Guru Angad

Early life:

Guru Angad (31 March 1504--29 March 1552) was born with the birth name of Lahna (also spelled as Lehna) in the village of Matte-di-Sarai in Firozpur district of Punjab, India. He was the son of a Hindu trader named Pheru Mal. His mother's name was Mata Ramo (also known as Mata Sabhirai, Mansa Devi and Daya Kaur).

Bhai Lahna was married to a Khatri girl named Mata Khivi in January 1520. They had two sons, Datu (b. 1535) and Dasu (b. 1542), and two daughters, Amro (b. 1526) and Anokhi (b. 1535). The entire family of his father left their ancestral village due to the fear of the invasion of Babur's armies, and shifted to Khadur Sahib, a village by the side of River Beas near Tarn Taran, Punjab.

Before becoming a disciple of Guru Nanak, Bhai Lahna and his entire family were staunch worshipper of Hindu goddess Durga. In one of his pilgrimages to worship the deity of goddess Durga, he happened to pass by the settlement of Kartarpur Sahib, where by a stroke of destiny he met Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.

Guru Nanak as the teacher and ‘Guru’ of Bhai Lahna:

Bhai Lahna was greatly impressed by the philosophy of Guru Nanak to stop all blind faith; following of empty rituals and idol worship, as advocated by the Hindus.

It was due to the idol worship of different gods and following of empty rituals that Hindus are divided, and Mughal rulers easily conquered and ruled India for many centuries.

Guru Nanak ji started Sikhism as a monotheistic religion to worship ‘One God… as Wahe Guru…Ek Omkar..Satnam;’ and abolished idol worship, and eradicated the caste system.

Guru Nanak initiated Lahna into the tradition of the Sikh religion, with absolute faith in ‘One Creator… Omkar,’ as the true God.

Guru Nanak ji was an enlightened saint and had a thorough knowledge of the ancient Sanatana Dharma scriptures like the Ramayana, Mahabharta, Bhagavad Gita, Puranas and the Upanishads.

He discussed different aspects of these scriptures with his Hindu bhagats, during his travels in India, Sri Lanka; and to Mecca and Medina.

Thereafter, Bhai Lahna remained at Kartarpur for seven years while serving his newfound spiritual master and Guru, where he learnt the different scriptures under the guidance of Guru Nanak Dev ji.

Selection as the successor:

Bhai Lahna was chosen by Guru Nanak in preference over his own sons, as the choice of his successor to take his mission forward as a new religion.

In the book: History of the Sikhs, Vol 1 (pages 112 and 113) by Dr. Hari Ram Gupta, Guru Nanak said to Bhai Lahna, “None of my Sikhs have such faith and confidence in me as you have, and therefore I love thee most of all. You are verily ‘Angad’ a part of my body.

Another aspect, Guru Nanak chose this name, was due to the fact that ‘Angad’ was a trusted follower of Lord Sri Rama in the epic Ramayana.”

Lord Sri Rama had sent Angad to Ravana to make amends and return Sita (wife of Sri Rama), but it was of no avail. Thereafter, Angad planted his foot on the ground and challenged all the mighty warriors in the Ravana’s court to lift his foot, if they had the power to do so.

None of the warriors of Ravana could lift Angad’s foot. It was the miracle of chanting the name of Lord Rama.

Bhai Lahna was selected as the successor of Guru Nanak on 14 June 1539, but his formal installation ceremony occurred later that year on 7 September 1539. Nanak touched him and renamed him Angad, as his successor and the ‘Second Sikh Guru’ on 7 September 1539.

After Guru Nanak’s death on 22 September 1539; Guru Angad was unable to bear the separation from Guru Nanak, and retired into a room in a disciple's house in a state of Vairagya, away from the glare of the worldly matters. Baba Buddha later discovered him after a long search, and requested him to resume his responsibilities, as the ‘Second Sikh Guru.’

Post succession, at one point, very few Sikhs accepted Guru Angad as their leader while the sons of Guru Nanak claimed to be the real successors. Guru Angad focused on the teachings of Guru Nanak, and his scholarly work to compile the hymns and Gurbani shabads of Guru Nanak, as well as write his own Gurbani shabads.

Carrying forward the mission of ‘Guru Nanak’ by Guru Angad:

Guru Angad, with his sharp intellect and mind had quickly grasped the essence of the Vedas, Puranas and the Upanishads from Guru Nanak.

Guru Angad knew that he had a huge responsibility to take forward the mission of Guru Nanak, which was God-ordained.

During his enlightenment phase, Guru Nanak had travelled back in time, as in a backward ‘time-machine,’ when the earth and creation did not exist. There was just one ‘Nirakar’ God in the beginning before the Creation of the Universe and mankind.

