Many many men have lived on this earth. We remember some of them, but many of them we don't remember at all. Great men give us great thoughts, so we remember them. We are always happy when Christmas comes. On Christmas Day a great man was born. He was Jesus Christ. The Sikhs have another 'Christmas Day.' It comes in October/November every year. They call it GURPURB. It is the day when another great man was born. His name was Nanak. The Sikhs call him Guru. A Guru is the wisest man, who loves everyone and tell us about God.

Guru Nanak was born about 527 years ago (in 1469 A.D.) in a small village named Talwandi. The village is now called Nanakana Sahib after the Guru and is now in Pakistan. Nanakana means Nanak's village. The Guru's father Mr. Kalu was an officer and was known far and near. He was a kind man and everybody loved him. His mother was Tripta Devi. She lived a simple life and was very kind to the poor. She always remembered God.

Guru Nanak was the second child in the family. The first child in the family was his sister Bibi Nanaki. On the day of the Guru's birth, she was at home with her father. When the child was born the nurse, named Daultan, came running to tell the news. She looked sad and frightened.

"What is the matter Daultan? Why are you so sad?" asked Mr Kalu.

"0 sir, I am not sad, I am pleased to tell you that you have got a very handsome son in your family" replied Daultan.

"But you do look sad Daultan. What's wrong with the child?" asked Mr Kalu once again.
"Nothing's wrong with the child sir, but I have seen something very strange I never saw before," said Daultan.

"What's that? Mr Kalu in surprise. He looked upset too.

"Children cry when they are born, sir," said Daultan. "But this child did not cry. He simply smiled."
"There must be something wrong with the child then," said the father. "What should I do ?"

"How should I know sir? I have never seen this happen before. But the most wonderful thing is the light," said Daultan, looking all the more surprised.
"Light? What light?" asked Mr. Kalu.
Daultan said, "I don't know whether it is good or bad sir, but I saw a dazzling light when the child was born. The light shone round his head like a star."

Mr. Kalu was worried, so he ran to Mr. Hardyal. Hardyal was a Brahman. At once he came with Mr. Kalu to see the strange child. He asked Daultan many questions and also saw the child. He thought for a time and then said, "Mr Kalu, you are very lucky to have this child. When he grows up, he will be a great man. He may be a king or a Guru."

"What is the matter Daultan? Why are you so sad?" asked Mr Kalu.
On hearing these words Bibi Nanaki was very pleased and she said, "I am sure, father, he won't be a king."
"Keep quiet Nanaki," said the father, "Don't you want to see your brother a king?"
"I would love to," said Nanaki. "But father, believe it or not, my dear little brother will never be a king. He will be a Guru. He will love everybody and give great ideas to the world. He will be a friend to all. People will remember him for a very long time. They will call him the Guru."
Mr. Kalu, Hardyal and Daultan were all amazed at Nanaki's words.
Bibi Nanaki's words came true.

The child grew up to be a very wise man. We still remember him. We still enjoy his great thoughts. This great man taught us to love everybody, black or white, rich or poor, man or woman. He said. "God is one, and we are all His children. So we are brothers and sisters in one family. God is our father. He loves us only if we love one another. If we do not love one another, our father God, is not pleased with us." Let us all try to do what this great man has asked us to do. Let us play, sing, eat and dance together. Let us love one another as much as we can.

"Come, 0 Sisters, let us embrace as friends. Let us relate our stories and talk about God." - Guru Nanak

When Guru Nanak was seven years old, he was sent to a school. He liked to read, write and think. Very soon he learnt a lot and surprised his teacher. But more than his books he liked to sit down and think about God. He would sit down, close his eyes. and say nothing. His friends also joined him. The teacher liked them to read books but they had only God on their lips. The teacher told this to the Guru's father. He thought that the Guru did not like going to school. So he did not send him to school any more. The Guru was happy. He had now made friends with many boys and all of them sang hymns in the streets.

One day his father thought that Nanak was making friends with bad boys. He wanted him to know about Hindu books and read them. So he called a Brahman to his house. A Brahman is a Hindu teacher. He keeps Hindu books and teaches people how to read them. Before he teaches anything, he puts a thread around the neck of the boys. He thinks that the thread makes them good boys. He made a thread for Guru Nanak also. Then he said something in a low voice which Guru Nanak could not understand. After that he took up the thread and tried to put it round the Guru's neck.

