Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Introduction
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Guru and the founder of the Sikh religion is one of the most respected personalities of Indian history. Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on April 15, 1469, in the village of Talwandi, which is present-day Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and his philosophy initiated a spiritual as well as social reform. His words about equal treatment of people, about compassion and worship of one God has made millions of people all over the world follow his teachings.
Suggested Tour: Hemkund Sahib Tour
Early Life and Spiritual Awakening
Right from his childhood, the first Guru of the Sikhs, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji had a moral inclination and was very curious. Whereas the other children were busy with their everyday chores, young Nanak was more curious about the deeper meaning of life. The earlier experiences, as well as an opportunity to meet with representatives of various religions, helped him develop tolerance and the ability to understand people.
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was 30 years old, he was awakened by the divine light and got a new dimension of life. After three days he vanished and when he returned he said: “There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim, whose path shall I tread? I shall tread the path of God. ” This was the start of his mission of the oneness of God, and love.
Suggested Tour: Panj Takht Sahib Tour
Teachings of Guru Nanak Ji
It is important to note that Guru Nanak’s teachings are contained in the Guru Granth Sahib which is the Sikh religion’s scriptures. He stressed on the fact that the Almighty in the formless, timeless and beyond human understanding. Just like other institutionalized religions, the caste system and rituals were not acceptable to Guru Nanak; instead, he preached life’s simplicity, obedience and devotion.
Naam Japna means to meditate upon God’s name, Kirat Karni means to earn an honest living, and Vand Chakna means to donate to others these are the three basic principles of Sikhism. Guru Nanak also emphasized on Seva (service), he used to tell people that serving humanity is serving god.
Suggested Tour: Damdama Sahib With Golden Temple
Travels and Establishment of Sikhism
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, visited many places in India and outside the country and preached for tolerance and unity. These trips called ‘Udasis included travelling to distant lands such as Mecca, Medina, Tibet, and Sri Lanka. These travels involved him in talking with other people with different religions and philosophies and he told them all that they are just traveling on different roads going to the same destination, which is the truth.
Today, Guru Nanak’s message was heeded and his followers were called Sikhs, which means ‘learners or students. ‘ Guru Nanak set up his first ever Sikh society in Kartarpur where he launched the concept of Langar, a public kitchen that offers free food to the needy, poor, the crippled and destitute, as well as the holy men, regardless of their color or faith. This tradition of Langar is still followed in all the Gurudwaras across the globe.
Suggested Tour: Punjab Gurudwara Tour
Legacy of Guru Nanak Ji
The impact of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is enormous and that is why his teachings are followed till date. He died on 22nd September 1539 in Kartarpur; however, his message has been implemented in the lives of millions of people today. He preached about unity, benevolence and worship of one god and these principles still hold a lot of meaning in the society today more so over the past five hundred years.
The other ten Gurus who succeeded Guru Nanak only added to and propagated the teachings of Guru Nanak which led to the emergence of Sikhism as a strong and recognized religion. The Adi Granth or the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the eternal Guru of the Sikhs, has the utterances of Guru Nanak and other Sikh Gurus intermingled with those of Muslim, Hindu and other saints.
Conclusion
The life of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji along with his preachings is a ray of hope in the dark for people who are suffering from the evils of religionism, casteism and communalism. Hence his advocacy for oneness of God and equality of all people does call us to higher level that transcends all the barriers that separate us and encourages to embrace the highest humanistic values of love, compassion, and humility. On this day which we celebrate Guru Nanak Ji, it is our duty to try and emulate the essence and message that he gave out and strive for justice and harmony in the world.
