Remembering Baba Nanak on his birth anniversary, a part of my note, full note can be seen in notes: Three symbolic Bs of Punjabi Identity-Baba Nanak, Bulle Shah and Bhagat Singh 1 June 2010 at 09:58 PM Every community in any country or society has some cultural roots, which are acquired in many centuries and become part of that societys not only consciousness,but even sub conscious is affected by it.Natural environment, working conditions of society also contribute towards acquiring certain specific characteristics in a community.Over the period, there are certain personalities,who have the creative qualities of expressing these characteristics through words or other creative images like music,painting etc.Punjab as a geographical region has such characteristics that people here through centuries have lived through certain harshness and that have made Punjabis somewhat sturdy people,but these conditions are not permanent and todays Punjabis are like many other communities, depending upon the profession in which they are.But the lived histories create a cultural tradition also, so Punjabis have also got that tradition. To me, three Punjabi ancestors look to represent the true collective Punjabi spirit, though not all live according to that spirit.For me, three Punjabis seem to represent the true Punjabi spirit and all have their name with B, though Nanak is with N,yet he is known more as Baba Nanak,than Nanak or even Guru Nanak.Bulle Shah and lastly Bhagat Singh with modern intellectual outlook make the trio symbol of Punjabi spirit.Of these Bhagat Singh is atheist and Baba Nanak and Bulle Shah are theists.I consider myself to be atheist,yet some of the sayings and writings of both Baba nanak and Bulle Shah touch me a lot.About Bhagat Singh I keep on writing a lot,here I would like to share which words of these two great saints and wanderers touch me. Born in 1469 in Rai Bhoi ki Talwandi,now known as Nankana Sahib in Pakistan ,first thing about Baba Nanak touches me is his journeys of the world on his foot.One Punjabi artist conceived of his picture through painting just a huge healthy leg taking a step.His five Udasis-travels in todays parlance are fantastic.And wherever he went with two of his disciples-Bala and Mardana-the singer(Rababi), he challenged the false irrational notions,such as at Hardwar, throwing water behind him westwards to challenge those who threw water eastwards,in order the water to reach sun.Baba Nanak said he is sending this water to his farms in Punjab.Or having legs towards a religious site in Kaaba,whereas belief was to keep head on that side and Nanak said show me the side,in which God is not there.Or having food from a workers house and refusing the food of the most rich and powerful of the village.Symbolically he showed that milk is squeezed out of poor workers bread,which is earned through hard labour,whereas blood is squeezed out of powerful richs bread,which is exploited from workers hard labour.In todays class parlance it can be said that riches are made with poors blood. Baba Nanak openly and loudly challenges the exploiters and oppressors in his bani.He demands respect for women at a time when even Kabir like radical Bhagat poets were calling names for women.I wish to quote some of poetry which leaves deep impact upon me: Punjabis are considered quite boastful community,which is true only in few cases.Baba Nanak takes a pun such boastfulness and counters with the words--Mithat niwin Nanaka,Gun Changiaian Tatt(Oh Nanak be sweet and humble,qualities and goodness are the crux).Baba Nanak opposed any kind of oppression or aggression on mankind and he spoke out at Babars aggression on India in these words-Khurasan Khasmana kiya Hindustan Draia.....eite maar payi kulaanen,Tain ki dard naa aaya(Aggressors terrorized India by their aggression....even so much cruelties did not make you feel anguished) To expose the cruelties in the name of religious rituals,Baba takes a pun--Je Ratt lage kapde jama hoi pleet/jo ratt pivhi mansa. tin kyon nirmaal cheet(If blood stained clothes make body sinful then those who suck human blood,why they are considered pious. In another context Baba Nanak declares that--Hak Paraya Nanka,us suar us gai(To appropriate others rights should be like pig to one(Muslim) and cow to other(Hindu).He attacks all the feudal lords of kalyug-kal kate raje kasai(Kings are butchers in kalyug). Baba Nanak showed great sensitivity towards women,when he says--Bhande Jammiye Bhande Nimmiye,Bhande sanganu viahu/Bhandhu hove dosti,Bhandhu chale rahu/Bhande mua Bhande bhaliye ,bhande hove bandhanu/so kiyon manda aakhiye,jitu jammahi rajan/Bhande hi Bhand upje,bhand bajh na koye/Nanak Bhandebahra vedo sacha soye(Nanak says that woman gives birth,one is married to woman.with woman one has friendship,the path goes with woman.one looks for woman and is bound to woman.why say bad os some who gives birth to kings? Nanak says that woman gives birth to woman and there is nothing without woman. In medieval age religious discourse, this is most radical expression, almost like Mirabai or other woman poets.Then on Dalits,he says-Neechan andar neech jaat,neechan hun ati neech,nanak tinke sang saath..