The Guru said, "Please wait. Let me first try to understand why you want to put this thread around my neck."

"It will make you a good boy. God will love you and you will become a good Hindu," said the Brahman.

"How can a thread make me a good boy? How can God love me if I don't do good? How can I become a good Hindu by only putting on a thread?" asked the Guru.

"You are a child," said the Brahman. "There are many things you don't understand. Put it on. God will see this thread when you think of Him. He will love you," said the Brahman.

"But this thread will break off after my bath. How then will God find it on my body?" asked the Guru once more.

The Brahman and all the people were surprised. Nobody could answer the Guru's questions. So everybody was silent.

After some time the Guru again asked the Brahman a question. "Can you tell, Sir, why should I be a Hindu at all? Is it not good to be a man?"

The Brahman and the Guru's father were very angry. They did not like the Guru's questions. They thought that the Guru did not want to be wise. So the Guru's father asked him to be a cow- herd.

Guru Nanak agreed. Everyday he took the cattle out into the fields. The cattle liked the green grass but the Guru liked to think about God. He would sit down under a tree and forget all about the cattle.

One day the Guru thought about God for a very long time. He was tired. So he fell asleep under a tree. The cattle went into a cornfield. They ate up a lot of corn and all the plants were destroyed. The Guru did not know this and was still sleeping when the farmer came up. He was very angry to see his crops eaten up. He took the cattle away and told the police.

The police went to tell the Guru's father. Many people went with them. The police chief was Mr. Rai Bular. He took Kalu and the farmer to the fields. All the people followed them. They reached the farmer's field. The field was as green as ever and not a plant was broken. Everybody was surprised. The farmer thought it was magic. They were all wondering when Rai Bular said, "But where's the boy?"

Everybody began to look for the Guru. They sought him here, there and everywhere. But they could not find him. The sun was very hot and they were tired. So they thought of taking some rest under a tree. They were even more surprised to find the Guru sleeping there. The shade of the tree had moved round away from him but a snake was giving shade to the Guru's face.Everybody prayed for the Guru's life. They were very afraid. Their noise made the Guru wake up. The snake slipped away and the Guru got up. All came back to the village. From that day many people began to think that Nanak was 'a man of God.'

Guru Nanak was about sixteen. He loved everybody and liked to help everyone. He made friends with many boys of his age. Two of his friends were Bala and Mardana. Bala was a Hindu and Mardana was a Muslim. The three friends loved one another very much. They called one another Bhai (Brother). They always sang the Guru's hymns and played together. Mardana was a good singer and Guru loved him very much. But the Guru's father did not like the Guru's friend Mardana because he was a Muslim. He did not like to see Nanak playing with a Muslim boy. But the Guru always said, "There's no Hindu and no Muslim. We are all brothers."

The Guru's father was all the more angry with him because he always gave away his clothes, books, shoes and money to the poor boys. He even gave away his food to the hungry people. He always liked to listen to the wise men and saints. Sometimes he prayed to God with his friends for long periods of time and was late for home. His sister, Nanaki was very kind to him but his father and mother were unhappy. They were thinking of finding some work for the Guru.

At last one day the Guru's father found work for the Guru. He gave him twenty rupees. It was a great sum of money in those days. He asked him to go to some city and do some trading. When we buy things for less money and sell them for more money we call it trade. The Guru agreed. His father was very happy. He thought that Nanak would learn the trade and become a rich man. He would have beautiful clothes, a good house, rich food to eat and a number of servants.

The Guru and his friends Bala and Mardana set out on their journey. They had to travel on foot. They went from village to village. In every village they asked the people to live like brothers. They asked them to think of God and help one another. After a few days they reached a jungle where they saw about twenty good men. They were saints who were praying to God. But almost all of them looked very thin and weak. The Guru and his friends stayed to talk with them. They prayed together and talked a lot. The Guru came to know that all the saints were hungry. They needed food but they had no money. The saints did not ask for food but the Guru did not like to see them hungry.

At once he put his hand in his pocket. He could feel the
hard coins. He began to think about the hungry people and about trading.

