Guru Nanak Jayanti: The Eternal Light of Oneness and Compassion
Heramba Nath
Guru Nanak Jayanti is not merely a festival but a sacred reminder of the universal truth that transcends time, creed, and culture. It commemorates the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and one of the greatest spiritual teachers humanity has ever known. Yet, beyond the historical celebration lies a deeper essence — a call to rediscover our humanity, to awaken our conscience, and to embrace the oneness that pervades all creation. As the full moon of Kartik Purnima shines upon the earth, millions of devotees bow their heads in gratitude and reflection, honouring the light that dispelled centuries of ignorance and division. Guru Nanak was not only a religious reformer; he was a philosopher, a poet, and a visionary who gave voice to the eternal cry for equality, compassion, and truth.
Born in 1469 at Talwandi, now known as Nankana Sahib in present-day Pakistan, Guru Nanak entered a world fractured by caste hierarchies, ritualism, and dogma. India in the fifteenth century was witnessing political turbulence and religious rigidity. Amid this environment of oppression and superstition, a divine soul emerged who refused to conform to divisions. Even as a child, Nanak’s compassion for the poor and his sense of justice stood out. His father, Mehta Kalu, a local revenue official, wanted him to pursue business or farming, but the young boy’s heart was drawn to spirituality and reflection. When asked to invest money in trade, he distributed it among the hungry and called it Sacha Sauda — the true bargain — for what trade could be nobler than serving humanity? From his earliest years, his life itself became a message: true religion begins with love and service, not rituals.
The turning point came when Guru Nanak was around thirty years old. After years of meditation and contemplation by the river Bein, he disappeared beneath its waters and was presumed drowned. Three days later, he reappeared, radiant and transformed, uttering words that would shake the world: “Na koi Hindu, na Musalman.” There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim — only the One, the Eternal. His declaration was not a denial of faith but an affirmation that beneath all labels, there exists one divine reality. The revelation he received became immortal in the Mool Mantra, the root verse of the Guru Granth Sahib: “Ik Onkar, Satnam, Karta Purakh, Nirbhau, Nirvair, Akaal Moorat, Ajooni, Saibhang, Gur Prasad.” This mantra summarises the entire philosophy of Sikhism — that there is only one God, whose name is Truth, who is the Creator, without fear, without enmity, beyond birth and death, and self-existent, realised through the Guru’s grace.
After enlightenment, Guru Nanak did not retreat into seclusion; instead, he walked across the world to spread his message of truth. His journeys, known as Udasis, covered vast regions — from India to Tibet, Mecca to Ceylon, Persia to Assam. Accompanied by his faithful companion Bhai Mardana, who played the rabab, he sang divine hymns that transcended language and faith. Wherever he went, he engaged with kings and peasants alike, questioning superstition and hypocrisy. When he visited temples and mosques, he reminded priests and imams alike that God could not be confined within walls. His message was simple yet profound: the essence of all religion lies in truthful living, humility, and compassion.
Guru Nanak’s teaching rested on three core principles — Naam Japna (remembering God through meditation and consciousness), Kirat Karni (earning an honest living through righteous means), and Vand Chakna (sharing one’s earnings with others, especially the needy). These principles were revolutionary in their simplicity and moral depth. They offered a framework for living a spiritual life without renouncing the world. Guru Nanak taught that devotion was not measured by the number of prayers or rituals but by the purity of one’s heart and the honesty of one’s deeds. He declared that one’s occupation, however humble, became sacred when done with sincerity and selflessness.
Equality lay at the heart of Guru Nanak’s vision. In a time when the caste system segregated society, he proclaimed that all humans were equal before God. He rejected the notion that purity or holiness could be inherited or purchased. His message gave dignity to the downtrodden and hope to the voiceless. Women, who were treated as inferior and excluded from spiritual discourse, found in Guru Nanak their greatest advocate. He asked, “So kyon manda aakhiye jit jamme rajaan?” — Why call her inferior from whom even kings are born? In a few words, he challenged centuries of patriarchy. The Langar, or community kitchen, that he established became a living symbol of this equality. In every gurdwara, rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim, man and woman sit together on the floor and share a meal. It is an act that dissolves social barriers and reminds humanity that in the eyes of the divine, all are one.
His life was filled with moments of divine wisdom. Once, while visiting Mecca, a caretaker scolded him for resting with his feet toward the holy Kaaba. Guru Nanak calmly replied, “Turn my feet in the direction where God does not dwell.” His humility and insight transformed even sceptics into believers. In another instance, he visited a wealthy man building a high mansion. Guru Nanak observed, “The higher the walls, the deeper the foundation of pride.” His teachings were not abstract doctrines but reflections of deep moral truth conveyed through simplicity and wit.
Guru Nanak’s hymns, later compiled into the Guru Granth Sahib, remain masterpieces of spiritual poetry. They speak not of ritual but of inner transformation. His Japji Sahib is not a prayer of petition but of awakening — a call to rise above ego and realise the divine within. He said that true pilgrimage lies not in bathing in sacred rivers but in cleansing one’s mind of greed and falsehood. To him, service to humanity was service to God. “If you cannot see God in all, you cannot see God at all.” These words embody the very spirit of universalism that defines his legacy.
Before leaving his mortal form in 1539, Guru Nanak appointed Bhai Lehna as his successor, who became Guru Angad Dev Ji — the second Guru of the Sikhs. This act signified the continuity of the spiritual path, independent of family lineage. His death was as unifying as his life. Legend tells that Hindus and Muslims both claimed his body. When they lifted the cloth covering him, they found only flowers, which they divided and performed their respective last rites. Even in death, he united communities that the world had torn apart.
