Last Updated on 27 November 2023 IST | Guru Nanak Sahib is known as “The founder of Sikh religion”, The very first Guru of Sikh religion. Guru Nanak Jayanti commemorates the birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He has revealed great secrets in his Holy Guru Granth Saheb Ji about the way to attain happiness in one’s life through attainment of God. Let us know about the method of worship and the identity of Waheguru revealed by Shri Nanak Dev Ji.

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2023 Date

Guru Nanak’s birth is celebrated worldwide as Gurpurab on Kattak Pooranmashi (full moon of the Kattak) i.e. October/November according to the Gregorian calendar. This year it falls on November 27th, 2023 and is going to be the 554rd Jayanti of Nanak Dev Ji. 

How is Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrated?

As a preparatory activity for the celebration prabhat ferris are organised which are carried out early in the morning before sunrise a few days prior to Guru Nanak Jayanti by singing. Akhand paath is organised three days before the main festival. People begin celebrations by visiting Gurudwara early in the morning, they listen to paths and Langar (a communal meal) is organized. 

Life History of Guru Nanak Dev

Guru Nanak Sahib took birth in a Hindu family in 1469 at village Rai Bhoi ki Talwandi, Punjab (presently in Pakistan) in the Lahore province of the Delhi sultanate. His parents were Kaluram Mehta ji Khatri (Kalyan Chand Das Bedi) and Tripta devi. His sister’s name was Nanki and her husband’s name was Jairam who was employed at a modikhana (a storehouse for revenue collection) in the service of the Delhi Sultanate’s Lahore governor Daulat Khan.

He was married to Sulakhani devi, daughter of Mul Chand (aka Mula) and Chando Rani and their children’s names are Shri Chand ji, Lakhmi Chand ji. During his last days Shri Guru Nanak Dev settled at Kartarpur where he did farming and breathed his last. Presently, it is in Pakistan where some year ago a corridor was opened for devotees. Nanak Sahib died on 22 September 1539 at Kartarpur and his remembrance memorial is made there.

Udasiyan – Journeys by Shri Guru Nanak Dev

Shri Nanak Sahib’s first Udaasi was for Kashi. Shri Nanak Sahib not only travelled in India but also to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, Afghanistan, China, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India etc. for social welfare, spiritual awakening and salvation. Disciples who mostly stayed with Shri Guru Nanak Dev were Bhai Bala ji, Bhai Mardana ji, Shri Lehna ji, Shri Ramdas ji.

Shri Guru Nanak Dev is known around the world with many names such as:

• Nanakacharya – Sri Lanka.
• Nanak Lama – Tibet.
• Guru Rimpocheo – Sikkim & Bhutan.
• Nanak Rishi – Nepal.
• Nanak peer – Baghdad (Iraq).
• Vali hind – Makka (Saudi Arabia).
• Nanak Vali – Misar (Egypt).
• Nanak kadamdar – Russia.
• Peer Balagdaan – Mazahar Sharif.
• Baba foosa/Baba Phusa – China.

Guru Nanak Sahib in his lifetime traveled far & wide across Asia teaching people the message of Ik Noor (one GOD) Waheguru, who dwells in everyone of his creations and constitutes the eternal truth.

■ Also Read: GURU NANAK JAYANTI 2019 | Guru Nanak Ji’s Parkash Utsav 

Guru Nanak Sahib’s words are registered in the form of 974 poetic verses (shabad) with some of the major prayers being the Japji Sahib (Jap, to recite, ji & Sahib are suffixes signifying respect); Asa di var (ballad of Hope) and the sidh Gosti (discussion with the Siddhas).

Unknown Facts About Shri Guru Nanak Dev

Let us know who Shri Guru Nanak Sahib was in his previous births.

• In the first Satyug the spirit of Shri Nanak Sahib was a king named Ambrish, who was a very spiritual person and a worshiper of lord Vishnu.
• In the Tretayug the same spirit took birth as King Janak; father of Sita. King Janak too was very powerful & a worshipper of lord Vishnu. At that time sage Sukhdev took initiation from him on lord Vishnu’s advice.
• In his previous births Shri Guru Nanak Sahib took birth as king and had thousands of servants working for him. Since he did not have the true way of worship, he spent all his spiritual power in heaven & in the Kalyug that very spirit took birth as Shri Nanak dev who became a servant of Nawab.

Meeting of Guru Nanak Sahib With Almighty Supreme Kabir

Once during his early days Shri Nanak Sahib was taking a bath at the banks of river Bai then Supreme GOD came in the form of a Jinda Sage to meet Nanak dev. Because Shri Nanak Dev Ji was a divine soul that’s why Supreme God Himself came to impart the wealth of True Spiritual Knowledge to him. At first Shri Nanak ji retaliated against the knowledge given by the Jinda Saint. But upon seeing the proofs from Holy Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta ji and examining all by himself, he was forced to believe. But the first meeting was over by then. After that Shri Nanak Sahib became restless in his mind and he started to yearn for another meeting with the Jinda Sage so he could ask more questions.

