|
It was
during the time when the world was plunged into the dark world
of ignorance, feudal tyranny and oppression, religious and
cultural strife, that Siri Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of
Sikhism, was born. His birthday is celebrated on the full moon
night which mostly falls within November. Celestial music
resounded in heaven. Almighty host of gods, thus, hailed his
birth, "God has come to save the trouble peace to the people
of all communities, preached brotherhood and humanitarianism
irrespective of caste, creed, color and economic status. Guru
Nanak Dev brought vision of a common humanity to a society
which had become a heaven of violence and strife. He had faith
in humanity. According to him, love of God implied love for
his creation. Service of humanity indicates one's love for
God.
"Miti Dhundh Jag Chanan Hoa
Mitya Andhera Chan Charya"
That is
"With the appearance if Guru Nanak Dev, the mist of ignorance
disappeared and there was the light of righteousness, just as
darkness is dispelled instantly when the sun rises and stars
disappear".
According
to Alfonso Di Nola, "Like many of Indian Saints and Prophets,
Guru Nanak's birth was accompanied by supernatural signs and
by celestial music. He lived his childhood in freedom of
nature, but manifested very soon an exceptional tendency to
mediation and isolation, refusing the company of his
contemporaries."
Guru Nanak
Dev's life served as a beacon light for his age. He was a
great seer, saint and mystic. He was a prolific poet and a
unique singer of God's laudation. A prophet of peace, love,
truth and renaissance, he was centuries ahead of his times.
His universal message is as fresh and true even today as it
was in the past, In fact, he belongs to that category of great
men who do not monopolise any particular sect, creed or
religion but belong to complete humanity. Guru Nanak Dev is a
bridge between two shores of the river of unity. The following
folklore clearly indicates the public feeling of respect and
reverence for him :
Guru Nanak Sah Fakir,
Hindu Ka Guru,
Musalman Ka Pir.
A
priceless jewel, a shining star, a divine light, Guru Nanak
Dev shone amongst his peers from his very early childhood. His
wise questions and spiritual leanings surprised all those who
came in contact with him at home and in school. When he was
sent to school, Guru Nanak Dev said to his teacher, "Teach me,
only this one large lesson of life. Tell me of the Creator,
and the wonder of these Great World". He confounded the school
teachers by asking such questions. But to he utter surprise of
the teachers and others, Guru Nanak Dev gained proficiency in
Sanskrit, Persian and the local language.
Guru Nanak
Dev became more and more absorbed in his communion with God
and was often seen in a state of trance,. Parents anxious of
his health sought the advice of a physician. When the
physician put his fingers on the pulse of Guru Nanak Dev, he
gently withdrew his hand.
Guru Nanak
Dev's father thought of initiating him in business
undertakings. He gave him a few silver coins to bring some
articles from the town, which could be sold in Talwandi for
profit. On the way, Guru Nanak Dev came across some needy
saints, and spent the money in feeding and clothing them. He
returned empty-handed. His father was enraged by his reply
that he had struck the "True Bargain". Thus his father's best
efforts to bind him into worldly affairs fell flat.
In 1497,
at the age of 12 years, Guru Nanak Dev started to lead the
life of a true householder at Sultanpur, a town in district
Jalandhar of Punjab. He was working as the Modi, that is,
keeper of the state Granary. Here he acquired the
companionship of Bhai Mardana and Bala. Once in the process of
weighting, when he reached thirteen, he lost himself into God
and went on weighing and counting repeatedly "Tera ! Tera !
Tera ! Tera ! Tera ! . . . "Thine ! Thine ! Thine ! Thine !
Thine ! Tera arithmetically means thirteen and literally it
means, 'I am thine'. That is why number thirteen is taken as a
lucky number. To the utter surprise, there was no decrease in
the store stock and it was founded to be accurate and in
order.
