Reviewed by Kevin Malik
Blog: keveinbooksnreviews.in
Mool Mantra by Paul Kalra is a simple and interesting spiritual book that highlights the teachings and fundamental values of Guru Nanak. Other than this, the book also sheds light on his life journey as an individual in the society. Right at the beginning, it is given that he was married and had two sons, and his best friend was a Muslim named Mardana.
In true words Guru Nanak was an epitome of human compassion. As the book chugs ahead, you will get to know that Guru Nanak was the first guru out of ten Sikh gurus. The book says that Mool Mantra is the beginning of the Guru Granth, the holy book of Sikhs. The author has been chanting this mantra for many years. He got great benefits by doing that, he explains his journey of benefits towards the end of the book.
The course of the book is build around its title: Mool Mantra. In fact Mool Mantra is the first gift from Guru Nanak to the world.
“He is one, the supreme truth.
He is the creator, the only doer.
Beyond fear, beyond judgment.
His is the timeless form.
Never born, self-creating.
He is attained by God’s grace.”
Coming back to the book, Guru Nanak was neither a God nor a prophet. He was neither a complete householder nor a renouncer. His way of spirituality was entirely different from the people of his time. When he came out of the forest after three days doing meditation, he was a changed personality. He is revered someone as illuminated person.
Nanak almost travelled to all major religious places of the world. He visited mosques and temples, interacted with people of all faith and religions. He preached about humanity and compassion over futile rituals. According to him, the essence of all religions is truth and love. And one does not need shrines or priests or saints to connect with god. Mool Mantra is a special kind of incantation that can help a person connect and establish a relationship with a spiritual god. If one makes a connection with god, it is done free from prejudice, judgment, and other biased aspects.
The book lays emphasis on Mool Mantra that talks about god and his attributes and how can one lead a life of contentment and peace and spirituality. In the further chapters, the author talks about the 5 vices and virtues of god, god is formless, he is the creator and lives within the creator, self-existence, and much more.
The essence of all religions is love and is what Guru Nanak taught, “Fill your hearts with love, stop fighting with each other. Fighting is not the basis of any religion. On the surface, religions may appear different, but the truth that is the basis of all religions is one and can be known only through love. God is one, people call him by different names and those are nothing but symbols. The person behind community kitchen was none other than Nanak. He initiated that so that people of layers and strata can come together to form harmony, peace, and love.
The book is full of many takeaways. Let’s see the teachings and other aspects in short.
Share & Consume: Share with others, help those who are in need, so you may eat together.
Work Honestly: Earn an honest living, without exploitation or fraud.
Meditate with God Consciousness: To feel his presence and control the five thieves and five virtues of the human personality.
This book brings forward the teachings of Guru Nanak for god. The first chapter Mool Mantra covers the intangible attributes of god such as he is an energy, beyond any form, he is the truth, he does for all of us, he is beyond fear and he does not judge on hedonistic aspects, and so on.
The next segment is about hints through which you can find god. The basic spiritual fundamentals of Nanak are different and seemed based on experience and wisdom that he gained in the world.
It’s an extensive book on Mool Mantra and its allied veracity. If you knew very little about Guru Nanak or want to study him as a person and preacher, do not hesitate and pick up the book.
Buy your copy from Amazon/Kindle.