Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak (1469-1539)

Guru Nanak was the founder of the Sikh faith. Born on April 15, 1469 in the Western Punjab village of Talwandi during a time of conflict between Hinduism and Islam. He was born to a simple Hindu family. He was endowed with extra-ordinary spiritual powers from a very young age. Through Guru Nanak’s own genius and the spiritual illumination that came from his long spells of Meditation, there shaped the character of the creed which he was to proclaim to the world and which became the basis and foundation of the Sikh religion. He is credited to have made millions of followers within the ranks of the Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists and those with no previous religious beliefs.

Guru Nanak thought of working for the renovation of humanity. He went out to “cause others to repeat the “Namm”. Guru Nanak along with Bhai Mardana and Bhai Bala undertook long tours both in and outside India for spreading the mission of the true “Namm” and expounding the philosophy of the “True Thought”. He visited prominent religious centres of Hindus and Muslims and had discourses and discussions with the renowned missionaries and sound personalities of various religions and leaders of the social order. He saw Brahmans in practice at Banaras. He discoursed with the Sidh, Nath and Yogis who secluded themselves in the Himalayas and in the northern parts of India. Buddhists came across in Burma, Tibet and Ceylon. In Arabia and Iraq he had meetings with the Muslim Hajis and Imams in Mecca and Baghdad. He also visited the land of the black Habash, Abyssina and a few Islands of the Indian Ocean. Thus Guru Nanak undertook an extensive missionary tour of the world. Wherever he went, large crowds assembled to hear has divine message, the message of universal love, the message of humanitarian service and the message of adoration and uniqueness of God. For him, there was Divine music pervading everywhere and in everything. Then came the day of destiny. The Guru prepared to depart from the world of mortals and his return to the Eternal Home. Thus singing the Word of God. Guru Nanak went into Samadhi and was no more. It was September 22, 1539. Now a quarrel ensued between Hindus and Muslims. The Hindus wanted him to be cremated whiter Muslims desired him to be buried. Both claimed him with equal vehemence. As the dispute was growing warm, they decided that some fresh flowers are kept by both for the night on his body and flowers of whomsoever withered first should give in to the other. However, in the morning it was discovered that the same was no more there. There were only flowers and silence. At last, they agreed to divide the sheet into two halves, which was subsequently buried by the Muslims and cremated by the Hindus.