It was a sentimental journey connecting to my roots and my faith. In Lahore, my visit was hosted by two friends, Jean Marie Lafont, a French historian of French Generals in the Khalsa Raj army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and Engineer Dr. Asgar Ali who was my contemporary in the International Hall of Paris University in 1971.
Guru Nanak’s teaching was addressed to all men irrespective of caste, race or religion. He attacked empty rituals and ceremonies but never any religious faith. He condemned those Pundits and Mullahs who abused their faith for personal power and pelf. He called upon Hindus to become better Hindus and Muslims to become better Muslims.
Sikhism, a revealed religion, is the youngest among the major world faiths. This system, as preached by Guru Nanak, has a universal appeal and an eternal relevance. Guru Nanak is, in fact, the revealer of a new gospel, the founder of a new faith, the perfect example of piety and deep devotion.
The God and Man inter-relationship as Father, Mother and Bridegroom makes its correspondence with Christian concept of God as a viable option. As a consequence, the Sikh Scripture qualifies as a Universal Scripture for all mankind.
The origin of Hindu-Sikh divide goes back to the day when Guru Nanak as a young boy of 10 years refused to wear the janeu, the ceremonial thread being worn by all Hindus.
I am grateful to Daljit Bajwa (91) and his wife Guddy Bajwa for providing salient features of the biography of his illustrious father, Bal Singh Bajwa, who was my Role Model in school days. I owe my thanks to Prem Singh Kahlon and his wife Darshan Bhatti Kahlon for the supply of material for collating the biography of Prem Kahlon, my Role Model in College days.
I feel humbled to review this volume as its beauty and relevance surpasses all that has been written about GURU NANAK during the last 551 years for the English speaking world.
Ron Horgan felt confident and elated that Guru Granth Sahib offers hope for survival of Planet Earth
Having a cursory look on the meanings of this shabad may give you a wrong impression that Guru Jee pleads for a life of renunciation and other-worldliness.
