Bhai Gurdas

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Not to be confused with Gurdas Singh, a later Sikh saint and writer.

Bhai Gurdas
ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਦਾਸ
19th century mural painting from Gurdwara Baba Atal depicting Bhai Gurdas
Jathedar of the Akal Takht
In office
1606–1637
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byMani Singh
Personal details
Born
Gurdas Bhalla

1551
Basarke,
Goindwal, Tarn Taran Sahib, Punjab
RelationsMata Ganga
Parents
  • Ishar Das (father)
  • Jivani (mother)
Known for

Bhai Gurdas (

Sikh writer, historian and preacher who served as the Jathedar of the Akal Takht from 1606 to his death in 1636.[1] He was the original scribe of the early version of Guru Granth Sahib, having served as the amanuensis of Guru Arjan in its compilation.[2]
: 131–132 

Early life

Bhai Gurdas was possibly born in 1551

Punjab.[note 3] He was the only child of Bhai Ishar Das and Mata Jivani.[3] Gurdas' father, Ishar Das, was the youngest brother of Guru Amar Das, therefore Gurdas was the nephew of Guru Amar Das.[3] Gurdas was born into the Bhalla clan of Khatris. Bhai Gurdas was near 3 years of age when his mother died.[6][7]

After being orphaned at the age of 12, he was adopted by Guru Amar Das. Under the patronage of Guru Amar Das, Bhai Gurdas learned

Guru Ram Das, assigned Bhai Gurdas as a Sikh missionary to Agra
.

Later life

In 1577, Bhai Gurdas contributed his labour to excavating the Sarovar at Darbar Sahib. Twenty years later, he went on an expedition to Kartarpur and recited many of the early hymns to Emperor Akbar. Akbar was impressed by their spiritual content and was satisfied they had no anti-Muslim tone.[6]

After Guru Ram Das left the world, Bhai Gurdas formed a close relationship with the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan. The Guru had great respect for him, and regarded him as his maternal uncle ("mama"). Gurdas led a group of Sikhs to Gwalior, where the Mughal emperor Jahangir, jealous of the popularity of Sikhism, had imprisoned Guru Hargobind.[6] After that, Gurdas was sent to Kabul, Kashmir, Rajputana, and Varanasi again to preach Sikhism. He even went to Sri Lanka, preaching the name of the Guru among the masses and showing them the true way of life.

Literary works

Detail of Bhai Gurdas Bhalla from a Sikh fresco, circa mid-19th century

Bhai Gurdas completed the

Guru Arjun, but also supervised four other scribes (Bhai Haria, Bhai Sant Das, Bhai Sukha and Bhai Manasa Ram) in the writing of various Sikh scriptures. His other works in Punjabi are collectively called Vaaran Bhai Gurdas.[6] Aside from his well-known Vaars, he also wrote Kabits, a form of poetry, in the Braj-language.[9] He was initially thought to have been the author of 556 Kabits but a discovery of 119 additional Kabits authored by Gurdas was made in 1939 by Vir Singh in a Gurmukhi manuscript.[3]

Writings

Jathedar of Akal Takhat (1606–1636)

Mural showing Bhai Gurdas and Baba Buddha in conversation.

The

Jathedar of Akal Takht
.

Death

He left his body for eternal abode on 25 August 1636 at Goindwal.[note 4][7][3] Guru Hargobind personally performed the ceremonial service at his funeral.

See also

  • Sikh Gurus

Notes

  1. ^ According to research conducted by the late Randhir Singh.
  2. ^ This time range for the likely year of his birth was set by Vir Singh after research he conducted trying to settle the issue of when Gurdas was born.
  3. ^ Other sources give Goindwal as his place of birth.
  4. ^ Other sources give his year of death as 1635.

References

  1. ^ Jaggi, Dr. Rattan Singh (1974). Bhai Gurdas. Patiala: Punjabi University Patiala. p. 19. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  2. ISBN 978-1-4422-3600-4
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-81-7201-218-2
    .
  4. ^ "Early Gursikhs:Bhai Gurdas Ji – Gateway To Sikhism". 27 January 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Introduction to Bhai Gurdas -: ਵਾਰਾਂ ਭਾਈ ਗੁਰਦਾਸ :- SearchGurbani.com". searchgurbani.com. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d Jaggi, Rattan Singh. "GURDĀS, BHĀĪ (1551–1636)". Encyclopaedia of Sikhism. Punjabi University Punjabi. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  7. ^ a b Bhai GURDAS (1551–1636) Archived 13 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine – SikhHistory.com
  8. ^
    ISBN 9780429848384
    . Under his [Guru Amar Das] patronage, his son-in-law Ram Das received training in the musical traditions of North India, and his nephew Gurdas Bhalla received his early education in Punjabi, Braj, and Persian languages, including Hindu and Muslim literary traditions at Sultanpur Lodhi.
  9. ^ McLeod, William Hewat. "Sikhism – Devotional and other works". Encyclopædia Britannica. This was particularly true of the works of Bhai Gurdas, whose 40 lengthy poems, composed in Punjabi, remain popular. Their popularity is vastly greater than that of his 556 brief poems in Braj, a language little read in the Panth today.

External links

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