guru nanak dev

People are of the belief that, at the time of birth of Guru Nanak, an astrologer was called upon to prepare his horoscope. The astrologer insisted on meeting him and worshipped Guru Nanak with folded hands. At a young age of five, Nanak began discussing on spiritual subjects. When he was seven years old, his father got him enrolled in the nearby school village for pursuing studies. However, very soon, he left the school and started taking private classes.

At the age of thirty, he was found to be missing and people though that, he has drowned in the stream, where he used to go everyday for taking bath. He came back after three days and started saying that There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim. Since then, he started teaching people and this laid the foundation for the beginning of Sikhism.

Nanak was married to a woman named Sulakhni, the daughter of a rice trader named Moolchand Chona. They were blessed with two sons. The elder son named Sri Chand turned into an ascetic. On the contrary, the younger son named Lakshmi Das was deeply involved in worldly life. Guru Nanak didnt find his own sons suitable for carrying on the Guruship. He instead handed over this responsibility to one of his favorite disciples named Lehna. Bhai Lehna was later named Guru Angad.

The beliefs & philosophies of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Guru of Sikhs, were not very popular in the beginning. But, today, it is the teachings of Guru Nanak that are ruling the lives of Sikhs. The three teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are known as Nam Simran, Kirt Karo and Wand Chako. The term Nam Simran means think about God. Kirt Kaara preaches people to lead a normal life by earning their living through hard work and honesty. Wand Chhako means to share whatever spare things you have with poor and needy people.

The birthday of Gurus is more often referred to as Gurupurab. When it comes to Gurupurab, the birthday of the first Guru of Sikhs, i.e. Guru Nanak Dev is known as the Guru Nanak Jayanti, which is celebrated with gaiety and fervor in India. Guru Nanak Jayanti has a lot of religious significance for the people of Sikh religion. Born in the year 1469 at a place called Talwandi, which lies at a distance of about 50 kms from Lahore, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the founder of Sikh religion.

This pronouncement was substantial as it referred to the day and age in which Guru Nanak Dev Ji lived Hindus and Muslims of India constantly and bitterly fought each other over the issue of religion. The Guru meant to emphasise that, ultimately, in the eyes of God, it is not religion that determines a persons merits, but ones actions. The Guru witnessed the Mughal invasion of India, and saw the horrors inflicted upon the common people by the invaders. Guru Nanak Dev Ji did not hesitate to speak up against injustice.
The kings are ravenous beasts, their ministers are dogs. The Age is a Knife, and the Kings are Butchers.
In this dark night of evil, the moon of righteousness is nowhere visible.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji has been documented to have travelled across India and the Middle East to spread his message. Once, at Mecca, the Guru was resting with his feet pointing toward the holy shrine. When a Muslim priest angrily reprimanded the Guru for showing disrespect to God, the Guru replied, Kindly point my feet towards the place where God does not exist. Among the many philosophical foundations laid by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, his characterisation of God, as illustrated by his visit to Mecca, is most recognisable. It forms the opening lines of the 1430th page of the Sikh holy scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The translation is as follows.There is but One God, The Supreme Truth; The Ultimate Reality, The Creator, Without fear, Without enemies, Timeless is His image, Without Birth, Self Created, By His grace revealed.

Like all the Gurus after him, Guru Nanak Dev Ji preached by example. During a time of great social conflict and religious decay, his message served as a fresh, uncorrupted approach towards spirituality and God. The Guru founded the institutions of Gurdwara, Sangat and Pangat. He introduced the concept of suitability for Guruship by ignoring his sons and appointing Bhai Lehna Ji as the second Sikh Guru to continue spreading his teachings. He departed for heavenly abode on September 7, 1539. The message of the Guru Ji took almost 240 years to unfold, and so, in accordance with the Will of God, the soul of Guru Nanak Dev Ji merged into the souls of his nine successors.

His father was Kalayan Das Mehta, also known as Mehta Kalu, and his mother was Mata Tripta ji. They belonged to the Vedic Kshatri (Khatri) caste. Guru ji had an older sister called Bebey Nanki, who was the first to recognise Nanak as an enlightened Soul. Guru Nanak from an early age evidenced a questioning and enquiring mind. He soon mastered the Vedas and Sanskrit and was enrolled into a madrassa to study Persian and Arabic. Picking up both languages quickly, he surprised his teacher by composing an acrostic on the Persian language. When it was time for Nanak to be invested with the twice born thread the sacred thread, called the Janeu, he refused to take part in the ritual. When the priest continued to insist that the young Nanak done the string he went into a trance and sang.

Nanak married Sulkhni of Batala, and they had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. Guru jis brother in law, the husband of his sister Nanki, obtained a job for him in Sultanpur as the manager of the governments grainary. One morning, when he was twenty eight, he went as usual down to the river to bathe and meditate. It was said that he was gone for three days. When he reappeared, filled with the spirit of God, it was apparent to all that he was a changed man. He would say nothing, he quit his job and distributed all that he had to the poor. Accompanied by his childhood friend, a Muslim named Mardana who had always played the Rebab while Nanak sang, they left town. When, after a few days, he spoke saying There is no Hindu, no Musalman.[1] It was then that Guru Nanak began his missionary work and travels.

When in the middle east, the west and the rest of asia slavery, varna class and race discrimination was rife and respect between the different classes and caste was at a peak, Guru Nanak preached against discrimination and prejudices due to race, caste, status, etc. He said See the brotherhood of all mankind as the highest order of Yogis; conquer your own mind, and conquer the world. also There is one awareness among all created beings. and finally One who recognizes the One Lord among all beings does not talk of ego. He urges all the peoples of the world to conquer their minds to these evil practises. All human beings had the light of the Lord and were the same only by subduing ones pride and ego could one see this light in all.

In about 1499 when the world offered low to no status or respect to women, Guru Nanak sought to improve the respect of women by spreading this message From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman. In so doing, he promoted womens rights and equality a first for the 15th century.