Guru Nanak Sahib
[Some writers wrongly use ‘Dev’ as a suffix to Guru Nanak’s name]
Guru Nanak Sahib founded Sikhism, as revealed to him by Akaal Purakh (God). Guru Nanak (20.10.1469 – 7.9.1539),1 son of (Mata) Tripta and (Baba) Kalyan Das (son of Baba Shiv Narayan and grandson of Baba Ram Narayan Bedi, was born at village Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi2 (now Nanakana Sahib).
Guru Nanak was perhaps the greatest religious missionary. He travelled more than 40 thousand kilometres, mostly on foot, and wandered through hundreds of cities, towns and villages in different countries and preached his mission to millions of people. He changed the way of life of the people he met.
Guru Nanak was a great miracle on this earth. To define his personality in one word, one can say that he was a spiritual magnet. As a magnet attracts even tiny particles of iron toward it and grips them; Guru Nanak captivated every heart and mesmerized every human being he met, and made him/her his follower (a Sikh). Guru Nanak won over the minds of the intellectuals, teachers, saints, kings, tribal chiefs, traders, farmers, labourers and hermits; and every one admired him, loved him and bowed one’s head before his greatness. Guru Nanak never asked anyone to join his faith but whosoever met him became a part and parcel of Guru’s world.
Guru Nanak taught people to live an honourable and graceful life. He advised people to live a truthful life (honest earning, sharing with others and remembering God). A human being should earn honestly, share his earnings and wealth with the poor, the needy and the helpless. He wanted everyone to be a creative and positive part of society. He taught that all of us must contribute to the welfare of humanity. Besides, one must meditate upon the name of God; meditation does not mean repetition of the name of God, but it means that one must have ‘noble fear’ of God in one’s heart, all the time. He taught that one should get liberation from maya (attachment to the world) while living in this world; it is living like a lotus (flower) which grows in dirty waters but is not affected by its dirt.
Guru Nanak told that God was Nirankar (formless). He does not have any colour, form or shape. He never appears on this earth in human form. He pervades Himself in His creation; and, we can realize Him from the vastness and greatness of His creation. We can express our amazement at His creation, which exists and functions under His orders.
Guru Nanak said that God loves every one alike. There is none low or high in His eyes; for Him, there are no chosen or rejected beings; He showers His benign grace on every one alike; He bestows His blessings and love to everyone without discrimination; His justice is alike for everyone. But, those who do not have quality of mercy, love, generosity, goodness and humanism, and, those who spread hatred, remain bereft of His graceful glance and
blessings. But, such people can become candidates of His mercy again, if they begin living their lives in accordance with the Divine law.
Whatever is happening in the world is His will. He knows what He has to grant, to whom, when, where and how much. Having grudge against Him means refusing to accept His will and thus losing His grace.
Guru Nanak professed that God prevails in every being. He preached “fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man”. He organised the Sikh faith as a brotherhood. He said God is our father; hence we are each other’s brethren. One who accepts Him as father must not discriminate, hate or be partial to the other beings. As God’s light prevails in every human being, so hating any one would mean hating at least some part of the creation of God. One who practices discrimination, lacks spiritualism, and, is ignorant about the concept of God and thus, such person is a hypocrite.
Guru Nanak expounded that those who consider woman as inferior to man cannot be considered as religious persons. How can a woman, who gives birth to kings, spiritual personalities and intellectuals, be evil or inferior? Moreover, a woman too is a creation of God; we cannot condemn God’s any creation as inferior or evil.
Guru Nanak made spiritualism and service of humanity as sequel (complementary) of each other. He said religion sans humanism is lame, and spiritualism without social role is dwarf. He preached religion as ‘social spiritualism’. Guru Nanak gave the message of “spiritualism tempered in the colour of socialism and humanism”.
He rejected the idea of wandering in forests, hills and deserts in search of salvation or God, as a meaningless pursuit. He said troubling one’s body (penance) or performing ritualistic meditation was of no avail. One can become a spiritual being while living his life as a householder. He said that married life is not an obstacle, but it is helpful, on the path to liberation; rather, Guru Nanak asserted that a householder’s life was the best path towards a spiritual journey. Every living being has some physical needs too; hence one cannot (and must not) run from the realities of the world. Even after renouncing the world, one again turns to householders for assistance to fulfil one’s daily needs; moreover, renunciation (escapism) is running from the field; it is, in fact, accepting one’s defeat. He asserted that one can achieve liberation while living as an ordinary human being (laughing and playing i.e. entertaining and fulfilling one’s daily needs).
Guru Sahib said that liberation is not a post-death phenomenon; one can achieve liberation in this life. Being free from lust, anger, avarice, compassion and pride is liberation. If there is any other liberation, then it is death itself which is the end of life. He said that real liberation is self realization and a state of equipoise.
Guru Nanak said that human body is made of five elements (air, fire, water, earth and ether); and, after one’s death these elements merge again with
their base elements; this is the end of human existence. Rebirth is just an illusion. Brahmins preach that one is born as human being after living 84 lakh (8.4 million) lives of other species; he rejected this theory and said that there were 8.4 million (countless) species of creatures on this earth and human being is the supreme among them (but one does not pass through each one of all these 8.4 million lives). Human being is born only once and there is no transmigration of soul; one has to achieve liberation in this very life. He said that there is no hell or heaven beyond this universe; when we obey God and sing His praise, we are in heaven; when we turn our back to Him and live sinful life we are in hell. Understanding this secret is one stage of liberation.
Guru Nanak told the human beings to live simple lives. He said that man goes on increasing one’s desires and needs and then uses unfair means to fulfil them. He advocated simple and light diet. He said that the world is like an inn and we are just like travellers; one should realise that one has not to stay here forever; hence one ought not to have attachment with this material world.
Guru Nanak rejected ritualism. He said that real religion is living the life of a truthful person. Truth, love, humanism, justice, simple living, service of humanity, saving oneself from sins/vices and control over one’s mind/wishes/self is real meditation. Exhibition of meditation, havans, yajnas and ritualistic worship are sheer formality, hence hypocrisy; and, are of no avail.
Guru Nanak said religion was not an end in itself; it was a way of life to become a good human being. If one meditates upon the name of God (i.e. always keeps God in mind), lives an ethical life, helps in making the world a better place; such a man is on the right path. He suggested Muslims to live real Islam; Brahmin to follow God’s ways; and Sikh to bow before the Will of God as this was the real religion. Adopting such a path could make a human being a real man. This is the ‘liberation in this very life’; this is the eternal bliss; this is equipoise.
According to Guru Nanak God is all love. He hates never, discriminates none, and, regards no body as inferior or superior. All beings are his children; He has created everyone with His own light. It depends upon our efforts as to how much can we make ourselves capable of getting His blessings.
Guru Nanak gave new definitions of God, salvation, religion, meditation and purpose of human life etc. He founded a complete religion and preached a perfect philosophy.
He was the first person who revealed scientific truths about the creation of universe and several other scientific questions, which were not even known to most of the scientists of his times. Several of the present day discoveries find mention in his verses. Look, how has he presented the pre-creation scenario:
For billions and even more than billions of years, there was haze.
There was neither earth nor sky, only the order of Infinite was operating.
Neither there was day nor night, nor moon nor Sun.
He was in trance in void.
Neither there were sources of life, or sound, or air, or water.
Neither there was creation, nor desolation, neither birth nor death.
Neither there were continents, nor nether regions, nor seven oceans, nor rivers flowing with water.
Neither there were highs, nor middle nor nether regions.
Neither there was hell nor heaven, nor fear of death,
Neither there was hell, nor heaven, nor birth or death, neither anyone would come, nor go.
There was none of the Brahma, Vishnu or Mahesh.
None other than one God was seen there.
Neither there was woman, nor man, nor death nor birth, nor would anyone suffer sorrows.
Neither then there was a celibate, or meditating in forest.
Neither then there was a perfect or perfecting or someone living happy.
Neither there was garb of Jogi, nor of a Shaivait; none was called a Master.
Neither there was discipline of meditation, austerity, nor fasting nor worship.
None would tell or speak of another.
He Himself created progresses and He fixed the worth.
Neither there was discipline of purity, nor rosary of tulsi.
Neither there was a maid, nor Krishan (lover), neither cows nor a grazer.
There was no display of pretentious magic, nor would anyone play on flute.
Neither there were rituals, nor a fly of wealth.
None would see any birth and any caste, with one’s eyes.
The greed, the net of birth was not in mind, none would remember anyone.
Neither there was semen, nor slandering, nor any living being.
Neither there was Gorakh nor Machhinder (Jogis).
Neither there was knowledge, nor concentration, nor birth of lineage, nor any boasting one.
Neither there was a Brahman nor Khatri (castes), nor any garb for a sect.
Neither there was a god, nor his shrine, neither a cow nor Gaitry.
Neither there was sacrificial fire, nor such feast, neither bath in sacred waters, nor anyone would conduct worship.
Neither there was a Maulvi nor a Kazi (priests).
Neither there was a sheikh, nor sheikhs, nor a Haji.
Neither there was king of subjects, nor was there ego of wealth, nor would anyone boast for it.
Neither there was loving devotion, nor of Shiv nor Shakti.
Neither there was a friend, a dear, nor any semen or blood (of female, for production of babies)
He Himself was owner, and Himself a purchaser, this was what was liked by the True.
Neither there was Ved or Kateb, nor Simrisitis or Shashtras.
Neither any one was reading Puran (Muslim religion texts), nor there was sun to rise and set.
The saying and speaking was unknowable Himself; He Himself was seeing the unseen.
When He desired, He created the world.
He kept the fabricated intact without pillars.
He created Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh (mythical gods), thus He increased the love for worldliness.
Guru taught his word to a very special one.
He creates and then monitors His all prevailing order.
He began with the creation of continents, universe, nether-regions; and thus revealed the unseen.
None knows His end. Only perfect Guru can let one know.
Nanak says, “The wonder-struck are in love with the True, and singing His attributes, are enraptured.” 3
Guru Nanak was also a keen historian; his verses regarding the invasion of Babar, Aasa Di Vaar and Sidh Gosht etc are precious history of his times.
To sum up, Guru Nanak was a great thinker, political philosopher, spiritual sociologist, humanist and a psychologist and a keen observer of history and science. The world had never seen such a great person on this earth before or after him.
Family Background
Guru Nanak was born in the Bedi-Khatri family; he was the son of Kalyan Das (Kalu) and grandson of Shiv Narayan (son of Ram Narayan). Shiv Narayan was born in 1418;4 he had a younger brother named Saanpat. Shiv Narayan was married to (Mata) Banarasi in 1431.5 She gave birth to Kalyan Das in October 1440 and Lal Chand in 1443.6 At that time this family used to live in village Patthewind (district Gurdaspur); this village is now a part of Dera Baba Nanak town. Later, they moved to Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi (now Nanakana Sahib).
Kalyan Das was married to (Mata) Tripta7 (daughter of Bhai Rama of village Chahal in the district of Lahore, now in Pakistan) in 1461. (Mata) Tripta gave birth to a daughter (Nanaki) in 1464 and a son (Nanak) in 1469.
Early Life of Guru Nanak
When Guru Nanak was five years old he was sent to a local teacher to receive education; there, he learnt Sidhongaiya (an early script of the Punjabi language) from his teacher Gopal;8 at the age of seven, he learnt Sanskrit;9 at the age of thirteen (in 1482), he started learning Persian and Arabic from Maulavi Kutub-ud-Din.10 He studied a lot of literature of Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit etc; he studied several books of philosophy, religion, medicine, history and
classical works too; thus, at the age of 15-16, he was the most learned boy of that area.
Guru Nanak was much different in nature from other boys of his age; he was less interested in playing; he loved to sit in the company of elders, intellectuals and religious elite; he used to pay special attention to debate and dialogue as well as conversation about knowledge. He, sometimes, would make such queries that even the wise and the intellectuals would find difficult to answer; people began feeling that he was not an ordinary child and had been sent by God on a mission. Rai Bular, the chief of the village Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi, too came to know about this gifted child; he began visiting and inviting him (Nanak) to share meals and have a dialogue with him.
Refusal to adopt Hinduism
When (Guru) Nanak was nine years old, his parents decided to perform the ceremony of janeo (wearing of the so-called sacred thread); like all other people, Nanak’s parents too had been performing ritualism in the name of religion, as per the instructions of the priests, without knowing the necessity or meaning of those rituals.
When a Brahmin priest, Hardyal, came to their house to perform janeo ceremony, (Guru) Nanak refused to wear the janeo and asked, ‘Will this janeo remain with me throughout my life? Will it never be broken? Does it stop one from doing evil deeds?’ The priest had no answers to these questions; (Guru) Nanak again said ‘I want to wear that janeo which would teach me patience, contentment, mercy etc; stop me from evil deeds; direct me to do good deeds and usher a spiritual being in me. If you have any such a janeo, I will gladly wear it.’
Now, the priest used his last weapon and said, ‘Janeo was obligatory to become a Hindu’.11 At this (Guru) Nanak retorted ‘Well! Then I don’t want to be a Hindu.’ Now the priest as well as the parents of Nanak had no option but to give up the idea of performing janeo ceremony. Guru Nanak has explained this event and the concept of janeo and other initiation ceremonies in one of his hymns:12
Let mercy be the cotton, contentment be the thread, countenance be the knot, (and) truth be the twist.
Such a thread is for the soul, O panday! Put on me (my body) only if you have it (if you have such a thread).
Such a thread will neither get broken, nor will it become dirty, nor will it get burnt, nor will it go waste.
Nanak says, “Blessed are those persons, who live by wearing such a thread (and not a ritualistic thread).”
A (ritualistic) thread is purchased for four shells and is worn while sitting in the courtyard.
(Under this ritual) the priest (Brahmin) whispers in the ear (some verse), and thus he becomes a guru.
(When) he (man with ritualistic thread) dies, the thread falls away (is burnt), and he leaves (this world) without it.13
Grazing the Cattle
Some writers14 have associated an interesting story with the early life of (Guru) Nanak. According to this story: Nanak, as a child, was given a duty to take his cattle for grazing in the fields; one day, while grazing the cattle, he sat down on cool grass and soon fell asleep. During this time, his cattle entered the fields of a neighbour farmer and they grazed and damaged his crop. The farmer suddenly appeared at the scene and, having seen damaged crop, became angry and immediately approached the chief of the village; when the chief reached the spot, he and the farmer were amazed to see that there was not even slight loss to the crop of the complainant.
The creator of this hagiographic story wanted to establish that (Guru) Nanak had miraculous and occult power with which he brought the crop in its original condition. Guru Sahib himself has rejected the concept of such so-called miracles (which don’t exist); secondly, if we accept this story it would also mean that: 1. Guru Nanak was not a responsible boy because he left his cattle unattended and fell asleep. 2. If he had some metaphysical/magic power then why could not he know that his cattle were damaging the crop of another person? 3. Guru Nanak’s father, in spite of being a rich person, who could afford a servant, still used to send him to graze the cattle. No rich person would ask his only son to graze cattle. Guru Nanak’s father was a Patwari (revenue officer) and such a senior officer, and an affluent person, can’t ask his only son to graze the cattle.15
According to another story: once, a snake protected his (Nanak’s) face from heat of the sun by spreading his hood when he was sleeping in the noon hours, under a tree, and, the shade had moved away. It is possible that such hagiographic stories were added to Guru’s history by some Brahmin writers in order to distort Sikh philosophy which rejects miracles and so-called occult power. According to Sikhism, only God and (remembering) His Name is miracle as such.
Another such story about his Sacha Sauda16(honest trade) is also popular. According to this story: once, Guru Nanak’s father gave him twenty rupees and asked him to do some business (and earn some money) with that amount; and, when Nanak was travelling with this money in his pocket, he met some hungry ascetic on his way and spent all the money to feed them. It is interesting to note that an amount of rupees twenty was meant as investment money for business; it means that it must have been a big sum in those days; and this amount would have been enough to buy food for hundreds, if not thousands, of people; it also means that the ascetics were in big number, passing through the small village of
Chuharkana. Further, question will arise as to where from did the Guru buy all the food for hundreds of people as, in those times, there were no food shops or restaurants in small villages. On the other hand, it is possible that the Guru had been doing his business (probably a shop) in that village and he used to feed the poor and hungry with the daswandh (tithe) of his earnings, which people might have been calling a ‘sacha sauda‘.
Feeding ascetics or wandering herds of sadhus, with one’s all investment money, is not in accordance with Sikhism – though feeding the poor and needy, in situation of crisis, is a different point. Some writers call it (feeding the ascetics) the beginning of the institution of langar, which is utterly wrong. In Sikhism, langar is not feeding the hungry ascetics; it is ‘sacred community kitchen’. As far as the story of Guru’s father being angry for wasting money on ascetics is concerned, it is possible that Guru’s father did not appreciate his spending of his daswandh for welfare of the people. It is true that Guru Nanak considered ‘reserving daswandh for social cause’ as sacha sauda. To be a ‘sachiaar’ (truthful person) such sacha sauda is a must.
Once, Guru’s father thought that he (the Guru) might have developed some psychic problem and he invited a vaid (those who knew medicine) to examine the Guru. When the vaid talked to Guru Nanak, he was amazed at his intelligence and acumen. He told Guru’s father that Nanak did not have any problem rather he was an exceptional personality – a precocious child.
Marriage of Guru Nanak
When Guru Nanak was 16 years old, he was engaged to Sulakkhani (the daughter of Bhai Mool Chand Chona, of village Pakkhoke Randhawa); the marriage ceremony was performed on the 24th of September 1487, at Batala.17 (Guru) Nanak fathered two sons: Sri Chand18 (on the 10th of August 1494) and Lakhmi Das (on the 13th of February 1497).19 It seems that Guru Nanak had begun running his own independant business.20
Joining as Modi in Sultanpur Regime
Presumably, Guru Nanak had been running successful business for the past several years. He was known as an experienced businessman, an honest man, a generous being and an intellectual person; and every one talked about his capabilities and personality. This news must have reached the state officials at Sultanpur too. It is very likely that Jai Ram21 (Guru’s sister’s husband), who was a senior officer in the administration of Daulat Khan Lodhi, the chief of Sultanpur, then a sub-province, might have informed him (Lodhi) about the personality of Nanak. It is possible that Lodhi might have known about Guru Nanak’s personality from his own sources. In those days, Lodhi needed a suitable person for the post of a modi (like today’s treasury in charge or alike). The person to be appointed against this post was expected to be an intelligent, honest, diligent, judicious person of enterprising nature. Guru Nanak had all
such qualities. So, Lodhi offered this office to (Guru) Nanak. At first he (Nanak) refused to accept this office or to move to Sultanpur, but on persuasions from Jai Ram, sister Nanaki and other dears and nears, (Guru) Nanak gave his consent and accepted the office.
Guru Nanak joined his duties in October 1504 when he was 35 years old;22 at his job, he regularly reserved his daswandh (tithe) for the poor and the needy; and, sometimes, if need there be, he would spend more than his daswandh; during his free time he would have dialogue with common people, with the Sufi missionaries, teachers, priests, intellectuals and even with the government officers, statesmen and diplomats. Sultanpur, at that time, was a great centre of Islamic studies. It is worth mentioning that even the later Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had spent some time here to study Islam.
Soon, Nanak became well known among the common folk as well as elite, and, people from far and near began visiting him. In the early mornings, Nanak would visit Bein, a stream, where he used to have a bath; there, he would sing hymn (composed by him) and have interaction with the people on social and spiritual subjects.
As Guru Nanak was the Modi – a very senior officer – the village chiefs, feudal of hundreds of villages and other officers used to visit him in connection with deposit of state revenues and other amounts in cash and kind; sme of them had to stay for one or more nights; and, during official dealings as well as after day’s work, these officials used to have a dialogue with him. As he was full of knowledge, people loved to talk to him; this added several friends and admirers to his circle; one of them was Bhai Bhagirath who was he chief of Malsian village (in the present Jalandhar district).
Guru Nanak used to have discourse with Muslim intellectuals and priests too. One day, he accompanied some senior Muslims to a local mosque; when they performed namaz (Muslim prayer) Guru Nanak did not participate and kept watching them; when the ritual was over, some one asked him: ‘Why did not you say namaz?’ Guru Nanak replied: ‘You, as well as most others, were not making prayer from your heart because your attention was towards your mundane liabilities;’23 it was true; hence they had no answer. Then someone asked him: ‘Are you a Muslim or a Hindu?’ He replied: ‘There is no Hindu or Muslim. The Muslims believe that just circumcision makes them religious and the Hindus consider idol-worship as everything of religion. Hindus are foolish; they worship stones; how would the stones (idols) make one cross a stream when they themselves can’t swim;24 similarly, a Musalman (Muslim) is the one who lives his life according to teachings of his faith; and, as far as my religion is concerned, I don’t recognize any one except God!’25
When Guru Nanak had spent more than two years at Sultanpur, (Bhai) Mardana, one of his friends from his home village, visited him; he had been sent by Guru Nanak’s father to personally observe his (Nanak’s) life at Sultanpur. When Mardana reached Sultanpur, Nanak gave him a warm welcome; he spent
several days at Sultanpur; he was very much pleased to be there; everyday they would have bath in the stream and spend a lot of time there; Guru Nanak would sing his hymns and Mardana would play on rabab (rebec); this would create pleasing and spiritual atmosphere; Mardana was so pleased with this routine that he forgot that he was to go back too.
After a couple of weeks, Guru Nanak told Mardana that he wanted to begin udasi (missionary journey) to spread the message revealed to him by God. He suggested Mardana that he too should join him; Mardana readily agreed but asked him to wait for some time till he could arrange the marriage of his daughter. Mardana was financially weak and did not have enough money to arrange his daughter’s marriage; when Guru Nanak came to know about this, he told Mardana not to worry for the expenses; he offered that he would bear the expenses of the marriage of his (Mardana’s) daughter; he asked Mardana to prepare a list of the items needed for marriage; first, Mardana hesitated from accepting all this, but, finally, he agreed and prepared a list.26 By chance, on that day, Bhagirath from Malsian was on his visit to Sultanpur; Guru Nanak gave him the list of the articles and asked him to buy them from the market; Bhagirath bought most of the articles but a couple of things were not available there and had to be brought from Lahore. Guru Sahib asked Bhagirath if he had time enough to make a visit to Lahore, the latter immediately said ‘yes’; so, Bhagirath went to Lahore where he visited the shop of Mansukh, who was a big businessman; he provided everything to Bhagirath.
Before he could leave, Bhagirath told Mansukh about the personality of Guru Nanak; Mansukh was so impressed by all this that he decided to see the Guru; he was so anxious to meet Guru Nanak that he immediately joined Bhagirath on his way to Sultanpur. When Mansukh met Guru Nanak and had a dialogue with him, he was so impressed that he expressed his desire to join Guru’s mission; like Mardana and Bhagirath, now, Mansukh was also a part and parcel of Guru Nanak.
The next day, Mardana left for Talwandi and performed the marriage of his daughter; after Some days, he handed over his family responsibilities to his son Sajaada (Shehzaada) and left for Sultanpur. Now, Bhai Mardana and Guru Nanak would hold congregations at Sultanpur everyday and preach God’s mission.
One day, Guru Nanak entered the Bein (stream) to have a bath; he took bath and then he crossed to the other side and rested under the cluster of trees; here, he finally planned his udasi. He spent a lot of time pondering over the whole plan; when he did not return for quiet a good time, people began thinking that he might have been drowned; soon, this news reached the chief of Sultanpur too. Some people began propagating that Nanak had fled Sultanpur because he owed a lot of money to the State; apprehending this, the chief of the State checked his accounts and found that the rumours were wrong and it was the
state that owed money to him.27 Sometimes later, Guru Nanak returned home and announced that he would begin his udasis soon.28
It is interesting that some writers mention that Guru Nanak spent three days in the Bein.29 One source increases this period to eight days.30 During this period, he had gone to the darbar (court) of God. Such writers don’t mention whether there was a tunnel beneath the stream Bein, leading to God’s court, or there was a court in the Bein itself. They do not mention either what did Guru discuss with God for three/eight days (nowadays, there is no water in his stream and one can know the truth).
Secondly, on one hand these writers assert that Guru Nanak himself was God or an incarnation of God, and, in that case, when he went to God beneath the Bein stream then there must have been two Gods. Such exaggeration and hagiographic stories have been written about other Gurus as well as leaders of other missions too.
Before leaving for his missionary journey, Guru Nanak gave all his savings to his wife31 and sent her to her parents’ house and put on an udasi (a hermit’s) dress and set out for journey in September 150732; between September 1507 and 1522 (with an interval of a few months during 1516-17), he travelled far and wide. He visited Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Assam, Bengal, Tibet, Kashmir, Punjab, several parts of India as well as most of the present Pakistan; Guru Nanak visited all the major centres of the Hindus, Muslims, Sufis, Buddhists, Jains, Yogis etc. and had dialogue with the missionaries, the scholars and the common people. Wherever he went, the people accepted the supremacy of his knowledge and bowed before his spiritual personality; his udasis brought several thousand followers to his mission. Thereafter, he founded the town of Kartarpur in 1522 and spent the rest of his life (1522-39) there.
Guru Nanak Sahib’s Udasis
Visit to Sayyadpur. Bhai Lalo and Malik Bhago
Guru Nanak left Sultanpur in September 1507.33 He chose his route towards the west. Sayydpur (now Eimanabad) was his first stopover. Here, he rested in the outskirts of the town, on a spot which was full of stones and rocks. He began singing a hymn while Mardana played on rebec; it was Guru Nanak’s mode of drawing attemtion of the people. Some passersby were attracted towards them. Among them one was a poor carpenter named Lalo. He requested the Guru to stay with him for some time. Lalo and his daughter served the Guru with whatever they had i.e. the simple food.
