Guru Nanak Dev is the founder of Sikhism, a religion with 250 million followers worldwide. He was born in 1469 and became known as Guru Nanak when he turned 30 years old. His teachings were simple, yet powerful–he created an Indian renaissance through his wordly influence to heal divisions among various religious groups that existed at the time.
Guru Nanak Devji was born on April 15, 1469 in a small village called Rai Bhoi. He was the son of Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta. Guru Nanak’s teachings are based around equality, brotherhood, and love. His teachings have been important to Sikhism since its inception.
You can find an essay about Guru Nanak Devji’s Birth, family, early life, and Teachings in this page.
Guru Nanak (also known as Baba Nanak or ‘father Nanak’) was the founder of Sikhism and hence the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Guru Nanak’s Birthday is celebrated as Nanak Gurpurab all over the world on Kartik Pooranmashi, the full moon day in the month of Katak (October–November).
Nanak toured the world, preaching the message of one God, who is present in all of His creations and is the everlasting Truth. He discovered a unique spiritual, social, and platform that favored equality, brotherly love, kindness, and morality.
Nanak’s words alluded to the 974 poetic hymns found in Sikhism’s holy text, the Guru Adi Granth. It functioned because the Japji Sahib, the Asa di Var, and hence the Sidh-Gosht were among the major prayers.
The spirit of Nanak’s sanctity, divinity, and non-sectarian authority descended upon each of the nine subsequent Gurus when the Guruship passed to them, according to Sikh religion.
Also see Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti for further information.
Birth
He was born in the month of Kartik, in accordance with one legend (November). Nanak was born on the third day of the bright lunar fortnight, during the Baisakh month (April) of Samvat 1526, according to most Janam Sakhi – traditional biographies of Nanak.
Puratan Janam Sakhi, Sodhi Meharban’s Janam Sakhi, Bhai Mani Singh’s Janam Sakhi, and hence the Vairowalwali Janam Sakhi are among them. Nanak died on the 10th day of the Asauj month of Samvat 1596 (22 September 1539 CE), at the age of 70 years, five months, and seven days, according to Sikh records. It also implies that he was born in the month of Baisakh (April), rather than Kartik (November).
Early Years and Family
Kalyan Chand Das Bedi, often known as Mehta Kalu, and Mata Tripta were Nanak’s parents. In the hamlet of Talwandi, his father was the local patwari (accountant) for agricultural income.
His parents worked as merchants and were Hindu Khatris. Many incidents occurred during Guru Nanak’s birth and early years of life, demonstrating that he was endowed with heavenly grace.
His life’s commentary explains how, from an early age, he developed a growing awareness. Nanak reported to have shown an interest in heavenly themes as early as the age of five. At the age of seven, he enrolled in the local school.
Nanak astonished his teacher as a toddler, according to legend, by describing the implicit symbolism of the first letter of the alphabet, which resembles the mathematical version of 1, as denoting God’s unity or oneness. Raj Bular observed one incidence in which little Nanak was sleeping and his head was shielded from the sunshine by a deadly cobra.
Journeys
Nanak embarked on extensive spiritual treks throughout the 16th century half-moon. He visited several places in “the nine regions of the earth” (nau-Khand), presumably the main Hindu and Muslim pilgrimage centers, according to a verse he wrote.
He left his family in 1496 at the age of 27 and traveled through Tibet, much of South Asia, and Arabia. According to contemporary writings, he also traveled to Mount Sumeru, Achal Batala, Mecca Baghdad, and Multan, where he disputed theological beliefs with other parties.
These tales were quite popular in the 19th and 20th centuries, and there are many different versions of them. The hagiographic details may be debatable, with current research casting doubt on the fine print and veracity of the many claims.
Many of his trip tales first surfaced in hagiographic narratives written after his death and are not included in the Sikh text. They continue to evolve through time; the Puratan version documented the four missionary voyages in the later phase, which varies from the Miharban version.
Many of the anecdotes regarding Guru Nanak’s long journeys originally appeared in the Puratan edition of Janam-Sakhi in the 19th century. Furthermore, the Puratan version lacks the story regarding Guru Nanak’s travel to Baghdad. The inclusion of recent tales is compatible with Callewaert and Snell, and closely parallels claims of miracles by Islamic pirs found in Sufi tazkiras from the same period, as well as legends created during a competition.