■ Also Read: Supreme God in Holy Book Guru Granth Sahib (Sikhism)

After six months, one morning Shri Nanak Sahib was bathing on the banks of river Bai. He saw Jinda Sage coming towards him. Nanak Sahib said to Jinda Sage that, “the knowledge You gave me previously is all true but as I have never heard it from anyone else it becomes very difficult for me to believe it, If You show me Sachkhand then I will believe”. Then God in the form of Jinda Sage took Shri Nanak Sahib to Sachkhand. After reaching Satlok Shri Nanak Sahib realised that the Jinda Sage is in fact God Himself.

Shri Nanak Dev Visited Satlok 

For the next 3 days Guru Nanak Sahib stayed at Sachkhand (Satlok) with God & saw all the beauty & splendor of Sachkhand. Then Almighty told him that right now I am living at Kashi in Hindustan (India), I am giving true knowledge there. Please come there & I will provide you Satnaam at Kashi, by reciting Satnaam you can come back to Sachkhand forever. After this the spirit of Shri Nanak Sahib was sent back to earth. When the spirit of Shri Nanak Sahib came back, he re-emerged from the river 3 days later.

He had only one thing on his mind to find that complete Guru (Satguru) Who is here on earth & Who will provide him with Satnaam so he could return back to Sachkhand where we all came from. He was very saddened by his return, in this sadness he did his very first trip (Udaasi). In his first trip, he eventually came to Kashi (Varanasi, Banaras) where he saw God & His grandeur after meeting Him. There Shri Guru Nanak Sahib spoke few lines which are written in Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji in, Raag ‘Siri’ Mehla 1, on Page no.24 Shabd/Hymn

Ek suaan dui suaani naal, Bhalke bhaunkahi sada biaal ||

Kud chhura mutha murdaar, Dhaanak roop raha Kartaar ||1||

Mae pati ki pandi na karni ki kaar, Uh bigad roop raha bikraal ||

Tera ek naam taare sansaar, Main eho aas eho aadhaar ||

Mukh ninda aakha din raat, Par ghar johi neech manaati ||

Kaam krodh tan vasah chandaal, Dhaanak roop raha Kartaar ||2||

Faahi surat malooki ves, Uh thagvaada thaggi des || 

Kharaa siaana bahuta bhaar, Dhaanak roop raha Kartaar ||3||

Main keeta na jaata haraamkhor, Uh kia muh desa dusht chor ||

Nanak neech kah bichaar, Dhaanak roop raha Kartaar ||4||

A few portions of Guru Granth Sahib ji, Raag Aasaavri, Mehla 1.

Sahib mera eko hai eko hai bhaai eko hai 

Aape roop kare bahu bhaanti, Nanak bapura ev kah || (page 350)

Jo tin kia so sachu thia, amrit naam Satguru dia || (page 352)

Guru pura te gati mati paai (page 353)

Boodat jagu dekhia tau dari bhaage ||

Satguru raakhe se bad bhaage, Nanak Guru ki charnon laage || (page 414)

Main Guru poochhia apna saacha bichaari Ram || (page 439)

In the above mentioned sacred speech, Shri Nanak Dev is himself accepting that GOD is only One, and he (Shri Nanak ji) also had a living Guru in human form about Whom he has said, “I gained true spiritual knowledge from the complete Guru, and my Guru ji gave (amrit naam) eternal mantra, which provides complete salvation, to me”. That same Guru of mine acquires different forms i.e. He only is the Supreme Almighty; He only acquires Jinda form. He only is sitting in the form of a weaver (dhaanak) in Kashi city and is also playing the role of an ordinary devotee. By witnessing the trouble prevailing into the entire globe of taking birth and dying again and realized that it is indeed the biggest curse, I took refuge into my Guruji’s feet.

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2023: Who was the Guru of Shri Nanak Dev?

To get this knowledge we have to explore the most Holy books of Sikhs “Shri Guru Granth Sahib” where Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji has given information about his Guru Who gave him initiation.

In Guru Granth Sahib “Raag Tilang 1” on page no. 721 in his Sacred Speech, Mehla 1, Shri Nanak Sahib has stated that-

Yak arj guftam paesh to der gosh kun Kartaar |

Hakka KABIR Kareem Tu, Beaeb Parvardigaar ||

Nanak bugoyad janu tura, Tere chaakraan paakhaak ||

After this Shri Guru Nanak Sahib tried to spread the word of this true knowledge. But people would not listen rather they would stand against him. The true knowledge of Shri Nanak Sahib was hurting the business of fake religious gurus so they convinced the authorities that Shri Nanak Sahib was giving the wrong knowledge & sent him to jail. After a while the truth won & Shri Nanak Sahib was released and he kept spreading the knowledge. People started to understand his knowledge. People who took initiation from Shri Guru Nanak Sahib came to be known as Sikhs. The meaning of Sikh is Student & that is how Sikhism started.

