Guru Nanak Dev (1469 - 1539)
The founding father of the Sikh faith, Nanak was born on Apr 15, 1469 within the Western geographic region village of Talwandi. He was born to a straightforward Hindu family. His father Mehta chicha Das was associate businessperson within the employment of the native Muslim authorities. From associate early age Nanak created friends with each Hindu and Muslim kids and was terribly interested in the that means of life. At the age of six he was sent to the village faculty teacher for schooling in reading and writing in Hindi and arithmetic. He was then taught within the study of Muslim literature and learned Persian and Arabic. He was an extraordinarily talented kid UN agency learned quickly and infrequently question his lecturers. At age thirteen it absolutely was time for Nanak to be invested the sacred thread in line with the normal Hindu custom. At the ceremony that was attended by family and friends and to the frustration of his family Nanak refused to simply accept the sacred cotton thread from the Hindu priest. He herbaceous plant the subsequent poem,"Let mercy be the cotton, happiness the thread, Continence the knot and truth the twist. O priest! If you've got such a thread, Do provides it to Maine. it's going to not wear out, nor get fecal, nor burnt, nor lost. Says Nanak, blessed ar people who set about carrying such a thread" (Rag Asa)
As a young man gregarious the family Bos taurus, Nanak would pay long hours absorbed in meditation and in spiritual discussions with Muslim and Hindu holy men UN agency lived within the forests encompassing the village. Thinking that if certain in wedding Nanak would possibly begin taking interest in house affairs an appropriate match was found for him. At age sixteen he was married to Sulakhani girl of a pious bourgeois. Nanak failed to object as he felt that married life failed to conflict with non secular pursuits. Nanak was merrily married, he fair-haired his spouse and eventually had 2 sons Sri Chand in 1494 and Lakshmi Chand 3 years later. currently that he had a family of his own Nanak was persuaded by his folks to require employment as associate businessperson to blame of the stores of the Muslim governor of Sultanpur Daulat Khan Lodi. Nanak in agreement associated was joined by his family and an previous Muslim childhood friend Mardana, a musician by profession. Nanak would work throughout the times, however early within the mornings and late at nights, he would meditate and sing hymns amid Mardana on the rabab ( a string instrument). These sessions attracted plenty of attention and lots of folks started change of integrity the 2.
Early one morning amid Mardana, Nanak visited the watercourse Bain for his tub. once plunging into the watercourse, Nanak failed to surface and it absolutely was rumored that he should have submerged. The villagers searched everyplace, however their was no trace of him. Nanak was in ritual with God. The Lord God disclosed himself to Nanak and enlightened him. In praise of the Lord, Nanak uttered;
"There is however One God, His name is Truth, he's the Creator, He fears none, he's while not hate, He ne'er dies, he's on the far side the cycle of births and death, he's self lighted, he's completed by the kindness of actuality Guru. He was True within the starting, He was True once the ages commenced and has ever been True, he's additionally True currently." (Japji)
These words ar enshrined at the start of the Sikh Holy Scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib. Nanak failed to believe a Trinity of Gods, or the idea that God may be born into human type.
After 3 days Nanak appeared at identical spot from wherever he had disappeared. He was now not identical person he had been, there was a divine lightweight in his eyes and his face was resplendent. He remained during a trance and same nothing. He gave up his job and distributed all of his belongings to the poor. once he finally poor his silence he verbalized "There is not any Hindu, no Muslim". Daulat Khan asked what he meant once he same to Nanak, "Perhaps the Hindus were now not Hindus however the Muslims stay devout to their religion." Nanak replied,
"Let God's grace be the house of prayer, and devotion the rug. Let the sacred text be the nice conduct. Let modesty be compassion, manner abstinence, you ought to be a Muslim sort of this. Let sensible deeds be your Kaaba and truth be your mentor. Your Kalma be your creed and prayer, God would then vindicate your honour." (Majh)
Guru Nanak was thirty years previous at this point in 1499. consequent stage of his life began with in depth travels to unfold the message of God. amid his Muslim rabab player Mardana for company, Nanak undertook long journeys to convey his message to the folks within the variety of musical hymns. Nanak select this medium to propagate his message as a result of it absolutely was simply understood by the population of the time. where he traveled he used the native language to convey his message to the folks. He traveled throughout the Indian landmass and additional east, west, and north to unfold his mission. where he went he discovered native cells referred to as manjis, wherever his followers might gather to recite hymns and meditate.
Once once Nanak came to the tiny city of Saidpur in West geographic region he prefer to keep there with Lalo, a coffee caste carpenter. At identical time the native chief of the city leader Bhago, UN agency was quite flush and a really proud man was holding a feast to that all holy men were invited. once leader Bhago distinguished that Nanak wouldn't attend his feast however instead partook of the straightforward fare of his host Lalo, he was quite angry and had the Guru dropped at him for questioning. once asked why he did not take part the feast, the Guru sent for the meal served by leader Bhago and additionally a number of the straightforward meal served by Lalo. Holding these in separate hands he squeezed them, blood appeared out of the made food of leader Bhago, whereas milk oozed out of Lalos easy fare. leader Bhago was place to shame and completed that his material resource had been concentrated by exploiting the poor, whereas what Lalo offered was the milk of hard-earned honest work.