Previous Years
Nanak moved to Kartarpur when he was 55 years old and stayed there till his death in September 1539. During this time, he made brief visits to Achal’s Nath yogi center, and so to Pakpattan and Multan’s Sufi centers. By the time Guru Nanak died, a number of people in the Punjab area had become his disciples.
Because of the succeeding Guru, Guru Nanak renamed Bhai Lehna Guru Angad, which means “one’s own own” or “part of you.” Nanak died on September 22, 1539, at Kartarpur, at the age of 70, shortly after declaring Bhai Lehna as his successor.
Legacy
Nanak is often regarded as the founder of Sikhism. Faith and meditation in the name of the one creator, selfless service for humanity, benefit, and prosperity of all behavior and livelihood while leading a householder’s life were among the Sikhism beliefs defined in the scripture by Guru Adi Granth.
The Guru Adi Granth is revered as Sikhism’s judge and is regarded as the Sikh faith’s eleventh and final Guru. Nanak, Sikhism’s first guru, donated a total of 974 hymns to the collection.
Teachings
Nanak’s teachings are documented as a sequence of lines in Gurmukhi in the Sikh book Guru Adi Granth. There are two opposing theories about Guru Nanak’s teachings. In one, the teachings and Sikhism were a divine revelation rather than a social protest movement, while the second is congruent with Cole and Sambhi, who based their theories on hagiographical Janamsakhis and no intention to unite Hinduism and Islam until the 15th century. Nanak was a Guru in the opposite state. “Sikhism does not subscribe to the idea of incarnation or the concept of prophethood,” Singha says.
It is, nevertheless, a crucial notion in Guru. He isn’t God’s incarnation, and he isn’t even a prophet. He has an enlightened spirit.” The hagiographical Janamsakhis were written by followers after Nanak without concern for historical truth, and they include several myths and stories constructed to show reverence for Nanak.
Sikhism isn’t only based on Nanak’s teachings. Still, all Sikh Gurus are included, as defined by Cole and Sambhi in the term revelation, because of the words of past, present, and future men and women who instinctively hold divine knowledge via meditation.
The non-Sikh bhagats’ teachings are included in the Sikh revelations. Before Nanak’s birth, some of them lived and died. Sikhism is not about hearing God’s voice; rather, it is about transforming humankind’s nature, as The Adi Granth and subsequent Sikh Gurus underlined, and anybody may have direct experience and spiritual perfection at any moment.” Guru Nanak highlighted that without ceremonies or priests, any citizen might have direct contact to God.
Influences
The Sikhs trust in Guru Nanak’s divinely given message. The writings of the gurus in Guru Adi Granth, the sacred book cherished because of the 11th and eternal Guru, are held in high regard by Sikhs. In Guru Adi Granth, Guru Nanak states that his teachings are exactly as he got them from the Creator Himself. This idea is backed up by a pivotal occurrence in his life at Sultanpur, when he returned after three days with enlightenment.
Many contemporary historians place a premium on his teachings’ ties to pre-existing Bhakti, Sant, and Sufi saints. Nanak and Sikhism were inspired by the nirguni (formless God) tradition of the Bhakti movement in medieval India, according to scholars. Some historians, however, do not believe Sikhism is just a continuation of the Bhakti movement. Sikhism, for example, did not agree with certain of the Bhakti saints Kabir and Ravidas’ viewpoints.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on April 15, 1469 in the city of Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib in Punjab, Pakistan. He was born to Mehta Kalu and Mata Gujri. Guru Nanak’s father died when he was a boy and his mother raised him and his younger brother at her home. Reference: 5 teachings of guru nanak dev ji.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji?
A: Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the founder of Sikhism. Its teachings are spiritually enlightening and provide guidance in living a life centered on love, tolerance, peace and justice for all beings.
How was Guru Nanak born?
A: Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism in 15th century India was born on April 22nd.
What did Guru Nanak do in his early life?
A: Guru Nanak is the founder of Sikhism. He was born in 1469 and died in 1539.
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