By Zile Singh
In addition to the first Guru of the Sikhs, Nanak is a philosophythat enlightens an individual of the right and the wrong paths. He is a message from the darkness of blind faith to the light of logic. He teaches to shun orthodoxy and to embrace moderation. Let us reflect on his teachings (Kirat Kar, Naam Jap and VandChhak) on his 553rd birth anniversary or Gurpurab. Kirat Kar is primary.The other two follows the first. The Mool Mantra and the Japji Sahib, pronounced by Guru Nanak after a three-day AkhandSamadhi can wipe out the mental darkness of the ignorant, ritualistic, dogmatic and egoistic mind.
Guru Nanak was born in 1469 at Talwandi, now in Pakistan. His teachings were simple and timely. It was simple because Guru Nanak was against leaving a household life and escape to forests; it was timely because he challenged the priest and the maulvi who had become addicted to the rites and rituals leading nowhere for a purposeful life. His message was for everyone irrespective of the graded inequalityin society. He stressed equality and unity among all. Everyone has the potential to lead a meaningful life here and hereinafter. With the passage of time,he became global from the local. His light spread from the land of Punjab (the province of five rivers, Satluz, Beeas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum) to the seven continents of the world. Today, we realise that his message is as green in the circles of Christianity as it was for the Hindus and the Muslims of undivided India.Now there is need to spread his message not only among the older generation but to the new generation of“seekers of truth”. Religion, for an old person is by his ‘conviction or persuasion; for a child, it is by force’. Guru Nanak was a ‘Seeker of Truth’. He sought truth through his travels and dialogues with different sets of people. Still, “There is no absolute truth; all truths are half-truths.” Also, “The future is made of Seeking.”
History is witness to the fact that religions too, like political, economic and social systems have seen ups and downs according to circumstances prevailing at a certain time. No religion could withstand the onslaughts of time and the evolutionary process of human brain, especially the logic and scientific temper. Religion is a flowing river and not a stagnant pool. Everything is evolving, nothing is permanent. “Time is a file that wears and makes no noise.” It applies to religion as well. Every religion, once at its helm of affairs, starts declining over the passage of time if it is not modified according to the needs and requirements of changing circumstances. For this purpose, rituals leading to orthodoxy in any religion, need to be rectified. Though all religions have their birth almost a few centuries apart, yet the roots of all are the same. New religions have sprung from the roots of the old religions with refreshing and logical ideas. The Sikhism also is among these. “Ek Onkar” signifies nothing but only One at the Root. All religions have laid emphasis on the pure conduct of an individual. It is called “karma ka sidhant” (the law of action, the cause and effect)), or “as you sow, so shall you reap”. In today’s language, it is called “Honest Secular Activity”. Guru Nanaksaid, “Kirat Kar.” (Do your duty). Guru Granth, the holy book of the Sikhs says, “Why blameth thou others, blame thy deeds. For thou receiveth the fruit of what thou soweth.” (Do not blame others. Blame your actions. You will receive the fruits of your actions).God is merciful and benevolent. To me, “Man proposes, God disposes” seems orthodox and outdated. God is no botcher. He doesn’t mess up things. “God always proposes. It is man who disposes”.
The incidents in Guru’s life like damaging thecrops while grazing the cattle; a cobra covering the head of Guru Nanak to save him from the heat of the Sun; the moving of Kaaba in the direction of Guru Nanak’s feet and oozing out milk and blood from the pieces of bread of Bhai Lalo and Malik Bhago etc., should not be understood as miracles. The educated and alogical mind will hardly believe such things. Guru Nanak preached against miracles and siddhis. These instances might be on account of a false complaint by a jealous person, Nanak’s compassion and love towards the enemy, presence of Almighty God in all directions and honest livelihood respectively. Guru Nanak, on his part, fought against the metaphor and symbolism that had mushroomed in the religions of that time. To follow him we must shun orthodoxy and metaphors. It is necessary to understand that “Truth is the daughter of time.” Truth changes with the passage of time. The Sun was revolving around the Earth, today it is the opposite. Today it is not necessary to invoke gods for rains; neither to perform any ritualto ward off disease. The Earth, once flat is round today.
The seers, prophets and gurus have guided man toward becoming an independent self-conscious self, choosing his beliefs freely. Guru Nanak is an example. He chose his path for himself and the posterity.
Zile Singh is a well respected Columnist, Writer and a Vipassana Meditater. He has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Rights. He can be reached at zsnirwal@yahoo.ca
