Celebrating the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji through his teachings.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was a Divine Soul. He was Born at a Time in India when People were with Religious divisions. The quality of Life of an average Individual was very poor at that time. They were oppressed, there were religious persecutions, Superstitions and in these times Guru Nanak Dev Ji came up with a message that was different. His message was 'love' and 'Oneness' I.e IKONKAR which symbolises-
l Creator- An infinite source around us. The source of everything.
l Human Race- All are equal with 1's light within and is free of Gender, Race Or Nationality.
In his First Sermon itself, Guru Nanak Dev Ji said- "Na Hindu, Na Musaelman"- I.e In God's eyes there is neither Hindu nor Muslim, God isn't interested in our religious labels but in how we live and what are our actions. During one of the instance in Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Life, during his visit to Mecca, the Pilgrim Hajji's put forth a question to Guru Nanak Dev Ji that open your Book and search wether Hindu is Great or the Muslim?. Guru Nanak dev Ji replied-
"Baba Akhe Hajjian, Shub Amla Bajhun Dono Roye"
- that without Good Deeds both will weep and wail. By being a Hindu or Muslim one cannot get accepted in the court of Lord. As the Color of Safflower is impermanent and is washed away in water, likewise the color of religiosity are also temporary. Thus Guru Nanak Dev Ji, led the foundations of a very progressive religion, Sikhism.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on 14th April 1469, at Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, in present day Pakistan in the House of Father Mehta Kalu Ji, a village accountant and Mother Mata Tripta Ji and was a cherished younger brother of Bebe Nanki Ji. Bhai Gurdas Ji in his Vaar1 and Pauri 23 beautifully describes the Birth and Life lessons of Guru Nanak Dev Ji-
"The Provider Lord Listened To The Cries (of humanity). Guru Nanak Descended into this World".
"Washing His Feet & Praising God, He Got His Sikhs To Drink The Ambroisal Nectar(of humility). In this Dark Age, He Showed all Gods To Be Just One".
"The Four Feet Of Dharma, The Four Castes were Converted into One".
"Equality of The King & Beggar, He Spread the Custom of being Humble".
"Reversed Is the Game of the Beloved, the Egotist High Heads Bowed to the Feet".
"Baba Nanak rescued this Dark Age; read Satnam & recited the Mantra".
"Guru Nanak Came to redeem this Dark Age Of Kalyug".
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was also the most travelled person in the world. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, along with his companion Bhai Mardana (A Muslim Rabab Player) spent more than two decades on travellings & and spreading the message of One lord, One Humanity. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is believed to have travelled more than 28000 Km across South Asia and Middle East. Guru Nanak Dev Ji saw the World suffering out of hatred, fanaticism, falsehood and hypocrisy. He carried the Torch of Truth, Heavenly Love, Peace and Joy for Mankind. During his four lengthy jouneys to East, South, North, West he opened a dialogue with all existing faith on true aspects of Spirituality.He filled the inter-religious space with Love, Ethical Humanism and Spirituality.
All these places still carry the Fragrance and Message of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Teachings. His teachings were immortalized in the form of 974 hymns in Shri Guru Granth Sahib.
Blessed with a Deeply contemplative mind and rational thinking, Guru Nanak Dev Ji would often astound his teachers with the sublimility of his Knowledge particularly on divine matters. On one of the occasions when Young Guru Nanak Dev Ji was asked to Embrace the Sacred Thread called as "Janeau", Guru Nanak Dev Ji refused to do so and went into trance and sang-
"Daya Kapah Santokh Sut,
Jat Gandhi Sut Vat".
"Make compassion the Cotton, Contentment the thread, mode "EVEN KINGS & EMPERORS WITH HEAP'S OF WEALTH & VAST DOMINION CANNOT COMPARE WITH AN ANT FIILED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD".
-Guru Nanak Dev Ji, SGGS.
"Ehu Juneau Jii Ka, Hai Te Pandhe Ghat".
"This is the Sacred thread of the Soul, If You have It, put it on me".
(Raag Asa Di Vaar) (SGGS).
Through his life teachings Guru Nanak Dev Ji Founded and Formalised the three Pillars Of Sikhism.
I.e Naam Japna: Reciting God's Name.
Kirat Karni- Earnest and Honest Living.
Vand Chakna- Share and Consume Together.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Spiritual Teachings were beyond time and Scientific Innovations. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was an Exceptional visionary and showed truth to the World. Around 500 years back, Guru Nanak Dev Ji defined the depth of the Universe and the Play of will of God in the following Verse-
"There are Planets, Solar Systems and Galaxies. If one Speak of them, there is no limit, no end. There are World's upon World's of his Creation. All he commands, so they exist. He watches over all and contemplating the Creation, He rejoices. Nanak Says, to describe this is as hard as Steel".
-Guru Nanak Dev Ji (SGGS-ANG 8).
In Today's, modern world we often dwell into discussions on the existence of God and how God looks like?. But Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the following verse revealed the Truth as the True Lord Himself revealed to Guru Nanak Dev Ji and enlightened him.
In praise of the True Lord, Guru Nanak Dev Ji Uttered-
"IKONKAR SATNAM"
"There is but One God, His name is Truth.
"KARTA PURAKH, NIRBAUH, NIRVAIR"
"He is the Creator, He fears none, He is without hate"
"AKAL MURAT, AJUNI SAHEB BANGUR PARSAD"
He never dies, He is beyond the cycle of births and death, He is self-illuminated.
"AAD SACH, JUGAT SACH, HAI BHI SACH, NANAK HAUSI BHI SACH"
He is realized by the kindness of the true Guru.
He was True in the beginning, He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True.
He is also True now."
These words of the great Guru are enshrined at the beginning of the Sikh Holy Scripture - the Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji, through his life and teachings showed the Entire World the True Path Of Spirituality. Guru Nanak Dev ji stressed on Honest living rather than Living with Falsehoods. He United the entire World into One. The concept of community kitchen or the sewa of Langar started by Guru Nanak Dev Ji is a regular practice in Sikh Gurdwara's. As per a recent Survey, daily 12 million people eat langar in Sikh Gurdwars, Worldwide. When on one end the world is talking about Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, Guru Nanak Dev Ji gave a message which was beyond time.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Said-
"Bhand Jamiye, Bhand Nimiye, Bhand Mangan Viah. Bhando Hove Dosti, Bhando Challe Rah. Bhando Muaa Bhand Bhaliye Bhand Hove Bandhan. So Kio Manda Akhiya Jit Jame Rajan. Bhando Hi Bhand Oopje Bhande Baaj Na Koe. Nanak Bhande Bahara Eko Sacha Soe" ||
"From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman" ||
Gurbani writes so beautifully about the place and position a woman deserves.
And Just imagine this Shabad which can be a revolution in today's time was written by Guru Nanak Dev Ji five centuries back, in a time when a women had no value.
But do we really Practice Or Follow the Teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Do we really believe in equality. Have we recognised the whole human race as one. There is so much hatred, fanaticism and falsehood in this so called Modern World that we have forgotten the True Teachings of our Guru. When this year we'll be celebrating the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, lets also realise his Teachings & message for humanity. |
