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Namaste,
The birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Devji falls on November 5, 2006. Guru Nanak ( C.E. 1469 – 1539) is the earliest and foremost Punjabi poet. He must have been well versed in Sanskrit as several Sanskritized words appear in his compositions. His compositions also contain some words in Marathi and Gujarati style. He had picked up these words presumably in the course of his travels in Bharat and abroad. He had learnt Persian as well. Though Guru Nanak is widely regarded as the founder of Sikhism, it must be stressed that he himself never claimed to be founding a new sect. Indeed, Guru Nanak was a Hindu saint in the ' nirguna' Vaishnava tradition. The word 'Punjab' never occurs in his compositions; but the word 'Hindusthan' appears more than once (Shree Guru Grantha Sahibji, p 723). Guru Nanak has rendered a graphic description of Babar's atrocities. Many of his compositions express anguish at the Muslim aggression. "In this turbulent age", he laments, "Islamic laws dictate decisions, the blue-robed qazi has replaced Sri Krishna; nobody listens to the Brahmana, the Veda or the Puranas. The Quran and the Semitic texts are being recognized." (Shree Guru Grantha Sahibji, p 903). In various compositions, he bemoans that kshatriyas have abandoned their duties and have adopted the mlechha (Muslim) language; that God is referred to as Allah and that temples are being taxed (Shree Guru Grantha Sahibji, p 663, 1191). The hymns of Guru Nanak and other Sikh Gurus proclaim the doctrines of One Transcendent and Immanent God, the indestructibility of the soul, karma, maya, Om as the symbol of the Supreme Being, transmigration of the soul and moksha. Thus the teachings of all the Sikh Gurus belong to the tradition of the Upanishads, Bhagwad gita, Naradabhaktisutra and of other medieval Hindu saints.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has always considered Guru Nanak and all other Sikh Gurus as the common heritage of all Hindus. The Sikhs are part and parcel of the Hindu society. Shri Golwalkar Guruji always stressed on the unifying bonds that have for centuries existed between Sikhs and other Hindus. During the agitation for the Punjabi Suba when there was a campaign to enter Hindi as the mother-tongue of Punjabi Hindus, Shri Guruji had stoutly opposed it. He insisted that all Punjabis - Sikh or otherwise- should register Punjabi as their mother-tongue. Shri Guruji enjoyed very cordial relations with the Sikh leader Master Tara Singh. Both of them were co-founders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Dhanyawaad,
GolwalkarGuruji.org Website Team
www.golwalkarguruji.org |
