The Reasoning Behind Gurū Nānak Taking Birth In The Sūryavanṣī-Raghūvanṣī Clan Of Srī Rāma - Sūraj Parkāṣ
Investigating the birth of Gurū Nānak Dév Jī the Human Manifestation of Srī Akāl Purakh Jī, Specifically the reasoning behind choosing to incarnate within the Sūryavanṣī or Raghūvanṣī Lineage.
Within the ‘Srī Gurpartāp Sūraj Granth‘ of Mahākavī Santokh Siṅgh we find and extract in regards to the reasoning and logic behind The Supreme or Srī Akāl Purakh incarnating within the clan of Srī Rāma or in other words the Sūryavanṣī Lineage. Kavīrāj Jī also shed light upon the greatness of the Sūryavanṣī Lineage/Raghūvanṣī (Srī Rāma’s Clan).
Jag Mahiṇ Raghuvar Kul Aklaṅkā | Pragṭé Bédī Kumud Mayaṅkā | Ékuṅkār Dhār Nij Rūpā | Pragṭé Satigur Rūp Anūpā || 26 ||
Kavīrāj Mahākavī Santokh Siṅgh explains clearly that the reason behind Gurū Nānak manifesting in the clan of Srī Rāma or Raghūvara Kula is due to it being Akalaṅkā or in other words devoid of taint. In regards to which we find mention in Bansāvlīnāma written in 1769 -
Uttam Kul Védī So Bhaé | Jin Ké Dhām Gurū Nānak Jī Avtār Laé |
The Greatest Clan of that time became that of the Bedīs (Raghūvara Kula/Srī Rāma’s Clan) In whose line then Srī Gurū Nānak manifested.
We find further mention of Gurū Nānak taking birth within the Bedi-Raghūvanṣī Kula or Lineage from the Pen of the Tenth Manifestation of Gurū Nānak, namely, Srī Gurū Góbind Siṅgh Jī -
Tin Bédian Ké Kul Bikhai, Pragté Nānak Rāé |
Within the tribe of the Bédīs, Gurū Nānak (Nānak Rai) incarnated.
(Bachitar Nātak, Srī Dasam Granth, Srī Gurū Góbind Siṅgh)
Kavī Santokh Siṅgh thereafter describes the greatness of Gurū Nānak by then using the term Kumud for Srī Gurū Nānak Dév Jī which is often associated with the deity Viṣnū from the Vedic/Puranic Pantheon of Deities (Dévī Dévtās), this term ‘Kumud’ is defined as that being who brings bliss to the world. Again, It should be understood that here Gurū Nānak is not an Avatar of Viṣnū as Gurbānī States -
Satgur Nānak Dév Dév Dévī Sabh Dhyāve
All Dévī Dévtās (or Gods of the Hindu Pantheon contemplate and meditate upon the True-Guru, namely, Gurū Nānak.
Someone may also question Kavī Santokh Siṅgh and create the claim that Kavīrāj understands Gurū Nānak to be an Avatar or Incarnation of Viṣnū or Is writing so to appease Brahmanical Ideology but this is incorrect as Kavī Santokh Siṅgh is himself from a lower-caste known in Punjab predominantly as the ‘Chīmba’ Caste so it would be absurd to propagate the idea that Kavīrāj are attempting to spread or propagate Brahmanical Ideas. It should also be considered that the same Kavī Santokh Siṅgh within his Garab Gaṇjanī Tīkā states the following -
Béd Béd Nirākār Jāṅkó Kahai Khéd Bin, Soū Hvai Akār Gurū Nānak Anaṇd Mai |
That Srī Akāl Purakh whom the four Vedas praise as Nirākār or Formless and without sorrow has taken form (Akār) as the embodiment of Bliss, namely, Gurū Nānak.
From here it is clear that Kavī Santokh Siṅgh has only used this term for describing the greatness of Gurū Nānak as Gurū Nānak is no doubt the granter of bliss to this earth. It also become clarified that Kavīrāj is not talking of the Viṣnū with four arms who rides the Human-Bird-Like Garuḍa as Kavī Santokh Siṅgh has described Gurū Nānak to be the Avatar of Nirākār or the formless one. This is further elucidated as Kavī Santokh Siṅgh states -
Ékuṅkār Dhār Nij Rūpā | Pragṭé Satigur Rūp Anūpā || 26 ||
Here Kavī Santokh Siṅgh states that the formless Ekuṅkār or Ik Oaṅkār has himself incarnated as the most beauteous Gurū Nānak.
It is also to note that within the Sampardās or Traditional Sikh Institutions and Traditions which trace their origins to the Gurūs teach the existence of six types of Avatārs, namely,
Anṣa Avatār
Aveṣā Avatār
Nitt Avatār
Namittak Avatār
Pūran Avatār
Pūran Tam Avatār
It is noteworthy that I have highlighted Pūran Avtār and Pūran Tam Avtār, Pūran Avtār are those such as Srī Rāma and Srī Kṛṣṇa whom are understood to hold Fourteen-Kalas and Sixteen-Kalas (Kala can be roughly translated to power), Srī Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are also said to have had Physical Gurūs such as Srī Rāma whose Gurū is said to be Rṣī Vaṣiṣtha under whom they took Brahmavidyā (The teachings and spiritual dialogues of Srī Rāma and Vaṣiṣtha can be found within the Yoga Vaṣiṣtha) Srī Rāma also undertook Ṣastra-Vidyā under Rṣī Viṣvāmitra, likewise Srī Kṛṣṇa is understood to have undertook Brahmavidyā under Rṣī Durbāsa and undertook Ṣastra-vidyā under Sandīpanī Munī. Unlike Gurū Nānak who did not hold a physical Gurū who taught him Brahmavidyā or Ṣastravidyā it is also noteworthy that Gurū Nānak was armed with weapons on his travels and did not have an Gurū under whom he studied ṣastravidyā (Martial Arts) alongside this Gurū Nānak unlike Pūrna Avtārs such as Srī Kṛṣna and Rāma is said to have Anant-Kalas or Limitless Kalas not Sixteen or Fourteen Kalas like the former Avtārs. It is also noteworthy that within the Puranic/Vedic Religion only the Five Avatars are recognised but within the Sikh Tradition a sixth type of Avatar or Incarnation is recognised.
(For Further Reading Upon The Different Types of Avatārs see, Sant Kirpal Singh’s Amīr Bhanḍār)
This Sixth Type of Incarnation, Namely, Gurū Nānak and his Ten Manifestation as being superior over all other Avatars is recognised within Gurbānī from the following verses -
ਗੁਰ ਜੈਸਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋ ਦੇਵ ॥
Gur Jaisā Nāhī Kó Dév |
There is no Dévī Dévtā equal to the Gurū.
(Ang/Limb [Page] 1142 of Srī Gurū Granth Sāhib Jī)
ਸਭ ਤੇ ਵਡਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਕਲ ਰਾਖੀ ਮੇਰੀ ॥੪॥੧੦॥੫੭॥
Sabh Té Vaḍā Satgur Nānak Jin Kal Rakhī Mérī
Greater than all is Satgurū Nānak who has saved my honour.
(Ang - 740 of Srī Gurū Granth Sāhib Jī)
—-— — — — — — ——- — — — —- —- —- ——— —-
Salutation at the feet of Gurū Nānak -
Svastī Srī Gurū Nānakó Vijayaté, Vande Guruṃ Nānakaṃ, Gopyóhaṃ GurūNanakena Stattaṃ ṢrīNānakāyóṃ Namaḥ | Dasaḥ Sadgurunānaké Mam Ratis-Trāyasva Māṃ Nānak |