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The Master of the Nectar: Guru Nanak

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Guru Nanak Nector
Ek Omkar

naanak chintaa mat karahu chintaa tis hee hay-ay.
O Nanak, don’t be anxious; the Lord will take care of you.

jal meh jant upaa-i-an tinaa bhe rojee day-ay.
He created the creatures in water, and He gives them their
nourishment.

Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak Dev was born in 1469, in the village of Rau Bhoi di Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib, forty miles from Lahore in present-day Pakistan.

The Master of the Nector: Guru Nanak

From an early age, Guru Nanak showed particular interest in spiritual matters. He became acquainted with the teachings of both Hinduism and Islam and met holy men of both religions. In the process, he developed a distaste for the superficial aspects of religious practice, questioning their ability and value in achieving any good.

When he was asked to wear the sacred thread, usually worn by the upper caste Hindus, he refused, saying that he would instead wear the name of God in his heart as it would never be broken nor tainted with impurities.

Guru Nanak with Mardana (left) and Bala Coloured woodcut, Amritsar or Lahore, about 1875
“Guru Nanak with Mardana (left) and Bala Coloured woodcut, Amritsar or Lahore, about 1875” (photo: sikhsinkuwait.wordpress.com)

For some time he worked as a storekeeper in the state granary of Daulat Khan Lodi in Sultanpur, where he met a Muslim servant named Mardana. Maradana later began creating music for the hymns Nanak composed. Together they organized Satsang, in which they involved both Hindus and Muslims in singing devotional songs in praise of God.

Guru Nanak Bhai Mardana
Bhai Mardana

The Master of the Nector: Guru Nanak

Jap Ji Sahib

HE IS ONE, HE IS OMKAR, THE SUPREME TRUTH.

HE IS THE CREATOR, BEYOND FEAR, BEYOND HATRED .

HIS IS THE TIMELESS FORM.

NEVER BORN, SELF-CREATING.

HE IS ATTAINED BY THE GURU’S GRACE.

HE WAS TRUTH BEFORE THE AGES AND AS TIME RAN ITS COURSE.

NANAK SAYS, NOW IS HE TRUTH ETERNAL, AND FOREVER WILL HE BE.

Mūl Mantar 

Guru Nanak Moon
Karthik Fullmoon

Guru Nanak is believed to be born on 15 April 1469. But strangely his Birthday is supposed to be celebrated on the full moon of Karthik Month (November) as Gurupurab. I personally think the Full moon of Karthik is the day when Guru Nanak attained enlightenment. Enlightenment is the second birth or finding the soul, hence it is celebrated as Birthday.

Nanak’s words are registered in the form of 974 poetic hymns (Shabd) in the holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib, with some of the major prayers being the Japji Sahib, the Asa di Var and the Sidh-Gosht.