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Soon after the birth of Nanak, the village “Pandit” (priest), Hardyal was called. The Pandit calculated the position of the stars on 20th, “Vaishakh Purnamas” (full moon). The Pundit recalculated his figure couple of times, but the results were the same.

The Pundit was silent for some time and kept on thinking. The Pundit told the gathered men that the stars point to the birth of a heaven born baby, who will be great saint and will be loved by Hindus and Muslims alike.

Nanak was a handsome and attractive child that everyone was drawn towards him. Being the only son in the house, his elder sister Nanki loved to play with him all day.

Nanak used to bring his friends to the house and he used to ask his mother for sweets, which he used to share with his friends. Nanak always loved to give away things to his friends. Nanak always helped and gave to the poor who could not afford any food. Nanak was a child who ate a little and slept a little and always used to be in deep thoughts. He always asked his parents lots of questions whenever he had some time with them.

Everyone around Nanak started noticing that Nanak was not an ordinary child. The people of Talwandi began saying that he was a divine child.

Nanak went to school at the age of six. The school was run by Panda Gopal. Very soon Nanak learned Punjabi alphabet and simple arithmetic. Nanak was very hard working student and he always learned everything so fast that the teacher was amazed by his performances at school. One day Nanak was writing something on a wooden slate and his teacher asked Nanak what he was writing on the slate. Nanak read out the long poem in praise of God. His teacher told Nanak that he knew no more than him and had nothing further to teach him.

Nanak’s father sent Nanak to Maulvi Qutab-ud-din for learning Persian. Nanak learned Persian for two years. One day Nanak told his teacher that God is the real father, all the men and women are his children and they should love one another. Maulvi (his teacher) bowed before him and told him that he knew truth more than he did, and he had nothing more to teach him. Once again Nanak was free from school.

One day Nanak took the family buffalo’s to the grazing fields and fell asleep. The buffalo’s entered the nearby fields and ate away the whole crop. The angry farmer, owner of those fields, awakened Nanak. The farmer took Nanak to his father and mother and asked them to pay him the damage caused by the buffalo’s. His father sent his men along with the farmer to find out the extent of damage done to the farmer’s field.

The men and the farmer returned back from the fields and told Nanak’s father that there was no damage done to the crops. A Gurdwara was built later on the field and named “Kiara Sahib”.

Nanak’s father began to believe that Nanak was not an ordinary boy.

Nanak always loved to get up early in the morning and sit under a tree to sing hymns (Kirtan) along with his friends. His father did not like his son “wasting time”. He decided to train Nanak as a trader. He told his son he would travel and meet lots of people and make a good living out of it, too. Nanak agreed to his father and told him he would become a trader.

His father gave him some money (20 rupees) and sent him to Chuharkana along with Bhai Bala. They had to cross the forest before reaching the small town of Chuharkana. In Chuharkana they met a group of hungry sadhus. Nanak decided to feed the hungry sadhus. Nanak felt that providing food for the hungry was the best bargain. Nanak knew his father would not like the idea of feeding the sadhus with the money.

His father sent him to Sultanpur along with Bhai Bala, where Nanki’s husband was in the service of Nawab Daulat Khan. Nanak worked as a storekeeper. He worked hard and performed his duty everyday. Nanak kept the part of his earnings for himself and his family, and distributed the rest amongst the poor and the needy.

It was at Sultanpur that Maranda came from Talwandi and became Nanak’s close companion. They would both go to the river for their bath, and then Nanak would sit down for his prayers.

It has been recorded in “Janamsakhi” that one morning when Nanak went to the river for a bath, he disappeared for three days. It is also said that he went into “Jalsamadhi” and met the “Akal Purakh” and received orders for the mission of his life. Everyone thought that Nanak had drowned in the river. Even the best swimmers could not find his body or trace of him. Nanak reappeared after three days. People saw him coming out of the river with a strange glow, and gathered around him to find out where he had disappeared.

