Popular Gurunanak Dev Quotes

Baba Gurunanak Dev – a true mystic and a true reformer, was the first- Sikh Guru. He preached simple things and laid stress on simplicity. He emphasized the importance of worship of one God. He insisted that caste, creed, or gender was irrelevant for attaining liberation.

Guru Nanak Dev’s idea of liberation was not that of a state of inert bliss but rather the pursuit of active life with a strong sense of social commitment. He himself used the terms nam, dan, and isnan for the essence of his teaching, which actually meant right worship, the welfare of others, and purity of conduct. His teachings also include the importance of right belief and worship, honest living, and helping others. Thus, Guru Nanak’s teachings contained the idea of social and political equality.

He proclaimed the Divine as ‘Ik Onkaar’ and preached that there is no Hindu and Muslims and prescribed the path of Naam japana, Krit karna, Wand chakhna. This path is also referred to as the three principles of his teachings.

Guru Nanak’s thoughts, views have been composed in 974 poetic hymns in Guru Granth Sahib – the holy text of Sikhism. The Guru Granth Sahib opens with this timeless composition of Guru Nanak Devji – ‘Ik Onkaar Satnaam Kartaa Purakh Nirbhau Nirvair Akaal Moorat Ajooni Saibhang Gurparsaad. Jap – Aad Sach, Jugaad Sach, Hai Bhi Sach, Nanak Hosi Bhi Sach.’

Following are some of the famous quotes and saying by Guru Nanak, who led an eventful life full of wisdom.

He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.

Speak only that which will bring you honor.
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He who regards all men as equals is religious.

Your Mercy is my social status.

From its brilliancy, everything is illuminated.

The world is a drama, staged in a dream.

God is one, but he has innumerable forms. He is the creator of all and He himself takes the human form.

Dwell in peace in the home of your own being, and the Messenger of Death will not be able to touch you.

Even Kings and emperors with heaps of wealth and vast dominion cannot compare with an ant filled with the love of God.

Through shallow intellect, the mind becomes shallow, and one eats the fly, along with the sweets.

Sing the songs of joy to the Lord, serve the Name of the Lord, and become the servant of His servants.

False is the body, false is the clothes, false is beauty.

In this world
when you ask for happiness
Pain steps forward

Be kind to all beings, this is more meritorious than bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage and donating money.

Whatever be the qualities of the man with whom a woman is united according to the law, such qualities even she assumes, like a river, united with the ocean.

Whatever kind of seed is sown in a field, prepared in due season, a plant of that same kind, marked with the peculiar qualities of the seed, springs up in it.

I am in constant bliss, day and night, egotism has been dispelled from within me.

Riches cannot be gathered without sin and evil means.

There is but One God, His name is Truth, He is the Creator, He fears none, he is without hate, He never dies, He is beyond the cycle of births and death, He is self-illuminated, He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru. He was True in the beginning, He was True when the ages commenced and have ever been True, He is also True now.

From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman, he is engaged and married. A woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come. When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman, he is bound. So why call her bad? From her, kings are born. From a woman, a woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.

The True One was there from time immemorial.
He is there today and ever there you will find.
He never died nor will he ever die.
Look within, you will see Him there enshrined.

That one plant should be sown and another be produced cannot happen; whatever seed is sown, a plant of that kind even comes forth.

Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don’t understand the truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is meat and what is plant Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian.