The impact of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s

teachings on Indian society

Submitted by Sarah Wafai

Under the supervision of Mr. A Rehman Wani

Department of History
Delhi Public School, Srinagar

Acknowledgements
I extend my heartiest gratitude to my history teacher, Mr. A. Rehman Wani for his
sincere guidance and insightful comments throughout the making of this project.
Without his consistent efforts and valuable suggestions, this project would not
have been possible.

I would also like to acknowledge the support of my family and friends, who are
always a constant source of strength.
 Table of contents
Overview
Early life Of Guru Nanak
‘Udasis’ (Expeditions) of Guru Nanak
Teachings of Guru Nanak
Impact of Nanak’s teachings on Indian society
Relevance of Guru Nanak’s teachings in present times
Legacy
References
 Overview: Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Guru Nanak, a great advocate of humanitarianism, is celebrated as "one of the
greatest religious innovators of all time". He dedicated his whole life to promote
harmony among people of different faiths. He is regarded as the founder of
Sikhism and the first Guru of the Sikh religious tradition. The teachings of Guru
Nanak can be termed as the model for establishing universal peace by eliminating
communal conflicts. He was ordained by God to preach the message of true
divinity throughout the world, for which he travelled to distant lands, covering a
distance of 28,000 Miles in 28 years.

Ever since his early life, Nanak had witnessed the inhumanity of the Hindu Caste
system, the enmity between the Muslims and the Hindus and many other social
problems which made him upset. He started to search for the true meaning of life
and a way to bridge the gaps among the followers of different religions and tried to
seek the solution to communal conflicts and other religious and social problems.

Guru Nanak taught that God was beyond religious dogma and external definition.
He said he would follow neither the Muslim nor Hindu religion, but just God’s
path. During his lifetime, Guru Nanak attracted followers from the Hindu,
Muslim, and other religious traditions. His teachings form the basement of the
fundamental beliefs of Sikhism.

Early life
Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder and first Guru of Sikhism, was born on 15th of
April in the year 1469, in the village of Talwandi (now known as Nankana Sahib),
situated near the city of Lahore in present day Pakistan. He was born into a middle
class Hindu family. His father Mehta Kalu and his mother Mata Tripta belonged to
the merchant caste. His father was the local tax collector in the village of
Talwandi. His mother is described as a simple and religious woman. He also had
an elder sister, Bebe Nanaki. From an early age, it was evident that Guru Nanak
was an extraordinary child, distinguished by his divine grace. He was blessed with
a deeply contemplative mind and rational thinking and from a very young age, he
started displaying his brilliance. He became interested in spirituality and divine
subjects when he was just five. Guru Nanak was not an ordinary child. Children of
his age liked him very much and everyone wanted to play with him. He was a child
of smiles, and his eyes were silent and wise. He used to sing in praise of God and
his friends would repeat after him. The villagers were always pleased to hear Guru
Nanak's melodies. At age of seven, his father Mehta Kalu enrolled him at the
village school. In his youth he became familiar with the popular beliefs of Muslims
and Hindus and gained knowledge of the Qur'an and Hindu shastras. At the age of
11, his father arranged for him to participate in the sacred thread ceremony, a
Hindu ritual symbolizing man’s connection with God. But Nanak rebelled and
refused to participate in this ritual as he felt that it was a meaningless one. By the
age of 16, he had mastered multiple religious texts and languages including
Sanskrit, Persian, and Hindi. He started working under Daulat Khan Lodi, the
Lahore governor of Delhi Sultanate.

In the year 1487, Guru Nanak got married to Mata Sulakhni, and they had two
sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. The family, accompanied by Bhai Mardana, a
Muslim childhood friend of Guru Nanak, then moved to the town of Sultanpur,
where Nanak took the job of an accountant in charge of the stores of the local
Governor. Here, Guru Nanak worked during the days, but during the mornings and
late nights, he meditated and sang hymns accompanied by Bhai Mardana on the
‘rabab’ (a stringed instrument).

‘Udasis’ (Expeditions) of Guru Nanak

Starting in 1496 at age 27, Guru Nanak left his family for a period of thirty-years.
He undertook five major spiritual journeys, accompanied by Bhai Mardana,
running across distant lands from Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Mecca, Baghdad, Kamroop
(Assam), to Tashkent and many more. On his missionary expeditions, he met
people of different religions, tribes, cultures and races. He saw the world suffering
out of hatred, fanaticism, falsehood and hypocrisy. The world had sunk in
wickedness and sin.
In his First Udasi, Guru Nanak covered the east of India and returned home after
spending about six years. He started from Sultanpur, and went to his village
Talwandi to meet and inform his parents about his long journey.

First ‘udasi’: He covered the following towns and regions: Sultanpur, Tulamba
(modern Makhdumpur, zila Multan), Panipat, Delhi, Banaras (Varanasi),
Nanakmata (zila Nainital, U.P.), Tanda Vanjara (zila Rampur), Kamrup (Assam),
Asa Desh (Assam), Saidpur (modern Eminabad, Pakistan), Pasrur (Pakistan),
Sialkot (Pakistan).

