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Social Context of Guru Nanak’s Message for Humanity
Dr Madanjit Kaur
The milieu in which Guru Nanak (A.D.1469-1539) lived was a crucial period of Indian history. The perception of historical reality of the period and its challenges are transformed into a positive discerning vision in his message of humanity which is clearly reflected in many of his hymns.1
A historical interpretation of Guru Nanak’s bani must embrace both his theology and his response not each by itself but the two together in their inter-related oneness. In the bani of Guru Nanak the reality of the world is socially constituted and the social construction of reality is underpinned by religion to give it a supramundane sanctions. In other words the humanly constructed message of Guru Nanak is given a cosmic status. Guru Nanak looks upon the contemporary world as disintegrated, demoralized and delegitimized. ‘Himself shaken to the roots of psychology, Guru Nanak called upon men to fall back on their own inner resources to build a future. The message of Guru Nanak inculcated a ray of hope for redeeming humanity suffering from ignorance, social evils and exploitation. It is believed that, Guru Nanak set out upon long and arduous missionary journeys (Udasis) to preach his message. The works of Bhai Gurdas , the famous theologian of sixteenth century, stands a testimony to this version.2 With his vast experience and background Guru Nanak expounded his doctrines for the moral and spiritual uplift of mankind. After Lord Buddha, it was Guru Nanak who for the first time championed the cause of the masses in a caste-ridden India. Socially and psychologically the message of Guru Nanak proved most congenial to the peasantry and the lower strata of the society. It gave them personal and corporate spiritual satisfaction without isolating them from the society. It commended and made sacred the societal role which they were already playing.
The bani of Guru Nanak reveals his thorough familiarity with contemporary society. In this connection many of social evils of both the Hindus and Muslims of his time came under his attack. In fact, there is hardly an important aspect of life of his contemporaries that is not directly or indirectly mentioned in his compositions. The range of his experience of contemporary social conditions is strikingly comprehensive. Even the metaphors used in his hymns do reveal the nature of his deep social concerns. However, the over all import is humanitarian and religious. It is to be noted that the close connection between Guru Nanak’s social comments and his religious concern is evident from the chief targets of his attack, i.e. the brahmans and the mullahs. The basic issue of condemnation was that there was a great gulf between their profession and practice. These Hindu and Muslim orthodox professional classes were not only supporting practices of useless rituals, customs and ceremonies but were also misleading the masses by promoting superstitions and blind faith among them.3
The devotional compositions of Guru Nanak are motivated by an earnest desire to communicate his message to a particular audience:
Guru Nanak’s disenchantment with the whole social order is evident from his insistence on the prevalent disregard of Hindu mythological scriptures, the rationalized corruption of the Muslim elite, the compromised existence of the khatris, the irrelevance of the Jogi spirituality, and the social facticity of Kaliyuga.
Through his hymns, we discover a person who was deeply concerned with the social problems of his times and was genuinely interested in finding solutions to the evils of his age. Guru Nanak in fact took a comprehensive view of contemporary social evils. He comments:
The Kaliyuga wields the knife, the rulers are butchers, and dharma has taken wings. In the fully dark night of falsehood the moon of truth rises nowhere. I am desperate in my search.4
Guru Nanak was very sensitive to the spiritual state up of the people he was addressing. His response to his milieu was bold, humanitarian and unique. It is evident from his hymns that the pangs of existence in his times touched his compassionate heart to make him deeply concerned with the sufferings of his fellow beings. His intense feeling about his age is characterised by the disintegrating effect of the autocratic Turkish rule, political chaos, oppression and corruption at all levels of administration, decline in religious beliefs and human values.5
Guru Nanak’s denunciation of the ruling classes and the elite, who lived off the society without being able to perform their responsibilities is specially significant:
The rulers are bloody, like lions, with their running dogs in the village officials, they disturb the subject in good and ill-times. The officials act as the sharp claws of the ruler to draw out blood and marrow of the victims for him.6
In the bani of Guru Nanak there are frequent references to administrative corruption which has been looked upon by the Guru as a natural corollary of the disintegrated society in which knowledge, virtue and spirit have shrunk to hypocrisy and nothingness.
At the cultural front the Guru had to contend not only with the rising forces of Islam, an alien faith with its internal animosities between sects, but also with powerful currents in the Hindu religious thought viz., Advaitism, Vaishnavism and the Nath Yogic cults. Bhai Gurdas expounds bitterly on the factional conflict between various Hindu and Muslim sects. In his opinion this intergroup hostility was creating chaos, exploitation and disintegration in the society.7 The mutual confrontation of the two vital but in several ways contradictory culture-forms, represented by Hinduism and Islam was the axial point of the contemporary cultural crisis. The environment had “possibilities for both creative synthesis and rejective hostility. The creative impulse of the times met its fullest expression in the teaching of the Sufi Fakirs. Besides, its fullest synthesis is found in the bani of Guru Nanak and received from him a definite stamp and direction.”8
The fact that Guru Nanak was able to adopt his theological and religious idiom to suit the religious consciousness of the Indian people drawing on the ideas, Mythology of the Puranas, Nath cult, Vaishnav bhakti, Sant Parampara and Yogic tradition. The practices of Hindu religious traditions, Islamic mysticism and the Indian version of Islam enjoins us to make further investigation into the social vision of Guru Nanak which is the epitome of his message of humanity.
