Celebrating the Teachings of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji: A Message of Giving, Equality, and Selflessness- Dr Vivek Bindra

New Delhi: Guru Nanak Jayanti, also known as Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurupurab, is a prestigious festival that holds a special place in the heart of the Sikh community. It celebrates the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak, and is celebrated with great passion and enthusiasm. 

During this auspicious occasion, people come together to spread joy and happiness by helping the needy, providing food to the poor, and distributing clothes to those in need. It is a time of giving and sharing, and the community takes immense pleasure in serving society.

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's teachings have a deep impact on the world and continue to inspire people to this day. He believed that anyone could connect with God by worshipping with a clean conscience. He taught the importance of truth and respect for all religions, showing that service is the essence of life, and explained the profound meaning of "Ek Onkar."

On the 554th birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, let us all come together to celebrate Guru Nanak Dev Ji's teachings and spread love, peace, and harmony in the world. 

Preachings of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji: Three Pillars of Sikh Dharam

Born in Rāi Bhoi Kī Talvaṇḍī, Sheikhupura, Pakistan, he possessed godly powers. He started meditation at the age of 4 and read almost all holy books by the age of 6. Not only this, he learnt many languages such as Persian, Hindi, Sanskrit, etc. at the age of 7 and gave the message of Ek Onkar at the age of 8. 
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji explained the meaning of SIKH, which stands for Selfless Service, Integrity, Kindness, and Honesty. He also emphasized the importance of equality and selflessness among humans in the three main pillars of Sikh Dharma. 

Supporting the Community (Vand Chakna)

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, was a great believer in supporting and helping the community. At the age of 12, he was given a task by his father to earn a profit of 20 rupees by visiting the next village. However, upon reaching there, he saw that people were starving and in need of food, and instead of making a profit, he spent the money on feeding the hungry. When scolded by his father for not fulfilling the task, he replied that it was a true deal (Sacha Sodha) for him, as he believed that "nothing can be more profitable than helping the needy."

This act of kindness initiated the Langar tradition, which involves providing free food to anyone who visits the Gurudwara (Sikh temple). Today, this tradition continues in every Sikh community, and millions of meals have been served at the Golden Temple in Amritsar alone.

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's philosophy was all about helping others, and this is a message that still resonates today. Just like Khan Sir, who rejected a 107 Cr. package and instead decided to provide quality education to underprivileged students for just 200 rupees. He owns one of the top Educational YouTube channels in India. This is a perfect example of how businesses should be run - with the purpose of helping society first and then making a profit. 

At Billionair’s Blueprint, we strongly believe in this philosophy and talk about purpose before profit. We believe that businesses that prioritize helping others will never run out of opportunities to earn, and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive impact on people's lives is priceless.

Integrity and Honesty (Kirat Karna)

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji lived by his principles of honesty and integrity as he believed that one's intentions were more important than their actions. For example, once the richest man in town, Malik Bhagoo, invited Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji for dinner. However, on the way there, Shri Govind Nanak Dev Ji stopped at carpenter Laloo's house for dinner. When Malik Bhagoo found out, he got angry and demanded an explanation from Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, asking him “Why he choose to eat at Laloo's house instead of his?”. 

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji remained calm and collected, and asked both men to bring their chapatis. Once they arrived, he squeezed the chapatis, blood flowed out from Bhagoo's chapati while milk flowed from Laloo's. This simple act spoke volumes about the integrity and honesty of both men and proved that Dev Ji's belief in the importance of one's intentions was true.

Later Laloo was seen with Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji at many places and his place was later known as Gurudwara Khoi Bhai Laloo. However, this motivated Sardar Jassa Singh to save the lives of 22,000 women, Bhagat Singh to die for the nation and Atal Bihari Vajpayee to resign from the post of PM(1996) and his speech stating that parties would come and go but nation's integrity shall remain the same.  

The Power Of Chanting (Naam Japana)

Chanting the name of God or following divine instructions represents a universal truth that transcends religious boundaries. Whether one refers to the Bhagavad Gita or the Guru Granth Sahib, the act of reading these sacred texts is viewed as attaching to the path set forth by the divine. For instance, when faced with life's challenges, opening any page of the Bhagavad Gita is believed to yield answers, illustrating the profound impact of spiritual teachings.

This phenomenon is not exclusive to a particular faith; it resonates across religions. In Christianity, a similar sentiment is expressed in the commandment, "Thou shall chant the holy names of the Lord." The essence lies in the recognition that seeking guidance through the scriptures or engaging in spiritual practices has a universal and transformative effect, fostering a connection with the divine regardless of one's religious affiliation.

Sikh communities today flourish in over 80 countries worldwide, with Punjabi serving as the second language of Canada, encouraging a sense of unity in community building. The historical journey of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, spanning approximately 28,000 km, took him across the Middle East, Europe, and East Asia, where he shared his deep and spiritual teachings.

Interestingly, in various regions, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was known by different names, highlighting the widespread impact of his message. In Afghanistan, he was revered as Peer Balagdaan, in Sri Lanka as Nanakarcharya, in China as Baba Foosa, in Sikkim and Bhutan as Guru Rinpoche, and many more appellations. Despite these diverse titles, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji consistently preached his three fundamental pillars throughout his global journey.