III. The Greatness of Guru Nanak reveals
itself to be for all ages
ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਭਈ ਸਗਲੇ ਜੁਗ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥4॥
{611}
The question arises as to how to make sure that the spiritual leader in question is not only far above such claimants irrespective of their country of origin and the language they speak, but is invested with all divine powers of the Almighty (being His complete incarnation).
2. The answer is very simple. If we take the example of Guru Nanak Sahib, we would realise that he had the universal message of God to Hindus, Muslims, Budhas, Jainis, Sidhas and others in Punjabi, Hindi, Sanskrit and Persian languages by going to their main religious centres like Hardwar, Mecca, Medina, Jagannath Puri, and a score of other distant places. He went to the mountaintops and also visited the forest depths to contact different religious groups. He preached among them the universal message of God and brought them on the right line so convincingly that he had earned full adoration of various religious groups in existence then. Guru Nanak had won the hearts of people from all walks of life, who came in contact with him. Hindus considered him as their prophet and Muslim also did alike. So much so that it was not possible to identify him with any particular sect, group or the then existing religions. Every body considered that Guru Nanak belonged to him. Guru Nanak had convinced the masses as being the true revealer of God’s will for nearly 70 years, no small a period. During this long period he had exposed all fake religious leaders who were misguiding the innocent seekers.
3. It is said that when Guru Nanak’s Soul (Atma) parted from his mortal body to mingle with the Supreme Soul (Param Atma) Hindus claimed that Guru Nanak belonged to them because he had brought God’s Message for them and, therefore, they would cremate his body according to Hindu rites. The Muslims (another main religious group at that time) claimed that Guru Nanak had brought message of God for them, so they had a genuine claim on his body for disposal according to Muslim faith.
4. This resulted in hot argumentation between Hindu and Muslim representatives. Then they had failed to mutually reach an amicable decision regarding taking possession of Guru’s body, and comprenhended a bloody clash amongst them, a wiser council prevailed and they decided to ask Guru’s body itself for clarifying the situation, which shows the depth of faith, both parties had in the personality of Guru Nanak. With this query in mind they turned to the body of the Guru, prayed for a clarification and then lifted the covering cloth from the body. Lo! The body was gone. Both parties started looking at each other in amazement and also for their folly in trying to attach Guru Nanak with their respective groups. He was a prophet of the mankind. Finding the body gone, as if it had never been there, the covering cloth was divided into two halves, each party taking one half, for cremation and burial respectively.
5. All people and religious heads were so convinced of Guru Nanak’s omnipresence and omnicompetence that there was no doubt in any one’s mind regarding his his being an almighty Guru, the greatest Guru for all time. This goes to prove beyond a doubt that the two main religious groups in India at that time had placed Guru Nanak not only far above their own known religious prophets but also had considered him the only true, complete and right incarnate of God for the benefit of humanity on earth.
6. This conviction regarding the greatness of Guru Nanak is further fortified by the fact that unlike all other prophets on earth, it was Guru Nanak alone who according to ordained plan of God incarnated himself into his chosen disciples ten times in a series up to the the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, in human form and finally enshrining himself in the Holy Hymns of GURU GRANTH SAHIB. This is a quality of God and his Almighty Incarnates – vested in no other human being. This leaves nothing to choose between Guru Nanak and God.
ਗੰਗ ਬਨਾਰਸ ਹਿੰਦੂਆਂ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣਾਂ ਮਕਾ ਕਾਬਾ॥
Guru Nanak is sacred for Hindus like Ganga and Varanasi, and for Muslims like Mecca.
{Bhai Gurdas Ji}
In this verse, Bhai Gurdas Ji gives a true account of the conviction which both Hindus and Muslims of the tie had for Guru Nanak.
To be continued...
