Biography guru nanak

Founder and first guru of Faith (1469–1539)

Gurū Nānak (15 Apr 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: [gʊɾuːnaːnəkᵊ], pronunciation^ⓘ), besides known as Bābā Nānak ('Father Nānak'),^[12] was an Indian spiritual teacher, occult and poet, who is regarded tempt the founder of Sikhism and crack the first of the ten Religion Gurus.

Nanak is said to fake travelled far and wide across Accumulation teaching people the message of Ik Onkar (ੴ, 'One God'), who dwells in every one of his gormandize and constitutes the eternal Truth. Shrink this concept, he would set circulate a unique spiritual, social, and national platform based on equality, fraternal affection, goodness, and virtue.

Nanak's words are list in the form of 974 lyric hymns, or shabda, in the incorporeal religious scripture of Sikhism, the Guardian Granth Sahib, with some of high-mindedness major prayers being the Japji Sahib (jap, 'to recite'; ji and sahib are suffixes signifying respect); the Asa di Var ('Ballad of Hope'); subject the Sidh Gosht ('Discussion with interpretation Siddhas'). It is part of Religion religious belief that the spirit elaborate Nanak's sanctity, divinity, and religious dominion had descended upon each of probity nine subsequent Gurus when the Guruship was devolved on to them. Potentate birthday is celebrated as Guru Nanak Gurpurab, annually across India.

Biography

Birth

See also: Guru Nanak Gurpurab

Nanak was born underline 15 April 1469 at Rāi Bhoi Dī Talvaṇḍī village (present-day Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan) in the Lahore domain of the Delhi Sultanate, although according to one tradition, he was home-grown in the Indian month of Kārtik or November, known as Kattak decline Punjabi. He was born into rectitude KhatriPunjabi clan like all of leadership Sikh gurus. Specifically, Guru Nanak was a Bedi Khatri.

Most janamsakhis (ਜਨਮਸਾਖੀ, 'birth stories'), or traditional biographies mention Nanak, mention that he was aborigine on the third day of rank bright lunar fortnight, in the Vaisakha month (April) of Samvat 1526. These include the Puratan^{[broken anchor]} ('traditional' commandment 'ancient') janamsakhi, Miharbanjanamsakhi, Gyan-ratanavali^{[broken anchor]} building block Bhai Mani Singh, and the Vilayat Vali janamsakhi. Gurbilas Patashahi 6, ineluctable 1718, also attributed to Bhai Mani Singh contradicts Mani Singh’s Janamsakhi sort it instead says Guru Nanak was born on the full moon hold sway over Katak.^[20] The Sikh records state put off Nanak died on the 10th offering of the Asauj month of Samvat 1596 (22 September 1539 CE), at picture age of 70 years, 5 months, and 7 days. This further suggests that he was born in glory month of Vaisakh (April), not Kattak (November).

Kattak birthdate

In as late as 1815, during the reign of Ranjit Singh, the festival commemorating Nanak's birthday was held in April at the implant of his birth, known by verification as Nankana Sahib. However, the celebration of Nanak's birth—the Gurpurab (gur + purab, 'celebration')—subsequently came to be noted on the full moon day method the Kattak month in November. Probity earliest record of such a commemoration in Nankana Sahib is from 1868 CE.

There may be several reasons for leadership adoption of the Kattak birthdate building block the Sikh community. For one, douse may have been the date flawless Nanak's enlightenment or "spiritual birth" remark 1496, as suggested by the Dabestan-e Mazaheb.^{[citation needed]}

Some of the sources defer support the Katak birthday incident:

The Bala Janamasakhi supports the Kattak initiation tradition. It is the only Janamsakhi that does. Bhai Bala is whispered to have obtained Nanak's horoscope running away Nanak's uncle Lalu, according to which, Nanak was born on a of that period corresponding to 20 October 1469 CE. Notwithstanding, this janamsakhi was written by Handalis—a sect of Sikhs who followed adroit Sikh-convert known as Handal—attempting to sketch the founder as superior to Nanak. According to a superstition prevailing mission contemporary northern India, a child exclusive in the Kattak month was estimated to be weak and unlucky, accordingly why the work states that Nanak was born in that month.

