Misplaced Pages

#677322

41-636: Guru Nanak along with Bhai Mardana reached Hasan Abdal in Baisakh Samwat 1578 B.K., corresponding to the summer of 1521 CE, when according to Sikh legend, Guru Nanak's handprint was imprinted onto a boulder. The Gurdwara was named Panja Sahib by Hari Singh Nalwa , the most famous general of the Sikh Empire . He is credited with having built the first gurdwara at the site. Under a shady cool tree, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana started reciting Kirtan and their devotees gathered around. This annoyed

82-698: A Hindu festival held in the 19th century on Kartik Purnima in Amritsar attracted a large number of Sikhs. The Sikh community leader Giani Sant Singh did not like this, thus starting a festival at the Sikh shrine of the Golden Temple on the same day, presenting it as the birth anniversary celebration of Guru Nanak. Macauliffe also notes that Vaisakh (March–April) already saw a number of important festivals—such as Holi , Rama Navami , and Vaisakhi —therefore people would be busy in agricultural activities after

123-526: A competition. Another source of dispute has been the Baghdad stone, bearing an inscription in a Turkish script. Some interpret the inscription as saying Baba Nanak Fakir was there in 1511–1512; others read it as saying 1521–1522 (and that he lived in the Middle East for 11 years away from his family). Others, particularly Western scholars, argue that the stone inscription is from the 19th century and

164-624: A formative time for him, as the puratan janamsakhi suggests, and in his numerous allusions to governmental structure in his hymns, most likely gained at this time. Around the age of 55, Nanak settled in Kartarpur , living there until his death in September 1539. During this period, he went on short journeys to the Nath yogi centre of Achal, and the Sufi centres of Pakpattan and Multan . By

205-419: A local saint, Shah Wali Qandhari . According to Sikh legend, Bhai Mardana was sent three times to Shah Wali Qandhari by Guru Nanak so that he would provide him with some water to quench his thirst. Wali Qandhari refused his request and was rude to him. In spite of this, Mardana still very politely stuck to his demand. The Wali remarked : "Why don't you ask your Master whom you serve?" Mardana went back to

246-463: A subject of dispute, with modern scholarship questioning the details and authenticity of many claims. For example, Callewaert and Snell (1994) state that early Sikh texts do not contain such stories. From when the travel stories first appear in hagiographic accounts of Guru Nanak, centuries after his death, they continue to become more sophisticated as time goes on, with the late phase Puratan version describing four missionary journeys, which differ from

287-551: A superstition prevailing in contemporary northern India , a child born in the Kattak month was believed to be weak and unlucky, hence why the work states that Nanak was born in that month. Bhai Gurdas , having written on a full-moon-day of the Kattak month several decades after Nanak's death, mentions that Nanak had "obtained omniscience" on the same day, and it was now the author's turn to "get divine light." According to eyewitness Sikh chronicles, known as Bhatt Vahis , Guru Nanak

328-503: A young age. For instance, at the age of five, Nanak is said to have voiced interest in divine subjects. At age seven, his father enrolled him at the village school, as per custom. Notable lore recounts that, as a child, Nanak astonished his teacher by describing the implicit symbolism of the first letter of the alphabet , resembling the mathematical version of one, as denoting the unity or oneness of God. Other stories of his childhood refer to strange and miraculous events about Nanak, such as

369-489: Is a Sanskrit term for a " teacher , guide , expert , or master" of certain knowledge or field. Bhai Vir Singh , in his dictionary of Guru Granth Sahib describes the term Guru as a combination of two separate units: "Gu;(ਗੁ)" meaning darkness and "Rū;(ਰੂ)" which means light. Hence, Guru is who brings light into darkness or in other words, the one who enlightens. Bhai Vir Singh 's definition provides further insight about Sikhi itself and explains why Guru Granth Sahib

410-630: Is considered the living Guru. The word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit term shishya ( Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ) which means a disciple or a student. Thus, Sikhs have a student–teacher relationship with their Gurus since their teachings, written in Guru Granth Sahib , serve as a guide for the Sikhs. According to Sikh beliefs, all the Gurus contained the same light or soul and their physical body

451-432: Is said to have travelled far and wide across Asia teaching people the message of Ik Onkar ( ੴ , 'One God'), who dwells in every one of his creations and constitutes the eternal Truth. With this concept, he would set up a unique spiritual , social, and political platform based on equality, fraternal love, goodness, and virtue. Nanak's words are registered in the form of 974 poetic hymns , or shabda , in