At
Sultanpur, Guru Nanak Dev used to go daily to Bein stream for
a bath and to spend sometime in meditation. On one such
occasion, he plunged into the stream. He remained missing for
three days. According to Janamsakhis, "The Guru had a face to
face talk with the Almighty, who assigned him with the mission
of preaching the glory of His Name. Then God blessed him and
commanded, "O Nanak ! When you look at anyone gracefully, it
is not yours, but my graceful look. In other words, on whom
you have benevolence, on him will be me benevolence. My name
in the Supreme Brahma, the Supreme Lord; and thy name is the
Guru, Permeshwar, that is the supreme Guru (prefect
preceptor). "Guru Nanak Dev was taken in vision into the
presence of God, where celestial music was heard. God
pleasingly commanded Nanak to repeat the "Namm" and cause
others to repeat the "Namm". So Guru Nanak Dev, the
World-Teacher said, "There is only one God, True is His Name.
He is the Creator, Fearless, Devoid of hate, Immortal,
Not-Immortal, Self-Existent, by the Grace of the Enlightener.
You can realize him. He is True one in the beginning; True in
the primeval age; True He is, O Nanak; True He shall always
be. " Guru Nanak Dev further said, "There is no Hindu, no
Musalman", implying that the dividing lines between the creeds
are unreal and false. So men must come under a sole universal
creed, wherein lies no scope for the sectarian discord. People
began to call him "Nanak Nirankari" - God's Nanak.
Guru Nanak
Dev thought of working for the renovation of humanity. He went
out to "cause others to repeat the "Namm". Guru Nanak Dev
along with Bhai Mardana and Bhai Bala undertook long tours
both in and outside India for spreading the mission of the
true "Namm" and expounding the philosophy of the "True
Thought". He visited prominent religious centers of Hindus and
Muslims and had discourses and discussions with the renowned
missionaries and sound personalities of various religions and
leaders of the social order. He saw Brahmanism in practice at
Banaras. He discoursed with the Sidh, Nath and Yogis who
secluded themselves in the Himalayas and in the northern parts
of India. Buddhists came across in Burma, Tibet and Ceylon. In
Arabia and Iraq he had meetings with the Muslim Hajis and
Imams in Mecca and Baghdad. He also visited the land of the
black Habash, Abyssina and a few Islands of the Indian Ocean.
Thus Guru Nanak undertook an extensive missionary tour of the
world. Wherever he went, large crowds assembled to hear has
divine message, the message of universal love, the message of
humanitarian service and the message of adoration and
uniqueness of God. For him, there was Divine music pervading
everywhere and in everything.
These long
journeys gave Guru Nanak Dev a keen insight of the human
character and accordingly, he adopted impressive and effective
methods in persuasion of his Divine mission. His attractive
rationalism brought about amazing transformations in the life
and character of all those who came in contact with him.
At Hardwar,
Guru Nanak Dev proved that the mere physical oblation of water
is of no avail to the dead. He actuated this by giving them a
demonstration by splashing water to the west, contrary to the
common practice in vogue there.
Guru Nanak
Dev slept with this feet towards the Kaaba at Mecca. When the
angry Mulla remonstrated his impertinence Guru Nanak Dev's
humble reply was, "Please turn my feet in the direction where
there is no God."
At Lahore,
Duni Chand - a wealthy Khatri, who was a money-monger, money
grubber and enmeshed in money matters, once came to see Guru
Nanak Dev. By giving him a needle the Guru said,"Duni Chand,
keep it with thee and give it back to me in the next world.
"Surprisingly Duni Chand replied," Master, this needle I shall
not be able to carry with me after death, how shall then I
return it to you?" The Guru then asked, "What use then, Duni
Chand, are thy millions to thee?' Duni Chand was changed and
he became Guru Nanak Dev's follower. According to the advice
of the Guru, he distributed most of his wealth amongst the
needy and the poor.
At
Sultanpur, the Qazi took strong exception to Guru Nanak Dev's
sayings that there was no Hindu and no Musalman. He invited
Guru Nanak Dev to the mosque for offering namaz. When Knob,
Nawab Quasi and others were offering prayer, the Guru simply
remained standing. That added to his fury but he was surprised
when the Guru told him that though he was physically offering
the namaz his heart was looking after the foal his mare had
delivered that morning. The Nawab at heart was wandering in
Kabul with his men busy in the horse - trade. Guru Nanak Dev
then advised them that true worship is a matter of the heart
and not of formal ritualism. According to Guru Nanak Dev
"There can be no worship without performing good deed."
