Ek Onkar: Reminiscing Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak Jayanti this past week was an occasion to remember the great Indian master, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and his teachings. Born in Nankana Shahib near Lahore (now in Pakistan) in 1469, this householder monk was deeply troubled by the Hindu-Muslim tussle about their ideas of God. Like all great masters, he displayed exceptional traits right from his childhood, and showed clear signs that he would pursue the path of God.

When he was 11, he refused to put on the sacred thread, which all Hindu boys were supposed to wear. He said it was not necessary to know God. He often sat in meditative trance. Once on a hot summer day when he was lying under a tree in a trance, a cobra stood over his face flaring its hood, protecting the boy from sunlight. The onlooking villagers were amazed when the snake moved as the sun moved.

At 30, Nanak disappeared under the depths of a river and emerged three days later, enlightened. His utterances, starting with “There is but One God, His name is Truth,” marked the beginning of a new spiritual movement. Followers of the movement were to be known as Sikhs (Sanskrit śiṣya, meaning a disciple or learner who is open to śikṣā, learning). His words formed the content of Adi Granth, the first Sikh scripture. This new movement would have universal brotherhood, altruism, overcoming five vices (lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride), and one-pointed focus on a formless single God as its hallmarks.

Once Nanak’s father gave him some money for business. On his way to another town, Nanak saw some mendicant saints and spent all his money to feed them. On returning home, young Nanak got reprimand by the angry father for failing to do business and wasting money. “Why do business?” Nanak asked. “To earn profit,” father replied. Nanak smiled, and said: “Well, father, then I did brilliant business. I earned the divine profit, which nobody can ever measure!”

In another story, Nanak gave a needle—an ordinary one—to a disciple and told him to keep it for him for some time. When the disciple's wife knew it, she became worried that the husband would be forever indebted if the aging master died before taking the needle back. So the husband ran after him and handed him the needle, saying: "If you die, I can't take it to heaven to return to you." Feigning surprise, Nanak asked: "Why? Can't you take even a tiny little needle with you after death?" "No," the disciple answered. Nanak asked again: "Then why do you keep so much money with you?" The disciple had an instant realization. He was freed from greed.

Guru Nanak dismissed all forms of dogmas and rituals. He rejected fasting, killing, and caste discrimination. He gave women equal social status as men. Following the teachings of Nanak and his nine succeeding teachers, a Sikh would seek the One God (Ek Onkar), and engage in three virtuous acts: Naam Japo (keeping God in mind all the time), Kirat Karo (acting righteously and earning honestly), and Vand Chhako (giving in charity). Perhaps you would not like to miss the soothing Keertan (singing) of Shabad—the lines from the Guru Granth Shahib—or the delicious food of Langar, the Gurudwara kitchen where people from all castes, creed, and faiths are fed with equal respect.

Nanak learned from both Hindu and Muslim traditions. For his impartial love and service, everyone loved him. He was a great dispeller of disputes. When he died, his Muslim and Hindu followers wanted to do the death ritual in their own ways. But when they removed the cloth covering the saint's dead body, they found only a heap of flowers.