The next morning the Guru again performed keertan (singing hymns); people from the whole patti (ward/block) flocked to Lalo’s house to listen to the Guru; the same happened in the evening; and, when the Guru told Lalo of his
mission, i.e. to have a round of various towns and villages, the latter requested him to spend a few days at his residence before moving further on his mission; the Guru agreed; at that point Bhai Mardana requested the Guru to allow him to make a visit to Talwandi and inform his family of his long journey; the Guru asked him to return as quickly as possible.34
The following day, Bhai Lalo and all the residents received information of an open invitation to have a lunch at the residence of Malik Bhago (who was a rich person) as the latter was observing sharadh (annual rituals) for his dead parents; all the residents hated Bhago as he was an inhuman person but they did not have courage to defy him; hence, all of them went to his house and joined the lunch but Guru Nanak did not go there; then news spread that the Guru had refused to have his (Bhago’s) food. Bhago sent one of his servants to bring the Guru to his home but he refused to go. Bhago, as he was a rich and influential person, approached Zalam Khan, the chief of Eimanabad, and complained about disobeyance by Nanak; the Chief immediately sent some policemen to bring Nanak to his (Bhago’s) mansion, even forcibly in case he refused. When they visited Lalo’s house, they told Guru Nanak about the order of the chief; the Guru thought it a good opportunity to give his message, so he accompanied them.35 When Guru Nanak reached there, a large number of guests as well as common folk were present there; Malik Bhago too wanted to assert his position in the presence of a big gathering.
When confronted with the Guru, Bhago asked him: ‘why did not you come to eat my food?’ Guru retorted: ‘First, annual rituals for the dead are meaningless; it is mere show and a formality. Secondly, even if you have faith in such ritualism, then you should do so with your honestly earned money and not with haraam (not earned in rightful manner) wealth; to my mind this food was not purchased with rightful money, so it has blood in it; food bought with honestly earned money is like milk’.36 This angered Malik Bhago but he had no answer; though he was convinced by Guru’s version but he did not want to surrender; he put a further question: ‘you are a learned and saintly person, why are staying with a low-caste person?’ Guru Nanak replied back: ‘one is not high or low because of family of birth or due to wealth; lower caste is the one who discriminated between one group and another group of God’s children; Lalo is son of God because he considers all human being as one;’ Bhago could not answer this question too.
Finally, Malik Bhago surrendered; the Guru told him: ‘performing a religious or charitable function with unrightfully earned money is fruitless, and it is not acceptable in the court of God’; Guru Nanak then sang a hymn which mesmerized the whole audience:
If a thief loots a house (of someone), and brings the booty to give to his elders.
Hereafter (in the court of God), such booty shall be identified (as stolen wealth). The elders (too) will be treated as thieves.
The judge will order cutting off the hands of the man in between (the priest).
Nanak says, “Hereafter, a man gets, what he earns honestly and gives (shares with others/ contributes for some good cause)]”. 37
Malik Bhago begged pardon of the Guru and promised to live as his Sikh; now he was no more Malik Bhago and had become Bhai Bhago. 38
According to a tradition, before leaving, Guru Nanak, while commenting on the cruel regime, made prophesy that such a regime will not last long and God will send someone to punish them;39 he spent another few days in Sayyadpur; in the meanwhile Bhai Mardana had come back from Talwandi, and, both of them began their journey onwards.
Reforming Sajjan Thug
From Sayyadpur (Eimanabad) Guru Sahib went to Harrapa (ancient town of Indus Valley civilization), Chichawatni and Tulamba. Tulamba was once a prosperous town (now it is known as Makhdumpur).
Tulamba was the second big city between Sayyadpur and Multan (later, foreign invaders plundered and destroyed most of this town). Tulamba was important for another reason too. People would cross river here; on one side of the river, there was a big saraan (inn); those who were to cross over the river Jehlum the following morning (or had crossed it on this side in the evening) would spend night in an inn, owned by a man named Sajjan, who used to welcom people warmly and they were impressed by his personality. But, on the other hand, he was a thug and a cruel man; in the midst of night, he would kill the passengers and steal their money and goods.
When Guru Nanak and Mardana reached Tulamba, it was almost dark; so they decided to spend night in the inn; when Sajjan welcomed them, the Guru read his face and realized his intentions; he entered the inn and took some rest. On the other hand, Sajjan kept them watching and waited for an opportunity to act upon his nefarious intention when they would be fast asleep. Guru Sahib, having known his intentions, instead of sleeping, began singing hymns. In one of his hymns that the Guru sung, there was an indication to Sajjan that whatever he had been doing was grave sin and he shall have to repay for all that; and, facade of noble-ness does not make one great; one has to live pious life. The hymn said:
Bronze looks to be clear and shining, but the blackness within it appears when it is rubbed.
Washing does not remove its impurity, even if one washes it hundred times.
‘Sajjan’ (friends) are those who (always) stand by, and are ever ready to help (throughout life).
Wherever they are called to stand by there, they present themselves (without delay).
The houses, the mansions, the high building, (though) are well decorated;
(But) when they fall, they are of no use (for living), they are empty from within.
The herons look clothed in white; they live at (so-called) sacred places (on the banks of the rivers, streams, near religious places).
But they catch and eat living beings (fish); then how they are (can be) called ‘white’.
(It is like) I have a body like bombax tree (simmal tree), when people look at me they are mistaken (about my strature);
(As) its fruits are of no use, same are the qualities of my body.
The blind me is loaded with burden, the mountain track is long.
Though I have (physical) eyes, yet I cannot find the way, how should I pass through the (difficult) track?
The service, the virtues and the much of wisdom are of no avail.
Nanak says: “Remember the name of God that can free you from bondage.”40
Sajjan realized that the hymn was, in fact, an assessment of his personality and his life; he begged Guru’s pardon; the Guru asked him to stop sinning and live the life of a noble man; only then people will consider him as ‘sajjan’ (noble man) and love him; Thus Guru’s teaching washed off all his sins and he decided to live the life of a real noble person; in this way, the Guru turned a thug, a rascal, scoundrel and a criminal into a real sajjan; he was, now, Bhai Sajjan and his inn became a religious centre. It was the first dharamsala41 established by a Sikh.
Visit to Pakpattan
From Tulamba, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana went to Pakpattan (earlier it was known as Ajodhan); they crossed the river Beas42 and entered Ajodhan state. Then it was like a ferrying port where people would cross the river, hence it was known as pattan (literally: port for ferry crossing) and, later, due to the sojourn of Sheikh Farid (Sufi preacher, who had been living there for several years), it became pak (pious) pattan. When the Guru reached there, Sheikh Ibrahim was functioning as caretaker of the dera (cult centre) of Sheikh Farid.43 Guru Nanak visited him and spent a night there; at night the Guru sung a few hymns; when Sheikh Ibrahim heard them, he exclaimed: ‘those hymns have almost the same message as our Sufi verses have’; he too sang some of his verses as well as the verses of his predecessors. The next morning Guru Sahib resumed his further journey.44
From Pakpattan, Guru Nanak reached Bhatner (now Hanumangarh) and then went to Sirsa;45 here, he held a few sessions where he sang hymns and preached his mission. A Gurdwara commemorating his visit to Sirsa has been built. From Sirsa, he went to Pehowa which was, then, a famous centre of the Brahmins and people used to visit this place frequently; here too the Guru gave his message and then proceeded to Kurukashetra.
At Kurukshetra
At Kurukshetra, Guru Nanak took rest under a tree; after some time he began singing hymns; passers-bye would stop and listen to the hymns; this went on for some time. A prince and his queen-mother too, incidently, passed from that side; the prince, on his way to Kurukashetra, had hunted a deer and was carrying it with him;46 here, the prince came to know that the Brahmins forbid killing animals (and cooking of meat) on the occasion of solar eclipse, and it was solar eclipse that day; the prince paid obeisance to Guru Sahib and listened to hymns; when the Guru finished one hymn, the prince asked him if it was a sin to kill/cook an animal on solar eclipse day; Guru Nanak told him that meat-eating had nothing to do with solar eclipse or religion; at this the prince offered the deer to the Guru; the Guru dressed the deer, cut into pieces and began cooking it.
When the smell of meat-cooking reached some Brahmins, they ran towards the Guru and began shouting that cooking meat on solar eclipse day was a sin; at this Guru Sahib put them a counter question: ‘Does solar eclipse allow you to fight on this day?’ This was enough to silence the Brahmins; but, a Pandit, named Nanu, was very shrewd; he said: ‘It is true that we cannot fight on the day of solar eclipse but there is no restriction on discussions.’ He further said: ‘It is wrong to eat meat on the event of solar eclipse.’ The Guru rebutted: “meat cooking or eating has nothing to do with solar eclipse or religion; and, moreover, there is no difference between meat and saag (green leaves); God has made both these things for our food; dispute over eating or not eating meat is a game of the foolish; man himself is born from flesh; moreover, one uses meat/flesh, everyday, in many a form”. Guru Sahib then sang:
First one is conceived in flesh, and then he lives in flesh.
When he is born, he is given the mouth of flesh, his bones, skin, body all are of flesh.
Once he is brought out of flash (of womb), he is given morsel (i.e. milk) through breasts of flesh.
His mouth is of flesh, tongue is of flesh, and he breathes through flesh.
When grown up, he marries and brings flesh (wife) in home.
The flesh gives birth to flesh, and all relation is through flesh.
The foolish quarrels over the issue of flesh; he neither knows nor concentrates on anything.
What is called flesh, and what is saag (green vegetable)? and in what is sinning?
Killing rhino, the sacred feast is offered, this was the tradition of gods.
(But now Brahmins are) refusing to eat flesh (meat); they press their nose, with fingers (so that they may not inhale smell of flesh), but during the night they enjoy flesh (have sex).
They catch (object to flesh) and show it to the people; neither they know it, nor they concentrate on it, nor they can realize it.
Nanak says, ‘What to tell the blind? Even if we tell he won’t understand’.
(In fact) blind is one who earns blindness, in his mind, he has no eye.
They are nourished with the blood of mother and father, but they refuse to eat the flesh and fish.
During night, when man and wife mate, there they mate flesh with flesh.
We are conceived in flesh, born in flesh; and are bodies made of flesh.
O! Panday (priest), you do not know, you do not concentrate, you do not realize anything, yet you wish to be called wise.
O! Master, flesh in home is good, but flesh brought from outside is bad.
All living beings are created from flesh; the soul also has its abode in it.
Those, whose Guru is blind; they eat the uneatable and refuse the eatable.
We are conceived in flesh, born in flesh, and are bodies made of flesh.
O! Pandey, you do not know, you do not concentrate;
You do not realize anything, yet you wish to be called wise.
Flesh is (permitted) in Puranas (Hindu religious books), flesh is (permitted) in Kateb (Muslim religious books), in all the four ages, flesh is produced (eaten).
The sacred feasts, the marriages, the ceremonies, therein flesh is served and consumed.
Women, men, emperors, rulers al have been created out of flesh.
(O priest) If you believe that they (because of eating flesh), will go to hell, do not beg charity from them (meat eaters).
The giver will go to hell; (but) the beggar will go to heaven! Look at this high-handedness.
He Himself does not know, but he teaches the people, Pandey, you are very wise!
O! Pandey, you just do not know, from where the flesh is produced.
The grain, sugarcane, cotton, are from water (source), even the three worlds are counted so.
(And) water says, “I am good in many ways, some evil thoughts are also about me.”
“Leaving so many tastes, if one becomes renouncer, he is just humbled one,” says Nanak.47
The Brahmins did not have any answer to Guru Nanak’s argument; hence they surrendered and most of them went away; some Brahmins were so convinced that they sat there and continued listening to the Guru, and, they became his followers.48 He spent a few more days there and then moved towards Hardwar.
‘Offering water to the dead’ episode at Hardwar
At the time of Guru Nanak, Hardwar, as city, did not exist. It was just Ganga’s (Ganges) river-side where Vaishano49 (Bishnoi/Vaishnav) people used to immerse the ashes of their dead relatives because the flow of the water was very slow there. People used to stay in a nearby village Kankhal. Kankhal and
its surroundings, up to Ganga, were known as Mayapuri. Abu Fazal in his book Akabr Namah too mentions the same name.
The spot, where people used to immerse the ashes, was given the name Har Ki Pauri by the Brahmins/priests in order to fool the people that ashes immersed there would reach in the home/court of Hari (Vishnu).50 From ‘Har Ki Pauri’, it became ‘Har Ka Dwar’ and then ‘Hardwar’.
Guru Nanak reached Hardwar on the 28th of March 1508 (the first of the Visakh month of Bikrami calender); he rested under a tree, at about 300 metres away from the river (nowadays, this place is known as Nanakbara and it is in the possession of the Udasis).
The next morning, the Guru reached the bank of the river; people were ‘offering’ water to the Sun. He knew that these people were being fooled by the priests, who had created impression in their mind that ‘if they ‘offer water’ to the Sun (by throwing it towards the Sun), it would reach their dead ancestors’. In order to enlighten the people of the futility of this ritual, Guru Nanak began throwing water westwards; people were surprised to see it; they thought he might be ignorant; one of them told the Guru: ‘you are doing wrong; offer water eastwards’. Guru Sahib asked him: ‘why should one throw water eastwards?’ The man replied: ‘the water offered to the Sun will reach our deceased parents and other relatives’. On this Guru again asked him: ‘will this water reach your dead relatives whom you believe dwell 49 crore kos/koh (1570 million kilometres) away?’; the man replied: ‘yes it will reach there’; hearing this, Guru smiled and said: ‘that is why I am offering water westwards to my fields in the Punjab.’ That man laughed and said: ‘How will this water reach your fields which are 200 kos (about 600 kms) away?’; To this Guru retorted: ‘if your water can reach 49 crore kos then why my water can’t reach just 200 kos.’ The man had no answer. He understood that what they were doing was meaningless and they had been fooled by the priests who were interested in ritual fee (dakshna) only; at this, several people surrounded the Guru; they too stopped meaningless ritual; this angered Brahmins (priests) but they could not do anything as they did not have any logic to rebut the Guru’s argument.51
Guru Nanak spent a few days at Hardwar52 (Kankhal) and then proceeded further for his missionary journey. During those days, the Hindus were going to Badri Nath and Kedar Nath, which had been proclaimed as places of Hindu pilgrimage. On his way to Badri Nath, the Guru made his first stopover at Kotdwar (later, a Gurdwara commemorating his visit was built there).
His next stopover was at Srinagar (also known as Pauri in those days). This city had been founded by emperor Ashoka. At that time it was the capital of Garhwal State (now in Uttranchal state). Here too, the Guru taught the people that the pilgrimage of so-called ’68 sacred places’ was meaningless ritualism. The real pilgrimage centre is pondering one’s own mann (mind). One should turn to one’s mind and meditate on what is wrong (or right) he/she was doing.
(Here, at Srinagar too, a Gurdwara has been built to commemorate the visit of Guru Sahib).
Story of sweetening the soap-nuts (Mitthay Reetthay)
From Srinagar Guru Nanak went to Almora. He crossed Sharda River and entered Almora area. After giving his message to the Almora residents, he went to Haldwani. In this area there are thousands of reetha (soap nuts) trees. Most of these trees bear sweet reetha-nuts (reetha-nut is generally bitter). Here, when the Guru and Bhai Mardana felt hungry, they could not get anything to eat; hence they had to eat these soap-nuts.53 Later, some one concocted a story that Guru Nanak had sweetened the soap-nuts with his ‘occult’ power. Like several such hagiographic stories this seems to be a creation of some Brahmanic writer. Gurdwara Reetha Sahib commemorates the visit of the Guru.54 This spot is about 45 kms from both Almora and Haldwani and about 40 km from Nanak Mata.
Visit to Gorakh Mata (Nanak Mata) & dialogue with Jogis
During those days Almora, Haldwani, Pilibhit etc were among the major centres of the Jogis/Yogis. Guru Nanak visited several villages in this zone too. A large number of people joined Guru’s mission. After Haldwani, Guru’s main stopover was at Gorakh Mata; this name owes its origin to Jogi Gorakh Nath who had established a math (dera, cult centre) here; and, due to this the place too came to be known as Gorakh Mata (Mata is a variation of the word Math).
Guru Nanak reached Gorakh Mata in September 1508; here, he had a discourse with the Jogis.55 The Guru told them that life of asceticism was wrong; one should live the life of a householder and become a part of society; only then one can give them one’s message; otherwise they will consider him a parasite. Though the Jogis had no answer yet they did not like to give up what they were doing; as a result, they, in their heart of hearts, became jealous of Guru Sahib; being hill area, the nights were very cold there. Guru Nanak requested the Jogis to provide some water and fire (spark) for burning woods which would provide him and Bhai Mardana some heat; the Jogis refused to provide them anything; at this, the Guru produced fire (spark) by striking two stones; then they went towards a spring (about 3 kms from that spot) and fetched some water. (Now a dam has been built on this spring, which is known as ‘Nanak Sagar’. This place is, now, known as Nanak Mata. (Gorakh Mata became Nanak Mata when Guru Hargobind visited this place in 1634).
The next day, the Jogis again had discussion with the Guru; this time they asserted that they had become Jogis in order to save themselves from maya (attachment to the world) as this maya is an obstacle in joga/yoga (union) with God; the Guru told them that by using blanket of patches, carrying a ceremonial staff, smearing body with ash, wearing ear-rings, shaving head and blowing ceremonial horn (for creating sound of music as arrival bells) was not joga; joga
is freeing oneself from maya while living in the society. Guru Nanak expounded this in a hymn:
Joga is neither in patches, nor in staff, nor in smearing body with ash.
Joga is neither in wearing ear-rings, nor in shaving head, nor in blowing horn.
(It is) living taintless while being among the taints; that is the way to practice joga.
Mere talking does not mean yoga.
Jogi can be called that one, who looks and treats everyone as equal;
Joga is neither outside (penancing) at tombs nor in the cremation grounds, nor it in sitting in trance.
Joga is neither in wandering in the country or abroad, nor in taking bath at (so-called) sacred places.
(It is) living taintless while among the taints; that is the way to practice joga.
By meeting true Guru, the doubts are cleared, and the indisciplined (mind) is disciplined.
The nectar trickles, the divine music plays, in ease, and the goal is achieved right in home.
(It is) living taintless while being among the taints; that is the way to practice joga.
Nanak says, “Let us practice such yoga, as’ to die while living’.
If the horn blows without blowing, then one becomes fearless (i.e.):
Living taintless while being among the taints; that is the way to practice joga.56
Now Jogis finally accepted their defeat and the Guru left for his next destination.
Life and Death are in only God’s hands
From Gorakh Mata (now Nanak Mata), Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana went to Tanda town (Rampur district). Tanda literally means trade caravan. During the Medieval Period, the traders used to carry goods on elephants, camels, horses and other animals; and every trader used to have herds of hundreds and thousands of goods-carrying animals; these traders would make stopovers in different towns and people would buy (and/or exchange) goods from them; most of the big towns had such open grounds (market places) which were reserved for these tandas. In the case of the small towns and big villages, the tandas would put up their tents at a place where drinking water was available, and, a large number of villages could approach easily. With the passage of time, some of such improvised markets became permanent markets and, later, houses too came up there. There are several such towns which are named as Tanda e.g. Tanda (district Hoshiarpur, Punjab), Tanda (Nainital-Muradabad Road), Tanda Lubana (where Makhan Shah Lubana lived) and Dhotay Da Tanda (where the pieces of the butchered body of Banda Singh Bahadur was cremated) in Kashmir. This was known as Khaanda and Mota Tanda too.
When Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana reached Tanda, the traders were busy in celebrating the birth of a baby boy in the family of one of its chiefs; the Guru made a stopover there and began singing hymns; the wanjaras (traders) were so busy in celebrations that nobody even bothered to listen to the hymns of the Guru; they did not offer them even food; after some time, the Guru left the place and began his journey onwards.
As luck would have it, the new born child died amidst celebrations; everyone plunged into sorrow; the celebrations turned into wailings. Then, suddenly, one of them said, ‘We did not bother for the two faqirs who had been singing hymns near our place of celebrations; they might have cursed us, or, it might be God’s curse that we did not attend to the saintly persons;’ this was seconded by some more persons. Now they sent some horsemen to find them (the Guru and Bhai Mardana); they had not gone very far when one of the horsemen found them and begged pardon of the Guru and requested them to return to their place; when they insisted, the Guru and Bhai Mardana joined them.
When the Guru reached there, the chief of the wanjaras begged pardon for not attending to them earlier and requested the Guru to make prayers so that the dead child may come to life again. The Guru told them that life and death are both in the hands of God; none has power to change it; if God had given a few hours’ life to the baby why should one pray to God to change His Will; there is no occult power and there are no miracles; if there are miracles or occult power then it would mean that God’s command is not final. With this he sang a hymn:
We are beings with one breath (i.e. we don’t know about the next breath; we do not know the date and time (of our death).
Nanak prays, “Let us serve the One who owns our life and breath.”57
Now, the wanjaras realized the truth and after this Guru made prayers to God seeking peace of mind for the parents, relatives and well wishers of the baby; the wanjaras requested him to spend some days with them; the Guru agreed and held morning and evening congregations every day and preached his mission.
Rejection of so-called penance, hoam and yagya
From Rampur Tanda, Guru Nanak went to Ayodhya. On his way he stopped at Gola town; Gola is about 35 kms from Lakhimpur Kheri; it is an ancient town; earlier it had been a major centre of the Buddhists. At that time Ganga River used to flow by this town; later, it changed its course; and, as a result the city lost its importance because in those days the rivers were the major source of water as well as transport. After spending one night at Gola Nagar, the Guru and Bhai Mardana went to Ayodhya.
It was the 19th of October 1508 and the Hindus were busy in performing Brahmanic rituals of hoam and yagya/yajna. The Guru rested near the river and began singing hymns rejecting so-called penance, hoam and yagja:
The holding of sacrificial feast, burning of sacred fire, giving charity, undertaking austerity and worship, all are for torturing body, which ever bears pains.
None can get liberated, without tremembering (the name of) God, Gurmukh gets liberated with name.
Without the name of God, birth in the world is waste.
One eats poison, speaks language in poison, without name, useless is to wander and die.
One reads the text, explains the grammer, and conducts sandhya (a Hindu ritual), three times a day.
O! Being, where is the liberation without the word of Guru, without the name of God, you are entangled to die
One may undertake wandering for pilgrimage, hold staff and begging bowl, wear dhoti and sacred thread.
But without the name of God,(there is) no peace; (O! Being) remembered the name of God, so that you may liberate.
One may have matted hair, tied in knot; smear ash on body; move naked, without clothes;
Without the name of God, (there can be) no satisfaction; (and), bound by actions, he is in disguise.58
On hearing this hymn, people flocked to him; the Guru told them that not rituals but only good deeds, noble life and meditation in the name of raam (one of many names used for God) would lead to salvation;59 one among the congregation said ‘we live in ‘Raam’s city’60 so we are already meditating upon his name’; at this, the Guru told him that one is not supposed to meditate upon Raam, the hero of the book Ramayana. Raam is one of the names of God and, here, the parents of Raam, the king, chose to name their child Raam after one of the names of God; suppose, if one chooses to name one’s child as God, would that child become God. This Raam was simply a king but real Raam is God himself and we should meditate upon His name; only He can bless us with liberation (from fear of life and death etc). The Guru spent a couple of days in Ayodhya. Gurdwara Brahm Kund has been built to preserve the memory of Guru’s visit to Ayodhya.
From Ayodhya he entered Faizabad district after crossing Ganga River and rested at a place where wanjaras used to hold market (now this place too is known as Tanda). From this Tanda, he proceeded to Nizamabad via Singholi Tapa; at that time this was a deserted town and was known as Hadiabad; this ancient town has a history since 100 O.E. (i.e. this is more than 2200 years old); a well from those times still exists in the town; this town still has the privilege of having a fort from the time of Akbar, the Mughal ruler. This place has very beautiful panoramic view, as Ganga and Yamuna, both rivers, flow on two sides of the town; both the rivers touch each other at one place but again separate very soon, thus making a beautiful delta. Guru Nanak spent a couple of days
there and held a number of congregations. Earlier, this city had three Gurdwaras, out of which one (Akal Bunga) does not exist anymore and Gurdwara Chhoti Sangat is also almost abandoned. Only Gurdwara Bari Sangat is used for congregations. This Gurdwara owned a lot of land which is, now, under the occupation of the Uttra Pradesh government.
Visit to Paryag (Allahabad)
From Nizamabad, Guru Nanak went to Paryag (now known as Allahabad), which is at a distance of about 145 kms; on his way, he stopped at Jhoosi Nagar for a day and held a congregation. At Paryag, the Guru stayed at a place, which is, now, known as Ahiyapur Mohalla (Guru Nanak had visited this place in December 1508; later, the 9th and 10 Guru too visited Paryag). A Gurdwara named Tap Asthan commemorates Guru Nanak’s visit to Paryag.
Visit to Kashi and meeting with Kabir & Ravidas
From Paryag, Guru Nanak went to Kashi/Banaras (now Varanasi) which is at a distance of about 150 kms; during this journey he visited several villages; people loved him and became his admirers. On the 1st of February 1509, he was at Kashi; here, he made a stopover at a place now known as Kamachha; it is at a distance of about one and a half km from the Varanasi railway station. Gurdwara Guru Da Bagh has been built in the memory of the visit of Guru Sahib.