He thought for some time. He remembered what he had told the villagers to do. "Help all, love all," he cried in a loud voice. Hie friends looked at him in surprise, but the Guru said, "Dear friends, what other trade can be better than helping these hungry men? Let us go and buy food with this money for our hungry brothers." So the three friends went back to the nearest town. They bought food and milk. Then they brought it to the jungle and served it to the hungry men. The saints enjoyed the food very much. They thanked the Guru a lot.

Now the Guru had no money in his pocket. He could not trade without money. So he and his friends went back to their village. The Guru's father was very happy to see his son back. He thought Nanak had made a lot of money by trade. He called him to his side and asked, "Did you do any trade ?

"Yes father, I did the best trade I could," replied Nanak. "How much money did you earn?" asked his father. "Not a penny," answered the Guru. His father was very angry and surprised at these words.

"Don't be a fool. Tell me, what did you do with the money?" said his father, red with anger.
"I spent the money to feed twenty hungry men. What other trade can be better than this, dear father?" said the Guru.

The Guru's father was so angry that he slapped the Guru very hard. The Guru only said, "Father, you don't know what God wants me to do." Once again the Guru's father was left thinking about his son.

Guru Nanak was always thinking about God. Neither looking after cattle nor trade interested him much. So his father was very sad. He thought of his marriage, so Nanak was married when he was 18 years old. A large number of friends and relatives were present and there were grand feasts. Everybody was happy there. Nanak's father and mother were very happy to have their daughter-in-law in the house.

Nanak and his wife lived together. They were happy. After some years they had two sons. Guru Nanak used to spend most of his time in thinking about God and helping the poor. His father thought him idle and was not happy at all. So he made a plan to send Nanak to Sultanpur.

Nanak's only sister, Bibi Nanaki, lived there. Her husband was an officer. Nanaki was very happy to see her brother at Sultanpur. After some time Nanak started work as a store keeper. He worked hard. Everybody liked him. The common people loved him. His family also joined him there. Everything looked fine and his father was happy.
Guru Nanak would spend his mornings and evenings in singing hymns. Both the Hindus and the Muslims came to him. They liked his teaching.

Nanak would get up early in the morning, go out to bathe in the river and pray to God. One day he went out to bathe in the river as usual. He did not come back. His friends went out to find him. Everybody in the house was upset. They couldn't find him anywhere.

Another day passed but still Nanak had not come back. Some people thought he must have drowned in the river. So nothing could be done. But Nanak's sister could not believe that. She was sure Nanak would come back because he still had a lot to do for all men on this earth.

At last, after three days, Guru Nanak appeared. He was sitting outside on the village common. Everybody was surprised and people ran to see him. Nanak sat alone. He was very quiet.

Nanak's wife, his parents and friends were very happy. Their eyes were wet with tears of joy. Soon there was a big crowd of people. An old man came out and asked, "Where have you been all these days, Nanak?"
"Nowhere. Here. I was with God. Now I have to do a lot of work," said Guru Nanak.

"A lot of work! For whom? For the Hindus or the Muslims?" asked the man.
"For none of them. There is no Hindu and no Muslim," replied Nanak.

"What! No Hindu and no Musalman? Aren't we Muslims? We say our Namaz (Prayer) five time a day don't we?" asked the old man angrily.

"I am afraid you are wrong. You think yourselves as Hindus and Muslims first and last. You forget that you are men first and something else. We are the sons of the one GOD. We are all brothers. So there is no Hindu and no Muslim," said Nanak.

"If you think so, are you ready to join us for prayer in the Mosque?" asked the man.
"Yes, gladly. I am always ready to pray to God," replied Nanak.

So they went to the Mosque (Muslim church) and all the people went with them. In the mosque Daulat Khan, the chief of Sultanpur was also present. He was happy to see Nanak there and thought that Nanak had become a Muslim. The prayer started. All bowed and said words of prayer. But Nanak stood silent and only watched what they were doing.

After the prayer, Daulat Khan asked Nanak angrily, "Why did you not follow us in the prayer? You were simply standing and doing nothing."

"Ah, certainly I wanted to join the prayer but I found nobody in the mosque here," said Nanak.
"No, you are lying. Couldn't you see the crowd of people here?" said Daulat Khan.

