GURU NANAK DEV Ji

GURU NANAK whose 545th birth anniversary is being celebrated by Sikhs all Over the world today, was born in Nankana sahib, now in Pakistan, in 1469 AD. He went to his heavenly abode at Kartarpur, also now in Pakistan, in 1539 AD. Guru Nanak lived during the most turbulent period in India’s history. Punjab had become the gateway to India for Muslim invaders, right from the time Mahmud of Ghazni invaded in the 11^th century to Zaman shah in the 18^th century.

Ibrahim Lodi was ruling India when Babur invaded and defeated him at the Battle of Panipat in 1526 AD. Guru Nanak describes Babur’s invasion the following words: “With evil as his best man, bringing a crowd of sins as his bridal procession, like a bridegroom Babur hath has tined from Kabul, to seize by force as his bride, O lallo, the wealth of Hindustan.”

Guru Nanak said: “This age is like a drawn sword, the kings are butchers, and goodness has taken wings and flown.” The religion, which Guru Nanak advocated, had no place for rituals.

Even at the young age of nine when Guru Nanak was being initiated into the sacred thread ceremony, he did not recognize the sanctity of ceremony. He told the priest: “make mercy thy cotton, contentment thy thread, continence it’s known, truth its twist that would make a janeu for the soul. If thou have it, O ! Brahmin then put it on me.” How precocious he was as a child!

Guru Nanak believed and was convinced of the unity of God, as is laid down by Prophet Muhammad. He also believed in the doctrine of transmigration. Just as he praised Muhammad, he also praised the Hindu Gods and Goddesses of the Hindus.

To study Guru Nanak’s religion, one has to begin at his concept of God, which is expressed in the Mulmantra of japji sahib. It is as follows: “there is one God, his name is truth, he is the creator, he is without fear, he is beyond time, his spirit pervades the universe, he is not born nor does he die to be born again. He is self-existent, by the Guru’s grace, thou salt worship him.” His monotheism has a distinctive feature of its own: it combines the transcendent aspects of God.

Guru Nanak’s God is ever merciful, unlike the Semitic God who is sometimes wrathful. Though he lived and preached in the medieval times, his teachings have still not lost any relevance. He said: “religion consists not in words, he who looketh on all men as equal is religious.”