Guru Nanak: The Eternal Message of Living in Harmony with Nature

Over 500 years ago, Guru Nanak Dev Ji founded Sikhism and taught people to live life in a way that there was a balance between humanity and nature. Even though Guru Nanak Dev lived 100 of years before the idea of sustainability existed, his teaching perfectly matches with today’s ideas of saving environment. His teachings on the environment were not scientific terms but his message carried deep wisdom about how human should care for nature.

Guru Nanak believed that the entire universe is reflection of God. He said, God does not only live in temples or in people but is present everywhere. Guru Nanak said, “Air is the Guru, Water the father, and Earth the Great Mother.”

For Guru Nanak, loving God meant loving and caring all his creation. He believed that the beauty of nature the smell of flowers, the songs of birds and the changing seasons are the way we can feel God’s presence. He reminded everyone that humans must not misuse or harm nature but take care of it because protecting nature is a form of worship to the creator means worshiping God.

A 15th-Century Vision Ahead of Its Time

In the 15th century, the time when people had no idea about pollution and industrialization, Guru Nanak had already warned about the dangers of greed. He taught that humans are part of the nature not its owners. When we misuse natural resources or harm the earth, it means we break the harmony that God has created.

Today forests are disappearing, rivers are polluted, glaciers are melting, and the air has become dangerous to breathe and these are what Guru Nanak had warned about. The balance of nature that Guru Nanak spoke of has been deeply damaged. As climate change accelerates, his message feels more prophetic than ever: human progress without environmental consciousness leads only to destruction.

His teaching now seems more meaningful of which he was far ahead of his time. He reminded us that development and progress are good but when it starts harming nature, they will only cause disaster. Real change must go hand in hand with caring for the planet, he said.

The Divine Order and Human Responsibility

Guru Nanak described that everything in the Universe works according to a “Hukam”, which means a divine law or natural order which is created by God. Every living being every element of nature has a role and purpose within the system. When people act with greed, waste resources or harm environment, they go against the God order and disturb the balance that God intended.
He believed knowledge brings responsibility. If humans are the most intelligent human beings, they should use that awareness to protect all living things like plants, animals, rivers and not destroy them. Guru Nanak said, “The air gives us life, the water nurtures us, and the earth sustains us”. “When we poison them, we poison ourselves.”

Guru Nanak reminded us that environmental change is not just a scientific issue but a moral and spiritual one. By disrespecting the environment, we disrespect the God and very source of our existence.

Lessons for Today’s World

If Guru Nanak were alive today, he would urge us to slow down, think deeply and bring back the balance between people and the nature which is lost. He would remind us to live in a way that doesn’t harm nature and to treat environment with care. His teachings are like what we call sustainability today. He believed in respecting nature, what is not needed should not be wasted. He taught that humans and nature are all connected, and our health depends on nature’s health. He also said that kindness should also be included to all living beings such as animals, plants and rivers because they too are part of God’s creation. He believed that true happiness doesn’t come from having a lot of things, but it comes from living balanced life.

Today we are struggling with air pollution, shortage of water, deforestation and rising global temperatures, his message feels more real than ever. He showed that taking caring for the environment was not an option, but responsibility that has existed for centuries.

Reconnecting with the Creator Through Creation

Guru Nanak’s message was very simple: if you truly want to know God, care for His creation. He said, “The Lord who created the universe, is within it, pervading all.” Protecting nature is not only about caring for the environment but it is also a way to show love and respect to God.