Second ‘udasi’: It lasted for about 7 years. Nanak covered the towns and regions of
Dhanasri Valley, Ceylon and most parts of South India and present day Sri Lanka.

Third ‘udasi’: Guru Nanak travelled to the North passing through Kashmir, Nepal,
Sumer Parbat, Tashkent, Tibet and Sikkim in the Himalayas. It lasted for 5 years.

Fourth ‘udasi’: On his fourth journey, which lasted for 3 years, he travelled to the
West, visiting places like Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, Sudan, Baghdad and most
parts of the Middle East.

Fifth ‘udasi’: The fifth ‘udasi’ was undertaken within the Punjab province. It lasted
for about 2 years.

After completing his journeys, Guru Nanak Dev settled in Kartarpur (meaning:
The City of the Creator). This city was established by Guru Nanak himself in 1522.
By then he was widely renowned and respected by everyone for the love and
guidance he had bestowed on humanity. The Sikh, Hindu and Muslim devotees all
claimed him as their ‘guru’.

Teachings of Guru Nanak

The teachings of Guru Nanak are articulated in the sacred scripture of Guru Granth
Sahib. Guru Nanak was a great advocate of monotheism. According to him, God
cannot be confined within the limit of birth and rebirth. He does not need to
possess human character to establish law in this world. Nanak rejected the idea of
idol worship because people used to worship the idol instead of considering it as a
symbol. He believed that human ego is the principal obstacle on the way to attain
salvation and there is no other way to eliminate egoistic attitude other than
remembering God. If a person can win over his ego, he will automatically
overcome lust, anger, greed, attachments and pride which are derived from ego.

Guru Nanak had a profound respect for the other religions and in the followers.
According to him, every human being is equal and one must not be judged because
of one’s difference of religion. He had a deep respect for the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) of Islam and for the religious texts of other religions like the Vedas or the
Bible. He warned those who criticized these sacred texts.

Guru Nanak’s teachings contributed to the unity of Hindus and Muslims. He

condemned slavery, racial discrimination, caste system and preached equality of all
mankind. He contributed to women empowerment in India and urged his followers
to respect women and to treat them equally. Guru Nanak always stressed the inner
spiritual awakening through meditation.

One of the prominent features of Guru Nanak's teachings is the overwhelming

concern in it of a humanitarian, compassionate attitude towards all humanity,
which denounces cruelty and injustice and thus aims at the establishment of a just
society.

The fundamental teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are summarized as following:

1. Submission to the Will of God (Waheguru): Guru Nanak taught that God is
omnipresent, timeless, and sightless and everything happens by God’s grace. We
must submit to Him and accept his will without questioning.

2. Goodwill for all: Guru Nanak passed the message of universal brotherhood. He
preached ‘against’ discrimination and prejudices due to race, caste, status, etc.

3. Honesty and truthfulness: He taught his followers to always speak the truth
without any fear and earn their livelihood sincerely.

4. Selflessness: Being selfless is the supreme duty of human beings. For Nanak, the
concept of selfless service was a way of life and he urged his followers to serve the
community and feed the poor.
5. Shun five evils: Guru Nanak asked his followers to shun five evils which lead to
illusion (maya) and eventually act as roadblock towards attainment of salvation.
The five evils are: Ego, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Lust.

6. Importance of ‘guru’: Nanak laid great emphasis on having a ‘guru’ in one’s life.
He put forward the thought that salvation occurs not only from pilgrimage or rites
but through heart, spirit and soul. Guru according to him is the voice of God and
the true source of knowledge.

7. Equality for women: During the 15th century, when the world offered no status
or respect to women, Guru Nanak Dev Ji sought to improve the respect of women
by spreading the message of equal rights.

8. Avoiding ritualism: Guru Nanak preached against ritualism and superstitions in

society. He stressed on the truthful conduct of his followers, rather than visiting
holy places or bathing on auspicious occasions.

9. Ending discrimination: Guru Nanak was strongly against all artificially created
divisions and all discrimination, both in word and deed. He said that the caste of a
person is based on what he does.

10. Conquering the mind: One, who conquers the mind, conquers the world. The
unappeasable hunger of the mind cannot be satisfied by worldly pleasures, it is
only satiated and controlled by meditation.

Guru Nanak formalized the three pillars of Sikhism:

1. ‘Naam japna’ (Chanting the Holy Name): He led his followers to practice
meditation on God's name through reciting, chanting, singing, and constant
remembrance followed by deep study & comprehension of God’s name and virtues
to control the five weaknesses of the human personality. The inner thought of the
person, thus stays constantly immersed in the praises and appreciation of the
Creator.

2. ‘Kirat karni’ (Honest Earnings): He taught his followers to live as honourable

householders and practice ‘Kirat Karni’ to earn and make a living honestly, without
exploitation or fraud. This can be achieved by exercising one's God-given skills,
abilities, talents and hard labour for the benefit and improvement of the individual,
their family and society at large.