Kashi was, then, a centre of Brahmins who used to perform rituals for those who would visit the city for a dip in river Ganga (which they had declared as a centre of pilgrimage). These Brahmins used to boast of their knowledge; in fact, Sanskrit was the language of literature and common folk did not know this language as a result people had no choice but to accept their (Brahmins’) authority and superiority. Here, a Brahmin tried to impress Guru Nanak Sahib with his study of various books; he thought Guru Nanak was a faqir; hence he won’t be having knowledge of Sanskrit or its literature; but when Guru Nanak began rebutting his assertions and statements, he felt humbled; Guru Sahib told him that knowledge teaches man humbleness; a learned person never boasts of his knowledge; knowledge should change a person’s personality; if one reads a lot of books but does not use this knowledge then all this knowledge is useless.
Again, one day a learned Brahmin Chatur Das asked the Guru: ‘You do not have a rosary or chandan mark on your forehead, nor you have any idol of deity with you, how is it that you are considered as a Bhagat?’ Guru Sahib told Chatur Das: ‘All these are exhibitions of showing oneself as a Bhagat; it is hypocrisy; moreover, I am not a Bhagat of any deity, I worship God only and God manifests Himself in Shabad (word).’61 Guru Nanak presented this though in a hymn:
O! Brahman, you wear rosary of Tulsi (and consider it) as best deed, and worship the stone-god, saligram.
Embark the boat of the name of God, so that God becomes kind.
Why are you irrigating saline land, and wasting your life?
The muddy wall will fall, why are you plastering it?
Let God be your well, and let the buckets of name be strung into its chain, and let your mind be be yoked in it.
Irrigate with nectar, fill the beds (of plot); thus become a gardener of God.
O! brother, let the cupidity and anger, be your pairs of hoes, and weed the earth with them.
As and when you weed, you will enjoy happiness, your labour will not go waste.
If you, O! God are merciful, one can turn from crow to swan
Nanak says, “I am servant of your servants, be kind O! Merciful”62
This hymn made Chatur Das realize that ritualism is meaningless; it is nothing but hypocrite exhibition. Chatur Das had no answer hence he bowed his head before Guru Nanak and became his admirer.63 One day another Brahmin asked Guru Sahib: ‘We have studied so much and have acquired a lot of knowledge and we are still very much egotistic, why is it so?’; Guru Sahib told him: ‘You have read a lot but have never tried to understand and adopt it in your life; practice this knowledge in your own life, then you will feel yourselves a different personality.’
Again, another Brahmin talked of sutak (polluted-ness) and said, ‘low-caste people are polluted beings; a woman is polluted during the process of child-bearing; and, there is pollution of several other kinds; if we save ourselves from sutak it helps in meditation; sutak is impediment in the path of Bhagti or salvation.’ The Guru told him, ‘Cleanliness is a different thing but the so-called untouchables or such reasons are not polluted people; polluted-ness is in one’s mind.’ The Guru presented this concept in a hymn and sang it out:
No foodgrain is without life.
If we believe in impurity, then it is from everything.
The insect is in cow-dung and wood.
First the water is life which keeps everything green.
How can we escape impurity, it is just in our kitchen.
Nanak says, “Impurity cannot be removed thus, only knowledge can wash it off”.
The impurity of mind is greed, the impurity of tongue is lie.
The impurity of eyes is in greed for other’s women and wealth.
kannee sootak kann pai laa-itbaaree khaahi.
The impurity of ears is in disbelief in honest saying.
Nanak says, “Impure man is driven in chains to hell.”
(Belief in) impurity of such kinds is ignorance,which drives to duality.
Birth and death is ‘in Order’ By (His) will one comes and goes.
Eating, drinking (water) is pure, He has granted food to all.
Nanak says, “The Gurmukhs who have realized it, are not taken in by impurity.”64
Visiting Bhagat Kabir and Baba Ravidas at Kashi
One day Chatur Das told Guru Sahib that in Kaashi there were two Shudar bhagats too; one of them is known as Kabir and the other as Ravidas; Kabir lives in the locality of the Julahas (weavers) and Ravidas in a Chamar (cobblers’) village somewhere in the outskirts of the city. The Guru suggested a visit to them; Chatur Das agreed but he did not turn up at the suggested time; hence the Guru and Mardana themselves set out in search of Bhagat Kabir. When they reached Kabir’s house he was overjoyed to see them, and, he gave them a warm welcome; both had a discourse on various religious and spiritual issues and they were pleased that both had similar view on most issues; although Kabir was about 15 years older to Guru Nanak, he bowed his head before Guru Nanak’s wisdom and became his admirer. The Guru and Bhai Mardana spent a night in Kabir’s house; he told him that he would like to visit Ravidas; Kabir too liked to join them.
The next day, early in the morning the three left for Ravidas’s village; by noon they reached his hut. Ravidas was an old man; at that time he was above 90 but he was very much alert; he was overjoyed to see his younger friend Kabir at his door; but it was still more pleasing for him to welcome two new visitors. After refreshments, they all began having a dialogue, followed by singing of hymns; Bhagat Ravidas65, Bhagat Kabir and Guru Nanak sang their hymns, Bhai Mardana played on rabab; the sounds of keertan attracted folk from the whole of the locality and it became a big congregation; it continued for several hours. All of them spent night in Bhagat Ravidas’s hut.
The next morning Guru Sahib and Mardana started for their further journey; before, Guru Nanak could leave; Bhagat Ravidas presented Guru Sahib with a turban and requested him to accept him (Ravidas) as his Sikh. Guru Sahib told him, ‘You are my elder brother and are of my father’s age’; hearing this, tears fell from the eyes of Baba Ravidas and he said: ‘Age does not make one a Guru, it is one’s qualities which make him a teacher, a master and a Guru.’ Guru Nanak embraced Bhagat Ravidas and said: ‘I want to have privilege of calling you as Baba, you are Baba Ravidas Ji for us.’ After this, the Guru and Bhai Mardana left for their further journey.66
Visit to Chandrauli: A king can be a saint-king
The next major stopover of Guru Nanak was at Chandrauli. This town is at a distance of about 45 kms from Kashi; several centuries earlier, Chandrauli was a big State; even today, one can find ruins of the ancient structures. At Chandrauli, Guru Sahib sat under a tree in the ruins, took rest for some time and then began singing hymns; the sound of Guru’s singing and Bhai Mardana’s rabab hypnotised several passers-by and they sat there to listen to the Guru. Raja Hari Nath, the ruler of Chandrauli too happened to pass by from that area; he too was attracted to the discourse and stopped to listen to the Guru’s words; the Raja was so enchanted and impressed that he requested him to visit his
palace. Guru Sahib obliged him and both had long discourses; Raja Hari Nath expressed his desire to give up his throne and join him to spread God’s message; Guru Sahib forbade him and said: ‘A king too can be a saint;67 the ruler which considers his subjects as his own children is loved by God and this too is ‘Jog’ (union) with God; people love such a king; and, the king to whom people would not like even to salute is not even a ruler in the real sense of the meaning.’ Raja Hari Nath then understood the meaning of Jog. He spent the rest of his life as a ‘king of the people’ and the people too loved him next to God.
Visit to Gaya
After giving his message to the people of Chandrauli, Guru Sahib left for a visit to Gaya, where people used to make a visit to perform rituals for their dead relatives. Gaya was in fact a Buddhist centre. Later, with the help of Rajput rulers, the Brahmins occupied it and converted into a Brahmin centre (Much later, the Buddhists built another shrine). Gautama the Buddha had achieved enlightenment under a pipal (pippal/peepal) tree, hence the Buddhists regarded a pipal tree as sacred. When Brahmins occupied Gaya, they too declared pipal as sacred. Thus, pipal, in fact, has nothing to do with Brahmins or the Hindus. Much later, the Hindus began preaching that Buddha did not get enlightenment under a pipal tree and it was rather a bohar (bunyan) tree.
Gaya had nothing to do with Hindus but when the Brahmins saw that the Buddhists use to flock to Gaya so they (Brahmins) too built a temple at Gaya and declared it as a sacred Hindu centre for performing ritual for the liberation of the elders.
Guru Sahib reached Gaya on the 27th of March 1509 (the first of Visakh og Bikrami calender) and made a stopover on the bank of Phalgu River. Here he began singing hymns, some Brahmins/priests came to him; when he had finished one hymn, a Brahmin went up to him and suggested him that he too should perform rituals for the liberation of the soul of his elders; at this, the Guru told Brahmins that performing rituals for liberation of the soul of the dead was meaningless; he furhter said the real ritual was remembering God and living a good life; the dead receive nothing from these rituals; it is only the Brahmins who profit from these rituals by way of their remunerations.68
Guru’s teaching did enlighten the wise people and they stopped those meaningless rituals; even some Brahmins realized the truth and they too became the Sikhs of the Guru. The Guru spent a couple of days at Gaya and then proceeded for their further journey. Later, the Sikhs established a memorial to the visit of the Guru which is now known as Gurdwara Deo Ghat; this Gurdwara is under the occupation of the Udasis.
Visit to Patna and Dacca
From Gaya Guru Nanak Sahib went to Hajipur (now Greater Patna).69 In Hajipur Guru Sahib spent several days; here too he won several admirers;
among these was Salas Rai Johari (a diamonds dealer) too. One day he invited Guru Sahib and Bhai Mardana to dine with them; besides eating food, the three had a long discourse too; when the Guru stood up to leave, Salas Rai presented some money to Guru Sahib for his expenses; the Guru refused to accept it and said that the faqirs do not keep any money with them; the Guru further told him: ‘One cannot be superior or rich because of money, only knowledge makes a man great; treasure of knowledge is far precious than that of money.’ Guru Sahib’s teaching make Salas Rai realize that his wealth was of no value and he was still an incomplete person; he bowed his head before the Guru and requested him (Guru) to teach him more; the Guru spent a few more days there and turned Salas Rai into an enlightened person. Guru Sahib asked him to live a simple life and dedicate himself to humanity.70 Later on, Salas Rai himself preached Guru’s mission.71 (As there was no missionary organisation of Sikhism, the Guru did not appoint him in charge of the mission, nor was he given any status of such type).
From Hajipur/Patna,72 Guru Sahib went to Rajgrih (another ancient town), Mungher, Bhagalpur and Kant Nagar etc. Gurdwaras, to commemorate Guru’s visit, were built at all these places (now some of these are not in existence). From Kant Nagar Guru Sahib went to Malda; here a rich trader Ram Dev became a Sikh of Guru Sahib; Guru Sahib spent a few days with him and held congregations. Later on, Ram Dev too preached the mission of the Guru.
Visit to Dacca
Guru Sahib’ next stopover was Dacca/Dhaka (now this city is capital of Bangla Desh). During the time of Guru Nanak Sahib, it was a small town. In the middle of seventeenth century, it developed into a big town. In this town there was a temple in the name of a mythical goddess, known as ‘temple of Dhakeshvari Devi’. The town owes its name to the ‘dhaak’ trees. The city was surrounded by ‘dhaak’ forests (in ancient times, leaves of the dhaak trees were used for writing letters/books). The name of the mythical goddess might have its background in ‘dhaak’ trees.
At Dacca, Guru Sahib stayed in the area now known as Rayor Bazar; it was a locality of the ghumiars (potters). Most of the potters adopted Guru Nanak’s faith. Later on, they built a dharmsala (now a Gurdwara) in the memory of the visit of Guru Sahib. There were two Gurdwaras in Dacca. Now, only one Gurdwara has survived which is near the university campus (most of the land attached to this Gurdwara has been encroached by the university).73
Visit to Kamrup and Ahom (Assam)
After spending some days in Dacca, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana went to Kamrup country.74 In those days Kamrup was a sovereign nation (now Kamprup is simply a district of Assam). Guru Nanak reached Kamrup in the
month of September in 1509. Guru Nanak Sahib’s main stopover was at Dhubri (Goalpura district).75
After a few days’ stay at Dhubri, Guru Nanak moved further and reached Jyotispur (now Gohati); Hhe reached there on the 23rd of October 1509. In those days this area was known as land of the black magic and occult power. There is no such thing as so-called supernatural power but the people had been fooled by some clever persons about this, hence they were always afraid of the so-called witches and sorceresses. Nur Shah was the chief of the group which was mistaken as ‘witches’ world’; people used to go to her in false hope to get their wishes fulfilled by way of black magic. Though she used tricks to fool people by reading some so-called mantras and by providing them with some so-called magic symbols but in fact she had no supernatural power; it was just people’s fear which had established her supremacy among the people.
When the Guru reached there and held a keertan session, some women of this group were enchanted; they wanted to keep them there forever; but, they could not enchant Guru Nanak. Once, when Bhai Mardana was alone, they kidnapped him (later on, some hagiography writer concocted story that they turned Mardana into a lamb with their so-called supernatural power). When Guru Nanak tried to find him, one of the kidnappers said that if he satisfied their leader, Mardana would be released; the Guru agreed and met Nur Shah. She tried to mesmerize him but failed; then she tried to seduce him by way of her erotic tricks, but even then she could not succeed; finally, she used her last trick; she placed a plate full of pearls and diamonds and asked him (the Guru): ‘Please have all the pearls and diamonds but tell us what power do you have that all our tricks failed to affect you?’; Guru Nanak told them: ‘It is the power of naam (meditation upon the name) of God which makes all other powers and tricks ineffective; you should renounce all these tactics and turn to meditation in the name of God, and, it will give you more pleasure’; Nur Shah bowed her head before the Guru and promised to live noble life; and She released Bhai Mardana and begged his pardon.
Guru Sahib spent a few days in Kamrup and then went to Aasa Des (the name Assam has its roots in Aasa Des). People of Aasa Des were worshipper of Shakti (power cult). Gurbani rejects saakat (one who worships Shakti) because a saakat does not believe in God.
Story of Kauda Raakhash (Confronting cannibals)
During his journey Guru Nanak visited several villages of Aasa Des (Assam). Once he visited Golaghat (in district Sibsagar) on the bank of river Dhanasari. There lived some cannibal tribes in the hills of this zone. They would kill passersby and cook and eat their flesh. Guru Sahib and Mardana too had to pass through this hilly tract. According to one writer:76when Guru Sahib was crossing the hills, Mardana was moving slowly as he was tired and week,
hence he was far behind him. Seeing Mardana alone, a tribal man overpowered Mardana. When Guru Nanak heard the shrieks of Mardana, he ran towards that direction and saved Mardana from cannibals. From this some writers created the story of Kauda Raakhash (Kauda the demon). Another source77 mentions a different story: (according to this story) while crossing the tribal hills, the Guru and Mardana got tired and took rest for some time and began performing keertan; hearing the sound some cannibals reached there and thought of using them as their food. But, the music of keertan and later, Guru’s dialogue, stopped them from their plan. They also promised to give up human killing and instead depend upon hunting animals and picking up food from the forest. (According to another tradition, this incident happened in Andhra’s Mallay hills).
Visit to Bengal and Orissa
From Dhansari valley, Guru Sahib and Bhai Mardana went to Sylhut. Here, he spent a few days and preached his mission. A Gurdwara commemorating Guru’s visit had been built there which does not exist now. The publications of 1880s78 mention existence of such a memorial. It is possible that the earthquake of 1897 might have demolished the building and, later, no one rebuilt it as the few Sikhs living there might have been either killed by the earthquake or moved somewhere else. From here, Guru Sahib walked on the banks of Hugli River. On this way, Guru Sahib passed through a village which, now, is a major town of Bengal i.e. Calcutta (now Kolkata).79 Later, the Sikhs built Gurdwara Bari Sangat in the Main Bazaar of Calcutta in memory of the visit of Guru Sahib.
From Bengal, Guru Sahib entered Orissa. It was the summer of 1510. He made his first stopover on the Kishti Ghat bank of the river Mahanadi, at Cuttack. This Gurdwara is known as Gurdwara Kaliboda (also known as Datan Sahib). Here, when Guru Sahib was performing Keertan, Raja Rudra Partap Dev, the ruler of Orrisa,80 too happened to pass by from that area; he was impressed by Keertan and he joined the sangat (congregation); he requested Guru Sahib to visit his house and dine with him. The Raja became an admirer of Guru Sahib.
Puri (now Jagan Nath Puri) and Aarti
From Cuttack, Guru Sahib went to Jagan Nath where the earlier Buddha king had built a Buddhist temple.81 Later, when Gang rulers occupied the land and they turned the Buddhist shrine into a Vishnu temple. Before Guru Sahib could enter Puri, he found a crowd and went towards it to see what was happening there. He saw that a panda (priest) had been surrounded by a large group of people whom he had convinced by boasting that he had power with which he could see Tirloki (three lokas, i.e. the three worlds: earth, sky and the nee world). He had placed a bowl in front of him and in it the people would put some money as offerings. Some of them would ask questions too to which he would give vague and evasive replies; he would, off and on, close his eyes and
pose that he was looking into a particular area or ‘the other world’. During this period, once, when he closed his eyes, Bhai Mardana picked up his bowl and hid it behind him; when he (Panda) opened his eyes he found his bowl missing; he began looking towards both sides; when he could not find it, Guru Nanak asked him: ‘Where is your bowl and money? You can see all the three worlds; now close your eyes and find your bowl.’ This humbled the panda (Kalyug) and he begged Guru’s pardon; Guru asked him to stop this hypocrisy and tricks; he (Guru) also told him that ‘knowing the real tirloki (the three worlds)’ is the real knowledge about the mystery of God’s greatness. Guru Sahib told him that as he was intelligent, he should teach people the true religion and give them spiritual knowledge; Kalyug promised to be Guru’s messenger, and he spent the rest of his life preaching Guru Nanak’s message. Even today, the descendants of Kalyug have special regards for Guru Nanak (but they don’t call themselves as Sikhs) and they have their own system of worship at Puri.
Guru Nanak entered Puri82 on the 7th of June 1510. In those days Chaitanya, a Vaishnavite preacher, too had gone to Puri. He too had a discourse with the Guru. Chaitanya accepted Guru’s philosophy but, still, he did not give up his Vaishnavite ways because priesthood was his livelihood.
When Guru Nanak went towards the temple of Jagan Nath, people were performing the ritual of ‘aarti’. They had diwaas (small earthen lamps) in a platter in which ghee (processed butter) was being used as fuel for lightening them. People would take the platter around the statue of Jagan Nath and make obeisance. They called it aarti utarna (performing aarti/worship). The present day Hind aarti (hari om jai jagdish harei….) was composed by Shardha Ram Phillauri in the second half of the nineteenth century. During Guru Sahib’s times no verses were read while performing aarti, only platter was taken around the statues.
Guru Nanak watched their activities and stood silent observing them. When they were finished, one of the priests asked Guru Sahib as to why did he not perform aarti? He answered, ‘First, you were performing aarti of Vishnu and I am not a Vaishanu, I worship only God. Secondly, God does not need this ritualistic aarti. The whole nature is performing His aarti. The sky is a (like a) platter, sun and moon are the lamps; the stars are pearls and the whole vegetation is the flowers in this platter. The fragrant breeze of the Mallay hills is incense…’ Guru Sahib sang a hymn presenting this concept:83
The sky is plate (thaal), sun and moon are lamps, and the shining planets of stars are pearls placed therein (in the platter).
The smell of the sandal-wood hills is incense (for aarti), the air waves the whisk; and the whole vegetation is flowers for the light.
How looks, your aarti? O! Destroyer of fear, (how great is) your aarti.
The unfrictioned word is sounding drums.
You have thousand eyes, but no (physical) eye. You have thousand forms, but no (physical) form.
You have thousand lotus-feet, but no (physical) feet. You have thousand fragrances, but no (physical) fragrance. This is your wonder (miracle of creation), which has charmed me.
In everyone is the same light.
Because of that (Your) light, there is light in everyone.
Through the teaching of Guru, one learns (the secret of) God’s light is revealed.
Whatever is liked by Him (God), that becomes an aarti.
The honey of the lotus–feet of God has captured my mind;(and) day and night I feel thirsty for it.
Nanak says, “(O! God) Be kind and give water to me, a sarang (cuckow bird), so that, I many abide in your name”. 84,85
During those days Rudra Partap Dev, the ruler of Orissa, was also present in Puri. When he came to know that Guru Nanak was also present in the village of Puri (then it was a small village; even now most of the residents of this town are the priests whose number more than ten thousands). The king visited Guru Sahib and made obeisance. He spent a few days in Puri and every day he visited Guru Sahib and joined the congregation.
In Puri, there are two places associated with the memory of Guru Sahib: one is Gurdwara Baoli Sahib where Guru Granth Sahib has been installed, but it is in the possession of local pandas (who don’t fully follow Sikh code of conduct); and the second one where Guru Sahib sang hymn rejecting aarti is in the possession of the Udasis who have installed statue of Sri Chand in that building (and there is no volume of Guru Granth Sahib).
After spending a few days in Puri, Guru Sahib went to Gantur. Here, a Gurdwara has been built here to commemorate the visit of the Guru. (According to one tradition, from here Guru Sahib made an about turn to the Punjab and according to another source Guru Sahib continued his journey southwards).
Southwards and Sri Lanka
On Guru Nanak’s southward journey, Kanchipuram was his first stopover. It was a prominent centre of the Jainis and most of the population of the town was mainly that of the Jains. Later, the Brahmin rulers forcibly captured the Jain temples and turned them into Hindu temples. Still. later, Raja Krishan Deva built two big temples which were completed in 1502. In twentieth century, the Brahmins declared the bigger temple as their ‘math’ (major centre) and much later, its chief priest began to be called ‘Shankaracharya’ (literally: chief professor).86
In Kanchipuram, Guru Nanak Sahib spent a few days and held congregations. A Gurdwara was built in this city to commemorate the Guru’s visit.
Dialogue with the Jains
Kanchipuram, Tirupati and the zone around these cities was the area of the people who believed in the Jain religion. At Tirupati lived one of the senior Jains; the Guru decided to meet him. When he met him his (Jain monk’s) first question was: ‘Do you eat meat; and do you drink water without straining (filtering) it’; Guru Sahib told him: ‘Drinking water without straining or eating meat or such activities are mere illusions of mind; this is not religion; real religion is living the life of ‘sachiaar’ (truthful living) and meditating in the name of God; pulling hair (for eliminating them) and torturing one’s body, and walking bare-foot etc are meaningless.’ Guru Nanak sang a hymn presenting the Jain monks’ life-style:87
They have their head-hair plucked; they drink dirty water, and eat the begged polluted food.
They dig filth and spread it out; (they) inhale its odour and fear to see water.
They get plucked their hair, like that of a sheep. And get their hands smeared with ash,
They lose heritage of their mothers and fathers. They get their families weep bitterly.
No food, no charity-food, no ritual, no lamps, help them and have no place to creamate their dead (they throw dead bodies in forest to be eaten by animals).
The (so-called) sixty eight sacred places, do not give them refuge. Even the Brahmin (priest) does not eat their food.
Day and night, they live ever dirty, and have no mark on their fore-head.
They all sit together as to mourn the death and cannot enter the court of God.
With bowls around waist, clews in hands, they move here and there.
Neither are they yogis, nor mendicants nor kaazis (Muslim judge) nor mullahs (Muslim priest).
Abandoned by God, they are wandering unwelcomed. Thus their whole lot is disgraced.
He (God) alone gives birth and death to beings, none else can protect.
They do not bathe, do not give charity, and dust makes their hair- plucked heads dirtier.88
The Jain monk was impressed by Guru’s hymn and he became a Sikh of Guru Nanak and later, he preached Guru’s mission in that area.
After spending a few days at Tirupati, Guru Nanak went to Trivanmallai; this town was a centre of Shiv (Shakti cult) worshippers; there was an old Shiv temple in this town and people in large numbers used to visit it. Guru Nanak too reached there and began singing a hymn; people began gathering around him; after finishing the hymn, he explained them what true religion meant. Guru Nanak spent a few days there and several people joined his faith; later, a Gurdwara was built to commemorate Guru’s visit to the town (now this Gurdwara is under the occupation of the udasis). From here Guru Sahib went to Trichnapalli; here too a Gurdwara was built in memory of the visit of the Guru.89
Visit to Sri Lanka
Guru Nanak’s next tour was to Sri Lanka. In order to sail to Sri Lanka, he went to Nagapattanam. Here, people used to sail to Sri Lanka by boats. Sri Lanka is also known as ‘Singhla/Sinhali Deep’ (literally: ‘island of the Sinhali speaking people’). Here, in Sri Lanka, Guru Sahib’s first stopover was in the then small town of Tirukonamallay (also written as Tirnkomaly) port. From here, he went to a big town named Matiakullum (now Batticulloha). Raja Shivnabh90 of this State already knew a bit about Guru Nanak. Once Bhai Mansukh of Lahore, who happened to visit this place in connection with his business, had a meeting with the king and had apprised him about the mission of the Guru; then, the king had expressed a desire to see Guru Sahib; and, Mansukh had told him that as Guru Nanak was travelling through that zone, he (Guru) might visit him too.
When Guru Nanak reached Matiakullum and met Raja Shivnabh, he (king) was overjoyed to see him; and when he heard sermons from the Guru, he was still more impressed; he took him to his palace; Guru Sahib spent one day with him and then moved further to visit Koti; on his way he stopped at a place which later developed into a village, now known as Kurukul Mandap. According to some over-enthusiastic Sikhs, Kuru is a variation of Guru; and the town owes its name to Guru’s visit (though it is not true historically).
