A Tribute on the Gurpurab

Sometime ago during a discussion with a Hindu Brahmin and a Muslim Maulvi I gave a synopsis of Guru Nanak’s Japji Sahib, the first composition in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. As soon as I finished, the Maulvi exclaimed “But this is Islam”. Such is the universal appeal of Guru Nanak’s teachings. The Guru walked the earth from 1469 to 1539 CE.

The Guru received so much acceptance that people cried out:

Nanak Shah fakir; Hindu ka Guru Musalmaan ka pir.

Guru Nanak is the king of sages;
The Guru of the Hindu and the spiritual guide of the Muslim.

A highly respected Muslim poet and philosopher Alaama (meaning the learned) Iqbal said:

Phir uthi aakhir sadaa toheed ki Punjab say;
Hind ko ik marday kaamal nay jagaaia khwaab say.

Then an affirmation of unity of God arose from the Punjab;
and India was awakened from slumber by an accomplished man.

These are the voices of people of other faiths about Guru Nanak. One wonders if Iqbal had read the following verse of the fifth Guru because there is so much resemblance:

ਬਲਿਓ ਚਰਾਗੁ ਅੰਧ੍ਯ੍ਯਾਰ ਮਹਿ ਸਭ ਕਲਿ ਉਧਰੀ ਇਕ ਨਾਮ ਧਰਮ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਗਟੁ ਸਗਲ ਹਰਿ ਭਵਨ ਮਹਿ ਜਨੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥੯॥ ੫੧੩੮੭

In darkness of ignorance was lit a lamp, that saved humanity by walking the path of one God;
Guru Nanak, the servant of the Lord, and the Lord Itself, lit every mind. 9. M: 5, p 1387).

Guru Nanak never said he was any superior to any one; he identified himself with the lowly and called himself the lowliest of the lowly:

ਨੀਚਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਨੀਚ ਜਾਤਿ ਨੀਚੀ ਹੂ ਅਤਿ ਨੀਚੁ ॥

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤਿਨ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਾਥਿ ਵਡਿਆ ਸਿਉ ਕਿਆ ਰੀਸ ॥

ਜਿਥੈ ਨੀਚ ਸਮਾਲੀਅਨਿ ਤਿਥੈ ਨਦਰਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ॥੪॥੩॥੧੧੫

I belong to the lowly among all; nay I am the lowliest,

I would rather be in their company than envy the high;

O Lord You bestow Your grace where the lowly are looked after (M: 1, p 15).

He translated his words into action. When the Mughal forces attacked India and caused untold misery to the people in 1520 CE, he went amongst them. He even questioned God as he castigated the Lodis who were then ruling India but failed to protect the people:

ਏਤੀ ਮਾਰ ਪਈ ਕਰਲਾਣੇ ਤੈਂ ਕੀ ਦਰਦੁ ਨ ਆਇਆ ॥੧॥

ਕਰਤਾ ਤੂੰ ਸਭਨਾ ਕਾ ਸੋਈ ॥

ਜੇ ਸਕਤਾ ਸਕਤੇ ਕਉ ਮਾਰੇ ਤਾ ਮਨਿ ਰੋਸੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਸਕਤਾ ਸੀਹੁ ਮਾਰੇ ਪੈ ਵਗੈ ਖਸਮੈ ਸਾ ਪੁਰਸਾਈ ॥

ਰਤਨ ਵਿਗਾੜਿ ਵਿਗੋਏ ਕੁਤਂ​‍ੀ ਮੁਇਆ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਕਾਈ ॥੧੩੬੦

O Creator didn’t You feel the pain when the people suffered so much?

After all they are Your people and You belong to them;

If a powerful force attacks another powerful one there is no complaint. Pause.

But if a powerful lion attacks a herd it is the responsibility of their master to protect them;

These (Lodi) dogs exploited this jewel-like land; they will not receive solace even after death (M: 1, p 360).

For his utterings Guru Nanak was imprisoned and made to do hard labor but he never retracted. He said of the rulers:

ਕਲਿ ਕਾਤੀ ਰਾਜੇ ਕਾਸਾਈ ਧਰਮੁ ਪੰਖ ਕਰਿ ਉਡਰਿਆ ॥
ਅਮਾਵਸ ਸਚੁ ਚੰਦ੍ਰਮਾ ਦੀਸੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਹ ਚੜਿਆ ॥
ਭਾਲਿ ਵਿਕੁੰਨੀ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਆਧੇਰੈ ਰਾਹੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥
ਵਿਚਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਰਿ ਦੁਖੁ ਰੋਈ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਿਨਿ ਬਿਧਿ ਗਤਿ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥ ੧੧੪੫

This is the dark age of the dagger;
The rulers act as butchers, law has taken wings and fled;
Falsehood prevails; there is utter darkness as on a moonless night;
It does not appear the moon of truth will ever rise;
Not knowing where the world is leading I have been exasperated in search of the path;
This suffering is due to the state of ego all round; it makes me sad;
What is the way out of this? (M: 1, p 145).