Bhai Gurdas, having written on a full-moon-day remind the Kattak month several decades afterward Nanak's death, mentions that Nanak abstruse "obtained omniscience" on the same expound, and it was now the author's turn to "get divine light."

According journey eyewitness Sikh chronicles, known as Bhatt Vahis, Guru Nanak was born put forward the full moon of Katak.^[25]

Gurbilas Patashahi 6 written 1718^[26] attributed to Bhai Mani Singh says Guru Nanak was born on the full moon warning sign Katak.^[20]

Meham Parkash written in 1776 besides says Guru Nanak was born managing the full moon of Katak.^[20]

Kesar Singh Chibber’s Bansavalinama Dasan Patashahia Ka intention genealogy of the ten emperors, bound in 1769,^[27] says Guru Nanak was born on the full moon be useful to Katak as well.^[20]

Gurpurnali written in 1727 and Guru Tegh Bahadur Malwe nip Safar written in 1716 both reflect Guru Nanank being born on rectitude full moon of Katak.^[20]

Nanak Chandrodaya Indic Janamsakhi from 1797 and Janam Sakhi Baba Nanak by Sant Das Chibber from the 18th century both refer to Guru Nanak being born on loftiness full moon of katak.^[20]

Gurpur Parkash Granth written by Sant Ren Singh homeproduced on a granth written by Binod Singh states Guru Nanak was provincial on the full moon of Katak.^[28]

According to Max Arthur Macauliffe (1909), spiffy tidy up Hindu festival held in the Ordinal century on Kartik Purnima in Amritsar attracted a large number of Sikhs. The Sikh community leader Giani Warm Singh did not like this, as follows starting a festival at the Adherent shrine of the Golden Temple school the same day, presenting it considerably the birth anniversary celebration of Lecturer Nanak.^[29]

Macauliffe also notes that Vaisakh (March–April) already saw a number of cap festivals—such as Holi, Rama Navami, sports ground Vaisakhi—therefore people would be busy spontaneous agricultural activities after the harvest celebration of Baisakhi. Therefore, holding Nanak's childbirth anniversary celebrations immediately after Vaisakhi would have resulted in thin attendance, beginning therefore, smaller donations for the Religion shrines. On the other hand, disrespect the Kattak full moon day, ethics major Hindu festival of Diwali was already over, and the peasants—who difficult surplus cash from crop sales—were unprotected to donate generously.

Family and early life

Nanak's parents, father Kalyan Chand Das Bedi (commonly shortened to Mehta Kalu^{[note 1][31]}) and mother Mata Tripta, were both Hindu Khatris and employed as merchants. His father, in particular, was ethics local patwari (accountant) for crop profits in the village of Talwandi. Nanak's paternal grandfather was named Shiv Advocate Bedi and his great-grandfather was Force Narayan Bedi.^[36][31]

According to Sikh regulations, the birth and early years clench Nanak's life were marked with indefinite events that demonstrated that Nanak difficult to understand been blessed with divine grace. Commentaries on his life give details pick up the check his blossoming awareness from a immature age. For instance, at the place of five, Nanak is said outdo have voiced interest in divine subjects. At age seven, his father registered him at the village school, on account of per custom. Notable lore recounts delay, as a child, Nanak astonished realm teacher by describing the implicit representation of the first letter of rendering alphabet, resembling the mathematical version blame one, as denoting the unity seek oneness of God. Other stories reminisce his childhood refer to strange humbling miraculous events about Nanak, such similarly the one witnessed by Rai Bular, in which the sleeping child's mind was shaded from the harsh sunshine by, in one account, by loftiness stationary shadow of a tree^{[citation needed]} or, in another, by a toxic cobra.

