There Is But One God, Whose Name Is Truth

Ek Onkaar Satnam'. These magic words mean 'there is but one God, whose name is Truth'. This simple concept was the cornerstone of Guru Nanak Dev 's teachings. The founder of Sikhism is one of the greatest philosophers and teachers the world has seen. While philosophers such as John Knox, Martin Luther, and John Wesley were influencing the Western world, Nanak was quietly preaching a new, unique and inspiring gospel in the Indian subcontinent.

He taught 'Naam', the science of the Word, which proclaims that realisation of God is attained by communion with the 'Shabad, Word'. He preached 'Do Nam Smaran'- love, be devoted to God, and enjoy the bliss of union with Him.

Nanak's prophetic message manifests in his three fundamental principles: Naam Japna , remembering God; Kirat Karni, working for a living; and Vand Chakhna, sharing one's possessions with the needy. These were the mainstays of his philosophy and became guiding principles of Sikhs.

Nanak was also a repository and propagator of revolutionary ideas, concepts, beliefs and practices. Assuming the mantle of a preacher, he espoused issues affecting society and contemporary existence. He challenged the caste system and promoted education for all by introducing the Gurmukhi script , which could be accessed by all. He believed that integrity, respect and trust between different communities engendered dignity for everyone.

He proclaimed that women be respected and not persecuted. Today, India has come a long way in this direction with women's empowerment being a national objective. Nanak proclaimed, "I am neither a Hindu nor a Muslim. We are all children of God." He spent his life trying to create a bridge between Hindus and Muslims. He was arguably the world's first activist, environmentalist and conservationist extolling the value of water and vegetation. Nanak's wisdom and benevolence earned him everyone's love and respect. On his death in Kartarpur in 1539, both Hindus and Muslims placed flowers over his body. The site was immortalised by a tomb and temple built over the Muslims' and Hindus' flowers, respectively.

We must learn from this extraordinary sequence of events to further promote communal harmony . Long before interfaith meetings told us to tolerate different religions, the Guru travelled great distances, propagating dharm. Nanak was a great traveller; he spent over 20 years visiting places within and outside India. He is said to have covered about 28,000 kms in his five major udasis, tours between 1500 and 1524. Nanak realised that the world was suffering because of hatred and fanaticism. He travelled because he wanted people to be humane and tolerant.

He started langar wherein food was served free to everyone, irrespective of caste, creed, religion or social and economic status. The langar, constantly served in thousands of Gurdwaras worldwide, not just feeds millions, but sustains many poor people. This was beneficial and impactful during the difficult Covid pandemic days.

Today, the world is acknowledging Nanak's glorious, invaluable legacy and philosophy, which promote generosity, communal harmony, and provide a healing touch to our fractured, turbulent society. The world owes him a debt of gratitude beyond compare.

Authored by: Inder Raj Ahluwalia