|
|
|
|
Guru Nanak Dev
|
| |
|
| |
Guru Nanak Dev ( Guru Nanak)15 April 1469, Nankana Sahib, Punjab22 September 1539, Kartarpur, Punjab, Pakistanis the central figure in Sikhism, and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Nanak Dev ji was born on 26nd November 1469 into a Hindu Khatri family of the highest caste, in the village of Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, Pakistan.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Guru Nanak Dev' Start a new discussion about 'Guru Nanak Dev' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Guru Nanak Dev ( Guru Nanak)15 April 1469, Nankana Sahib, Punjab22 September 1539, Kartarpur, Punjab, Pakistanis the central figure in Sikhism, and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
Background
Guru Nanak Dev ji was born on 26nd November 1469 into a Hindu Khatri family of the highest caste, in the village of Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, Pakistan. Today, his birthplace is marked by Gurdwara Janam Asthan. (There are contradicting opinions on whether he was born on 15 April or 20 October, 1469. Some are of the opinion that 20 October is his enlightment day rather than birthday.)
His father, Mehta Kalyan Das, popularly known as Mehta Kalu, was the patwari "accountant" of crop revenue for the village of Talwandi in the employment of Muslim landlord of that area, Rai Bular Bhatti . Guru Nanak's mother was Tripta Devi and he had one elder sister, Nanaki.
The earliest biographical sources on the life of Guru Nanak recognized today are the Janamsakhis' "life-accounts" and the vars "expounding verses" of the scribe Bhai Gurdas.
The most popular Janamsakhi are said to have been written by a close companion of the Guru' Bhai Bala' before Nanak died. However, the writing style and language employed have left scholars such as Max Arthur Macauliffe certain that they were composed after his death.
Bhai Gurdas, purported scribe of the Guru Granth, also wrote about Nanak's life in his vars. Although these too were compiled some time after Guru Nanak's death, and are also less detailed than the Janamsakhis, modern Sikh ideologues tend to hold them in higher regard.
The Janamsakhis recount in minute detail the circumstances of the birth of the guru. They claim that at his birth an astrologer, who came to write his horoscope ,insisted on seeing the child. On seeing the infant, he is said to have worshipped him with clasped hands. and remarked that "I regret that I shall never live to see young Guru Nanak as an adult.".
At the age of five years Nanak is said to have voiced interest in divine subjects. At age seven, his father, Mehta Kalu, enrolled him at the village school as was the custom. Notable lore recounts that as a child Nanak astonished his teacher by describing the implicit symbolism of the first letter of the alphabet, which is an almost straight stroke in Persian or Arabic, resembling the mathematical version of one, as denoting the unity or oneness of God. Other childhood accounts refer to strange and miraculous events about Nanak witnessed by Rai Bular such as a poisonous cobra being seen to shield the sleeping child's head from the harsh sunlight.
Marriage and family
Guru Nanak Dev was married to Mata Sulakhni. His marriage to her took place in the town of Batala. The marriage party had come from the town of Sultanpur Lodhi.
He had two sons from this marriage; Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand. Sri Chand founded a renunciate/ascetic sect known today as Udasis when Nanak did not choose him as his successor. The younger son grew up to become immersed in worldly life. Guru Nanak tested his disciples a lot. One story was that Guru Nanak was walking to the graveyard with the town behind him. He started to throw gold coins behind him. When he got to the graveyard, only one, Baba Lehna, was left.
Teachings
Guru Nanak's teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth, a vast collection of revelatory verses recorded in Gurmukhi.
From these some common principles seem discernible. Firstly a supreme Godhead who although incomprehensible manifests in a variety of religious forms, the Singular 'Doer' and formless source of all forms. It is described as the indestructible or timeless form and in both impersonal and personal forms. Salvation or liberation depends on the grace ('nadir'- glance) of God alone and although outside the power of the individual, manifests through the individual whom is seen to be unceasing in their efforts. Religious awakening is compared to undergoing a living death.
Guru Nanak describes the dangers of the self (haumai- 'I am') and calls upon devotees to engage in worship through God's name and singing of God's qualities, discarding doubt in the process. However such worship must be selfless (sewa). God's name cleanses the individual to make such worship possible. This is related to the revelation that God is the Doer and without God there is no other. Guru Nanak warned against hypocrisy and falsehood saying that these are pervasive in humanity and that religious actions can also be in vain. However the practice of satsang is considered exalted. It may also be said that ascetic practices are disfavoured by Guru Nanak who suggests remaining inwardly detached whilst living as a householder.