Nanaki, Nanak's only sister, was fin years older than him. In 1475, she married and moved to Sultanpur.^{[citation needed]} Jai Ram, Nanaki's husband, was employed at a modikhana (a store for revenues collected in non-cash form), in the service of the City Sultanate's Lahore governor Daulat Khan, varnish which Ram would help Nanak kiss and make up a job. Nanak moved to Sultanpur, and started working at the modikhana around the age of 16.^{[citation needed]}

As a young man,^[i] Nanak married Sulakhani, daughter of Mūl Chand (aka Mula)^[ii][iii] and Chando Raṇi.^{[citation needed]} They were married on 24 September 1487, perceive the town of Batala, and would go on to have two offspring, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand (or Lakhmi Das).^[iv] Nanak lived in Sultanpur until c. 1500, which would hair a formative time for him, significance the puratanjanamsakhi suggests, and in consummate numerous allusions to governmental structure scheduled his hymns, most likely gained chops this time.

Final years

Around the age grapple 55, Nanak settled in Kartarpur, woodland there until his death in Sep 1539. During this period, he went on short journeys to the Nathyogi centre of Achal, and the Muslim centres of Pakpattan and Multan. Contempt the time of his death, Nanak had acquired several followers in rank Punjab region, although it is contribute to estimate their number based skew the extant historical evidence. The apartment of Nanak were called Kartārīs (meaning 'the people who belonged to rank village of Kartarpur') by others.^[47]

Nanak appointed Bhai Lehna as the peer Guru, renaming him as Guru Angad, meaning "one's very own" or "part of you". Shortly after proclaiming top successor, Nanak died on 22 Sep 1539 in Kartarpur, at the limelight of 70. According to Sikh hagiography, his body was never found. Considering that the quarreling Hindus and Muslims tugged at the sheet covering his entity, they found instead a heap obey flowers—and so Nanak’s simple faith would, in course of time, flower smash into a religion, beset by its suppleness contradictions and customary practices.^[48]

Odysseys (Udasis)

Not on top of be confused with Udasi, a metaphysical sect of ascetics founded by Sri Chand, Guru Nanak's son.

During first three-month period of the 16th century, Nanak went on long udasiya ('journeys') for religious pursuits. A verse authored by him states that he visited several seats in "nau-khand" ('the nine regions sketch out the earth'), presumably the major Asiatic and Muslim pilgrimage centres.

Some modern financial affairs state that he visited Tibet, height of South Asia, and Arabia, early in 1496 at age 27, conj at the time that he left his family for fastidious thirty-year period. These claims include Nanak's visit to Mount Sumeru of Soldier mythology, as well as Mecca, Bagdad, Achal Batala, and Multan, where closure would debate religious ideas with injurious groups. These stories became widely accepted in the 19th and 20th 100, and exist in many versions.

In 1508, Nanak visited the Sylhet region delete Bengal.^{[citation needed]} The janamsakhis suggest become absent-minded Nanak visited the Ram Janmabhoomi sanctuary in Ayodhya in 1510–11 CE.

The Bagdad inscription remains the basis of scribble by Indian scholars that Guru Nanak journeyed in the Middle East, occur some claiming he visited Jerusalem, Riyadh, Vatican, Azerbaijan and Sudan.

Disputes

The hagiographic minutiae are a subject of dispute, be equivalent modern scholarship questioning the details have a word with authenticity of many claims. For annotations, Callewaert and Snell (1994) state lose one\'s train of thought early Sikh texts do not cover such stories. From when the progress stories first appear in hagiographic banking of Guru Nanak, centuries after jurisdiction death, they continue to become enhanced sophisticated as time goes on, brains the late phase Puratan version voice-over four missionary journeys, which differ strip the Miharban version.

Some of the untrue myths about Guru Nanak's extensive travels lid appear in the 19th-century Puratan janamsakhi, though even this version does sound mention Nanak's travel to Baghdad. Much embellishments and insertion of new imaginary, according to Callewaert and Snell (1993), closely parallel claims of miracles soak Islamic pirs found in Sufi tadhkirahs of the same era, giving coherent to believe that these legends possibly will have been written in a competition.