"Certainly your bodies were here but your minds were far, far away. You were buying horses in Arabia far away from this prayer carpet. How then could I join you?" said Nanak with a smile.
Daulat Khan was surprised that Nanak could know what he was thinking at the time of prayer. Guru Nanak said, "Words alone do not make a prayer. A prayer should come right from the heart. I am always ready to join such a prayer." At this Daulat Khan bowed before the Guru and promised to offer his prayers from the heart. All the people there accepted the Guru's way.

"When a man wants to become a Hindu, they put a thread of cotton around his neck. But if, after this, his actions are not good, his bathing and washing are useless. The Muslims praise their own creed. "8elieve in the 'Pir' or you won't see God," they say. But only a few act upon the words of the 'Pir'. Their actions will speak in God's court. Without good deeds, none will find the way. Very few speak the truth of all truths. Nanak, for them, there will be no tests."
- GuruNanak

"Castes are folly, names are folly. All creatures have one shelter, that of God. If a man calls himself good, The truth shall be known 0 Nanak, When his actions are accounted tor, Under the Guru's instruction Regard all men as equal, Since God's light is contained in every heart."
- Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak was a great traveller. He walked thousands of miles on foot. He spent about thirty years of his life traveling He went to the East, the South, the North and the West. He went to Ceylon and Kashmir. His friends Bala and Mardana were also with him. They traveled for a pretty long time. They would stay for the night at some village and start next morning Guru Nanak and his friends would sing hymns and the people of the village would come to hear them.

One day Guru Nanak reached Eminabad. There lived a poor carpenter. His name was Lalo. The Guru stayed with Lalo who served him with loving care. Guru Nanak enjoyed the simple food of Bhai Lalo very much. He stayed there for some days. There was also a very rich man, Malik Bhago in that village. He wanted to make a show of his money. He gave a big feast. He invited many people to this feast. Guru Nanak was also invited. But Nanak would not go. Malik Bhago came to the Guru and said, "Why don't you come to my rich feast, 0 Nanak? Am I no better than a poor carpenter?"

"No, Malik Bhago. I see no difference between man and man. like simple food so I stayed with Bhai Lalo. If you must take me along, I am ready to go," replied Nanak.

So Guru Nanak went to the feast He took with him some simple food from Bhai Lalo's house. When the rich food was served to all, Guru Nanak also sat down among the people. Before anybody started eating, Guru Nanak stood up. He held in one hand the simple food which he had brought from the poor man's house. In the other hand he took the rich food from the feast. All the people looked at him in surprise. He squeezed the two foods. From the poor man's food came drops of milk and from the rich man's food fell drops of blood. All the people were surprised.

Malik Bhago was very angry. He felt small. He asked Guru Nanak why he had done this magic. Guru Nanak said, "This is not magic, this is the truth. A poor man's food is clean. He works hard for it. That is why milk runs out from it. Your food is not clean. You do not get it by honest work. You are unkind to the people who work for you. You squeeze their blood. That is why blood has come out of your rich food." Malik Bhago could say nothing. He bowed before the Guru and promised to be kind to the workers and to work honestly with his own hands.

"The Lord knows our needs and gives, Few there are that praise His blessings, He who thanks the Lord and in His will lives, 0 Nanak, is the King of kings." - Guru Nanak

"If it please the Lord in holy water I would bathe.
lf it pleases Him not worthless is that pilgrimage In the whole world of ours None without actions, sees the Lord." Guru Nanak

"Cruelty, false love, greed and anger are four streams of fire. They who fall into them are burnt, 0 Nanak. Only those are saved who cling to His feet." - Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak now set out to Mecca in Arabia. Mecca is the holy place of the Muslims. The Guru travelled to Surat, a small seaport near Bombay. From there, Guru Nanak and Mardana went to Arabia in a ship. After a few weeks they reached Mecca. There is a very big Mosque in Mecca. Guru Nanak and Mardana were very tired after long travels. They went to the mosque and lay down to take rest. Guru Nanak's feet were towards the Kaaba in the mosque. The Kaaba is a room in the middle of the mosque and is called, 'The house of God (Allah).'

