Happy Gurupurab - Guru Nanak's birthday

541st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, founder of Sikhism

I selected this picture, as my Mother's great uncle looked just like him with the same Turban and we called him Sikh Nana. On this auspicious day of Guru Nanak Devji's birthday, on behalf of World Muslim Congress and the foundation for Pluralism, we wish peace and blessing to the world.

May his divine Noor (divine light) brighten the world,
Amen!

Jeff, Fern, Mina,
Yasmeen & Mike Ghouse
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http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2009/11/happy-gurupurab-guru-nanaks-birthday.html

Resources: Several

Guru Nanak Jayanti is the birthday of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak, and one of the most sacred festivals in Sikhism.

The festivities in the Sikh religion revolve around the anniversaries of the 10 Sikh Gurus. These Gurus were responsible for shaping the beliefs of the Sikhs. Their birthdays, known as Gurpurabs, are occasions for celebration and prayer among the Sikhs.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji (the First Guru, the founder of Sikhism) was born on 14 April 1469 in Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present Shekhupura District of Pakistan, now Nankana Sahib. The birthday of Guru Nanak Sahib falls on Kartik Poornima, i.e., the day of the full moon in the month of Kartik. In the Gregorian Calendar, the birthday of Guru Nanak usually falls in the month of November, but its date varies from year to year, based on the traditional dates of the Indian calendar.

Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated by the Sikh community all over the world and is one of the most important festivals in the Sikh calendar. The celebrations are especially colourful in Punjab and Haryana.

Happy Gurpurab to all the Sikhs and to everyone who is a well-wisher of the ideals of Sikhism….
LET US ALL CELEBRATE JANAM DIVAS,
PRAKASH UTSAV DIVAS OF SHRI GURU NANAK DEV JI…
Happy GURPURAB..!!

Raj karega khalsa, aakee rehae naa koe,
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Happy Gurpurab….!

DASVEN PATSHAH SRI GURU NANAK DEV JEE DE JANAM DIHA SARIYAN NUN WADHAIYAN…!!Happy GURPURAB..!!

Nanak Nich kahe vichaar,Waria na jaava ek waar,
Jo tud bhave sai bhali kaar,
Tu sada salamat nirankaar

Gurpurb Dee Lakh Lakh Wadai..!!

Raj karega khalsa, aakee rehae naa koe,
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Happy Gurpurab….!

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this body is the Guru. He makes the five sounded word reverberate in man
~ Guru Nanak

“The True One was there from time immemorial.
He is there today and ever there you will find.
He never died nor will he ever die. …
Look within, you will see Him there enshrined.”
~ Guru Nanak (Raga Maru)

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Guru Nanak Dev was born on 15 April 1469,now celebrated as Prakash Divas of Guru Nanak, into the Bedi Kshatriya family (a prominent Hindu community of Punjab), in the village of Rāi Bhōi dī Talwandī, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore, Pakistan. Today, his birthplace is marked by Gurdwara Janam Asthan. His father, Mehta Kalyan Das Bedi, popularly shortened to Mehta Kalu, was the patwari (accountant) of crop revenue for the village of Talwandi in the employment of a Muslim landlord of that area, Rai Bular Bhatti . Guru Nanak's mother was Tripta Devi and he had one elder sister, Bebe Nanaki.

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, PakistanThe earliest biographical sources on the life of Guru Nanak recognized today are the Janamsākhīs (life accounts) and the vārs (expounding verses) of the scribe Bhai Gurdas. The most popular Janamsākhī are written by a close companion of the Guru, Bhai Bala.

Bhai Gurdas, a purported scribe of the Gurū Granth, also wrote about Guru Nanak's life in his vārs. Although these too were compiled some time after Guru Nanak's time, they are less detailed than the Janamsākhīs. The Janamsākhīs recount in minute detail the circumstances of the birth of the guru. The Janamsakhis state that at his birth an astrologer, who came to write his horoscope, insisted on seeing the child. On seeing the infant, he is said to have worshipped him with clasped hands and remarked that "I regret that I shall never live to see young Guru Nanak as an adult.”

At the age of five years Guru Nanak is said to have voiced interest in divine subjects. At age seven, his father, Mehta Kalu, enrolled him at the village school as was the custom.[8] Notable lore recounts that as a child Guru Nanak astonished his teacher by describing the implicit symbolism of the first letter of the alphabet, which is an almost straight stroke in Persian or Arabic, resembling the mathematical version of one, as denoting the unity or oneness of God[9]. Other childhood accounts refer to strange and miraculous events about Guru Nanak witnessed by Rai Bular such as a poisonous cobra being seen to shield the sleeping child's head from the harsh sunlight.

As the end approached Guru Nanak would frequently test the devotion of his sons and nearest followers and in doing so demonstrate their state of mind to one another. There were numerous such occasions and one particular devotee, Baba Lehna, rose to eminence because he never faltered in his faith in Guru Nanak.

Guru Nanak appointed Baba Lehna as the successor Guru, renaming him as Guru Angad Dev, meaning 'one's very own' or 'part of you'. Shortly after proclaiming Baba Lehna as the next Guru, Nanak passed on from this world on 22 September 1539 in Kartarpur, Punjab (now Pakistan) at the age of 70.

Teachings
Guru Nanak's teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth, a vast collection of revelatory verses recorded in Gurmukhi.

From these some common principles seem discernible. Firstly a supreme Godhead who although incomprehensible, manifests in all major religions, the Singular 'Doer' and formless. It is described as the indestructible (without death) form.

Guru Nanak describes the dangers of the Egotism (haumai- 'I am') and calls upon devotees to engage in worship through the word of God (Naam - It implies God, the Reality, mystical word or formula to recite or meditate upon (shabad in Gurbani), divine order (hukam) and at places divine teacher (guru) and guru's instructions) and singing of God's qualities, discarding doubt in the process. However such worship must be selfless (sewa). The word of God, cleanses the individual to make such worship possible. This is related to the revelation that God is the Doer and without God there is no other. Guru Nanak warned against hypocrisy and falsehood saying that these are pervasive in humanity and that religious actions can also be in vain. It may also be said that ascetic practices are disfavoured by Guru Nanak who suggests remaining inwardly detached whilst living as a householder.

Through popular tradition, Guru Nanak's teaching is understood to be practiced in three ways:

Naam Japna: Chanting the Holy Name and thus remembering God at all times (ceaseless devotion to God)

Kirat Karō: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud ( telling the truth)
Vaṇḍ Chakkō: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need (sava)
Guru Nanak put the greatest emphasis on the worship of the Word of God (Naam Japna) . One should follow the direction of awakened individuals (Gurmukh or God willed) rather than the mind (state of Manmukh- being led by Self will)- the latter being perilous and leading only to frustration.

Reforms that occurred in the wake of Guru Nanak's teachings included: devotion being open to all castes; women not to be marginalized from its institutions; and both Godhead and Devotion transcending any religious consideration or divide; as God is not separate from any individual.

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