GURU
- THE DIVINE LIGHT
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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FN-1: - Gur Nanak Jot is not a human body but the Devine Light
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