The Socially Involved Renunciate eBook

A translation and analysis of Guru Nanak's description of the Sikh path to spiritual liberation.

The Socially Involved Renunciate is an in-depth analysis and an original English translation of the Siddh Go, a fundamental philosophical text of the Sikh tradition. The work reflects the distinctive worldview of Sikhism, the only major Indian religion that does not regard asceticism as a legitimate path to liberation.

Composed by Guru Nnak, a medieval, north Indian saint-poet and venerated founder of the Sikh tradition, the Siddh Go is a dialogue between Guru Nnak and several Nth yogis who had been pursuing a rigorous path of hath-yoga as renunciates of the material world. Through their dialogue, Guru Nnak teaches the Nth yogis a spiritual path that also includes involvement in the social world and offers a practical way to achieve liberation. In The Socially Involved Renunciate, Kamala Elizabeth Nayar and Jaswinder Singh Sandhu provide background on Sikhism, highlight the ethical teachings expounded in the Siddh Go, and demonstrate how Guru Nnak reconciles the polarities of the ascetic and householder ideals.