Contributions Of Guru Angad And Guru Amar Das
Guru Angad, originally named Lehna, became the second Sikh Guru in 1539, succeeding Guru Nanak and leading the Sikh community until 1552. His selection as Guru exemplified the core values of Sikhism—humility, devotion, and selfless service.
Selection as Guru Before passing, Guru Nanak sought a successor to continue his spiritual mission. Despite having two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das, Guru Nanak found them lacking the necessary qualities of humility, selflessness, and dedication. Instead, he chose Lehna, a devout disciple. The story of Lehna's selection is emblematic of the virtues Guru Nanak valued. When Guru Nanak’s jug fell into the mud, his sons refused to retrieve it, fearing they would dirty themselves. Lehna, however, unhesitatingly stepped into the mud, cleaned the jug, and returned it to Guru Nanak. This act of humility and devotion convinced Guru Nanak of Lehna's worthiness.
Ceremony of Succession In a symbolic ceremony, Guru Nanak placed a coconut and five coins before Lehna, representing the universe and its elements, entrusting him with the spiritual and temporal responsibilities of the Sikh community. He named him Guru Angad, meaning "part of my own limb," indicating that Lehna was now an integral part of Guru Nanak's mission. In a profound gesture, Guru Nanak bowed to Guru Angad, recognizing him as the new leader of the Sikhs.
Guru Angad's Contributions Guru Angad made several significant contributions during his leadership:
Consolidation of the Sikh Community: Guru Angad focused on strengthening and unifying the Sikh community. He continued spreading Guru Nanak's teachings, emphasizing devotion, humility, and equality, ensuring that the community remained committed to these principles.
Preservation of Guru Nanak’s Hymns: One of his key contributions was the careful collection and organization of Guru Nanak's hymns. This effort was crucial for the formation of the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, ensuring that Guru Nanak's teachings were preserved for future generations.
Standardization of the Gurmukhi Script: Guru Angad's most enduring legacy was the systematization and popularization of the Gurmukhi script, which means "from the mouth of the Guru." He standardized this script for writing Punjabi, making Sikh teachings accessible to the common people. By promoting Gurmukhi, he helped preserve Sikh teachings in a language understood by the masses, strengthening Sikh identity and ensuring the propagation of the faith.
Guru Amar Das: The Third Sikh Guru Guru Amar Das, who succeeded Guru Angad in 1552 and led the Sikh community until 1574, made significant contributions to the organization and spiritual practices of Sikhism.
Construction of the Water Tank One of Guru Amar Das’s notable contributions was the construction of a water tank with eighty-four steps. The eighty-four steps symbolized the numerous cycles of birth and rebirth in Hindu belief. This tank served as a place for spiritual purification, symbolizing liberation from the cycle of rebirth through devotion to God and righteous living. Sikhs and other devotees would descend the steps and bathe in the water, seeking spiritual cleansing and the blessings of Guru Amar Das, emphasizing the importance of inner purity and spiritual renewal.
Division of the Sikh Community To better manage the growing Sikh community, Guru Amar Das divided it into 22 regions or Manjis. Each Manji was overseen by a leader responsible for guiding the spiritual and social life of Sikhs in their region, spreading the Guru's teachings, and managing communal activities. This organizational structure allowed for efficient governance, maintaining unity and consistency in Sikh practice across different regions, and enabling the Sikh faith to reach a broader audience through localized leadership.
Both Guru Angad and Guru Amar Das played crucial roles in shaping the early Sikh community, strengthening its spiritual foundation, and ensuring the continuity and spread of Sikh teachings. Their leadership and contributions remain central to the identity and practices of Sikhism today.
Link for Class: https://youtu.be/IpSGyMTi21U
Link for PPT: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Y7ZfntRa0ejKFu5sssVztG39KuJ3FW_/view?usp=sharing
I come to know through Guru Angad the core values of Sikhism that is humility, devotion and selfless service.
ReplyDeleteGuru Angad and Guru Amar Das, the second and third Sikh Gurus, respectively, played vital roles in consolidating and expanding the Sikh community, preserving Guru Nanak's teachings, and establishing key institutions and practices that continue to shape Sikhism today.
ReplyDeleteSikhism had a well established roots from the beginning. Once guru Angad came to charge he made a lot of new initiatives that were relevant to that current scenario. This made a strong foundation for the religion to grow and reach heights.
ReplyDeleteGuru Angad built upon the foundations laid by Guru Nanak, concentrating on consolidating and unifying the Sikh community through the dissemination of teachings that stressed the importance of devotion, humility, and equality. By doing so, he ensured the community's adherence to these core principles, fostering a strong and cohesive Sikh identity.
ReplyDeleteGuru Angad's selection has taught me how a small deed with humbleness can make a person great in humanity. It inspires me to do any work with dedication and pure love.
ReplyDeleteAll the Guru Angad's established the Sikhism with their teachings , and their works have contributed to the religion.
ReplyDeleteThe selection of Guru Angad gives me an inspiration to be humble, serviceable and honest in my behaviour and works.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found very interesting about Guru Nanak is that, even though he had two sons who lacked the core values of Sikhism, he chose Guru Angad as his successor. Guru Nanak saw in him humility, devotion, and selfless service, which are the core values of Sikhism.
ReplyDelete