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Exploring the Mission and Legacy of Guru Nanak
Balwant Singh Dhillon
Abstract:
Though Guru Nanak (1469–1539) shared the socio-cultural milieu with the Sants and Bhakts in medieval India, he was a different kind of religious preceptor because his Numinous experience belonged to the category of a prophet. He invoked Divine authority and addressed the people in the name of God. Like a true Prophet, he was utterly dissatisfied with the current degenerated social order, which was divisive and discriminatory but unfortunately had got religious sanction. He unequivocally denounced the denigration of women that was prevalent in society. Guru Nanak was highly critical of the moral degeneration of the ruling class and the curbs imposed on the freedom of worship. He dared to reprimand Babur for his invasion of India. The mission of Guru Nanak was to eradicate evil from all walks of life, besides establishing a fresh social order embedded in a holistic approach towards the issues concerning the society. It was a longdrawn process of spiritual awakening and social reconstruction, which turned the impossible into possible. Nonetheless, it was a challenging task, but it was made possible by the doctrinal, sociological, and devotional legacy of Guru Nanak that he had bestowed upon his successors.
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