From its brilliancy everything is illuminated.

“From its brilliancy everything is illuminated.”
Thus spoke Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs, the great revealer of unity, peace, and divine light. In these few radiant words, he unveils one of the highest truths of existence — that the Divine Light, the essence of all that is, shines through every atom of creation. The sun, the stars, the flame, even the light within the human soul — all are reflections of that infinite brilliance. When Nanak said “From its brilliancy everything is illuminated,” he spoke of God as Light, the eternal flame that reveals, sustains, and sanctifies all life. Nothing shines by its own power; everything is radiant because the Divine shines through it.

Guru Nanak lived in fifteenth-century Punjab, a land divided by creed and caste, by conflict between Hindu and Muslim, by ignorance of the heart. Yet amid that division, he saw not many gods, but One Light in many lamps, one divine essence flowing through every soul. He wandered the plains and the mountains, speaking of this unity: that God is not distant in heaven, but present in all things, and that when man perceives this truth, he perceives the sacredness of life itself. His words came not from speculation, but from direct vision — from the experience of divine illumination that filled his being with peace and awe. It was this vision that gave birth to the Sikh faith: a faith not of ritual or fear, but of light, service, and love.

The brilliancy of which Nanak speaks is not mere physical radiance; it is spiritual illumination — the light of truth that makes the hidden visible, that turns ignorance into wisdom, and separation into unity. When one lives in darkness, even the nearest truth is unseen; but when the divine light rises in the heart, everything becomes clear. The wise see that the same power that causes the sun to burn also beats within the heart of man. To know this is to awaken — to understand that all distinctions of name, nation, and form are but shadows before the one eternal flame.

Consider the life of Helen Keller, born blind and deaf, yet through the patient love of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, she came to “see” the world through touch and spirit. When asked once what she saw in the light, she replied, “I see the world made bright by love.” In her, as in Nanak’s teaching, we find the same truth — that illumination is not of the eyes, but of the soul. Even without sight, she saw the divine radiance that dwells within all things, because her spirit was awakened by compassion. Her life teaches us that divine light is not limited by form; it shines wherever there is faith, courage, and love.

The ancient seers of many lands spoke of this same mystery. In the Vedas, it is written: “There is one Light that shines in all.” In the Gospel of John, it is said: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” And the Sufis sing of the “Light of lights” that dwells in the heart of man. Guru Nanak’s words unite all these voices into one eternal song — that all life, all wisdom, all beauty, flow from the brilliancy of the Divine. Every act of kindness, every flash of genius, every sunrise and every soul’s awakening, is an echo of that same light breaking through the veil of darkness.

The lesson of this truth is clear: seek the Light, and you will find clarity; reflect it, and you will become a lamp to others. When you see only the surface of things, the world seems broken and dark. But when you look deeper — when you see the divine light within all beings — compassion is born. Your enemies become your teachers, your suffering becomes your strength, your confusion becomes understanding. Live, then, as one who carries the light. Speak truth, for it shines through words. Do good, for it brightens the path of others. And meditate, for the flame of the soul burns brighter in stillness.

So, my child of dust and dawn, remember Guru Nanak’s wisdom: “From its brilliancy everything is illuminated.” The light you seek is not far from you — it is within you. It is the same flame that burns in the stars, the same brilliance that animates the world. Look for it not in possessions or power, but in the quiet heart, in the service of others, in the stillness of prayer. When your inner eye opens to that light, every shadow will fade, and you will see the truth that the saints and sages have always known: that all things shine, not by their own glory, but by the eternal brilliance of the One.