Guru Nanak Dev ji gave the definition of ‘One creator God’ in his Gurbani shabads in ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib,’ to state that God is unborn…Ajooni… a Sanskrit word…(not born in a womb); and Sat…True …in all ages …and will be true in future generations also.

Guru Nanak Dev ji stated that God is formless, with no colour, no shape or form. God is… ajooni …unborn….and has no death… and hence is eternal. Therefore, idol worship of different gods was not permitted by Guru Nanak Dev ji.

It is explained in Bhagavad Gita by Sri Krishna that God took the form of different avatars or human incarnations, but they were subject to birth and death. The aim was to give the knowledge and teachings to the world to live a purposeful life and transmit the message of God to the mankind.

Different avatars of Lord Sri Vishnu are stated in Gurbani shabads in ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.’

Sri Krishna said to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita:

Though I am unborn and of imperishable cosmic Spirit and the dwelling soul in all living beings, yet I manifest as a human incarnation, by presiding over My own Maya (Prakriti). (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4 Verse 6)

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्।
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया।। (4:6)

Transliteration:---ajah:--unborn; api:--also; san:--being; avyayatma: imperishable nature; bhutanam:--of beings; eshvarah:--the Lord; api:--also; san:--being; prakartim:--nature; svam:--my own; adhishthaya:--ruling; sambhavamy:--come into being; atma-mayaya:--by my own maya.

Bhagavad Gita is a universal scripture which was given before the beginning of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Sikhism. The holy book does not mention any specific religion as these religions did not exist at that time. It is meant for the entire humanity, to reveal what is righteous for the mankind, and give an easy path to attain union with God.

The holy book of Bhagavad Gita does not any have any religious connotations, as it is understood in today’s world; and the book can be read by anyone irrespective of any caste, religion or creed.

Aad Sach, Jugaad Sach, Hai Bhee Sach, Naanak Hosee Bhee Sach. This mantra is translated as, “True in the beginning of our universe, True throughout the ages, True even now in today’s world, Nanak says…Truth of God shall ever be in the future generations also for eternity.”

Guru Angad recorded his Gurbani shabads in Sri Guru Granth Sahib after the death of Guru Nanak stating, “Die before the one whom you love, to live after he dies is to live a worthless life in this world.”

Guru Angad later left Kartarpur for the village of Khadur Sahib (near Goindwal Sahib). Post succession, Guru Angad focused on the teachings of Guru Nanak, and building the Sikh community through charitable and selfless works such as the langar.

History of mankind extends to many thousands of years ago as the ancient civilisation. Christianity started just 2000 years ago, and Islam started only 1400 years ago. Bhagavad Gita was declared to the humanity more than 5200 years ago in Dvapara Yuga.

As per the worldwide population now, Christianity stands at number one position, and Islam at number two position; and all other religions have been relegated to lower positions as per the numbers worldwide. How did that happen until and unless there were large scale religious conversions from the ancient race of Sanatana Dharma?

Where is the eternal abode of the Supreme God…Ek Omkar…Satnam… according to Bhagavad Gita?

I quote here a short excerpt from my book ‘Word of God Bhagavad Gita.’

न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः।
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम।। (15:6)

That which neither the Sun, nor the Moon, nor the fire can illumine, that is My Supreme abode. The Self-realized sages, after having reached My eternal abode, do not again return back to this mortal world of suffering. (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 15 Verse 6)

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति।। (15:7)

A small portion of My eternal Spirit having become the (Jiva) Soul in this world sustains all beings of the world. The Self-soul attracts to itself the five senses with the mind as the sixth, while abiding in Prakriti. (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 15 Verse 7)

What did Guru Nanak ji state after his enlightenment on the initial creation of the Universe? Before the Creation of the Universe by the God (One Creator…Satnam…Ek Omkar), there was utter darkness and there were no human beings. Shabads of Guru Nanak ji and Bhagavad Gita are in consonance and agreement in everything.

….ਅਰਬਦ ਨਰਬਦ ਧੁੰਧੂਕਾਰਾ ...Before the start of creation, for endless eons (billions of years back), there was only utter darkness,… ਧਰਣਿ ਨ ਗਗਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥ There was no earth or sky; there was only the infinite Command of His Hukam.

In Bhagavad Gita Sri Krishna states: ‘That which neither the Sun, nor the Moon, nor the fire can illumine, that is My Supreme abode.’ The existence of Sun, moon and the fire is only in the Solar system.

The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun, and the objects that orbit it, and was formed about 4.6 billion years ago.

The entire Universe is very huge, and beyond the reach of the scientific studies. Many planets orbit stars other than our Sun. As of 2023, NASA's exoplanet catalogue lists over 5,500 confirmed exoplanets.

Achievements of Guru Angad:

Guru Angad formalised and standardised the Gurmukhi alphabets for the Sikh holy Granth. He started the process of gathering Guru Nanak’s hymns and wrote 63 shabads of his own, which are incorporated in ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji’.