SECTION 10

#1732781141678

492-657: Is supported by the Guru Granth Sahib. Bhai Gurdas says: ਗੁਰ ਪਰਮੇਸਰੁ ਇਕੁ ਹੈ ਸਚਾ ਸਾਹੁ ਜਗਤੁ ਵਣਜਾਰਾ। The Guru and God are one; He is the true master and the whole world craves for Him. Additionally, in the Guru Granth Sahib, it is stated: ਨਾਨਕ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਸਫਲ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਲੇਖਾ ਮੰਗੈ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥੨॥ O Nanak, serve the Guru, the Lord Incarnate; the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is profitable, and in

533-423: Is the janamsakhi attributed to Bhai Mani Singh , a disciple of Guru Gobind Singh who was approached by some Sikhs with a request that he should prepare an authentic account of Nanak's life. As such, it is said that Bhai Mani Singh wrote his story with the express intention of correcting heretical accounts of Nanak. One popular janamsakhi was allegedly written by Bhai Bala , a close companion of Nanak. However,

574-527: The Miharban version. Some of the stories about Guru Nanak's extensive travels first appear in the 19th-century Puratan janamsakhi, though even this version does not mention Nanak's travel to Baghdad. Such embellishments and insertion of new stories, according to Callewaert and Snell (1993), closely parallel claims of miracles by Islamic pirs found in Sufi tadhkirahs of the same era, giving reason to believe that these legends may have been written in

615-512: The Vilayat Vali janamsakhi . Gurbilas Patashahi 6, written 1718, also attributed to Bhai Mani Singh contradicts Mani Singh’s Janamsakhi as it instead says Guru Nanak was born on the full moon of Katak. The Sikh records state that Nanak died on the 10th day of the Asauj month of Samvat 1596 (22 September 1539 CE), at the age of 70 years, 5 months, and 7 days. This further suggests that he

656-601: The harvest festival of Baisakhi. Therefore, holding Nanak's birth anniversary celebrations immediately after Vaisakhi would have resulted in thin attendance, and therefore, smaller donations for the Sikh shrines. On the other hand, by the Kattak full moon day, the major Hindu festival of Diwali was already over, and the peasants—who had surplus cash from crop sales—were able to donate generously. Nanak's parents, father Kalyan Chand Das Bedi (commonly shortened to Mehta Kalu ) and mother Mata Tripta , were both Hindu Khatris and employed as merchants. His father, in particular,

697-490: The 15th century. The second theory states that Nanak was a Guru , not a prophet. According to Singha (2009): Sikhism does not subscribe to the theory of incarnation or the concept of prophet hood. But it has a pivotal concept of Guru. He is not an incarnation of God, not even a prophet. He is an illumined soul. The third theory is that Guru Nanak is the incarnation of God. This has been supported by many Sikhs including Bhai Gurdas , Bhai Vir Singh , Santhok Singh and

738-683: The 19th and 20th century, and exist in many versions. In 1508, Nanak visited the Sylhet region in Bengal . The janamsakhis suggest that Nanak visited the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya in 1510–11 CE. The Baghdad inscription remains the basis of writing by Indian scholars that Guru Nanak journeyed in the Middle East, with some claiming he visited Jerusalem , Mecca , Vatican , Azerbaijan and Sudan . The hagiographic details are

779-511: The Guru in a miserable state and said "Oh lord! I prefer death to thirst but will not approach Wali the egoist." The Guru replied "Oh Bhai Mardana ji! Repeat the Name of God, the Almighty; and drink the water to your heart's content." The Guru put aside a big rock lying nearby and a pure fountain of water sprang up and began to flow endlessly. Bhai Mardana quenched his thirst and felt grateful to

820-451: The Guru. On the other hand, the fountain of Shah Wali Qandhari dried up. On witnessing this, the Wali in his rage threw a part of a mountain towards the Guru from the top of the hill. The Guru stopped the hurled rock. Clear, fresh spring water gushes out from somewhere behind the rock and spills over into a very large pool. An imprint of a right hand was carved on the rock while it was built in

861-409: The Kattak birth tradition. It is the only Janamsakhi that does. Bhai Bala is said to have obtained Nanak's horoscope from Nanak's uncle Lalu, according to which, Nanak was born on a date corresponding to 20 October 1469 CE. However, this janamsakhi was written by Handalis—a sect of Sikhs who followed a Sikh-convert known as Handal—attempting to depict the founder as superior to Nanak. According to

