SRI GURU NANAK DEV JI

FACTUAL OVERVIEW

Incarnation : Katak Sudi 15, 1526 Bikrami (15th

April, 1469)

Place of Incarnation: Rai Bhoae Di Talwandi, Nankaana

Sahib, Pakistan

Father : Mehta Kalian Das (Kaloo Ji)

Mother : Mata Tripta Ji

Wife : Sulakhni Ji

Children : Two sons Baba Sri Chand Ji and

Baba Lakhmi Das

Cities Developed : Kartarpur

Merging into divine : Asu Vadi 10, 1596 Bikrami (22nd

Light : September, 1539) at Kartarpur

Ruler : Baabar

GURU NANAK'S INCARNATION (BIRTH)

Under violent atmosphere when people were engrossed in sins and the demon of intolerance and animosity had taken over the reins of this world in its hands, God decided to appear in human form and show them the light. He came in the form of Guru Nanak, in the house of Mehta Kalian Das, emerging into this world from Mata Tripta's womb. The village of Talwandi Rai Bhoe was blessed to have the first touch of His existence on 15th April, 1469. The sky had been lit up by the moonlight with a brightness never witnessed before. The extraordinary sheen on His face, the remarkable sparkle in His eyes and His soothing aura, gave every onlooker a reason to believe that they were in the presence of an enlightened soul. It was customary to call the family priest at the birth of a child to predict his future and his positive or negative influence on the family. The priest expressed his desire to see the child before saying anything about Him, because the stars had indicated the arrival of a very special life. After looking at the jewel like face, he remarked "He is no ordinary being but an incarnation of God".

THE DETACHED CHILD NANAK

Nanak was very different from other kids. He never cried, nor did He yearn for any object or toys. It was as if He always had everything that He needed. He was so pretty and had such a radiant face, that all women folk of the village loved Him as their own son and spent hours entertaining Him and playing with Him. While playing, He would make the children sit and chant God's Name, which was quite unusual and signified His inclination toward God and the heavenly connection. People were amazed to see such devotion in a child merely four years old. Whenever a Saint or a beggar passed by, Guru Nanak donated all His pocket money to them. All this convinced some people that He was a child of God, or the God Himself.

WHO COULD TEACH THE ALL AWARE NANAK ?

When Guru Nanak was five years old, His father took Him to a Hindu teacher. The occasion was celebrated with distribution of sweets among the villagers. He started learning Devnagri. The teacher was quite impressed by His distinct learning ability as He had learnt in six months, what took ordinary students four or five years to learn. It was as if all knowledge flowed out of Him. He left His teacher surprised by explaining and exhibiting understanding of things never taught to Him. When His teacher was trying to teach Him the Hindi alphabet, He urged him to explain what each letter stood for and what was the cause of its existence. The teacher was perturbed by the strange question and failed to utter a word. Nanak proceeded to explain that each letter stands for the creator and exists to praise His creation. "Other than that, its use is worthless," said He. The teacher surrendered stating that it was beyond all his intellectual abilities to teach the kid, who had come so prepared and was the 'World Teacher' Himself.

Guru Nanak was taken to a Muslim Priest to equip Him with Persian, the official language; but again the teacher was helpless and had nothing to teach the all aware 'Reflection of God'. He bowed to His untutored brilliance and touched His feet when He explained him the meanings of the Persian alphabet.

THE SACRED THREAD AND GURU NANAK

It was customary in the Hindu families to incorporate a special thread called "Janaeu", which marked the initiation of child into Hinduism, before which he is not considered a Hindu. It was a detailed ceremony with a lot of money spent on it and elaborate preparations made for the event. As the Priest was about to decorate Him with the thread Guru Nanak asked, "Of what use is the thread that you so dearly want to bestow upon me ?" The Priest, a bit surprised, and not expecting such a question, replied after a small pause for a thought, "You stand impure without the constant touch of this thread on your body. You stand incapable of performing any ritual or religious task without the much needed sanctity and sacredness that this thread imparts." Guru Nanak replied, "Bring me a thread whose cotton is compassion, whose fibre is patience, whose knots are ascetism, and whose strength is moral conduct. Such a thread never burns, never breaks, is never soiled and never lost. The thread that you bring, you have bought it for a few cents, you hang it around people's necks and pour in words into their ears informing them that Brahman is their Guru. After some time when they die, the thread is either removed or burnt with their body; it does not accompany their soul." The Priest and the audience who had gathered to witness the event, sat silently, trying to absorb the meaning of His utterance. Some ridiculed Him for showing disrespect, while others found real meaning in His words and realised the emptiness and fallacy of their ritual.