(Nanak is with those,who are considered lowliest of the lowliest in society...) Again on Babars aggression Baba Nanak asserts that the aggressors spread knowledge which they think best and qazis and bahmans(Muslim and Hindu preachers) are behaving like devils and Nanak sings the songs of blood.Baba Nanak predicts that men will rise to oppose the aggression and declares that Nanak is daring to speak truth and it is time to speak truth. Baba Nanak is believes in dialogue and diversity of thought as he says that jab lagu duniya rahiye Nanak kichhu suniye kichhu kahiye(Till the world survives Nanak one should listen and one should respond).For a thinker and writer his message is-Dhanu so kagadu kalam dhanu dhanu bhanda dhanu masu/dhanu lekhari nanaka jini naamu likhia sach(Hail the paper,pen,the inkpot,the ink/Hail the writer Nanak who wrote the truth).Baba Nanak expects true writers to speak and express truth and not cover it. Baba Nanak speaks even about the practical things of life as well,like eating habits-Baba bahuta khana khusi khawaru,jis khade tan pidiye,man mein chalhi vikar(Oh Nanak gluttony is joy killer,what joy in that eating ,which causes pain in the body and distortions in the thought?)I dont remember other couplets,which Navtej Bharti shared me with much more punch for the gluttons. Baba Nanak indulged in philosophical depths of metaphysical thought,combining the Hindu and Islamic liberal thoughts,but he is equally powerful poet at aesthetic level.More than that he is democrat to the core in opposing all kinds of oppression and injustice.Few Punjabis are having his spirit in themselves,even though they ritually profess his name.Baba Nanak represents the rationality of his time and he falls more in the category of a thinker.He also represents the Gurmat poetry or philosophy,which include nine other Sikh Gurus and few Bhakti poets,whose poetry is included along with six Gurus poetry in Adi Granth edited by fifth Sikh Guru Arjun Dev in 1604 A.D. Some more sayings of Baba Nanak: Gun Vichaire Gyani Hoi/Gun mein Gyan prapat Hoi(If you focus on qualities,then you are knowledgeable/Knowledge comes through qualities) Jau tau prem khelan ka chao/siru dhari tali gali meri aau/it marg pair dharije/sir dije kane na kije (If you are fond of playing love/come to my street with head on your hand/if you step on this path/gift the head without murmur) Only two cities are referred Baba Nanak-Lahore and Amritsar-in his bani-Lahore Sahru Amritsaru sifti da gharu-Lahore is a city and Amritsar is home of admirers Beauty of nature--Gagan mein thalu ravi chand deepak bane tarika mandal janak moti On monsoon--Mori runjhun laya/bhaine saawan aaya On wisdom-vakhtu vichaire su Banda hoi(The Man is one, who thinks in time) On conduct--Galin asin changian achari buriah/manhu kasudha kaaliya bahri chitwiah(We are good at talk,bad in conduct/Black in mind,but white from outside) On wasting time-Raine gawai soe ke divasu gawaia khae/Hire jaisa janam hai kaudi badle jae(Night lost in sleeping and day in eating/precious life lost in pennies) On Education--Vidya vichari tan parupkari(To contemplate knowledge is to serve the others{humanity}) This is Punjabi University Patialas anthem also. On Egoism-Haume diragh rog hai daru bhi is mahe(Egoism is deep sickness,but its treatment lies within it{to shed it}) Quotes from Baba Nanak has been taken from Punjabi University Patiala publication-Guru Nanak Bani Prakash in two volumes published in 1969 at 500 birth anniversary of Baba Nanak.There had been deep discussion on Gurbani at Najam Hussain Syed, an eminent Punjabi scholars house in Lahore in weekly Friday meetings.Roman rendering and English interpretation is mine,which could have errors or difference in opinion.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 05:32:49 +0000
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