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Gurdwara Sri Omkareshwar Sahib

Location - (approximate location) Omkareshwar, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India


Associated with - Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji


Sikh Artifacts - None


Sarovar - None


Sarai - unknown


Gurdwara Sri Omkareshwar Sahib is a Gurdwara situated at Omkareshwar in Khandwa District of the State of Madhya Pradesh.

Omkareshwar was visited by Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji during his udasi to the south, visiting as far as Sri Lanka.

During Guru Nanak's visit here, there was a discourse between Guru Nanak and the pandit of the Omkar mandir.

The Gurbani is called Dakhni Oankar. The study of the first stanza of Gurbani clearly indicates that Guru Nanak is talking about the philosophy of the pandit of the Omkar Temple.

In the rest of the Gurbani (from stanza 2 to 54 including Rahao - Pause) Guru Nanak is clearing the pandit's confusion of nature and attributes of God.

Guru Nanak explains to the pandit that there is no Trinity of God (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) to which the word, 'Oankar' or 'Omkar', is implied. Guru Nanak further explains to the pandit that God is 'One and Only'; does not come into anthropomorphic form (Ajuni); and no specific/ descriptive name can be coined for God since God is an 'Eternal Entity' and ineffable.

Guru Nanak was talking about the ancient concept being taught by the pandit. That the idol of Shiva or linga of Shiva is considered as Omkar by the pandit of Omkar Temple. And the pandit also equates 'Omkar' to OM, which represent Trinity of God. This was not the philosophy of Guru Nanak or Sikhs. So Omkar Bani was composed by Guru Nanak to explain to the pandit of Omkar Temple that God cannot be represented as Omkar since it originated from OM – the trinity: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva.

Omkareshwar has a well known hindu temple, is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is about 12 miles (20 km) from Mortakka in Madhya Pradesh. There are two temples here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means 'Om-maker-lord') and one to Amareshwar (whose name means 'immortal lord' or 'lord of the immortals').

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