Guru Nanak Dev ji: A Great Spiritual Leader

Introduction

Guru Nanak was a great saint who gave a very clear defination of god. According to him, There is only one god and he is the creator of universe. He is omnipresent and he dwells in everyone. Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated world-wide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab. He traveled far and wide, mostly on foot, spreading the message of oneness of God who dwells in all living beings.

Childhood and Early Life

Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469 in Nankana Sahib near Lahore (Pakistan). His father was  Mehta Kalu, and his mother was Mata Tripta. His father was the local patwari (accountant) for crop revenue in the village of Talwandi. His parents were both Hindus and belonged to the merchant caste. He starts displaying the symptoms of his greatness in childhood as a boy, he used to spend long periods of time in meditation and was very spiritual. He questioned meaningless rituals on the name of religions by his family and refused to participate in them. One day his father sent him to market by giving him some money for business. On the way he saw some poor and needy people. They all were very hungry. Then Guru Nanak spent his whole money on them. His father was very angry on him on this matter. Guru Nanak had one elder sister, Bebe Nanaki, to whom he was very close. In 1475 she married and moved to Sultanpur. Nanak was attached to his sister and followed her to Sultanpur to live with her and her husband, Jai Ram. At the age of around 16 years, Nanak started working under Daulat Khan Lodi, employer of Nanaki's husband. 

Marriage

On 24 September 1487 Nanak married Mata Sulakkhani in the town of Batala. The couple had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand. Sri Chand received enlightenment from Guru Nanak's teachings and went on to become the founder of the Udasi sect.

Guru Nanak Dev Teachings

Guru Nanak’s teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Nanak’s teaching is understood to be practised in three ways:

1. Vaṇḍ Chakko: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need.
2. Kirat Karo: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud.
3. Naam Japna: Meditating on God's name to control the five weaknesses. (lust, rage, greed, attachment, conceit of the human personality.

Guru Nanak Dev Journeys (Udasis)

1. First Journey: (1500-1506) Lasted about 7 years and covered the following towns and regions: Sultanpur, Tulamba (modern Makhdumpur, zila Multan), Panipat, Delhi, Banaras (Varanasi), Nanakmata (zila Nainital, U.P.), Tanda Vanjara (zila Rampur), Kamrup (Assam), Asa Desh (Assam), Saidpur (modern Eminabad, Pakistan), Pasrur (Pakistan), Sialkot (Pakistan). Guru Nanak was of the age of 31-37.
2. Second Journey: (1506-1513) Lasted about 7 years and covered the following towns and regions: Dhanasri Valley, Sangladip (Ceylon). Guru Nanak was of the age of 37-44.
3. Third Journey: (1514-1518) Lasted about 5 years and covered the following towns and regions: Kashmir, Sumer Parbat, Nepal, Tashkand, Sikkim, Tibet. Guru Nanak was of the age of 45-49.
4. Fourth Journey: (1519-1521) Lasted about 3 years and covered the following towns and regions: Mecca and the Arab countries. Guru Nanak was of the age of 50-52.
5. Fifth Journey: (1523-1524) Lasted about 2 years and covered the following towns and regions: Places within the Punjab. Guru Nanak was of the age of 54-56.

Death

Guru Nanak Dev Ji appointed Bhai Lehna as the successor Guru, renaming him as Guru Angad, meaning "one’s very own" or "part of you". Shortly after proclaiming Bhai Lehna as his successor, Guru Nanak died on 22 September 1539 in Kartarpur, at the age of 70.