Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Life and Teachings

Early Life

• Guru Nanak Dev ji was the founder of the Sikh Religion . His teachings were generally influenced by the ideas of the Bhakti Movement particularly saint Kabir.

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• But the religious movement started by Guru Nanak Dev ji was to be more powerful , enduring and influential in the long run to the growth of Sikhism . Institution of Guru Gaddi and Sangat were his unique contribution .

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• Sources on the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

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1. Janam Sakhi’s or the biographies

a) Janam Sakhi by Bhai Bala

b) Janam Sakhi by Mani Singh

c) Janam Sakhi by Bhai Vir Singh ( edited from Vilayatwali Janam Sakhi and Hafizabadwali Janam Sakhi )

d) Janam Sakhi by Meharban

2. Adi Granth Sahib
3. Vars of Bhai Gurdas
4. Gian Ratnavali of Bhai Mani Singh.
5. Relics discovered at many places

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• Guru Nanak was born on April 15, 1469, at Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi, near Lahore, which is in Sheikhupura district of modern-day Pakistan.
• A Nankana Sahib Gurudwara is built there .
• His father’s name was Mehta Kalu, who was a Patwari . His mother’s name was Tripta Devi .
• He got the name Nanak From his sister Nanaki .

Childhood and Education

• He was of sober and thoughtful nature right from the childhood . He had no interest in playing rather was interested in spiritualism and meditation of God. He was sent to Pandit Gopal to learn Hindi and Mathematics.

The thread ceremony

Mehta Kalu tried to put Nanak into some work

1 He was entrusted with job of cattle herding.

2 His father gave him 20 Rs to do some business

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Marriage

• He was married to Bibi Sulakhni, daughter of Mool Chand of Batala.
• He was blessed with two sons: Baba Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das

Enlightenment

• At the age of 18, Nanak was sent to Sultanpur ,where his brother-in-law Jai Ram was an officer under Daulat Khan. There he worked as a storekeeper.
• While serving at Sultanpur, Nanak used to go to the nearby river Bain everyday for bath.
• One day , Nanak plunged into river and disappeared. After he days he appeared miraculously and uttered the words “There is no Hindu there is no Musalman “

Udasis

Teachings

1.Concept of God

a) The concept of Guru Nanak about God can be summed up from his Mool Mantra of jap Ji sahib, where he writes,

“ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ “

Meaning: Ik: One God is one and only one.

Omkar:�Omnipresent�God is everywhere. This implies God isn't found only in temples, churches or holy sites, but in fact is around us and within us at all times.

Sat-Nam:�Truth-name�His name is Truth

Karta Purakh:�Doer-person�God is the one who does everything. He creates everything and destroys everything. 

Nirbhau, Nirvair:�Not afraid, No enemies�God is fearless. God has no enemies. He loves everyone equally and ensures the best for everybody.

Akaal Murat:�Timeless, endless entity

Ajooni:�Formless�This is a critical idea. God has no shape or form or living manifestation. 

Saibhang:�Self-created�God was not created by anybody. God is existent by himself.

Gur Parsad:�Obtained by the Grace of the Teacher

2. How to obtain God

1 Surrender self to God : According to Guru Nanak , goal of man is union with God. It implies complete freedom from transmigration. Man can save himself from this cycle by surrendering completely to the will of the God . He should modify his character in such a way as to make his thoughts, feelings and affections conform to His will. To obtain this condition, one must conquer his five passions .

1. Kam
2. Karodh
3. Moh
4. Lobh
5. Ahankar
2. Worship of True Name : Guru Nanak laid emphasis on the repetition of the True Name(Satnam) for realization of God. He enjoined upon his followers to recite Name even when they are preforming their daily duties. Devotion must be cultivated so intensely that the individual is completely absorbed in God and union with God brings peace and bliss whereas separation from Him results in suffering and pain.

3 Importance of Guru in the realisation of God:

Guru Nanak regarded the guru as an essential for the realisation of God. It was only through him that an individual could have communion with God . According to Guru Nanak,” True Guru acts like a guide in the attainment of the true name of God . Without Guru , no one has attained God . Guru is the raft or the ladder which enables a man to reach the goal of his life. He awakens the soul in man; he shows him the light of the lord ; he eradicates from his mind all the tendencies born of sin.

But the True Guru alone can be found in Divine Grace . And the Divine Grace comes through the Name . After having found guru, he should follow the path shown by the guru with unflinching devotion. There is no necessity to worship any God or Goddesses. Guru Nanak says, “The Guru is Vishnu, brahma, the guru is Parvati , the mother goddess “

3.Opposition of Social Evils and Blind faiths

4 Other Principles of Teachings of Guru Nanak Dev

��Belief in Transmigration of soul �& Universal Brotherhood��

1. Guru Nanak believed in Transmigration of soul and the doctrine of Karma. He says that the soul is immortal and the human being’s soul enters a new body according to one’s Karmas.
2. And man’s birth in human body gives him a chance for salvation. A man seeking salvation should preform good deeds. He enjoined upon his followers that living in this world they should maintain an absolute purity- purity of thought, word and deed.
3. Guru Nanak stood for universal brotherhood of mankind . He protested against all distinctions of caste, colour, creed and sect.
4. To him ,all human beings were the creatures of the One and the same God, hence they were all equal.
5. The guru took some practical steps to inculcate the spirit of equality and brotherhood among the people . He started the Langar or a common kitchen and Sangat .

Uplift of woman�

Guru Nanak sympathised with the suffering womanhood and gave it full share in the goodness of God.

Principles of morality & Sachkhand

Thank You