Guru Nanak The Prophet of the Poor and

Guru Nanak: The Prophet of the Poor and the Deprived Jasmit Singh Jasmit. singh@sikhcoalition. org SJSU Symposium

Main Ideas • • • Cared for the poor and the destitute Spoke strongly against oppression of any kind Against the divisions of religion and Caste Equality of all men and women Spoke for social justice and change His relevance in the world today SJSU Symposium

Jeeu Kar suraj nikaleya, taare chhipe andher paloa. (Bhai Gurdas Var 1/27) SJSU Symposium

15 th April, 1469 Baisakh sudi 3, Samwat 1526 Mata Tripta Ji and Mehta Kalu Ji Raipur (Rai-Bhoi-di-Talwandi) Nankana Sahib (now in Pakistan) 30 miles southwest of Lahore Sister - Nanki Ji (Jairam) Rai Bular SJSU Symposium

15 th century India SJSU Symposium

A Land divided by Religion …. SJSU Symposium

Where the poor were exploited by the rich …. SJSU Symposium

Rigid in Religious Practices Strict Rituals Untouchables – Poor and Low Caste Hindus SJSU Symposium

O P P R E S S I O N sloku mÚ 1 ] Shalok, First Mehl: kil kwq. I rwjy kwswe. I Drmu p. MK kir aufir. Aw ] The Age is like a drawn knife, the Kings are butchers, The law hath taken wings and flown away, k. UVu Amwvs scu c. Md. Rmw d. Is. Y nwh. I kh ci. VAw ] In the dark night of falsehood, I can nowhere see the rising of the moon of Truth. Guru Granth Sahib, Majh 145 SJSU Symposium

P O O R Sacha Sauda (Profitable “True” Bargain) What better bargain than to feed the poor and the hungry & H U N G R Y SJSU Symposium

At Sultanpur ( Nawab Daultat Khan) Storekeeper and Accountant Work, Prayer and Helping the needy Tera-Tera (Number 13 – I am thine) First words after enlightenment “There is no Hindu and No Musalman” Four Udassis (40 years) SJSU Symposium

He was a people’s Guru. His pulpit was the courtyard of a farmer’s thatched cottage. His temple was open sky. He would share the simple meals with the farmer. He did not distance himself from ordinary people by staying in the houses of the rich. (Bhai Lalo and Malik Bhago) “One receives in accordance to what one does. As one sows so one eats" The cornerstone of his teachings was equality. He said in the eyes of God Everyone is born equal. In a society deeply divided by religion and caste, where the common people faced exploitation and intolerance, his message gave them strength. “Sabh meh jot, jot hai so-e’. SJSU Symposium

R E L I G I O N sloku mÚ 1 ] Shalok, First Mehl: imhr ms. Iiq isdku muslw hku hlwlu kurwxu ] Let mercy be your mosque, faith your prayer-mat, and honest living your Koran. srm su. Mniq s. Ilu rojw hohu muslmwxu ] Make modesty your circumcision, and good conduct your fast. In this way, you shall be a true Muslim. krx. I kwbw scu p. Iru klmw krm invwj ] Let good conduct be your Kaabaa, Truth your spiritual guide, and the karma of good deeds your prayer and chant. qsb. I sw iqsu Bwvs. I nwnk r. KY lwj ]1] Let your rosary be that which is pleasing to His Will. O Nanak, God shall preserve your honor. ||1|| SJSU Symposium

C A S T E slok mÚ 1 ] Shalok, First Mehl: Pk. V jwq. I Pk. Vu nwau ] Pride in social status is empty; pride in personal glory is useless. s. Bnw j. IAw iekw Cwau ] The One Lord gives shade to all beings. Awphu jy ko Blw khwey ] You may call yourself good; nwnk qw pru jwp. Y jw piq ly. KY pwey ]1] O Nanak, this will only be known when your honor is approved in God's Account. ||1|| Sri, pg 83 jwxhu joiq n p. UChu jwq. I Awg. Y jwiq n hy ]1] rhwau ] Recognize the Lord's Light within all, and do not consider social class or status; there are no classes or castes in the world hereafter. ||1||Pause|| Asa, pg 349 SJSU Symposium