Another time whereas camped out at a city throughout the season, many devotees would return to the Guru on a daily basis. one in all them whereas on the thanks to see the Guru, discovered a prostitute and was allured by her. thenceforth he would depart home on the pretext of aiming to see the Guru, however instead visited the prostitute. a number of days later his friend UN agency daily came to pay court to the Guru was pricked by a thorn, whereas his neighbor, UN agency visited the prostitute, found a gold coin within the street. The incident confounded the Guru's fan UN agency came a day religiously. He mentioned it within the canonical hour meeting wherever Nanak detected it and was entertained. He told the Sikh;
"Your friend was destined to return across a treasure however as a result of his evil ways in which, it's been reduced to one coin. whereas on the account of your past destiny you were to own been impaled with a stake, however having reformed yourself, you've got been excuse with the mere prick of a thorn." (Janamsakhi)
When the Guru visited Kurukshetra in Haryana, an enormous truthful was being command at the holy tank to celebrate the occultation. there have been an outsized range of pilgrims everywhere the country. On his arrival at the truthful, Nanak had Mardana cook them a meat dish of a ruminant bestowed to them by one in all his followers. Upon finding that meat was being steamed on the holy premises, an outsized angry crowd gathered in anger to attack the Guru for what they thought amounted to irreverence (Bhai Mani Singh, Gyan Ratnavali, pg. 123). Upon hearing the angry crowd Nanak responded;
"Only fools argue whether or not to eat meat or not. they do not perceive truth nor do they meditate thereon. UN agency will outline what's meat and what's plant? UN agency is aware of wherever the sin lies, being a eater or a non- vegetarian?" (Malhar)
When Nanak stopped at Hardwar a journey center on the river he found an outsized gathering of devotees. They were taking ritual baths within the holy watercourse and giving water to the sun. once the Guru asked "Why does one throw water like that?" The pilgrims replied that they were giving it to their ancestors. Nanak upon hearing this started throwing water within the other way towards the west. once the pilgrims asked him what he was doing?. Nanak replied "I am causation water to my farm that is dry". They asked, "How can water reach you crops to date away?". Nanak replied, "If your water will reach your ancestors within the region of the sun, why cannot mine reach my fields a brief distance away?" The pilgrims completed their folly and fell at the Gurus feet.
On associate japanese journey Nanak visited Gorakhmata wherever he mentioned actuality that means of asceticism with some yogis;
"Asceticism does not dwell ascetic robes, or in walking workers, nor within the ashes. Asceticism does not dwell the jewelry, nor within the beardless head, nor processing a univalve. Asceticism lies in remaining pure amidst impurities. Asceticism does not dwell mere words; he's associate ascetic UN agency treats everybody alike. Asceticism does not dwell visiting burial places, It lies not in wandering concerning, nor in bathing at places of journey. Asceticism is to stay pure amidst impurities. (Suhi)
After his initial long journey, Nanak came home once twelve years of propagating his message. He then commenced on a second journey traveling as so much south as state. On his come back north he supported a settlement called Kartharpur (the Abode of God) on the western banks of the Ravi watercourse. Nanak would in some unspecified time in the future relax here in his maturity. it absolutely was additionally here that he met a young fan UN agency would later endure to serve 5 of the subsequent Gurus, cake Buddha (the revered previous one). On his third nice journey Nanak traveled as so much north as Asian country. where Nanak traveled he forever wore a mixture of designs worn by Hindu and Muslim holy men and was forever asked whether or not he was a Hindu or Muslim. Nanak visited ruler patriarch the muslim successor of cake Farid the good Sufi fakir of the twelfth century at Ajodhan. once asked by patriarch that of the 2 religions was actuality thanks to attain God, Nanak replied; "If there's one God, then there's solely His thanks to attain Him, not another. One should follow that means and reject the opposite. Worship not him UN agency is born solely to die, however Him UN agency is eternal and is contained within the whole universe."
On his fourth nice journey in life Nanak wearing the blue garb of a Muslim pilgrim traveled to the west and visited Mecca, Medina and Bagdad. inbound at Mecca, Nanak fell asleep together with his feet inform towards the holy Kabba. once the security guard on his night rounds noticed this he kicked the Guru, saying, "How dare you switch your feet towards the house of God". At this Nanak awakened and same, "Good man, i'm weary once a protracted journey. Kindly flip my feet within the direction wherever God isn't." once pilgrims and also the holy men of the shrine gathered to listen to Nanak and question him, he herbaceous plant in Persian;
"I bid you, O Lord! pray grant Maine a hearing. you're the truthful, the great, the merciful, and also the perfect Creator. i do know sure enough, this world should pass away, And death should return, i do know this and zilch else. Neither spouse, nor son, nor father, nor brothers shall be ready to facilitate. i need to go into the tip, none will undo what's my fate. I even have pay days and nights in self-importance, considering evil. ne'er have i believed of good; this can be what i'm. i'm unfortunate, miserly, careless, short-sighted, and rude. however says religious leader, I am yours, the mud of the feet of your servants." (Tilang)
While in Bagdad contradicting the Muslim clergymen views that their were solely seven higher and as several lower regions Nanak loud out his own prayer oral communication,
"There ar worlds and additional worlds below them and there ar 100 thousand skies over them. nobody has been ready to notice the bounds and limits of God. If there be any account of God, than alone the mortal will write the same; however Gods account doesn't end and also the mortal himself dies whereas still writing. religious leader says that one ought to decision Him nice, and God Himself is aware of His ownself." (Japji)
In 1916 a pill with the subsequent inscription was uncovered in Bagdad, "In memory of the Guru, the holy cake religious leader, King of holy men, this monument has been raised afresh with the assistance of the seven saints." The date on the pill 927 Hijri corresponds to A.D. 1520-1521.
