The Lost Poetry of Sikh Poet Nunihal Singh Layal: Guru Nanak

(Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series to preserve on the Internet the “lost” poetry of Nunihal Singh Layal, the “Tradesman Poet,” who I met in New Delhi in 1974. Some poems contain his original introductions. I have a self-published book of his that is disintegrating and falling apart and over the next year or two I will run and preserve all of his poetry here. Joe Gandelman)

Guru Nanak
by Naunihal Singh Layal

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and Savior of mankind and humanity in India during the Mughal’s Rule, when man had forgotten the reality of religion and unnecessary emphasis was given on the formal side of religion, be reformed the society then. [sic} He is regarded by the Sikhs, as well as Hindus and some Muslims also as incarnation of Equality, Unity and Peace.

Nanak was born as an ordinary man,
In an ordinary home,
In an ordinary way,
And brought up in the same way.

From his early childhood
To his life end hood,
Nothing could charm him
Nothing could fear him
Nothing could discourage him
To give up his search for Him
For he had in his inner-in
The image of God within.

He purged the sinner
Healed the sufferer,
Softened the anguished,
Soothed the restless,
Leveled and unleveled and (unequal,)
With the magic of love.

He killed none
Injured none
Harmed none
Hated none;
But loved all
Embraced all
Taught all
To respect all

Without caste or creed,
In nutshell brief,
Cast of man is equality
Creed of man is humanity.

Nice he was; nicely he preached
Pure he was; purity he preached
Lovely he was; so love he preached
Humble he was; and humility he preached.
Divine he was; divinity he preached
To keep the body and mind nice and neat.

God is one, so oneness he preached.
God is love, so love he preached.
Apostle of peace and justice he was
Incarnation of equality and purity he was
Wine and meat he totally ignored
Devotion and bhakti he pleaded of course,
Gives Nanak; message to all
That God, above all, is the Lord of all.