Mrs. Annie Besant, in her English translation of Gita has said that the religion propagated by Gita is Duty. Even in European countries, duty is considered not just as a moral code, it has the status of an ideal. Duty is considered the religion.
Even Hindus have adopted the western mind and consider duty as the religion.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was exemplary in performing duty.
But in Guru Nanak Dev Ji, besides the performance of duty, was another thing and that was the interpretation of duty.
Where as in other religions the precept of duty is the moral code, but Guru Nanak Dev Ji went beyond that.
For Guru Nanak Dev Ji the precept of duty is both the moral code and the spiritual code.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji is exemplary in both.
In this way Guru Nanak Dev Ji has gone a step ahead from other religions.
He considered duty as a spiritual code much above the moral code.
Thus Guru Nanak Dev Ji's interpretation of duty is most exemplary.
He saw the country without a moral code and without a spiritual code and considered his duty to uplift the people as the most important duty.
He decided that he had to save the people and the country.
He undertook five travels across the country and neighbouring countries.
This he did, to remove the sufferings of the people, the darkness of the world, to lift people from lifelessness, superstition, mistaken beliefs and useless rituals and to enthuse people with the love of the Lord.
He considered duty in its spiritual aspect.
He considered the spiritual code of duty more important and higher than the moral code.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji's selection of the spiritual aspect of duty and its precept was exceptional.
He did so much sacrifice in undertaking five travels, in those days when travelling was most hazardous. But still, he travelled far and wide to uplift the people, and allay their sufferings.
He gave the love spark of the Lord to every one, gave life to the lifelessly living people and cemented the hearts of the people with the Lord.
He travelled to Afghanistan, Iran, Baghdad, Mecca, Greece, Kashmir, Tibet, China, Assam, Manipur, Ceylon, Jagan Nath Puri, Benares, Hardwar, Rameshwar, Vindhyachal, Sind, Baluchistan and many other places.
In those days, there were no good places to stay and many a time no food for days together. There were no trains, no telegrams, no cemented roads, no security, dacoits roaming around and the travel was mainly on foot.
He travelled everywhere, giving the Lord's love spark to the people and cementing their hearts to the Lord.
For his sister Nanki Ji, whenever she remembered, he came back from his travels and met her.
For his sons and wife, when he went for travels, he told them: 'I have to serve the Lord. It is His command. I have to go. But the Lord is with you. The Lord will look after you.' Again when he came back from travels to stay at Kartarpur, he called them and asked them to stay with him.
He was perfect in the moral aspect of duty.
Again, when we consider his precept of spiritual code in religion, we cannot forget that in place of the difficult Hath yoga, he made religion very simple for every body.
He infused the Lord's love spark into everybody's heart and suggested the recitation of the Lord's Name as a means to brighten the love spark and reach the Lord.
Let us pray: O, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, please infuse the Lord's love spark into our heart and give us the recitation of the Lord's Name. Let us recite:
'Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru.' 'O Lord, O Lord, O Lord' Starting with at least five minutes a day.
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