Guru Nanak- Contemporary Concerns and Response

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About the Book The book makes a study of Guru Nanak's life and teachings with a view to articulating his response to some of the challenges facing humankind today. The Guru was the harbinger of a new era and he enunciated a philosophy of universal nature which has relevance for all times. His teachings transcend all barriers of caste, creed and class and make no distinctions between 'us' and 'they', high and low.

The Guru articulated a distinct metaphysical doctrine and made it the basis of his social philosophy. His idea of Divine immanence in all beings and at all places helped restore religion's social praxis and make it relevant to human social aspirations. It serves as basis for the idea of spiritual unity and equality of entire human fraternity; it spiritualizes the social and negates the belief in this world being mere maya, a hindrance on man's way to self-realization. The study also takes up the Guru's response to religious plurality and the need for interfaith dialogue. He rejects the myth of religious superiority and strongly holds that no Word is God's last Word. He also exhorts man to realize that human. survival depends on the survival of environment and he needs to create conducive conditions for the latter.

About the Author DR DHARAM SINGH, a former Professor of Sikh Studies and Editor- in-Chief of the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism, at Punjabi University, has been active in the field of Sikh and interfaith studies for the past about two decades. He has, besides numerous research papers published in different journals in India and abroad, to his credit about a dozen books on different aspects of Sikh religion and interfaith/pluralist studies. He has also participated in and presented papers at several seminars and conferences at various universities and other academic fora throughout India and abroad.

Introduction The present book which is author's humble tribute to Guru Nanak on the auspicious occasion of his 550 birth anniversary is an attempt at making a study of the Guru's life and teachings to articulate his response to some of the challenges humankind faces today. The Guru was the harbinger of a new era and he enunciated a comprehensive philosophy of universal nature which has relevance for all times. Since his teachings, which transcend all barriers of religion, culture, ethnicity, etc., embody all facets of life, these are aimed at benefiting the humanity at large. He neither permitted himself to be labeled and nor did he allow his bani to become the channel and agency of a dominant denomination: he sided with the 'lowest among the lowly' in precept and practice during his lifetime, and his bani also makes no distinctions between 'us' and 'they'. During his lifetime he espoused the cause of amelioration of entire humankind, egalitarianism, equitability, social justice for the marginalized, acceptance of religious plurality, need for interfaith dialogue, and love for Nature: he made no distinction between man and man on any count. These are the same values which we want to be the hallmark of modern-day society to overcome some of the challenges before us.

**Contents and Sample Pages**