From: raj@utkvx1.utk.edu (S. KANAKA RAJ)
Subject: Guru Nanak
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Tennessee Computing Center
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 01:38:00 GMT


				GURU NANAK
				----------
				 (Part 1)

There lived in the village of Talwandi near Bhetti, a Kshatriya Kalu vedi
by name. That place is situated on the bank of the river Ran near Lahore.
The term 'vedi' was the family title signifying that they were descended
from the solar race of Sri Ramachandra. Kalu vedi married an accomplished
and beautiful girl named Tripati and after many years of marriage they were
blessed with a daughter. Some years after her birth a son was born to Kalu
on the midnight of the full moon of the month of Kartic in the year 1469 A.D.
The family priest who was invited for the Namakaran ceremony was very pleased
with the beautiful form as well as the auspicious signs on the body of the
child. When he came to know the time of birth of the child he calculated the
conjunction of the planets and found them to be very auspicious. He
prophesised that the boy would one day become the glory and ornament of the
race; and the child was given the name Nanak Nirankari.

From boyhood Nanak exhibited a remarkable trait - that of devotion to monks
and Fakirs. Whenever he would meet any Sadhu he would go to him, find out
his wants and render service to him. At the age of five he was sent to
school. Even at that tender age he showed remarkable intellectual acumen.
He was proficient in Sanskrit, Persian and Arithmetic. There is a story
current that in his school day he told his teachers that they should not
teach him trash but that they should teach him the glory of Ram and Gopal
for that alone is enduring. These words of wisdom from a tender boy of five
caused great surprise among his teachers.

On one occasion it is said that he saw some Brahmins offering oblations of
water to the manes of their ancestors. The boy too in imitation poured some
water on some dry land. When he was asked the meaning and purpose of it he
explained that he was pouring water in order that it might fertilize his
fields in his far off native village. When he was told how impossible it was
he asked them that if water poured on earth could not reach another distant
place on earth what was the guarantee that it would reach heaven. When the
efficacy of the Mantras was explained to him he realized his mistake and he
began in earnest the study of the sacred books so that he might know the
underlying philosophy of rituals. Meanwhile Nanak was initiated and was
invested with the sacred thread. Although he was averse to it in the
beginning yet he agreed to conform with the tradition. His inquisitiveness
prompted him to ask the officiating priest whether the recitation of sacred
formulas would by themselves be sufficient to assure salvation if one
should be addicted to evil ways. He also wished to know if the thread of
contentment with truth as knot would by itself be sufficient to get rid of
great sins. It is needless to add that these words of wisdom from an
youngster were not to the liking of the elders.

When his father noticed that his young son was not interested in the
discharge of his worldly duties and was more inclined towards a monastic
attitude to life he thought that he would divert his son's mind by putting
him incharge of some money so that he might become a businessman in the
course of time. On his way Nanak saw some starving monks. He argued within
himself that though transactions might add to worldly profit, helping the
Sadhus would be the means of attaining lasting benefit in heaven. He
therefore spent the money upon the Sadhus and returned home empty handed.
The chagrin of his father did not in any way alter his resolve, rather it
helped to strengthen him in his resolve.

His father however did not give up his plans for his son. He put him to
tend cattle. When the boy fell asleep and allowed the cattle to wander at
will into the neighbouring field Nanak invited fresh trouble upon himself.
The angry owner of the neighbouring field approached Nanak threatening dire
punishment. To his astonishment he saw Nanak deeply asleep and a very
venomous cobra was protecting him as it were with its upraided hood.

Kalu, the father of Nanak was the Thasildar of the village. The neighbours
advised him and said that the best way to bring round his son was to see
him married. Kalu accepted the advice and selected a girl from the
neighbouring Kshatriya house of Moularyouna as the most suitable. Although
Nanak married her in order to please his parents his mind and heart were
not set on worldly success. Nanak had a favourite sister. Her husband
Jayram was a high dignitary working under Daulat khan Lodi. She persuaded
Nanak to accept some job in government office and Nanak worked for some
time at Lahore. By this time he was blessed with two sons called Srichand
and Laksmidas. For some time Nanak worked very efficiently, earned money
by honest ways and spent it on the Sadhus. Whispering tongues spread evil
tales against him and one day he found himself relieved of his office.
Although he was honourably acquitted and by way of compensation was offered
a higher post he would have none of it. He told his friends not to trouble
him with their importunities for if he served God with the zeal with
which he served the king he would not be discredited. The attraction for
worldly things grows with what it feeds upon. The best course, he said,
would be to root out all worldly desires. With ineffable modesty he said
that his mind was not broad enough to deal with both God and the world at
the same time.

			(To be continued ...)


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