Hindus had long believed that, as the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita promised, "Surely, whenever and at whatever time righteousness declines, O descendant of Bharata, and there occurs a predominance of unrighteousness, at that time I manifest Myself" (G 4:7). Therefore, as Prahlada Maharaja had once cried out for help against his evil ("asura") father Hiranyakashipu and received Lord Vishnu's deliverance (in the form of Sri Nrsimhadeva), so too, they now cried out to God for relief (SR 257, SB 2.7.14).
As Bhai Gurdas, a Sikh apostle, explained:
Heaven at last heard the prayers of the people, Guru Nanak was sent to the world. The disciples met and drank the nectar of his lotus feet, and realized the Divine in this age of materialism (Kali-yuga). Guru Nanak reestablished Dharma. All castes he merged into one caste of man. The rich and the poor he brought on one level. From this Founder of Humanity a new race of love goes forth. In humility they bow down to each other. The Master and the disciple became one... (SR 12,13).
Guru Nanak Ji was born in 1469 note 22. at Rai Bhoeki Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib) located in Punjab province, West Pakistan note 23..
It is said that from early childhood the light of God shown brightly within him. 'He was born to deliver India from its oppressors even as, as stated above, Nrsimhadeva had liberated the righteous Prahlada.' Nanak was unconcerned with worldly affairs. His sole desire was to know and reveal God, for "only He can produce true peace and justice."
At the age of seven years Nanak was sent to school. As his instructor Pundit Gopal Das instructed the children on the alphabet, Nanak Ji asked for the spiritual applications of the letters. Such significations are important in Hindu Dharma and Sanskrit study, but they are primarily known only to the scholars. As the Pundit was unable to offer this knowledge Nanak proceeded to teach the inner significations of every letter, including their bija or seed root meanings, along with their various applications to his classmates, including to his astonished teacher. This first divine instruction (gurmat) of Nanak so impressed Pundit Gopal Das that he took the seven year old back to his father and proclaimed, "Mehtaji (Nanak's father), your son is an avatar (ie a divine incarnation)! note 24. and has come to redeem the victims of Kalyug note 25. (the present age of falsehood). He is destined to be a world teacher, there is nothing that I can teach him" (SR 14).
According to the Detroit Sikh Missionary Center, non-Sikh commentators often say that Guru Nanak must have extensively studied the various schools of Indian thought to acquire his incredible knowledge. This they say would explain his amazing mastery of all forms of Indian philosophy. Sikhs reject this however, maintaining that Guru Nanak received all of his knowledge and wisdom directly from God. Sikhs explain that Guru Nanak Ji was a vessel that God "filled to over-flowing with the Divine Light (Jot)." The little formal training Nanak received seems to have had no real bearing on his message (SR 15). The above exploit is intended to demonstrate that by the tender age of seven Guru Nanak already possessed more knowledge than most of the teachers with whom he might have studied. That Nanak did not learn his teachings from other human beings was confirmed by his first teacher's proclamation. To truly master the alphabet would itself retake a lifetime of study.
In another departure from traditional Hinduism nine year old Nanak refused to accept the sacred Brahminical thread, stating that he wanted only the eternal Thread of God:
Such a thread, once worn will never break, nor get soiled, burnt or lost. The man who weareth such a thread is blessed (Asa di Var, Slok Mohalla, quoted in SR 17).
Originally the Brahminical thread was supposed to represent ones understanding and piety however with the passage of time it had become little more than a status symbol. From an early age Guru Nanak preferred to receive praise from God rather than man. It is also noteworthy that by rejecting the thread Nanak was rejecting the caste system as well. Guru Nanak Ji always stressed the equality of all people.
Guru Nanak traveled extensively preaching his message of love and devotion to the One God. One example of these teachings from his travels will have to suffice for the present study.
Guru Nanak Ji once visited Sri Jagannatha Puri note 26., one of Hinduism's four holiest mandirs note 27.. As usual Guru Nanak did not visit as a votary but, "to teach the people that the worship of God was superior to the worship of the deity" (SR 37). The high priest recognized Guru Nanak at once and invited him to lead the artik (rite). Nanak declined which outraged the priests but he replied by raising his eyes to heaven and uttering a most beautiful Sabad (divine utterance). This Sabad reflects the Sikh view of God nicely:
The sun and moon, O Lord, are Thy lamps; the firmament
Thy salver; the orbs of the stars, the pearls encased in it.
The perfume of the sandal [tree] is Thine incense; the wind is Thy fan;
all the forests are Thy flowers, O Lord of light.
What worship is this, O Thou Destroyer of birth?
Unbeaten strains of ecstasy are the trumpets of Thy worship.
Thou hast a thousand eyes and yet not one eye;
Thou hast a thousand forms and yet not one form;
Thou hast a thousand pure feet and yet not one foot;
Thou hast a thousand organs of smell and yet not one organ
I am fascinated by this play of Thine.
The Light which is in everything is Thine, O Lord of Light.
From its brilliancy everything is brilliant;
By the Guru's teaching the light becometh manifest.
What pleaseth Thee is the real Arti.
O God, my mind is fascinated with Thy lotus feet as the
Bumble bee with the flower: night and day I thirst for them.
Give the water of Thy grace to the sarang note 28., Nanak, so that he may dwell in Thy name.
(Dhanasri Mohalla, quoted in SR 38).
Notes for Part Five
- Note 22: The Puritan Janamsakhi (biography) and Bhai Gurdas give the birthdate as October 20 (Kartik) while others give it as April 15 (baisakh) in 1469 (SR 14). Return
- Note 23: About 55 miles north-west of Lahore. Return
- Note 24: Unlike the traditional Hindu definition of the term avatara, which is 'Incarnation of God,' Sikhs translate it as 'Prophet.' Again, Nanak is not accepted as an avatara in the Hindu sense. Return
- Note 25: Kalyug (Kali-Yuga) is the last of the four ages. It is a yuga of ignorance, hypocrisy, confusion and lack of Dharma. It lasts 432,000 years, of which roughly 5,000 have passed. Return
- Note 26: Lord Jagannatha, the 'Lord of the Universe' is a form of Lord Vishnu. Upon the death of Shree Krishna, a primary Incarnation of Lord Vishnu, his bones were collected and placed within Lord Jagannatha's murti(HM 129). Return
- Note 27: The others being Som-nath, Badri-nath and Vishwa-nath. Return
- Note 28: The sarang (chatrik or papiha) is a bird which drinks only when 'the moon is in the mansion of Arcturus.' The meaning is, when it is time to drink of God's water, Nanak is very thirsty and ready to do so because, as the bird awaits the proper time, so too does Nanak (SR 38). Return
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