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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 10 November, 2022

  • 5 Min Read

Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti

Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti

The 553rd anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev's birth was recently commemorated.

Guru Nanak Dev: Who was he?

  • Birth: In 1459, in the Talwandi Rai Bhoe village, now known as Nankana Sahib, close to Lahore.
  • He was the first Sikh guru and the first of the ten Sikh gurus.

Contributions:

  • Began interfaith communication back in the 16th century and had discussions with the majority of the then-current religious movements.
  • Penned works that were included in the Adi Granth, which Guru Arjan (1563–1606), the fifth Sikh guru, put together.
  • As a result of the modifications made by the 10th Sikh leader, Guru Gobind Singh, this became known as Guru Granth Sahib (1666-1708).
  • Promoted the "Nirguna" kind of bhakti (devotion to the worship of the formless god).
  • Rejected austerities, sacrifices, and ritual baths.
  • Create guidelines for communal recitation during congregational worship (Sangat).
  • Gave his followers the guiding principle of "Ek Onkar" and preached on treating everyone equally without making distinctions based on caste, creed, or gender.
  • Death: In 1539, in Punjab's Kartarpur.

What significance does Guru Nanak Dev have for contemporary India?

  • Creating a Society That Is Egalitarian: According to him, the following cutting-edge social structures demonstrate his conception of equality:
  • Langar: A communal meal prepared and shared.
  • Pangat: Eating without making a distinction between castes of high and low status.
  • Sangat: Making decisions as a group.
  • Social harmony: In his view, everyone in the world was created equally by God. Ek Onkar Satnam, the sole universal creator, is the only one.
  • The foundation of his teachings, aside from that, are forgiveness, patience, forbearance, and kindness.
  • Making a Just Society: He told his followers to "work, pray, and share" (Kirat Karo, Naam japo, and vand chakra).
  • He promoted the idea that karma serves as the foundation for dharma and converted spiritualism into an ideology of civic duty and social reform.
  • He promoted the idea of "dasvandh," or giving one-tenth of one's income to those in need.

Gender Equality:

  • He asserted that "women and men alike enjoy the grace of God and are equally accountable to him for their conduct."
  • The most significant lesson to take away from his life is perhaps the respect for women and the importance of gender equality.

Promoting Peace:

  • In Indian philosophy, a guru is someone who illuminates, allays uncertainty, and illuminates the way.
  • The teachings of Guru Nanak Dev can support global peace, equality, and prosperity in this situation.

Read Also: Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur

Source: The Hindu


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