He selected his student Amar Das to succeed him as the third Guru of Sikhism, instead of his own sons, on the basis of merit.

He gave a further momentum to the tradition of langar service started by Guru Nanak, and did selfless service for all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

Gurbani shabads of Guru Angad Dev ji in ‘ Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji’:

It is not possible to give here English translation of all the Gurbani shabads of Guru Angad ji, as this article will become too long. My English translation of the ‘shabads’ from the original Gurbani, has a different slant and hue and is more elaborate, for the sake of clarity and accurate meaning.

I give here just a selected sample of Guru Angad’s Gurbani shabads in ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.’

Guru Angad used the word ‘Nanak’ in his shabads to attribute credit to his Guru, who was the founder of the Sikh religion.

ਤੂੰ ਆਪੇ ਖੇਲ ਕਰਹਿ ਸਭਿ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਿਆ ਦੂਜਾ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥

तूं आपे खेल करहि सभि करते किआ दूजा आखि वखाणीऐ ॥

Toonn aape khel karahi sabhi karate kiaa doojaa aakhi vakhaa(nn)eeai ||

You Yourself enact the entire play, O Creator. Why should we speak of any other?

(English translation on the internet)

My translation:

You (God)…as one Creator…One Omkar…Akal purakh… enact the entire play of life and is the doer of everything. Why should we talk of other forces?

Guru Angad Dev ji / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 138

ਜਿਚਰੁ ਤੇਰੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਤਿਚਰੁ ਜੋਤੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਤੂੰ ਬੋਲਹਿ ਵਿਣੁ ਜੋਤੀ ਕੋਈ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਰਿਹੁ ਦਿਖਾ ਸਿਆਣੀਐ ॥

जिचरु तेरी जोति तिचरु जोती विचि तूं बोलहि विणु जोती कोई किछु करिहु दिखा सिआणीऐ ॥

Jicharu teree joti ticharu jotee vichi toonn bolahi vi(nn)u jotee koee kichhu karihu dikhaa siaa(nn)eeai ||

As long as Your Light is within the body, You speak through that Light. Without Your Light, who can do anything? Show me any such cleverness! (Other translations)

Remarks: The word cleverness does not fit here, nor it is stated in the Gurumukhi shabad.

My translation:

O Lord…God! All living beings act and speak as long as ‘Your Light of Self-soul’ dwells within their physical body. Show me any creature who can act and perform any deed without ‘Thy Light of Self-soul?’

Guru Angad Dev ji / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 138

Comments/Teeka: Human physical body is declared dead when the self-soul departs from the body. Therefore, there is no question of performing any acts or deeds when the body is dead.

ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਦਰੀ ਆਇਆ ਹਰਿ ਇਕੋ ਸੁਘੜੁ ਸੁਜਾਣੀਐ ॥੨॥

नानक गुरमुखि नदरी आइआ हरि इको सुघड़ु सुजाणीऐ ॥२॥

Naanak guramukhi nadaree aaiaa hari iko sugha(rr)u sujaa(nn)eeai ||2||

O Nanak, the Lord alone is Perfect and All-knowing; He is revealed to the Gurmukh. ||2||

(Translation on the internet)

Remarks: God is not revealed just by understanding that ‘Lord Hari’ is all-knowing and present everywhere. The word ‘reveal’ is not suitable here.

My translation:

O Nanak! Only the Lord (Hari) is All-knowing (omniscient) and Omnipresent. The wise Gurmukh knows that.

Guru Angad Dev ji /Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 138

ਵਾਟ ਨ ਕਰਈ ਮਾਮਲਾ ਜਾਣੈ ਮਿਹਮਾਣੁ ॥

वाट न करई मामला जाणै मिहमाणु ॥

Vaat na karaee maamalaa jaa(nn)ai mihamaa(nn)u ||

My translation:

Do not get entangled in worldly affairs of others, which do not have any relevance to you. Remember all living beings are like guests on this earth planet for a limited time-period of time, and everybody has to cross-over to the other side, to another plane of existence.

ਮੂਲੁ ਜਾਣਿ ਗਲਾ ਕਰੇ ਹਾਣਿ ਲਾਏ ਹਾਣੁ ॥

मूलु जाणि गला करे हाणि लाए हाणु ॥

Moolu jaa(nn)i galaa kare haa(nn)i laae haa(nn)u ||

Speak with those who know the Primal Lord, and renounce your evil ways.

(Translation on the internet)…renouncing evil ways is not stated in Gurumukhi shabad.

My translation:

Have association (satsangh) with those who sing the praises of the Lord. Others will only cause harm and ruin.

Guru Angad Dev ji / Guru Granth Sahib ji - Ang 148