1. Origin in Japji Sahib (Late 15th Century)

  • This line is from Pauri 19 of Japji Sahib, the opening composition of the Guru Granth Sahib.

  • Guru Nanak composed Japji Sahib around 1496–1500 CE, after his spiritual awakening at the river Bein in Sultanpur Lodhi.

  • The verse appears while Guru Nanak is describing the cosmic order (hukam) and the interdependence of all creation.

    2. The Worldview of Guru Nanak

    • At the time, in Punjab and much of the world, nature was often treated as a resource to be controlled or dominated.

    • Guru Nanak introduced a spiritual-ecological view — nature wasn’t separate from the Divine; it was an expression of the Divine.

    • In this worldview:

      • Air is our Guru (teacher), guiding life through breath and subtle lessons of patience and flow.

      • Water is our Pita (father), sustaining and protecting life.

      • Earth is our Mata (mother), nurturing and providing food and shelter.

    3. Connection to Sikh Environmental Ethos

    • This teaching influenced later Sikh Gurus:

      • Guru Har Rai Ji (7th Guru) established herbal gardens and cared for animals.

      • Guru Gobind Singh Ji often referred to nature in his poetry, linking it with divine power.

    • It set the foundation for Sikh respect for nature — rivers, trees, animals, and air are all part of divine creation (Ik Onkar).

    4. Transmission Through History

    • In the 16th–17th centuries, this verse was memorized and recited daily by Sikhs in Japji Sahib.

    • By the time of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (5th Guru), it was compiled into the Adi Granth (1604 CE) and placed in the Harmandir Sahib.

    • After 1708, when Guru Gobind Singh Ji declared the Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru, this verse became part of Sikh daily Nitnem (prayers) worldwide.

    5. Modern Historical Importance

    • In the 20th and 21st centuries, Sikh organizations began highlighting this verse in environmental campaigns — especially during Vaisakhi tree-planting drives and river conservation projects.

    • EcoSikh, Khalsa Aid, and many Gurdwaras use it to remind people that caring for air, water, and earth is a spiritual duty, not just an environmental cause.

    If you want, I can make you a chronological timeline from 1496 to now showing how “Pavan Guru, Pani Pita” traveled from Guru Nanak’s mouth to a global environmental message. That way, you’ll see its journey clearly.

     

 

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