From Kurukul Mandap Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana went to Kartargama, and then entered Koti. Koti, at that time, was ruled by Raja Dharma Parkarma Bahu (brother of Shivnabh)91; it was a predominatly a Buddhist area. The ruler welcomed Guru Sahib in his court. Here, the Buddhists chief and Guru Nanak had a debate; both discussed purpose of religion as well as life; there were some Brahmins too; when Brahmins found that Guru Nanak had exposed ritualism, they too took the side of the Buddhists. On one side, there were several Buddhists and the Brahmins and on the other side it was Guru Nanak alone. 92
After spending a few days in Koti, Guru Nanak left for other countries of Sri Lanka (at that time Sri Lanka was a small continent of eight nations). Sitavaka was the next stopover of the Guru; now it is known as Avesvela. From here he went to Anurathapuram; in fact it was this country (one of the eight States of this island) that was known as Sri Lanka (and later the whole of the island came to be known as Sri Lanka). From Anurathapuram, he went to Manor town. Here he met a Jogi who used to boast of his power to live without food or water for one year;93 when Guru Nanak reached there, he tried to prove his claim by shutting himself in a cave, but he could not prove his assertion and lost his life. Changa Bhatra was one of his (Jogi’s) devout followers; after this incident Changa Bhatra became a Sikh of Guru Nanak.
After having a tour of almost all the nations of Sri Lanka, he began their return journey. Tallay Manor was the last town of Singhladeep which the Guru
had visited. From here he boarded a boat and sailed towards Dravidland. According to Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh, Guru Nanak visited Jafna too.94
Guru Nanak in Dravidland
Guru Nanak landed at the port of Dhanuskodi which is about 13 km from Rameshvaram. A Gurdwara, known as Gurdwara Nanak Udasi Math, commemorating Guru Sahib’s visit was built later on.
In those days, Rameshvaram was a centre of the Gorakhpanthi Jogis/Yogis. Besides, there was a Brahmanic temple too, but it was just a small temple. The Guru visited Jogis’ centre; the Jogis had a discourse with the Guru, who convinced them that real religion was not in renouncing the world but it was in ‘living in this world without getting stained with Maya (attachment to the world); and one can achieve liberation in this life; he spent some days at Rameshvaram and then began his journey homewards.
Sharing with others (Vand Chhakanaa)
From Rameshvaram, Guru Nanak Sahib and Bhai Mardana went to Ramanandpur, Trivanmallay, Kotayam and Triuanantpur (Trivandrum). Giani Gian Singh believes that Guru Sahib visited Trichnapally, Nagapatnam and Kumbh Kona (real name: Kumbakonam) also.95
Kotayam was a zone of the Jogis, and, there was a major centre of the Jogis between Palam and Kotayam. Guru Nanak visited the centre and had a discourse with them; he taught them that the best life on this earth is that of a householder who practices honest earning, shares his earnings and wealth with others and meditates upon the name of God. As Guru Nanak Sahib had exposed the ways of the Jogis, some of them wanted to involve the Guru into some such discussion which would give them (Jogis’) an upper hand; thus, they debated the concept of ‘sharing with others’ by saying that ‘one cannot share everything with others’; and the Jogis gave one til (sesame-seed) to him and said, ‘How can we ten persons share one til’; Guru Nanak told them that the til too can be shared; he (the Guru) smashed it and mixed it in a jug-full of water; then he distributed the same to all those who were present there; he told them that though none of us would be much benefitted by this til but it confirms that even the smallest thing can be shared; sharing is a way of life to be adopted; and, every thing could be shared. A Gurdwara (Gurdwara Tilganji Sahib) commemorating Guru’s visit had been built there.
From Kotayam, the Guru proceeded towards Bidar. On his way he had to cross Annamallay hills, known in those days, for cannibal tribes. According to another tradition, the incident of so-called ‘Kauda Raakhash’ took place in these hills (I have mentioned that it happened in the Dhanasari hills. In fact, there were several cannibal tribes in Nagaland and other hill areas of Assam and Bengal).
Visit to Bidar
After crossing the Annamallay hills, Guru Nanak reached Bidar, which is, now, a major town of Karnataka; in those days, it was a small town and was known for two Muslim faqirs Sayyad Yakub Ali and Sayyad Jalal-ud-Din.96 Guru Nanak had a discourse with these faqirs too. There is a fountain (chashma) of water near the graves of these two faqirs, and it is known as Chashma Nanak Jhira. This fountain is very old and people had been fetching water from here even before the times of Guru Nanak; the Guru himself drank water here; as a tribute to Guru’s visit this fountain has been named after him.
Visit to Nander
Guru Nanak’s next stopover was at Nander (also spelled as Nanded). Nander was not much inhabited in those days, but there lived several faqirs; one of them was Sayyad Shah Hussain, who was a carpenter by profession but was a very learned person. The Guru spent some time in his company.97
He left Nander for his onwards journey and visited Devgiri (now Daulatabad); it is the same place which Mohammed Tughlak had chosen as his new capital; from here the Guru went to Broach; nowadays, Broach is one of the major cities of Gujarat state. Here, the Guru had a discourse with the sanyasis (those who had renounced worldly/family duties) and taught them that one must become a positive part of society; he told them that man is not a machine which has to function in parts and sections; all the life is one unit and man should perform all possible roles throughout one’s life. Gurdwara Nanak Wari, near the Broach railway station, has been built at the site where he had held his congregation.98
According to a local tradition Guru Nanak visited Sholapur and Pandarpur also. At Pandarpur, there is a temple dedicated to Bhagt Nam Dev. It is likely that he received Nam Dev’s baani (verses) from the priests of this temple. He also visited Ahmednagar, Nasik, and Triambak too.
Visit to Parbhas Pattan (Somnath)
Having spent some time at Broach, Guru Nanak went to Parbhas Pattan; it is the same place where Somnath temple had been built in the 11th century, which had been plundered, desecrated and destroyed by Mehmood Ghaznavi in 1126; later, it was rebuilt by Kumar Pala. Though not as earlier, people, in good numbers, still used to gather here. Here too, the Guru preached his mission and then moved further towards Junagarh. Junagarh, then, was known as Sorath Desh (and in nineteenth century it was known as Saurashtra, which is probably a variation of Sorath Desh).
Junagarh was one of the major centres of the Jogis/Yogis; they had a big dera (cult centre) in the Girnar hills (then in the outskirts of the city of Junagarh). In fact, the Jogis have their origin in this zone; Datta Trai was the founder of the Jogi cult; Machhandar Nath was his successor, and, he was further succeeded by Gorakh Nath. The Girnar Hills have five high Chotis
(peaks), two of which are known as Datta Trai Choti and Gorakh Nath Choti. Later, in Punjab, Gorakh Nath became more popular and even the Jogi cult came to be known as Gorakh Panthis. Guru Sahib visited the dera of the Jogis and advised them to ‘renounce renunciation’ and adopt active life of a householder.
Much earlier, Junagarh had been a centre of the Jainism too. They had a big temple in the city. Later, the Brahmins occupied it and turned it into Amba Mata’s Mandir; Guru Nanak visited this temple too and preached his mission. A Gurdwara had been built to commemorate the visit of the Guru but later the caretakers (priests) sold the building and the land attached to it.
Guru Nanak’s next stop-over was at Mandhata (about 50 km from Khandva). According to a tradition, the hymn Onkar, also known as Dakhni Onkar was recited by him in this town.99
Visit to Ujjain
Guru Nanak’s next visit was to Awantipura (now known as Ujjain). This ancient town of Awantipura was the State of king Bharathari; when he was in the prime of his youth, he abdicated the throne in his brother’s favour and renounced worldly life (his brother Bikrmajit too became very famous; the Bikrami calendar owes its name to him). Bharthari spent the rest of his days in a cave known as Bharathari Gufa which is like a pilgrimage to some of the Hindus and Jogis; the Guru too visited the Gufa (cave) and had a discourse with its caretaker Jogi Lal. Jogi Lal was too impressed by Guru’s teachings that he immediately left the cave and went to the city to buy a proper dress. He requested Guru Sahib to admit him to his faith; Guru taught him to live active life and preach among the people meditation in the name of God.
Bhopal and Sanchi
Guru Nanak’s next stopover was at Bhopal, where he spent a few days; here, Gurdwara Baoli Sahib has been built to preserve the memory of his visit. From here, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana went to Sanchi, which sometime had been a major centre of Buddhism; in those days it was almost a deserted town; only a small number of Buddhists were still there. Guru Nanak had a dialogue with them and after spending one night there he proceeded further.
Visiting Ajmer and Pushkar
From Sanchi, he went to Ajmer and Pushkar; here, the Hindus had built a temple on the bank of Pushkar Lake. (Later, Guru Gobind Singh too visited this place, in the early days of 1708, and spent a few days here). A Gurdwara commemorating the visit of both the Gurus has been built.
Visit to Mathura
In those days, the Hindus were observing a festival at Mathura; this is an ancient town and had been the capital of the Shurshena king Krishan (whom,
later, the epic-fiction Mahabharta presented as a hero); earlier Mathura was known as a city of temples; when Mehmood Ghazanavi attacked Mathura in 1018, he destroyed all the temples and took away all the precious statues (the idols of mythical gods and goddesses).100 Later, some of these temples had been built again; by Guru Nanak’s time, Mathura had again become a city of temples. Again, in 1669, Aurangzeb ordered demolition of all the big temples;101 later, again in 1757, Ahmed Shah Durrani too attacked Mathura and demolished the temples after plundering them.102
At Mathura, Guru Nanak held congregation near the Keshav Deva Mandir; here, some Vaishnavites had a discourse with the Guru. The Guru told them that merely observing vegetarianism does not lead to liberation; religion is living the life of a sachiaar (a truthful person), and, that leads one to liberation; liberation is not such a thing that is to be achieved after death; it is a liberation in this very life and that is from evils. Gurdwara Guru Nanak Bagichi, near Mathura railway station, commemorates Guru’s visit to Mathura. Having spent some days at Mathura, he began his journey towards Delhi.
Delhi, Majnu Tilla and Panipat
In 1510s, Delhi was a small town. Though this town had several forts but most of these had been in poor condition, hence had been abandoned. Then, most of the population lived near the fort of the Lodhis. Guru Nanak rested near river Yamuna, in the village Chandraval Khera, where a faqir Majnu used to live in a hut on a mound (tilla); hence this place is known as Majnu Da Tilla.103
Here, he met the faqir, Majnu, and had a discourse with him. He spent some days with the faqir and served the passers-by with water which he used to fetch from Yamuna River.
Panipat was the next stopover of the Guru. Here, he met Sheikh Id-ul-Kabir (he has been referred as Sheikh Tahir too, and in some Punjabi writings Tahir has been written as Tateehar also, that may be to present the name in a funny manner). The Guru and the Sheikh had a discourse. The site where the Guru had rested, a Gurdwara has been built (near the G.T.Road).104
Back to Madar Des (Punjab)
From Panipat, Guru Nanak proceeded towards the Punjab. He chose the Sirsa route to go to his village. From Sirsa he went to Takhtupura (now in Moga district), where he spent one night105 and the following day he crossed the river Satluj and went to Sultanpur Lodhi where he met his elder sister Bebe Nanaki as well as his former colleagues and other acquaintances.
Having spent a few days at Sultanpur, he went to his native village Talwandi via Goindwal, Patti (then known as Patti Haibat Khan), Khalra and Ghawind. With this ended his first udasi. He had spent more than eight years (September 1507 to 1516) on his missionary journey.
Second Udasi
Meeting with Duni Chand of Lahore
After spending a few months at Talwandi, Guru Nanak again set out for another udasi (missionary journey). Leaving Talwandi, he made his first stopover at Lahore. There, he rested under a tree near a busy road (near the present Badami Bagh) and began singing hymns. Guru’s words and his melodious voice as well as Mardana’s rabab began attracting several people; among them was also a very rich man Duni Chand, who was known as Karori.106 Duni Chand listened to the Guru for quite a long time and he was quite impressed by the words of the Guru; when the Guru finished his session, Duni Chand invited him to his residence for a lunch the following day; in his conversation he had given a hint that he was a rich man; at this, the Guru thought of giving him a practical lesson; he gave him a needle and asked him to take it home and keep it at a safe place and deliver the same back to him (Guru), in the ‘other world’.
Duni Chand took the needle and went home; when he reached his home, he gave the needle to his wife and conveyed what the Guru had said; she asked him how they could take that needle to the ‘other world’ after their death; she told him to go back and return the needle. Duni Chand immediately went back and told the Guru what his wife had said; the Guru then asked him, ‘if you won’t be able to carry along with you even a small thing like a needle after your death, then how you would carry all the wealth you have amassed’. Now, Duni Chand realized what he had been doing; he asked the Guru, ‘what accompanies a man after his death?’; the Guru told him that ‘good actions, generosity, mediation upon the name of God are man’s real treasure and this treasure remains with a man even after his death.’
The following day, the Guru and Bhai Mardana visited Duni Chand’s house; it was a big mansion and on the roof seven flags were furling signifying that he owned seven lac rupees (in those days seven lac rupees was a very very big amount); the Guru observed that Duni Chand had invited several guests too’ He (Guru) asked him as to why had he invited so many guests for lunch; he (Duni Chand) replied that he was observing saradh (annual rituals for the dead) for his parents. The Guru told him that these rituals are meaningless as the feast offered in the name of saradh does not reach the deceased elders; it is enjoyed by the priests and guests only; similarly, the donations made in the name of the deceased too go to the priests; after the death of a person, his dead body is cremated and this is the end of human beings; hence nothing exists after one’s death and there is no need of food or any other thing for a non-existent thing; these saradhs are the tricks of the priests who, in the name of the dead, enjoy benefits for themselves. Duni Chand was greatly impressed by the Guru’s words, and, this changed his life; he decided to stop all ritualism and even amassing money; he spent the rest of his life by performing acts of social welfare. Later, in 1522, when Guru Nanak founded the village of Kartarpur (on
the bank of river Raavi), it was this Duni Chand who built a saran/inn for the visitors.
Visiting Buddhan Shah at Bhatauli (now Keeratpur)
Now, Guru Nanak planned a journey to Mansarovar. He went to Goindwal, Mirhota (now Ludhiana), Doraha, Rupar and then Pinjaur. From here, he was to take route via Mandi (on the bank of river Satluj), which passed through a village named Bhatauli.107
In those days a faqir, Buddhan Shah108 used to live on a nearby hill (in the outskirts of the the present village of Kalyanpur, on the road to Mandi). Guru Nanak met the faqir and had a dialogue with him. He was very much pleased by listening to the Guru. He served Guru Sahib with goat-milk.109
Propaganda has been made by the caretakers of Buddhan Shah’s mausoleum that those Sikhs who visit Keeratpur but don’t go to Buddhan Shah’s grave are not benefitted by their pilgrimage. This is a clever conspiracy to attract Sikhs to the grave of Buddhan Shah but wise Sikhs don’t do it. Even if some Sikhs climb the hill and visit the site out of curiosity, they don’t bow before the grave of Buddhan Shah nor they make any offerings and their visit is just as leisure or a knowledge trip.
Gurdwara Charan Kanwal, in the territory of village Bhatauli (Keeratpur), has been built at the site where Guru Nanak rested and performed keertan. The following morning, Guru Nanak and Mardana re-started their journey towards Sumer Parbat (Mansarovar Lake).
Visit to Mandi, Rawalsar and Jawalaji
From Bhatoli and Kalyanpur, Guru Nanak went to Mandi. Though it was the capital of a State, it was yet a small town; when Guru Nanak reached there the news spread and people began flocking to the listen to him; even the king of Mandi himself visited Guru Sahib; he (the king) was so enchanted that he kept listening to the hymns and the sermons for a very long time; then he requested the Guru to visit his palace; the Guru obliged him and spent a night with him. Before Guru Nanak could leave, he was requested by the ruler of Mandi to initiate him to his faith. 110
At Rivalsar
Guru Nanak’s next stopover was Rivalsar. This ancient town had been a major centre of the Buddhism;111 here, he had a discourse with the Buddhist monks.
From here, he went to Jawalaji temple. At that time, there was no temple, but there was only a volcanic flame, which simple people were made to believe by the Brahmins that it was supernatural; in fact there are some natural gases which erupt out of a cavity in the earth and they are burning continuously (some scholars believe that there is sulphur which is causing the gas-fire).112
Having tod about the truth of the jawala (flame) to the people present there, the Guru left for Kangra, which is an ancient town and was the capital of a big state ruled by Katoch Rajputs (during different periods, this state was known as Trigrat and Jalandhar Des also)113. He spent a night at Kangra and then proceeded to Keergram, the capital of the Keer nation; in those days the Keer nation had a vast territory. When Guru Nanak reached there, the people gave him a hearty welcome; he spent some days in the town and held several congregations and gave his message of God; one day, even the king of the Keer Des invited him to have meals with him; the Guru obliged him. Before leaving, the Guru advised him: “Become such a king who is like a father to his subjects. If you and your successors behave so then your dynasty will rule forever”.
The ruler acted upon Guru Sahib’s advice but after a few generations their successors forgot their duty and began living a lavish life. As a result, their decline began and within a century, the Katoch rulers of Kangra began capturing their territory. With the passage of time they were confined to their fort and palace only which too was gradually lost to the invaders; and finally, the city too was deserted. Later, a new city came up and it came to be known as Baijnath after the name of the temple there. Keergram finds references also in the research work of archaeologist Alexander Cunningham.
Visiting Sumer Hill (Mansarovar)
From Keerhgram, Guru Nanak went to Lahaul Spiti area; there are references to his visit to village Malana also. From here the Guru began trekking in the Sumer hills and reached Mansarovar Lake. (Bhai Gurdas has referred to Guru Sahib’s this visit in his 28th Pauri). Here, he had a dialogue with the Jogis/Yogis and suggested them to return to the realities of life; he questioned their renunciation and asked ‘If the elite people would escape from playing role then who would lead the people out from crises?’114
After this, Guru Nanak visited several villages in the Sumer hills; a large number of Tibetan families still worship Guru Nanak and his pictures/statues115 can be seen in several houses. From Mansarovar lake he went to Ladakh and rested in Karu Nagar; he also visited Hemas Cave which is about 40 km from Leh (capital of Ladakh); his next stopover was Sakardu. Here, a Gurdwara preserves the memory of the visit of the Guru. From here he went to Kargil hills; here too a Gurdwara has been built, which is being maintained by the India army.
Amarnath and Pahilgam
From Kargil, Guru Nanak went to Jozila Pass and then, after having passed through Baltal, he reached Amar Nath. Here, melted snow water trickles in a cave through a hole, and, it takes the shape of a penis (male organ); the Brahmins have declared it as shivling (penis of Shiv, a mythological god) and have made it their livelihood by attracting Hindus to worship it. (There is no
Gurdwara at Amarnath commemorating the visit of Guru Sahib). From here, he went to Pahilgam (which is, nowadays, the most favourite spot of the tourists to Kashmir). Here, a Gurdwara has been built in memory of the visit of the Guru.
Martand, Mattan and Pandit Braham Das
From Pehalgam, Guru Nanak went to Srinagar and stopped on his way at Mattan, an ancient town. During Guru Nanak’s times this too was a centre of the Brahmins, who used to earn their livelihood from priestly duties; people used to visit Mattan to perform rituals for their dead elder; even today, the priests preserve records of the visit of different families and clans who visited Mattan (like that of Pehowa and Hardwar which preserves the biggest archives of such record). Mattan zone had, sometimes, a very big temple, known as Martand Temple, which was razed to ground by the Muslim invaders; the ruins of that temple speak of its grandeur. Here, Guru Nanak rested near a spring and performed keertan. A Gurdwara near this spring preserves the memory of his visit to Martand.
At Mattan, Guru Nanak met a learned man Brahm Das, a Brahmin of Munjhal-Dutt caste; he belonged to a nearby village Beej Biharha; he had studied a large number of books and used to challenge other Brahmins, scholars and common people; when Guru Nanak reached there and performed keertan people flocked to him to listen;116 Braham Das too went to see him and began testing his knowledge with an intention of boasting his own knowledge in order to convince the Guru about his (Brahm Das’s) intelligence and superiority; but, in stead, the Guru made him realize that his bookish knowledge is incomplete; Brahm Das realized his mistake and accepted his defeat; the Guru told him that getting knowledge from books was not enough; one has to practice it in one’s life. Before leaving Mattan, Guru Nanak asked him to preach religion of God to the people in simple language that they can understand.
Brahm Das became Guru’s representative in Kashmir and added several persons to the Sikh world, who (and their successors and descendants) played a remarkable role in the Sikh history. Among them was Bhai Kirpa Ram (later, Singh) Dutt117 who was a courtier of Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh.118
Visiting Srinagar and Baramulla
Having spent some days with Brahm Das, he proceeded to Srinagar, a city founded by Maharaja Ashoka; on his way he stopped to give his message to the people of Anantnag.
At Srinagar, he had a discourse with the Jogis, who lived there in big number; a large number of Jogis accepted Guru’s teachings and joined his faith. A Gurdwara in the Hari Parbat area preserves the memory of Guru’s visit. Another Gurdwara existed at Shankaracharya hill which was, after 1849 (during
the regime of Gulab Sinh Dogra), occupied by the Udasis who converted into an Udasi dera and Guru Granth Sahib was removed from the building.
Baramulla, about 54 km from Srinagar, was the next place to be visited by Guru Nanak; here, he made a stopover near Harmukh Ganga where a Gurdwara has been built. Having preached for some days, he left for Uri, Kohat, Kalyansar and finally to Pindi (of Rawal). People listened to him and bowed before his wisdom. Having stayed for some time at Pindi119, he moved further; the next stopover being Hassan Abdal.
Punja Sahib
Hasan Abdal is an ancient town; earlier, it had been a prominent centre of Buddhism; even today, the ruins of Buddhists shrines can be seen in this area. After the decline of the Buddhist rulers, this centre too lost its glory and gradually it was deserted. When the Muslim invaders came to this area, they tried to inhabitate it. Later, though with no population, it became a favourite place of the Muslim faqirs; two most referred to names are that of Hassan (a Gujjar from Abdal) and Wali from (Kandhar). Hassan had established a Saran (inn) for the travellers (as the Grand Trunk Road passed nearby) and Wali Kandhari lived at the top of a hill which had a reservoir of water.120
With the passage of time, this village too came to be known as Hassan Abdal after the name of the keeper of the inn. According to one tradition, Hassan was still alive when Guru Nanak visited the place; both had a discourse on spiritual issues. Hassan served the Guru and Bhai Mardana with milk of his goats.
If Hassan was known as a humane person, Wali was a fanatic and he hated non-Muslims; when Guru Nanak went to see him, he refused to talk to a non-Muslim; hence Guru Nanak came down the hill and rested on the bank of a spring. After some time he began singing a hymn and people began flocking to him to listen to him.
According to a popular story, Bhai Mardana felt very thirsty and Guru Nanak sent him atop the hill to get some water from Wali. The Wali refused to serve him water (according to this story Mardana went atop hill twice or thrice) and he (the Wali) told him to ask his Guru to produce water. Hearing this, Guru Nanak lifted a rock and water began flowing from the cavity (and it is still flowing as a spring). When water began flowing, the reservoir of Wali became empty (and if it became empty then how did water from cavity continues flowing even now?). This angered him and he pushed a big rock towards the place where the Guru was sitting, with an intention to harm him but the Guru stopped it with his hand; as a result his hand mark was carved on the rock.
When Maharaja Ranjit Singh became ruler of this area, he came to visit Hassan Abdal. He too rested near the spring; local people told him that once Guru Nanak too had visited the place. To preserve the memory of the Guru’s visit, the Maharaja asked General Hari Singh Nalwa to build a Gurdwara there
and placed a rock near Guru Granth Sahib and carved the sign of a palm on it signifying Guru’s visit.
(This was the tradition of the people of this belt that they would preserve the visit of a noble person by carving his palm or a foot; ‘relics’ of such kind, i.e. hands and feet of several personalities, can be found in various parts of this valley).
This rock remained placed by the side of the pedestal of Guru Granth Sahib at least up to the 27th of December 1835, when Baren Charles Hugel, a traveller from West, passed through this village and he went to visit the Gurdwara; he has mentioned it in his book Travels in Kashmir and the Punjab (published in 1845). Later, the Sikhs mounted this rock on the opening of the flow of the spring and from this began composition of romantic poems and articles referring to stopping of rock by the Guru with his hand and flow of spring from under the rock and Guru’s palm marks on it.121
It is noteworthy that the story of Guru Nanak’s stopping a rock with his hand does not appear in any source (neither in Bala Janamsakhi nor in the Janamsakhi attributed to Bhai Mani Singh and nor in Puratan Janamsakhi). Bhai Bala Janamsakhi refers to Guru’s meeting with a Kandhari faqir but not at Hassan Abdal.
This, however, does not mean that Guru Nanak did not visit Hassan Abdal; Hari Singh Nalwa must have learnt of Guru’s visit there; that is why he built a Gurdwara. The story of mark of Guru’s palm was concocted in the second half of the nineteenth century or in the beginning of the twentieth century. That is why it does not find mention in the earlier literature.
Hassan Abdal was an important and strategic place for the Mughal rulers. During winters it remains the only route between Kashmir and the Punjab (as other routes become inaccessible due to heavy fall of snow).
