Guru Nanak Dev In My Life

The first time I visited Amritsar, it was like an electric shock. No, I didn't get electrocuted, or anything.

I went like a tourist but I came back humbled. Of course, I had heard of Guru Nanak Dev, as the founder of Sikhism and the first of the Sikh Gurus. But that is all I knew.

Image courtesy: http://www.4to40.com/

The day I went there, it was Diwali. I saw that Sikhs from across the world, particularly UK and US, had come to offer their prayers there. I sat by the shimmering waters that mirrored the Golden Temple. I saw young Sikhs crying with bliss after taking a dip in the holy water. I saw elderly couples help each other to take a dip and pray for their children who were not with them. I saw young parents, beautifully dressed, help their young ones to take a dip without fear.

Everywhere I felt love. There was love in the air and it was so electric.

Sitting there, I experienced an electric current of unbelievable love for humanity. I closed my eyes and felt great light emerging from within me and filling me with absolute, unconditional love for humanity.

I understood then and there the glorious essence of Guru Nanak Dev ji. He is LOVE.

I bowed, humbled by the experience and prayed, one by one, mentioning the names of those who are dear to me and asked Him to protect them.

Though not a devotee, I sensed that Guru Nanak Dev knew me even before I knew or understood anything about him. There was, simply put, an instant electric communication between us.

Following the Amritsar trip, I read all the serious literature around him and before I knew it, he made his way into my home and my heart. It's more like a silent, respectful sort of love. I feel his soothing presence and it brings a ray of light.

And then finally after reading a lot about Guru Nanak Dev ji, I joined the dots and understood the connection.

Guru Nanak Dev is one of the Masters of the Spirit World, besides Meher Baba. He protects spiritual seekers who are regularly communicating with the Spirit World.

When Guru Nanak Dev enters their homes, He protects them in this uncharted territory with the purpose of serving humanity.

Among my favorite teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, here is one: "Like the butter goes into the bread, love also gets into things. Love means to love others."

Comments

Vishnu said…

I've so come to appreciate and honor the Sikh religion and have had similar experiences going to Sikh temples in the US, Swapna. There is so much devotion, love and spirit in the faith. I have always thought I wanted to visit Amritsar but after this review, I am definitely going to go there. I hope to find it as spiritually engaging and filled with love as you did.

January 30, 2015 at 5:29 AM

Swapna Raghu Sanand said…

@Vishnu: Good to hear you had a positive, energizing experience in Sikh temples, Vishnu. Do visit the Golden Temple and share your thoughts on how it felt.

January 31, 2015 at 2:13 AM

Most LOVED Posts

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are auspicious for lighting at home. On Fridays, it is considered auspicious to use ghee in a silver lamp. When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. Is it ok to light diyas at night? Yes, you can light diyas at night. How to light diya in front of house? Clean the area in the front of your home, decorate with a hand drawn rangoli or traditional kolam or swastik using rice powder or any organic materials. This is symbolic of inviting Goddess Mahalakshmi to enter your home. Then, place the diya on the right side of your entrance and make sure the lamp is fille...

Why chant Ramayana during the month of Karkidakam

For Keralites across the world who follow the Malayalam calendar, today marks the beginning of the month of Karkidakam. This month, which, decades ago, was known and slightly feared for its torrential rains and negative impact on the health, wealth and well being of Kerala's rural community. [Read: Power of Hanuman's Bhakti ] Why chant Ramayana during Karkidakam To ward off the negative energy unleashed by Nature and its possible repercussions on one's family's overall well being, the wise elders introduced the timeless tradition of every family reading the Ramayana as an oral, spiritual tradition. Thus, it goes without saying that for Keralites who embrace these traditions, the act of reading the Ramayana is as much a spiritual cleansing as it is a kind of tradition they can pass on to bond with their loved family members, particularly children. [READ: Why Malayalis Light The Nilavilakku] In the Ramayana, there is no 'preaching of principles' but yo...

Does something bad happen if the diya goes off?

Is it bad if a diya goes off? This is a frequently asked question among people who light the evening lamp or diya regularly in their puja room. Cultivating the attitude 'Everything is Divine Prasad', which embodies Prasada Bhakti , is a good way to minimise negative thoughts with regard to one's way of worship. When we light the lamp in our homes, imagine you are sending out divine love to the world. When you burn the incense stick, imagine you are burning away all negative karma within each family member and offering it before your Ishta Devata. [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ] [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] What Happens When A Diya Goes Off? Many consider it as a 'bad omen'. For a devotee who worships Ishta Devata, everything represents Divine Gra...

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences. [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste. You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being bor...

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? How to properly light a diya? Should diya face god or us? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. The lamp or the diya always faced the deity or Ishta Devata. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. [ Let's Connect on Facebook ] As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes whi...

Petals!

Search This Blog