In the year 1469, the illuminating light for the future was born. Over the years, the future’s guiding light realised the essence of different pathways and condensed the gist and offered a unique way of conducting oneself. It was Guru Nanak, and the path he showed became the Guru’s path for the ‘shishyas’.
In the days of difficult travel, Guru Nanak travelled beyond one’s imagination, ranging from the Middle East to the far eastern borders and from China to Lanka. Wherever he travelled, he observed the practices and offered the best.
A quarter of a century of travel, covering different parts of the world, shows the commitment one has for humanity. The method that got distilled had all the positives and abjured the negatives from the sources that got touched.
Belief in one GOD, Ek Onkar, was to prevail. Waheguru became the God word that got recited. The ‘smarana’ of the name of the God became continual chanting known as ‘Simran’. Each one to offer what they can best offer and take only what is required. Greed has no place in offering, and meanness has no place in taking.
Universal brotherhood became one of the tenets. In the medieval ages, when caste and religion and even sub-sects of the same religion mattered so much, the Guru making the equality prevail was nothing less than a miracle.
To serve became the practice for all the able-bodied and who could afford it. Thus, the practice of Sewa and the spirit of Sewa became the living principle. The communal life was shown to the contemporaries, who were divided along different dimensions.
Common property, common workplace, common kitchen, and common welfare are the ideal societal targets and perhaps the best way of humanitarian existence. Each one according to one’s ability, and to each one according to the need, is the best practice one can have.
Belief in one God, honest living, principles based on Sewa, being in constant remembrance through Simran, and sharing the bread with the community, called Sangat, in the langar are the practices we can see being observed even after five centuries. Guru’s ‘dwar’ welcomes all with an embracing affection, and one has a place to go during both good and difficult times. This gives needed dhairya.
About the author
Dr. S. Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of Management and Tradition. Intent is NextGen’s learning and cultural education.
