Ten Gurus

GURU ANGAD DEV JI

(1539-52)

Despite the fact that Guru Nanak Dev Ji had two sons, he chose Bhai Lehna, a reliable and devoted disciple as his successor and named him Angad. The Guru said to him: "Between thee and me there is now no difference. Thou art verily Angad, a part of my body. I congratulate thee." Thus the incarnation of the 2^nd Guru was a step of far-reaching significance. This is how Bhai Lehna became Guru Angad Dev Ji.

It is said that one day a Trehun Khatri, named Lehna, went on a pilgrimage from his village to Kot Kangra to obtain a sight of the goddess. On his way when he arrivaed at Kartarpur where Baba Nanak was then living. Lehna longed and yearned to obtain a sight of him also to see for himself as to what kind and of what sect a faqir Guru Nanak was. Having thus reflected and found out Baba Nanak, he approached the Guru and obtained a sight of him. So much charmed and entranced was Lehna at the very sight of the Guru that he spontaneously said to Guru Nanak Dev Ji: "O Guru, my heart now does not desire to go further, for, from seeing thee, it has become satisfied. This is now my desire, that I may always remain at thy feet, and may employ my hands and feet in thy service."

Despite persuasion from Guru Nanak Dev  Ji to accomplish the unfinished task for which he undertook the pilgrimage, Lehna would not agree to go from there. Thus having remained there, Lehna invariably served and worshipped his Master with reverence and veneration. There sprang up much affection between Lehna and the Guru. Lehna, humble and self-effacing as he was, found his way by dint of devotion and dedication and thus became the spiritual and the most endearing son of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Lehna adored and revered his Master with all his body and soul. So much delighted and contented was the Guru at the total and unblemished devotion of Lehna that one day Guru Nanak Dev Ji hugged and embraced Lehna to his breast before a whole assembly and first, himself bent his head in obeisance to him, and then said to all the assembly, "O brother Sikhs! From today I have given the Guruship to him; whoever is a Sikh of mine, let him regard him as Guru, bend his head in obedience to him. He is a truly holy man. God has made him His own, and he will accomplish the business of many. Earlier his name was Lehna, but now as I have pressed him to my body and bestowed on him the power of the adoration of God, therefore his name is called Guru Angad Dev Ji."

After being ordained as the 2^nd Guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji shifted to Khadur. He encouraged the Sikhs to take part in sports and learn their mother tongue in simplified Gurmukhi script. Guru Angad Dev Ji was committed to compiling much of what he had heard about Guru Nanak Dev  Ji from the Guru’s old companion Bala as also some devotional observations of his own which were afterwards incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib . He named the script Gurmukhi—the language of the Guru--and set up a few centers from where the teachings of the founder could be preached.

Guru Angad   Dev Ji also followed Guru Nanak Dev’s practice of maintaining free kitchen (Langar) for all those who came and visited him irrespective of caste and creed.

While God ordained Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Angad  Dev Ji owed everything to his Master. He believed in complete surrender to the Guru, utter obedience to his command and fond emulation to his ways. Though Guru Angad Dev Ji had the spirit of his Master, not even once he tried to consolidate his own position by charming people with esoteric practices. He was very practical-minded. He enjoined upon his disciples to take care of their mind and body.

Guru Angad Dev Ji was a profusely sensitive soul. There are touching references to his separation from Guru Nanak and it was inevitably Guru Angad who suffered the pangs most at Guru Nanak’s final departure. Guru Angad also lived up to the tradition of Guru Nanak in choosing his successor. He, like Guru Nanak chose the most eminently deserving and devoted of his disciples as his successor in preference to his own sons who did aspire to succeed him.

Though there is some conflict about the origin of the Gurmukhi script, Guru Angad Dev Ji is the foremost in the lead in making an extensive use of the Gurmukhi script in his time. He also organized the Sikhs into a close-knit community and preserved the purity and originality of  the Sikh religion.