A man named Rukandin was the priest of the Kaaba. He came out and saw Guru Nanak's feet towards the Kaba. He was very angry. He at once shouted. "Don't you know this is the house of God, you fool? Why are you lying with your feet towards the Kaaba?"
Guru Nanak woke up. He said, "0 sir, I'm sorry I didn't know it. I was tired so I just lay down and fell asleep. Could you turn my legs to the side in which there's no God?"

Rukandin at once caught hold of his legs and dragged them to the other side. He saw that the Kaaba still stood before Guru Nanak's feet. Then he gave another pull but to his great surprise, he saw the Kaaba again towards the Guru's feet. He was so upset that he could not speak.

Guru Nanak said, "Rukandin. God does not live in one place. He lives everywhere." Saying this, Guru Nanak and Mardana started singing hymns. A crowd of people gathered around them. They called Guru Nanak, 'Baba Nanak'. 'Baba' means an old and wise man.
After a few days they went to Medina and Baghdad. At Baghdad a Muslim saint Behlol met the Guru. They had a long talk and became friends. Behlol asked Baba Nanak, "What is your idea of God?"

Guru Nanak replied, "There is one God. He is True. He makes everything. He is not afraid of anyone. He is not born. He never dies. He is self-made. We need only think of Him and pray to Him."

Behlol liked the Guru's teaching very much. He travelled a lot and told the people about this idea of Guru. After some time Guru Nanak and Mardana came back to the Punjab.

Once Guru Nanak went to Hardwar. Hardwar is town in India. It is on the bank of river Ganges and is a sacred place for Hindus There was a big fair. Many people were bathing in the river They were splashing water towards the rising sun. They thought that their forefathers lived on the sun.

Guru Nanak went into the river too. He began to splash water to the other side. This was something strange for the people. They gathered round him and thought that he was a fool. The people laughed at him and asked, "Are you mad? Why are you splashing water towards the West when all the other people are throwing it towards the East?"

The Guru did not listen to them. He went on splashing the water.

An old man came to the Guru angrily. He held the Guru by the arm and said, "Don't you know which side the water is to be thrown?"

The Guru smiled and asked, "May I know why all these people are throwing the water to that side?"
"Well, they are sending the water to their forefathers on the sun. So they are throwing the water towards the East," said the old man, "Only you are foolish enough to throw water towards the West."

"Do you know how far away their forefathers live?" asked the Guru.

"Millions of miles away on the sun," was the old man's reply.

"Well," said the Guru. "My farm is at Kartarpur in the West. It did not rain this year and my crops are thirsty. I am sending the water to my crops." Saying this, the Guru began to throw water again.

The people laughed at him and said, "Your farm is in the Punjab. How can this water reach there?"

"If my water cannot travel three hundred miles from here and reach my farm," said the Guru in surprise, "How can your water reach millions of miles to the Sun?"

The old man could not find any answer. Some of the people agreed with the Guru and they said, "He is right. It is really useless to throw water to the sun if it cannot reach there."

The people came to understand their ignorance They stopped throwing the water and listened to Guru Nanak. The Guru taught them the true way of life. He told them to serve living people and not think of the dead who have left us for ever.

Dear children, you know Guru Nanak travelled far and wide. He taught the people the right ways of living. Once he was travelling through Bengal in India. Bhai Bala and Bhai Mardana were also with the Guru. They walked from village to village on foot. They were very hungry and tired. They wanted some food and rest. They could go no further so they went to a village to stay for the night. Near the village they met some people. The Guru stopped and said, "Dear sir, we are travellers. We have been walking for a long time. Now we are hungry and tired. Can you give us some food to eat and a room to sleep for the night?"

"Go away. We don't care for any traveller," replied the people very rudely.

They asked many people but everybody in the village was rude and unkind to them. They had to spend the night outside. They also went to sleep hungry.

They got up early in the morning and sang hymns They prayed to God. After the prayer Guru Nanak said, "May these people stay here in this village for ever."

They set out on their journey once again. Bhai Mardana was very upset. He was very angry with the people of the village. He did not like the Guru's blessing for the bad people. But he did not say anything.

Next day they came to another village. The people of that village were very good. They welcomed everyone who came to their village. They were very kind to Guru Nanak and his friends. They served them good food with loving care. They gave them nice beds to sleep in for the night. Next morning when they got up Guru Nanak said to his friends, "Let us pray." So they prayed to God for the good of all. After the prayer Guru Nanak said, "May the people of this village scatter."

