Gur Avtar Suni pukaar daataar Prabh, Gur Nanak jag maah pathaiaa; Charan dhoi Rahras kar, charnaamrit Sikhaa pilajaa; Paarbrahm pooran Brahm, Kaljug andar ik dikhaiaa; Chaaray pair dharm de, chaar varan ik varan karaiaa; Ranaa rank baraabari, pairi pavna jag vartaiaa; Ulta khel piram daa, pairaaoopar sis nivaiaa; Kaljug Babay taryaa, Satnam parh mantra sunaiaa; Kal taaran Gur Nanak aiaa……..Bhai Gur Das Ji Advent of Guru Nanak The merciful God listened to the cries of humanity and sent Guru Nanak into this” world. He bowed to God in utter humility and offered prayers and then he gave” the nectar of the “Holy Name” to his disciples. The Guru reyealed the unity of the Supreme Being in the Dark Age, He established Dharma firmly on its feet, brought together the four castes. He initiated the practice of disciples acknowledging one another and treated prince and pauper alike. Look at this wondrous act: he taught the people to bow their heads and to recognize their own humility. Baba Nanak liberated the people of the Dark Age through the mantra of Satnam. Guru Nanak came to the world for the redemption of mankind.
(continued from previous issue: Guru Nanak’’s life time can be divided into three subperiods on the basis of his mission as God’s messenger. The first subperiod of nearly three decades covered his childhood and early manhood, the second which covered more than two decades was spent in travelling and the last period spanning less than two decades was relatively stable life at Kartarpur devoted to consolidation of Gurbani, the scripture and institutional practice, It was about 1520 when he settled with his family at Kanarpur and a new phase in the development of Sikhism began.
Nanak toured all over the world to communicate his message of awakening the people to truth. He founded, in a well-planned way, a community of new faith and this community of inspired disciples became the body of the Sikh church which he called sangat. There was a Sikh church now across India and beyond. No founder of any religion had built such a vast organization, breaking all geographical, national and cultural barriers during his own life time. An important point which Bhai Gurdas the great scholar of contemporary time, makes, however, is that Guru Nanak, on the one hand, rejected the old traditions and the Atharya Veda and, on the other, encouraged the use of his own compositions Japuji, Soda and Arati, Guru nanak gave a spiritual and religious discipline to his initiated followers. The daily prayers of morning, evening and night, the Japuji, the Rahiras, the Sohila were fixed, Shortly before Nanak’s death but during the Kartaarpur period, a Trehan Kshatriya named Lehna, became a follower of the Guru. Guru Nanak blessed Lehna with his ang (Hand) and gave him the new name “Angad.” Angad was a changed man. He became a part of Guru Nanak’s body and soul. The Sage Guru summoned all his followers to assemble, delivered a stirring address in which he praised Lehna and then initiated him as the Guru by offering five paisa coins and a coconut before him and bowing at his feet, The members of Guru Nanak’s family were not happy over the decision. They felt that the sons had been deprived of their hereditary right to succession.
One day Guni was found reciting:
“The auspicious hour has been determined.
Come and pour the ceremonial oil, bless me, oh friends, so that I meet my master.
Every home must get these tiding, these calls are received daily. Says Nanak the caller must be remembered.
The day is approaching.’ (Sohila) When Guru Nanak passed away on Sept.22, 1539, he left behind him not only a fully developed Sikh religion but much more a powerful movement rooted in the people the Sangat and Scripture. First there was his teaching preserved in 974 hymns which were already in written form and many others committed to memory and in regularuse, Unlike Mahavira and Buddha, Guru Nanak left a vast treasure of his utterance in verse carefully compiled in the Guru Granth. Second, there was a community obedient to his discipline, living the householders’ life, regarding work as form of divine service, singing the kirtan composed by Guru Nanak and meditating upon the divine name. Finally, there was a second Nanak. Guru Angad, through whom God continued to speak. From these emerged the sangat. The Guru Granth Sahib and the discipline of life and worship which, in the closing decade of the 20th century, give Sikhism its distinctiveness and cohesion. Guru Nanak Dey’s three important precepts are; there is neither Hindu norMussalman, humanity is one race. One must work hard and share one ‘seaming for the free community kitchen and an active life of the householder is superior to life of renunciation, Courtsey Sikh Review.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 3, 1993
