Indian Sikh Holy Figure: Guru Nanak

This Indian Sikh poster shows a portrait of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh religion.

Nanak Dev Ji was born in what is now Pakistan in 1469. In the 1480s, Guru Nanak founded the Sikh religion in what is now the Punjab region of Pakistan. When he was in his early 30s, Nanak was recognized as a guru, an inspired teacher of religious truth, and, as such, gathered disciples.

Nanak preached that God is "supreme, all powerful and truthful, formless, fearless, without hate, the sole, the self-existent, the incomprehensible, everlasting creator of all things, and the eternal and absolute truth," making Sikhism a monotheistic religion. He taught that all humans were equal in God's eyes and can have direct access to God without rituals or priests. Sikhism combines Hindu and Muslim influences.

His teachings were expressed through devotional hymns. Guru Nanak wrote 974 spiritual hymns during his lifetime. Before his death in 1539, he selected the next of a series of nine human gurus as a divine messenger.

Nine successive Gurus shaped the religion. Sikhs follow the teaching of the ten Sikh Gurus and look to their holy book for spiritual guidance. The holy book is called the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib contains writings by Sikh Gurus and teachers of other faiths. The three mandates of Sikhism are: meditate on God, earn an honest living, and share and care.


Source:
https://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Guru_Nanak