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Guru Nanak’s Satire on Jain Ascetics

 

By : Dr. C. Devakumar, E-Mail : cdevakumar@yahoo.com

 

Gurpurab is celebrated as he birth anniversary of the first Guru of Sikhs and many Hindus. His was the period India was slavery to mogul rulers, mostly caste-ridden and superstition-driven. Jainism became confined to minority population. The Hindu rituals crept into Jainism as well. The Islamic messages of one God and non-idol worship appealed to him. His appeal to the majority populace (downtrodden included) was a welcome relief as the Brahmins mostly exploited them.

(He sowed the seeds of bravery in a sect to be later known as Sikhs. His contribution to the genesis of modern India is very significant.) His overriding popularity with majority of ignorant and exploited population did not allow him to study Jainism before condemning it. It was therefore unfortunate that the revered Guru never met a Jain ascetic of repute and expressed his displeasure about the apparent Jain ascetics’ way of life. I really don’t know what prevented him in meeting any one of them. He could have then concluded whether their apparent appearance was deceptive and the real gem of ratnatriya was illuminating through the “filthy” body of the ascetics. He had a chance meeting with one or two Jain householders and one me-too-like Jain ascetic by name Ambhi. One doesn’t know whether Ambhi was a vrati or yati. For non-Jains, even avrati could be confused to be a monk. You really don’t need extra-power to convince one or two individuals. The very fact his life did not change the course of Jains was ample proof that he was not a force among Jains. He probably nurtured this grievance and his utterances reveal his frustrations.

It is time that Granth Sahib, the revered Book of Sikhs, excludes his unfound prejudices against Jain ascetics.

The following are the episodes, which describe his penchant and satire against Jain ascetics.

“Chapter XII
www.sacred-texts.com/skh/tsr1/tsr115.htm
The Guru made a journey to the south of India. On that occasion Saido and Gheho of the Jat tribe accompanied him. He proceeded to the Dravidian country now named Madras. The Guru arrived at a Saravagi or Jain temple, which was much frequented. Narbhi, the Jain priest, went with his disciple to visit him. The Jains attach an exaggerated value to life in every form. The Jain priest heard that the Guru had not the same tender scruples on the subject, and began to catechize him. 'Eatest thou old or new corn? (that is, dost thou eat corn with worms in it or not?) 'Drinkest thou cold water; shakest thou the trees of the forest to eat their fruit? Who is thy guru, and what power hath he to pardon thee since thou violates all rules and destroys life?' The Guru in reply uttered the following pauri :

When the True Guru is merciful, faith is perfected.
When the True Guru is merciful, man shall never grieve.
When the True Guru is merciful, man shall know no sorrow.
When the True Guru is merciful, man shall enjoy divine pleasure.
When the True Guru is merciful, what fear hath man of Death?
When the True Guru is merciful he ever bestoweth happiness.
When the True Guru is merciful, man obtaineth the nine treasures. [2]
When the Guru is merciful, man is absorbed in the True One. [3]

2. Nau nidhi. This expression is used in the sacred writings of the Sikhs to denote unlimited wealth and prosperity. In the sacred books of the Hindus the expression has a more definite numerical signification.

3. Majh ki War.]

{p. 151}

After this the Guru launched out into a satire on the Jains :

They have their hair plucked out, they drink dirty water, they beg and eat others' leavings;

They spread out their ordure, they inhale its smell, they are shy to look at water;
They have their heads plucked like sheep; the pluckers' hands are smeared with ashes
They spoil the occupations of their parents; their families weep and wail for them.
They give not their deceased relations lamps or perform their last rites, or place anywhere barley rolls and leaves for them [1]
The sixty-eight places of pilgrimage grant them no access; the Brahmans will not eat their food.
They are ever filthy day and night; they have no sacrificial marks on their foreheads.
They ever sit close as if they were at a wake, and they enter no assembly.
They hold cups in their hands; they have brooms [2] by their sides; they walk in single file.
They are not Jogis, or Jangams, or Qazis, or Mullas.
God hath ruined them; they go about despised; their words are like curses.
God killeth and restoreth animals to life; none else may preserve them.
The Jains make not gifts or perform ablutions; dust lighteth on their plucked heads.
From water gems arose when Meru was made the churning staff. [3]
The gods appointed the sixty-eight places of pilgrimages, and holy days were fixed accordingly by their orders.