W O M E N mÚ 1 ] First Mehl: BMif j. Mm. IAY BMif in. Mm. IAY BMif m. Mgxu v. IAwhu ] From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married. BMfhu hov. Y dosq. I BMfhu cl. Y rwhu ] Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. BMfu mu. Aw BMfu Bwl. IAY BMif hov. Y b. MDwnu ] When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound. so ikau m. Mdw Aw. KIAY ijqu j. Mmih rwjwn ] So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. BMfhu h. I BMfu a. Upj. Y BMf. Y bw. Ju n koie ] From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all. nwnk BMf. Y bwhrw eyko scw soie ] O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman. Guru Granth Sahib, Asa 473 SJSU Symposium

He was a perceptive communicator who realized that the people who came to listen to him were often illiterate. He spoke in simple language that ordinary people could understand sang to them and shared in their ordinary sorrows and joys. He would use humor (needle to Dhuni Chand) and analogies from their daily lives in their spoken language to explain the Word to them. hir iqsu ibnu koe. I nwih fru BRmu Bau d. Uir kir ] Without that Lord, there is no other at all. Remove your fear, doubt and dread. hir iqs. Y no swlwih ij qu. Du r. KY bwhir Gir ] Praise that Lord who protects you, inside your home, and outside as well. "To be possessed by any fear but God's is vain; all other fears are but phantoms of the mind" SJSU Symposium

Zahiruddin Mohammad Babar Born – 14 February 1483 in Andijan, Central Asia 11 years old when he inherited Ferghana (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) Descended from Timur on father’s side and from Genghis Khan on his mother’s. April 1526. Defeated Ibrahim Lodhi at the Battle of Panipat Marched towards Delhi and declared himself Padshah of India. Guru Nanak at Saidpur (Eminabad) SJSU Symposium

Lord, You took Khurasan under Thy wing, But yeildest India to the invaders’ wrath. Yet Thou takest no blame; And sent the Mughal as the messenger of death. Where there was such suffering, killing, such shrieking in pain, Did you not, O God, feel pity ? SJSU Symposium

B A R rwgu Awsw mhlw 1 Astpd. IAw Gru 3 Raag Aasaa, First Mehl, Ashtapadees, Third House: <> siqgur p. Rswid ] One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: ijn isir sohin pt. IAw m. Wg. I pwie s. MDUru ] Those heads adorned with braided hair, with their parts painted with vermillion V A N I sy isr kwq. I mu. Mn. IAin@ gl ivic Awv. Y DUi. V ] those heads were shaved with scissors, and their throats were choked with dust. mhlw AMdir hod. IAw huix bhix n imlin@ hd. Uir ]1] They lived in palatial mansions, but now, they cannot even sit near the palaces. ||1|| Awdysu bwbw Awdysu ] Hail to You, O Father Lord, Hail to You! Awid pur. K qyrw AMqu n pwie. Aw kir dy. Kih vys ]1] rhwau ] O Primal Lord. Your limits are not known; You create, and behold the scenes. ||1||Pause|| SJSU Symposium

B A R jdhu s. IAw v. IAwh. IAw lw. Vy sohin pwis ] When they were married, their husbands looked so handsome beside them. h. Ifol. I ci. V Awe. IAw d. Md KMf k. Iqy rwis ] They came in palanquins, decorated with ivory; auprhu pwx. I vwr. IAY Jly i. Jmkin pwis ]2] V A N I water was sprinkled over their heads, and glittering fans were waved above them. ||2|| ieku l. Ku lhin@ bih. TIAw l. Ku lhin@ KVIAw ] They were given hundreds of thousands of coins when they sat, and hundreds of thousands of coins when they stood. SJSU Symposium

B A R V A N I gr. I Cuhwry KWd. IAw mwxin@ syj. VIAw ] They ate coconuts and dates, and rested comfortably upon their beds. iqn@ gil islkw pwe. IAw qutin@ moqsr. IAw ]3] But ropes were put around their necks, and their strings of pearls were broken. ||3|| Dnu jobnu duie v. Yr. I hoey ijn@I r. Ky r. Mgu lwie ] Their wealth and youthful beauty, which gave them so much pleasure, have now become their enemies. d. Uqw no Purmwie. Aw l. Y cly piq gvwie ] The order was given to the soldiers, who dishonored them, and carried them away. SJSU Symposium

S U M M A R Y Salvation could not be attained by practicing rituals, idol worship or by going on a pilgrimage. It can achieved by reciting the God’s name and by leading a simple, just and truthful life of a householder and carry out all social responsibilities. In the eyes of God, all human beings are equal. All religions how the path to discover the Truth. The right way to live life was put in very simple words: Kirt Karni (Do Good Work ) Vand Chako (Share what you earn with the poor) Naam Japo (Recite the name of the God) SJSU Symposium