On his come back journey home he stopped at Saidpur in western geographic region throughout the invasion of the primary Mughal Emperor fictitious character. On seeing the extent of the massacre by the invaders, Mardana asked Nanak why such a big amount of innocent folks were place to death at the side of those few UN agency were guilty. Nanak told Mardana to attend beneath a banian and once a short time he would come back to answer his question. whereas sitting beneath the tree Mardana was suddenly bitten by associate hymenopter. In anger Mardana killed as several ants as he might together with his feet. Nanak same to him, "You apprehend currently Mardana, why do the innocents suffer at the side of the guilty?"
Guru Nanak and Mardana were each taken unfortunate by the Mughal's. whereas in jail Nanak herbaceous plant a divine hymn concerning the senseless slaughter of the innocents by the Mughal invaders. Upon hearing it the peace officer rumored it to his king. fictitious character sent for the Guru and upon hearing him completed that Nanak was an excellent spiritual figure. He asked for the Gurus forgiveness and set him free giving him a pouch of soft drug. Nanak refused oral communication the he was already intoxicated with the love and name of God.
After having spent a period of time of traveling abroad and fitting missions, associate aged Nanak came home to geographic region. He settled down at Kartharpur together with his spouse and sons. Pilgrims came from so much and concerning hear the hymns and preaching of the Master. Here his followers would roll up the mornings and afternoons for spiritual services. He believed during a castless society with none distinctions supported birthright, faith or sex. He institutionalized the common room referred to as langar in Sikhism. Here all will sit along and share a standard meal, whether or not they were kings or beggars.
While operating the fields in some unspecified time in the future in 1532 Nanak was approached by a brand new fan UN agency same, "I am Lehna," Nanak checked out him and replied, "So you've got arrived Lehna - the soul. I even have been anticipating you of these days. i need to pay your debt." ("Lehna" in Punjabi means that debt or soul.) Lehna was an excellent fan of the Hindu God Hindu deity. in some unspecified time in the future having hearing concerning Nanak and his teachings, he set to go to and see the Guru for himself. Once Lehna met Nanak he left his previous beliefs and have become a dedicated follower of the Guru. Lehna's devotion to Nanak was absolute, once he wasn't functioning on the farm, he would devote his spare time to the contemplation of God. Over time he became Guru Nanak's most ardent follower. Nanak place his followers to several tests to envision UN agency was the foremost trustworthy. Once whereas amid Lehna and his 2 sons Nanak discovered what seemed like a stiff lined with a sheet. "Who would eat it?" asked Nanak unexpectedly. His sons refused, thinking that their father wasn't in his senses. Lehna tho' in agreement and as he removed the quilt he found that it absolutely was a receptacle of sacred food. Lehna initial offered it to Nanak and his sons and so partook of the leftovers himself. Nanak on seeing this replied;
"Lehna, you were endowed the sacred food as a result of you may share it with others. If the folks use the wealth given on them by God for themselves alone or for treasuring it, it's sort of a stiff. however if they attempt to share it with others, it becomes sacred food. you've got celebrated the key. you're my image." (Janamsakhi)
Guru Nanak then blessed Lehna together with his National Guard (hand) and gave him a brand new name, Angad, oral communication "you ar a vicinity of my body". Nanak placed 5 coins and a coconut ahead of Guru Angad and so bowed before him. He then had Bahi Budhha anele Angad with a saffron mark on his forehead. once Nanak gathered his followers along for prayers he invited Angad to occupy the seat of the Guru. so Guru Angad was ordained because the successor to Nanak. Feeling his finish was close to, the Hindus same we are going to burn you, the Muslims same we are going to bury you. Nanak said; "You place flowers on either aspect, Hindus on my right, Muslims on my left. Those whose flowers stay recent tomorrow can have their means." He then asked them to prey and lay down covering himself with a sheet. so on Gregorian calendar month twenty two, 1539 within the early hours of the morning Nanak unified with the eternal lightweight of the Creator. once the followers upraised the sheet they found nothing except the flowers that were all recent. The Hindus took theirs and cremated them, whereas the Muslims took their flowers and buried them.
Thus having unfold the words of reform throughout his period of time, Nanak with success challenged and questioned the present spiritual tenants and arranged the foundations of Sikhism.