The religious stand point of Guru Nanak is that world is real9 and that man has to follow the will of God. In the religion of Guru Nanak, the ultimate goal is always to carry out the will of God (Raza or Hukam) and continuous virtuous endeavour to bring meaning to human existence and unity with the structure of the cosmos. Hukam is the cosmic moral force for the operation of the law of retribution and law of Grace (Nadar/Mehar). The whole world is subject to the binding law of Hukam,10 and the way to God is purely through performing righteous deeds.11
The virtuous deed has been equated with constructive activity in the phenomenal world, and the service of man (sewa) has been co-ordinated with the spiritual endeavour. Thus Guru Nanak laid equal emphasis on the faith and the conduct of the man.
The concept of sewa (service) has been given a special orientation in Guru Nanak’s teachings. Here, sewa is beneficent action unsolicitation of any reward; the essence of the pure spirituality. This is an art of living directed towards finding fulfillment of the ultimate aim of life through beneficent action. There is a strong tradition in Sikhism, where the Gurus themselves solicited God to grant them the boon of the humblest sewa.12 In fact, sewa has been institutionalized in Sikh society. There is an established tradition in Sikh community that high and low must all perform sewa; humble manual labour without any social distinction.13
Even today the Sikh volunteers of the International Khalsa Aid are seen providing free services, food relief (medicines, clothes etc) to victims of flood, earthquake, disasters etc at the global level.
In the religion of Guru Nanak moral activity is the chief method of spiritual growth. This ideology has a clear attitude of involvement in social practices and social institutions and serious awareness of social responsibility.
In the theology of Guru Nanak, religious action in the world becomes more demanding. The message of Guru Nanak was in no manner akin to the perception of the quietest religions. It is evident from the bani of Guru Nanak that he wanted a change in moral practices and social institutions. As a prophet of a new religion with his basic perception of unity of God – he categorically made it plain that in the execution of the religious ideals of the worship of ‘One God’14 and equality of man—prejudices against caste, creed, women and surrender to exploitation of oppression, torture and degrading treatment by State functionaries etc., are wrong acts and against the law of nature. The seed ideas of the concept of Human Rights (as laid down in the International covenant) are clearly discernible in the vision of Guru Nanak as reflected in some of his hymns.15 Guru Nanak placed himself on a level with the low caste disinherited folk denied of the path of liberation (bhakti). Out of compassion for them he raised his voice.16
As a corollary to the sanctity of the equality of mankind, follows the principle of equality of men and women, Guru Nanak’s pronouncements:
Why call women impure when without women there would be none.17
In almost all the old religions of the East and West, women has been considered an impediment in the religions of the world in that period, nothing could be more progressive than this feature of Guru Nanak’s religion.
As a proginator of social equality Guru Nanak rejects all sorts of caste discrimination, social abuses, exploitations and oppressions.18 Guru Nanak initiated a new way of life introducing innovative structural changes in society. The Guru rejected the Brahaminical concept of fixity in social organisation, wherein the place of each caste, with predetermined role structure as well as of the individual in hierarchical set up left no place for transforming of self-developed social order.
In all Hindu religious systems caste ideology was a scripturally accepted social institution, the question of social equality of men could not arise. Guru Nanak has imparted powerfully effective teaching against this universal evil prevalent in the Indian society. Guru Nanak openly repudiates caste system. There are various hymns illustrating his feeling of universal humanitarianism. Guru Nanak does not subscribe to caste taboo. There can be an hierarchy of spiritual states in khands (Japuji) but social division into castes are unreal. Guru Nanak’s sympathy with the lower status group is well attested.19 In the opinion of Guru Nanak the lowly are the possible recipients of Grace and Guru Nanak associates himself with them.20
Guru Nanak played a revolutionary role on the sociological level in providing a social vision for re-structuring society on equalitarian basis by rejecting the concept of caste-based role performance and inhuman hierarchical order legitimised by Varan Ashram Dharma as the normative principle for social structure of the Hindu society. The social dynamics of Guru Nanak’s thought presented a new normative principle of social organisation which made the people realise their inherent humanistic identity, right of equality and a sense of belonging to a corporate- collective society (Sangat). In the long run the institution of Sangat provided a solid foundation for the consolidation of the social frame work of the Sikh community.
