Devotion to God: From Sikhism’s Holy Scripture – Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Part 1 of 2

Today, it is an honor to present excerpts from the sacred scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, where Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji (vegetarian) expounds on how to find the real truth.

“[…] Siree Raag, First Mehl: You may chant and meditate, practice austerities and self-restraint, and dwell at sacred shrines of pilgrimage; you may give donations to charity, and perform good deeds, but without the True One, what is the use of it all? As you plant, so shall you harvest. Without virtue, this human life passes away in vain. […] Renouncing wrongful actions, following the Guru’s Teachings, you shall be absorbed into the Perfect One.”

“In the Society of the Saints, He is found, if the Uniter unites us. One whose heart is filled with His Infinite Light meets with Him, and shall never again be separated from Him. True is his position; he abides in Truth, with love and affection for the True One. One who understands himself finds the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence within his own home. Imbued with the True Lord, Truth is gathered in.”

“The ointment of spiritual wisdom is the destroyer of fear; through love, the Pure One is seen. The mysteries of the seen and the unseen are all known, if the mind is kept centered and balanced. If one finds such a True Guru, the Lord is met with intuitive ease. He draws us to His Touchstone, to test our love and consciousness. The counterfeit have no place there, but the genuine are placed in His Treasury. Let your hopes and anxieties depart; thus pollution is washed away.”

“O Siblings of Destiny, I have no other place to go. The Guru has given me the Treasure of the Wealth of the Naam; I am a sacrifice to Him. The Guru’s Teachings bring honor. Blessed is He – may I meet and be with Him! Without Him, I cannot live, even for a moment. Without His Name, I die. I am blind – may I never forget the Naam! Under His Protection, I shall reach my true home. […] Without the Name, what is the use of it all? People come and go, regretting and repenting, like crows in a deserted house. Without the Name, the body suffers in pain; it crumbles like a wall of sand. As long as Truth does not enter into the consciousness, the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence is not found.”