Sikh Religion And Philosphy: Some Facts Explained – OpEd
Guru Nanak’s teachings emphasize the importance of the direct personal experience of the divine, rather than relying on the guidance of a spiritual teacher or intermediary. In his teachings, he emphasized the principles of love, compassion, and service to others as the path to achieving spiritual enlightenment and union with the divine. Guru Nanak went on to establish the Sikh faith and is considered the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His teachings continue to inspire millions of Sikhs around the world to this day.
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The Sikh faith is five hundred years old. Guru Nanak, the founder, taught a message of love and spoke of a universal God, common to all mankind, not limited to any religion, nation, race, creed, colour, or gender. The Sikh religion is strictly monotheistic and panentheistic like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This means that Sikhs only believe in One God – IK Onkar, free of gender, absolute, all-pervading, and eternal. Sikhs view life not as a fall from grace, but a unique opportunity to discover and develop the divinity in each of us. They believe that God created the world and is the ultimate source of morality that is, right and wrong. The Sikhs call their faith Gurmat (Punjabi: “the Way of the Guru”). Sikhs believe in three basic principles; meditating on the name of God (praying), earning a living by honest means as well as sharing the fruits of one’s labour with others.
Naam Japo; Kirat Karo and Vaṇḍ Chakō
Human rights and justice form a cornerstone of Sikh belief, and Sikh history features countless examples of Sikh Gurus and their followers making tremendous sacrifices for the cause of religious freedom and justice. More recently, Sikhs have been some of the most highly decorated soldiers of the British armed services during both World Wars. They played a significant role in the memorable battles of El Alamein in the Burma-China front and also in the allied assault in Italy. In India’s struggle for independence from the British, over two-thirds of all the Indians who were sentenced to life imprisonment or death were Sikh. This is in spite of the fact that Sikhs form less than two percent of India’s population
Etymologically the word Sikh is derived from the Sanskrit word śiṣya (pronounced “sickh”) means ‘disciple’ or ‘learner.’ Guru Nanak founded the Sikh religion in the Punjab region of the northern part of the Indian subcontinent of South Asia in the 15th century. The religion was further developed by the teachings of successive Nine Gurus, who were believed to embody the same divine light. All 10 human Gurus, Sikhs believe, were inhabited by a single spirit.
Upon the death of the 10th Nanak, Guru Gobind Singh, the spirit of the eternal Guru transferred itself to the sacred scripture of Sikhs, Sri Guru Granth Sahib (“The Granth as the Guru”), also known as the Adi Granth (“First Volume”), which thereafter was regarded as the sole Guru. After every Ardas (prayer), the Sikhs remind themselves of the perpetual authority of Sri Guru Granth Sahib by reciting:
ਆਗਿਆਭਈਅਕਾਲਕੀਤਬੀਚਲਾਇਓਪੰਥ।ਸਭਸਿਖਨਕੋਹੁਕਮਹੈਗੁਰੂਮਾਨਿਯੋਗ੍ਰੰਥ।ਗੁਰੂਗ੍ਰੰਥਜੀਮਾਨਿਯੋਪ੍ਗਟਗੁਰਾਂਕੀਦੇਹ।ਜੋਪ੍ਭਕੋਮਿਲਬੋਚਹੈਖੋਜਸ਼ਬਦਮੈਂਲੇਹ। —-
(ਗ. ਗਿਆਨਸਿੰਘ, ਤਵਾਰੀਖਗੁਰੂਖਾਲਸ)
Agya bhai Akal ki tabhi chalayo Panth.
Sabh Sikhan ko hukam hai Guru manyo Granth.
Guru Granth Ji manyo pargat Guran ki deh.
Jo Prabhu ko milo chahe khoj shabad mein le.
(Tawarikh Guru Khalsa by Giani Gian Singh Part-1, p-1142)
(See Reht Nama Bhai Prahlad Singh)
ਰਾਜਕਰੇਗਾਖਾਲਸਾਆਕੀਰਹਿਹਨਕੋਇ॥ਖਾਰਹੋਇਸਭਮਿਲੈਂਗੇਬਚਹਿਸ਼ਰਨਜੋਹੋਇ॥
(ਤਨਖਾਹਨਾਮਾਭਾਈਨੰਦਲਾਲ)
Raj karega Khalsa aqi rahei na koe,
Khwar hoe sabh milange bache sharan jo hoe.”
