Kanwal Singh
“Phir Uthi Akhir Sada Tawheed Ki Panjab Se, Hind Ko Ik Mard-e-Kamil Ne Jagaya Khawab Se”
“Finally, a call for oneness arose from Panjab, A Perfect Man Awakened Hind (South Asia) from Slumber”-Allama Iqbal
Allama Iqbal wrote the above lines and presented his prescriptive on Guru Nanak Sahib as the true embodiment of Oneness who awakened the conscience of people living in South Asia.
Guru Nanak Sahib was a guiding light and a Spiritual leader for the whole humanity.
Guru Nanak Sahib was born at Sabo Ki Talwandi (now in Pakistan) in 1469, to Mother Tripta and Father Kalyan Das Bedi.
Bhai Gurdas Ji describes the coming of Guru Nanak in the following poetic verse:
“Satgur Nanak Pargataya Miti, Dhund Jag Chanana Hova”
“With the emergence of Guru Nanaks Wisdom, The Mist Cleared and Illuminated Consciousness”
15th century was a difficult time in South Asia, when society was operating on the basis of caste, ritualism, religious oppression and invasion by foreign chieftains. There was no freedom of thought of Religion. There were social and caste inequalities. Guru Nanak broke these shackles and enlightened the world with the essence of true divinity and one unifying force I.e IKONKAR.
Guru Nanak Propounded that one consciousness created the creation. So, why humanity is lost and dwelling in falsehood and duality. One has to attune to the Consciousness, only then their existence will be successful. True knowledge with ego can never be considered as divine wisdom. Guru Nanak in a very philosophical and poetic way explained the meaning of Oneness; that since we all are part of one supreme power, one light has given birth to all of us then who is good and who is bad?
In a borderless world of the 15th Century, Guru Nanak Sahib along with his Companion, Bhai Mardana, A Rababi, travelled nine regions, crossed different geographies, sailed through seas to conduct spiritual, philosophical and interfaith dialogues with people and religious leaders of all faith. He awakened the people from deep slumber. He challenged the gender, caste, class and religious inequalities in society with his message of Oneness of Humanity. Guru Nanak along with Mardana used Music, Rabab, and Divine Wisdom of Anahad Shabad (Word of the one Creator) to convey the message of Oneness in reality. During his religious sojourns Guru Nanak conducted spiritual dialogues with different belief system involved in customs which were causing downfall of Human attributes.
We all are interconnected. We all share the same light. If you can see this. You can also feel it. This feeling in Sikh tradition is called love for the divine. The possibility and the potential that comes with the promise of faith and interconnectedness is that you can actually love everyone. And in love there is no place for fear. Now, if you love everyone then that manifests in action I.e Sewa(Service to Humanity), equality, Right to Justice, and Righteousness.
Guru Nanak fearlessly opposed ritualistic norms, social and religious rules which were overlooking action and dividing people in the name of caste, birth and gender. Guru Nanak Sahib challenged the orthodox norms of the religious leaders while he accompanied the Poor.
“Neechaa A(n)dhar neech jaat neechee hoo at neech || naanak tin kai sa(n)g saath vaddiaa siau kiaa rees”
Nanak seeks the company of the lowest of the low class, the very lowest of the low. Why should he try to compete with the great?
“Jithai neech samaaleean tithai nadhar teree bakhasees”
In that place where the lowly are cared for-there, the Blessings of Your Glance of Grace rain down”- Guru Nanak, Asa Di Vaar.
Guru Nanak Sahib founded three pillars of Sikhism:
“Kirat Karni”- Earn with Labour.
“Naam Japna”-Contemplate upon the name of God.
“Wand Ke Chakna”- Share before you eat.
The aspect Sewa was even reflected during the pandemic when many thought of others before thinking of their own self. In those challenging times the world was amazed by the spectacle of the institution of Langar and the Spirit of Sikhism.
The pandemic gathered world attention to environmental problems. Every world started talking about an imbalance in the current ecological system. But in Guru Nanaks Philosophy of equality and progressiveness; environment protection, cleanliness, community servicing, hygiene was given prime importance. One type of “Prashad” in temporal terms and Anahad Shabad in Spiritual term is served in every Gurdwara Sahib. You will find volunteers doing Sewa and community servicing. Every Gurdwara premises will have a natural water resource and plantation of trees. The respect and importance of environment is fundamental to Sikhism. As Guru Nanak Sahib Ji illustrates in Japji Sahib-
“Pawan Guru, Paani Pita, Maata Dharth Mahath”
“Air is our Teacher; Water is our Father and the great Sacred Earth is our Mother”
Guru Nanak Sahib Ji defined the depth of the Universe and the Play of will of God as “There are Planets, Solar Systems and Galaxies. If one Speak of them, there is no limit, no end. There are World’s upon World’s of his Creation. All he commands, so they exist”.
Thus, The true essence of your existence as by Guru Nanak is in the thought that “Universe is Boundless. It has no endpoint but the focus is not on the outer world but seeking the Guru within through Shabad Guru and practicing the principles of Compassion and Kindness”
Guru Nanak Teachings were immortalised in 937 Hymns in Guru Granth Sahib. Those who followed the path shown by Guru Nanak became learners and were called Sikhs. All the Bhagats, Pirs, Saints who had a similar experience of the divine, their experiential wisdom was collated in the Living Guru of the Sikhs, Shri Guru Granth Sahib. All this was done by the Commandment of the Timeless. These spiritual leaders were born in different castes and faith but they all expounded the True Philosophy of Oneness I.e Bhagat Ravidas, Bhagat Kabir and Guru Nanak were one with the Divine.
But one cannot walk on two different Paths and still continue to call himself a Sikh. A true relationship can only be established if one gives up Duality and follow Shabad Guru..
As long as you are far from Gurus Shabad and have developed Otherness, all Gurpurabs will be meaningless. See for yourself what you have turned into. You dwell into maya, you practice caste, you worship falsehood and you have forgotten the true meaning of Gurus Shabad.
“Mann Pardheese Je Theaai Sabh Dhes Pariaa”
“If you becomes a stranger to God, then all the world becomes a stranger to him”.
Let’s not just reduce Guru Nanak to idealism. He was a embodiment of oneness and universalism. Sikhi has a very practical and rational approach towards life. As long as you are in Gurus True love, everyday is Parkash Purab.
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