Guru Nanak’s theology is a unique synthesis of transcendental and phenomenal values. The Guru took due and proper notice of the material well being of mankind while at the same time emphasising its moral and spiritual components. The Guru regards physical and worldly needs as necessary means of the human development. Therefore, the values of Artha (material advancement) and Kama (fulfilment of natural instincts of human being) - basis of mundane life have been duly recognized. Guru Nanak has made significant contributions to provide practical solutions to certain human and social problems hitherto rejected or ignored by various religious traditions.
Guru Nanak’s message in fact, revolutionized human thinking and enthused a new spirit of human activity and social responsibility. It made the people conscious of their situation, status, rights, duties as well as responsibilities by exhorting them to lead an active, noble social life. According to Guru Nanak worldly life strictly regulated in accordance with moral and ethical values do not stand in the way of spiritual development rather it proves a definite impetus for the realisation of higher spiritual goal. An ideal domestic life has been deemed as the fountain-head by the Guru. Guru Nanak rejected asceticism and commands his followers not to forsake the family and other worldly responsibilities. The Guru repeatedly emphasised the part a man and a woman has to play as a householder and not merely as a recluse preparing himself for the benefits of the next world while escaping his obligation towards his family and society.21
The Guru laid great stress on man’s truthful conduct and performance of his basic duties and obligations towards his fellow beings and society. A true household life as prescribed by Guru Nanak presents an ideal opportunity for the practice of the fundamental principles of Nam (meditation on God’s Name), Kirat (earning by hard and honest labour), Dan (charity, altruistic action), Wand chhakna (sharing one’s earning with needy and fellow human beings), Ishnan (purification of the self) and Sewa (voluntary service).22 According to Guru Nanak an ideal domestic life provides a positive approach to the attainment of the goal of life - mukti (salvation). Sikhism professes for the attainment of jiwan mukta (during one’s own life) by cultivating good deeds in our social relationship and by earning the Grace (nadar) of God through Nam Simran.
For the fulfilment of real nam simran one should first learn to lead a honest and hard life (Kirat Kamai), and also to serve the society. The Sikh concept of Kirat Kamai signifies the dignity of labour which is totally absent in the life style of ascetics, Jogis and Sanyasis, and other Hindu cults.
In the religion of Guru Nanak, the man is exhorted not to begging in order to make both the ends meet but always to strive hard to support himself, to help others and to overcome poverty. This injunction of Guru Nanak is the basic factor of the professional mobility and economic prosperity of the Sikh people. Besides, Guru Nanak does not advocate that one should work for himself alone or for his family only.Guru Nanak’s command for Wand Chhakna (or Wand Chhako)23 means that a Sikh must serve his needy brothers and share with them the fruit of his hard and honest earning.
Further we observe that the injunction against exploitation of labour in itself is not sufficient in the new social order engaged by Guru Nanak. In fact, society for the collective obligations needs surplus value and corporate funds. The voluntary offerings by the devotees in the Sikh society is of the nature of contribution to the surplus value required for the corporate needs of the community and the humanity in general. In Guru Nanak’s view action motivates the ethical norm for determining individual’s place and position in the society. The traditional Hindu concept of Karma (action) was equated with service (sewa) and labour (kirat). To do labour is to follow the Hukam (Order) of God and to partake of the creativity of Godhead. Labour is seen as the matrix of all social and material values, in which each member of the society contributes his share according to his capacity and all are equal partners in the corporate body of the Panth (commonwealth). With such formulations of social ethics as envisioned by Guru Nanak, the way was paved for the restructuring of society on equalitarian basis.
It is most appropriate to remark that, Guru Nanak prescribed a value pattern which is not only non-differential but is also non-individualistic. Here the stress is not on self-seeking individual liberation but on altruistic concern for the humanity as a whole.
The most significant contribution of Guru Nanak in the spiritual field is that, he enhanced the concept of salvation by investing it with collectivistic social dimension. In his primary composition ‘Japuji’ Guru Nanak lays emphasis on collective amelioration as the goal of life.24
We have to understand the implications of the teachings of Guru Nanak in the humanitarian perspective in order to understand the impact of the great Guru on Indian society and world civilisation. The acceptance of householder’s life, the consequent necessity of work as a religious duty, the sharing and fair distribution of wealth in society, the condemnation of exploitation are so logically connected with the theology of Guru Nanak’s religion from its involvement with social praxis that the significance of Guru Nanak’s message to humanity is invariably apparent from the above description.