(Tankhah Nama Bhai Nand Lal)
“Under the order of the Immortal, the Path was created. All Sikhs are ordered to accept the Granth as their Guru.
Consider the Guru Granth as an embodiment of the Gurus. Those who want to meet the Lord can find Him in its hymns. The Pure shall rule, and no rebelswill exist, the areas and people who are missing will be reunited, those who take refuge in it will be saved.”
Sikh religion, distinct from Islam and Hinduism, is one of the newest forms of religion that opposed many traditional practices like fasting, Upanayana, idolatry, caste system, ascetism, azan, economic materialism, and gender discrimination. In the early 21st century there were nearly 25 million Sikhs worldwide, the great majority of them living in the Indian state of Punjab? However, it is the fifth-largest religion in the world. India, being the originator of Sikh religion, it’s but natural that India has the largest population of Sikh followers. The country currently has 20,833,116 followers, which accounts for 89.75 percent of the global population. Overall, 1.72 percent of the country’s total population belongs to the Sikh faith. The next country with a large following of the religion is Canada with 771,790 people. That accounts for roughly 3.2 percent of the total global population of those who follow the Sikh religion and 2.12 percent of Canada’s population follow the Sikh religion.
Sikh religion rejects caste and class systems and emphasizes service to humanity. The Sikh faith teaches us the humanitarian principles of freedom, equality, and justice – the same principles this great democracy is founded on. Sikhism recognizes the universal truths that underlie all human endeavours, religions and belief systems. The universal nature of the Sikh way of life reaches out to people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds, encouraging us to see beyond our differences and to work together for world peace and harmony.
Anyone who believes to be a part of the caste or calls himself/herself Jatt, Bhapa, Labana, Saini or Chamar is NOT a Sikh because they are not following the messages and teachings of the Gurus. Going against Guru’s words automatically eliminates you being a Sikh. If you are a non baptized Sikh and you have a last name because it’s given down to you through ancestors, which are ok but do not showcase the last name as a caste. Consider name as just a name. This is my personal learning experience and understanding about Sikhi. If Guru Nanak can say that he is neither Hindu nor Muslim, then why can’t his Sikhs say that we are not Jatt or Saini or bhapa etc? Something to think about.
ਨਾਹਮਹਿੰਦੂਨਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ॥
ਅਲਹਰਾਮਕੇਪਿੰਡੁਪਰਾਨ॥੪॥
naa ham hi(n)dhoo na musalamaan ||
aleh raam ke pi(n)dd paraan ||4||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
My body and breath of life belong to
Allah – to Raam – the God of both. ||4||
Guru Nanak Shah or Guru Nanak Dev, was, is and will (alive by his works) a revolutionary person who has shaken the blind beliefs, customs and rituals that were practiced by the common man. These common men could be from Islam, or Hinduism or Judaism or Taoism etc. Baba questioned the blind beliefs and stopped the corruption done by the priests of the time.
There is no historical record of Guru Nanak having a particular spiritual teacher before he became a Guru himself. However, it is believed that Guru Nanak was divinely inspired and had a direct connection with the divine, which he referred to as “Sat Naam” or the “True Name.” According to Sikh tradition, Guru Nanak received divine revelation and spiritual insights during a period of deep meditation and contemplation. His Guru is the formless God, known by many names like Allah, Jehovah, Waheguru, Raheem, Ram etc.
Baba Nanak came on the scene when Islam was a dominant religion and Afghan Lodhi’s were the ruling class at Delhi and Punjab. Hinduism was divided in several sects – Yogis, Sarvarias (dancing sadhus), Brahmins etc. There were several sects who lived in Himalayan and Shivalik hills. Brahmins, Purohit visited villages telling people when, and how to perform Pujas and when are the good days to perform them. Islam was simple but violent (Jihadist) while Hinduism was passive and complicated. Baba addressed this situation in such a way that neither it offended Islamic rulers nor the populace. His words ‘No one is Muslim nor a Hindu but humans at core’.
He raised his voice against Hypocracy in religions and rituals and visited all religious places thus known. He settled down at Kartarpur now in Pakistan and practiced what he imbibed and preached-
Naam Japo – Pray to one formless,
Kirat Karo – work to earn truthfully, and
Vaṇḍ Chakō – share.
The followers who visited him became Sikhs (learners of faith or Disciples) and they in turn called him the Guru the spiritual teacher). Guru Nanak was the first Guru.