Mardana felt very upset once again. He said to the Guru, "Lord, I cannot understand your wish. You wish the good to scatter away and the unkind to stay happily in one place. You curse the good but you bless the bad."

Guru Nanak said, "Listen to me, dear Mardana, I have not cursed the good people. I wish these good people to scatter and live in other parts of the world. Wherever they go, they will make the people good. If there are more good people, the world will be happier. The bad people of the other village are good-for- nothing. They will make other people rude and unkind wherever they go. It is therefore better if they slay in their own village."

Mardana was not upset now He was happy. The Guru's wish was clear to him. Let us be kind and gentle lo other people and please our Lord.

"If I had a hundred thousand tongues instead of one, And the hundred thousand multiplied twentyfold, A hundred thousand times, would I say, and say again, The Lord of all the people is ONE."
- Guru Nanak

"Know the truth, never speak evil of any. Never quarrel with a fool or speak ill of others. Speak so that your words win respect To speak ill is to be a fool "
- Guru Nanak

God makes everything. Each and everything born in this world adds something to it and then it dies. This is God's will. A flower makes the people happy for some time and then it dies. A tree gives shade and fruit for a longer time than a flower then we find it fallen. It is the same with all human beings. Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers have lived on this earth and died.

Guru Nanak was now seventy years old. He had travelled a lot. He had talked to millions of people. Now thousands of people were doing what he had asked them to do. So he stayed at one place and started farming. Many people came to help him. That place is called Kartarpur (God's town). Everyone in the town used to get up early in the morning, have a bath, and then sit down for prayers with the others. After that all went to the fields and worked hard. All lived like brothers, worked hard like good workers, prayed like saints and helped all who needed help. But the Guru still thought that his work was not finished. He wanted more and more people to accept his ideas. He wished to see the world as one family where all live like brothers and love one another. But he knew that he must die like everybody else in the world. So he wanted to choose a very good man who could carry on his work.

One day when he was working on his farm, he thought of how to find the right person. That day the Guru and his friends had worked hard from morning Ql till evening A heap of grass was lying in the fields. It was raining. The grass was wet and muddy. Guru Nanak called his two sons and said, "Can you carry this grass home on your heads?"

"What for? I don't think we need it at home," said the elder son.

"Also it is wet and muddy and it will spoil our fine clothes. Why don't you ask one of your Sikhs to do that for you?" said the younger son.

"The Sikh and the son are equal before me," said the Guru, "You must work as hard as anybody else."

Then the Guru looked towards his Sikhs. At once a Sikh named Lehna ran forward. He tied the grass into a bundle, put it on his head and ran to the town as fast he could. The Guru was now sure that his sons wouldn't carry on his work because they didn't like to work hard. They were too proud of being the Guru's sons.

On another day the Guru and his Sikhs were walking along a road. It was a cold winter morning. They were passing by a pool when a rupee slipped out from the Guru's hands and fell into the water. The pool was deep and the water was cold and dirty. The Guru wanted the rupee back. Nobody liked to take it out, not even the Guru's sons. Once again the Guru just looked up as if he was very sad. At once Lehna jumped into the water. He did not even take off his clothes. He brought the rupee out and they went on their way again. Lehna was wet and feeling cold but he did not say a word nor did he even thought for dry clothes. He only went on saying, "Service is my duty, service I must do."

After some time the Guru asked, "Don't you feel cold, Lehna?"

"No, I don't, my Lord. I enjoy working for you. It keeps me warm," said Lehna.
"How long do you think you will do what I ask you to do," asked Guru Nanak once again.

"As long as there's life in me, my Lord. Your word is sweet and my duty is sweeter still. I wish I could go on serving you till death," replied Lehna.

"So will it be, Lehna. You will do God's duty after me." So saying the Guru patted Lehna on the back. He gave him clean and dry clothes and they reached their village. That day, after the evening prayers, he made Lehna the Guru. He named him ANGAD (Myself). He himself bowed before Angad and asked everybody to do the same. Late that night Guru Nanak died. Angad was now the second Guru of the Sikhs.