[1. The Jains conform in many ways to Hindu customs. The Guru here censures them for not being altogether consistent.

2. To brush away insects and thus avoid treading on them.

3. According to the Hindus, Vishnu in his Kurmavatar assumed the shape of a tortoise which supported the mountain Mandara--in the Sikh writings called Meru-the Olympus of the Hindus, with which the gods churned the ocean. From the ocean were produced the fourteen gems or jewels here referred to. They are Lakhsmi, wife of Vishnu, the moon, a white horse with seven heads, a holy physician, a prodigious elephant, the tree of plenty, the all-yielding cow, &c.]

{p. 152}

After ablution the Muhammadans pray; after ablution the Hindus worship; the wise ever bathe.
The dead and the living are purified when water is poured on their heads.
Nanak, they who pluck their heads are devils: these things [1] please them not.
When it raineth there is happiness; animals then perform their functions.
When it raineth, there is corn, sugar-cane, and cotton, the clothing of all.
When it raineth, kine ever graze, and women churn their milk.
By the use of the clarified butter thus obtained burnt offerings and sacred feasts are celebrated, and worship is ever adorned.
All the Sikhs are rivers; the Guru is the ocean, by bathing
in which greatness is obtained.
If the Pluckedheads bathe not, then a hundred handfuls
of dust be on their skulls. [2]

The Jain priest asked the Guru why he travelled in the rainy season, when insects are abroad and there is danger of killing them under foot. The Guru replied as follows :

Nanak, if it rain in Sawan, four species of animals have pleasure-
Serpents, deer, fish, and sensualists who have women in their homes.
Nanak, if it rain in Sawan, there are four species of animals which feel discomfort
Cows' calves, the poor, travellers, and servants.

[1. That is, water and bathing.

2. Majh ki War.]

The Jain priest went and fell at his feet and became a convert to his faith. On that occasion the Guru completed his hymns in the Majh ki War, and Saido and Gheho wrote them down from his dictation.

{p. 153} 

On his journey towards the south, Guru Nanak was accompanied by Saido and Gheho. Mardana stayed behind with his family. As he was crossing the Vindhyachal ranges(mountains in central India), Nanak came upon a Jain temple. Its priest, called Narbhi, heard about him and came to meet him. He was aware that Guru Nanak did not believe in the exaggerated view of life in every form the way Jains(followers of Mahavira) do. He shot a volley of questions at the Guru: Do you eat old or new corn? Do you drink fresh or boiled water? Do you shake a tree for fruit? Who is your Guru and what power has he to save you? Guru Nanak replied:

If the Guru is kind, devotion is perfected.
If the Guru is kind, you know no sorrow.
If the Guru is kind, pain disappears.
If the Guru is kind, you enjoy life.
If the Guru is kind, there is no fear of death.
If the Guru is kind, you remain ever happy.
If the Guru is kind, the nine treasures are obtained.
If the Guru is kind, you get to know the truth.

Majh Ki Var (149)

The Jain priest heard this and was fully satisfied. robertbr.tripod.com/spirit/nanak.htm

The following is said to have been addressed to a holy man called Thakur Das at Priyag :

Were I to dwell in the cavern of a golden mountain or in a pit of water
Were I to stand on my head on earth or in the heavens
Were I to cover all my body with clothes, [1] and did I nothing but bathe;
Were I to shout aloud the white, the red, the yellow, and the black Veds; [2]
Were I to remain dirty and filthy, [3] all this would be foolish and sinful.
Nanak, since I have pondered on the Word, I am not, I was not, and I shall not be. [4]

3. The reference is to the Jains.
www.sacred-texts.com/skh/tsr1/tsr125.htm

Then he ….finally reached Palitana where there was a famous Jain temple. Jaini Sadhus would not take bath for many days thinking bathing killed some life in the water. Here he had discussion with a Jain Sadhu named Ambhi. He explained to the Sadhu that running away from water would not do any religious good but the worship of the Almighty was the only answer www.allaboutsikhs.com/gurus/gurunanak6.htm

 

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