Dhan Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj deh janam din dia subh sangatha nu lakh lakh vadaiya. Dhan Guru Nanak tuhee Nirankar hai!
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on the 15th April 1469 in Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib.
As a child Guru Nanak Dev Ji was extraordinary in many different ways, he had a contemplative mind and rational thinking. He amazed his teachers with his sublime knowledge and by the age of 13 he had mastered Hindi, Sanskrit and Persian. Throughout his life even as an infant, Guru Nanak Dev Ji educated those around him, however people regarded him with suspicion as he was unconventional.
At the age of 38, in August 1507, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was bathing in a small river “Vain Nadi” near Sultanpur Lodhi when he heard God’s call to dedicate himself to the service of humanity. Guru Nanak Dev Ji preached God’s unique and divine doctrine through four long journeys visiting different religious places called “Char Udasis”.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to Kurukshetra, Haridwar, Joshi Math, Ratha Sahib, Gorakh Matta, Audhya, Prayag, Varanasi, Gaya, Patna, Dhubri and Gauhati in Assam, Dacca, Puri, Cuttock, Rameshwaram, Ceylon, Bidar, Baroach, Somnath, Dwarka, Janagarh, Ujjain, Ajmer, Mathura, Pakpattan, Talwandi, Lahore, Sultanpur, Bilaspur, Rawalsar, Jawalaji, Spiti Vally, Tibet, Ladakh, Kargil, Amarnath, Srinagar, Baramula, Syra, Turkey, Tehran, Kabul, Kandhur, Jalalabad, Mecca, Medina, Baghdad, Multan, Peshawar Sakhar, Son Miani, Hinglaj etc. The mission was to educate people to realise the truth about God and to introduce Sikhism.
Not until 1522 did Guru Nanak Dev Ji settle down at Kartarpur which was where he spent the rest of his life. Guru Nanak Dev Ji had laid down the foundations of Sikhism, beginning with the Mool Mantar:
Ek-Onkar, Satnam, Karta Purakh, Nirbhau, Nirvair, Akal Moorath, Ajuni, Saibung, Gur Parsad, Jap, Aadh Sach, Jugaad Sach, Hay Bi Sach, Nanak, Hose Bhi Sach.
As a social reformer Guru Nanak Dev Ji upheld many causes, helping the poor, the outcasts, the down trodden and championed equality for women. He composed 947 hymns including JapiJi Sahib, Asa Di Waar, Bara Maha and Sidh Ghost.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji established the institution of Langar. Accompanied by Bhai Mardana, various ragas were composed. Not only a reformer but also a revolutionary, Guru Nanak Dev Ji helped countless souls to see the error of their ways.
Nearing the end of his days, Guru Nanak Dev Ji devised a number of tests for his sons and other loyal followers. Out of all of them, Bhai Lehna Ji was installed as the next Guru, renaming Bhai Lehna Ji as Guru Angad Dev Ji. Guru Nanak Dev Ji ascended to heaven on 22nd September 1539.
