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Sikhism, the youngest of the world religions, is barely five hundred years old.
Its founder, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469. Guru Nanak spread a simple message of
"Ek Ong Kar": we are all one, created by the One Creator of all Creation. This
was at a time when India was being torn apart by castes, sectarianism, religious
factions, and fanaticism. He aligned with no religion, and respected all
religions. He expressed the reality that there is one God and many paths, and
the Name of God is Truth, "Sat Nam". Guru Nanak's followers were Sikhs (seekers
of truth). He taught them to bow only before God, and to link themselves to the
Guru, the Light of Truth, who lives always in direct consciousness of God,
experiencing no separation. Through words and example, the Guru demonstrates to
followers how to experience God within themselves, bringing them from darkness
into light. Guru Nanak was a humble bearer of this Light of Truth. He opposed
superstition, injustice, and hypocrisy and inspired seekers by singing divine
songs which touched the hearts of the most callous listeners. These songs were
recorded, and formed the beginnings of the Sikhs' sacred writings, later to
become the "Siri Guru Granth Sahib". What our Great Gurus Preached, Practiced
and Lived is our Sikh Religion. The purpose of the incarnation of the Gurus,
their Life Samples and cause for which they Died is our Glorious Religion -
Sikhism. The Divinity which flowed like Nectar from their Holy Lips is our Most
Luminous and Eternal Sikh Scripture called Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhism is
nothing else but the Glowing Purest of the Pure Lives lived by our Great Gurus
in this Darkest of the Dark Age of Kalyug. When the God almighty desires to
establish a new Dharma in the deteriorating scenario in Humanity, descent of the
Almighty and All-Compassionate Lord becomes inevitable. His Most Beloved Ones
thus incarnated in Human garb then establish the Kingdom of God in the midst of
the perishable and sinking Humanity. Those Incarnations set the highest examples
of Truth, Purity and Sacrifice, thereby opening new frontiers of reaching the
Almighty and chart out hitherto unexplored Tracks and Paths reaching out to the
Ultimate Reality. What was thus established by our Great Gurus is our Sikh
Religion and what was so Gloriously followed in their Sacred Footsteps is our
Sikh way of Life - Sikhism
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