Nanak told them, “There is no Hindu and no Musalmann”. These strange words were reported to Nawab Daulat Khan. He sent a messenger to call Nanak. Nanak reached the court. They asked him how he could utter such words; there is no Hindu and no Musalmann, when he was staying in a Muslim state.

Nanak explained that though there were thousands of Muslims or Hindus, yet they had forgotten what their religion had taught them. A true Hindu or a true Muslim should do nothing, which would displease God. They were the children’s of God, and should be truthful, honest and avoid anger, greed and pride. They should share their earnings with the poor and the needy.

People bowed their heads, touched Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s feet and admitted that their minds and hearts were somewhere else while they prayed. Guru Sahib Ji left Nawab Daulat Kahn’s service and started spreading his message. “The message of God”.

Hindus had started believing in many Gods and worshipping of reptiles and other forms of nature. The Brahmin priests had turned religion into a source of income by laying stress on external symbols, rituals and customs rather than on the real spiritual upliftment of human being. People were divided into low and high casts, such as Brahmins, Kshatriys, Vaishyas, and Shudras.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji believed and preached that love and truth were the only means of reaching God. He strongly felt that religion should be preached through love, unlike the Muslims who were forcing people to accept their religion on pain of death and destruction.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji left Sultanpur on his first journey, accompanied by Bhai Bala and Mardana. They stopped at many villages, singing “Shabads” (hymns) and preaching the message of truthful living to the people, They reached Eminabad, in Gujranwala district in Punjab. He stayed at (humble hut) a hut of Bhai Lalo, a low cast carpenter.

Eminabad was then ruled by a Muslim ruler named Zalim Jhan, and Malik Bhango was his greedy, proud and cruel manager. Malik Bhago invited Guru Sahib Ji to his house, but Guru Sahib refused his invitation. Malik Bhago sent his servants to bring Guru Sahib to his house. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was asked the reason for his refusal.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji asked for a piece of bread to be brought from Malik Bhago’s kitchen. He already had a piece of Bhai Lalo’s bread. He took both the pieces of bread, one in each hand and squeezed them, Blood flowed from Malik Bhago’s bread and milk came out from the bread of Bhai Lalo.Guru Sahib explained that Malik Bhago employed force to collect taxes, and was cruel to those who were unable to pay. While Bhai Lalo was a simple, truthful and God fearing man who earned his living through hard work. Malik Bhago fell on his feet and asked his pardon for his past sins.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji continued travelling in stages. Some places he stayed for a day, while at the other places for a week or a month. From Eminabad to Multan, Kuruksherta, Panipat and then stopped at “Manju-ka-tilla” on the outskirts of Delhi. Most of the places he visited have Gurdwaras built in his memory.

He ultimately reached Haridwar, situated on the banks of river Ganga. It is famous for it’s bathing ghats. Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to bathe in the river. He saw that many people were offering water to the sun. On the inquiring, he was told that they were offering water to their ancestors. He also started throwing water, but towards the west. Some people shouted at him for throwing water in the wrong direction. Guru Nanak Dev Ji said, that if their water could reach their ancestors, why couldn’t the water reach his fields in Punjab, which is much closer. The people had no answer to give.

From Haridwar to Allahabad to Benaras, to Gaya and finally reached Jagannath Puri. He attended the evening “Arti” in the famous Jagannath Puri Temple.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji returned home after thirteen years. Guru stayed a month at Talwandi and moved to Sultanpur. At Sultanpur, he went to Daulat Khan who was very pleased to meet him. Soon his wife and the two sons joined him.

After spending two years at Sultanpur, Guru Sahib felt a strong urge again, to leave for another journey. He visited places in Punjab, turned towards Sarsa, where Muslim Sufi Fakirs had long discussions with him. From there he went to Rajasthan and then proceeded towards south of India. Guru Sahib continued his journey towards Sri Lanka in short stages. Guru Sahib stayed in Sri Lanka for almost a year and then started his journey homewards and reached Talwandi.

