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THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION IN INDIAN RELIGIONS
devotion. The following passage shows the tremendous importance of love in God-realization :
"He who worships the True One with adoring love, who thirsts for the supreme love, who beseeching cries out, he it is who finds peace for in his heart is love."37
Love is thus an essential element of devotional path. The Gurus attach great importance to true knowledge. True knowledge, they say, is nothing but the realization of God through the 'word' of guru. Knowledge is the sword of the seeker with which he fights all his inner enemies. The man who is a follower of the 'word' is compared to a lotus flower which grows in water. Guru Nānak states :
"As the lotus flower remains unattached to water though flourishing in it, like a duck swimming in the river, so we should cross the worldly ocean by keeping our attention fixed on the word,"38
The inner enemies are the evil passions and sinful desires which stand between God and man. These are destroyed by devotion. Sikhism is not an ascetic religion. There is no clear-cut division between home-life and home-less life of devotees. A Sikh devotee should live in society, usually as a householdar, and earn his living by good actions, fulfilling all his social responsibilities, he should take care of his physical and spiritual needs.
MORAL SIDE OF THE WAY TO LIBERATION
Morality is an essential factor in the spiritual life of man. Morality consists in pure and simple heart. Guru gives great importance to the moral character of a man, The importance and greatness of a man can be judged by how he acts in accordance with truth and moral character. One must speak the truth and realize truth within. The truth certainly lies in one's heart. The essence of virtues lies in realizing truth within the heart. The outstanding importance of truth in Sikhism may be seen in the following verse :
“Truth is the medicine for all, it removeth and washeth away sin. Nānak maketh supplication to those who are in possession of truth.”29 In Sikhism ascetic way of life is rejected but the value of ascetic
37. 38. 39.
A di Granth, p. 505; W.H, Mcleod, op. cit., 213. M. A. Macauliffe, op.cit., p. 171. Ibid., p. 232.
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