As he looked around he wondered:

ਨਾਨਕ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਕੈਸੀ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਸਾਲਕੁ ਮਿਤੁ ਨ ਰਹਿਓ ਕੋਈ ॥
ਭਾਈ ਬੰਧੀ ਹੇਤੁ ਚੁਕਾਇਆ ॥ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਕਾਰਣਿ ਦੀਨੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੫॥

What has happened to this world?
There is no one to guide nor to give company;
Love amongst brothers and relatives has disappeared;
For personal benefits all values have been given up (M: 1. p 1410).

Guru Nanak prayed to the Almighty and was given the mission to guide the people on the spiritual path. He says:

ਹਉ ਢਾਢੀ ਵੇਕਾਰੁ ਕਾਰੈ ਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਰਾਤਿ ਦਿਹੈ ਕੈ ਵਾਰ ਧੁਰਹੁ ਫੁਰਮਾਇਆ ॥
ਢਾਢੀ ਸਚੈ ਮਹਲਿ ਖਸਮਿ ਬੁਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਸਚੀ ਸਿਫਤਿ ਸਾਲਾਹ ਕਪੜਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਸਚਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਭੋਜਨੁ ਆਇਆ ॥ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਖਾਧਾ ਰਜਿ ਤਿਨਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਢਾਢੀ ਕਰੇ ਪਸਾਉ ਸਬਦੁ ਵਜਾਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚੁ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ ਪੂਰਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੨੭॥

I was doing nothing and was put on the job;
I was directed to be at it day and night;
This happened when I was called by the Master to Its mansion;
My robe was to be imbibing Divine virtues;
My food was to be the Nectar of virtues of Naam;
Partaking it as advised by God would bring satisfaction and peace;
Singing the virtues I now tell the world;
This is the way to be with the eternal Master (M: 1, p 150).

There were then two major religious groups in India – Hindu and Muslim at that time with deep distrust between them. This caused turmoil in both the religious and social fields. The famous bard Bhai Gurdas describes the situation:

ਚਾਰਿ ਵਰਨਿ ਚਾਰਿ ਮਜਹਬਾਂ ਜਗਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੇ ।
ਖੁਦੀ ਬਖੀਲਿ ਤਕਬਰੀ ਖਿੰਚੋਤਾਣਿ ਕਰੇਨਿ ਧਿੰਙਾਣੇ ।
ਗੰਗ ਬਨਾਰਸਿ ਹਿੰਦੂਆਂ ਮਕਾ ਕਾਬਾ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੇ ।
ਸੁੰਨਤਿ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣ ਦੀ ਤਿਲਕ ਜੰਞੂ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਲੋਭਾਣੇ ।
ਰਾਮ ਰਹੀਮ ਕਹਾਇੰਦੇ ਇਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਦੁਇ ਰਾਹੁ ਭੁਲਾਣੇ ।
ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਭੁਲਾਇਕੈ ਮੋਹੇ ਲਾਲਚ ਦੁਨੀ ਸੈਤਾਣੇ ।
ਸਚੁ ਕਿਨਾਰੇ ਰਹਿ ਗਿਆ ਖਹਿ ਮਰਦੇ ਬਾਮ੍ਹਣਿ ਮਉਲਾਣੇ ।
ਸਿਰੋ ਨ ਮਿਟੇ ਆਵਣਿ ਜਾਣੇ ॥੨੧॥

The Hindus had divided themselves into four Varnas or castes, so had the Muslims;
Ego, jealousy, vanity, strife and use of force were rampant;
The Hindus revered the Ganga river and Benares, the Muslims Kaaba at Mecca;
A Muslim was known by circumcision and a Hindu by his sacred thread;
God is Ram for Hindus and Rahim for Muslims, one path divided into two in delusion;
Forgetting their scriptures they are guided by greed and the devil;
Thus putting the truth aside the Hindu Brahmin and Muslim Maulana fight to death;
They will never be able to escape cycles of death and rebirth (Vaar 1, Pauri 21).

Guru Nanak was motivated to spread the Divine message and stated the principle:

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਐਸਾ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਜੋ ਸਭਸੈ ਲਏ ਮਿਲਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੧੦॥੧੭੨

A true guru is one who brings people together (M: 1, p 72).

