Sikh Gurus
A GURU IS A TEACHER
- There were ten human or living Gurus, or teachers in Sikhism.
- The Gurus were human beings and not prophets or God.
- The Gurus are never worshiped, although Sikhs hold the Gurus in high esteem.
- Sikhs do not practice idol worship but give reverence to the Guru Granth Sahib as their present Guru.
THE TEN HUMAN GURUS
- Guru Nanak, 1469-1539
- Guru Angad, born 1504, Guru 1539-1552
- Guru Amar Das, born 1479, Guru 1552-1574
- Guru Ram Das, born 1534, Guru 1574-1581
- Guru Arjan, born 1563, Guru 1581-1606
- Guru Hargobind, born 1595, Guru 1606-1644
- Guru Har Rai, born 1630, Guru 1644-1661 <
- Guru Har Krishan, born 1656, Guru 1661-1664
- Guru Teg Bahadur, born 1621, Guru 1664-1675
- Guru Gobind Singh, born 1666, Guru 1675-1708
Guru Nanak Dev was the founder of the Sikh faith. Guru Nanak began to challenge the hollow religious rituals of the Hindus at the tender age of 5. On countless other occasions he demonstrated that his mission was to lift the people out of darkness. Guru Nanak revealed Sikhism by declaring that he was neither a Hindu nor a Muslim. He then revealed the 'Japuji Sahib' to the world and demonstrated the true way to worship God. He spent the rest of his life spreading his philosophy. He challenged the supremacy of the Brahmins in the Hindu caste system. For the first time in history women were given respect and a social status equal to men. He traveled as far as Sri Lanka, Baghdad and Mecca to discuss religion with Muslims and Hindus, and showed them the futility of getting bogged down in meaningless rituals. When Babur conquered the Indian subcontinent, Guru Nanak stood up to him and called him 'Zabur', a tyrant. Till today it is a Sikhs foremost duty to stand against injustice. Guru Nanak passed on the mantle of Sikhism to his successor Bhai Lehna who became the second Guru Angad Dev.
Guru Angad Dev carried on the work entrusted to him by Guru Nanak. He is the inventor of the Gurmukhi script. This is the script used to this day for the Punjabi language.
Guru Amar Das, the third guru, revolutionized the Sikh faith with the start of 'Langar', the community kitchen. He mandated that before any came to pay his respects to him, one should sit in line with everyone else and eat food cooked in the Langar. This concept served to remove any divisions amongst the Sikhs based on their economic or social status. No exception to this rule was made when Emperor Akbar came to pay his respects to the Guru. He too had to sit in line with common people and eat food cooked in the Langar.
Guru Ram Das, the fourth guru, excavated a pool and named it 'Amritsar', the pool of nectar. He also founded the city bearing the same name.
Guru Arjun Dev was the fifth guru. He compiled the teaching of the previous four gurus, some Hindu and Muslim saints, added his own teachings into the Adi Granth. Guru Arjan Dev was the first Sikh martyr. He was tortured to death by Jahangir, the mughal emperor, at the instigation of Chandu, a Hindu advisor.
Guru Hargobind, the sixth guru started to militarize his followers so that they would be able to resist any oppression. The Sikhs fought a number of battles to preserve their faith. Adjacent to the Golden Temple, he established the 'Akal Takht' the seat of the political power and unfurled the 'Nishan Sahib', the flag of the Sikh Nation. This inspiration for freedom compliments the spirituality that emanates from the Golden Temple. Guru Hargobind too was imprisoned by Jahangir for some time but was released after the emperor realized his mistake. Also, Chandu, who had instigated Jahangir against Guru Arjan Dev, was handed over to the Sikhs. The Sikhs then lived in relative peace with the political rulers until the time of the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, who used force to make his subjects accept Islam.
Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru, was arrested and executed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1675. He was punished for standing up to the Mughal policy of forced conversions of Hindus to Islam. This revolutionary concept of standing up for the rights of the downtrodden and oppressed of another faith, is still a part of the Sikh psyche today.
Guru Gobind Singh, the last human Guru, was responsible in the transformation of Sikhs from a docile populace to a freedom-loving nation. The Sikhs were now to be known as the 'Khalsa' or the pure ones. He baptized his five beloved followers in 1699 by giving them 'Amrit'. He then requested the five beloved ones to baptize him too. With incident, Guru Gobind Singh sounded the death knell of the caste and class system. The concept, behind this incident, of the Guru becoming the disciple has no parallel in history. It demonstrates the democratic values of the Guru and his Sikhs. He sacrificed his parents and four sons in his fight against tyranny and injustice. He added the teachings of Gurus Har Krishan and Tegh Bahadur to the Adi Granth. He ordered his Sikhs to now address it as 'Guru Granth Sahib' and revere it as they had revered the living Gurus in the past.