Akali Guru Nanak, the re-establisher
of the ancient Sanatan Sikh faith was born in 1469 in the North-West
region of India the Punjab. From the beginning he was spiritually
inclined. As a young child he would spend hours meditating on Nirankar
God and seeking out Hindu, Muslim, etc. holy men and discoursing
on the profound.
Akali Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj
The great Guru as a yound man discussing spiritual matters
with Hindu Sadhus (holy men). The Guru is seen here wearing a 'Seli
(a loosely woven hat often worn amongst holy men of India). Modern
paintings depict the
Guru as wearing a turban, however the turban was only formally introduced
by the sixth Sanatan Sikh Guru
At the age of thirty or so he had his spiritual calling.
He vanished from the face of the earth say the traditional Sikh
biographies, the 'Janam Sakhis', for three days.
He had been summoned to the true, formless, eternal
abode of Nirankar God, ‘Sach Khand’.
There, Va-eh Guru gave him his mission of spreading
the universal Sanatan Sikh teachings and reviving the Sanatan Sikh
teachings amongst all men and faiths. Akali Guru Nanak was to be
the bridge that linked all mankind so they could travel in peace
and harmony upon one common universal spiritual path.
On reappearing back on the Earth the first words Guru
Nanak uttered were:
‘There are no Muslims there are no Hindus'
This phrase meaning 'all were children of
Nirankar God'. From that day with his Muslim musician companion
Mardana, and Hindu companion Bala, Akali Guru Nanak traveled all
over the Hindu and Muslim world far as Mecca. Wherever he went he
would sit down with his companions and sing the divine God inspired
hymns, which are to be found today in the Adi Guru Durbar.
Akali Guru Nanak Devji Maharaj
A painting done in the persian style showing the great Guru
with the Musim Bhai Mardana (left) with the Rabab, and Bhai Bala
Listening to these compositions, those with Karma
(merit of past deeds) would seek him out. Then if they desired to
know more they could discourse with the Guru or join in with the
singing. The hymns spoke out against religious hypocrisy, bigotry
and fundamentalism and exhorted all the men to appreciate the true
inner essence of their respective faiths - let Muslims be true Muslims,
Hindus be true Hindus etc.
The hymns spoke of universal brotherhood of
man and love of truth and Nirankar God. Many people, who,
because of their great Karma appreciated what Akali Guru Nanak represented
and is said, became his 'Sikhs' (disciples). It was this way Akali
Guru Nanak endeavored to re-establish the ancient faith of Sanatan
Akali Guru Nanak, like all true men of God, stood
for the universal respect and love
of mankind, so mankind could, living in peace and harmony, progress
spiritually and materially. His son, Baba Sri Chand Ji Maharaj set
up the Udasi order which represents the missionary
aspect within Sanatan Sikhism.
Baba Sri Chand Ji Maharaj
Son of the great Akali Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and founder of
the Udasi order of Sanatan Sikhism. Baba Sri Chand Ji Maharaj
is considered as being the reincarnation of the great warrior Shiva
How successful the Guru was can be ascertained from
the fact that the Muslims considered him a Pir
(Muslim holy man) and the Hindus considered him as a Guru
(Hindu holy man). So at Akali Guru Nanak’s death a dispute
arose between Hindu Sikhs and Muslim Sikhs, each wanting to do his
final rites according to their respected religions.
As the corpse of Guru Nanak lay covered under a shroud,
the two disputing parties argued near to the point of violence.
Then, it is said someone observed that the body under the shroud
had miraculously vanished. In its place were but sweet scented flowers.
Once more reminding all, that all the faiths of the world are but
beautiful flowers. Sanatan Sikhism is their true sweet fragrance.
The Muslim Sikhs collected half the flowers and Hindu
Sikhs the other half, and the shroud was torn in half. Each group,
taking their half of shroud and flowers, performed their respected
religions death rites. Hence ended the life of Guru Nanak in 1539.
Even the transliteration of name ‘Nanak’ echoed his
God mission in life.
Sanatan Sikhs also employ another analogy to describe
They consider that from the great religions and philosophies
of the world, Sanatan Sikhism is the spiritual 'Gadi Rah'
(high road), upon which all may travel in whatever religious and/or
'Nanak' transliterates into, ‘That which is
not many’, meaning 'the One' (see section on 'Nanak').
It was with the definition of Nirankar One that Akali Guru Nanak
stared his scripture. This definition today is accepted as the fundamental
creed of Sikhism. This short terse creed translates as:
‘One [Nirankar], that is creator, preserver
The doer of all things, all pervasive.
Without fear, without enmity.
Of immortal form. Unborn.
Self sustaining, known through Guru’s grace.
That which is true from before beginnings of time, true when
time began, is true now and will be. Oh Nanak true in the future.’
(‘Adi Guru Durbar, Japji Sahib, Pa.1)
'Sarab Kala Barpoor'
Knower of all forms of knowledge. The great Sikh Guru inspired
men of all faiths to persue the path of Dharam regardless of caste,
creed, or colour
To this day, the great legacy of Guru Nanak is such
that in addition to Sikhs, many Muslims in Pakistan and Hindus in
India revere him as a Muslim Faquir and Hindu Guru respectively.