The story of Guru Nanak’s disappearance and his divine encounter is a significant part of Sikh tradition, and it is often cited as an example of Guru Nanak’s spiritual connection and enlightenment. The story also highlights the importance of the direct personal experience of the divine, which is a central principle in Sikhism.
Guru Nanak went to a nearby river every morning for prayer and bathing. One morning he failed to return from the river. They dragged the river for his body and found nothing. Three days later, he reappeared and eventually gave an explanation for his disappearance. He said he had been taken into the presence of God where he was shown the “true name” of God. He said he was given a cup of nectar to drink and was given a mission to share the name and reality of God (which was neither Hindu nor Muslim), to live purely, practice charity and develop God consciousness, and to lead people as a guru.
Guru Nanak came to preach the truth in this part of world. The region was affected with lot of corrupt governance and fake practices which ultimate took away people from the core knowledge about the Truth (ONE GOD). People were fooled by the so called mediators with so many rituals they imposed in the society and they announced themselves to be the bridge between people and Paramatma. Guru Nanak preached a way wherein you get direct access to the knowledge and spirituality to experience that ONE LORD. There were many saints like Kabir das, Baba Fareed (Muslim Sufi background), bhagat Namdev ji(Hindu background) and many (all from different background) who talked in the same lines what Guru Nanak preached. Ultimately Shabadh was, is and will be the only GURU for this world.
God Himself was Nanak’s Guru. That’s why God is called ‘Waheguru’ (Wondrous Enlightener) in Sikhism. Guru Nanak began all his compositions with ‘Ik Onkaar Satgur Prasaad’, which means “By the Grace of the One Eternal Enlightener God.”
No one is a Teacher / Enlightener forever. It is only the Creator Himself Who fills this roll in being the True/Eternal Enlightener, since He is the Inspirer of all Arts and Sciences of the World.
Even Guru Gobind Singh stepped down as Preceptor in 1699 and became a disciple. In his composition Chaupai Sahib he explained clearly who His Guru/Teacher was – and it was God Himself: the Creator of angels and demons and demigods and various worlds.
Guru Nanak Dev is revered in many different cultures and as such has been known by various names. In Afghanistan He is commonly called Nanak Peer; Nanak Rishi in Nepal, Baba Nanak in Iraq, Nanaka-Chraya in Sri Lanka and Nanak Lama in Tibet.
Guru Nanak Dev travelled tens of thousands of miles to spread God’s message of oneness and purity. From His birthplace of Punjab, Guru Nanak travelled on foot as far as the middle-east, Europe and East Asia. Only accompanied by His faithful follower Bhai Mardana, Guru Nanak is recorded as having visited the likes of Mecca and historic sites in Tibet and Turkey in over 20 years of travelling.
In India at the time Guru Nanak was around, women had very few rights. Widows were often burnt alive as their husbands were cremated and women in general were not allowed to remarry. Guru Nanak Dev Ji preached against this discrimination and sought to improve the respect of women.
ਭੰਡਿਜੰਮੀਐ, ਭੰਡਿਨਿੰਮੀਐ, ਭੰਡਿਮੰਗਣੁਵੀਆਹੁ।ਭੰਡਹੁਹੋਵੈਦੋਸਤੀ, ਭੰਡਹੁਚਲੈਰਾਹੁ।।ਭੰਡਹੁਮੁਆ, ਭੰਡਹੁਭਾਲੀਐ, ਭੰਡਹੁਹੋਵੈਬੰਧਾਨੁ।‘ਸੋਕਿਉਮੰਦਾਆਖੀਐਜਿਤੁਜੰਮਹਿਰਾਜਾਨ।।’
Sri Guru Granth Sahib (Ang, 473).
Bhandd Janmeeai Bhandd Ninmeeai Bhandd Mangan Veeaahu ||
Bhanddahu Hovai Dhosathee Bhanddahu Chalai Raahu ||
Bhandd Muaa Bhandd Bhaaleeai Bhandd Hovai Bandhhaan ||
So Kio Mandhaa Aakheeai Jith Janmehi Raajaan ||
‘‘From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all” –
Nanak never used Sikh term as he never was a Sikh because he was the Guru. Sikh is a disciple or student who gets Sikhiya from Guru. Sikh term was given by his first convert from Muslim to Sikhs who called himself Shisya or Sikh. Because Nanak said God has no name and no religion, I can only give you Sikhiya that will make you understand WaheGuru or the teacher of all. In fact, the first Sikh of world was Bibi Nanaki eldest sister of Guru Nanak Dev who from early age understood that her brother is not ordinary human but Avtar of Kaliyuga who came to save the saints from tyrants, uphold status of women in dark kali, to show right path that low caste people are pious God is one for all, to destroy wicked ones and to propagate dharma.
