The Ten Gurus & Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee came to earth to liberate humanity.

Bhai Gurdas Jee teaches us:

ਸੁਣੀ ਪੁਕਾਰਿ ਦਾਤਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ
ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਗ ਮਾਹਿ ਪਠਾਇਆ।

“The benefactor Lord listened to the cries (of humanity) and sent Guru Nanak to this world.”

The world was drowning in sin; people were crying out for someone to clear the path of liberation for them. Bhai Gurdas Jee further states in the same Pauri (verse):

ਕਲਿਜੁਗੁ ਬਾਬੇ ਤਾਰਿਆ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪੜ੍ਹਿ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੁ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ।
‘Baba Nanak liberated this dark age (kaljug) and recited the mantra of satnaam (true name of God) for one and all.’

ਕਲਿ ਤਾਰਣਿ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਇਆ ॥੨੩॥
‘Guru Nanak came to redeem kaljug.’

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee spent their initial years in what was then called Rai Bhoi Dee Talwandi (which was later named Nanakana Sahib after Maharaj). Their childhood was spent here and many Gurdwaras mark the history of their miracles and teachings as a child. Their father, Baba Mehta Kalyan Chand Jee, was an octoroon or what we call a patvari in Punjabi, which is a person in charge of land registry. He was well to do and wanted his son to also enter such a field and make a good living. But Maharaj had come to liberate the world spiritually and not be distracted by worldly tasks - the early history of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee also reflects this in the relationship with Their father.

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee moved to Sultanpur Lodhi to fulfil the wishes of his father and ran a governmental store/shop there. Maharaj also married and lived in Sultanpur Lodhi with their family. It was here at Sultanpur Lodhi that Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee disappeared in the stream and went to Sachkand (the highest spiritual realm) to converse with the Almighty there. Upon His return, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee relinquished all worldly pursuits and now only engaged in acts of liberating mankind from the cycle of births and deaths.

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee then made four ‘udasis’ – these were trips across the globe and other planets and realms, where they taught one and all the true path of devotion. They were not on a mission of conversion but rather on a mission of liberating people of all faiths and denominations. They shone light where there was confusion, spreading their enlightenment and infusing it into others. Hence, across the globe many faiths and people still today believe in Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee even if they may have dialectical differences in the way they pronounce ‘Nanak’ or spell it. Research continues to uncover more and more locations of sites where Guru Jee visited: the truth is, we will never be able to fathom the true expanse of the extraordinary Guru.

Guru Jee settled at Kartarpur after their four udasis, which today is in Narowal, Punjab and Pakistan. Here, Guru Sahib spent their final years and anointed Bhai Lehna as the next Guru, naming Him as Sri Guru Angad Dev Jee.

We use the term ਪਾਤਸ਼ਾਹ/Paathshah to refer to the Sikh Gurus. It can be translated to mean ‘Eternal king of both this physical realm and spiritual realm.’ We will use the term eternal King to make reference to the Gurus from hereon.

Further Learning on Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee

Gurbani of Sri Guru Nanak
Read Guru Sahib’s Gurbani and study the meanings.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Sateek – First Pothi by Damdami Taksal, which includes Sri Japji Sahib, Rehras Shabads and Kirtan Sohila. Available from all good bookstores.

History books on Sri Guru Nanak

Dharam Pothia 1 & 2 authored by Bhai Gurdeyal Singh of Damdami Taksal have the brief history of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee, to read the Punjabi versions please click here
Dharam Pothi 1 Click Here
Dharam Pothi 2 Click Here

Both Dharam Pothis 1 & 2 have been translated into English by Akaal Publishers and can be purchased here, the books are called ‘The Great Guru Nanak Vol.1’ and ‘The Great Guru Nanak Vol.2’
https://akaalpublishers.com/product/the-great-guru-nanak/ 
https://akaalpublishers.com/product/the-great-guru-nanak-vol-2/ 

Bhai Bala Puratan Janam Sakhi – this is the oldest source of history on Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee written by the Gursikh Bhai Bala Jee. Many versions now exist so authenticity of the source is raised by some but Damdami Taksal believe in the existence of Bhai Bala Jee and the use of this historical source, even if an authentic version cannot be found. Here is a link to a version of this source http://www.panjabdigilib.org/webuser/searches/displayPageContent.jsp?ID=2130&CategoryID=1&Searched=W3GX 

Sri Nanak Parkash by Bhai Santokh Singh (the great poet), this is based on Bhai Bala’s Janam Sakhi but any objectionable material was omitted and the history was re-written in prose. You can access the pdf here - http://www.ik13.com/PDFS/Sri_Nanak_Parkash_1.pdf 
An English translation, which was started online but not completed, can be accessed here - http://sikhscriptures2english.blogspot.com/p/first-chapteradyai.html

If you want to buy a translation in book form please click here: https://www.bhaigurdastrust.com/sri-nanak-prakash