Fundamental Issues Sikh Studies - Global Sikh Studies

seems certain”, says Duncan Greenlees, “that his (Guru Nanak’s) views
welled up from the deeps of inspiration in his own heart and owed
little or nothing to what he received from others, either through books
or through their words.” 85 Guru Nanakhim self vouchsafed this fact
and has himself recorded those experiences and revelations, received
directly from God himself, in his own Bani or Word Revealed, preserved
till today in its original and undefiled form, singling out his religion,
thereby, “from, most other great theological systems as regards the
authenticity of its dogmas.” 86 He has defined this as Khasam-ki-Banf
(i.e. the “Word of the Lord”) in one hymn, and Eh Bani Mahan Purakh
Ki (Le. “this word of the Supreme Being”) in another. 87
The spiritual and religious truths which Guru Nanak preached
had been revealed to him “through a direct encounter with God at
some level of consciousness” and he preached what he had been told
and taught by God himself. He conveyed only those words to the
world which God had wished him to give forth as his divine message,
as stated by him in verses such as the following:
“As the Lord’s Word descends to me So I express it, Lalo !” 88
“I have uttered only what You, O’ Lord! Have inspired me to
utter.” 89 Guru Nanak has also mentioned in another hymn that he was an
ordinary minstrel who was commissioned and blessed by God with
his service. Describing his first audience with the Supreme Being the
Guru sang aloud thus in words which read as under:
“I was an idle bard,
God assigned to me a rewarding task,
And commanded me to sing His praises night and day.
He summoned me to His Eternal Mansion,
bestowed on me the robe of holy laudation,
And feasted me on the holy Name ambrosial...
The Supreme Being is attained, say Nanak,
by laudation of the holy Eternal.” 90
As is well known to the students of comparative religion,
contents of a revealed religion are conveyed to the people by the
Supreme Being through His special messengers either by calling them
to His presence, as in the case of Moses, or by communicating His
messages to them, as in the case of Prophet Muhammad. As regards
Sikh ism, God is stated to have been pleased to use direct ways to
convey His Words, Laws and Commandments to its founder, 91 as stated
above by the first Sikh Prophet, Guru Nanak, himself in his own words.
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