Share Your Faith! Guru Nanak Dev Saaheb Jee's 538th Gurpurab...

[Akaali]

vaahegurujeekaakhalsaavaahegurujeekeefateh

Lets all share the birth of Guru nanak with out colleagues, friends, and co-workers, so they know what Sikhi is and even if one person takes something out of it consider your janam safal, so lets all send e-mails to our co-workers, help share this beautiful gift that we have received with everyone.

Here's something I wrote, if you want to send the same thing then copy/paste the text in the attached word documents because it has links for those who don't know what certain words mean or do a google and make your own article.

Bhul chuk muaaf karnee jeeo.

vaahegurujeekaakhalsaavaahegurujeekeefateh

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I just wanted to wish everyone a happy gurpurab to everyone on this day as tomorrow marks the 538th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. I wanted to share the following article on Guru Nanak Dev Ji so help learn more about each other. There will be sweets for everyone.

Sikhism preaches that there is one God but that he is formless. That is why the Sikhs do not worship idols. The festivities in the Sikh religion revolve around the anniversaries of the 10 Sikh Gurus. These Gurus were responsible for shaping the beliefs of the Sikhs. Their birthdays, known as Gurpurabs, are occasions for celebration and prayer among the Sikhs.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Gurus of the Sikhs and present day Sikhism is still based on his teachings and those of the nine Sikh Gurus who followed him. He was born in the village of Talwandi, now known as Nankana Sahib, near Lahore in present-day Pakistan. He was born, according to all ancient Sikh records, in the early morning of the third day of the light half of the month of Baisakh (April - May) in the year 1469 AD. Before Guru Nanak breathed his last in 1539, his name had traveled not only throughout India's north, south, east and west, but also far beyond into Arabia, Mesopotamia(Iraq), Ceylon, Afghanistan, Turkey, Burma and Tibet.

Guru Nanak’s path was, is & will ever remain decorated with endless rows of true flowers; he preached the message of God by singing virtues of God and following a life of true deeds. Singing, often extemporaneously, with all his heart and soul, so much so that his singing became his meditation, his connection to the almighty. This was Guru Nanak’s path; songs of glory and praise of the Almighty Lord.

Whatever he has said was said in verse straight from GOD. These verses are the scriptures that that form the eternal Guru of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib. These are songs of love and expressions of truthfulness & worship of Guru Nanak along with the songs of Guru Nanak's nine successors,

The Three Pillars and Basic Beliefs

1. Naam Guru Nanak led the Sikhs directly to practise Simran – meditation on God through reciting, chanting, singing and constant remembrance followed by deep study & comprehension of God’s Name and virtues. In real life to practice and tread on the path of dharam (righteousness) - The inner thought of the Sikh thus stays constantly immersed in praises and appreciation of the creator and the ONE ETERNAL GOD Waheguru.

2. Kirat Karni He expected the Sikhs to live as honourable householders and practise Kirat Karni – To honestly earn by ones physical and mental effort while accepting both pains & pleasures as GOD's gifts and blessings. One is to stay truthful at all times and, fear none but the Eternal Super Soul. Live a life founded on decency immersed in dharam - life controlled by spiritual, moral & social values.

3. Vand Chakna. The Sikhs were asked to share their wealth within the community by practising Vand Chakna – “Share and Consume together”. The community or sadh sangat is an important part of Sikhism. One must be part of a community that is living the flawless objective values set out by the Sikh Gurus and every Sikh has to contribute in whatever way possible to the common community pool. This spirit of Sharing and Giving is an important message from Guru Nanak.

Guru Nanak had many beliefs which were not popular at the time but are now widespread.

• Equality of Humans: When throughout the East and West Slavery and race discrimination was rife, and disrespect amongst the different classes and castes was at its peak, Nanak preached against discrimination and prejudices due to race, caste, status, etc. He said: "See the brotherhood of all mankind as the highest order of Yogis; conquer your own mind, and conquer the world." (SGGS page 6); also "There is one awareness among all created beings." (Page 24) and finally "One who recognizes the One Lord among all beings does not talk of ego. ||4||" (page 432). He urges all the peoples of the world to "conquer" their minds to these evil practises. All human beings had the light of the Lord and were the same – only by subduing one's pride and ego could one see this light in all.

• Equality of Women: In about 1499 when society offered little status or respect to women, Nanak Dev sought to elevat the position of women by spreading this message: "From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman." (Page 473). In so doing he promoted the equality of women in the 15th century. Nanak Dev also condemned the ritual of Sati some 300 years prior to the British doing so.

• Universal message for all People It had been a custom at the time for religious leaders to address only their own congregation, and for segregation of the different religions – but Nanak Dev broke with tradition, and spoke to all of humanity. To the Muslim he said: "And when, O Nanak, he is merciful to all beings, only then shall he be called a Muslim. ||1||" (page 141"; to the Hindu, he said "O Nanak, without the True Name, of what use is the frontal mark of the Hindus, or their sacred thread? ||1||" (page 467); and to all he preached: "To take what rightfully belongs to another is like a Muslim eating pork, or a Hindu eating beef." (Page 141).

Upon being asked which religion, was the true path to God, he replied that the true way to attain God was to worship God who is eternal and contained in the whole Universe.

Here’s a video that explains the basics for those non-readers like me: http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-5433918517694204030

Also If anyone wants to take a tour of the Gurdwara (sikh temple) tomorrow or whenever, let me know I’ll be more than happy to show you around.

gurunanak.doc

[darminder]

excellent post, very rare i read long post's but this was good.

[rupinder singh]

I think this is a good idea. In my view we Sikhs are often too shy to talk about our dharam, either we don't know enough or we want to blend in with the mainstream and not be tarnished as fanatics. So many of us avoid discussing and expressing our dharam even with our own relatives.

[۹βkaur۹β]

thanks :lol:

dhan guru nanak dev ji

[Akaali]

bump