Dated Forever-Guru Nanak & His Spirituality

Guru Nanak was one of the greatest spiritual thinkers of all times, whose religious ideas conglomerated both Hindu and Islamic thoughts and the same metamorphosed into poetic forms on which are laid the basics of Sikhism. As we prepare to celebrate the guru’s 550th birth anniversary this month, let us partake of his pioneering, simple, practical essence and teachings and implement it in the present day and times to honor the guru in the true sense of the word.

- Disney Brar

Even kings and emperors with heaps of wealth and vast dominion cannot compare with an ant filled with the love of god-Guru Nanak, Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

A flowing sunflower yellow robe, pristine white beard, a wooden rosary in one hand while another one gracing his neck, a shawl draped gracefully around his humble shoulders, a deeply meditative state and a halo of divine white light around his crown-well that’s Guru Nanak (1469-1539) for all of us but Nanak is much more than what meets the eye. The founder of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which believes in a shapeless, timeless and invisible god and the first of the ten Sikh gurus, Guru Nanak was born in Nankana Sahib, near Lahore in the modern day Pakistan to Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta. He lived in the village of Rai Bhoi Di Talvandi along with his parents and an elder sister Bebe Nanaki. Even as a small child Nanak was very contemplative of matters concerning god and religion. A series of some spiritual events in Nanak’s childhood made everyone in his village wake up to the fact that little Nanak was a blessed child of god. Even as a child Nanak refused to participate in the meaningless rituals in which his family believed. When Nanak first started attending school when he was just seven years old he described the symbolism of the first letter of the alphabet in Persian, which resembles the mathematical version of one, to represent the unity or oneness of god.

Baba Nanak’s teachings talk first and foremost of being selfless. History has many documented facts which throw light on Nanak’s early spiritual awakening when a young Nanak spent most of his time in meditation while all the other children of his age engaged in playing. But Guru Nanak also had a rebellious streak to him where he never accepted any kind of religious dogma. His teachings are treasured in the form of 974 hymns in the holy Guru Granth Sahib.