The tenth of
November 2011 marks the birthday anniversary of the Shri Guru Nanak
Devji (1469 – 1539 CE) and is known as his GURPURAB. This day is one of the
most auspicious days to those who follow his teachings. On this day the
words (baani) and the life of the first Guru of Sikhs is contemplated
upon. Here’s a look at the essential teachings of Guru Nanak Devji found
in the famous Mool Mantar ~‘Ik-Onkar’ from his composition the “Japji
Sahib”.
Guru Nanak Devji was born to Mehta Kalyan Das Bedi and Tripta Devi in
1469, in the village of Talwandi also known as Nankana Sahib. This
village is near Lahore in present day Pakistan.
The life of a Guru or a Prophet is a blessing to the disciple and
becomes a message in itself. As the word (baani) of a Prophet becomes a
scripture for the followers, so did the words of Guru Nanak Devji, the
Adi Guru of the Sikh panth, got immortalized in the Shri Guru Granth
Sahib – the scripture of the Guru’s followers.
Writing about Guru Nanak Devji, Swami Vivekananda wrote: “Guru Nanak
was born in the sacred land of India. He gave a message of love and
peace of the whole world and preached the same through his teachings. He
was full of affection for everyone and his arms were always
outstretched as if to embrace the whole world...”
On an auspicious day like Guru Nanak Devji’s birth anniversary, the
Guru’s teachings need sincere listening to and contemplation upon in
order to commemorate the blessing of his birth - because a Guru is
ultimately known for his teachings, not as a personality. A spiritual opportunity would be
missed if the Guru’s words are not fully understood and just
ritualistically chanted.
The origins of the Sikh tradition lie in the spiritual and social
teachings of Guru Nanak Devji who taught that the union with God is
through Guru’s grace and direct personal experience and he emphasized
meditation on the God’s name (Naam), to live with an inner awakening of
God and an outer service by righteous means.
The Shri Guru Granth Sahib the scripture of the Guru’s followers has
5894 hymns of which 976 hymns (17%) are composed by Guru Nanak Devji. Of
the many teachings through his hymns, the “Japji” revered as the ‘Japji
Sahib’ appears at the very beginning of the Shri Guru Granth Sahib.
The “Japji Sahib” is recited every morning by the Sikh-faithful and is
considered as a concise summary of his teachings. The compilation of
Japji Sahib consists of the famous Mool mantra - The symbol of
‘Ik-Onkar’ is also an emblem for Sikhs and is found on Gurdwaras. The
Mool mantra ‘Ik-Onkar’ is the first series of truth-affirmations and is
considered the essence and basis of Sikh panth.
All religious scriptures in the East have “Mool mantras” which hold the
essence of the entire scripture. Explaining the concept of ‘Mool
mantra’, the Vedanta teacher Swami Swaroopananda says: “In the term mool
mantra, mool means ‘root’. Every tree has roots without which it cannot
exist. The tree is sustained and nourished through these roots. They
constitute the very foundation of the tree from which it grows and
expands. In the same way, mool mantra means ‘that mantra in which lies
the very essence of the Scripture’, the entire Scripture being an
elaboration, expansion or explanation of that mantra”.
Explaining about the mool mantra for Sikhs, in his book ‘Ik Onkar’ he
remarks “Ik-Onkar Sat-Naam Kartaa-Purakh Nirbhau Nirvair Akaal-Moorat
Ajuni Saibangh Gurparsaad” is considered to be the mool mantra of the
“Granth Sahib”. Revealing and expounding on the Truth enshrined in this
mantra is the entire “Japji Sahib”, and the elaboration of the “Japji
Sahib” is the entire “Granth Sahib”.
The translation of the Mool Mantra ~ Ik-Onkar with the command ‘Jaap’ which means ‘chant and meditate’ is:
Ik Onkar: All is One
Sat Naam: This is our True Identity
Kartaa Purakh: Doer of everything
Nirbhau: Beyond fear
Nirvair: Beyond anger
Akaal Moorat: Beyond death
Ajuni: Unborn
Saibangh: Full of Light
Gurparsaad: This experience comes by Guru's grace.
Jaap: Chant
Aad Saach: Primal Truth
Jugaad Saach: True for all time
Haybee Sach: True at this instant
Nanak: O, Nanak
Hosee bee Saach: True forever
Many commentaries are written expounding the meaning of eacj word of
Guru Nanak Devji’s Mool mantra. Later in the Shri Guru Granth Sahib ,
the importance of this mool mantra is re-emphasized as “a-ukhadh mantar
mool man aykai man bisvaas parabh dhaari-aa“ meaning “The Mool Mantra,
the Root Mantra, is the only cure for the mind; I have installed faith
in God in my mind.” - SGGS -675(1).
May Guru Nanak Devji’s teachings be contemplated upon till we get the true import and a direct experience of his teachings.
Happy GURPURAB…!!