Saint who stressed the unity of mankind

CHENNAI, NOV. 11. Sikhs all over the world will be celebrating the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism today. Nanak was born in 1469 A.D. at Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, now in Pakistan.

At the time when Guru Nanak appeared the caste system had killed all freedom. It is said that when evil exceeds all limits, God takes pity on His creation and sends a Messiah to show light to the people. Thus was born Guru Nanak. He said his religion was ``righteousness''. And the proof of righteousness was to be lived both externally and internally and if this would cost one's life he or she should be prepared for it.

The basic teaching of Guru Nanak was ``Naam japo'', ``Wand chhako'' and ``Dharam di kirit karo'', which mean recitation of the Lord's name in every breath, earning one's bread by honest means and sharing the income with the downtrodden.

And with the Lord's name in the heart, the stress was on work, not ascetism. Nanak declared that all were human beings with the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of the whole mankind. Thus he talked of the religion of common sense, truth and love and did not stick to the exclusiveness of any denomination. And as for founding a religion by Guru Nanak, it may be said that he separated the corn from the chaff and delineated the principle core of religion.

Though born in a Hindu family, Nanak was recognised early as a prophet by a Muslim. His companions were Mardana, a Muslim and Bala, a Hindu. Guru Nanak travelled over nearly the whole of South Asia and was therefore a missionary in the truest sense of the word.

His teachings were pure dictates of conscience applicable to anyone who tries to suppress his ego. Guru Nanak was the ideal human being who set the standards for revolutionising the existence of man.

Guru Nanak passed away at Kartarpur (Punjab) in 1539 A.D. He had bestowed Sikh Guruship on his disciple Lehna, later called Guru Angad and not on his sons. According to him hereditary privilege was not what made a Guru, the one who deserved it most was chosen.

Muslim devotees of Guru Nanak built a mausoleum and his Hindu disciples a samadhi in his memory on the banks of the River Ravi. The people of Punjab remember him as Baba Nanak - the great man of God, the Guru of the Hindus and the pir of the Muslims.

Mahindar Singh,

New Delhi

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