Through popular tradition, Guru Nanak's teaching is understood to be practiced in three ways:
- Naam Japna: Chanting the Holy Name and thus remembering God at all times (ceaseless devotion to God)
- Kirat Karo: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud
- Va Chakko: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need
Guru Nanak put the greatest emphasis on the worship of True Name (naam japna). One should follow the direction of Awakened individuals rather than the mind (state of manmukh- being led by the mind)- the latter being perilous and leading only to frustration.
In the context of his times, reforms that occurred in the wake of Nanak's teachings and the bhakti movement at large included bhakti devotion being open to all castes, women not to be marginalized from its institutions, and both Godhead and Devotion transcending any religious consideration or divide, as God is not separate from any individual.
Baburvani
Baburvani (Babur's song) - pronounced BaaburVaani - are verses in a hymn composed by Guru Nanak and found in the Guru Granth Sahib that refer to the Moghul invasion of India, an event that occurred during Nanak's lifetime. The notable aspect of these verses is that we do not usually find such elaborate descriptions to outside events in bhakti verses of many bhagats, despite this being such a tumultuous time in Indian history.
In this hymn Guru Nanak uses the metaphor of a marriage party in describing the invasion of Babur. The ironic use of terms associated with marriage customs seems to be a subversion of the populist and widespread archetype of 'the beloved' that preoccupied Northern Indian religious and artistic thought at the time.
" As descendeth the Lord's word to me, so do I deliver it unto you, O Lalo: (Babar) leading a wedding-array of sin hath descended from Kabul and demandeth by force the bride(India), O Lalo. decency and righteousness have vanished, and falsehood struts abroad, O Lalo. Gone are the days of Qazis and Brahmans, satan now conducts the nuptials, O Lalo. The Muslim women recite the Qur'an and in distress remember their God, O Lalo. Similar is the fate of Hindu women of castes high and low, O Lalo. They sing paeans of blood, O Nanak, and by blood, not saffron, ointment is made, O Lalo. In this city of corpses, Nanak proclaimeth God's praises, and uttereth this true saying: The Lord who created men and put them to their tasks watcheth them from His seclusion. True is that Lord, true His verdict, and true is the justice He dealeth. As her body's vesture is torn to shreds, India shall remember my words. In seventy-eight they come, in ninety seven shall depart; another man of destiny shall arise. Nanak pronounceth words of truth, Truth he uttereth; truth the time calls for."
Guru Nanak puts the event up to the prospect of a merciful yet all-powerful God, describing powerfully yet with muted economy the state of events and how this related to questions of suffering and oppression, and the transcience of life.
Travels
For over twenty years beginning in about 1499, Guru Nanak traveled in all four directions on foot. In all he traveled over 1,000 miles spreading his message of peace and equality. It was said that he laid a rock solid foundation for a religion based on truth. After his travels, called Udasis, he settled down as a farmer. He traveled as far east as Assam and Burma. To the South he went as far as Sri Lanka (Ceylon). To the north he ventured even to places outside India like Tibet, China and Russia. He also went towards the west into Arabia and Persia, visiting Mecca, Medina and Baghdad, Turkey, Greece and further on.
Last years
As his end approached Guru Nanak would frequently test the devotion of his sons and nearest followers and in doing so demonstrate their state of mind to one another. There were numerous such occasions and one particular devotee, Baba Lehna, rose to eminence because he never faltered in his faith in Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak appointed Baba Lehna as the successor Guru, renaming him as Guru Angad Dev, meaning 'one's very own' or 'part of you'. This successorhood wasn't a mere gesture. Via a transformation, compared in Sikh tradition as the passing of a flame from one candle to another, the Guru-aspect of Guru Nanak descended upon Guru Angad. Guru Angad became Guru Nanak. In Guru Granth Sahib this is described as having even a physical manifestation whereby Angad in person suddenly appeared to look like Nanak.
(To Sikhs, although there were ten separate Gurus in physical form, there was actually only one single Guru whose metamorphosised light moved from one successor or vessel to the next, granting a kind of rebirth to those personalities on their initiation. Hence they all held the original name of 'Nanak'.)
Shortly after proclaiming Lehna as the next Guru, Nanak announced that the time of his death had arrived, and retreated to a tree whereby he sat in the lotus position and the praan (life-force) was guided upwards and outwards from his body . The date was said to be 22 September, 1539 according to the western calendar.
See also
External links
Video
Audio
|
| |
|
|