One of the prominent features of the message of Guru Nanak is the overwhelming presence of a humanitarian, compassionate attitude towards all humanity, which militate against cruelty and injustice and aims thus at the establishment of a just society.25
The keynote of the message of Guru Nanak lies in the fact that he gave a social orientation to the spiritual values and made people realise that social action is necessary for the religious man. This is amply proved from his bani where he strongly protested and condemned the feudal tyranny and sanctioned a crusade against injustice and exploitation.26 His concern for the helpless underdogs of society, the low castes and the women is a pointer to his progressive social vision. The potentialities of Guru Nanak’s ideology can be explored in the perspective of his scathing attack on contemporary social, cultural and political exploitation as depicted in his Asa Di Var.27
The purpose of ‘Asa Di Var’ is to portray the fructification of divinity in men. It explains the nature of divinity and alongside it depicts the raw nature of man and warns him against the treacherous forms by which this designing egoism can swindle men out of a genuinely God oriented life. The progressive, radical and revolutionary ideas nurtured carefully in Asa Di Var deserves to be pointed out in order to comprehend the seed ideas of the message of Guru Nanak. The strong streeks of the socio-political ideology and the depth of its directional thrust is evident in the following hymn:
Neither caste nor political power can confer real status to any person.28
Women folk must be given due respect as equal members of our society.29
If one were to go by what one witnesses in the contemporary situation, one would see the unusual spectacle of the vehicle of avarice being driven by falsehood.30
Talking in terms of balances, only such of these are credited to one’s after life account as have been earned through the sweat of one’s brow and have been shared with others.31
Whenever the springs of society are vitiated by the dominance of avarice, sin, falsehood, sex, bribery, beggery, wealth and misuse of religion, honourable living becomes difficult.32
In society such as ours, where truth is the first casuality men are wont to become fiends and only discipline,hard work and faith in God can come to their rescue in their hour of travail.33
Asa Di Var presents direct evidence of a well formulated socio-political ideology of Guru Nanak with strong ethical commitments. It openly repudiates social taboos, superstitions, rituals, dogmas and slavish culture.
The Guru rejects Karam Kand (salvation by ritual acts) and makes an extensive criticism of rituals and considers Karam dharam as unholy bondage.34 Guru Nanak considers ritualism as futile exercises and an obstruction to authentic spirituality so emphatically that he disapproved even the wearing of the outer symbols. In Guru Nanak bani ritual is considered more of a hindrance than a help in salvation instead inner virtues are emphasised.35 Guru Nanak criticised pitar puja ‘ancestor’s worship and also condemns all notions of ‘nascent impurity’ (sutak).
Ritualistic worship of Religious symbols (idols etc.) is bracketed by Guru Nanak with rites and ceremonies. Feeding to Brahman as ritual has also been disapproved.
The great socio-political implication of Guru Nanak’s message to humanity lies in revolutionary appeal embided in his bani Asa di Var. Clear hints can be found in the following:
Even the highest in the Land does not have an everlasting right to the highest political office.
Submission to or acceptance of an exploitative and rapacious administrative system at any level amounts to active participation in the perpetuation of corruption and cruelty.
Well-horsed, well-wived, well-housed, well-fed and expensive bureaucracy tends to sit perpetually on the necks of the people, even when their doom may be in the offing.
It must be kept in mind that most often; the bureaucrats are double-hued sycophants.
All honour to them who remain unsplit. How can a grain split into two ever sprout.
The contemporary polity is denounced by Guru Nanak nearly as much as the social order of his times. Guru Nanak unequivocally denounced the discriminating policy of his contemporary rulers. His denounciation of injustice and oppression at the hands of the rulers and state officials is harsh and bold. It is evident from his hymns that Guru Nanak expected certain norms of behavior from the rulers. The primary obligation of the ruler was to be just and look after the welfare of his subject people both legally and morally. The Guru expects honesty and integrity from the state functionaries in the performance of their duties and consideration for the common people.36
The hymns of Guru Nanak clearly reveal that the Guru was thoroughly familiar with the political decline of his day. The Guru shows no appreciation for the ruling classes, he identifies himself with the ruled and with the masses. Let us admit the Salokas of ‘Asa Di Var’ do presume the existence of social tensions on account of political conflict between the feudal elites, misdeeds of the autocracy, corrupt governing class and suppression of the Have-nots and the common masses. The Guru’s reaction towards the state policy of repression provides an impulsive motivation to readers and listeners to feel encouraged to have a critical look at the working of the society and the doings of the administrative agencies of the contemporary State. It can be easily imagined that the sufferers of the loathsome caste system, the tillers of land and economically weaker section of the society who constituted the large majority of people must have found such declaration of Guru Nanak quite attractive and the women must have experienced a new hope. It is not difficult to visualize that such progressive ideas must have led to the expansion of the Sikh faith and motivated the Punjabis of the sixteenth century to follow the teachings of the Guru and introduced an era of social change in the caste-ridden hierarchical Indian society.
