Essay on the early life & teachings of Guru Nanak

Essay on the early life & teachings of Guru Nanak

‘Sikh’ word is converted form of shishya’. The meaning of this word is – ‘Follower’. In the same way ‘Sikh’ is a name of a community which was founded by Guru Nanak. In other words we can say that Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism. He was born in 1469 at a village called Talwandi. Now this place is called Nankana Sahib. It is situated in West Punjab. The name of his father was Mehta Kalu and his mother’s name was Tripta. The name of his sister was Nanki.

When he was seven, lie was sent to the village school but it is stated that the child was always contemplating and consequently neither the Hindu nor the Muslim Teachers were able to teach him much. His father asked him to look after his cattle and land, but he failed. He tried to put him in some trade but the son was more after Sacha Sauda or true bargaining than after making money.

Instead of doing any business, he distributed the money among the needy persons. With a view to taking his son away from his unworldly tendencies, he married him with Sulakhni at the age of 15 and he had two sons. Even his marriage had no effect on him and he was sent to Sultanpur where his brother-in-law was working. He got the job of a Store-keeper and he performed his duties very honestly. In 1499, he got enlightenment in the River Baen near Sultanpur. At the age of 27 years, he gave up his job and became an ascetic.

For about 30 years, Nanak wandered about learning and teaching on the way. His first tour lasted for about 12 years. He visited Aminabad Kurukshetra, Hardwar, Banaras and Kamrup or Assam. During his second tour, he visited the Deccan and Ceylon. His third tour was to Kashmir and the Kailash Mountain. His is said to have visited Baghdad, Mecca and Madina. His last tour was confined to the Punjab.

He visited Pakpattan, Depalpur, Kasur, Patti, Vairowal, Pasrur and Dera Baba Nanak. His last days were spent in Kartarpur near Dera Baba Nanak. He died in 1538. It is stated that once upon a time Guru Nanak and Mardana, his disciple, were arrested and thrown into prison by Babur. However, they were released when Babur came to know that the person arrested was a saintly man.

Teachings of Guru Nanak

The mam teachings of Guru Nanak were the faith in one True Lord, the worship of the Name and the necessity of a Guru in the worship of the Name. According to Nanak. “There is but one God whose Name is True, the Creator, devoid of fear and enmity, immortal, unborn and sell existent. Through the favour of Guru repeat His Name.

The True One was in the beginning, the True One was in the primal age. The true one is, was, O Nanak, the True one also shall be.” Nanak put emphasis on the unity of God. No one could equal Him. God was unrivalled. God was above Vishnu, above Brahma, superior to Shiva and the creator of Rama and Krishna.

God is imminent and transcendent. Nobody knows the limits of God. God alone knows how great, he is. Nanak compares God to the beloved and says the God is in the heart of every individual. To quote him, “The light which is in everything is Thane, O Lord of light; from its brilliancy everything is brilliant.”

“This world is the True One’s chamber; The True One’s dwelling is therein. Some by His Order He absorbent in Himself; Others by His Order He destroyed.” Guru Nanak had a belief in a personal and merciful God. Sincere devotion to God and a righteous life could help an individual to reach God. God helps his votaries in times of trouble. He lives in their hearts and if they surrender to him, he takes charge of them. God is omnipresent.

There is no place for the worship of idols. The only way to please God is through surrender of self to Him. To quote Nanak, “Efface thyself, so shalt thou obtain the bridegroom.” Passion (Kam), Anger (Krodh), Greed (Lobh), Attachment (Moh) and Pride (Ahankar) are the five enemies of mankind.

Nanak put emphasis on the worship of the True Name. Repetition of the True Name (Sat Nam) was to be done with the greatest amount of devotion. To quote Nanak, “The Name is the God, the God of all gods. Some propitiate Durga, some Shiv, some Ganesh and some other gods but the Guru’s Sikhs worship the True Name and thus remove all obstacles to salvation.” Nanak put too much emphasis on Sat Nam and his view was that those who did not repeat the Sat Nam could not be saved at all.

Nanak put emphasis on the importance of Guru for the realisation of God. To quote him, “Without the Guru, no one can obtain God, however long the matter is debated.” Again, “Under the Guru’s instruction, God’s word is heard; under the Guru’s instruction, its knowledge acquired; under the Guru’s instruction, man learns that God is everywhere contained.” With the help of Guru, man enjoys divine pleasure; he does not know any sorrow. Guru is the raft or the ladder of the Sikhs. Guru is found through divine grace.

Nanak put emphasis on Karma or good actions. He ridiculed the wearing of the sacred thread. He denounced all the external marks of holiness which were considered to be essential in those days. According to Famous author Khushwant Singh, “There are positive injunctions against austere asceticism involving renunciation of society, celibacy and penane. All the Gurus led normal family lives and discharged secular functions as householders as well as the spiritual mentors of their belief.

The concept of righteous living is meaningless except in the context of the community. There is constant reference to being in the world but not worldly. The idea is to achieve saintliness as a member of society and to have a spiritual existence with the necessary material requisites. According to Jupji, “Words do not the saint or sinner make, Action alone is written in the book of fate, What we sow that alone we take; O Nanak, be saved or forever transmigrate.”

“A man may load carts with books. He may lead refine with books to take with him. Books may be put in boats; pits may be filled with them. A man may read books for months; he may read them for years. He may read them for life; he may read them while he hath breath Nanak: only one word, God’s name, would be of account. All else would be senseless discussion of the proud.” Nanak condemned the caste system. According to him, “Castes are folly, names are folly.” Again, “There is no Hindu and no Mussalman.”

Reference may be made to some other sayings of Guru Nanak. “Practice humility, renounce pride, restrain the mind, remember God. Be Honest, watch restrain the five evil passions, and be content.” “Make continence thy furnace, resignation thy goldsmith. Understanding thane anvil, divine knowledge thy tools. The fear of God thy bellows, austerities they fire. Divine love thy crucible, and melt God’s name therein. In such a true mint the Word shall be coined. This is the practice of those on whom God looked with an eye of favour.

Nanak, the kind one by a glance markets them happy.” “The sinners who have committed transgressions are bound and led away. Their luggage of sins is so heavy that they cannot lift it. The steep road ahead is dark, while the executioner walketh behind them. In front is a sea of fire, how shall they cross it?

Ravens stand upon men’s skulls, and peck at them fast as a shower of sparks. Nanak, where shall men escape when the punishment is by God’s order? Guru Nanak owed a lot of debt to Islam. This is clear from his words and thoughts. He was steeped in Sufi lore. It appears that his knowledge of the Vedic and Puranic Literature was superficial. He was concerned more with the practical aspect of life and with deep learning.