A scientific perspective of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's teachings
The Sikh religion was founded by Guru Nanak Dev ji during fifteen century in India. Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in 1469 at Rai Bhoi Ki Talwandi in the district of Lahore (Present day Nankana Sahib, Pakistan). Guru Nanak Dev ji was a great philosopher, social reformer and a great visionary .Guru Nanak Dev ji came up with the truth, teachings and compositions when it was a taboo. Guru Nanak Dev ji took four long journeys in all the directions in over two decades, to Tibet in the north, to Sri Lanka in the south, Saudi Arabia in the west and Bangladesh in the east. He undertook journeys to bring in a change and moved from place to place enlightening the people about the truth of universe and human life. His teachings can be found in the holy scripture of the Sikhs called Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), a vast collection of verses recorded in Gurmukhi. The Sikh philosophy present in Sri Guru Granth Sahib is unique in its explanation.
Although, we have always thought about him only from religious point of view, but if we read his compositions from scientific point of view, it gives a lot of information regarding cosmology and of other branches of science. Guru Nanak Dev ji had not only a great vision but also a very scientific, systematic and analytic mind. His approach to the study of universe was perceptive and scientific. Guru Nanak Dev ji answered scientific questions that scientists are now agreeing to.
According to Big Bang theory, the most accepted theory for creation of universe, for billions of years, there was nothing but utter darkness. Then after the Big Bang, there were said to be innumerable planets, solar systems and galaxies in our universe. The explosion from zero volume at zero time created the space and time by converting matter into energy and vice versa. According to Hubble, Universe is expanding and the distance between distant galaxies is increasing with time.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji had already said in his compositions (SGGS: p. 3, 9, 157, 176, 469, 930, 1035) that for countless ages, there was utter darkness. Time originated from the sun. The Lord Himself was in a state of nothingness from where He came into existence himself. Before creation, God existed all alone as Nirgun form (energy i.e. without material properties) and then got transformed into Sargun form (Matter). He went on creating the entire nature from nothingness. There are millions and billions of stars, solar systems and galaxies in the universe and it is almost impossible and beyond human reason to account for the whole system. There is no limit, no end. The spread of the universe is limitless. No one knows how much the spread of universe is. No one knows its end. The entire universe is on the move. It moves thousands of miles without an end. God, nature and man are integrally bound to each other. Guru Nanak Dev ji gave equal importance to water, air and earth as these are building blocks of human life.
In Guru Granth Sahib, we find Guru Nanak’s compositions, 974 shabads composed in 19 ragas. Guru Nanak Dev ji always talked and used the word “He” i.e. ‘God’ (Creator of Universe) in his compositions. He described God in Mulmantar.
There is one God,
Eternal truth is His name,
Creator of all things and the all-pervading spirit.
Fearless and without hatred,
Timeless and formless.
Beyond birth and death, Self-created.
By the grace of the Guru he is known.
Guru Nanak Dev ji described the universe in the opening stanzas of the Aarti, written at Jagannath Puri.
“The sky is the prayer-platter, the sun and the moon are the lamps, the stars and the constellations are the pearls and jewels.”
According to Modern science, universe is created by certain laws of Physics/Nature like Law of Gravitation and various conservation laws. But still there is a question, where do these laws come from? Instead of ‘God’ or ‘He’, scientists used the word ‘Nature’. Scientists believed that Nature wants symmetry and everything in this universe follows certain laws of Nature.
Guru Nanak Dev ji was one of the greatest social, political and religious innovator. He is also known for his social, political and spiritual beliefs. The founder of Sikhism set out to give a message of universal unity. Guru Nanak came out strongly against all artificially created divisions and all discrimination, both in word and deed. All the living creatures in this universe are equal and created by one God. To remove discriminations, Guru Nanak Dev ji gave the concept of Sangat and Pangat. Everyone is welcome in Sangat and Pangat. The people who joined the Sangat were made to sit together and discuss the teachings and compositions. In Pangat, everyone sits down together in a row for the Langar (free meal given to all regardless of caste or religion as a gesture of equality), regardless of who is coming from which caste. Also there are three basic principles of Sikhism formalized by Guru Nanak Dev ji, Naam japna (mediatate and recite the name of lord, feel his divine presence in everything and everyone), Kirat Karna (earn your livelihood through hard work and by honest means), Vand Chakna (to selflessly serve and share with others especially with those less fortunate than yourself). In Sikh religion, there is no place for any false rituals, myths, and dogma. Guru Nanak Dev ji gave more importance to Word or Shabad. In an indirect way, this indicates towards education of human beings. If human beings do proper research, only then they will get enlightenment.
Jaswinder Singh (Lect. In Physics)
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