It is implied in the view of Guru Nanak that if in any field of life there is aggression or injustice, the religious men cannot remain neutral; he must react in a righteous way. For, once the householder’s life was considered to be the medium of the religious growth of man, it became natural for him to accept responsibility in all fields of life. The traditionally created barriers of socio-political segments and religious particularism were deemed artificial, and were once for all broken for the religious man.37
In the theology of Guru Nanak, man as an instrument of God has to carry out the ‘Will of God’ in helping the weak and destroying the oppressor. Guru Nanak’s spiritual system therefore, involves the use of all the available tools, including reason38 and judicious use of force, for the purposeful progress of man. For, without the use of both these means it is impossible to bring about any social change. In doing so he made a major departure from the earlier bhakti and religious traditions. In contrast to other religious systems (excepting Islam) Guru Nanak positively sanctioned entry into the political field. This break with the past was a direct result of the religious experience, social vision and the objective mission of Guru Nanak.
Guru Nanak’s value pattern was thus conceived to act as a revolutionary leaven for a fundamental change in social life. Here, Dharma is no more seen as a jati or varan (caste) based differential moral code preserving the hierarchical equilibrium of society, but dharma is conceived as a by-product of Divine Compassion.
Being an expression of Divine Compassion, dharma is a non-discriminating, equalitarian moral principal which makes one’s action as the determinant of his place in society as well as his position in the reckoning of God.39
Thus the role of religion was given a new sociological orientation by Guru Nanak. The institutional growth of Sikhism is due to this new concept of dharma generating revolutionary social potentialities. This is a remarkable legacy of Guru Nanak to the Indian Religious Traditions.
In the cosmology of Guru Nanak, God is loving and caring for his creation. This kind of perception leads to God’s dynamic activity in this world. God not only reveals itself to men but also enlightens, guides and operates in human history in a purposeful way. Guru Nanak’s vision of the universe in its functioning is centered in Dharma (moral law that keeps the cosmos going according to the Divine Will). The imagery for it is taken from Puranic mythology. The operation of the Divine Law and the moral lesson for the end of the evil doers has been expressed with the example of the tyrants like Duryodhan and Hiranyakashipu from Puranic lore.40 Guru Nanak’s vision of ontology and expression of judgement, unlike that of his contemporary bhaktas was not confined to Puranic legendary references, but took in its sweep the contemporary scene wherein tyranny must come to a deserved end too. The hard hearted, the tyrants, the evil doers, the corrupt etc., when their stipulated hour of glory is past must be humbled in dust; that is the Divine Law.41
Guru Nanak was deeply concerned with suffering humanity. He had expressed deep anguish at the prevailing injustice, atrocities, corruption and evil in society, which he has expressed through the symbol of the dark night.42
In Guru Nanak’s own time Babar invaded India, bringing so much carnage, destruction and humiliation to Indian people. Guru Nanak was a witness to Babar’s inroads to Emnabad (now in Pakistan). The four hymns of the Guru43 pertaining to this occasion, besides throbbing with pity for the innocent humanity and with sorrow over the fall of India; state the great moral lesson on which, cosmos law and neglect of which by men can lead only to suffering and self-destruction. In his great vision on the destiny of nations, when they forsake the path of righteousness, the Guru expresses his judgement on the degenerate state of Indian society and consequent repercussions of the fate of nation (Hindustan). Guru Nanak was the first Indian thinker to make people of India conscious about their duty to their nation.
Guru Nanak raises his voice in Divine indignation at Babar’s invasion, condemns the profligate Afghan rulers for their weaknesses and affirms that in all this carnage the Divine Law, is seen operating and that suffering is ultimately a Divine mystery, an inevitable part of man’s destiny, yet from suffering the path of liberation and salvation is through resignation to the Divine Will.44 In Babarbani, Guru Nanak also deplores the brutality of the invaders and the un-preparedness of the local rulers. He even goes to the extent of complaining to God as the guardian of men, in allowing the weak to be oppressed by the strong. In doing so, he was in fact clearly laying one of the basic principles of his religion. He not only sanctioned the use of force for a righteous cause but also prescribed that it was both the duty and responsibility of religious man to resist aggression and brutality.45
It is clearly evident from the above study that Guru Nanak’s idea of social commitment is clearly discernible from his denunciation of the contemporary socio-political conditions. In his view the social and political order of his days had lost legitimacy precisely because it had drifted from moral values. By implication of this grass rooted observations it is clearly indicated that a new social order based on religious dispensation was direly needed in the contemporary situation. Historical developments supports this formulation and are witness of the creative genius of the founder of the Sikh faith. This inference is co-related to Guru Nanak’s decisive spiritual experience at Sultanpur Lodhi culminating to his final discovery of those religious ideals to which he has to give practical expression later on at Kartarpur (now in Pakistan).46
The aim of Guru Nanak’s ideology was not individual emancipation, but the amelioration of man and society both. And for this motto he laid down the foundation of a religious system and a society that had internally to remove the disintegrating forces of the interfaith conflict and caste ideology and externally to fight against political oppression. It was a gigantic task. The Guru had first to organise a new society intensely motivated with humanitarian values, with real sense of brotherhood,inspired to struggle and sacrifice for justice and deeply committed to achieving new goals.47 The spirit of brotherhood was actually institutionalised as part of structure of the society itself through the institutions of sangat48, langar49 and kirtan.50 For the leadership of this value oriented community he also introduced the institution of ‘Guruship’ (appointing a successor) so that in due time the society could become fully organised and mature enough to complete the tasks set before it. Therefore, Guru Nanak not only laid down in his bani a value system but also initiated and actually laid the foundation of a society that was subsequently continued and developed by his successor gurus.