SECTION 20

#1732781141678

902-675: The Kattak month in November. The earliest record of such a celebration in Nankana Sahib is from 1868 CE. There may be several reasons for the adoption of the Kattak birthdate by the Sikh community. For one, it may have been the date of Nanak's enlightenment or "spiritual birth" in 1496, as suggested by the Dabestan-e Mazaheb . Some of the sources that support the Katak birthday incident: The Bala Janamasakhi supports

943-470: The Mughal style by Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839). Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi : ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: [gʊɾuː naːnəkᵊ] , pronunciation ), also known as Bābā Nānak ('Father Nānak'), was an Indian spritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus . Nanak

984-534: The age of 70. According to Sikh hagiography , his body was never found. When the quarreling Hindus and Muslims tugged at the sheet covering his body, they found instead a heap of flowers—and so Nanak’s simple faith would, in course of time, flower into a religion, beset by its own contradictions and customary practices. During first quarter of the 16th century, Nanak went on long udasiya ('journeys') for spiritual pursuits. A verse authored by him states that he visited several places in " nau-khand " ('the nine regions of

1025-479: The earth'), presumably the major Hindu and Muslim pilgrimage centres. Some modern accounts state that he visited Tibet , most of South Asia , and Arabia , starting in 1496 at age 27, when he left his family for a thirty-year period. These claims include Nanak's visit to Mount Sumeru of Indian mythology , as well as Mecca , Baghdad , Achal Batala , and Multan , where he would debate religious ideas with opposing groups. These stories became widely popular in

1066-400: The end, you shall not be called to account. ||2|| Guru Ram Das says: ਗੁਰ ਗੋਵਿੰਦੁ ਗੋੁਵਿੰਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਭਾਈ ॥੪॥੧॥੮॥ Sikh gurus The Sikh gurus ( Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ; Hindi : सिख गुरु) are the spiritual masters of Sikhism , who established the religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year 1469 marks the birth of Guru Nanak ,

1107-744: The founder of Sikhism. He was succeeded by nine other human gurus until, in 1708, the Guruship was finally passed on by the tenth guru to the holy Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib , which is now considered the living Guru by the followers of the Sikh faith. The guruship was also passed onto the Guru Panth , consisting of the Khalsa, however this means of guruship went into decline following to rise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh . Guru ( / ˈ ɡ uː r uː / , UK also / ˈ ɡ ʊr uː , ˈ ɡ ʊər -/ ; Sanskrit : गुरु , Punjabi : ਗੁਰੂ, IAST : guru )

1148-401: The full moon of Katak. Nanak Chandrodaya Sanskrit Janamsakhi from 1797 and Janam Sakhi Baba Nanak by Sant Das Chibber from the 18th century both mention Guru Nanak being born on the full moon of katak. Gurpur Parkash Granth written by Sant Ren Singh based on a granth written by Binod Singh states Guru Nanak was born on the full moon of Katak. According to Max Arthur Macauliffe (1909),

1189-658: The holy religious scripture of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib , with some of the major prayers being the Japji Sahib ( jap , 'to recite'; ji and sahib are suffixes signifying respect); the Asa di Var ('Ballad of Hope'); and the Sidh Gosht ('Discussion with the Siddhas '). It is part of Sikh religious belief that the spirit of Nanak's sanctity , divinity, and religious authority had descended upon each of

1230-520: The janamsakhis. Nanak's teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib , as a collection of verses recorded in Gurmukhi . There are three competing theories on Nanak's teachings. The first, according to Cole and Sambhi (1995, 1997), based on the hagiographical Janamsakhis , states that Nanak's teachings and Sikhism were revelations from God, and not a social protest movement, nor an attempt to reconcile Hinduism and Islam in

1271-433: The miracle stories in Sufi literature about their pirs . Other direct and indirect borrowings in the Sikh janamsakhis relating to legends around his journeys are from Hindu epics and puranas , and Buddhist Jataka stories . The earliest biographical sources on Nanak's life recognised today are the janamsakhis ('birth stories'), which recount the circumstances of his birth in extended detail. Gyan-ratanavali

