Guru Nanak Jayanthi:
The birthday of Guru Nanak Sahib – the founder of Sikhism – falls on Kartik Purnima (i.e. full moon day of month of Kartik in Hindu calender) and is celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Sikhs throughout the world as Guru Parv.
Guru Nanak Sahib was born in 1469 at Rai-Bhoi-di-Talwandi in the present district of Shekhupura (Pakistan), now Nanakana Sahib. He was a man of great wisdom and virtue and was very precise even with his teachings. He was a social reformer and attacked the corruption in society.
He strongly protested against formalism and ritualism and carried the message of peace and love as he propagated liberal views and ideologies.
Guru Nanak did not observe the rules of caste and tried his best to remove the superstition among people. It was his endeavor to remove the moral putrefaction that was prevalent amongst the people and to infuse real spirit in the worship of God and true faith in religion and God.
He summarised his sayings in a short poem which till date his followers remember and idolise. The poem (when traslated in English) is as under-
Love the saints of every faith;
Put away thy pride;
Remember the essence of religion
Is meekness and sympathy;
Not fine clothes,
Not he Yogi’s garb and ashes,
Not the blowing of the horns,
Not the shaven head,
Not long prayers,
Not recitations and torturings,
Not the ascetic way,
But a life of goodness and purity,
Amid the world’s temptations.
Put away thy pride;
Remember the essence of religion
Is meekness and sympathy;
Not fine clothes,
Not he Yogi’s garb and ashes,
Not the blowing of the horns,
Not the shaven head,
Not long prayers,
Not recitations and torturings,
Not the ascetic way,
But a life of goodness and purity,
Amid the world’s temptations.
Do reflect on the above sayings. It has some profound meanings for each one of us.
Wishing you and your family a very happy GuruParv.
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