A very Happy Gurpurab to all. Guru Nanak’s founded Sikhism  and his message is eternal.

Guru Nanak with followers, done in the Kashmiri style, taken from the book, Guru Nanak: His Life and Teachings by Roopinder Singh, published by Rupa and Co, New Delh

As we celebrate his birth anniversary, my mind goes to his bani, in which he answers the question regarding where man comes from and where he goes:

By the Lord’s order he comes
By His order he departs
From ego he is born and from ego he stays
He who surrenders himself to God’s Will is released and remains not in bondage
He meditates on the Word and practises the Name, finding deliverance
***

Without God’s remembrance life is empty
The Guru’s word dispels ignorance.
Man meets a revered soul if he is so destined
Those dedicated to Hari rejoice in truth
To His will they submit their body and soul.
I, says Nanak, would touch the feet of such men.

Guru Granth Sahib, page 152

You may also like to visit the following links:

Guru Nanak Illustrations

US Congressmen read about Guru Nanak’s Life and Teachings

Photos of Guru Nanak (Hindi) launch

The book Guru Nanak: His Life and Teachings was presented to over 20 elected representatives of the U.S. Congress on June 13, 2008, at Washington DC.

The Congressmen had come together for the gathered for the Sikh American Heritage Dinner event organised at an the hearing room of the Dirksen Senate Building of the US Capitol by the Sikh Council on Religion and Education to “highlight the contributions of Sikhs towards building and strengthening America.”

Over 300 guests from many different states came during a working day to reach out to their elected representatives in U.S. Congress. “This is the largest gathering of the Sikhs ever to assemble at the Capitol Hill to make their case” said Dr. Rajwant Singh, Chairman of SCORE, who sent this photograph to me.

On this occasion, SCORE honoured Sikhs for their contribution to the American life in art, science, education and business. Congressman Mike Honda and Congressman Joe Wilson were honoured for their contributions to America and for their support of Sikh issues in U.S. Honda was honoured with an award in the name of Guru Tegh Bahadur and Wilson was given an award in the name of Bhagat Singh Thind, a Sikh activist and World War I veteran who fought for citizenship in the early part of the 20th century in America.

Earlier, SCORE has gifted the book to President George Bush as well as other Congressmen.