Tilla Baal Gundai and Rohtas
From here, Guru Sahib went to Tilla Baal Gundai near the fort of Rohtas. Here, he had a discourse with the Jogis who had, then, a big centre there. This tilla (literally: a small hill or a big mound) is not far from the fort of Rohtas. At the time of Guru Nanak this fort was in dilapidated condition, hence not in much use. When Sher Shah Sur occupied it, he repaired and renovated it.
Guru Nanak visited Rohtas too. There is a fountain near this fort and is known as Choha Baba Nanak (choha/cho means spring).
In those days the town of Rohtas had not come up and only the fort existed. Later, some families began living near the fort. Among them were the forefathers of Sahib Kaur (later married to Guru Gobind Singh). [Here, a Gurdwara has been built in the fort and dedicated to (Mata) Sahib Kaur]. Rohtas is about 5 km from village Dina. Guru Sahib had visited Dina too.
Sialkot (Death is certain, life-span is not)
From Dina, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana went to Sialkot. Sialkot is an ancient town. It was founded by Raja Sall (hence the name of the town) who had built a fort here. Guru Nanak entered the town and sat under a ber (berry) tree. Later, a Gurdwara was built near this tree; this tree still survives.
A famous story is associated with this town; according to this story: Guru Nanak asked Bhai Mardana to go to the market and buy ‘truth’ for one paisa and ‘falsehood’ for another paisa. Mardana went to several shopkeepers but none could understand the enigma, hence they said that they couldn’t provide; some shopkeepers laughed at him while some others became annoyed thinking he was joking; but when he reached the shop of Bhai Moola (Mool Chand), he (Moola) realized that there was some enigma in it; he took two pieces of paper and wrote marnaa sach (death is certain, i.e. it is sure to happen) on one and jeenaa jhooth (life is falsehood) on the other paper; Mardana took both the papers and went away. Moola had realized that there was some enigma in this riddle so he himself too followed Bhai Mardana; he saw that Mardana had delivered both the papers to a faqir. He went towards them and asked with folded hands, ‘Please tell me the riddle in this action?’ Guru Sahib told him, ‘I wanted to know as to how many persons understand the truth of life, or, are interested in knowing it; you have passed the test.’ Guru Sahib asked him to sit down and listen. Guru Sahib sang a hymn:
We are men with (i.e. we have certainly of only) one breath; (we) don’t know the date and time (of our death).
Nanak prays, “Let us serve one who owns our life and breath.”
O Blind being! Think, and see how many days are there?
(O! God) My breath, my flesh, is all yours; you are very dear to me.
Nanak, the poet, says like this, O! My true nourisher!
If you (God) do not give to anyone, O! My Master, what he can bring to pledge.
Nanak prays, “We can get only that, which is preordained for us.”
(O! man) You do not remember your Master’s name, you, the wicked, commit wickedness.
When you are gripped to be taken to the door of devil of death, moving on, you will repent.122
Hearing the hymn, Bhai Moola became disillusioned about the purpose of life; he realized that life was meant for a higher role and not just for earning, amassing wealth and producing children. He spent a lot of time with the Guru and asked several question; when fully satisfied, he bowed before the Guru and expressed his desire to join him (the Guru) on his mission. The Guru told him that he could play the same role while doing his normal routine. At this, he requested the Guru to spend some days with him. Now, his house became a dharamsala, a place to sing hymns and discuss higher dimensions of human life. After some days, when the Guru decided to leave, Bhai Moola too wished to join him. The Guru told him that he was going to his native village Talwandi.
Bhai Moola said that he would like to spend some more days with him; and all the three left for Talwandi.123
Kotla Mian Mittha/Mitthu
The village Kotla Mian Mittha was the next stop-over of Guru Nanak. Mian Mittha, the owner of the village, was an orthodox Muslim; Guru Sahib had a discourse with him; he said: ‘Only Hazrat Mohammed (the founder of Islam) is the next to God; one who reads his kalmaa (a Muslim hymn which is a prayer to God through Hazrat Mohammed) will surely go to heaven’; the Guru answered: ‘only those will be accepted in God’s darbar (court) who remember God from the core of their hearts and live truthful life.’ At this Mian said: ‘As a lamp cannot be lighted if here is no oil in it, similarly one can’t achieve liberation without getting assistance from Rasul (Mohammed)’;124 the Guru told him: ‘Union with God and liberation is possible only when one has spiritual knowledge; recognizes truth; and, lives the life of a truthful person; only after this one can have union with God.’ After this, the Guru sang a hymn presenting this thought125:
Only that one is Maula (God) by whom the world has blossomed, the earth has grown green.
One who is keeping the air, earth and water under control, He is praiseworthy Creator.
O! Mulla, we all have to die, therefore fear God.
Only then you are a Mulla, (and) only then you are a Kazi, if you have the name of God as your food (i.e. if you remember/meditate upon His name).
Even if one is highly educated, none can remain full forever.
Kazi is he who abdicates selfishness, and has only the base of one name.
He is and He will be; He will never leave to go, as He is the real Creator.
You spend five times in Namaz, and read Kuran (Sharif) and other sacred books.
Nanak says, “The grave is calling you, so your drinking and eating will be left behind.” 126
Guru Nanak told Mian Mittha that real Muslman is that person who has mercy, justice, faith, modesty, character and other virtues. Guru Sahib sang some more hymns:
The mosque (maseet) be of mercy, the mat (musalla) be of faith, the scripture (Quran) be of the justice and virtue.
The circumcision be of modesty, and fast be of character, (only) then one can be a Musalman.
Mecca (Muslims’ central sacred place) be of your deeds, the pir be of truth, the kalma (The dictum for every Muslim), and namaz (Prayer, made for five times a day) be of His grace.
Nanak says, “Such a rosary will be liked by Him, thus He will protect your honour.”127
&
The five prayers (namaaz/nivaaj), at five times, have five names (of the namaazes).
The first is truthful living; the second is honest earning; and third is charity in the name of God.
The fourth is to have clean intention; and fifth is to praise God.
The reciting Kalma should be of good deeds; then one can claim to be a Musalman.
Nanak says, “All liars must know that liars are paid back in lies.”128
It is very difficult to be called a Musalmaan, if one is, then one has the right to be called.
First, he should be sweet in faith; then he should scrape his wealth of vanity;
He should be a Musalmaan in the faith of prophet, and cast away the doubts about life and death.
He should accept the will of God, the Creator (as protector), and shun his ego.
Nanak says, “Only then he can be called a Musalmaan, if he is merciful to all beings.” 129
Hearing these hymns, Mian Mittha said, ‘You are right. Now I understand what makes one a real Musalmaan.’
The next day the Guru reached his native village Talwandi. Bhai Mardana went to his own house and met his family; Bhai Moola stayed with the Guru; and he introduced him (Moola) to his parents, wife children and friends. Now, Guru’s home at Talwandi again became a dharamsala and everyday people would come to him, listen to hymns and his sermons. Bhai Moola spent a few days there and then returned home.
Third Udasi
Having spent some days at Talwandi, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana again set out for another Udasi. According to a tradition, this time he (Guru) first visited Sultanpur Lodhi where he held a meeting with Daulat Khan Lodhi; held a discourse with him, and shared his experiences of visiting far off lands and his encounters with the leaders of different faiths, the rulers and common folk. It is likely that here Daulat Khan Lodhi might have suggested Guru Sahib to visit Mecca too; or the Guru himself might have thought that he had been to several centres of the Hindus, the Buddhists, Jains and the Jogis etc and now he should have a tour of the Muslim lands too. Another possibility is that Bhai Mardana or some Muslim elite might have suggested to the Guru to visit Mecca too; whatever the background, he decided to visit Mecca and the other Muslim lands where he could have a dialogue with various sections of Muslim society.
Journey towards Mecca
In those days, it took several months to reach Mecca on foot, horse or by boat; Guru Nanak decided to take land-cum-boat route for his ongoing journey;
from Sultanpur, he went to Pakpattan; he had visited this town earlier too; in those days Sheikh Ibrahim was the caretaker of the Farid dera (cult centre) at Pakpattan’ The Guru stayed with him for a day and exchanged views on various religious issues; he also sang a couple of hymns and the Sheikh and his men sang saloks of Sheikh Farid.
Multan was the next stopover of the Guru. During those days Multan was a major centre of the Muslim Pirs (religious elite) and missionaries. Among them dera of Zakaria Quraishi (died in 1266 C.E.) was most prominent; in 1516, Makhdoom Baha-ud-Din was the caretaker of this dera.
When the pirs of Multan came to know that a new pir (Nanak) had arrived in Multan, they thought that he might wish to establish his dera there; apprehending this, a clever Muslim pir went to the Guru and offered him a cup so full of milk that not a single drop of milk could be added to it; it was a signal to the Guru that Multan is already full of pirs that another pir cannot find place in the town.
Guru Nanak, though he had not gone there to set up his residence there, put a petal of jasmine flower on the milk; hence neither the milk nor the petal itself fell down; it meant that as a petal can adjust in a cup full of milk, another pir can still get adjusted in a city, already full of pirs, without disturbing them. In Multan, the Guru had discourse with Makhdoom Baha-ud-Din several times; several Muslim pirs used to participate in these debates; thus, for several days, Multan remained a centre of spiritual and mystic interaction. Having spent some days at Multan, the Guru set out for his further journey.
Uchch was the next stop-over of the Guru. This too was a town famous for Muslim missionaries; here, the dera of Sayyad Jalal-ud-Din Bukhari was most prominent; when the Guru visited that place Sheikh Haji Abdul Gufari was the caretaker of this dera; Guru Nanak had a discourse with him too. The Guru spent several days in Uchch. Some relics (a pair of wooden slippers, a staff and a wooden boat) believed to be those of the Guru had been preserved there (up to 1947).
From Uchch, the Guru went to Basta Bandar, a port in the Kachch area of the Gujarat state. Nowadays, it is known as Lakhpat and is a deserted place and no more a port. Here, a Gurdwara had been built to preserve the memory of Guru’s visit. He visited Kuriali (about 15-20 km from Lakhpat) too. Up to 1947 Kuriali too had a Gurdwara and a tank known as Nanaksar, built to preserve memory of the Guru’s visit. It is possible that the Guru might have visited Miani also.
During his visit to Basta Bandar (Lakhpat), he visited Hinglaj; there was a temple in the hills of Hinglaj; the Guru went to the temple and sat under a tree and began singing a hymn; when the priests of the temple saw a crowd near the Guru, they too went there; when the Guru had finished one hymn, the priests asked him: ‘who are you; a Brahmin, a Khatri, a Vaish or a Shudar?’; Guru Nanak replied: ‘Man should not be classified in accordance with his family of
birth but as per one’s way of life’; at this, the Brahmins were answerless. Hinglaj has preserved memory of the Guru’s visit by constructing a Gurdwara.
From Hinglaj, he chose to travel by boat. In those days travellers used to take boat from Son Miani up to Mascot and then up to Asal Asvad. From Asal Asvad Jeddah is about 20 kilometres only. It seems that he must have chosen boat travel to Mecca; he reached Mecca in December 1518; that year the Hajj fell on 20th December.
God is Ull Almeen (Omnipresent)
Two incidents are associated with the Guru’s visit to Mecca; when Guru Nanak began his Mecca journey from Uchch, Makhdoom Baha-ud-Din of Multan and Haji Abdul Bukhari of Uchch too joined him up to Sakhar; while the Guru opted for the sea route, the others chose land route (via Iran and Iraq) to reach Mecca; boat route is shorter than land route, so the Guru reached earlier than Makhdoom and Haji; when they reached Mecca they were surprised to see the Guru already present there; they did not know that boat route was shorter so they thought the Guru had some supernatural power which brought him there.
Secondly, to teach the Muslims (their own concept) that God was everywhere, he (Guru) purposely lied down with his feet towards the direction of Kaaba;130 when, Jeewan, a Muslim clergy131 saw this he stroke the Guru’s feet and asked him: ‘Why did you turn your feet towards God’s abode (Kaaba)?’, the Guru said: ‘Turn my feet towards that direction where God does not have abode!’ At this, Jeewan held Guru’s legs and turned in towards another direction.132 Now the Guru asked him: ‘Do you think God does not exist in this direction?’ Jeewan said: ‘No, He does not.’ Guru Sahib asked him: ‘But Koran says that God is Ull Almeen (omnipresent); don’t you have faith in Koran? Look in this direction and answer: is God not present here.’ 133
Jeewan had no answer; he turned his eyes; he realized that he was wrong; God was present there too; He was present every where. Some Muslim clergies were watching this; they too agreed with Guru Nanak and surrounded him to get more knowledge. This incident is known as ‘Guru Nanak revolved Mecca to different direction’; in fact, there was no revolving of the land or the shrine, but it was making them realize that God is omnipresent.
In Mecca, this news spread soon; the following morning too several Muslims met the Guru and asked him several questions. One of them asked: ‘Who is superior, Muslim or Hindu?’; the Guru said: ‘Those who live according to the teachings of their faith are superior; otherwise both suffer for their hypocrisy; performing rituals is no religion; religion is living (according to) it.’134 He spent a few days at Mecca; every day he enlightened the Muslim pilgrims with real divine knowledge135 and then left for Medina, which is about 480 km from Mecca; from Medina, he started his return journey, and for this purpose, he chose the land route.
Visit to Bagdad (Iraq)
From Medina, Guru Nanak went to Basra, an important city of Iraq and then proceeded towards Karbala, the site of the martyrdom of a grandson of Hazrat Mohammed. This entire journey took a couple of months; Basra is about 1000 km from Medina and Karbala is about 250 km further; from Karbala, Baghdad is just 100 km. When the Guru visited Baghdad, it was under the rule of Safvi Shah Ismail (a Shia Muslim of Iran) who was known as a cruel ruler and people dreaded him.
Guru Nanak rested near the present railway station of Baghdad. It was a graveyard where Muslims used to bury their dead. After taking some rest he began singing a hymn:
There are lacs of underworlds, lands, skies.
After a hazardous research Vedas declare it (as creation) of the One.
(Four) sacred books declare the number of created species eighteen thousand, but (agree that) in essence they are of one stock.
We would write down the account, if we could. All accounts cease to exist (when we try to do account).
Nanak says, “He is Supreme and only He knows Himself.” 136
When some Muslims heard the music or Guru’s voice and Bhai Mardana’s rabab, they ran towards them and asked them to stop the music saying that music was forbidden in Islam; Guru Sahib told them that music which diverts one from God and spiritualism is bad, but singing the praise of God is not profanity, rather it is spiritual food; we should not compare ordinary music, which leads to erotic feelings, with spiritual music, which makes one concentrate upon God.
Among the crowd there was a learned Muslim Pir Dastgir too; he asked the Guru: ‘What were you singing?’ The Guru told him the meaning of the hymn; at this he started debating and said ‘Islam believes that God lives on the seventh sky; hence there cannot be more than seven skies; how do you claim that there are numerous (lacs i.e. hundred thousands of) earths and skies?’ The Guru told him that if we believe that God lives in the seventh sky then we are limiting God’s power; as God is Omnipresent, he does not live at a particular spot; rather He is present everywhere and He manifests Himself in all His creation. The Guru further told him that the stars shining in the sky are earths and all of them have their own skies.137
When the Guru held discourse, Behlol, a faqir, too was present; he was so impressed that he asked the Guru to stay there for some days and give them more spiritual knowledge; the Guru agreed and held daily congregations. When the Guru left Baghdad, Behlol got a well sunk to commemorate the visit of the Guru and also carved on a stone: ‘Look, God has fulfilled wish. New structure in memory of Baba Nanak has been completed. Seven Godly men assisted in its construction. The blessed disciple made a new flow of water from the earth.’138 The date on this stone is 927 hegira (of Islamic calendar) i.e. 1520 C.E. In 1518,
the Hajj was on 20th December and it took about 15 months to the Guru to cover about 2000 km on foot; hence it was the summer of 1520 (i.e. 927 Hegira) when the Guru was present in Baghdad. This stone was present there up to 1920s but now its whereabouts are not known. Behlol survived for 60 sixty years after the departure of the Guru but his generations preserved the memory of the Guru and continued preaching his message. Even today, there is a sect in Iraq which considers Guru Nanak as their Pir (spiritual guide); these people do not cut their hair and assert that they are not Muslims.
Having spent some days in Baghdad, he resumed his journey; on his way he stopped at Tabrez and Mash-had in Iran. He visited Balkh also; Balkh (and Bokhara too), in those days, was a very prosperous city; and this is referred to in the proverb ‘Jo sukh Chhajju de chubarei naan oh Balkh naan Bukharei‘ (meaning: though Bakh and Bukhara are great cities but home is the most comfortable place); now Balkh is known as Wazirabad; the Guru spent some days in this city and preached his mission.
From Iran, the Guru entered the territory of Afghanistan and made a stopover at Kabul; Kabul was, then, under the rule of Mughal leader Babar, who had occupied it in 1518. The Guru rested under a tree in the present Pan Jubba Chowk; a Gurdwara had been built at the site, but it was demolished by the Afghan government sometimes after 1947; later, the Sikhs built another Gurdwara near that site (there had been more than one hundred thousand Sikhs in Afghanistan and they had dozens of big Gurdwaras but after the occupation of Afghanistan by Russia, and later under the Taliban regime, all the Sikhs except one thousand who were very poor, had migrated to Pakistan, India, England and other countries).
Visit to Peshawar
After spending some time at Kabul, the Guru proceeded towards Madar Des (Punjab). He crossed river Kuram and reached Peshawar. Between Kabul and Peshawar, he visited several villages. Gurdwaras had been built in villages Pewarh, Parchinar and Maulana etc. According to one tradition, here, his life-long friend Bhai Mardana died; the Guru cremated him near the outskirts of village Shahkot; later, a Gurdwara was built in the memory of Bhai Mardana. But, according to another belief, Bhai Mardana died much later, at Kartarpur (the village founded by the Guru on the bank of river Raavi).
Dialogue with Jogis/Yogis at Gorakh Hatri
Next, Guru Nanak visited Gorakh Hatri; this ancient village was, once, a major centre of the Buddhists; after their decline, it remained abandoned for several centuries; later, Jogi Gorakh Nath established his dera here. During Guru Nanak’s time, none except the Jogi lived there; this village had a big tall pippal tree which was more than 30 feet high. The Guru visited the Jogi dera, had a long discourse with them and suggested them to return to active life; he
told them that renouncing the world is no religion; one should live in this world without being attached to its Maya; by deserting God’s world, one cannot have Jog (union) with Him. Until 1947, a Gurdwara existed at Gorakh Hatri also.
Visit to Sayyadpur after its destruction by Babar
Guru’s next stop-over was the town of Sayyadpur, where two of his first Sikhs Bhai Lalo and Bhai Bhago lived. When Guru reached there, the city looked deserted as if doom’s day had destroyed it; all the elite persons were either dead or had fled the town.
This city had been invaded by Babar in 1520; the Pathan rulers did not surrender, and, gave a tough fight to Babar but could not stand for long against the force of his mighty army; after his victory, Babar plundered the town and later destroyed the big mansions and other buildings; all the members of the ruling families, officers and umraa were killed or arrested. Some months after this destruction Guru visited Bhai Lalo who had survived the attack; he narrated the details of Babar’s invasion. The Guru has presented that scenario in his verses (wrongly mentioned as Babar Vani,139 a heading given by some writer and not by the Guru):
Leaving Khurasen, in safe custody He (Babar) came to threaten Hindostan (land below Sind River).
(As if) to remain free from blame, the Creator, created demon in Mughal, to invade.
They (people) were so much slashed (tortured) that they cried (in agony), (but their agony) did not create pain in you (God).
O! Creator you are same for all.
(And it is Your law that) If a mighty one slashes another mighty ONE, then mind may not feel agitated.
(But) if a mighty lion attacks a herd of cows to kill, then the Master’s grace is evoked.
(Now the state of Sayyadpur is such that) the dogs were busy in destroying the jewel; and the dead bodies were not even cared for.
You yourself unite, and yourself disunite; see this is your excellence.
If one boasts of his big name (popwer), and enjoys the delicacies of choice.
In the eyes of Master, he is only a worm, picking just grains.
Nanak says, “If one dies while living (one’s ego dies), only then he can achieve something.”140
Another such verse, which some people consider as a prophecy (it is in fact a poetic style to present the past events in the form of prediction), too depicts the scenario of the destruction of Sayyadpur (it is addressed to Bhai Lalo; hence his name appears in all the lines/sentences):
O! Lalo, the kind of word (baani), as revealed to me by my Master (God); the same knowledge (information), I communicate to you.
O! Lalo, He (Babar) brought a marriage party of sinners from Kabul, and forcibly, asks for bride (the country below Sind River).
O! Lalo, the modesty and faith, both have gone into hiding, and falsehood has gained dominance.
O! Lalo, the word of both, Brahmin and Kazi (i.e religion), is unwanted; (and now) the sermons are read out by devil.
O! Lalo, Muslim women read from books, and in trouble, they cry for God (i.e. even Muslim women are in trouble).
O! Lalo, the woman of caste and high caste, and the Hindus, they are also accounted for, in the same way.
Nanak says, “O! Lalo, let us sing (talk of) the song of massacre (carried out by Babar), (during which) in stead of saffron, blood was used (for making forehead marks).”
Nanak sings the excellences of Master, (and talks of) what is (was) happening in the city of flesh.
One who has created (the world) in different colours, sits aloof and watches.
That Master is true, He delivers true justice on different matters, and His given judgement is ever true.
The cloth of body shall be (was) cut into pieces, Hindostan will remember my word.
Arriving in seventy eight, shall leave in ninety seven, another disciple (son) of brave will rise.
Nanak tells, “I speak the words of truth, I will tell the truth; and it is time to tell he truth.” 141
According to popular belief, Guru Nanak too was arrested by Babar’s army but it is not true.142 Guru Nanak visited Sayyadpur much after its destruction at the hands of Babar. Sayyadpur was attacked in 1520, when the Guru was still at Baghdad (it is evidenced by the wording that was engraved on the stone referred to earlier).
Sayyadpur remained a deserted town for some decades. Later, Sher Shah Sur occupied it and named it Shergarh. He tried to rebuild this city but could not stay there for long time. A few decades later, Mohammed Amin (an official of Akbar) rebuilt the town and it came to be known as Aminabad and later Eimanabad, after his name.
End of Udasis: After returning from Mecca tour, Guru Nanak reached Talwandi, sometimes in the beginning of 1522. He had been on his missionary journey for about 14 years (1507-1515, 1516-1517, and 1518-1522).143 Now, he took off his udasi dress and restarted his life as a householder:
Then Baba came to Kartarpur and took off his Udasi dress; (He) wore the dress of a householder and began preaching his mission from his place (home).144
By this time he was 53 years old. He began living in a new village named Kartarpur (founded by him).145 Now, his Sikhs and admirers began visiting Kartarpur. Among them was Ajitta Randhawa also, who was chief of village Pakkhoke Randhawa; the very first meeting with the Guru made him a devoted Sikh.
One day, Bhai Duni Chand from Lahore, too visited him. He liked the new village and spent several days there; he built a saran (inn/hostel) for the visitors. Within a few years more families began living in this village.
Meeting with Ubaray Khan and Abdul Rehman
Though Guru Nanak had finished his long missionary journeys still he used to make short visits to some places; moreover, he had several admirers who used to invite him to hold congregations in their houses.
Once, while proceeding towards Batala, he made a stopover in village Jaurian; here, a Pathan, Ubarey Khan, heard him addressing some Sikhs. He was impressed by what the Guru was telling the people; he asked the Guru: ‘Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?’; the Guru replied: ‘I am neither a Hindu nor a Muslim; God has created every being out of His light and we are all God’s subjects; it is our duty to be good persons and this is our basic duty, and, it is the real religion.’ Guru’s words touched Ubarey Khan’s soul and he became an admirer of the Guru; wherever he went, he praised the Guru.
Another Muslim, Abdul Rehman, too lived in the same village; he did not like Ubarey Khan praising a non-Muslim. Per chance, one day, this Abdul Rehman too happened to have a dialogue with Guru Nanak; although after the meeting, he too was impressed yet; in his heart of hearts, he wished that the Guru should have been a Muslim; he too asked the Guru: ‘Are you a Muslim or a Hindu?’; the Guru replied: ‘I am neither a Hindu nor a Muslim. I am worshipper of God only; and, God has created the whole of the universe from His own light; I find His light in every being.’ Now Abdul Rehman was wordless; he too realized that the Guru was a real spiritual being, and he too became his admirer.
Visit to Achal Watala and debate with the Jogis/Yogis
During his stay at Kartarpur, once the Guru visited Achal Watala (6 km from Batala, on Batala-Jalandhar Road) with a view to give his message to the crowds visiting that place to celebrate a festival; it was the 28th of January 1530 and the Hindus were celebrating Shivratri; during Guru’s time there was a small Shiv temple and a big dera of the Jogis. (Later, Aurangzeb had this temple destroyed; the present temple was constructed in 1854. On the main wall of the new temple a photo was pained showing Jogis listening to Guru Nanak; now this painting does not exist.
On that day several people had gone there to celebrate the fair. Some of them remembered a very large number of hymns of Guru Nanak; when people came
to know that Guru too was there, they immediately rushed to see the Guru; within no time Guru was surrounded by crowds.