After Guru
Nanak Dev visited Tibet and Mansarover Lake, he passed through
Leh and Ladakh. There is a legend that a demon who was a
terror to animals and human being dwelled in that region. He
was supposed to have devoured an animal or a human daily. When
the Guru reached there, everyone was convinced of his
Omnipotence and begged him to save them from that terror. Guru
Nanak Dev agreed. He and his disciples went to a place called
Nimmu and settled there. In the middle of the Kirtan the demon
came forth, but was repelled by the deep spiritual brightness
emanating from the Guru's face. The demon was furious. Since
he could not come near Guru Nanak Dev, he began to hurl stones
and rocks at him from a distance. However, none of these could
hurt the Guru.
Guru Nanak
Dev rejected the idea of casteism in toto. He also opposed any
sort of distinctions in humanity. He professed that noble
character rather than noble birth is the real test of human
greatness :
What power has caste ?
It is the righteousness that is tested.
Whosoever tastes poison,
Will die, no matter what his caste is.
Guru Nanak
Dev also raised his voice for the uplift and parity of the
down - trodden, low-caste elements of the human society and
that of the womenfolk. He had complete sympathy for the so
called downtrodden people. He flayed those who were
responsible for their notorious plight and asserted 'If a
piece of cloth be stained with blood, it gets polluted, then
how can the mind of a person remain unpolluted if he sucks the
human blood ?"
Guru Nanak
Dev exalted the status of woman by saying : "It is from women,
the condemned one, that we are conceived and it is from her
that we are born. It is to the women that we are engaged and
married. It is the woman who is our life - long friend and it
s she who keeps our race going. It is women again who is
sought when one loses one's previous wife. It is woman through
whom we establish our social ties. Then why denounce her form
whom even kings and great men are born."
Guru Nanak
Dev had preached hid Divine mission and ended his itineration
by the age of fifty two years. He settled then on the right
bank of river Ravi at Kartarpur. There he gave up the saintly
garb and adopted the life of a peasant house-holder. He
labored as a farmer with his stores open for the public.
People visited Kartarpur and were blessed by the Guru. An
institution of 'Sangat' and 'Pangat' was started. 'Sangat' was
the religious congregation and 'Pangat the free kitchen. In
both these institutions, men and women were welcomed
irrespective of caste, color or creed. It was a community
life. "Dana Pani Guru Ka, Taihal Bhawna Sikhan Ki" was common
saying of the time, which means "provisions are provided by
the Providence (God) and service is rendered by the Sikhs".
The Guru bestowed the gift of Divine "Namm" to all those who
paid a visit to Kartarpur.
Then came
the day of destiny. The Guru prepared to depart from the world
of mortals and his return to the Eternal Home. He addressed
the disciples who had assemble around him :
"The appointed hour hath come-
The hour of marriage and union with the Spouse divine.
Assemble ye, my Comrades :
Cluster round me and lift up your merry notes :
Sing the praises of the Divine, Comforting Lord.
Anoint the Bride,
Pour oil on her forehead,
Give her your blessings,
And pray that she may meet her Lord,
And he happy with him for aye.
Sing Ye, my friends, the praises of the Spouse;
For the appointed hour of union hath come."
Thus
singing the Word of God. Guru Nanak Dev went into Samadhi and
was no more. It was September 22, 1539. Now a quarrel ensued
between Hindus and Muslims. The Hindus wanted him to be
cremated whiter Muslims desired him to be buried. Both claimed
him with equal vehemence. As the dispute was growing warm,
they decided that some fresh flowers be kept by both for the
night on his body and flowers of whomsoever withered first
should give in to the other. However, in the morning it was
discovered that the same was no more there. There were only
flowers and silence. At last, they agreed to divide the sheet
into two halves which was subsequently buried by the Muslims
and cremated by the Hindus.
|