3. ‘Vand chakna’ (Sharing with others): Guru Nanak urged his followers to share
with others and help those in need. The community or ‘Sadh Sangat’ is an
important part of Sikhism. One must be part of a community that is living by the
objective values set out by Guru Nanak and every Sikh has to contribute in
whatever way possible to the common community pool.

Impact of Guru Nanak’s teachings on Indian society

Guru Nanak Dev Ji had an extraordinary influence on the various strata of society.
He provided vital leadership to the down-trodden and suppressed people. His
contribution in spiritual, moral, social, economic, cultural and political fields was
striking and remarkable.

 At a time when, there was deep hatred and bitter antagonism between
Hindus and Muslims, Guru Nanak aroused the spirit of universal
brotherhood to unite the people.
 Guru Nanak stood for the emancipation of women. He declared that women
were free to take part in the secular and religious observances and no social
custom was to hinder them in doing so.
 Guru Nanak strongly condemned the practice of ‘Sati’ or ‘self-immolation’
of widows on the funeral prayers of their dead husbands. He also denounced
purdah system and practice of women covering their faces in the presence of
older members of the family.
 He established a religion which was free from brutal caste system and
denounced the system of untouchability. He developed the ‘langar’ system
which was rigidly enforced by his successors. All the visitors belonging to
any caste had to dine in the community mess (langar).
 Guru Nanak not only preached morality, but also propagated his opinions
that concerned the political and economic aspects of society. He vehemently
protested against the invasions of foreign invaders and atrocities of kings.
He raised his voices against the oppressive rule of Sikander Lodi.
  The dignity of manual labour was raised to a high pedestal. Guru Nanak
worked as a cultivator at Kartarpur and encouraged his followers to respect
every occupation. He taught those, serving at the ‘langar’ that there is no
shame in fetching fuel wood and water, cooking, cleansing utensils,
sweeping floor and in serving food.

Relevance of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings in present times:

Five centuries after the passing of Guru Nanak, his words still resonate with his
followers and his teachings are still applicable in every field of life. In fact, his
philosophy of universalism is more relevant in contemporary times when humanity
is passing through all shades of serious conflicts. The 550th birth anniversary of
Guru Nanak Dev Ji has proved to be a watershed moment in the history of Indo-
Pakistan ties in an era of bitterness and animosity.

Guru Nanak’s lesson of selflessness and community service is respected till date.
The Punjab Golden Temple feeds over a 100,000 people of all religions every
single day, not because of some divine gain, but because it is a sacred duty.

At a time when the world continues to be divided in class and caste wars, and not
only people but even countries are divided between rich and poor, haves- and
have-nots, there is widespread hunger, poverty, and deprivation on the planet and
the discrimination between races and gender is equally strong, the uniqueness of
Guru Nanak’s deep philosophical insights into the concepts of ‘secularism’ and
‘equality’ are not just relevant but also contemplatable.

Nanak’s logical and scientific approach based on ‘bibek buddhi’ (intellect),

revolted against futile rituals, superstitions and dogmas, and authoritarian rulers.
On environment, Guru Nanak preached that Earth has to be treated like Mother,
water like Father, and Air like Guru. Therefore, he taught to guard the environment
against any type of pollution.

Legacy of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Guru Nanak passed away on 22nd September 1539 in Kartarpur, at the age of 70.
When it became apparent that Guru Nanak’s end was near, an argument ensued as
to who would claim the guru's body for funeral rites. The Muslims wished to bury
him according to their customs, while the Sikhs and Hindus wished to cremate his
body according to their beliefs. To settle the matter, Guru Nanak Dev himself was
consulted as to how his remains should be disposed of, and by whom. He
explained that only his mortal body would expire, but that light which illumined
him was the divine and imperishable light, and would pass to his successor. Guru
requested his devotees to bring flowers and instructed the Sikhs and Hindus to
place flowers on his right side and the Muslims to place flowers to his left side. He
told them that permission for funeral rites would be determined by whichever set
of flowers remained fresh throughout the night. The next morning, when the
devotees arrived, they were amazed and astonished to discover that no trace at all
remained of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's mortal body. Only fresh flowers remained. The
Muslims then buried the flowers, while the Hindus and Sikhs cremated them.

Guru Nanak did not nominate any of his sons as the next Guru. Lehna was among
the close disciples of Nanak. Guru Nanak was satisfied with his spiritual activities
and found qualities of leadership in him. So, he nominated Lehna as the next Guru
and gave him the name Angad.

References:

Khushwant Singh, A History of the Sikhs, Vol- 1, Oxford University Press, 1999

Guru Nanak: A Universal Prophet Without Borders, Hardev Singh Virk; Surindera Singh Bhatti

Guru Nanak Biography/www.thefamouspeople.com

Relevance of Baba Nanak and his teachings: The New Indian Express

Guru Nanak/SikhiWiki – Encyclomedia of the Sikhs

5 Unique Teachings of Guru Nanak/mssirsa.wordpress.com

Relevance of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings in present scenario; Sukhjitpal Kaur

The Philosophy of Guru Nanak: A critical Analysis; By: Md. Didarul Islam