A problem in religions is that their leaders teach about their faith but do little to reach out to other faiths. However Guru Nanak thought interaction with other faiths was necessary. He therefore decided to visit their centers of pilgrimage and exchange views with their leaders. This was also useful for seeing their rituals and methods of worship although he was aware of them.

He visited Hindu and Muslim centers. Within India he traveled to places as far as the Himalayas in the North, Ceylon (the present Sri Lanka) in the South, Jaganath Puri in the East. He also visited Nanking in China, Baghdad in Iraq and Mecca in Saudi Arabia. There are interesting episodes connected with these visits by which he taught people some times giving his interpretation of some rituals and at times bringing out their futility. A few examples:

When he visited Hardwar the sacred pilgrimage center of the Hindus, he saw people throwing water upwards to the sun for their departed forefathers. In order to convey the futility of this Guru Nanak started throwing water to the West. When asked for his strange behavior he told them he was sending water to his parched fields in the Punjab. The pilgrims there mocked at him saying how water could travel that far. He asked them whether it is easier to send water to some place on the earth or to the sun.

He visited the Yogis who had moved to the Himalayas in search of peace of mind. They asked him how the land of their birth was. He told them that since devoted people like them had moved to the mountains, there was no one to guide the people. They were impressed and tried to get him into their fold. He told them salvation lies in a householder’s life and doing one’s duties to the family and society.

When he visited the Muslim pilgrim center of Mecca he slept with his feet towards the Kaaba the holiest shrine believed to be God’s abode. The attendant kicked him and castigated him for pointing his feet to the house of God. Guru Nanak told him “I am very tired; please turn my feet in the direction where God is not”. The man did not know what to say.

Music is not part of the Muslim religious tradition. When Guru Nanak visited Baghdad in Iraq he sat outside the town and started singing hymns. The qazi was furious when he knew of it but when he heard he found the music so soothing that he bowed to the Guru.

Guru Nanak asked people to come out of their shells and realize that there is one God of all. Differences based on religion or castes were man-made. He said:

ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਤਿਸ ਦੈ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਸਾਖੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੩॥ ੧੧੩

There is the same light (Spirit) in all;

With this light are all minds illuminated;

And that is facilitated by the guru’s teachings;

Such worship is done by those with whom God is pleased (M: 1, p 13).

If this advice of the Guru is followed all differences based on religion, region or caste would vanish.

His message was to walk on the highway of righteous living rather than engage in ritualism for success in the spiritual pursuits:

ਮਨਹਠ ਬੁਧੀ ਕੇਤੀਆ ਕੇਤੇ ਬੇਦ ਬੀਚਾਰ ॥

ਕੇਤੇ ਬੰਧਨ ਜੀਅ ਕੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰ ॥

ਸਚਹੁ ਓਰੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਉਪਰਿ ਸਚੁ ਆਚਾਰੁ ॥੫॥੧੬੨

Some people engage in hard and long austerities, others use scriptural knowledge to get into arguments;

All these keep the mind in bondage; release from these is possible through the guru’s teachings;

Truth is higher than every thing else but higher still is truthful living (M: 1, p 62).

He advised people to live in amity avoiding vice and mutual conflict. This is possible if we realize that God is ever with us and watching:

ਬਦਫੈਲੀ ਗੈਬਾਨਾ ਖਸਮੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਈ ॥ ਸੋ ਕਹੀਐ ਦੇਵਾਨਾ ਆਪੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਣਈ ॥

ਕਲਹਿ ਬੁਰੀ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ਵਾਦੇ ਖਪੀਐ ॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਵੇਕਾਰਿ ਭਰਮੇ ਪਚੀਐ ॥

ਰਾਹ ਦੋਵੈ ਇਕੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਸੋਈ ਸਿਝਸੀ ॥ ਕੁਫਰ ਗੋਅ ਕੁਫਰਾਣੈ ਪਇਆ ਦਝਸੀ ॥

ਸਭ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਸੁਬਹਾਨੁ ਸਚਿ ਸਮਾਈਐ ॥ ਸਿਝੈ ਦਰਿ ਦੀਵਾਨਿ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਈਐ ॥੯॥੧੧੪੨

A person commits vices hiding from others but does not realize the Master is with every one;

It is madness not to know the self (God within, strengths, weaknesses);

Getting into conflict is evil and to get into arguments is waste of time;

Evil is caused by delusion when one becomes oblivious of God;

There are two paths (of God and evil) one who follows the path of God succeeds;

One who deviates and travels the path of evil suffers;

Let us celebrate this beautiful world and doing so merge with the eternal Truth;

This is possible by obliterating the ego which enables success in entry to God’s gate. 9. (M: 1, p 142).

Let us celebrate being the Sikhs of such a Guru; one who teaches righteous and amiable living.