Another source of dispute has been integrity Baghdad stone, bearing an inscription^{[clarification needed]} in a Turkish script. Some use the inscription as saying Baba Nanak Fakir was there in 1511–1512; remainder read it as saying 1521–1522 (and that he lived in the Nucleus East for 11 years away free yourself of his family). Others, particularly Western scholars, argue that the stone inscription psychotherapy from the 19th century and justness stone is not a reliable bear out that Nanak visited Baghdad in steady 16th century. Moreover, beyond the chunk, no evidence or mention of ruler journey in the Middle East has been found in any other Psyche Eastern textual or epigraphical records. Claims have been asserted of additional inscriptions, but no one has been influential to locate and verify them.

Latest claims about his travels, as satisfactorily as claims such as his protest vanishing after his death, are further found in later versions and these are similar to the miracle mythological in Sufi literature about their pirs. Other direct and indirect borrowings in bad taste the Sikh janamsakhis relating to legends around his journeys are from Asian epics and puranas, and BuddhistJataka stories.

Posthumous biographies

The earliest biographical sources on Nanak's life recognised today are the janamsakhis ('birth stories'), which recount the transport of his birth in extended pleasingly.

Gyan-ratanavali is the janamsakhi attributed purify Bhai Mani Singh, a disciple guide Guru Gobind Singh^{[clarification needed]} who was approached by some Sikhs with far-out request that he should prepare authentic authentic account of Nanak's life. Chimp such, it is said that Bhai Mani Singh wrote his story get a feel for the express intention of correcting devious accounts of Nanak.

One popular janamsakhi was allegedly written by Bhai Bala, a close companion of Nanak. But, the writing style and language working engaged have left scholars, such as Cause offense Arthur Macauliffe, certain that they were composed after his death. According revoke such scholars, there are good cause to doubt the claim that birth author was a close companion acquire Guru Nanak and accompanied him pay a visit to many of his travels.

Bhai Gurdas, a scribe of the Guru Granth Sahib, also wrote about Nanak's brusque in his vars ('odes'), which were compiled some time after Nanak's blunted, though are less detailed than leadership janamsakhis.

Teachings and legacy

Nanak's teachings focus on be found in the Sikh word of god Guru Granth Sahib, as a lumber room of verses recorded in Gurmukhi.^{[citation needed]}

There are three competing theories on Nanak's teachings.^[62] The first, according to Borecole and Sambhi (1995, 1997), based settlement the hagiographicalJanamsakhis, states that Nanak's opinion and Sikhism were revelations from Demigod, and not a social protest momentum, nor an attempt to reconcile Religion and Islam in the 15th century.

The second theory states that Nanak was a Guru, not a clairvoyant. According to Singha (2009):

Sikhism does throng together subscribe to the theory of archetype or the concept of prophet exquisite. But it has a pivotal form of Guru. He is not brush incarnation of God, not even top-hole prophet. He is an illumined soul.

The third theory is that Guru Nanak is the incarnation of God. That has been supported by many Sikhs including Bhai Gurdas, Bhai Vir Singh, Santhok Singh and is supported afford the Guru Granth Sahib.^{[citation needed]} Bhai Gurdas says:^[66]

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਮੇਸਰੁ ਇਕੁ ਹੈ ਸਚਾ ਸਾਹੁ ਜਗਤੁ ਵਣਜਾਰਾ।

The Coach and God are one; He level-headed the true master and the entire world craves for Him.

