TheLifeofGuruNanak

BirthoftheGreatGuru• InthesmalltownofTalwandilivedamancalledMhetaKaluandhiswifeTripta.

• Hewaswellknownandrespectedinthetown.• Lateonenighthewasfeelingworried,nervouslywalkingupanddownthegardenashiswifewasjustabouttohaveababy.Soonhewascalledbythenursewhotoldhimhehadanewbabyboy.

Aspecialbaby

• “ButIdidn’thearababycry,”repliedKalu.

• “Iknow.Isawastrangelightwhenhewasborn,andinsteadofcryinghesmiledatme.Ithinkheisgoingtobesomeonespecial!” explainedthenurse.

• ThismadeKaluveryhappy,hegavethenurseagiftofmoney.

• “Thankyou,andthankGod.”

Congratulations

• KalarushedtotheroomandwasverypleasedtoseehisdaughterNanakiholdinghernewbrotherproudly.SooneveryoneinthetownofTalwandiknewandcametocongratulateKalu.Everyonewasgivensweets.

TheUniqueOne

• Afewdayslateranastrologercametovisit,andwasaskedtoprepareahoroscopeforthebaby.

• HardyalDasssaid“Sir,yoursonwillbeagreatleaderandmanypeoplewillloveandrespecthim.”

• ThesonwasthennamedNanak,meaning‘theuniqueone.”

BirthPlaceName

• LaterthenameofthesmalltownwascalledNankanaSahibmeaning‘aplacewhereNanakcame.’

• ThisplaceisnowinPakistan– afewkilometresfromthecityofLahore.

BirthplaceofGuruNanak

GrowingUp

• Nanakgrewuptobeafineyoungmanbutwasmoreinterestedinthinkingandspendingtimewiththemonksratherthandoinganywork.

• OnedayKalu hadanidea.Hegavehim20rupees,toldhimtotakeittothecity,buysomething,sellitandmakeaprofit.Earnhisliving!

Hunger• Reluctantlyhewent.HewentonhisjourneywithhisfriendBala.

• Inthecityhesawsomemonkssittingundertrees.Theylookedpaleandfrail.TheytoldNanaktheyhadnoteatenfor3days.

• “Waitthere!” saidNanakandwentintothecity.Heboughtfoodforthemonksandtookitbacktothem.“Blessyou,”theysaid.

AnAngryFather

• ButnowitwasNanak’sturntobesad.Hehadtoreturnhometofacehisangryfather.

• Ashisfatherwastellinghimoff,Nanaksaid“whatcouldbeabetterbargainthanfeedingthehungry?”

• ThismadeKaluevenangrierandwasabouttostrikeNanakbuthissistersavedhimfrompunishment.Sheaskedifhecouldlivewithherandherhusbandinstead.Kaluagreed.

• NanakstartedhisfirstjobasastorekeeperatSultanpur.

• Hewouldoftenexplainhisideastopeoplegatheredinthevillage.PeoplelikedthewayheexplainedhowtoloveandfollowGod.

• Somebegantocallhima‘GURU’ whichmeansateacher.Otherscalledhim‘SATGURU’whichmeanstrueteacher.

God’sMessage

• Onemorning,whenNanakwas30yearsold,hewenttobatheintheriver.Hedisappearedandpeoplethoughthehaddrowned.

• Threedayslater,thereappearedandremainedsilentforawholeday.

• Thenhesaid:“ThereisneitheraHindunorasaMuslim,onlyGod’spathandIshallfollowGod’spath.”

• HemeantthatallhumanbeingsareEQUALinGod’seyesaswasnotinterestedinlabels.

Startinghisjourneys

• NanakdecidedtojourneyaroundallthepartsofIndiatosharehisteachingandideas.

• HetravelledwithhisclosefriendsBalaandMardana.

• WesharelearnaboutGuruNanak’sbeliefsandteachingsthroughthisunitofwork.

ImportantStoriestoshare

• Hehadmanyimportantadventures– wewilllearnaboutthestoriesof:

• BhaiLalo• DuniChandandtheNeedleofHeaven• TheHolyMenandtheJasmineFlower

Hislastjourney• GuruNanakspent20yearsmaking4longjourneyspreadinghismessages.Peoplejoinedhiminhisbeliefs.

• HefinallysettledonthebanksoftheRiverRavi.

• Peoplewouldgatherthereandpraytogether.

• Intheeveningeveryonewouldcooktogetherinthesamekitchen,andatetogether– notmatterhowrichorpoortheywere.

ThenextGuru• Oneday,neartheendofhislife,Gurucalledoneofhisdisciplestohim.HewascalledLahna.

• Everyonewasamazedwhenheplaced5coinsandacoconutinfrontofhim.

• Thesewereasymbolofrespect.GuruNanaksaid“FromtodayyouaretheGuruoftheSikhandInameyouAngad,meaning‘partofmybody’.Allotherfollowersweretoldtofollowhimnow.

• Dayslater,GuruNanakdied.

Afinalargument• AfterthedeathofNanakbothHindusandMuslimsarguedastowhoshoulddothefuneralservice.Hinduswantedhimcremated,Muslimswantedhimburied.

• ThebodyofGuruNanakwaslyingunderasheet.

• Awisemanappearedandtoldthemtolookbelowthesheet.Therewasnobody,justafewflowers.

Afinalsolution

• TheyrealisedthatNanakhimselfwhohadtotellthemnottoquarrel.

• Theflowersandthesheetweredividedintotwohalves.

• TheHinduscrematedtheirhalf,theMuslimsburiedtheirs.