The teachings of Guru Angad & Guru Amar Das & Guru Ram Das

The teachings of Guru Angad & Guru Amar Das & Guru Ram Das

Guru Angad:

Guru Angad was nominated as his successor by Guru Nanak. It is stated that if Nanak had not appointed his successor, the Nanakpanthis or Sikhs would have been absorbed into Hinduism in due course of time. Angad popularised the Gurumukhi Alphabet.

A Biography of Nanak was compiled. His sayings were also collected at one place. The Udasis were turned out from the Sikh fold. Strict discipline was maintained among the disciples and those who were rebellious were severely dealt with. It is stated that Humayun came to Angad to get his blessings.

Guru Amar Das:

Angad was succeeded by Amar Das. Before his conversion to Sikhism, Amar Das was a devotee of Vishnu. His succession was disputed by the sons of Nanak and Angad. However, the opposition died out in course of time on account of the patient sufferings of Guru Amar das. The new Guru constructed a Baoli at Goindwal which became an important place of pilgrimage for the Sikhs. He reformed the institution of Langar and gave more importance to it. He divided his spiritual empire into 22 parts called Manjis.

Each Manji was put under the charge of a Sikh. Separate ceremonies to be performed at the time of birth and death of the Sikhs were prescribed. There were different from those of Hindus. He prohibited the customs of Sati. He asked his followers not to take wine. He condemned purdah for women.

According to Indu Bhushan Banerjee, “Sikhism, forged its own weapon, hedged itself behind newer forms and customs, in short, developed individuality of its own. It was under his auspices that the rudiments of a separate organization were given to the Sikhs, and new forms and practices were introduced to supersede the old and bind the neophytes more closely together.”

Again, “It was under Amar Das that the difference between a Hindu and Sikh became more pronounced and the , Sikhs began gradually to drift away from the orthodox of Hindu Society and form a class, a sort of new brother-hood by themselves.”

Guru Ram Das

Guru Amar Das was succeeded by his son-in-law called Ram Das. He had very cordial relations with Akbar who granted 500 Bighas of land in the neighbourhood of modern Amritsar at a very nominal price. The Emperor also remitted the revenues of the Punjab for one year.

Guru Ram Das built a new town called Chak Guru of Ramdaspura which later on came to be known as Amritsar. He started the excavation of two tanks, Amritsar and Santokhsar. He sent his agents everywhere to collect money for the above purposes. Sikhism gained popularity during his period. Guru Ramdas died in 1581 A.D.