Guru Nanak Jayanti, celebrated on Kartik Purnima, reflects the light of his timeless wisdom. The celebrations begin days in advance with the Akhand Path, the continuous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib. Nagar Kirtans — processions led by the Panj Pyare — fill the streets with music, colour, and devotion. Devotees sing hymns, display martial arts, and distribute food to all. On the morning of the festival, gurdwaras glow with lamps and flowers, and the air fills with the divine resonance of kirtans. In the Langar halls, people from all walks of life sit shoulder to shoulder and share a meal, embodying the Guru’s dream of equality and compassion.
In today’s world of division, materialism, and spiritual emptiness, Guru Nanak’s teachings hold profound relevance. His vision of oneness offers a moral compass for humanity adrift in greed and intolerance. He taught that religion without humanity is hollow, and progress without compassion is destructive. When societies build walls of hatred in the name of faith, his message tears them down. When individuals chase wealth and power, his example calls them back to simplicity and truth. His life reminds us that peace is not achieved by conquest but by understanding.
Guru Nanak’s philosophy speaks powerfully to modern global challenges. His concept of Kirat Karni upholds the dignity of labour and condemns exploitation. In a world where economic inequality deepens daily, his emphasis on honest earning and fair sharing provides a timeless solution. Vand Chakna embodies the principle of social welfare — that one must share one’s resources with others. If nations and corporations adopted even a fraction of this spirit, poverty would decline, and humanity would thrive in solidarity.
Guru Nanak was also far ahead of his time in advocating gender equality. Centuries before the word feminism existed, he declared that men and women were equal in the sight of God. He denounced practices that degraded women and called for their respect and education. His words inspired generations of reformers and continue to guide movements for gender justice today.
His environmental wisdom is equally remarkable. He perceived nature not as a resource to be exploited but as a sacred manifestation of the Creator. In his famous verse, “Pavan Guru, Pani Pita, Mata Dharat Mahat,” he describes air as the Guru, water as the father, and earth as the great mother. In these lines, he expressed the essence of ecological harmony — a vision the modern world desperately needs as it faces climate crisis and environmental destruction. He saw humanity’s duty as one of stewardship, not dominance, over the earth.
Guru Nanak’s life was a lesson in humility. He lived simply, wore plain clothes, and rejected luxury. He built no temples or palaces, for he saw God in every human heart. His spirituality was not an escape from the world but a way of sanctifying everyday life. In his humility lay his greatness. He taught that pride and greed cloud the soul, but service purifies it. His life stands as a rebuke to the arrogance and materialism of the modern age.
The universality of Guru Nanak’s message has made Sikhism a global force for compassion. Across continents, Sikh communities uphold his teachings through service — feeding the hungry, aiding disaster victims, and promoting education. The institution of Langar has become a symbol of humanity’s shared responsibility. During global crises, Sikh volunteers have been among the first to offer food and shelter, embodying Guru Nanak’s spirit of selfless love. His message thus lives not only in scriptures but in kitchens, fields, and hearts.
Guru Nanak Jayanti, therefore, is not merely a date to be remembered; it is a state of awakening to be lived. Lighting lamps and singing hymns are beautiful acts, but the truest homage lies in practising his ideals. To speak truth when it is inconvenient, to share when one has little, to forgive even those who wronged us — these are the true ways to celebrate him. His message does not belong to Sikhs alone; it belongs to the entire human race. He showed that spirituality begins not in isolation but in connection — in seeing the divine in every living being.
The timeless poetry of the Japji Sahib still carries the fragrance of his divine realisation. Its opening lines remind us that no amount of intellect or ritual can unveil the truth. “Sochai soch na hova-ee je sochi lakh vaar” — one cannot realise truth through thought, even by thinking hundreds of thousands of times. Realisation comes through grace, humility, and inner purity. His hymns bridge the spiritual traditions of the world — the compassion of Christ, the enlightenment of the Buddha, the surrender of the Sufis, the wisdom of the Upanishads. In him, all streams of human faith converge into one ocean of divine love.
As centuries pass, Guru Nanak’s light shines ever brighter. When the world drowns in greed, his simplicity guides it back to balance. When religion becomes a tool of division, his oneness restores unity. When the heart fills with fear, his courage restores faith. His legacy is not a relic of the past but a living force that breathes in every act of kindness and honesty.
On the serene night of Guru Nanak Jayanti, as lamps flicker before his image, one feels his presence — not as a distant figure in history, but as a living teacher whispering to every soul. He asks no grand offerings, only truth in thought, word, and deed. He asks not for rituals, but for righteousness. The truest prayer to him is to live a life of integrity and love, to see God in all and all in God.
Guru Nanak’s message has the power to heal the wounds of the world because it begins with healing the self. He called humanity to introspection — to ask not who is right, but what is right. His teachings guide every generation to move beyond narrow identity towards universal consciousness. In his words, “Realisation of truth is higher than all else; higher still is truthful living.” This single line summarises his eternal wisdom — that spirituality without action is empty, and truth without compassion is incomplete.
As the full moon rises on Guru Nanak Jayanti, bathing the world in gentle light, one can feel his message ripple through the silence — a reminder that love is the only law, service the only worship, and truth the only path. When every human heart realises this, the world will not just celebrate Guru Nanak Jayanti; it will live it. For his birth was not only an event in time — it was the birth of eternal light within humanity. And as long as that light burns, the darkness of ignorance shall never prevail.