Guru Nanak was born in 1469 at Talwandi, now in Pakistan. His message to the local people, both the Hindus and the Muslims was simple and timely. He did not restrict it to any particular region, religion and time. This is the reason that with the passage of time his message became global from the local. It spread from the land of Punjab (the Province of five rivers, Satluz, Bias, Ravi, Chenab and Jehlum) to the four corners of the world. Today, we realize that his message is as green in the circles of Christianity as it was for the Hindus and the Muslims of undivided India. Most importantly, Guru Nanak’s message was at that time for the older generation. Today, there is a need to spread his message not only among the older generation but to the new generation of readers and the seekers of truth. This new generation, including children and youth, across all strata of society includes the people of different religions and of different geographical locations.
History is a witness that religions also, like political and cultural systems have seen ups and downs according to circumstances and time. No religion could withstand the onslaughts of time and the evolutionary process of the human brain, especially the logic and scientific temper. Being a retired bureaucrat I have a personal experience about time. “Time is a File that wears and makes no noise.” It applies to religion as well. Every religion, once at its helms 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, the orthodoxy needs to be modified and removed. It is also a fact that though all religions have their birth almost a few centuries apart, yet the roots of all are the same. The only difference is the branches. Some branches sprang first and some later and went in different directions – east and west, north and south. All new religions came into being from the roots of the previous religion with new modifications necessitated by time and the boredom of mankind with the old. All religions revolve around God. Realizing the concept of God, there came religions like Jainism and Buddhism which kept quiet about God. These religions left everything to an individual and his good or bad (karmas) conduct. The Enlightened Buddha said, “Aap Dipo Bhav – Be Your own Guide. Or ‘Be your own god’ You have the potential to become godlike.” Similarly, about one hundred before the Buddha, Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism believed in “Kevala Jnana,”- an Arihant who has attained omniscience. All religions have laid great emphasis on the pure conduct or actions of an individual. In Hindi it is called the “karma ka sidhant” or as you sow, so shall you reap. In today’s language, it is called “the Honest Secular Activity”. In Nanak’s language it is “Kirat Kar”. Gurbani says, “ Why blameth thou others, blame thy deeds. For thou receiveth the fruit of what thou soweth.”
When we celebrate and offer our prayer to Guru Nanak at his 550th birth anniversary, we have to visualize whether the above-mentioned pronouncement, i.e. Dhund Miti Jag Chanan Hoya is related to his real birth or related with an incident when Guru Nanak re-emerged (parghatya) from the Bein river after three days Akhand Samadhi and gave his divine message of Mool Mantra and Japji Saheb. It is the Mool Mantra and the Japji Saheb, which can wipe out the mental darkness of the ignorant, ritualistic, dogmatic and egoistic people. It is as applicable today as it was when it was pronounced by Guru Nanak. To relate it with his birth is a metaphorical issue. In fact, in its literal meaning, during the winter months, the Dhund (fog) takes away many lives on roads in the northern parts of India even today, after 550 years.
When we talk about the new generation of readers and the seekers of truth belonging to our own Sikh community and also the children and youth coming from other religions and cultures, there is a genuine fear that a doubt might arise in their inquisitive and scientific minds about some instances which have been written by Sikh writers about Guru Nanak. The incidents like the grazing of cattle by Nanak and destruction of crops; a Cobra covering the head of Guru Nanak to save him from the Sun; a movement of Kaba’h in the direction of the feet of Nanak and oozing out milk and blood from the pieces of bread of Bhai Lalo and Malik Bhago etc., are understood by a raw mind as a miracle. The educated and the western mind will hardly believe such miracles and metaphors. Factually, Guru Nanak was dead against Miracles and Siddhis. In fact these instances might be on account of a false complaint by a jealous person, Nanak’s compassion and love endeared him to even the envious and poisonous elements, presence of Almighty God in all directions, honest means to earn one’s 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 metaphoric attitude.
There is a need to know that “Truth is the daughter of time.”
