Guru Nanak or Guru Nanak Dev?
There are some Sikhs who believe that the great Guru's name should be referred to as Guru Nanak and not as Guru Nanak Dev. This is confusion which needs to be cleared.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
In the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, at SGGS ang (page) 430 is a shabad which contains the reference to the founder Guru as Nanak Dev as listed below:
| ਸੋ ਵਸੈ ਇਤੁ ਘਰਿ ਜਿਸੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਸੇਵ ॥ ਅਬਿਚਲ ਨਗਰੀ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ ॥੮॥੧॥ |
| So vasai iṯ gẖar jis gur pūrā sev. Abicẖal nagrī Nānak ḏev. |
Further, at SGGS ang (page) 990 is another shabad which contains the reference to the founder Guru as Guru Nanak Dev as listed below:
| ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ਰੂਪ ॥੮॥੧॥ |
| Gur Nānak ḏev govinḏ rūp. ((8)(1)) |
| Guru Nanak Dayv is the Embodiment of the Lord of the Universe. ((8)(1)) |
Yet further, at SGGS ang (page) 1192 is another shabad which contains the reference to the founder Guru as Guru Nanak Dev as listed below:
| ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਵੈ ਕਾਹੂ ॥੪॥੨॥ |
| Kaho Nānak ḏevai kāhū. |
So although the founder Guru is referred to mainly as simply Nanak in the SGGS, the reference as Guru Nanak Dev is NOT wrong. In fact, Bhai Gurdas uses this reference many times in his Varan, Varan Bhai Gurdas. See Bhai Manvir Singh's blog for a full account.