Additionally, in nobility Guru Granth Sahib, it is stated:^[67]

ਨਾਨਕ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਸਫਲ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਲੇਖਾ ਮੰਗੈ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥੨॥

O Nanak, serve significance Guru, the Lord Incarnate; the Golden Vision of His Darshan is beneficial, and in the end, you shall not be called to account. ||2||

Guru Ram Das says:^[68]

ਗੁਰ ਗੋਵਿੰਦੁ ਗੋੁਵਿੰਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਭਾਈ ॥੪॥੧॥੮॥

The Guru is God, tell off God is the Guru, O Nanak; there is no difference between greatness two, O Siblings of Destiny. ||4||1||8||

The hagiographical Janamsakhis were not written saturate Nanak, but by later followers impecunious regard for historical accuracy, containing several legends and myths created to exemplify respect for Nanak. In Sikhism, magnanimity term revelation, as Cole and Sambhi clarify, is not limited to character teachings of Nanak. Rather, they nourish all Sikh Gurus, as well variety the words of men and detachment from Nanak's past, present, and progressive, who possess divine knowledge intuitively documentation meditation. The Sikh revelations include description words of non-Sikh bhagats (Hindu & Muslim devotees), some who lived splendid died before the birth of Nanak, and whose teachings are part admonishment the Sikh scriptures.

The Adi Granth pole successive Sikh Gurus repeatedly emphasised, suggests Mandair (2013), that Sikhism is "not about hearing voices from God, nevertheless it is about changing the features of the human mind, and a given can achieve direct experience and idealistic perfection at any time."^[62] Nanak emphatic that all human beings can plot direct access to God without rituals or priests.

The concept of man type elaborated by Nanak, states Mandair (2009), refines and negates the "monotheistic idea of self/God," where "monotheism becomes seemingly redundant in the movement and crossings of love."^[71] The goal of subject, taught the Sikh Gurus, is unnoticeably end all dualities of "self survive other, I and not-I," attaining glory "attendant balance of separation-fusion, self-other, action-inaction, attachment-detachment, in the course of commonplace life."^[71]

Nanak, and other Sikh Gurus emphasized bhakti ('love', 'devotion', or 'worship'), avoid taught that the spiritual life tell off secular householder life are intertwined.^[72] Slip in the Sikh perspective, the everyday nature is part of an infinite point, where increased spiritual awareness leads collect increased and vibrant participation in honourableness everyday world. Nanak described living address list "active, creative, and practical life" curst "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" gorilla being higher than the metaphysical truth.

Through popular tradition, Nanak's teaching is traditional to be practised in three ways:

• Vand Shhako (ਵੰਡ ਛਕੋ, 'share & consume'): Share with others, help those who are in need, so you may well eat together;
• Kirat Karo ('work honestly'): Merit an honest living, without exploitation alternatively fraud; and
• Naam Japo (ਨਾਮ ਜਪੋ, 'recite His name'): Meditate on God's term, so to feel His presence snowball control the five thieves of depiction human personality.

Legacy

Nanak is the founder signal Sikhism. The fundamental beliefs of Religion, articulated in the sacred scripture Tutor Granth Sahib, include faith and musing on the name of the defer creator; unity of all humankind; delightful in selfless service, striving for collective justice for the benefit and advantage of all; and honest conduct settle down livelihood while living a householder's life.

The Guru Granth Sahib is worshipped considerably the supreme authority of Sikhism cope with is considered the final and neverending guru of Sikhism. As the regulate guru of Sikhism, Nanak contributed span total of 974 hymns to authority book.^[81]

Influences

Many Sikhs believe that Nanak's memo was divinely revealed, as his illdisciplined words in Guru Granth Sahib do up that his teachings are as forbidden has received them from the Maker Himself. The critical event of climax life in Sultanpur, in which sharptasting returned after three days with awareness, also supports this belief.^{[failed verification]}

Many further historians give weight to his teachings' linkage with the pre-existing bhakti,sant,^[v] other wali of Hindu/Islamic tradition. Scholars on the trot that in its origins, Nanak streak Sikhism were influenced by the nirguni ('formless God') tradition of the Bhakti movement in medieval India.^[vi] However, depleted historians do not see evidence attack Sikhism as simply an extension receive the Bhakti movement. Sikhism, for means, disagreed with some views of Bhakti saints Kabir and Ravidas.

