The Life of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Part 1 & 2

The life of Guru Nanak, in a unique animation style.
Part 1...



Part 2...

Leading by example

I've been reading a few issues about people wondering what's more important: following their faith, or following their family. Gurbani tells us both that:

jin kae janae baddeerae thum ho thin sio jhagarath paap ||1|| rehaao ||
It is a sin to argue with the one who fathered you and raised you. ||1||Pause||

and of course:

charaneh gobi(n)dh maarag suhaavaa ||
The most beautiful path for the feet is to follow the Lord of the Universe.

So which is it? If one has to choose, what is that choice?

It's a good thing our Gurus led by example. You must respect your parents. But that doesn't mean that you have to do something thats wrong because they tell you to. We only need to look at Guru Nanak's life.

Guru Nanak was born into a hindu family... with hindu culture, hindu rituals, and hindu tradition. His father was proud, and moderately wealthy compared to most. But there are many recorded incidents where Guru Nanak actively disobeys what he's told and leads by example.

For example, when he grew up, his father told him to buy some goods to make some money, and instead he uses it to give food to the homeless. Other cases such as when his father took him to perform the hindu thread ceremony, Guru Nanak refused saying that a thread can be burnt, dirtied, destroyed, and that it won't bring him any closer to God. Certainly, Guru Nanak respected his father. But GOD was his first priority, and so should it be ours.

Language and Guru

Regarding our Guru Granth Sahib:

Many say that it is imperative that we learn Gurmukhi, and ONLY Gurmukhi for understanding Gurbani. While it may be true that the essence of what our Guru said is best understood in Gurmukhi, it is important to consider the meaning of language.

Look at the spread of Christianity for example. I hardly see anyone fluently conversing in Latin, but rather English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, ...

The Gurus went from place to place preaching in the language of the place they went. Our Gurus not only wrote in Punjabi, but Sanskrit, Persian, and others. In that respect, as our 11th Guru, wouldn't Guru Granth Sahib also preach to us in the language that the people of the place speak?

Just a thought.