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Brief Biography Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji took Avatar in Talwandi, now known as Nankana Sahib (near Lahore, in Pakistan) on 30th of November, 1469 A.D. Guru Nanak's father was Shri Kalyan Dass Mehta Ji. He was a Khatri by caste and the village accountant (Patwari) and His mother was Mata Tripta Ji . As a young boy, He
used to take the cattle to pasture. But He was devoting His solitude to
inward communion. In 1484 AD Guru Nanak was sent to His sister Bibi Naanki at Sultanpur Lodhi where He took up a job as storekeeper of Daulat Khan Lodhi. While in Sultanpur Lodhi Guru Nanak got married and had two sons - Shri Chand Ji and Shri Lakhshmi Dass Ji This was the darkest period of India's history when the people were absolutely divided and demoralized. In addition, the
priests had reduced religion to a mockery. The public was blind in its
faith, and governed by superstitions. Seeing all this, Guru Nanak started
building a nation of self-respecting men and women, devoted to God and
their leaders, filled with a sense of equality and brotherhood. There was not a single aspect of earthly or spiritual life which was not enlightened by Guru Nanak. He left His divine body on 7 September 1539.
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When the Mohammedans gained control over India and the once religious and peaceful Hindus were being converted into Islam by the mass, God Himself took the form of a Man and came onto this planet in the very form of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji to save Hindustan (India) and the World. Guru Nanak possessed a pious disposition. He prayed in solitude. He travelled widely in all directions. He reclaimed the fallen mortals in the hills of Gorakhmata; in the valleys of Kashmir and Kailash; in the deserts of Multan and Taulamba; in the jungles of Kamroop, and around the temples of Hardwar and Jagan Nath. He toured Mecca and Baghdad. In all these places he preached but did not hurt the feelings of even those whom he criticised. Guru Nanak laid great stress on the value of Karma, the need of a Guru, the principle of self-surrender, as well as simplicity of life. He felt God could be obtained only through divine grace and through the guidance of a true Guru. He did not preach renunciation of the world as was being done by many other saints of the Bhakti cult. He told people to "Abide pure, amidst the impurities of the world." Guru Nanak was very keen on preaching equality, worship of one God and the oneness of Hinduism and Islam. Guru Nanak was able to gather a large number of followers through his earnest piety and persuasive eloquence. According to Cunningham: "Nanak combined the excellences of preceding reformers, and he avoided the more grave errors into which they had fallen." He loftily invoked God as the One, the Sole and the Timeless Being. Cunningham has ably recorded: "Nanak extricated His followers from the accumulated errors of ages and enjoined upon them devotion of thought and excellences of conduct as the first duties. He left them erect and free, unbiased in mind and unfettered by rules, to become an increasing body of truthful worshippers." The effect of Guru Nanak's teachings was really electrifying. A large number of people whom Hinduism did not give a place within its fold, were saved from the clutches of Islam. The age long bonds of caste were loosened. The spirit of intolerance and hatred between religions was broken. Even the Muslims were drawn towards the great personality of Guru Nanak. It may be that He was only a great reformer and not a rebel from Hinduism; nevertheless His reforms produced a revolution with far-reaching effects. He did not proclaim a new religion but the ultimate result was not less than that. One of most important and noticeable teachings in the religion of Guru Nanak through His own Great example, however, is undoubtedly His message of Vegetarianism; i.e. Peace & Respect for all beings. When the Guru became of age to receive a Janeu (Sacred thread according to Hindu Beliefs), the Guru rejected the ceremony as the food being prepared to commemorate the occasion was non-vegetarian. As recorded in the Janam Sakhi (Biographical Sketch of the Guru), when the Guru was once asked by a local ruler called Dev-Loot to bless him with Langar (The Guru's Free Kitchen), the Guru turned down his request until he agreed to become a vegetarian and receive the Guru's Updesh (Mantra). Even when the Guru went to
Mecca, the 4 Imams, Pir Bihavdeen and many other prominent
Muslims became involved in a Spiritual Discussion and asked Him: From these Divine Messages of The Guru, it becomes crystal clear that Vegetarianism is The Order of the day. Yet it is eminent that meat-eating is not the only method of consuming evil. Tobacco, liquor and many other forms of addictive drugs were also shun by the Great Guru. At the very scene where
the Guru was answering questions of the Muslim Pirs, Rukandeen - who
became a devoted disciple of the Guru - asked the Guru whether the use
of intoxicants such as opium and liquor is allowable. "Listen Rukandeen, as it is recorded in the Scriptures, the use of Bhang (Opium) and Sharaab (Liqour) will result in the form of punishment in the afterlife" To the present day the Namdhari Sikhs, who are strict and devoted disciples of the Sikh Gurus, abide by the rules and foundation laid by the Great Guru Nanak and all forms of impure intoxicants as well as the cruel & dirty diet of animal flesh and blood is strictly avoided. Source: Kukas - The Freedom Fighters of The Panjab by M.M. Ahluwalia |
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Sri
Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Divine Message.