Seva is one of the important things in Sikhi and we are forgetting that in our daily life. It’s commonly said whenever Guru Sahibaan taught something to Sikhs, they first did that themselves. Like if seva was there, Guru Sahib did it first. While reading Twarikh Guru Khalsa, I was thinking the same about it that Bhai Baala and Bhai Mardana had been with Guru Nanak Dev for so long, why the guruship didn’t go to one of them.
When we go through the life of Guru Nanak Dev we see that many times Bhai Mardana and Bhai Baala would be angry with Guru Sahib or say something like they shouldn’t do it. For example, Bhai Baala said to Guru Nanak Dev during sacha sauda that we shouldn’t do it because Baba Kalyan Chand would be angry. There were some cases where the same was true when they both went with Guru Sahib to all the four directions.
When Guru Nanak Dev met Bhai Lehna, Bhai Lehna was on a horse. He’d heard the bani of Guru Nanak Dev from a Sikh name Jodha near his house in Khadoor Sahib, so he came to Kartarpur Sahib while travelling to some other place (which many people say Vaishno Devi. There are two sides of this story. First one is that Father of Bhai Lehna was the devotee of Vaishno Devi, so Bhai Lehna followed the same; second is that he was taking some people to Vaishno Devi just as a guide. Guru Nanak Dev walked on foot and Bhai Lehna sat on the horse and they reached there. Bhai Lehna started giving his horse to someone and washed his face. Later when he saw Guru Nanak Dev sitting there, he felt differently that Guru Nanak Dev himself came to take him and showed the path here.
Bhai Lehna made his mind to stay with Guru Nanak Dev and do seva. It’s the seva of Bhai Lehna that made him Guru Angad Dev. There’re many sakhis that are there which talk about when Guru Nanak Dev asked his sons or other Sikhs to do something they didn’t do, but Guru Angad Dev started doing once asked without asking any questions. Not only Guru Angad Dev, but also Guru Amardas who in the age of 72 was going to daryaa to get water for Guru Angad Dev for more than 10 years, and this seva of his is the reason that he’s Guru after Guru Angad Dev. Even when Bhai Baala and another GurSikh went to Baba Lal Chand (brother of Baba Kalyan Chand), he asked him who has the Guruship now, Guru Nanak Dev’s sons? Bhai Baala said, no it’s Guru Angad Dev.
Gaddi sevak de kol hai.
All Sikh men have their last name as Singh (Meaning Lion) while Sikh women have their last name as Kaur (meaning Lioness as well as princess).
One of the main reasons of Islamic occupation of India was inability of Hindu society to rise as one and standing unite against the aggressor. As Hindu society was divided in different Jaat’s and Varnas (Loosely translated as caste), which over the centuries became rigid and defense of nation fell on just people of Kshatriya (Warrior class) Varna. As general public was kept out of life and death struggle that India underwent during medieval times, Kshatriyas (Warrior class) first slowly gave way to Muslim rule and then actively collaborated with them so as to secure their own principalities serving under increasingly formidable Islamic rulers.
More ever after centuries of enslavement Hindus lost pride in their heritage and their names too started displaying their poor societal condition ( e.g. names like Garib (Poor) dass , faqir (Penniless) chand , rulia ( foot trodden) ram to quote a few). It was to do away the caste system of old Hindu society, that on March 30, 1699, Vaisakhi day, Guru Gobind Singh gave final shape to Sikh Dharma, by forming Saint-Soldier brotherhood called Khalsa Panth, He enjoined all his followers (i.e. Sikhs) to take last names as Singhs and Kaurs , so as to form a casteless brotherhood where anyone can take up any livelihood and also can stand up for the defence of nation without shackling themselves in old Hindu customs. Also having a powerful last name like Singh/Kaur will most likely result in having an equally matching first name, will boost the self confidence of the person, exhorting him life-long to stay true to his/her powerful name. Guru Nanak went on to establish the Sikh faith and is considered the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His teachings continue to inspire millions of Sikhs around the world to this day.
