Guru Nanak Dev's Paradise
Principal Sadhu Singh*
Guru Nanak Dev Ji, 500 years ago, with his divine vision,
realized like Rousseau that it was the common people
who made the human race. Guru Sahib proclaimed hundreds
of years earlier the principle of liberty, equality
and fraternity which formed the bedrock of the French
Revolution. In a way, Guru Nanak Sahib is the fountain-head
of the creeds yet to be born which would strive to ameliorate
the agonies of the human race.
In Gurmat (Sikh way of life) Nirwan and Satsang are
known as Paradise.
w[efs p?e[zm ;kX[ eh ;zrfs, iB gkfJU jfo ek Xkw .. (XBk;oh
wjbk 5, gzBk 682)
sjK p?e[zm ij ehosB[ s/ok s{ nkg/ ;oXk bkfjfJ .. (;{jh
wjbk 5, gzBk 749)
;kX ;zrfs p?e[zm/ nkfj .. (rT[Vh epho, gzBk 325)
Xow;kb eoskog[o ;kX{ ;zrfs ;uyzv t;kfJnk ..
tkjr[o{ r[o ôpd ;[Dkf:k .. (GkJh r[odk; tko 28)
John Milton wrote in the Paradise Lost book 1-125-6
the following lines:
“The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”
Although John Milton wrote in the 17th century yet the
eternal truth contained in these lines still holds good
and shall do so till human beings exist.
In India, Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji translated his divine
experience of life into three cardinal virtues, i.e.,
(i) Kirat karna (honest labour); ii) Naam Japna (recitation
of the name of God); and Vand Chhakana (sharing of the
surplus). Anyone who follows the above-mentioned cardinal
virtues is bound to live in Paradise.
;fu yzfv t;? fBozeko[ .. efo efo
t/y/ Bdfo fBjkb .. (ig[ wjbk 1, gzBk 8)
Guru Nanak’s paradise is our world and the Nature
which goes on expanding all the time. When One is living
in harmony with the world and Nature, then One is living
in Heaven. Disharmony creates Hell. Guru Sahib explained
this idea very aptly in the following lines:
e[dofs efo e? tf;nk ;'fJ ..
tys[ thuko/ ;[ pzdk j'fJ .. ;b'e wjbk 1 .. (tko ;qh
okr, gzBk 83)
Guru Nanak had a deep insight into human nature. This
important aspect of life has been overlooked by the
philosophers and social engineers before and after Guru
Nanak’s times. This is the main reason why Paradise
has not come into existence in our world. Let us have
a glance over the attempts made by the good souls in
this direction.
Robert Owen, in 1825, invited to New Harmony (USA) all
the industrious and well-disposed of all nations to
live in cooperative peace and loving-kindness as Nature
intended. Well-known scientists and writers could live
in peace only for 2 years, till Owen bossed over it.
Thus, ended the enlightened social system, which was
to remove all causes for contests between individuals.
Owen’s idea pointed the way to civilization’s
highest hopes. But the rulers of the world did not want
a New Harmony -that is why Robert Owen failed in his
experiment.
Karl Marx, an intellectual genius, tried to prove Robert
Owen right by blending science and romanticism. He was
able to convice the best radical minds of three generations.
Marxian system was religiously followed by Lenin and
he gave his life to Owen’s dream. Thus, the dream
of Owen was made plausible only for a limited period
in the erstwhile Soviet Union. They all failed because
they did not know science of human nature and there
was no place for common sense in it. Instead of producing
a higher civilization, all sections of the acquired
fabric of civilization were swept away by the teachings
of Karl Marx and Lenin.
Guru Nanak Dev knew about human nature more deeply than
Karl Marx, Lenin and the others. His Bani minutely describes
about very delicate human relations and situations.
The knowledge of gurbani and life lived accordingly
will conquer poverty and superstition, and make a rich
life possible to all. This is the gateway to Guru Nanak’s
Paradise.
Guru Sahib through his Bani and preaching gave the world
a glimpse of his inborn urge to build up a New Society.
Thus, Guru Ji was the pioneer of Democracy and Socialism.
But these systems laid emphasis on materalistic life
and completely ignored the moral, ethical and spiritual
aspects of human life. Guru Nanak’s divine vision
will solve all the economic problems of the world. According
to Guru Sahib, Akal Purukh is the owner of the wealth
of the world and Sangat is the custodian of the wealth.
This idea transcends the boundaries of caste, colour
and countries. All creation is a manifestation of One
Akal
;G wfj i'fs i'fs j? ;'fJ ..
fs;d? ukBfD ;G wfj ukBD[ j'fJ .. (gzBk 663)
Guru Nanak Dev’s concept of New Society (Paradise)
called Khalsa is based on three pillars – honest
living, sharing the surplus with others, and constant
awareness of Akal Purukh. Let us make an endeavour to
realize this grand vision of Guru Sahib.
sp br[ wjb[ Bk gkJhn? ip br ;ku[ Bk uhfs ..
;pfd og? xo[ gkJhn? fBopkDh gd[ Bhfs .. (;qh okr wjbk
1, gzBk 58)
Sikh sangats were started by Guru Nanak Dev Ji by himself.
Wherever he went, a large crowd always gathered around
him. He created a new awareness of novel lifestyle amongst
the people. They came to know the purpose of human life.
The earlier creeds preached that ONE could attain Paradise
only after death, but Guru Sahib advocated that ONE
could get rid of poverty, could attain prosperity and
honorable living in this very world by observing the
Sikh principles of life. According to that historic
period, it was a miracle. This not only led to the decline
of the supremacy of the Mullah and the Pandit in the
Indian society but also brought to an end many fake
rituals. A new concept of equality and co-operation
in the society forged new relations and brought an era
of prosperity and honorable living. This brought in
a new brotherhood. In this way, Guru Nanak Dev Ji gave
a glimpse of Paradise and urged his devotees to attain
it by truthful living according to the three Cardinal
Virtues.
p?e[zm Bro ijk ;zs tk;k ..
gqG uoD ewb fod wkfj fBtk;k .. (;{jh wjbk 5, gzBk 742)
