What Our Gurus Look Like

[Traveller]

Hello,

I would like to ask a question which is simply:

What did the Guru Ji's look like?

Specifically- does anyone have any links to paintings/depictions that are creations from witnessed accounts?

For all of those reading, I do want to stress that yes, there are many images of Guru Ji's founded on descriptions...if you find these images of comfort then do not let this topic unnerve you. However, it is a core belief as outlined in our Guru's Teachings that we do not idolise them or any object- hence the image of our Guru's is irrelevent to the teachings. The Guru's light it carried eternally in the Guru Granth Sahib and if we take time to immerse ourselves within then we find that there is no medium or middleman between ourselves and God, no idol to pray to or ritual to perform.

There have been debates as to whether depictions of gurus should be published at all, as it leads to idol worship, maybe we should instead display quotes from Guru Granth Sahib Ji as a great way forward to spread the word of the guru more effectively....

However, this topic is not asking anyone about that debate...please do that in an exhsting topic or make a new one...

So basically, please if anyone does know of actual depictions of any of the Guru Jis it would be great to have your input and would help my research immensely. Or alternatively, anyone with any ideas as to why the depictions we do have came about, any references etc. Just finding it hard to find some good references at the minute!

Many many thanks!

**This topic is not designed to challenge any religious belief, its just a simple question!! If you can help thats great, if you can't, I sincerely appreciate you reading!**

[Guest shastr]

y do u ask others if u have the ability to see for yourself?

[20legend]

y do u ask others if u have the ability to see for yourself?

lol, its so hard to get an answer sometimes!

traveller, im sure others responses may be slightly more helpful :rolleyes:

[Guest shastr]

ok, here is a more detail.

guru nanak dev ji looks exactly like jap ji sahib, too bad we dont do any jap ji sahib abhiyaas

guru gobind singh ji looks exactly like jaap sahib, too bad we dont do any jaap sahib abhiyaas

nirankar looks exactly like waheguru, but too bad we dont do any waheguru simran

do u get wat im trying to say?

if we did the abhiyaas, we would get his darshan, but since we feel the need to do other things, we are here, asking these kinds of questions, hoping the internet will tell us wat our satguru looks like.

[20legend]

ok, here is a more detail.

guru nanak dev ji looks exactly like jap ji sahib, too bad we dont do any jap ji sahib abhiyaas

guru gobind singh ji looks exactly like jaap sahib, too bad we dont do any jaap sahib abhiyaas

nirankar looks exactly like waheguru, but too bad we dont do any waheguru simran

do u get wat im trying to say?

if we did the abhiyaas, we would get his darshan, but since we feel the need to do other things, we are here, asking these kinds of questions, hoping the internet will tell us wat our satguru looks like.

if all the above is true, then what the hell are you doing posting on here??

[Traveller]

ok, here is a more detail.

guru nanak dev ji looks exactly like jap ji sahib, too bad we dont do any jap ji sahib abhiyaas

guru gobind singh ji looks exactly like jaap sahib, too bad we dont do any jaap sahib abhiyaas

nirankar looks exactly like waheguru, but too bad we dont do any waheguru simran

do u get wat im trying to say?

if we did the abhiyaas, we would get his darshan, but since we feel the need to do other things, we are here, asking these kinds of questions, hoping the internet will tell us wat our satguru looks like.

Hello,

I do understand what you are saying and although I do accept what you say is correct in your view and in your position as a sikh. However, I cannot include myself in the "we" you speak of. I am assuredly not on your level of Sikhi, I neither name myself as a Sikh, and whether I am or not bears no difference to the question.

Please be understood- a true sikh won't be bothered about the appearence of the Guru Ji's and neither am I bothered, just I'm asking the question to help with a research study and would be great for any help. If you can't help, then you can't. But I do thank you for participating thus far.

This topic has stated in the first post which I hope you read, is not a debate nor questioning the values of Sikhism or Sikh teachings or anything, to a true sikh the appearence of a Guru has no bearing on the teachings! There is no debate on that. Still doesnt answer (or have anything to do with) the question.

With all respect- I shall rephrase it to you- do you have any references to any original pictorial depictions of the bodily forms of the Guru Ji's through whom the teachings of God were conveyed unto the world?

[guru guru jap]

LOL

[Kalsingh]

ok, here is a more detail.

guru nanak dev ji looks exactly like jap ji sahib, too bad we dont do any jap ji sahib abhiyaas

guru gobind singh ji looks exactly like jaap sahib, too bad we dont do any jaap sahib abhiyaas

nirankar looks exactly like waheguru, but too bad we dont do any waheguru simran

do u get wat im trying to say?

if we did the abhiyaas, we would get his darshan, but since we feel the need to do other things, we are here, asking these kinds of questions, hoping the internet will tell us wat our satguru looks like.

Hello,

I do understand what you are saying and although I do accept what you say is correct in your view and in your position as a sikh. However, I cannot include myself in the "we" you speak of. I am assuredly not on your level of Sikhi, I neither name myself as a Sikh, and whether I am or not bears no difference to the question.

Please be understood- a true sikh won't be bothered about the appearence of the Guru Ji's and neither am I bothered, just I'm asking the question to help with a research study and would be great for any help. If you can't help, then you can't. But I do thank you for participating thus far.

This topic has stated in the first post which I hope you read, is not a debate nor questioning the values of Sikhism or Sikh teachings or anything, to a true sikh the appearence of a Guru has no bearing on the teachings! There is no debate on that. Still doesnt answer (or have anything to do with) the question.

With all respect- I shall rephrase it to you- do you have any references to any original pictorial depictions of the bodily forms of the Guru Ji's through whom the teachings of God were conveyed unto the world?

Traveller,

I've seen two pictures of Guru Nanak Dev Ji which are genuine. They both are not very common, but one is in some gurdwaras, the other is very rare. The first one is where they are sitting in the lotus position under a tree and the padam (lotus symbol, or star is on their foot). And there is two bannans, one apple and grapes in front of them and a mala is in their hand. This was made by an artist who was given a glimpse to see what Guru Ji looks like by Baba Nand Singh Ji.

The second one is supposed to be very rare. Guru Nanak Dev ji is sitting on a concrete slab with their hand in the air. This one was made by an artist from that time and is first hand evidence of what they looked like.

By no surprise at all, about the ability for a great saint to show people great things (Baba Nand Singh Ji showing the artist a vision), the two pictures are a perfect match when looking at the features and beards even though in the second one, Guru Nanak Dev Ji is in a different pose and not fully facing the spectator.

Some mainstream pictures we see of Guru Nanak Dev Ji don't do justice to their good looks and heavenly form. True pictures should be propagated.

[Singhson]

Kalsingh - what Gurdwaras are they then?

[Traveller]

Great start! Thank you so much-

I did manage to find these:

http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0TAAWA!U...OA/File0019.jpg

One with star

http://www.adishakti.org/images/mhm_guru_nanak_1.jpg

Any of those the ones you had seen?