When Jogis saw this, they became very angry. They planned a conspiracy to degrade the Guru by confusing him on the issues of philosophy; as soon as they reached, one of them put a question to the Guru: ‘Why did you give up udasi dress and became a householder? It is like adding kaanji (sour carrot-soup) into milk, which would surely split the milk’; the Guru answered them: ‘If the pot is not clean, milk will surely be split; likewise, if mind and soul are clean then one (a householder) will achieve liberation by meditating upon the name of God; you have another problem too; you live on the earnings of the householders; how can your intentions remain in the right direction?’ This humbled the Jogis but they did not surrender; they put another question: ‘A lady wanted to churn milk to make butter but could not get it (butter), hence no Ghee (processed butter) could be obtained; whose fault it is: of the pot or milk or the one who churned?’ [This meant that the person who churns is ‘guru’, the pot is the ‘learner’, milk is ‘spiritual knowledge’ and ghee is ‘union with God’].
They asked again: ‘If a learner cannot have union with God, then whose fault it is: of the ‘guru’ (teacher) or the learner or the teaching of the guru?’; the Guru replied: ‘If the pot is not clean, the milk will be split; and, the pot (mind and soul) will remain clean only if one acts upon the teachings of the guru; mere spiritual knowledge is not enough nor will ritualism be of any help; it is living as per guru’s teaching which can lead to union with God’. To elaborate more, Guru Sahib sang a hymn:
Only that pot (body) is clean, which is liked by Him.
Otherwise, if the pot is extremely filthy, only washing cannot clean it.
By going to Guru’s door (i.e. by following Guru’s teachings), one will be blessed with understanding.
If washed at this door (Guru’s), it shall be clean.
The capacity to discriminate between clean and filthy will be granted by Him
No one should think that hereafter; one will get what one desires.
One’s fruits will be such, as one earns through one’s deeds.
Nectar is the name of God, He Himself distributes it.
(Such a blessed one) will leave the world with honour, earning (credits in) his life he will be victor.
What a poor human is? His victory shall sound in three worlds.
Nanak says, “He himself is happy (liberated) and now shall liberate his family.”146
This made the Sidh/Jogis answerless. Now they tried to awe the Guru with their so-called occult power. Guru Nanak knew that they there was no such power on this earth, hence he smiled at their show of magic tricks (which the sidhs/Jogis boasted as occult power, black magic and miracles).
When this weapon of the Sidhs too failed, they surrendered and asked the Guru, ‘What special power do you have that has made us powerless?’ Guru
Nanak told them, ‘Spiritual power is the highest power on this earth; and the spiritual power is not any phenomenon which is outside God, nor is it any magic; it is love of God and complete faith in Him which grants spiritual power to understand that there is none but God which is omnipotent.’147
At Achal Watala, the place where the Sidhs/Jogis had a debate with the Guru, a Gurdwara has been built. There is an old ber tree in this complex which is believed to be the same under which the Guru had a dialogue with the Jogis.
Visit to Kiri Afghanan village
From Achal Watala, Guru Nanak went to Kiri Afghanan; most of the residents of this village were Pathans. He addressed these Pathans more than once and many of them became followers of Guru Nanak. Having spent a few days at Kiri Afghana, Guru Sahib returned to Kartarpur.
Bhai Lahina (later Guru Angad) visits Guru Nanak
In April 1532, a group of the people from Khadoor, which were on their way to visit the temple of the mythical goddess Vaishano Devi, halted for spending a night at Kartarpur before proceeding for their further journey on the following day; this group included a person named Lahina (Lehna). Some of them went to see Guru Nanak and joined his congregation; Lahina was so impressed to listen to the Guru that he realized that worshipping the statue of a fictitious lady was just a meaningless act; this was a turning point in the life of Lahina.
The next day, when all other travellers resumed their journey, they found Lahina missing; they looked here and there and finally they found him attending the Guru; when they asked him to get ready for departure, he told them: “I do not want to go to worship an idol. I have found real Guru.” Hearing this most of the Khadurian people went away; now, Lahina began living at Kartarpur; he had found peace of mind there; finally, he had understood what religion indeed was.
Though Bhai Lahina made a visit to his home at Khadur again but came back within a few days, to spend the rest of his life with Guru Nanak. He spent more than seven years in the home and darbar of Guru Nanak.
Blessing the gifted boy (Baba) Buddha
Once Guru Nanak was passing through a village named Kathu Nangal; there he saw a child who was grazing his buffaloes; on seeing the Guru, he (child) thought that he must be a man of vision and spiritualism; so, he went to him and began talking to him. Within a short time his father too reached there and asked the Guru: ‘what is my son talking about?’; Guru Nanak told him: ‘your son is a gifted child and he has been talking like learned and wise people’. The man again said: ‘My son talks like a buddha148 (an elderly person)’; at this, the child addressing the Guru said: ‘Babaji, can’t the children listen to wise and learned people? when a fire is lighted, the smaller sticks get burnt prior to the big logs;
suppose if I die in an early age, I will be deprived of joining the company of the learned people.’ Hearing this, his father said: ‘Bababji, look! what does this buddha talk about?’ Guru Sahib told his father: ‘Your son is not a Buddha (old man); he is a bazurg (man of wisdom).’ The father could not understand the mystery; however, he realized that his son might be a special child.
When the news spread that area, people began addressing the boy as Baba Buddha and throughout his life people continued addressing him with this name. Later, Baba Buddha visited the Guru several times at Kartarpur; according to one tradition, he stayed and served the Guru up to 1539.149
He continued visiting the Sikh centres till the time of the 6th Guru and the ninth Guru (who was born in 1621 and had spent a lot of time at Amritsar); and it is likely that he might have seen even the 7th Guru (born 1631) too as he (Buddha) died in 1632; throughout his life he remained a member of Guru’s court (Darbar).
Visiting Bikaner
During one of his tours, Guru Nanak received an invitation from a Sikh of Bikaner; he agreed to visit the town. Having left Kartarpur, he first went to Sultanpur and then went to Matte Di Saran (the birth place of Lahina); it is possible that Laina might also have accompanied him. From Matte Di Saran, he went to Sirsa (where he had gone earlier too) and spent a few days there and then he went further to Bikaner. He spent several days in Bikaner and held congregations there which brought several new followers to Sikh fold.
According to Bhai Gurdas, Guru Nanak did not return home from Bikaner and went to Multan.150 He had been to Multan ealier too. During his previous visit he had a discourse with Haji Sheikh Abdullah (who was also present in Mecca in December 1518); after his death, he was succeeded by Baha-ud-Din Makhdoom. The Guru met him too; and this new successor asked the Guru: ‘Are you still continuing your udasis or have adopted some murshad (spiritual teacher).’ Guru Sahib told him: ‘I don’t need adopting a teacher, only God is my murshad; He is my teacher, guide and friend; in fact, the issue is how to give up one’s evils and achieve union with God. God will accept me (one) only if I have love for him, otherwise, I won’t be accepted in His court even if I have many friends (or murshad).’ With this Guru Sahib sang a hymn:151
O! Doomni, you may come and go, and may have as many friends.
Such a woman, cannot be in refuge, how the separated can be in patience?
My mind is in love with my husband.
I cut myself into pieces, and sacrifice for you, give me a little thrill of seeing you.
In my parent’s home, I am deserted one, how can I go to my in-law’s home?
My neck is gripped by vices, I am robbed, without my husband, I shall die repenting.
If I keep in mind my husband, while being in my parent’s home, then I can have a living (can get love) in the home (mind) of in-laws.
The married in me will have my husband, treasure of virtues, and will sleep in peace.
Such women enjoy the comfort of silken quilt, same kind of clothes they wear on body.
Those who are unchaste, deserted wives, their night passes in sorrows.
I may enjoy good many tastes, and may dress myself in many ways.
The youth, without husband, is going waste, I, the separated one, am repenting and repenting.
The call is from True (God), let us hear it in the thought of Guru.
The true is the seat of the True, the love is through His graceful grace.
The savant wears the anjan (sees through knowledge) of True, he can see the seer.
God-oriented knows and realizes by purgaing pride and ego
(O! God) You like the ones who are like you, like me there are many.
Nanak says,“Those whose husbands do not separate, they are truly in love.”152
Hearing this hymn, Makhdoom said, ‘I realise presence of God in your hymn’; Guru Sahib replied, ‘Makhdoomji you are successor of Pir Baha-ud-Din who was a learned person and you have his jot (light) in yourself.’ Makhdoom said, ‘Guruji, now I have realized that you are really more than a pir, who made me realize God through your hymns.’ The Guru told him, ‘If you want to realize God, you can do it from revealed Word’. The Guru spent some time at Multan and then left for Kartarpur. A memorial had been built in the memory of the visit of Guru Nanak at Multan but after 1947, this was deserted at the time of migration of the Sikhs to the east Punjab.
From Multan, the Guru reached Dipalpur, the headquarters of a major province (it was independent of Lahore and Multan up to the time of Akbar). His next stopovers were Shergarh, Chuhanian, Kanganpur and Kasur where he held congregations. Finally he reached Lahore and stayed with Bhai Duni Chand. This time he held discourse with Abdul Qadar Gilani (a learned Muslim man) also. He asked Guru Sahib, ‘what is greater pleasure: knowing God or having union with Him’; Guru Nanak told him, ‘Realizing God is like having union with Him’; here, the Guru sang a hymn:
An intoxicating ball (dose of opium), full of lies, is given by the giver,
One (who got it) is enjoying it, but only for four days (short time), because the intoxicated has forgotten, that he has to die.
The non-intoxicated are living in truth; it is to place them in His court.
Nanak says, “Believe the True as True.
By serving whom, there is happiness, and also honour in your court.” .
True intoxicant is prepared without jaggery; it is prepared in true name.
I sacrifice myself for those, who listen and recite (you).
A mind is considered to be intoxicated, only if it gets place in His home.
The water (for bath) is of name and virtues, truth is the sandal which perfumes body.
But the face will shine only, if you get it the gift of name, instead of lacs of such gifts.
Relate your sorrows only to Him, who can give you relief.
Why to forget Him? Who owns your life and body?
All that you eat and wear is impure, unless He is in them.
Everything else is false; acceptability is only by your liking.153
Having spent some more time with Abdul Gilani, Guru Sahib returned to Kartarpur.
Last Visit to Sialkot
Guru Nanak spent most of the rest of his life at Kartarpur except one visit to Sialkot. When he reached near Bhai Moola’s house, his wife noticed it from the roof of her house; she went down immediately and hid Moola inside a store fearing that he might once more leave home and accompany the Guru; and, when the Guru knocked the door, she opened it; the Guru asked if Moola was at home; she told him that Moola was not home (had gone outside the town); the Guru asked her again: ‘Is he not present at home?’; she replied,:‘Yes, he is not home’; hearing this, the Guru left the place.
When the Guru had gone, she opened the door of the store room and asked Moola to come out; Moola asked his wife: ‘Is Guru Nanak gone?’; she replied: ‘Yes he is gone’; this shocked Bhai Moola; he fell down on the ground there and then and died instantly; seeing this, his wife began crying; hearing her wailing, people ran to her house; when they came to know about the reality they ran after the Guru who had not gone far away. When the Guru received the news he returned and consoled Bhai Moola’s wife telling her: ‘Life and death was in the hands of God; no one dies an untimely death; Bhai Moola was an honest and learned man; he will always remain alive in the memory of the people’. Guru Nanak cremated Bhai Moola with his own hands; and, having spent some days at Sialkot, he returned to Kartarpur.
Guru Nanak’s Sacha Sauda
One day an old acquaintance of the Guru came to see him at Kartarpur; this man had been in the service of Nawab Daulat Khan and was a former colleague of the Guru; he had not seen the Guru since long; now he had retired from his job; one day he heard from some people that Guru Nanak had a grand following and hundreds of thousands of people admired him; hearing this, he was pleased and he wanted to see his friend. After some time, he went to Kartarpur and met the Guru; both talked about their days at Sultanpur, Nawab Daulat Khan Lodhi and other things; he spent several days there. One day he asked the Guru: ‘When some trader leaves his house for business, on his return he talks about his achievements, his earnings, his experiences of business. Guruji you are
respected by thousands and lacs of people; what sacha sauda (business) did you deal, which made you so beloved of the people?’ Guru Sahib replied: ‘My mission was love for God and all my name and fame is due to his Grace; I have nothing of my own; secondly, I had set out in the search of Gurmukh and I have found who Gurmukh can be; this was my sacha sauda (business) and I have succeeded in it; remembering His name is the real sacha sauda.’
Another friend of the Guru also came to Kartarpur to exchange good memories of their past relationship; he too spent several days there; he felt he was in ‘heaven’; people would get up early in the morning, have shower, sing hymns, jointly prepare food and share it; they would address each other by saying Sat Kartar (i.e. God is true) and join congregation every morning and evening; it was so heavenly that he got mesmerized and forgot to go back. Finally, one day, he decided to return to his village; when he reached home, his family and friends gathered around him to know about his visit to a very famous man; he began narrating all; he was so enthusiastic to explain that he missed words; and, while narrating all this he lost his breath (died). A few days later his sons visited the Guru to report about his death; Guru told them that death was God’s will and we must bow before His will.
Crowning Bhai Lahina as Guru
By 1539, Kartarpur had grown into a big village; the Sikhs, in hundreds and thousands, used to visit the Guru; all of them would join to plough the fields, sow crops; cook food and share; and the Guru would address the congregation at least twice a day; it was like a big spiritual family; it was real paradise and not an imaginary/fictitious heaven.
Bhai Lahina had been there for the past seven years; he was the in charge of most of the activities of the court of the Guru; the Guru had tested him and his knowledge about various issues of philosophy; he had proved his worth as an intelligent person, a good organiser, a responsible being, and had clear understanding of the Guru’s teachings and hymns etc; he had exhibited his great ethical qualities too. Guru Nanak thought that he was the most fit to continue his mission after his death.
Guru Nanak had already rejected both of his sons due to their lack of knowledge of Sikhism as well as their style of life; he had rejected Sri Chand because he was a recluse; and Lakhmi Chand was too much of a mayadhari (attached to worldly life) householder having nothing to do with spiritualism and humanism.
Having assessed and tested the credentials of Bhai Lahina, Guru Nanak, on the 14th of June 1539, appointed him as his successor-in-mission and formally declared it in a congregation held on the 2nd of September 1539. He performed ardas (prayers) for appointing Bhai Lahina as his successor and also gave him a new name, Angad. Guru Nanak had already merged his jot (light, knowledge)154
with (Guru) Angad’s, now he handed over to him all the baani he had composed along with the baani by the Bhagats as well.
Death of Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak died on the 7th of September 1539 Assu Vadi dasvin, 1596 Bikrami). He was cremated on the bank of river Raavi; several Sikhs were present to have a last glimpse of the body of their Guru.
Later, someone concocted a story that the Hindus and the Muslims had a dispute at the time of Guru’s death as the former (Hindus) wanted to cremate his body and the later (Muslims) wanted to bury it; it is mischievous propaganda which means that the Guru had no heirs, whereas the reality is that Guru’s wife and two sons were present there; how can others (even if they are ardent admirors) assert their right to the dead body of a husband/father? Secondly, Guru Nanak had unequivocally declared it, time and again, that he was neither a Hindu nor a Muslim, and then how could these sections claim his dead body? Thirdly, wherefrom did the Hindus and the Muslims come to claim the body whereas Kartarpur belonged only to the Guru and his Sikhs. Had the Sikhs ‘no say’ in their master’s creation? Moreover, there is no doubt that even if a dead person is very prominent personality, it is his family and relatives who decide the form of disposal of dead body.
After cremating Guru’s body, his sons, in defiance of Guru Sahib’s command, built a samadhi (memorial) at the site of his cremation; however, it was soon washed away by a flood in river Raavi and, later, they built another memorial on the other (left) side of the river (now known as Dera Baba Nanak).
Guru’s wife (Mata) Sulakkhani too died after 15 days, on the 22nd of September 1539.
[Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer]
Guru Nanak SAHIB or Guru Nanak DEV
Guru Nanak’s parents gave him the name NANAK only. Later, the Sikhs added Sahib as suffix, as a mark of respect; while others used Baba as a prefix. Most of the earlier writers, however, preferred using Baba Nanak; Sahib too was a later usage. In the second half of the nineteenth century some Brahmanic writers began using Dev as suffix with Guru Nanak’s name; until that no book or manuscript or even any verse had ever used DEV for Guru Nanak Sahib. But, like the usage of ‘SRI’ in Sikhism, the term DEV was so much popularized by
the Brahmin writers that a simple minded person considers Guru Nanak’s name as incomplete if it is without the suffix DEV.
An argument was presented that DEV was added because all other Guru-names had two words (i.e. Amar Das, Ram Das, Hargobind, Har Rai, Harkrishan, Tegh Bahadur, Gobind Singh) hence DEV should be added to the names of the other three Gurus also i.e. with Nanak, Angad and Arjan); this is ridiculous logic that names of three Gurus should be changed (adding a new word is ‘changing the original’) so as to make them in the fashion of (or look like) the names of the other seven Gurus. Are these names ‘decoration pieces’ that symmetry has to be established? Why should we not preserve the original names of these three Gurus? Secondly, it is wrong to say that Hargobind, Harkrishan are names with two words; both are one word names. Why don’t they write them as Hargobind Dev and Hakrishan Dev?
Further, the Brahmanic writers suggested that the words DEV appears 100 times and DEO for 56155 times in Guru Granth Sahib; hence DEV/DEO should be accepted; this too is a strange logic. Similarly, some preachers claim that in one of the verses of Guru Granth Sahib, the name of Guru Arjan Sahib has been mentioned as ‘Arjan Dev’; hence his name should be written as Arjan Dev; and, let us add it to the names of the first two Gurus also. Now, let us read the verse by Bhatt poet Mathura:
jap-ya-o jinh arjun, dayv guroo, fir sankat, jon garabh na aa-ya-o.156
This line means that “those who remember GuruDev, as per the teachings of Arjan, they do not suffer from the fear of entering womb and bearing the pains of birth again”. Here DEV is a part of Guru (Gurdev) and not as suffix of the name of Guru Arjan Sahib.
It is further interesting that, in Guru Granth Sahib, RAAM and CHAND too appear after the name of Guru Nanak; should we accept Chand/Raam as suffix of Guru’s name?
Here is the verse where Raam is referred to as suffix:
sikh-yaa saⁿt, naam bhaj, naanak, raam, raⁿg aatam si-o ra-un.157
It means: “Nanak says, (O! man) as per teachings of the God-oriented persons, meditate upon name (of God), let your soul live in love of God”. Here, Raam has been used as one of the names of God and not as a suffix of Guru Nanak.
The verse where Chand is referred as suffix:
parathmay naanak chaⁿd jagat bha-yo aanaⁿd
taaran manukh-y jan kee-a-o pargaas.158
This means: First, Nanak is like a moon, seeing him the world delights; to liberate the human beings, he illuminates their ways.
In Guru Granth Sahib, the word Nanak appears more than 5100 times and Nanaki (short sound ‘i’ before K in Nanak), and Nanaku short ‘u’ under K in Nanak) 23 and 50 times respectively; so which spellings should we accept, and what is the basis?
Now let us consider the usage of the word DEO (2 times after the word Nanak) and DEV (3 times after the word Nanak) in the verses of Guru Granth Sahib:
tin ka-o ki-aa updaysee-ai jin gur, naanak, day-o. 159
This verse means: “Nanak says what sermons can be given to those, who have been blessed (taught) by Guru; hence DEO is a part of Gurdev (gur+dayo)”. Similar is the meaning of the word DEO in verse:
bohith, naanak, day-o gur, jis har chaṛaa-ay, tis bha-ojal tarnaa.160
It means: Nanak says, “Gurdev (day-o gur) is a boat, whomever God gets to embark it, he will swim across the terrible waters.” Here too DEO (day-o) is a part of Gurdev and not a suffix of Guru Nanak’s name.
so vasai it ghar, jis gur pooraa sayv.
abichal nagree, naanak, dayv.161
This means: Nanak says, those whom perfect Guru blesses with the service (meditation) of God; his home (heart/mind) becomes (such an abode, i.e. abchal nagri, which is free from vices) where He resides. Here DEV has been used for God and not for Nanak or even Guru/Gurdev.
Further:
kabeer dhi-aa-i-o ayk raⁿg.
naam dayv har jee-o baseh saⁿg.
ravidaas dhi-aa-ay parabh anoop.
gur, naanak, dayv goviⁿd roop.162
[Meaning]: Kabir remembered with single-mind.
(O! God) You dwell with (in the mind of) Namdev.
Ravidas remembered beautiful Master.
Nanak says Gurdev is the image of Govind (God)].
In the second line of this verse, Dayv is a suffix of Namdev, but in fourth line Dayv is a part of Gurdev. Similarly:
kavan kahaan ha-o gun pari-a tayrai.163
baran na saaka-o ayk tulayrai.
darsan pi-aas bahuṯ man mayrai.
mil, naanak, dayv jagat gur kayrai.
[Meaning]: I cannot narrate even some of them.
O! my dear, how many of your attributes, I can relate?
In my mind is great thirst to see you.
Nanak says, O Gurdev of the world (i.e. God), please meet me (i.e. come to stay in my mind).
Besides these verses, the words Dev or Deo is found in about 150 verses in Guru Granth Sahib (pp. 108, 155,405, 469, 479, 522, 694, 795-96, 871, 943, 1129, 1142, 1149, 1172-73, 1180, 1183, 1338, 1353, 1389 etc). In all these verses Dev/Deo have been used in the meaning of Waheguru or His light and not as suffix of any name (even of the Gurus). For example:
kaam krodh ahaⁿkaar binsai, milai satgur dayv.164
With this the cupidity, the anger, the ego vanish, and one meets the divine Guru.
mahimaa kahee na jaa-ay, gur samrath dayv.
None can say the praise of all powerful, Gurdev.165
ghat ghat suⁿn kaa jaanai bhay-o. aad purakh niraⁿjan day-o.166
If one who knows the secret, the void is in all bodies. He is the Primal Purkah, the taintless God.
gur jaisaa naahee ko dayv.
None is light (of knowledge) like Guru.
jis masṯak bhaag so laagaa sayv.167
One, for whom He is preordained, he is serving Him.
har simrat kichh chaakh na johai.
Remembering God one’s evil eye will not touch (see) you.
har simrat dait day-o na pohai.168
Remembering God, the (fear of) biggest demon (daint day-o i.e., here, deo/biggest/chief among daints) cannot get hold.
raⁿg laagaa at laal dayv.169
(I am) in deep red colour (i.e. in deep love) of my God.
Now, in all these verses Deo/Dev has been used for God Waheguru or His light; and at one place it also means ‘chief’ (e.g. ‘daint’ and ‘day-o’ i.e. demons). So Dev/Deo has nothing to do with the name of the Gurus.
In Guru Granth Sahib, there is a ballad by Satta and Balwand which mentions the names of the first five Gurus. They definitely knew the correct names of the Gurus. But they have not used DEV anywhere for any Guru. Bhatt Baani is also a part of Guru Granth Sahib. These Bhatts were court poets of the Guru Sahib. None of them have used DEV for any Guru. Bhai Gurdas, who scribed their verses in the Granth (and Guru Arjan Sahib must have read the final version) they must have knowledge of the names of Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Arjan. If the suffix Dev had been omitted, by Satta-Balwand or the Bhatts, by mistake, Guru Arjan or Bhai Gurdas would have corrected it. So it also proves that Guru Arjan too did not use Dev for any Guru.
Early sources of Guru Nanak’s life include Wilayat Wali Janamsakhi, Meharban Wali Janamsakhi, Bhai Bala Wali Janamsakhi, Bhai Mani Singh Wali Janamsakhi (attributed to him), and Puratan Janamsakhi etc. None of these used DEV as suffix of Guru Nanak’s name.
The ‘ardas’, approved by the S.G.P.C. and released from Akal Takht, begins with a stanza from Charitropakhyan (wrongly attributed to Guru Gobind Singh). Under which conspiracy it became a part of the Sikh Ardas during the Mahants’ period is not to be debated here, but this ‘ardas’ too does not use DEV as suffix of the name of any Guru:
pirtham bhagauti simar kay gur nanak layee dhiayei.
phir aⁿgad ṯe gur amardaas, raamdaasay hoyiee sahayei.
arjan hargobiⁿd no, simrau sri harrai…
Again, the writer (it is not Guru Gobind Singh) of the poem Bachitra Natak too mentions the names of all the Gurus but he too does not use DEV with any Guru’s name:
Ṯin bedian ki kul bikhayei pragatei nanak Rai.
(The author, however, uses RAI and not DEV. Now, what should we use, as suffix of Guru Nanak’s name, Dev or RAI?
There are a very large number of vaars (ballads) in Punjabi which preserve history of the Guru period. Most of these were written between seventeenth and early nineteenth century. These include:
Raamkali Di Vaar (Satta & Balwand)
Vaar Babe Nanak Ji Ki (Bhai Gurdas)
Karhkhay Patshah Dasven Kay (Sain Singh)
Paurian Guru Gobind Singh Ji Kian (Mir Mushki & Chhabila)
Yudh Guru Gobind Singh Ji Ka (Ani Rai)
Vaar Patshahi Dasvin Ki (unknown writer)
Vaar Bhayrei Ki Patshahi Das (unknown writer)
Vaar Bhangani Ki (unknown writer)
Yudh-Charitra Guru Gobind Singh Ji Ka (Veer Singh Ball)
Vaar Amritsar Ki (Darshan Bhagat)
Vaar Sarb Loh Ki (unknown writer)
Vaar Kalyan Ki (Khushal Chand)
In these vaars, nowhere has DEV been used as suffix to the name of any Guru.