The Message of Guru Nanak Dev Ji on Guru Nanak Jayanti

The true message of Gurpurab is that only with true worship can one find salvation & upto whatever time you are living in this world your life should be virtuous & then only can one find GOD. This way your life too will be peaceful. This message should always be shared with the whole society. We must always remember that this universe is of Satan (Kaal Brahm). And we must find that True Guru (Satguru) who will guide us to reach our true home Sachkhand/Satlok. Because at Sachkhand we become immortal and get free from the curse of birth, death and old age.

Is Guru Nanak Sahib God?

• The Sikh community believes Guru Nanak Sahib as God. According to them mere chanting Satnaam Waheguru will lead them to attain salvation and Guru Nanak Sahib gave this mantra to the Sikh community.
• But when asked how God looks, they would simply say that God is formless and cannot be seen. Guru Nanak Sahib has very clearly mentioned in his writings about the appearance of Almighty and where He lives but the Sikh community fails to understand his message. 
• Contrary to the belief of Sikhism, Almighty is in form and appears like human beings. His body is effulgence and is made up of only one element “Light”. He lives in an eternal world called Satlok where Guru Nanak Sahib was for three days when he supposedly drowned in the Bae River.
• Also Holy RigVeda mentions that Almighty God never takes birth from a mother’s womb and is nourished by milk of maiden cows.
• And Guru Nanak Sahib Ji doesn’t satisfy these conditions. So Guru Nanak Dev Ji cannot be God. He is a messenger of God who has witnessed the Almighty God.

Who is God? 

We already read that Guru Nanak Sahib is not God. But who is that Almighty?

According to all holy scriptures, Kabir Saheb is the True Almighty. Kabir Saheb who descended Himself onto the Holy land of Varanasi in the year 1398. He descends on earth in all the four yugas in His physical form and ascends back in His physical form. Following are the evidences from the holy scriptures proving that Kabir Saheb is Almighty God.

• Holy Yajurveda Adhyay 5, Mantra 1
• Holy RigVeda Mandal 9 Sukt 1 Mantra 9.
• Holy Rigveda Mandal 9, Sukt 96, Mantra 16-20.
• Holy RigVeda Mandal 9 Sukt 86 Mantra 26-27.
• Holy Atharva Veda, Kaand no. 4 Anuvaak no.1 Mantra no. 7
• Holy Yajurved Adhyay 8 Mantra 13
• Holy Quran, Surah e Furquan 25, verse no. 52-59 and Holy Fazael-E-Zikr, Aayat 1
• Holy OJB Iyov 36:5 and Genesis 1:26, 1:27
• Raag Siri, Mahela 1 Page 24 Holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib
• Raag Tilang Mahela 1, Page 721 Holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib

One can attain Supreme Almighty only by following the way of worship imparted by His truly enlightened sage or a true guru. Read in Detail about Who is God? 

Who Is That True Guru?

Today, this world is flooded with various sorts of gurus. So finding a truly enlightened saint without knowing its true identity is very difficult. However, our holy books give us hints to identify one. For instance Holy Srimad Bhagavad Gita chapter 15 verse 1-4 gives out the way to identify a truly enlightened sage. Similarly, Guru Nanak Sahib also gave those hints. Let’s see the prophecies of Shri Guru Nanak dev ji,  Bala, Mardana, & Bhagat Prahalad about the coming messenger. The proof is written in Bhai Bale Vali Janam Sakhi.

In Bhai Bale Vali Janam Sakhi there is a prophecy by Bhagat Prahalad about the coming messenger of GOD. Prahalad mentions that the Messenger of God will come on earth after many centuries of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s era in Punjab and will take birth in a Jat family. And will do His discourses from Barwala now currently in Haryana (At that time it was part of Punjab).

• For Evidence read in:- “Bhai Bale Vali Janam Sakhi” in Hindi whose composer is :- Bhai Javahr Singh Kirpal Singh & company Pustaka Valle Bajar Mai Seva, Amritsar (Punjab).
• One must keep in mind among all ten Sikh Guru Sahibaans, there was not a single Jat among them. Hence it is not being referred to any Sikh Guru. Also, not any other Guru in Punjab region originating in a Jat family and propagating through Barwala. 
• Bhai Bale Vali Janam Sakhi clears that it was Sant Rampal ji Maharaj from Haryana who was supposed to come after KABIR ji & Nanak ji on the land of Punjab.
• Sant Rampal ji Maharaj took birth on 8th September 1951 at village Dhanana, district Sonipat, Haryana (at that time it was Punjab state), India. It is only Sant Rampal ji Maharaj who fits correctly with all prophecies including one from Bhai Bale Vali Janam Sakhi.
• Also, by matching the identifications of a complete saint one can easily examine His capabilities of bringing in the change and giving us happiness by presenting us with salvation.

For more information, listen to the spiritual sermons on Sadhana channel in the evening at 7:30pm to 8:30pm. Sant Rampal ji Maharaj is the only one last Messenger of GOD so please take free initiation from Him.

FAQ about Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti