Guru Nanak Prakash - 11
The consolidation of Sikh tenets was completed during Guru Nanak's life time but to spread the mission was not an easy task. The disparity, the social deterioration and wide spread blind faith in superstitions, sway of pundit or Brahman and in Punjab the sarwarias ( grave worshippers) was so strong that in his life time it was not possible to bring about a revolution to effect change in the prevalent situation. He was a great thinker and his travel experiences enriched his powers to execute his thinking in very practical manner. After all his travels and missionary work he settled down in Kartarpur and took up farming to prove his point of 'Kirat karni' when there was no dearth of money because he had large follow ship and people did bring offerings for their Guru. He started the tradition of langar - community kitchen here so that his followers who came from far off places could get food but he insisted that this food will be cooked jointly and served sitting in a row irrespective of caste or class. All those people who objected to sit in a Pangat or eat food cooked by low caste were not given an audience. This was done to bring home his tenet that all human beings are equal and only this way the human brotherhood can be ensured. To ensure brotherhood he promoted the Congregational worship where all his Sikhs join together and sing the praises of Lord with music. He proved his tenet - rejection of idol worshipping, that you don't need idols for worshipping to praise lord. In Hindus the religious rites and rituals were performed only by a priest or Brahman thus by Congregational worshipping the role of Brahman was forever over. Another tenet that he promoted was challenge to tyranny and unethical living of the rulers. he reprimands the rulers who indulge in merry making without any care for their jewel like country that they lost to the invaders. He says:"History always remember those who live and die for their country and do some welfare for the country and not these dogs who ruined this jewel like country," GG page 360.
The consolidation of Sikh tenets was completed during Guru Nanak's life time but to spread the mission was not an easy task. The disparity, the social deterioration and wide spread blind faith in superstitions, sway of pundit or Brahman and in Punjab the sarwarias ( grave worshippers) was so strong that in his life time it was not possible to bring about a revolution to effect change in the prevalent situation. He was a great thinker and his travel experiences enriched his powers to execute his thinking in very practical manner. After all his travels and missionary work he settled down in Kartarpur and took up farming to prove his point of 'Kirat karni' when there was no dearth of money because he had large follow ship and people did bring offerings for their Guru. He started the tradition of langar - community kitchen here so that his followers who came from far off places could get food but he insisted that this food will be cooked jointly and served sitting in a row irrespective of caste or class. All those people who objected to sit in a Pangat or eat food cooked by low caste were not given an audience. This was done to bring home his tenet that all human beings are equal and only this way the human brotherhood can be ensured. To ensure brotherhood he promoted the Congregational worship where all his Sikhs join together and sing the praises of Lord with music. He proved his tenet - rejection of idol worshipping, that you don't need idols for worshipping to praise lord. In Hindus the religious rites and rituals were performed only by a priest or Brahman thus by Congregational worshipping the role of Brahman was forever over. Another tenet that he promoted was challenge to tyranny and unethical living of the rulers. he reprimands the rulers who indulge in merry making without any care for their jewel like country that they lost to the invaders. He says:"History always remember those who live and die for their country and do some welfare for the country and not these dogs who ruined this jewel like country," GG page 360.
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