Bhai Gurdas has used the word DEO or DEV in several verses of his vaars e.g. vaar 3 (pauris 2 and 12), vaar 13 (pauri 25), vaar 15 (pauri 2), etc. But in these verses Dev/Deo is not a part of any Guru’s name but it means ‘manifested’. Further, he has used DEO/DEV in vaar 24 (pauri 25), where the words ‘deo japaiya...’ means ‘the Guru preached meditation in the name of God’ (here DEO means God). In vaar 28 (pauri 11), ‘DEV’ means ‘devta/god’ and it is not a suffix of any Guru’s name.
Bhai Gurdas’s 1st vaar depicts the life and role of the Guru Sahibs and in the whole Vaar the word DEV has not been used even once. In this vaar, pauris 23 to 45 are life story of Guru Nanak Sahib and pauris 45 to 48 are about the lives of Guru Angad to Guru Hargobind Sahib. In these 26 pauris too the word DEV (as suffix) is missing. Does it mean that Bhai Gurdas had written incomplete name of Guru Sahib?
The Bhatt Vahis (by various Bhatts, including Mathra and Keerat, the poets of Guru Granth Sahib) and Panda Vahis (of Hardwar, Pehowa, and Mattan etc) were written during the times of Gur Sahibs. None of the entry-writers of these records used Dev for any Guru.
The Sikh history books written during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries include the works by Sainapati, Koer Singh, Kesar Singh Chhibber,
1Another date (the 15th of April 1469) has also been mentioned by some writers as Guru’s birth date. This mistake occurred due to distortion by Mehrban (who wrote a biography of Guru Nanak suiting to his planning to establish himself in the Sikh world). Meharban, who had been functioning under the guidance of the Brahmins, who assert that a child born in Katak month of Bikrami calender (October-November of Gregorian calender or Common Era/ C.E.) is in-auspicious; hence he changed the date of birth of Guru Nanak. The date 15th of April 1469 has been accepted by those who have followed Janamsakhi Meharban Wali. Well known writer Karam Singh Historian too accepted the April date. Karam Singh, in his book Katak Ke Visakh, rejected the authenticity of the book Bhai Bale Wali Janamsakhi and proved that it (book) was the work of the descendants of Handal (of Jandiala, district Amritsar), who wanted to present Handal as superior to Guru Nanak. Karam Singh Historian totally rejected this ‘Janamsakhi’ and with this he rejected even the date of the
Sawrup Singh Kaushish, Ratan Singh Bhangoo, Sukhbasi Ram Bedi etc. None of these has used DEV as suffix of the name of any Guru. Dev is missing even from the Nirmala writings.
The usage of Dev began with Brahmin writers. The first Sikh to popularize it was Bhai Veer Singh. Though he used Dev but his action was still not followed by serious Sikh scholars. It was only after 1972 that DEV became an epidemic and Guru Nanak Sahib’s name was changed into Guru Nanak Dev.
In 1972, Zail Singh became the chief minister of the Punjab. It was he who changed the name of Guru Nanak University Amritsar into Guru Nanak Dev University. Zail Singh was an illiterate person; hence he did not have sufficient knowledge of Sikh history or philosophy; no doubt he had been a ‘ritual-performing priest’ but had never done serious study of Sikhism; hence he did not try to know the real name of Guru Nanak Sahib. Later, he changed even ancient name of Rupar into Rupnagar (he believed it was not RUPAR but RO+PAR which means ‘begin weeping’). Later, in 1997-98, chief minister P. S. Badal too followed Zail Singh and changed the name of Guru Nanak Thermal Plant Bathinda to ‘Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant’.
Later, Guru Arjan Sahib and lastly Guru Angad Sahib’s names too were chnaged first by the Brahmin writers and then by novice Sikh writers, and finally by the ignorant Sikh leaders who popularized DEV as suffix of the name of Guru Angad Sahib. (Especially, Manjit Singh Calcutta, the Secretary of the SGPC in 2004, played a major role, under the influence of a semi-educated employee of the SGPC). This practice was followed by common folk. Only intelligent Sikhs continued writing real name of Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Arjan Sahib. (Great are the leaders of the Sikh nation!). There is a saying of Gurbani:
aⁿdhaa aagoo jay thee-ai ki-o paadhar jaaṇai.
aap musai mat hochhee-ai ki-o raahu pachhaaṇai.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p.767)
[Meaning]: If the blind becomes a leader, how can he show the way?
He Himself is cheated, because of his hollow wisdom. How can he identify the way (i.e. how can he lead?).
[Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer]
birth of Guru Nanak Sahib. But, Karam Singh made a mistake; he accepted Meharban’s date of birth of Guru Nanak without analysing it. (Meharban’s Janamsakhi is the basis of the rest of the Janamsakhis, i.e. Bhai Mani Singh Wali Janamsakhi, Puratan Janamakhi, Wilayat Wali Janamsakhi etc).
But, there are numerous references in earlier and most authentic books mentioning the celebration of birthday of Guru Nanak by the sixth and the ninth Guru Sahib, in the Katak month. Several other works from earlier period confirm the date of Katak (the 20th of October). These include: Bhai Gurdas, 1630s (Kabit no. 345); Guru Kian Sakhian, 1790, by Swarup Singh Kaushish; Sakhi Pothi, 1726 (unknown author), Kesar Singh Chhiber, 1780, Bansavalinama Dasan Patsahina Da; Gulab Singh Nirmala, 1753, Guru Parnali; Sant Singh Chhhiber, early 19th Century, Janamsakhi Baba Nanak; Ram Sukh Rao, c. 1820s, Jassa Singh Binod & Sri Fateh Singh Partap Parbhakar, Santokh Singh, 1832, Nanak Parkash; Gulab Singh IInd, 1851, Gurparnali; Nihal Singh – Gurmukh Singh, 1890, Khursheed Khalsa; Sondha Kavi, end of 18h century, Guru Bansavali; Tara Singh Narotam, 1884, Gur Teerath Sangrah, J.D. Cunningam, 1848, History of the Sikhs and several others. For analytical study of this issue, read the book Nanakshahi Calender, 2010, by Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer.
2 Only Meharban has written that Guru Nanak was born at Chahal, at the residence of his maternal grandfather (Nana in Punjabi), hence his name Nanak; and Meharban further says that Guru Nanak spent first seven years of his life at Chahal;, all other writers accept that he was born at Talwandi (now Nanakana Sahib). It is remarkable that several places of Nanakana Sahib are associated with Guru Nanak’s childhood whereas there is not a single such place at Chahal village. It seems that all the wrong traditions about Guru Nanak had been started by Meharban in his Janamsakhi; including his date (Visakh) and place (Chahal) of birth and date of death (22.9.1539 in stead of 7.9.1539) etc. Meharban shows Guru Nanak wearing Janeo and various other distortions go to his credit.
3
arbad narbad dhundhookaaraa. dharan na gagnaa hukam apaaraa.
naa din rain na chaⁿd na sooraj suⁿn samaadh lagaa-idaa.
khaaṇee na baṇee pa-uṇ na paaṇee. opat khapat na aavaṇ jaaṇee.
naa tad surag machh pa-i-aalaa.
khaⁿd pataal sapat nahee saagar nadee na neer vahaa-idaa.
dojak bhisat nahee khai kaalaa.
narak surag nahee jamaṇ marṇaa naa ko aa-ay na jaa-idaa.
barahmaa bisan mahays na ko-ee. avar na deesai ayko so-ee.
naar purakh nahee jaat na janmaa naa ko dukh sukh paa-idaa.
naa tad jatee satee banvaasee. naa tad sidh saadhik sukhvaasee.
jogee jaⁿgam bhaykh na ko-ee naa ko naath kahaa-idaa.
jap tap saⁿjam naa barat poojaa. naa ko aakh vakhaaṇai doojaa.
aapay aap upaa-ay vigsai aapay keemat paa-idaa.
naa such saⁿjam tulsee maalaa.
taⁿt maⁿt pakhaⁿd na ko-ee naa ko vaⁿs vajaa-idaa.
gopee kaan na ga-oo go-aalaa.
karam dharam nahee maa-i-aa maakhee.
jaat janam nahee deesai aakhee.
mamtaa jaal kaal nahee maathai naa ko kisai dhi-aa-idaa.
niⁿd biⁿd nahee jee-o na jiⁿdo. naa tad gorakh naa maachhiⁿdo.
naa tad gi-aan dhi-aan kul opat naa ko gaṇat gaṇaa-idaa.
varan bhaykh nahee barahmaṇ khatree.
day-o na dayhuraa ga-oo gaa-itaree.
hom jag nahee tirath naavan naa ko poojaa laa-idaa.
naa ko mulaa naa ko kaajee. naa ko saykh masaa-ik haajee.
ra-ee-at raa-o na ha-umai dunee-aa naa ko kahaṇ kahaa-idaa.
bhaa-o na bhagtee naa siv saktee. saajan meet binⁿd nahee raktee.
aapay saahu aapay vaṇjaaraa saachay ayho bhaa-idaa
bayd katayb na simrit saasat. paaṭ puraaṇ udai nahee aasat.
kahtaa baktaa aap agochar aapay alakh lakhaa-idaa.
jaa tis bhaaṇaa taa jagat upaa-i-aa. baajh kalaa aadaaṇ rahaa-i-aa.
barahmaa bisan mahays upaa-ay maa-i-aa moh vadhaa-idaa.
virlay ka-o gur sabad suṇaa-i-aa. kar kar daykhai hukam sabaa-i-aa.
khaⁿd barahmaⁿd paataal araⁿbhay guptahu pargatee aa-idaa.
taa kaa aⁿt na jaaṇai ko-ee. pooray gur tay sojhee ho-ee.
naanak saach ratay bismaadee bisam bha-ay guṇ gaa-idaa.
4Kesar Singh Chhiber, Bansavalinama Dasan Patsahina Da.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Meharban has distorted the name from Tripta to Tipro.
8 Janamsakhi Bhai Bala. Sarup Das Bhalla, a descendant of Meharban, writes that Guru Nanak did not learn anything from his teacher, he was ‘born with complete education’, and rather composed a verse ‘Patti’ from which Gurmukhi script originated: Mahima Parkash p. 207.
9 Janamsakhi Bhai Bala.
10 Janamsakhi Bhai Bala and Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh. This Janamsakhi is attributed to Bhai Mani Singh. In fact, its writer is some unknown person, and, it was written much after the martyrdom of Bhai Mani Singh.
11 Janamsakhi Bhai Bala and Janamsakhi Meharban.
12 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 471.
13 da-i-aa kapaah saⁿtokh soot jat gaⁿdhee sat vat.
ayhu janay-oo jee-a kaa ha-ee ta paaday ghat.
naa ayhu tutai naa mal lagai naa ayhu jalai na jaa-ay.
dhaⁿn so maanas naankaa jo gal chalay paa-ay.
cha-ukaṛ mul anaa-i-aa bahi cha-ukai paa-i-aa.
sikhaa kaⁿn chaṛaa-ee-aa gur baraahman thi-aa.
oh mu-aa oh jhaṛ pa-i-aa vaytgaa ga-i-aa.
14 This sakhi does not appear in Janamsakhi Bhai Bala. It was first given by Meharban and others copied it (Mani Singh and Puratan). All such concocted material was produced first by Meharban.
15 Janamsakhi Bhai Bala has given a different story: Guru Nanak’s father gave him 50 seers (45 kg) of seed for growing a crop; and when the crop was ready, Guru Nanak would not bother to take care; the animals would enter the fields and eat/damage the crop. This Janamsakhi, however, does not show any miracle of repair to crop. According to Janaksakhi attributed to Bhai Mani Singh, Guru Nanak was twelve years old when he was sent for grazing the animals.
16 ‘Sacha Sauda’ story too has not been narrated as such by the Janamsakhis. According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, Guru Nanak met the party of Nath Yogis whose leader was a man named Sant Rayn. Again, Guru Nanak could not have fed Nath Yogis because he has condemned the path of Yogis in Sidh Goshat verse in very clear words. How could Guru Nanak act against his own philosophy! Conceptually speaking, for Guru Nanak, always remembering God was ‘sacha sauda’; and man has come to this world to deal in this ‘sauda’ (trade); he was ‘sachay naam ko vaapaari’.
17 According to Janamsakhi Meharban, Guru Nanak got married at the age of 15 and Puratan Janamsakhi still reduces it to 12 years. Bala Janamsakhi tells that Guru Nanak got married at the age of eighteen.
18 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, Guru Nanak was 32 years old when Sri Chand was born.
19 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, both the sons were born at Sultanpur, but it is not possible. Guru Nanak went to Sultanpur in 1504, at the age of 35; and the dates of birth of both the sons (1494, 1497) prove that they must have been born at Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi.
20 Though the ‘Sacha Sauda’ story does not hold ground against logic but it creates impression that Guru Nanak might have been engaged in some business. On the other hand, as he was not having any job, it is not possible that he did not do any thing up to the age of 35. Moreover, the ruler of Sultanpur could not have assigned a senior office to a person who had no experience of trade or administration.
21 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala Guru Nanak was eighteen years old when his sister got married (she must be 23 at that time); and, Guru Nanak too was married in the same year. There are confusing dates/data in all the Janamsakhis.
22 Janamsakhi Bhai Bala.
23Puratan Janamsakhi, Janamsakhi Meharban; also Sikhan Di Bhagatmala, p 43.
24 Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
25Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan Di Bhagatmala, p. 24, Janamsakhi Meharban and Janamsakhi Bhai Bala have also reported this incident.
26 According to Janamsakhi attributed to Bhai Mani Singh, Guru Nanak gave 250 rupees to Mardana as his contribution.
27 Janamsakhi attributed to Bhai Mani Singh. Janamsakhi Bhai Bala says that the accounts were checked thrice.
28 Gurdwara Sant Ghat is said to have been built at the site where Guru Nanak ‘appeared after three days’, but Janamsakhi Bhai Bala says that that was the site where Guru Nanak Sahib had planted his datan (a small part of a branch of some tree, which was used for brushing teeth); and according to Vilayat Wali Janamsakhi as well as the Janamsakhi attributed to Bhai Mani Singh, Guru Nanak came out of bein from the same spot where he had jumped (and not at present site of Sant Ghat Gurdwara).
29 Janamsakhi Meharban, also Puratan Janamsakhi.
30Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh. Also see: Sikhan Di Bhagatmala (attributed to Bhai Mani Singh).
31 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, when the incident of ‘jumping into Bein’ occurred, Sri Chand was four and a half year old and Lakhmi Das was still in his mother’s womb; and after about six months when Guru Nanak left for his udaasis Sri Chand was less than five years old and Lakhmi Das was only a couple of months old.
32 According to Janamsakhi Meharban, Guru Nanak was 36 years and six and a half months old when he had a ‘meeting with God’, on Bhadon Sudi Puranmashi of 1564 (Bikrami). According to Janamsakhi attributed to Bhai Mani Singh, Guru Nanak was just 20 years old when he began his Udaasis.
33 Janamsakhi Bhai Bala.
34Janamsakhi Bhai Bala. This Janamsakhi mentions that Guru Nanak spent one month at Sayyadpur (Eimanabad).
35 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, Guru Nanak was arrested and produced before Malik Bhago.
36 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, Guru Nanak held Malik Bhago’s food in one of his hands and hard pressed it. Blood began dripping from that food. Guru said, ‘It is blood that you have sucked from people
(i.e. this food has been bought with unearned wealth).’ Then, Guru held simple loaf of Bhai Lalo in his other hand and milk began dripping from it (i.e. this is food bought with honestly earned money). Other Janamsakhis don’t mention this incident.
37 jay mohaakaa ghar muhai ghar muhi pitree day-ay.
agai vasat sinjaanee-ai pitree chor karay-i.
vadhee-ah hath dalaal kay musfee ayh karay-i.
naanak agai so milai je khatay ghaalay day-ay.
(Guru Granth Sahib p.472)
38 Vilayat Wali Janamsakhi does not mention this incident.
39 This hymn appears in Guru Granth Sahib, at page 732. This has been reported only by Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
40 ujal kaihaa chilkaṇaa ghotim kaalṛee mas.
dhoti-aa jooṭ na utrai jay sa-o dhovaa tis.
sajaṇ say-ee naal mai chaldi-aa naal chalaⁿnih.
jithai laykhaa maⁿgee-ai tithai khaṛay disaⁿn.
kooṭay maⁿdap maaṛee-aa paas-hu chitvee-aahaa.
ḍaṭe-aa kaⁿm na aavnhee vichahu sakh-nee-aahaa.
bagaa bagay kapṛay tirath maⁿjh vasaⁿnih.
ghut ghut jee-aa khaavnay bagay naa kahee-anih.
simmal rukh sareer mai maijan daykh bhulaⁿnih.
say fal kaⁿm na aavnhee tay gun mai tan haⁿnih.
aⁿdhulai bhaar uṭaa-i-aa doogar vaat bahut.
akhee loṛee naa lahaa ha-o chaṛ langhaa kit.
chaakree-aa chaⁿg-aa-ee-aa avar si-aaṇap kit.
naanak naam samaal tooⁿ badhaa chhuteh jit.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p. 729)
41 Puratan Janamsakhi, also Janamsakhi Meharban.
42 During those days, Beas River, though it had union with Satluj River at Harike Pattan (several kilometers back), but a tributary of it (Beas) still continued flowing for hundreds of kilometers, via Shergarh, to join with Satluj River at Shujatpur. It used to flow in between Chichawatni and Pakpattan. Dry bed of this branch of Beas is still in existence.
43 Sheikh Ibrahim was the 12th successor of Baba Farid: 1. Sheikh Badar-ud-Din Suleman 2. Sheikh Alla-ud-Din 3. Sheikh Muaiee-ud-Din 4. Sheikh Fadal-ud-Din 5. Sheikh Munavar-ud-Din 6. Sheikh Nur-ud-Din 7. Sheikh Baha-ud-Din 8.Sheikh Mohammed 9. Sheikh Ahmed 10. Sheikh Ataullah 11. Sheikh Mohammed IInd 12. Sheikh Ibrahim (also known as Bala Pir).
44Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh. The same has been mentioned by Janamsakhi Bhai Bala and Meharban Janamsakhi.
45 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, from here Guru Nanak went to Talwandi, his own village, and re-started his missionary journey after just five days.
46According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, he was former ruler of Patna. Giani Gian Singh names the king as Raja Jagat Rai son of Raja Amrit Rai of Hansi. Giani Gian Singh was known for concocting stories/names.
47 paṯhilaaⁿ maasahu niⁿmi-aa maasai aⁿdar vaas.
jee-o paa-ay maas muhi mili-aa had chaⁿm tan maas.
maasahu baahar kaḍi-aa maⁿmaa maas giraas.
muhu maasai kaa jeebh maasai kee maasai aⁿdar saas.
vadaa ho-aa vee-aahi-aa ghar lai aa-i-aa maas.
maasahu hee maas oopjai maasahu sabho saak.
……………
maas maas kar moorakh jhagṛay gi-aan dhi-aan nahee jaaṇai.
ka-uṇ maas ka-uṇ saag kahaavai kis meh paap samaaṇay.
gaiⁿdaa maar hom jag kee-ay dayviti-aa kee baaṇay.47
maas chhod bais nak pakṛeh raatee maaṇas khaaṇay.
faṛ kar lokaaⁿ no dikhlaavahi gi-aan dhi-aan nahee soojhai.
naanak aⁿdhay si-o ki-aa kahee-ai kahai na kahi-aa boojhai.
andhaa so-ay je andh kamaavai tis ridai se lochan naahee.
maat pitaa kee rakat nipaⁿnay machhee maas na khaanhee.
istaree purkhai jaaⁿ nis maylaa othai maⁿdh kamaahee.
maasahu niⁿmay maasahu jaⁿmay ham maasai kay bhaaⁿday.
gi-aan dhi-aan kachh soojhai naahee chatur kahaavai paaⁿday.
baahar kaa maas maⁿdaa su-aamee ghar kaa maas chaⁿgayraa.
jee-a jant sabh maasahu ho-ay jee-ay la-i-aa vaasayraa.
abhakh bhakheh bhakh taj chhodeh andh guroo jin kayraa.
maasahu nimmay maasahu jammay ham maasai kay bhaaⁿday.
gi-aan dhi-aan kachh soojhai naahee chatur kahaavai paaⁿday.
maas puraanee maas kaytaabeeⁿ chahu jug maas kamaaṇaa.
jaj kaaj vee-aahi suhaavai othai maas samaanaa.
istaree purakh nipjahi maasahu paatisaah sultaanaaⁿ.
jay o-ay diseh narak jaaⁿday taaⁿ unh kaa daan na laiṇaa.
dayⁿdaa narak surag laiday daykhhu ayhu dhinyaanaa.
aap na boojhai lok bujhaa-ay paaⁿday kharaa si-aaṇaa.
to-i-ahu aⁿn kamaad kapaahaaⁿ to-i-ahu tribhavan gaⁿnaa.
paaⁿday too jaaṇai hee naahee kithhu maas upaⁿnaa.
to-aa aakhai ha-o baho bidh hachhaa toai bahut bikaaraa.
aytay ras chhod hovai sani-aasee naanak kahai vichaaraa.
(Guru Granth Sahib, pp. 1289-90).
48 Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
49 Earlier it was associated with the Shaive people.
50 The same name was given to the stairs of the Darbar Sahib by the Udasi and Nirmala occupants of Darbar Sahib. Naive Sikhs accepted this Brahmanic term under ignorance.
51 Janamsakhi Meharban, also Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
52 A Gurdwara (Gurdwara Gian Godri) had been built at the site where Guru Sahib addressed the audience. In 1979, the central government, then headed by Chowdhry Charan Sinh, had acquired this land in the name of beautification. Though the erstwhile Hindu temples have been re-built but the land of the Gurdwara has not been returned as yet. On the other hand shopping complex has been built there. The shop Chawla Store is the exact site where the historical Gurdwara existed.
53 Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh, p. 207. But, according to this Janamsakhi Guru Sahib visited this place on way from Gorakhmata.
54 Later, some writer concocted the story of sweetening of reetha-nuts of one tree by the Guru; whereas Guru Sahib himself has rejected so-called miracles.
55 Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
56 jog na khiⁿthaa jog na daⁿdai jog na bhasam chaṛaa-ee-ai.
jog na muⁿdee mooⁿd mudaa-i-ai jog na siⁿngee vaa-ee-ai.
aⁿjan maahi niraⁿjan rahee-ai jog jugat iv paa-ee-ai.
galee jog na ho-ee.
ayk darisat kar samsar jaanai jogee kahee-ai so-ee.
jog na baahar maṛee masaaṇee jog na taaṛee laa-ee-ai.
jog na days disaⁿtar bhavi-ai jog na tirath naa-ee-ai.
aⁿjan maahi niraⁿjan rahee-ai jog jugat iv paa-ee-ai.
satgur bhaytai taa sahsaa tootai dhaavat varaj rahaa-ee-ai.
nijhar jharai sahj dhun laagai ghar hee parchaa paa-ee-ai.
aⁿjan maahi niraⁿjan rahee-ai jog jugat iv paa-ee-ai.
naanak jeevti-aa mar rahee-ai aisaa jog kamaa-ee-ai.
vaajay baajhahu siⁿngee vaajai ta-o nirbha-o pad paa-ee-ai.
aⁿjan maahi niraⁿjan rahee-ai jog jugat ta-o paa-ee-ai.
Guru Granth Sahib, p. 730).
57 ham aadmee haaⁿ ik damee muhlat muhat na jaaṇaa.
naanak binvai tisai sarayvhu jaa kay jee-a paraaṇaa.
Gur Granth Sahib, p. 660
58
Jagan hom puⁿn tap poojaa dayh dukhee nit dookh sahai.
raam naam bin mukat na paavas mukat naam gurmukh lahai.
raam naam bin birthay jag janmaa.
bikh khaavai bikh bolee bolai bin naavai nihfal mar bharmanaa.
pustak paaṭ bi-aakaran vakhaanai sandhi-aa karam tikaal karai.
bin gur sabad mukat kahaa paraaṇee raam naam bin urajh marai.
daⁿd kamaⁿdal sikhaa soot dhotee tirath gavan at bharman karai.
raam naam bin saaⁿt na aavai jap har har naam so paar parai.
jataa mukat tan bhasam lagaa-ee bastar chhod tan nagan bha-i-aa.
raam naam bin taripat na aavai kirat kai baaⁿdhai bhaykh bha-i-aa.
59 Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
60 According to historians of the ancient history, king Raam (Rama) did not belong to Ayodhya; he was the king of Kashi; it was the fiction work Ramayana which presented him as king of Ayodhya. See: Ancient India by D. N..Jha, pp. 78-84.
61 Guru Granth Sahib, p 1171-72
62 saal garaam bip pooj manaavahu sukarit tulsee maalaa
raam naam jap bayṛaa baaⁿdhahu da-i-aa karahu da-i-aalaa
kaahay kalraa siⁿchahu janam gavaavahu.
aachee dhahag divaal kaahay gach laavhu.
kar harihat maal tiⁿd parovahu tis bheetar man jovhu.
aⁿmrit siⁿchahu bharahu ki-aaray ta-o maalee kay hovhu.
kaam krodh du-ay karahu basolay godahu dhartee bhaa-ee.
ji-o godahu ti-o tumh sukh paavhu kirat na mayti-aa jaa-ee.
bagulay tay fun haⁿsulaa hovai jay too karahi da-i-aalaa.
paraṇvat naanak daasan daasaa da-i-aa karahu da-i-aalaa.
Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1170
63 Janamsakhi Meharban.
64 jay kar sootak maⁿnee-ai sabh tai sootak ho-ay.
gohay atai lakṛee aⁿdar keeṛaa ho-ay.
jaytay daanay aⁿn kay jee-aa baajh na ko-ay.
pahilaa paanee jee-o hai jit hari-aa sabh ko-ay.
sootak ki-o kar rakhee-ai sootak pavai raso-ay.
naanak sootak ayv na utrai gi-aan utaaray dho-ay.
man kaa sootak lobh hai jihvaa sootak kooṛ.
akhee sootak vaykh-naa par tari-a par dhan roop.
naanak haⁿsaa aadmee badhay jam pur jaahi.
sabho sootak bharam hai doojai lagai jaa-ay.
jaⁿmaṇ marṇaa hukam hai bhaaṇai aavai jaa-ay.
khaaṇaa peeṇaa pavitar hai diton rijak saⁿmbaahi.
naanak jinhee gurmukh bujhi-aa tinhaa sootak naahi.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p. 472)
65 For English translation of Baba Ravidas’s baani, read ‘Ravidas Baani’ by Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer (published by Singh Brothers, Amritsar).
66 For full details of Guru Nanak’s meeting with Kabir and Ravidas, see book: Nanakshahi Calender, by Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer (published by Singh Brothers, Amritsar).
67 Janamsakhi Meharban.
68 Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
69During Guru’s times Hajipur was on one bank of Ganga River and the ruins of the ancient Magadha town of Patliputra were on the other side of the river. Patliputra was the capital of the Maurya dynasty. At that time it was a walled city. It had 64 gates and 670 towers. But, now it was all ruins. Later, Sher Shah Sur, when he became the chief of Bengal rebuilt Patna. By the end of 16th century it had become a big city but in the middle of seventeenth century it had become a major town and again achieved the glory of the days of Mauryas.
70 Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
71 Ibid.
72 Giani Gian Singh, who is known for concocting gossips, says that Guru Nanak spent 2 years and 7 months at Patna.
73 Later, Dacca had been visited by Guru Tegh Bahdur too. This town had a large Sikh population. There were twelve sangats/jathas (bands/units) of the Sikhs. Hukamnamas written by Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh to the Sikhs of Dacca prove that these Sikhs were in regular contact with the Gurus. But, with the passage of time, their number went on decreasing and after partition of Bengal, in 1947, the Sikhs moved to the West Bengal and other areas.
74 Kamrup was a big country in the ancient times and it remained a major power. It had a territory of about twentyfive thousand kilometers and it comprised of present day Assam, Manipur, Bhutan and northern area of Bengal hills. For details, see: K.L. Barua, An Early History of Kamrup, pp. 1-11 etc. The glory of Kamrup had also been mentioned by Heun Tsang, the Chinese traveller.
75 Here, a Gurdwara has been built at the site where Guru Sahib used to hold congregations. The first building of this Gurdwara was built by Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib in 1669-70. Then, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib had been living at Patna. When Ram Sinh Kachhwaha was sent by Aurangzeb to quell rebellion by the ruler of Ahom, he sought the help of Guru Sahib. Guru Sahib mediated a compromise and saved thousands of life. As a gratitude to him, the soldiers of both the armies (Ahom and Aurangzeb army) collected soil and created a high mound and the Gurdwara was built there.
76 Janamsakhi Meharban.
77 Puratan Janamsakhi.
78 Giani Gian Singh mentioned these shrines.
79 Present Calcutta owes its origin to the East India Company. They began inhabiting this town in 1870s. At that time there were three villages: Chutani, Kalighat and Gobindpur. For details: Breasted, Calcutta Past and Present, p. 2 onwards.
80 Rudar Partap Dev ruled over the present Orrisa for 28 years (1504-1532). In 1509, the army of Sultan Hussain Shah, the Nawab of Bengal, attacked Orrisa. It plundered Puri also and even destroyed the temples. In 1512, Krishan Deva, the ruler of Vijaynagar country, attacked Orrisa and wrested a large territory of Rudra Partap Dev.
81 The Chinese traveler Fahiyan, who visited this area in the seventh century, wrote that it was a Budddhist temple. Every year the Buddhists used to take out a procession, led by a teeth belonging to Buddha. Later, the Hindu rulers captured this temple and cut the head of Buddha from its statue and turned it into a Hindu idol (that is why that statue is still in a broken shape).
82 According to a tradition, the mythological Hindu ruler-cum-god Krishna was killed in this area. No body bothered to cremate his body. It remained rottening and finally only some bones remained there, scattered here and there. For details: John Dowson, Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, pp. 128-29.
83 Guru Granth Sahib, p.663.
84 gagan mai thaal rav chaⁿd ḏeepak banay ṯaarikaa maⁿdal janak moṯee.
dhoop mal-aanlo pavan chavro karay sagal banraa-ay foolaⁿṯ joṯee.
kaisee aarṯee ho-ay bhav khaⁿdanaa ṯayree aarṯee.
anhaṯaa sabaḏ vaajaⁿṯ bhayree.
sahas ṯav nain nan nain hai ṯohi ka-o sahas mooraṯ nanaa ayk ṯohee.
sahas paḏ bimal nan ayk paḏ gaⁿdh bin sahas ṯav gaⁿdh iv chalaṯ mohee.
sabh meh joṯ joṯ hai so-ay.
ṯis kai chaanan sabh meh chaanan ho-ay.
gur saakhee joṯ pargat ho-ay.
jo ṯis bhaavai so aarṯee ho-ay.
har charaṇ kaval makraⁿḏ lobhit mano anḏino mohi aahee pi-aasaa. kirpaa jal ḏeh naanak saariⁿg ka-o ho-ay jaa ṯay ṯayrai naam vaasaa.
85This hymn is included in Sohila, night prayer of a Sikh’s Nitnaym but some ignorant Sikhs read it as Sikh-‘Aarti’. Guru Nanak Sahib did not compose this hymn as an Aarti, and rather it was rejection of Aarti ritual. Those Sikhs who read or sing this hymn as Aarti, apparently, disobey Guru’s command.
86 In December 2004, the ‘Shankaracharya’ (religious chief) of this ‘math’ had been arrested in connection with a murder.
87 Guru Granth Sahib, pp.149-50.
88 sir khohaa-ay pee-ah malvaaṇee jooṭaa maⁿg maⁿg khaahee.
fol faḏeehat muhi lain bhaṛaasaa paanee ḏaykh sagaahee. bhaydaa vaagee sir khohaa-in bharee-an hath su-aahee.
maa-oo pee-oo kiraṯ gavaa-in tabbar rovan dhaahee.
onaa piⁿḏ na paṯal kiri-aa na ḏeevaa mu-ay kithaa-oo paahee.
aṭsaṭ ṯirath dayn na ḍho-ee barahmaṇ aⁿn na khaahee.
saḏaa kucheel raheh ḏin raaṯee mathai tikay naahee.
jhuⁿdee paa-ay bahan niṯ marṇai ḏaṛ ḏeebaaṇ na jaahee.
lakee kaasay hathee fuⁿmmaṇ aggo pichhee jaahee.
naa o-ay jogee naa o-ay jaⁿgam naa o-ay kaajee muⁿlaa.
ḏa-yi vigo-ay fireh viguṯay fitaa vaṯai galaa.
jee-aa maar jeevaalay so-ee avar na ko-ee rakhai.
daanhu ṯai isnaanhu vaⁿjay bhas pa-ee sir khuthai.
89According to Giani Gian Singh (Twareekh Guru Khalsa, p. 103) Guru Nanak adopted the route from Puri to Vishakhapatnam. So, he might have visited Chilka Lake, Ganjam, Kalingpattam, Srikakulam and Vishakhapatnam. (Giani Gian Singh had a tour of Guru Nanak’s Gurdwaras in the second half of the nineteenth century). In those days it was a part of Vijaynagar nation. Guru Nanak must have visited the major towns of this nation e.g. Vijaynagar, Vidiyanagar (Rajahamandari), Srirangham, Tanjvur/Tanjaur, Madurai, Kodikotai/Kodikullam etc. But, this too is possible that Guru Nanak might have visited these Dravid lands on his return from Sri Lanka. I have placed Rameshwaram on return itinerary.
90 Shivnabh was the chief of a small country. After the death of his brother Dharam Parkarma Bahu, he became ruler of Koti too. He was crowned as Vijay Bahu VII. After this, he ruled just for two years. He was succeeded by his elder son who ruled up to 1550.
91 He ruled Sri Lanka from 1506 to 1529. He was elder brother of Shiv Nabh.
92 This debate was, later on, engraved by someone on a stone which is still preserved (as monument no 111) in Anurathapuram museum. In this writing Guru Nanak Sahib’s name has been mentioned as Nanakacharya.
93 Janamsakhi Bhai Bala and Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh.
94Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh mentions the name as Japa Pattam.
95 Twareekh Guru Khalsa, p 102.
96 The graves of these two faqirs still exist.
97 Gurdwara Maal Tekri has been built in the memory of the visit of Guru Nanak Sahib. Banda Singh Bahadur, before joining the Sikh Panth, too had his dera in this town. In July-August 1708, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib visited this place, initiated Banda Singh into Khalsa brotherhood and spent the last two months of his life here.
99 Guru Granth Sahib, pp. 929-30.
100 For details see the first section of his book.
101 Ma’asra-i-Alamgiri.
102 For details see vol. III of this book.
103 Delhi city was founded by Tomar/Tunwar Rajputs in 736 C.E.; then Kutub-ud-Din Aibak, Khaljis, Tughlaks too built their forts around that area; later the area around Lal Qila, then known as Shahjahanabad, was founded by Shah Jahan in 1630s; the present day New Delhi was founded in 1911 when the British shifted their capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
104 Guru Hargobind Sahib also stayed here, in this village, in January 1613; and, later, Ram Rai (son of Guru Har Rai Sahib) too stayed here in 1661.
105 A Gurdwara has been built there too.
106 Karori was an officer under the Afghan/Mughal rulers. A Karori was responsible for collecting one crore (krore) dams (2.5 lac rupees) as state revenue.
107 Bhatauli is now a part of Keeratpur, founded in 1624. Keeratpur was carved out of the land of Bhatauli, Kalyanpur, Jiowal and Bhagwala villages.
108 It is possible that his real name may be a different one and he was popularly known as Buddhan Shah.
109 Later, some writer or the caretakers of the grave concocted a story that Guru Nanak did not accept milk and said that he will have that (milk) in his sixth life i.e. as Sixth Guru; and when Guru Hargobind Sahib founded the town, he took milk from Buddhan Shah; this is just fiction.
110 The Mandi State always remained loyal to the Sikh Gurus. When Banda Singh Bahadur needed a safe haven, it was the Mandi ruler who helped Banda Singh.
111 Even now there are several Buddha followers in the town; during the time of king Ashoka, the Buddhists had a monastery where monks were trained. There is a lake in the midst of Rivalsar known for floating trees. These trees are static now.
112Later, a temple was built here. The Brahmin courtiers of Maharaja Ranjit Singh caused him to offer gold for a female statue which later on came to be known as goddess Jawala. On persuation of the Dogras, Maharaja Kharak Singh (1839-40) paid a lot of money for silver gates of this temple. (There are several such temples which were built after myths or natural wonders. Amar Nath is another one).
113 For details, see: Encyclopedia of Jalandhar.
114 Puratan Janamsakhi, and Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh. Puratan Janamsakhi says that Guru Nank reached there after crossing ‘sava lakh’ hills. It is, in fact, a variation of pronunciation of Shivalak. Guru Nanak crossed Shivalak range of mountains to reach mansarovar. ‘Sava lakh hills’ does not mean one hundred and twenty five thousand hils.
115 These pictures of Guru Nanak are not from old times because these are printouts of the paintings of the modern artists; similar is the position of the statues of the Guru.
116 The place, where Guru Nanak had sat, had been preserved in the form of a pedestal. In nineteenth century, there were ten Gurdwaras at Mattan, but, In 1908, when Sewaram Singh visited this town, only one had survived; that too had been in ruins. Later, the Sikhs built a new Gurdwara at an adjascent site. Sewaram Singh, The Divine Master, p. 144.
117 He is the same man who escorted 16 Brahmins to Anandpur on May 25, 1675, and sought Guru’s help against forcible conversion of the Hindus by the Governor of Kashmir.
118 After the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the families of these sixteen Brahmins embraced Sikh faith. Later, during Hari Singh Nalwa’s administration, many other Brahmins joined Sikh faith. Most of the Sikhs of Kashmir are the descendants of these Bramins.
119 Later, it came to be known as Rawalpindi.
120 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, Guru Nank met Wali Kandhari in Kandhar and not at Hassan Abdal.
121This fountain existed much before the times of Ashoka. The Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang has referred to this fountain as a sacred place of the Nag Raja Ela Patra. Later, here, the Buddists had established a monastery. Even after the visit of Guru Nanak, this fountain attracted several people. Mughal emperor Jahangir visited this place on 12th of May 1606 and spent several days here (Tuzak-i-Jahangiri, p. 69). When Aurangzeb had to lead an expedition against the Afghan in 1676, he chose to establish his headquarters here. He stayed here up to 1676. (Order to execute Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, in November 1675, was issued by him from here. Later, legendary General Hari Singh Nalwa built a Gurdwara near this fountain.
122
ham aadmee haaⁿ ik damee muhlaṯ muhaṯ na jaaṇaa.
naanak binvai ṯisai sarayvhu jaa kay jee-a paraaṇaa.
aⁿdhay jeevnaa veechaar daykh kayṯay kay dinaa.
saas maas sabh jee-o ṯumaaraa ṯoo mai kharaa pi-aaraa.
naanak saa-ir ayv kahaṯ hai sachay parvadgaaraa.
jay ṯoo kisai na dayhee mayray saahibaa ki-aa ko kaḍai gahṇaa.
naanak binvai so kichh paa-ee-ai purab likhay kaa lahṇaa.
naam khasam kaa chiṯ na kee-aa kaptee kapat kamaaṇaa.
jam du-aar jaa pakaṛ chalaa-i-aa ṯaa chaldaa pachhuṯaaṇaa.
Guru Granth Sahib, p. 660.
123 According to Puratan Janamsakhi, Bhai Moola distributed all the goods in his shop and left his house. It does not tell anything of the future of Mula’s wife.
124 Puratan Janamsakhi.
125 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 24.
126 so-ee ma-ulaa jin jag ma-oli-aa hari-aa kee-aa saⁿsaaro.
aab khaak jin baⁿdh rahaa-ee dhaⁿn sirjaṇhaaro.
marṇaa mulaa marṇaa. bhee karṯaarahu darṇaa.
ṯaa too mulaa ṯaa too kaajee jaaṇeh naam khudaa-ee.
jay bahuṯayraa paṛi-aa hoveh ko rahai na bharee-ai paa-ee.
so-ee kaajee jin aap ṯaji-aa ik naam kee-aa aadhaaro.
hai bhee hosee jaa-ay na jaasee sachaa sirjaṇhaaro.
paⁿj vakhaṯ nivaaj gujaareh paṛeh kaṯayb kuraaṇaa.
naanak aakhai gor saday-ee rahi-o peeṇaa khaaṇaa.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p. 24)
127 mihar maseeṯ sidak muslaa, hak halaal kuraaṇ.
saram suⁿnat, seel rojaa, hohu musalmaaṇ.
karṇee kaabaa, sach peer, kalmaa karam nivaaj.
ṯasbee saa ṯis bhaavsee naanak rakhai laaj.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p. 140)
128 paⁿj nivaajaa vakhaṯ paⁿj paⁿjaa paⁿjay naa-o.
pahilaa sach halaal ḏu-ay ṯeejaa khair khuḏaa-ay.
cha-uthee nee-aṯ raas man, paⁿjvee sifaṯ sanaa-ay.
karṇee kalmaa aakh kai, ṯaa musalmaaṇ saḏaa-ay.
naanak jayṯay kooṛi-aar kooṛai koorhee paa-ay.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p. 141)
129 musalmaaṇ kahaavaṇ muskal jaa ho-ay ṯaa musalmaaṇ kahaavai.
aval a-ul deen kar miṭaa maskal maanaa maal musaavai.
ho-ay muslim deen muhaaṇai maraṇ jeevaṇ kaa bharam chukaavai.
rab kee rajaa-ay maⁿnay sir upar karṯaa maⁿnay aap gavaavai.ṯa-o naanak sarab jee-aa mihraⁿmaṯ, ho-ay ṯa musalmaaṇ kahaavai.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p. 141).
130 This incident has been presented with detail by the author of Makay Medinay Di Gosht.
131 According to Janamsakhi attributed to Bhai Mani Singh Jeewan was a sweeper, and not a clegy. According to Vialayt Wali Janamsakhi, it was Qazi Rukan Din who turned Guru’s feet away.
132 Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 1, Pauri 32.
133 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala this incident took place at Medina and not in Mecca; according to this narration, Guru Nanak has spread his feet towards the grave of Mohammed.
134 Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 1, Pauri 34.
135 According to Bhai Gurdas (Vaar 1, Pauri 34), when Guru Nanak was going to leave Mecca, the local Muslim devotees asked him to leave some gift as a token of his memory, and the Guru gifted them his kaus (wooden slippers), which they preserved as relic. What happened to these slippers, later, is not known.
136 paataalaa paataal lakh aagaasaa aagaas.
oṛak oṛak bhaal thakay vayd kahan ik vaat.
sahas aṭaarah kahan kataybaa asuloo ik dhaat.
Laykhaa ho-ay ta likhee-ai laykhai ho-ay viṇaas.
Naanak vadaa aakhee-ai aapay jaaṇai aap.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p.5)
137 Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 1, Pauris 35,-36.
138 This has been finely narrated by Swami Anandacharya in his book Snow Bird, published in 1915.
139 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 360
140
khuraasaan khasmaanaa kee-aa hiⁿdusataan daraa-i-aa.
aapai dos na day-ee kartaa jam kar mugal chaṛaa-i-aa.
aytee maar pa-ee karlaaṇay taiⁿ kee darad na aa-i-aa.
kartaa tooⁿ sabhnaa kaa so-ee.
jay saktaa saktay ka-o maaray taa man ros na ho-ee.
saktaa seehu maaray pai vagai khasmai saa pursaa-ee.
ratan vigaaṛ vigo-ay kuteeⁿ mu-i-aa saar na kaa-ee.
aapay joṛ vichhoṛay aapay vaykh tayree vadi-aa-ee.
jay ko naa-o dharaa-ay vadaa saad karay man bhaanay.
khasmai nadree keeṛaa aavai jaytay chugai daanay.
mar mar jeevai taa kichh paa-ay naanak naam vakhaanay.
141 jaisee mai aavai khasam kee banee taisṛaa karee gi-aan vay laalo.
paap kee jaⁿnj lai kaablahu dhaa-i-aa joree mangai daan vay laalo.
saram dharam du-ay chhap khalo-ay kooṛ firai pardhaan vay laalo.
kaajee-aa baamṇaa kee gal thakee agad paṛai saitaan vay laalo.
musalmaanee-aa paṛeh kataybaa kasat meh karahi khudaa-ay vay laalo.
jaat sanaatee hor hidvaaṇee-aa ayhi bhee laykhai laa-ay vay laalo
khoon kay sohilay gavee-ah naanak rat kaa kuⁿgoo paa-ay vay laalo
saahib kay guṇ naanak gaavai maas puree vich aakh masolaa.
jin upaa-ee raⁿg ravaa-ee baithaa vaykhai vakh ikaylaa.
sachaa so saahib sach tapaavas sachṛaa ni-aa-o karayg masolaa.
kaa-i-aa kapaṛ tuk tuk hosee hindusataan samaalsee bolaa.
aavan ath-tarai jaan sataanvai hor bhee uṭsee marad kaa chaylaa
sach kee banee naanak aakhai sach suṇaa-isee sach kee baylaa.
Guru Granth Sahib, p. 722.
142Janamsakhi Bhai Bala or the other four Janamsakhis don’t mention the arrest of Guru Nanak at Sayyadpur. However, Bhai Bala Janmsakhi does refer to a meeting between Guru Nanak and Babar. During this meeting Babar offered some wine and bhang to the Guru which the latter refused to accept. No Sikh source, prior to the twentieth century, mentioned the arrest of the Guru. It is possible that some poet or story-writer might have concocted such a story. Only Mohammed Latif says that Guru Nanak too came under the siege of the army of Babar. He too does not mention the arrest. Ratan Singh Bhangu refers to another fantastic story of the meeting between Taimur (grandfather of Babar) and Guru Nanak. It is interesting that Taimur had died several decades before the birth of the Guru. Ratan Singh Bhangu and Giani Gian Singh had concocted several stories about different Gurus. Janamsakhi Bhai Bala mentions Guru Nanak’s arrest at Delhi under the regime of Ibrahim Lodhi.
143 According to Vilayat Wali Janamsakhi, Guru Nanak had had five udaasis: 1. west Punjab and the hills 2. southwards 3. Kashmir and Sumer Mountain 4. Mecca 5. Gorakh Hatri etc. According to this Janamsakhi Guru Nanak made several visits to Lahore.
144 Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 1, Pauri 38.
145 According to Janamsakhi Bhai Bala, Kartarpur village was founded by Guru Nanak after his return from the tour of Sumer Mountain, i.e. in 1518 and before his departure for Mecca. Janamsakhi Bhai Mani Singh too accepts this.
146 bhaaⁿdaa hachhaa so-ay jo tis bhaavsee.
bhaaⁿdaa at maleeṇ dhotaa hachhaa na ho-isee.
guroo du-aarai ho-ay sojhee paa-isee.
ayt du-aarai dho-ay hachhaa ho-isee.
mailay hachhay kaa veechaar aap vartaa-isee.
mat ko jaaṇai jaa-ay agai paa-isee.
jayhay karam kamaa-ay tayhaa ho-isee.
aⁿmrit har kaa naa-o aap vartaa-isee.
chali-aa pat si-o janam savaar vaajaa vaa-isee.
maaṇas ki-aa vaychaaraa tihu lok suṇaa-isee.
naanak aap nihaal sabh kul taarsee.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p. 729-330)
147 Bhai Gurdas has narrated the conversation between the Guru and the Jogis, in his Vaar 1, Pauris 40-43. The Sidh Goshat baani of Guru Nanak is about Guru’s visit to Sumer Parbat (Mansarovar).
148 Baba Buddha should not be confused with Gautama the Buddha, as the spellings are the same but pronunciation is different; here the first letter d in ddh does not denote half sound of d but it is deeper sound of d.
149 Sabinderjit Singh Sagar quotes Mangal Singh’s book on biography of Baba Buddha.
150 Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 1, Pauri 45.
151 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1014.
152 aava-o vaⁿnja-o duⁿmnee kitee mitar karay-o.
saa dhan dho-ee na lahai vaadhee ki-o dheeray-o.
maidaa man rataa aapnaṛay pir naal.
ghol ghumaa-ee khaⁿnee-ai keetee hik bhoree nadar nihaal.
pay-ee-aṛai dohaagaṇee saahurṛai ki-o jaa-o.
mai gal a-ugaṇ muṭ-ṛee bin pir jhoor maraa-o.
pay-ee-aṛai pir saⁿmlaa saahrrṛai ghar vaas.
sukh savaⁿdh sohaagaṇee pir paa-i-aa guṇtaas.
layf nihaalee pat kee kaapaṛ aⁿg banaa-ay.
pir mutee dohaagaṇee tin dukhee raiṇ vihaa-ay.
kitee chakha-o saadṛay kitee vays karay-o.
pir bin joban baad ga-i-am vaadhee jhooraydee jhooray-o.
sachay saⁿdaa sad-ṛaa suṇee-ai gur veechaar.
sachay sachaa baihṇaa nadree nadar pi-aar.
gi-aanee aⁿjan sach kaa daykhai daykhaṇhaar.
gurmukh boojhai jaaṇee-ai ha-umai garab nivaar.
ta-o bhaavan ta-o jayhee-aa moo jayhee-aa kitee-aah.
naanak naahu na veechhuṛai tin sachai rat-ṛee-aah.
153 amal galolaa kooṛ kaa diṯaa dayvaṇhaar.
maṯee maraṇ visaari-aa khusee keeṯee din chaar.
sach mili-aa tin sofee-aa raakhaṇ ka-o darvaar.
naanak saachay ka-o sach jaaṇ.
jiṯ sayvi-ai sukh paa-ee-ai tayree dargeh chalai maaṇ.
sach saraa guṛ baahraa jis vich sachaa naa-o.
suṇeh vakaaṇeh jayt-ṛay ha-o tin balihaarai jaa-o.
taa man kheevaa jaaṇee-ai jaa mahlee paa-ay thaa-o.
naa-o neer chaⁿg-aa-ee-aa sat parmal tan vaas.
taa mukh hovai ujlaa lakh daatee ik daat.
dookh tisai peh aakhee-ahi sookh jisai hee paas.
so ki-o manhu visaaree-ai jaa kay jee-a paraaṇ.
tis viṇ sabh apvitar hai jaytaa painaṇ khaaṇ.
hor galaaⁿ sabh kooṛee-aa tudh bhaavai parvaaṇu.
Guru Granth Sahib, p.15
154 To merge Jot means ‘to impart spiritual and other knowledge to his successor’; as one lamp lights the other lamp, one can ‘light’ the others with knowledge.
155 Different persons have given different totals.
156 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1409
157 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1387.
158 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1399.
159 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 150
160 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1102
161 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 430
162 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1192
163 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1304
164 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 405
165 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 522
166 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 943
167 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1142
168 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1150
169 Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1180