respect five hundred years after he lived, with his lasting universal message of Absolute Unity more urgent and necessary than ever before.

Genres: History

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2006

Reviews

[Proustitute (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What should the yogi have to fear? Trees, plants, and all that is inside and outside, is he himself.

For the last 10 months, I've been waking at 4am every morning, jumping into a cold shower (cf. Ishnaan), and then listening to Jap Ji as a tune-in to morning sadhana. The rhythms, the cadences, the magic of the words is like being absorbed into a new world of rapture; following along with Snatam Kaur's slower Tantric version—from her CD set Meditation of the Soul—and reading the words, learning portions of the pauris by heart, and getting Guru Nanak's meanings to really reverberate in every cell of the body has been a transformative experience. It sets the tone for the day; it allows the kriya that follows and the meditation that ends just as the sun is rising to have a much deeper and more resounding effect.

For those new to Jap Ji, I would recommend this slower but very heartfelt version, which has the English translation on-screen.

Nanak was a revolutionary, truly; he was a householder, not a reclusive, ascetic sadhu; he was a rule-breaker; he traveled with musicians all over the world to spread the message of enlightenment and wisdom and love to all who would listen, despite caste or creed; he traveled with one Muslim and one Hindu to accompany his hymns on the tabla and sitar, breaking down religious barriers and being the first to fashion what would become known as Sikhism.

People flocked to him; his wisdom was palpable. And when he took his pre-dawn bath in the river one morning and never surfaced again, some left thinking that he had died; but the true believers stayed and waited, and after three days he emerged from the river, and the first thing he spoke was the entirety of Jap Ji. He had understood something; he had also understood that it was his duty to spread this teaching to others.

Dhillon's book sheds immense light on the devout man, without casting him in an exalted or untouchable light like so many who have touched on similar men (e.g., Buddha, Jesus) in religious history. Nanak is human, and he is someone whose kundalini—spark, awareness, spiritual potential—has touched so many people and informs the daily life of countless people around the world that these stories, parables, and highly-readable anecdotes from his life and the exegetical accounts of his teachings speak across all borders. Just as Nanak wanted wisdom and truth to be passed along without any regard to barriers of class, race, or religion (as he stated: "He who regards all men as equals is religious"), his teachings—and Jap Ji especially—are such an immense comfort and solace, in a world rendered frenetic and chaotic by technology and the demands of the Aquarian age.

As Yogi Bhajan said: "God is inside you; the Guru is outside." Whether you believe in God or not is your call. I'm still ambivalent about this, although God in the acronymic G.O.D.—the generating, organizing, and destroying force—is undeniable if you look outside yourself, if you can calm down the ego and join the community of others tapping into this universal consciousness... substitute "infinity" or "source" or "universe" or whatever you think is beyond you for God, and you still have Nanak's meaning intact, as potent as ever... particularly during the amrit vela, or ambrosial hours between 3-7am. In this quiet time, create a quiet space for yourself (above all, do this for yourself), and allow some of Nanak's teachings to speak to you, in fragments, in nuggets of wisdom. If you listen, the change will come, as it has come for so many before you and as it will for so many after you.

And, for those who are new to Kundalini yoga and the practice of sadhana, Jap Ji, humanology, and both the kriyas and the meditations, I would strongly recommend Snatam Kaur's Original Light: The Morning Practice of Kundalini Yoga; even if you are familiar with Kundalini yoga and its long, complex history, this book will open your eyes to some aspect of practice. Coming from someone like myself who has practiced for 17 years, Kaur's book has helped me so much over the last 10 months while undergoing teacher training—and it's worth noting how much of Nanak's teachings inform her view of the practice, because his teachings are really the root of it all: they are where Raj yoga became Kundalini yoga, when the practice began to be offered to anyone who wanted access to truth, to wisdom, to the unknown.

[SB The Student · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an excellent starting point for anyone seeking to understand Guru Nanak & the Sikh faith. Whether you're new to the topic or looking to deepen your knowledge, this book provides valuable insights into the life of Guru Nanak & the principles that continue to shape Sikh communities worldwide.

[Sajid Mahmood]

Easy reading. Written with a lot of compassion. Gives a good account of the life of Nanak Dev without turning into a religious book.

[Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak.

[Dan Zwirn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but fascinating overview of the founder of Sikhism, who highlighted the benefits of deeds and intent versus the shallowness of mechanical adherence to ritual and dogma.

[Kitja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually it's a very good book describing all the details that provable, no miracles and so...BUT the problem is the wording the author use somewhat like "Hitherto", "Decimate", "Belligerent", "Marauding" and so on...which are really difficult to understand, It should be reader friendly than it was.