Conclusions
It is concluded from the above study that through his teachings and practices, Guru Nanak initiated new innovative structural changes in the society and paved the prelude for social transformation in the orthodox set up by introducing progressive and universal normative pattern of social relationship and service to humanity as religious acts.
Guru Nanak took a comprehensive view of the contemporary social milieu and ushered in an era of social awakening in the Indian society. Through his holy words, Guru Nanak formulated specific and well defined ideology for establishing a new social order for the welfare of humanity.
In his philosophy of protest against conformity of the existing social system lay the seed of a vital and progressive change in attitudes, beliefs and values of the people. The ideology of Guru Nanak motivated the people of Punjab to strive for social change in the caste-ridden hierarchical social stratification sanctioned and legitimized by Vedic normative culture. The message of Nanak encouraged value shift in the society and the Guru proved to be significant ‘change agent’ who initiated, caused and introduced socio-cultural change in the sixteenth century Punjab. With this awareness begin the construction of a new society based on objective system of moral values which results in the emergence of the ‘Sikh Panth’ in order to meet the historical challenges of the time. The emergence of Sikh community as a distinct social phenomenon is the direct evidence of Guru Nanak’s vision of humanitarian religion and universal brotherhood.
~~~
References
1. Guru Granth Sahib, pp. 145, 260, 360, 417, 468, 471, 630, 722, 723, 903, 951, 1191 and 1288.
2. The works of Bhai Gurdas, the famous Sikh theologian of sixteenth century stands a testimony to this version:
ਚੜਿਆ ਸੋਧਣਿ ਧਰਤਿ ਲੁਕਾਈ॥
(To purify and divinise the entire mankind on parts of the globe).
-Varan Bhai Gurdas, eds. Giani Hazara and Bhai Vir Singh, Khalsa Samachar, Amritsar, 1962, Var I, Pauri 24.
3. ਸਾਸਤੁ ਬੇਦੁ ਨ ਮਾਨੈ ਕੋਇ॥ ਆਪੋ ਆਪੈ ਪੂਜਾ ਹੋਇ॥
ਕਾਜੀ ਹੋਇ ਕੈ ਬਹੈ ਨਿਆਇ॥ ਫੇਰੇ ਤਸਬੀ ਕਰੇ ਖੁਦਾਇ॥
ਵਢੀ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਹਕੁ ਗਵਾਏ॥ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਪੁਛੈ ਤਾ ਪੜਿ ਸੁਣਾਏ॥
ਤਰਕ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੁ ਕਨਿ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਹਿ॥ ਲੋਕ ਮੁਹਾਵਹਿ ਚਾੜੀ ਖਾਇ॥
ਚਉਕਾ ਦੇ ਕੈ ਸੁਚਾ ਹੋਇ॥ ਐਸਾ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਵੇਖਹੁ ਕੋਇ॥
ਜੋਗੀ ਗਿਰਹੀ ਜਟਾ ਬਿਭੂਤ॥ ਆਗੈ ਪਾਛੈ ਰੋਵਹਿ ਪੂਤ॥
ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਗਵਾਈ॥ ਕਿਤੁ ਕਾਰਣਿ ਸਿਰਿ ਛਾਈ ਪਾਈ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਕਲਿ ਕਾ ਏਹੁ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ॥ ਆਪੇ ਆਖਣੁ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੁ॥
Guru Granth Sahib, p.951.
4. ਕਲਿ ਕਾਤੀ ਰਾਜੇ ਕਾਸਾਈ ਧਰਮੁ ਪੰਖ ਕਰਿ ਉਡਰਿਆ॥
ਕੂੜੁ ਅਮਾਵਸ ਸਚੁ ਚੰਦ੍ਰਮਾ ਦੀਸੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਹ ਚੜਿਆ॥
ਹਉ ਭਾਲਿ ਵਿਕੁੰਨੀ ਹੋਈ॥ ਆਧੇਰੈ ਰਾਹੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ॥
ਵਿਚਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਰਿ ਦੁਖੁ ਰੋਈ॥ ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਿਨਿ ਬਿਧਿ ਗਤਿ ਹੋਈ॥
Guru Granth Sahib, p.145.
