Guru Nanak Dev Jee: On janyooh

According to the Hindu scriptures there are four casts. Brahman, Khatri, Vash, and Shuder. The first three are considered respectable and the people from the forth, Shuder are considered very low. The three higher casts consider the Shuders untouchables. Shuders are prohibited to practice any religion- they can’t go to a Hindu temple, read any scripture or do any sort of worship.

Hindus of the higher cast Hindu child turns about 12 years old through a ritual they put a cotton thread called a janyooh around his neck. The family pundit chooses a day for this ritual and all the family and friends get together to carry it out.

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Jee was born into the Khatri caste; because of this it was mandatory for him to wear the janyooh. Guru Sahib’s father name was Mehta Kalu, when Guru Sahib turned 12 it was decided that he should be initiated through a janyooh. The family pundit was consulted and a date was set for the ceremony. On the chosen day the pundit came and all the rituals were done, mantars from the Shashters(hindu scriptures) were read.

The pundit took Guru Sahib’s arm and held it up high to put the janyooh. “This is the holy janyooh, this is the symbol of a higher caste hindu. Without this any man is equal to a Shudher, without this you are considered an untouchable.” Proclaimed the pundit. He kept going as Guru Sahib patiently looked on“If you wear this you will be considered holy and pure. Upon wearing this you will get great respect and reverence. This janyooh will help you here and after you have passed away”

As he picked up the janyooh Guru Sahib motioned him to stop. Guru Sahib Said to them “I’m impressed by this little cotton thread. Does it really stand up to what you said about this. Two things I don’t understand: you said this thread represents one belonging to a higher caste. I don’t agree with this, a higher being is someone who does good deeds and is of high character. A truthful person is someone who stands up for the truth. A lowlife or an untouchable is someone who does bad deeds. If a Brahman or a Khatri does bad deeds then they are lowlife untouchables. But if a Shudher does good deeds he’s holy and higher than even a Brahman. Status is determined by your actions, actions are what determines what cast you fit in. And this thread you’re holding, it will get dirty, it’ll wear out, it’ll break and I’ll have to get a new one. Who’s going to give this dirty thread respect then? The only way to get respect and reverence is through a life lived truthfully.”

Everyone was speechless, Guru Sahib went on, “You just said that this piece of thread helps a man in the next life; how is this possible? This thread gets burned up along with the body and stays here in this world. It doesn’t accompany the soul. If you really want to give me a thread give me on which won’t get dirty, won’t break, won’t burn, one which always stays with me and reminds me to do good deeds and prevents from doing bad ones and helps me out in the next life too.”

At this the pundit said to Guru Jee, “All our elders, rishis and everyone wore a janyooh. This is all I have to offer, but you don’t want to wear this, I don’t have anything else.”

Guru Sahib spoke out:
ਸਲੋਕੁਮ:੧॥
ਦਇਆਕਪਾਹਸੰਤੋਖੁਸੂਤੁਜਤੁਗੰਢੀਸਤੁਵਟੁ॥
ਏਹੁਜਨੇਊਜੀਅਕਾਹਈਤਪਾਡੇਘਤੁ॥
ਨਾਏਹੁਤੁਟੈਨਾਮਲੁਲਗੈਨਾਏਹੁਜਲੈਨਜਾਇ॥
ਧੰਨੁਸੁਮਾਣਸਨਾਨਕਾਜੋਗਲਿਚਲੇਪਾਇ॥
ਚਉਕੜਿਮੁਲਿਅਣਾਇਆਬਹਿਚਉਕੈਪਾਇਆ॥
ਸਿਖਾਕੰਨਿਚੜਾਈਆਗੁਰੁਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁਥਿਆ॥
ਓਹੁਮੁਆਓਹੁਝੜਿਪਇਆਵੇਤਗਾਗਇਆ॥੧॥

The pundit asked guru sahib to explain what the shabad meant so the people gathered could also understand.

Guru Sahib said when you want to make a janyooh you take cotton then you weave it into a string then a thread. Then you twin and intertwine and a janyooh is made. But instead of using the cotton to make the janyooh why don’t you have mercy on people and get into the habit of ridding the people of suffering and poverty. Instead of weaving the thread why not control your greed and settle for what you have. Instead of twining the thread why don’t you control your mind and stop hurting people. Why not always be truthful and actually live a truthful life by doing good deeds. Learning to be compassionate, content, truthful, caring and honest is the true way to wear a janyooh. This is what makes one higher or lower in life. Not only this kind of janyooh helps the body, it also helps the mind and soul. By following this, the janyooh doesn’t wear away, get dirty, break or burn. It sticks with you and actually helps you in this life and the next. “So pundit, if you have a janyooh like this, I wouldn’t mind wearing one.”

The pundit folded his hands and bowed down to Guru Sahib, “I don’t have anything like this. Only you will put this kind of janyooh in peoples necks and make them cross the world ocean.”
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This is exactly what Guru Sahib did. This was the biggest challenge the Hindu establishment had ever faced. Some say it was from this day that they set their sights to rid the world of this ‘nirmal panth’ In a way this was a revolution, for once someone had actually thought about the ritual instead of blindly following like sheep. Even today not many people do this.

This was Sakhi #1 from Dharam pothi #6 published by the SGPC(Sept. 1984) written by Professor Kartar Singh MA.

At the end there were some questions to ponder over:

1) Who wears a janyooh? Why and When?
2) Why did Guru Nanak Dev Jee refuse to wear one?
3) Why did Guru Sahib call it a false janyooh?
4) What was the true janyooh according to Guru Sahib?