Date of Birth: April 15, 1469
Place of Birth: Rai Bhoi Ki Talvandi (current day Punjab, Pakistan)
Date of Death: September 22, 1539
Place of Death: Kartarpur (current day Pakistan)
Father: Mehta Kalu
Mother: Mata Tripta
Wife: Mata Sulakhni
Children: Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das
Successor: Guru Angad
Famous As: Founder of Sikkhism
Resting Place: Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartar Pur, Kartarpur, Pakistan
Guru Nanak was the founding father of Sikhism, one of many youngest religions. Guru Nanak turned the primary Sikh Guru and his non secular teachings laid the muse on which Sikhism was shaped. Considered a spiritual innovator, Guru Nanak travelled throughout South Asia and Middle East to unfold his teachings. He advocated the existence of 1 God and taught his followers that each human being can attain out to God by way of meditation and different pious practices. Interestingly, Guru Nanak didn't assist monasticism and requested his followers to steer the lifetime of trustworthy householder. His teachings have been immortalized within the type of 974 hymns, which got here to be often known as ‘Guru Granth Sahib,’ the holy textual content of Sikhism. With greater than 20 million followers, Sikhism is likely one of the essential religions in India.
Early Life
Nanak was born right into a middle-class Hindu household and raised by his mother and father, Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta. He spent most of his childhood along with his older sister, Bebe Nanaki, as he was keen on her. As a toddler, Nanak went on to astound many along with his intelligence and his curiosity in direction of divine topics. For his ‘upanayana’ ritual, he was requested to put on the sacred thread, however Nanak merely refused to put on the thread. When the priest insisted him, a younger Nanak took everybody unexpectedly by asking for a thread that's sacred in each sense of the phrase. He wished the thread to be product of mercy and contentment, and wished continence and fact to carry the three sacred threads collectively.
In 1475, Nanak's sister obtained married to Jai Ram and moved to Sultanpur. Nanak wished to stick with his sister for just a few days and therefore went to Sultanpur and began working underneath the employer of his brother-in-law. During his keep in Sultanpur, Nanak would go to a close-by river each morning as a way to bathe and meditate. One positive day, he went to the river as normal however didn't return for 3 days. It is believed that Nanak went deep contained in the forest and stayed there for 3 days. When he returned, he seemed like a person possessed and didn't utter a phrase. When he lastly spoke, he mentioned, “There is no Hindu and no Musalman.” These phrases have been the start of his teachings which might culminate within the formation of a brand new faith.
Sikhism
Nanak then got here to be often known as Guru Nanak (trainer) as he travelled far and huge to unfold his teachings. He based Sikhism, one of many youngest religions, by way of his teachings. The faith emphasizes on the significance of main a non secular life with out embracing monasticism. It teaches its followers to flee the clutches of atypical human traits, akin to lust, rage, greed, attachment and vanity (collectively often known as the ‘Five Thieves’). Sikhism is a monotheistic faith, which believes that God is shapeless, timeless and invisible. It additionally teaches the ideas of worldly phantasm (Maya), Karma, and liberation. Some of the important thing practices of Sikhism are meditation and the recitation of Gurbani, the hymns composed by the Gurus. The faith additionally advocates justice and equality and urges its followers to serve mankind.
Teachings
Guru Nanak taught that each human being is able to attaining non secular perfection which is able to in the end make them God. He additionally mentioned that rituals and monks aren't required as a way to have direct entry to God. In his teachings, Guru Nanak emphasised that God has created many worlds and likewise created life. In order to really feel the presence of God, Guru Nanak requested his followers to repeat the title of the God (Nam Japna). He additionally urged them to steer a non secular life by serving others and by main an trustworthy life with out indulging in exploitation or fraud.