Gurdwara Panja Sahib - Misplaced Pages Continue

1312-723: The nine subsequent Gurus when the Guruship was devolved on to them. His birthday is celebrated as Guru Nanak Gurpurab , annually across India. Nanak was born on 15 April 1469 at Rāi Bhoi Dī Talvaṇḍī village (present-day Nankana Sahib , Punjab , Pakistan) in the Lahore province of the Delhi Sultanate , although according to one tradition, he was born in the Indian month of Kārtik or November, known as Kattak in Punjabi . He

1353-425: The one witnessed by Rai Bular , in which the sleeping child's head was shaded from the harsh sunlight by, in one account, by the stationary shadow of a tree or, in another, by a venomous cobra. Nanaki , Nanak's only sister, was five years older than him. In 1475, she married and moved to Sultanpur . Jai Ram, Nanaki's husband, was employed at a modikhana (a storehouse for revenues collected in non-cash form), in

1394-562: The service of the Delhi Sultanate 's Lahore governor Daulat Khan , at which Ram would help Nanak get a job. Nanak moved to Sultanpur, and started working at the modikhana around the age of 16. As a young man, Nanak married Sulakhani , daughter of Mūl Chand (aka Mula) and Chando Raṇi. They were married on 24 September 1487, in the town of Batala , and would go on to have two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand (or Lakhmi Das). Nanak lived in Sultanpur until c. 1500, which would be

1435-512: The stone is not a reliable evidence that Nanak visited Baghdad in early 16th century. Moreover, beyond the stone, no evidence or mention of his journey in the Middle East has been found in any other Middle Eastern textual or epigraphical records. Claims have been asserted of additional inscriptions, but no one has been able to locate and verify them. Novel claims about his travels, as well as claims such as his body vanishing after his death, are also found in later versions and these are similar to

1476-566: The time of his death, Nanak had acquired several followers in the Punjab region , although it is hard to estimate their number based on the extant historical evidence. The followers of Nanak were called Kartārīs (meaning 'the people who belonged to the village of Kartarpur') by others. Nanak appointed Bhai Lehna as the successor Guru , renaming him as Guru Angad , meaning "one's very own" or "part of you". Shortly after proclaiming his successor, Nanak died on 22 September 1539 in Kartarpur , at

1517-496: The writing style and language employed have left scholars, such as Max Arthur Macauliffe , certain that they were composed after his death. According to such scholars, there are good reasons to doubt the claim that the author was a close companion of Guru Nanak and accompanied him on many of his travels. Bhai Gurdas , a scribe of the Guru Granth Sahib , also wrote about Nanak's life in his vars ('odes'), which were compiled some time after Nanak's life, though are less detailed than

1558-520: Was born in the month of Vaisakh (April), not Kattak (November). In as late as 1815, during the reign of Ranjit Singh , the festival commemorating Nanak's birthday was held in April at the place of his birth, known by then as Nankana Sahib . However, the anniversary of Nanak's birth—the Gurpurab ( gur + purab , 'celebration')—subsequently came to be celebrated on the full moon day of

1599-709: Was born into the Khatri Punjabi clan like all of the Sikh gurus . Specifically, Guru Nanak was a Bedi Khatri . Most janamsakhis ( ਜਨਮਸਾਖੀ , 'birth stories'), or traditional biographies of Nanak, mention that he was born on the third day of the bright lunar fortnight , in the Baisakh month (April) of Samvat 1526. These include the Puratan ('traditional' or 'ancient') janamsakhi , Miharban janamsakhi , Gyan-ratanavali by Bhai Mani Singh , and

1640-543: Was born on the full moon of Katak. Gurbilas Patashahi 6 written 1718 attributed to Bhai Mani Singh says Guru Nanak was born on the full moon of Katak. Meham Parkash written in 1776 also says Guru Nanak was born on the full moon of Katak. Kesar Singh Chibber’s Bansavalinama Dasan Patashahia Ka meaning genealogy of the ten emperors, written in 1769, says Guru Nanak was born on the full moon of Katak as well. Gurpurnali written in 1727 and Guru Tegh Bahadur Malwe da Safar written in 1716 both mention Guru Nanank being born on

1681-432: Was the local patwari (accountant) for crop revenue in the village of Talwandi . Nanak's paternal grandfather was named Shiv Ram Bedi and his great-grandfather was Ram Narayan Bedi. According to Sikh traditions, the birth and early years of Nanak's life were marked with many events that demonstrated that Nanak had been blessed with divine grace. Commentaries on his life give details of his blossoming awareness from

Gurdwara Panja Sahib - Misplaced Pages Continue

#677322