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GURU |
The
word Guru is so popular in India that in order to understand the
fundamental concept of 'guru' in Sikhism, one must first completely drive
out of one's mind the prevalent popular notion of a guru. The popular term
'guru' often used for a Brahman, a yogic teacher or a guide or even a
school teacher, has made the Guruship so cheap that a scholar describes
these gurus as 'wicks which smell foul after the lamps are extinguished.'
The
term 'Guru' in Sikhism is not used for a teacher or a guide or an expert
or even a human body. The word Guru is composed of two terms-
GU- means darkness
and
RU- means Light.
In
Sikhism the word 'Guru' is, thus, defined as the Light that dispels all
darkness, and that is called JOT (Divine Light). Guru Nanak was,
therefore, the EMBODIMENT of Divine Light:
'Gur Nanak Dev
Govind roop.'
(Basant
Mohalla 5, p-1192, Guru Granth Sahib)
'Guru Nanak is
embodiment of the Light of God.'
(Translation of the above)
The
Guru in Sikhism is a perfect Prophet or Messenger of God in whom the Light
of God shines fully, visibly and completely. Guru is in union with Divine.
Thus he ushers the devotees, the seekers of Truth into a spiritual birth.
Through him the Glory of the Lord is transmitted to humanity. On account
of his Divine prerogatives, the Guru, though human in form, is Divine in
Spirit.
Literally
Guru Nanak's body was a platform from which God Himself spoke and
delivered His message- Gurbani (Divine Word). God manifested Himself
through Guru Nanak:
'Gur meh aap samoai
sabad vartaya.'
(Var Malar
ki Mohalla 1, p-1279)
'In
the true Guru (Nanak) He installed His Own Spirit Through him, God
speaketh Himself.' (Translation of the above) In another place in Gurbani
it is said:
'Gur meh aap rakhaya
kartare.'
(Maru
Mohalla 1(15), p-1024)
'In the body of Guru
(Nanak) God revealeth Himself.'
(Translation of the above)
God is
in the Guru and Guru is in God. Though God is everywhere and in everybody
but His traits are illuminated through the Guru. The Jot (Divine Light)
that enshrined Guru Nanak's body and the Primal Jot of God are, therefore,
one and the same:
'Gur Nanak Nanak har
soai.'
(Gaund
Mohalla 5, p-865)
'O Nanak, Jot of
Nanak and God are one.'
(Translation of the above)
Again
the Janamsakhis (biographies) reveal that God spoke to Guru Nanak and
said:
'Mei aad parmeshar
aur tu gur parmeshar.'
'I am the Primal God and thou art Guru God.'
Guru
Nanak never claimed that only his disciples or devotees could get
salvation or go to heaven. Since he was the embodiment of Divine Light,
and as the Divine Light does not belong to any particular sect or
religion, so he stood guarantee for the entire humanity, and
said,"Whosoever meditates upon One God, the Formless, will get
salvation."
'Jo jo japai so hoi
punit Bhagat bhai lavai man hit.'
(Gauri
Sukhmani Mohalla 5, p-290)
'He shall become
pure whosoever repeateth His Name With devotion, affection and heartfelt
love.'
(Translation of the above)
When
Guru Nanak conferred Guruship on Bhai Lehna (later called Guru Angad), the
JOT was passed on and Guru Angad too became the embodiment of Divine
Light. In the same way all the nine Gurus were the embodiments of Gur
Nanak Jot. The tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh then conferred the Guruship
on Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Scripture), which too became the embodiment of
Divine Light. Gur Nanak JOT is, therefore, enshrined and preserved in
Guru Granth Sahib (it is no longer the Adi Granth, but only the Guru
Granth), and it is the Living Guru for ever. For the Sikhs, the Guru
Granth is the manifestation of the Guru's Spirit and through it, Guru
Nanak lives on in the Sikh Faith.
Sikhism
endeavors to uplift the human soul from the shackles of Maya
(materialism). It aims at a virtuous life which leads to the ultimate
realization of a state of Eternal Bliss. The objective of Guru Nanak's
Guruship was to give instructions in the True Name, to save humanity from
immersing in the ocean of distress and misery arising out of worldly life,
and to blend the human souls with their Creator, thus, emancipating them
from the cycle of transmigration breaking all barriers and bonds of
sufferings. This is the essential character of Sikh faith.
The law of Karma or
fatalism is repugnant to Sikh Religion as it does not reconcile with the
merciful trait of the Almighty Lord. There is no such thing in Sikhism as
eternal damnation or an everlasting pit of fire created by the revengeful
God. Guru's grace erases the blot of thousands of evil deeds of the past
and the present. It is also the savior of the future. Meditation on Nam
burns countless sins. Singing the glory of the Lord through the Divine
Word, can redeem a repentant sinner and, thus, doctrine of Karma ceases to
operate. Such is the splendor of Guru Nanak's doctrine of God's Grace and
Compassion.
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