Why Guru Nanak Sahib can't be enacted
(Disclaimer: This Is Not a Review movies “Char
Sahibzaade” or "Nanak Shah Fakir")
Char Sahibzade has spurred discussions and demand for
animation of Guru Sahibs on the social media. A huge majority seems to be in
favor of animation of Guru Sahibs complete with voice over and starting right
from Guru Nanak Dev Sahib ji.
Let's look at some dates from Sikh history:
Gurta Gaddi of Guru Angad Dev
Ji: 07-Sep-1539
Joti Jot of Guru Nanak Dev Ji: 22-Sep-1539
Gurta Gaddi of Guru Amar Das Ji:
29-Mar-1552
Joti Jot of Guru Angad Dev Ji: 25-Mar-1552
Gurta Gaddi of Guru Ram Das Ji: 29-Aug-1574
Joti Jot of Guru Amar Das Ji: 01-Sep-1574
Guru Nanak Dev ji were present in physical form for 15 days with Guru Angad Dev ji enthroned as Guru Sahib with nirankari jot. Did sangat worship both
physical forms during those years as Guru or only Guru Angad Dev ji? It's a known fact that Guru Nanak
Dev ji ensured that physical form of Guru Angad Dev ji only was Guru by
directing Guru Sahib to make seat at Khadoor Sahib while keeping HIS abode in
Kartarpur Sahib.
Similarly Guru Angad Dev ji (4 days), Guru Amar Das ji (2
days), Guru Ram Das ji (4 days), Guru Hargobind Sahib ji (3 days) had physical
form present days after passing of Nanak Nirankari Jot to next
Guru Sahib. Each Guru Sahib gave hukam to Sikhs to bow to the new form in which
jot of Guru Nanak Sahib had made abode. (joiq
Ehw jugiq swie sih kwieAw Pyir pltIAY ])
The fact is never did Sikh sangat doubted any Guru Sahib as
different from Guru Nanak Sahib ji. (scu
ij guir PurmwieAw ikau eydU bolhu htIAY ])
Guru Gobind Singh ji anointed Guru Granth Sahib ji as
eternal Guru and gave us hukam to believe in gurta of Guru Granth Sahib only.
For a Sikh only Guru Granth Sahib ji is Guru: ਜਾਗਦੀ ਜੋਤਿ of all preceding ten
Guru sahibs. jo isK gur drSn kI
cwh, drSn kry grMQ jI Awih.
Isn’t wishing darshan of physical form of ten
guru sahibs disobeying hukam of Guru Gobind Singh sahib ji? or possibly we
still haven’t been able to accept presence of Guru Granth Sahib, the shabad
Guru, and need a physical form?
Many have shared experiencing a shiver down the
spine, goose bumps or hair raising electrifying feeling on doing darshan of
Guru Gobind Singh sahib ji in the movie "Char Sahibzade" or recently with "Nanak Shah Fakir". Personally knowing
gursikhi piyar and gurmukh jeewan of some friends I know those experiences came
from their within. It is their longing within for darshan of Guru Sahib, the
excruciating pain of bairaag, the yearning of soul bride to become one with beloved master!!
While this piyar, bairaag and yearning is
laudable but at the same time it’s a misplaced love which crossed a thin line into
disobeying Guru Sahib’s hukam. Guru Gobind Singh ji’s Hukam was to do darshan
of Guru Granth Sahib ji but we unknowingly disrespected Jugo Jug Atal satguru
ji by yearning for physical saroop of Guru Nanak Dev Ji in form of das
patshahian.
Even while manifesting in 10 human forms,
Guru Nanak Dev ji’s updesh for Sikhs was to do darshan of Guru Sahib with eyes
of sacred knowledge (gian de netar)
"ਨਾਨਕ ਸੇ ਅਖੜੀਆਂ ਬਿਅੰਨਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਡਿਸੰਦੋ ਮਾ ਪਿਰੀ"
(O Nanak, those eyes are different, which behold my Husband Lord.)
Guru is not bound to a human form and human eyes can't behold the Guru. Guru is beyond our means. Guru can't be attained. Guru himself reveals to us.
Today in 80% of Sikh shops paintings of Guru Nanak Sahib or
other Guru Sahibans are installed. Majority of them idolize those paintings and
start the day with worship, matha tek and lighting dhoop before those pictures.
Sad enough, in many shops those supposedly paintings of Guru Sahibs share space
with Vishawkarma and or Lakshmi Devi with equal reverence.
Recently Akal Takht had to issue a hukamnama directing Sikhs not to print
photographs of politicians and other people alongside pictures of Guru Sahibs.
Which is a clear indicator of how paintings have acquired a holy status in a
society, for whom idol worship was forbidden.
That reverence of paintings today has such an overwhelming
impact that a depiction in a nearly human form of one such painting in a motion
picture made us feel the presence of Guru Gobind Singh ji to such an extent
that the “ਗੁਰੂ ਮਾਨੀਓ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ’ hukam of same Guru is lost on the way.
We need to think! Think in light of Gurbani!!! Think: if it's appropriate to portray Guru Nanak Sahib and HIS ten manifestations in animation or any other form?