5. ਲਬੁ ਪਾਪੁ ਦੁਇ ਰਾਜਾ ਮਹਤਾ ਕੂੜੁ ਹੋਆ ਸਿਕਦਾਰੁ॥
ਕਾਮੁ ਨੇਬੁ ਸਦਿ ਪੁਛੀਐ ਬਹਿ ਬਹਿ ਕਰੇ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ॥
ਅੰਧੀ ਰਯਤਿ ਗਿਆਨ ਵਿਹੂਣੀ ਭਾਹਿ ਭਰੇ ਮੁਰਦਾਰੁ॥
ਗਿਆਨੀ ਨਚਹਿ ਵਾਜੇ ਵ'ਵਹਿ ਰੂਪ ਕਰਹਿ ਸੀਗੁਰ॥
ਊਚੇ ਕੂਕਹਿ ਵਾਦਾ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਜੋਧਾ ਕਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥
ਮੂਰਖ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਹਿਕਮਤਿ ਹੁਜਤਿ ਸੰਜੈ ਕਰਹਿ ਪਿਆਰੁ॥
ਧਰਮੀ ਧਰਮੁ ਕਰਹਿ ਗਾਵਾਵਹਿ ਮੰਗਹਿ ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰੁ॥
ਜਤੀ ਸਦਾਵਹਿ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਛਡਿ ਬਹਹਿ ਘਰ ਬਾਰੁ॥
ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਪੂਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੋਵੈ ਘਟਿ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਆਖੇ॥
ਪਤਿ ਪਰਵਾਣਾ ਪਿਛੈ ਪਾਈਐ ਤਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੋਲਿਆ ਜਾਪੈ॥
Ibid., pp.468-69.
6. ਰਾਜੇ ਸੀਹ ਮਕਸਦ ਕੁਤੇ॥ ਜਾਇ ਜਗਾਇਨਿ@ਬੈਠੇਸੁਤੇ॥ ਚਾਕਰ ਨਹਦਾ ਪਾਇਨਿ@ ਘਾਉ॥ ਰਤੁ ਪਿਤੁ ਕੁਤਿਹੋ ਚਟਿ ਜਾਹੁ॥
Ibid., p.1288.
7. Bhai Gurdas comments:
ਚਾਰਿਵਰਨਚਾਰਿਮਜਹਬਾਜਗਵਿਚਿਹਿੰਦੂਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੇ॥ ਖੁਦੀ ਬਖੀਲਿ ਤਕਬਰੀ ਖਿੰਚੋਤਾਨ ਕੇਰੇਨਿ ਧਿਙਾਣੇ॥
Varan Bhai Gurdas, Var I, Pauri 21.
8. Harbans Singh, The Heritage of The Sikhs, Manohar Publication, New Delhi, 1983, pp. 3-4.
9. Guru Nanak affirms:
ਇਹੁ ਜਗੁ ਸਚੈ ਕੀ ਹੈ ਕੋਠੜੀ ਸਚੇ ਕਾ ਵਿਚਿ ਵਾਸੁ॥ - Guru Granth Sahib, p. 463.
10. Guru Nanak said:
ਏਕੋਹੁਕਮੁਵਰਤੈਸਭਲੋਈ॥ ਏਕਸੁ ਤੇ ਸਭ ਓਪਤਿ ਹੋਈ॥ Ibid., p. 223.
Again:
hukmu ibsmwdu hukim pCwxY
jIA jugiq scu jwxY soeI]
(He alone knows the way of life of truth, who under his hukam perceives in wonder the universal order). Ibid., p. 940.
11. ivxu gux kIqy Bgiq n hoie] Ibid., p. 4.
12. Ibid., pp. 486 and 751.
13. jyqy jIA qyqy siB qyry ivxu syvw Plu iksY nwhI] Ibid., p 354.
Again:
jMgm joD jqI sMinAwsI guru pUrY vIcwrI]
ibnu syvw Plu kbhu n pwvis syvw krxI swrI]
I have learnt by the Light given by the Master, perfectly endowed:
Recluse, hero, celibate or sanyasi;
None may expect to earn merit without service in which lies the essence of purity. Ibid., p. 992.
14. The monotheism of Guru Nanak is enshrined in ‘Mul Mantra’, the opening lines of the Guru Granth Sahib as: 1E
(Ultimate Reality is the Sole Supreme Being of eternal manifestation). Ibid., p.1.