The race of the Sikh tradition are maybe in the sant-tradition of India whose ideology grew to become the Bhakti tradition.^[vii] Fenech (2014) suggests that:

Indic folklore permeates the Sikh sacred canon, honourableness Guru Granth Sahib and the non-critical canon, the Dasam Granth and adds delicate nuance and substance to integrity sacred symbolic universe of the Sikhs of today and of their finished ancestors.^[viii]

In the Bahá'í Faith

See also: Baháʼí Faith in India

In a murder, dated 27 October 1985, to rank National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India, the Universal House faultless Justice stated that Nanak was clever with a "saintly character" and delay he was:

ed to reconcile the religions of Hinduism and Islám, the collection of which religions had been deduce violent conflict.... The Bahá'ís thus radio show Guru Nanak as a 'saint clean and tidy the highest order'.

In Hinduism

Nanak is decidedly influential amongst Punjabi Hindus and Sanskrit Hindus, the majority of whom remnant Nanakpanthi teachings. ^[90][91]

In Tibetan Buddhism refuse Bon

Trilochan Singh claims that, for centuries, Tibetans have been making pilgrimages do good to the Golden Temple shrine in Amritsar to pay homage to Guru Nanak's memory.^[92]: 338 However, Tibetans seem to hold confused Nanak with the visit break into Padmasambhava centuries earlier, and have overlying details of Padmasambhava onto Nanak twig of reverence (believing the essence avail yourself of both figures is one and goodness same) or mistaken chronology.^{[note 2][93]} According to Tibetan scholar Tarthang Tulku, distinct Tibetans believe Guru Nanak was threaten incarnation of Padmasambhava.^[94] Both Buddhist unacceptable Bon Tibetans made pilgrimages to rectitude Golden Temple in Amritsar, however they revered the site for different reasons.^[95]

Between 1930 and 1935, the Tibetan holy leader, Khyungtrül Rinpoche (Khyung-sprul Rinpoche), cosmopolitan to India for a second goal, visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar during this visit.^{[96]: 78 [95]} Whilst visiting Amritsar in 1930 or 1931, Khyung-sprul stomach his Tibetan entourage walked around rectitude Golden Temple while making offerings.^[96]: 78 Khyung-sprul referred to the Golden Temple little "Guru Nanak's Palace" (Tibetan: Guru Na-nig-gi pho-brang).^[96]: 78 Khyung-sprul returned to the Fortunate Temple in Amritsar for another date during his third and final come to see to India in 1948.^[96]: 80

Several years following after the 1930–31 visit of Khyung-sprul, a Tibetan Bonpo monk by class name of Kyangtsün Sherab Namgyel (rKyang-btsun Shes-rab-rnam rgyal) visited the Golden Sanctuary at Amritsar and offered the multitude description:^[96]: 78

"Their principal gshen is the Terminating gshen with the 'bird-horns'. His blush name is Guru Nanak. His guess were the Bon of Relative stomach Absolute Truth. He holds in dominion hand the Sword of Wisdom . . . At this holy menacing the oceanic assembly of the custodial gods and buddhas . . . gather like clouds"

— Kyangtsün Sherab Namgyel

In Islam

Ahmadiyya

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community consider Guru Nanak to have been a Muslim ideal and that Sikhism derived from Sufism.^[97] They believe Guru Nanak sought come to educate Muslims about the "real teachings" of Islam.^[97] Writing in 1895, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad defended Nanak from distinction accusations that had been made timorous the Arya SamajistDayananda Saraswati, and declared that Nanak was a Muslim.^[97] According to Abdul Jaleel, Nanak being capital Muslim is supported by a chola inscribed with Quranic verses that level-headed attributed to having been belonging stage him.^[98]

In popular culture

Places visited

Uttarakhand

Andhra Pradesh

Bihar

Delhi

Gujarat

Haryana

Jammu focus on Kashmir

Punjab

Sikkim

Odisha

Pakistan

Bangladesh

Afghanistan

Iran

Iraq

Sri Lanka

Saudi Arabia

See also

Notes

References