In my recent post dated 16th May 2025, I wrote about ” Guru Nanak’s Real Sikhi “, what is it that Guru Nanak Dev Ji wanted the entire humanity to know about ? He wanted to tell us that there is only One Supreme Being (ੴ / Ik Onkar/Shabad) whom we call as God and we have direct access to it. We all know through janamsaakhis that Guru Nanak never had any human guru. Then the question arises that from where did Guru Nanak get all the wisdom ? So today through this blog, we will find answers from Guru Granth Sahib Ji. I hope anyone who reads this blog will get clarity regarding all the queries.
WHO IS THE GURU OF GURU NANAK ?
When Guru Nanak Dev Ji had a discourse with the Siddhas, they posed many questions to young Nanak (that composition can be found from Ang 938 – Ang 946). After listening patiently about the Shabad and wondering how does it carries us across the terrifying world ocean, the Siddhas further asked – (GGSJ – Ang 942)
ਕਵਣ ਮੂਲੁ ਕਵਣ ਮਤਿ ਵੇਲਾ ॥
kavan mool kavan mat velaa ||
“What is the root, the source of all? What teachings hold for these times?
ਤੇਰਾ ਕਵਣੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਜਿਸ ਕਾ ਤੂ ਚੇਲਾ ॥
teraa kavan guroo jis kaa too chelaa ||
Who is your guru? Whose disciple are you?
ਕਵਣ ਕਥਾ ਲੇ ਰਹਹੁ ਨਿਰਾਲੇ ॥
kavan kathaa le rahahu niraale ||
What is that speech, by which you remain unattached?
ਬੋਲੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸੁਣਹੁ ਤੁਮ ਬਾਲੇ ॥
bolai naanak sunahu tum baale ||
Listen to what we say, O Nanak, you little boy.
ਏਸੁ ਕਥਾ ਕਾ ਦੇਇ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥
es kathaa kaa dhei beechaar ||
Give us your opinion on what we have said.
ਭਵਜਲੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਲੰਘਾਵਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੪੩॥
bhavajal sabadh la(n)ghaavanahaar ||43||
How can the Shabad carry us across the terrifying world-ocean?””||43||
The young Nanak gave answers to the Siddhas in these words – (GGSJ – Ang 943)
ਪਵਨ ਅਰੰਭੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮਤਿ ਵੇਲਾ ॥
pavan ara(n)bh satigur mat velaa ||
From the air came the beginning. This is the age of the True Guru’s Teachings.
ਸਬਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਧੁਨਿ ਚੇਲਾ ॥
sabadh guroo surat dhun chelaa ||
The Shabad is the Guru, upon whom I lovingly focus my consciousness; I am the chaylaa, the disciple.
ਅਕਥ ਕਥਾ ਲੇ ਰਹਉ ਨਿਰਾਲਾ ॥
akath kathaa le rahau niraalaa ||
Speaking the Unspoken Speech, I remain unattached.
ਨਾਨਕ ਜੁਗਿ ਜੁਗਿ ਗੁਰ ਗੋਪਾਲਾ ॥
naanak jug jug gur gopaalaa ||
O Nanak, throughout the ages, the Lord of the World is my Guru.
ਏਕੁ ਸਬਦੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਕਥਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
ek sabadh jit kathaa veechaaree ||
I contemplate the sermon of the Shabad, the Word of the One God.
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਅਗਨਿ ਨਿਵਾਰੀ ॥੪੪॥
gurmukh haumai agan nivaaree ||44||
The Gurmukh puts out the fire of egotism. ||44||
Above mentioned pangatis from Gurbani that was a dialogue between Guru Nanak Sahib and yogis. When asked about that who is your Guru, to that Guru Nanak Dev Ji replied,- sabadh guroo surat dhun chelaa ||
What Guru Nanak Sahib ji is trying to tell us that the Shabad (ੴ / Ik Onkar/Universal Sound) is his Guru and upon that Shabad Guru or dhun, I focus my consciousness or surat, so I am a chela or the disciple of the Shabad Guru.
This Shabad (ੴ / Ik Onkar/Universal Sound) has no form but is Omnipresent, its present in me, in you, in every living and non-living being. In fact without the Shabad there is nothing at all.
SHABAD IS THE ULTIMATE REALITY
As the ancient rishi experienced and recorded that the world came into existence from a sound or dhun that was Om (ॐ). In mostly all other religions, it has been declared that a sound came out of God and then the world came into existence. That sound or the shabad or dhun is Oankar and since that is only ONE so we call it as Ik Oankar (ੴ ). This Shabad is the true guru, and when one pays attention to it, without even thinking of what benefit could I get from this, then the true guru Shabad dispels the ignorance of our minds.