15. jwiq kulInu syvku jy hoie] qw kw khxw khhu n koie]
ivic snWqI syvku hoie] nwnk pxHIAw pihrY soie]
16. nIcw AMdir nIc jwiq nIcI hU Aiq nIcu]
nwnku iqn kY sMig swiQ vifAw isau ikAw rIs]
ijQY nIc smwlIAin iqQY ndir qyrI bKsIs]
Ibid., p.15.
17 . so ikau mMdw AwKIAY ijqu jMmih rwjwn] Ibid., p.473.
18. Ibid., pp.83, 91, 349, 1256, 1330.
19. Guru Granth Sahib, pp.7, 9-10, 15, 19, 23-24, 142, 351, 468, 504, 729, 751, 992, 1126.
20. Ibid., pp.15 and 1256.
21. Ibid., pp.419, 661, 952, 1013, 1329, 1332.
22. so igrhI jo ingRhu krY] jpu qpu sMjmu BIiKAw krY]
puMn dwn kw kry srIru] so igrhI gMgw kw nIru] Ibid., p.952.
Also:
Dnu igrhI sMinAwsI jogI ij hir crxI icqu lwey] Ibid., p.1013.
23. Gwil Kwie ikCu hQhu dyih] nwnk rwhu pCwxih syih] Ibid., p.1245.
24. ijnI nwmu iDAwieAw gey msqik Gwil]
nwnk qy muK aujly kyqI CutI nwil] Guru Granth Sahib, p.8.
25. Gurbachan Singh Talib, Sri Guru Granth Sahib (In English Translation), Introduction, p.Ixxx.
26. See Guru Granth Sahib, pp.470-72, 663, 903, 951,1191.
27. Ibid., p.469.
28. Ibid., p.473.
29. Ibid., p.470.
30. Ibid., p.472.
31. Ibid., p.468.
32. Ibid.
33. See Guru Granth Sahib, pp. 471,468 and 471.
34. Guru Nanak says: bMDn krm Drm hau kIAw] Ibid., p.416.
35. Guru Nanak warns:
krm Drm siB bMDnw pwp puMn snbMDu] mmqw mohu su bMDnw puqR klqR su DMDu]
jh dyKw qh jyvrI mwieAw kw snbMDu] nwnk scy nwm ibnu vrqix vrqY AMDu]
[Religions of rituals are mere entanglements; they form worldly bondage with what is classified as good or bad. They are performed for the sake of children and spouse, in ego and attachment, to form more attachments. wherever I look, I find the noose of attachment to Maya, says Nanak, without the True Name, the world is engrossed in blind entanglements].
Ibid., p.551.
Again the Guru reminds:
mWdlu byid is bwjxo Gxo DVIAY joie]
nwnk nwmu smwil qU bIjau Avru n koie]
36. J.S Grewal, op.cit. pp. 6-7.
37. Daljit Singh, Essays...p.94.
38. AklI swihbu syvIAY AklI pweIAY mwnu]
AklI piV@ kY buJIAY AklI kIcY dwnu]
nwnku AwKY rwhu eyhu hoir glW sYqwnu] Guru Granth Sahib, p.1245.
39. jwiq jnum nh pUCIAY sd Gru lyhu bqwie]
sw jwiq sw piq hY jyhy krm kmwie] Ibid., p.1330.
40. ‘Var Asa’10, Ibid., pp.224-225.
41. ‘Ramkali Dakhni’, Onkar 49, Guru Granth Sahib, p.937, also ‘Gauri’ Ast-7; Ibid., p.223.
42. ‘Var Asa’, Guru Granth Sahib, p.468.
43. ‘Asa’ 39, Guru Granth Sahib, p.360; ‘Asa’ Ast 11-12, p.417; ‘Telang’ 5,Ibid.,p.722.
44. (Bhana or Hukam)- see ‘Maru Sohala’ 14, Guru Granth Sahib, p.1039.
45. Daljeet Singh, Essays..., p.96.
46. J.S. Grewal op.cit., p.8.
47. Daljeet Singh, Essays..., p.103.
48. Guru Nanak affirms:
aUqm sMgiq aUqmu hovY] gux kau DwvY Avgx DovY] Guru Granth Sahib, p.414.
49. Langar (community kitchen) was the most tangible expression of the idea of equality established by Guru Nanak. Langar is an integral part of the Sikh Gurdwara from where food is served to all regardless of caste or creed.
50. The bani sung devotionally in prescribed ragas preferably to the accompaniment of instrumental music (i.e. Rabab, Siranda, Sitar, Dilruba, Harmonium, Mirdang, Pakhawaj and Tabla etc.)is called Kirtan. Under the guidance of Guru Nanak Kirtan became a means of strengthening the bonds that brought members of the rising Sikh community closer to one another.
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