After spending some time with his parents, Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to see his sister Nanki at Sultanpur. From Sultanpur, he went to Pakhoke, Where his wife and children were staying with her parents. He went across the river Ravi and was given land to him by the landowners of that area. Dunichand built a house for Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak named the place Kartarpur. He requested his aged parents to live with him, and they moved from Talwandi to Kartarpur.

Kartarpur was slowly taking shape as a small town, with Guru Sahib’s house, Gurdwara and a farm at its center. People visited Kartarpur to seek peace, guidance and to hear the hymns of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Guru Sahib stayed at Kartarpur for a year. Once again he started feeling restless, and decided to travel to the northern mountains of India. He went to Tibet and remembered there as “Nanak Lama”. From Tibet to Kashmir, he held long discussions with Kashmir Pandits and Brahmins at Mattan.

Guru Sahib Ji returned to Punjab in late 1517. He went straight to Sultanpur, where his sister was seriously ill. Soon after his arrival she passed away.

Guru Sahib Ji went back to Kartarpur and stayed there for one year. During this period both of his parents died. He told everyone not to cry, instead, accept death as the will of God and necessary end to life.

Guru Nanak and his companion Mardana were ready to travel again. Historians are not very clear the routes they took, but they are sure both of them visited Baghdad and Mecca.

On arrival at Mecca many Muslims became his devotees, and he told them that there was only One God and God is everywhere you look. He pointed out to them that their actions and deeds will judge human beings, and it made no difference whether one was a Hindu or a Muslim. From Mecca he went to Medina, and then to Baghdad, preaching the simple message of his faith to one and all. He returned to Punjab via Kabul. On his way back, he stopped at a place called Hasan Abdul, fifty kilometers from Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan). On top of a hill, lived a fakir named Wali Kandhari. His house was near a spring of fresh water.

Wali Kandhari was a proud fakir. He was visited by lot of people everyday. When Guru Nanak Dev Ji arrived, only few people visited him, but lot of people went to see Guru Nanak Dev JI. Wali Kandhari was so angry that while Guru Nanak Dev Ji were praying below a mountain, He pushed a large rock towards Guru Sahib Ji to kill him, but Guru Sahib Ji raised his hand and the rock stopped. A print of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji’s hand is still there on the rock. A Gurdwara was later built there, and named as “Panja Sahib” (now in Pakistan).

Guru Nanak Sahib Ji had traveled far and wide. He had preached his simple religion and reformed many people, and established “Sangats” at various places during his journeys. After travelling for more than 22 years, Guru Sahib Ji returned to Kartarpur, and decided to spend the remaining days of his life at Kartarpur.

Guru Sahib Ji would bathe in the river early in the morning, and sit down on the bank of the river for deep meditation. He would preach to the people gathered in the Gurdwara, and sing hymns in praise of God.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji had clear views about work and worship. In his opinion the two together could make any man reach heaven. He preached that a man must have a vocation, work hard, and share his earnings with others. He said that God could be reached through love, devotion, prayers and good actions.

On 22nd of September 1539, Guru Nanak Dev Ji lay down on his bed after his bath and asked Angad Dev Ji and his followers to sing “Sohila” (evening song in the praise of the Lord). He closed his eyes and spirit departed from his body.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s body was cremated on the banks of river Ravi.

The older records however, describe that when the white sheet was removed from the Guru’s body, all that the “Sangat” found were flowers. The body had miraculously disappeared. The Muslims and Hindus divided the flowers among themselves. The Muslim buried the flowers and Hindus cremated them.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji suggested three golden rules to human beings.

· Sing hymns in praise of God

· Honest and hard work

· Share earnings with the poor

Jap Ji Sahib is Guru Nanak Dev Ji's famous creation, which unclosed the features of nature and gives peace of mind to all living beings.

Sikh Gurus