Sikh Theology
SPNer
- Oct 31, 2024
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Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurpurab will be celebrated by millions of Sikhs around the world this week, yet the majority celebrating will do so not knowing who He is.
Most Sikhs have a misunderstanding of Guru Sahib’s identity and status in the world. For instance, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is often considered a reformer of society, one who brought people from all faiths “back” to the core message at the heart of each religion.
Yet this is a fallacy, and reflects a false understanding of Guru Sahib’s contribution to the world.
In a 1969 article in The Sikh Review, Sirdar Kapur Singh argues that Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji cannot be considered to be a reformer, a word which implies bringing back purity to old doctrine, for Guru Sahib Ji did not have any allegiance to the doctrines of Hinduism and Islam, nor did he attempt “reconnect” anyone to their message.
In fact, he rejected all other doctrine, creating a Dharam which was vehemently new and separate from all other religions before it. As in the words of Sirdar Kapur Singh:
In fact, the Avtar Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was an event that had never happened before in the history of all humanity. The actual summary of this event is that Akal Purakh Waheguru, in their Guru-Joti form, had appeared for the first time in the world in a human body. As in the words of Bhai Nand Lal Ji:
ਹੱਕਸ਼ ਆਫ਼ਰੀਦਾ ਜ਼ਿ ਨੂਰਿ ਕਰਮ
Waheguru created him (Guru Nanak) out of His own light,
ਅਜ਼ੋ ਆਲਮੇ ਰਾ ਫ਼ਯੂਜ਼ਿ ਆਤਮ ॥ ੨ ॥
The whole world, then, receives many blessings from him.
Bhai Randhir Singh Ji writes:
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Patshah came with a mission to offer salvation to the world, something that all previous Mahapurakhs had all failed to do, because, as in the words of Sri Dasmesh Pitajee:
ਸਭ ਅਪਨੀ ਅਪਨੀ ਉਰਝਾਨਾ ॥ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕਾਹੂ ਨ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥
Everyone placed his own interest first and foremost and did not comprehend God.
And:
ਸਭ ਤੇ ਅਪਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਾਯੋ ॥ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਨ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਯੋ ॥੨੭॥
They caused all to utter their own name and did not enshrine Satnaam in anyone.27.
But Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji sung only the praises of Akal Purakh. And with His coming, the mist of darkness began to clear:
ਭਇਆ ਅਨੰਦ ਜਗਤੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਕਲਿ ਤਾਰਨ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਇਆ।
The world filled with bliss because Guru Nanak came to give deliverance to the Age of Darkness.
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣਿ ਨਿਵਾਇਆ ॥੩੭॥
Hindus and Muslims alike bowed before him.
For this reason, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji must be considered more than merely a saint or a prophet like those who had come before. He was the one and only True “Guru”; a word with enormous implications in Gurbani:
ਗੁਰੁ ਈਸਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਬਰਮਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਰਬਤੀ ਮਾਈ ॥
The Guru is Shiva, the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Paarvati and Lakhshmi.
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the encompassing body of all gods and deities. In fact, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the form of Akal Purakh himself:
ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਹਰਿ ਸੋਇ ॥੪॥੭॥੯॥
Nanak is the Guru; Nanak is the Lord Himself. ||4||7||9||
It’s time for Sikhs to understand the true status of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He is above the gods, prophets, deities, saints, and “gurus” of any other religion. This is why Gurbani says:
ਸਭ ਤੇ ਵਡਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਕਲ ਰਾਖੀ ਮੇਰੀ ॥੪॥੧੦॥੫੭॥
Guru Nanak is the greatest of all; He who saves me in Kaljug. ||4||10||57||
This Gurpurab, let’s proclaim this loudly, as per the Hukam of Gurbani:
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਵਡਾ ਕਰਿ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਜਿਸੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਵਡੀਆ ਵਡਿਆਈਆ ॥
Praise the True Guru by exalting His greatness; He, within whom, is the greatest greatness.
Most Sikhs have a misunderstanding of Guru Sahib’s identity and status in the world. For instance, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is often considered a reformer of society, one who brought people from all faiths “back” to the core message at the heart of each religion.
Yet this is a fallacy, and reflects a false understanding of Guru Sahib’s contribution to the world.
In a 1969 article in The Sikh Review, Sirdar Kapur Singh argues that Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji cannot be considered to be a reformer, a word which implies bringing back purity to old doctrine, for Guru Sahib Ji did not have any allegiance to the doctrines of Hinduism and Islam, nor did he attempt “reconnect” anyone to their message.
In fact, he rejected all other doctrine, creating a Dharam which was vehemently new and separate from all other religions before it. As in the words of Sirdar Kapur Singh:
In fact, the Avtar Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was an event that had never happened before in the history of all humanity. The actual summary of this event is that Akal Purakh Waheguru, in their Guru-Joti form, had appeared for the first time in the world in a human body. As in the words of Bhai Nand Lal Ji:
ਹੱਕਸ਼ ਆਫ਼ਰੀਦਾ ਜ਼ਿ ਨੂਰਿ ਕਰਮ
Waheguru created him (Guru Nanak) out of His own light,
ਅਜ਼ੋ ਆਲਮੇ ਰਾ ਫ਼ਯੂਜ਼ਿ ਆਤਮ ॥ ੨ ॥
The whole world, then, receives many blessings from him.
Bhai Randhir Singh Ji writes:
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Patshah came with a mission to offer salvation to the world, something that all previous Mahapurakhs had all failed to do, because, as in the words of Sri Dasmesh Pitajee:
ਸਭ ਅਪਨੀ ਅਪਨੀ ਉਰਝਾਨਾ ॥ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕਾਹੂ ਨ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥
Everyone placed his own interest first and foremost and did not comprehend God.
And:
ਸਭ ਤੇ ਅਪਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਾਯੋ ॥ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਨ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਯੋ ॥੨੭॥
They caused all to utter their own name and did not enshrine Satnaam in anyone.27.
But Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji sung only the praises of Akal Purakh. And with His coming, the mist of darkness began to clear:
ਭਇਆ ਅਨੰਦ ਜਗਤੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਕਲਿ ਤਾਰਨ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਇਆ।
The world filled with bliss because Guru Nanak came to give deliverance to the Age of Darkness.
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣਿ ਨਿਵਾਇਆ ॥੩੭॥
Hindus and Muslims alike bowed before him.
For this reason, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji must be considered more than merely a saint or a prophet like those who had come before. He was the one and only True “Guru”; a word with enormous implications in Gurbani:
ਗੁਰੁ ਈਸਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਬਰਮਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਰਬਤੀ ਮਾਈ ॥
The Guru is Shiva, the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Paarvati and Lakhshmi.
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the encompassing body of all gods and deities. In fact, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the form of Akal Purakh himself:
ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਹਰਿ ਸੋਇ ॥੪॥੭॥੯॥
Nanak is the Guru; Nanak is the Lord Himself. ||4||7||9||
It’s time for Sikhs to understand the true status of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He is above the gods, prophets, deities, saints, and “gurus” of any other religion. This is why Gurbani says:
ਸਭ ਤੇ ਵਡਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਕਲ ਰਾਖੀ ਮੇਰੀ ॥੪॥੧੦॥੫੭॥
Guru Nanak is the greatest of all; He who saves me in Kaljug. ||4||10||57||
This Gurpurab, let’s proclaim this loudly, as per the Hukam of Gurbani:
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਵਡਾ ਕਰਿ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਜਿਸੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਵਡੀਆ ਵਡਿਆਈਆ ॥
Praise the True Guru by exalting His greatness; He, within whom, is the greatest greatness.
