Guru Nanaks Discourse with the Nath Yogis

Guru Nānak’s Discourse to the Nāth Yogis is an in-depth analysis and an original English translation of the Siddh Goṣṭ, 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 (sanyāsa) as a legitimate path to liberation (mokṣa).

Composed by Guru Nānak, the founder of the Sikh faith, the Siddh Goṣṭ is a dialogue between Nānak and several yogis of the Nāth tradition, who had been pursuing a rigorous path of hath-yoga as renunciates of the material world. Through their dialogue, Guru Nānak teaches the Nāth yogis a spiritual path that also includes involvement in the social world and offers a practical way to achieve liberation. In this detailed and illuminating text, Kamala Elizabeth Nayar and Jaswinder Singh Sandhu provide background on Sikhism, highlight the ethical teachings expounded in the Siddh Goṣṭ, and demonstrate how Guru Nānak reconciles the polarities of the ascetic and householder ideals.