Ek onkar satnam-Om is the truth! This is the basic credo of Sikhism,setablished by Guru Nanak in the 15th century in the Punjab. This was a time when The Mughals ruled India and there was perpetual strife between Hindus and Muslims. Guru Nanak was born in Larkana Sahab,now in Pakistan. From his childhood the Guru was god-obsessed and was inclined to prayer and meditation. His father,a shopkeeper, was extremely worried about his future. The Guru,while sitting at his father's shop would give goods free to the poor, and the shop was in a chronic loss. Once the Guru while counting reached the figure of 13(tera) and could not count any further! His father got him married,thinking that it would bring him to the earth.However ,the Guru just could not adjust to worldly matters!
At the age of 25,he left home and became a sadhu,a mendicant! Gradually, he started getting disciples. His first disciples were a Hindu and Muslim, Bala and Mardana!
The Guru was deeply influenced by the Vedas,Upanishads and the Holy Quaran. However he was opposed to sectarian religion,which he felt had become the privilege of the few. In Kashi,when he asked a priest,why he was offering water to the sun,the priest replied,he was offering it to his ancestors,the Guru immidiately followed suit, and told the priest,he was watering his fields! He told the stunned priest,that if your water can reach your ancestors,it can very well reach my fields. Once when objected by a muslim,because his feet were pointing towards Mecca,the Guru said please shift them where there is no God!It is said that the Muslim saw Mecca wherever he tried to shift the Guru's feet!
Sikh means shishya(disciple).There is no theocratic head,but the holy book,Guru Granth Sahib,is the teacher. Sikhism teaches charity,prayer,piety,equality,voluntary social work and adherence to the spiritual law. It is perhaps the most progressive of contemporary religions.
When the Guru passed away,both Muslims and Hindus claimed his body,but when the shroud was removed,only rose-petals were found!
Later on ,Guru Gobind Singh,the 10th and last Guru, gave Sikhism a marital direction,while fighting the Mughals.He coined the phrase,'Wahe Guru da khalsa,wahe Guru di fateh! Victory to the warrior of God!"
At the age of 25,he left home and became a sadhu,a mendicant! Gradually, he started getting disciples. His first disciples were a Hindu and Muslim, Bala and Mardana!
The Guru was deeply influenced by the Vedas,Upanishads and the Holy Quaran. However he was opposed to sectarian religion,which he felt had become the privilege of the few. In Kashi,when he asked a priest,why he was offering water to the sun,the priest replied,he was offering it to his ancestors,the Guru immidiately followed suit, and told the priest,he was watering his fields! He told the stunned priest,that if your water can reach your ancestors,it can very well reach my fields. Once when objected by a muslim,because his feet were pointing towards Mecca,the Guru said please shift them where there is no God!It is said that the Muslim saw Mecca wherever he tried to shift the Guru's feet!
Sikh means shishya(disciple).There is no theocratic head,but the holy book,Guru Granth Sahib,is the teacher. Sikhism teaches charity,prayer,piety,equality,voluntary social work and adherence to the spiritual law. It is perhaps the most progressive of contemporary religions.
When the Guru passed away,both Muslims and Hindus claimed his body,but when the shroud was removed,only rose-petals were found!
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