GURU NANAK DEV IS AN EXTRAORDINARY SAINT WHO GUIDED HUMANITY—LALIT GARG

GURU NANAK DEV IS AN EXTRAORDINARY SAINT WHO GUIDED HUMANITY—LALIT GARG

5-NOV-ENG 28

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA---------------------------The sacred land of India has always been the land of great men, saints, and incarnations. Guru Nanak Dev was born on this very land in Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib, Pakistan). He was not only the founder of Sikhism but also a guide for all humanity, an eternal devotee of equality, love, peace, and truth. Opposing the superficial pomp of religion, caste discrimination, and narrow-mindedness, he envisioned a society in which every human being had equal rights and the light of compassion burned in everyone's heart. The events of his life reveal his extraordinary vision and divine consciousness. We also call his birthday Prakash Parv, Guru Parv, and Guru Purab. He embodied all the qualities of a philosopher, yogi, householder, religious reformer, social reformer, poet, patriot, and world-brother. Signs of his sharp intellect were evident from childhood. He became indifferent to worldly matters in his adolescence.

Guru Nanak Dev was a great man and a prominent religious leader who inspired the world to dispel worldly ignorance and embrace spiritual power. He famously said, "I waste the night and eat the day. I am born like a diamond, but I can exchange it for a penny." In his view, God is omnipresent, and human life is His precious gift; it should not be wasted. We can call him the instigator of both a religious revolution and a personal and social revolution. In a way, he reinterpreted Sanatan Dharma through his inner experiences. Guru Nanak condemned slavery, racial discrimination, and gender discrimination. He believed that money should always be kept in the pocket, not in the heart. One should renounce greed and always earn wealth through hard work. He possessed a sharp intellect from childhood. He possessed a contemplative nature and a love of solitude. His mind was more drawn to the company of saints and scholars than to school education. Young Nanak acquired knowledge of Sanskrit, Arabic, and Persian languages ​​at home. When his father noticed a sense of worldly detachment in his son, he assigned him animal husbandry to try to rekindle his attachment to materialism. Nevertheless, Nanak Dev spent most of his time in devotion to God and meditation.

Guru Nanak Dev was a true representative of God. He is the first of the ten Gurus of Sikhism. Guru Nanak initiated a tradition of aligning the atom with the universe, the soul with the Supreme Being, and a new path to attaining self-realization. This was not the establishment of a religion. He showed the path to establishing oneness with the Supreme Being, or the entire conscious being. This is the universal principle that binds not only humanity but the entire living world in unity. By effectively communicating this principle to his followers, Nanak Dev, the first religious leader of the Sikh community, taught the lesson of humanity and religious harmony.

To promote mutual love and brotherhood in society, he initiated the langar tradition, where everyone, from the poor to the rich, from the high to the low, partook of the langar. He emphasized and propagated the principle of "nirgun upasana" (devotion without attributes). He neither practiced nor believed in idol worship. Nanak Dev fully believed in the oneness of God, the omnipotent, and the true truth. His religion and spirituality inspire the proper deployment of labor, energy, devotion, and mindfulness for both temporal and temporal happiness and prosperity. Guru Nanak Dev's teachings are even more relevant today because he declared humanity and good deeds to be the greatest religion. He initiated numerous social changes, gave women equal status with men, and considered married life sacred. He advocated for equal education in schools for people of all religions, castes, and sects. He denounced ostentation and superstitions and emphasized direct devotion to God. He emphasized the importance of dialogue to foster inter-religious harmony and promoted compassion, altruism, and responsibility by promoting selfless service.

Once, while serving the Nawab of Sultanpur, he was assigned the task of weighing grain. He counted, "One, two, three," but when he reached "thirteen," he stopped and began repeating "thirteen, thirteen" over and over. People were astonished. He said, "Tera, sab kuch tera," meaning nothing in this world is mine; everything belongs to God. This was Guru Nanak's self-realization, where he freed himself from ego and experienced God's omnipresence. This event became a defining moment in his spiritual life. On another occasion, he reached Mecca with his companion, Bhai Mardana. Exhausted, he lay down to rest, his feet pointing towards the Kaaba. A man exclaimed indignantly, "How can you stretch your feet towards God?" Guru Nanak smiled and said, "Brother, turn my feet in the direction where there is no God." As the man turned his feet, the Kaaba appeared to rotate in that direction. This incident became a symbol of his religious tolerance and his experience of the omnipresent God. Once, some people asked Guru Nanak Dev to tell them who, according to him, is greater, a Hindu or a Muslim. Guru Sahib replied, "First Allah created light, all creatures of nature were created by nature. From one light, the whole world was created, who is good and who is bad." Meaning, all humans are created by God; neither a person called Hindu is acceptable in the eyes of God, nor a person called Muslim. In the eyes of God, only that person is elevated whose deeds are righteous. Guru Nanak Dev is a true Guru and embodiment of God.

Guru Nanak's life was an exemplar of simplicity, truthfulness, compassion, and selfless service. He said, "Neither Hindu nor Muslim; all are born from the same light." He did not confine religion to the boundaries of any sect, but considered humanity to be the true religion. His three principles—Naam Japo, Kirat Karo, and Vand Chhako—are the moral, spiritual, and social foundations of human life. He advocated remembering God, working honestly, and sharing whatever you earn with others. His life bears witness to the truth that religion resides not in worship or rituals, but in conduct and behavior. He said, "That is not religion which causes suffering to others, nor is devotion limited to worship." Guru Nanak inspired a life free from ego, greed, anger, and violence, and demonstrated that God exists in every being. He said, "The light that is in all is in all; that light is in all." Meaning, the same divine light is present in every being, so do not discriminate against anyone.

Today, when humanity is again going through a period of narrow-mindedness, violence, and division, Guru Nanak Dev's teachings are a guiding light for us. His message guides us towards compassion, unity, simplicity, and truth. Throughout his life, he preached that the true religion is one that unites humanity, promotes love, and inspires us to follow the path of truth. "Ek Omkar Satnaam, Karta Purakh, Nirbhau, Nirvair"—this was the essence of his life, which even today teaches the world that God is one, He belongs to everyone, is in everyone, and is for everyone. Guru Nanak Dev truly embodies that vast consciousness that transcends time, religion, and boundaries, showing humanity the path of light.