Guru Nanak's Journeys
Guru Nanak was decided to unfold the message of the God. He was saddened by the plight of mankind because the world was quick falling prey to the wickedness of Kaliyug. Hence, Guru Nanak determined to journey throughout the subcontinent to coach the individuals. It is claimed that he undertook 5 journeys (udasis) in his lifetime. Before starting his first journey, Guru Nanak is believed to have visited his mother and father to clarify them the significance of his journeys. During his first journey, Guru Nanak lined most components of current day India and Pakistan. lasted for seven years and is believed to have 1500 and 1507 AD. In his second journey, Guru Nanak visited most components of current day Sri Lanka. This journey too, lasted for about seven years.
In his third journey, Guru Nanak travelled by way of the tough terrains of the Himalayas and lined locations like Kashmir, Nepal, Tashkand, Tibet and Sikkim. This journey lasted for about 5 years and befell between 1514 and 1519 AD. He then travelled to locations like Mecca and most components of Middle East in his fourth journey. This lasted for about three years. In his fifth and remaining journey, which lasted two years, Guru Nanak centered on spreading the message inside the area of Punjab. He was accompanied by Bhai Mardana in most of his journeys. Though the authenticity of those journeys is challenged by students, it's believed that Guru Nanak spent 24 years of his life in his journeys, overlaying a staggering distance of 28,000 kilometers by foot.
Contributions to Humanity
Guru Nanak’s preaching got here at a time when there have been conflicts between numerous religions. Mankind was so intoxicated with delight and ego that folks had began combating in opposition to one another within the title of God and faith. Hence, Guru Nanak started his teachings by saying that there aren't any Hindus and no Muslims. This implies the truth that God is one and that He is simply seen in a different way by way of numerous religions. Guru Nanak’s teachings, though not supposed, contributed to the unity of Hindus and Muslims to an extent. He additionally emphasised on the significance of equality of mankind. He condemned slavery and racial discrimination and mentioned that each one are equal.
Guru Nanak is likely one of the most essential spiritual figures to have contributed to girls empowerment in India. Guru Nanak appealed to his followers to respect girls and to deal with them as their equal. He mentioned a person is at all times sure to girls and that with out girls there could be no creation on earth. He additionally restored the religion in God by saying that the Creator is deeply concerned in what man is attempting to realize on earth. While a lot of the main religions together with the sects of Hinduism and Buddhism advocated monasticism as a way to obtain salvation, Guru Nanak got here up with a faith that helps the approach to life of a median householder. Most importantly, he additionally taught his followers the strategies to achieve salvation whereas main a standard life inside the society. He, in actual fact, careworn on the significance of main life with one’s relations. Not solely did he train his beliefs, however he additionally served as a dwelling instance. When Guru Nanak left for the heavenly abode, 9 different Gurus adopted his teachings and continued to unfold his message.
Death
Through his teachings, Guru Nanak had change into extraordinarily fashionable amongst each the Hindus and the Muslims. His beliefs have been such that each communities discovered it very best. They each claimed Guru Nanak to be certainly one of their very own and for sure, Guru Nanak’s ardent followers who referred to as themselves the Sikhs (disciples) have been additionally within the race together with the Hindus and the Muslims. According to the legend, when Guru Nanak approached his remaining few days, a debate between Hindus, Muslims, and the Sikhs arose as to who must be given the honour to carry out the final rites. While Hindus and Sikhs wished to cremate the mortal stays of their Guru as per their customized, the Muslims wished to carry out the final rites based on their beliefs. When the talk did not conclude amicably, they determined to ask Guru Nanak himself as to what must be achieved. When all of them approached him, Guru Nanak requested them to carry flowers and lay them subsequent to his mortal stays. He requested the Hindus and the Sikhs to put their flowers on the correct aspect of his physique and the Muslims to put theirs on the left. He mentioned that the honour of performing the final rites would go to the social gathering whose flowers stay recent for an evening. When Guru Nanak breathed his final, the spiritual communities adopted his directions. When they got here again the following morning to see whose flowers remained recent, they have been stunned to see that not one of the flowers had wilted, however the largest shock was that Guru Nanak’s mortal stays had disappeared and all they might see instead of his physique have been recent flowers. It is claimed that the Hindus and the Sikhs picked up their flowers and buried it, whereas the Muslims did the identical with their flowers.
Post a Comment