☀️ JOIN SPN MOBILE
Forums
New posts
Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New resources
Latest activity
Videos
New media
New comments
Library
Latest reviews
Donate
Log in
Register
What's new
New posts
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
Sign up
Log in
Discussions
Hard Talk
The Bhagat Maal Debacle
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Dr Karminder Singh" data-source="post: 219399" data-attributes="member: 9642"><p><em>Reveiw of The Bhagat Maal by Nabha Dass</em></p><p></p><p>The Sikh Scripture – Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji (SGGS) contains the <em>Bani</em> of 15 <em>bhagats</em>. A total of 725 <em>saloks</em> and <em>shabds</em>; including three full <em>banis</em>2 written by the <em>bhagats</em> were retrieved by Guru Nanak in person from them.3 These were all included in the Pothee Sahib by Guru Arjun and maintained in the SGGS by Guru Gobind Singh upon bestowing of <em>Gurgadee</em> to the SGGS in 1708.</p><p></p><p>All three independent acts – retrieval of the <em>bhagat bani</em>, their inclusion into Pothee Sahib and their retention in the SGGS – fortify the single principle that the spiritual philosophy of the 15 <em>bhagats</em> was completely in line with that of our Gurus. From their initial retrieval to eventual inclusion in the SGGS, all 725 <em>saloks</em> and <em>shabds </em>of the <em>bhagats</em> underwent bench-marking three times at the hands of three separate Gurus. Such scrutiny for spiritual alignment is perhaps avant-garde on its own accord.</p><p></p><p>An examination of the <em>bani</em> of the <em>bhagats</em> reveals that they were revolutionary spiritual seekers. Amongst the many facets of their ground shattering and innovative spirituality, four aspects stand out as stark reality of what the <em>bhagats</em> stood for: (i) the damning denunciation and rejection of the then existing clergy, (ii) the total refutation of all clergy sanctioned ritual, (iii) repudiation of the clergy sanctioned idol worship, and (iv) the wholesome rejection of the primary institution of the clergy – the <em>mandir, dehora, maseet</em> and temple as the “pathway to spirituality”.</p><p></p><p>In any case, the institution of the clergy was out of bounds <em>by dogma</em> to all but three of the <em>bhagats</em> – on account of their ‘low’ caste. The <em>mandir</em>’s doors were secured shut to the castes of weaver, cobbler, tailor and other <em>shudras</em>. The doors did not open for those <em>bhagats</em> who were not <em>shurdras</em> either – the <em>mandirs </em>were shut to them as well – as pay back for their stinging criticism of the custodians of these places as frauds and pretentious beings.</p><p></p><p><em>Bhagat</em> Kabir establishes the centrality of what the <em>bhagats</em> collectively stood for; through his verse on page 1158 of the SGGS:</p><p></p><p><strong>ਹਮਰਾ ਝਗਰਾ ਰਹਾ ਨ ਕੋਊ ॥ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਛਾਡੇ ਦੋਊ ॥ ੧ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ </strong></p><p></p><p><em>Hamra Jhugra Rha Na Kou. Pandit Mullah Chadey Dou.</em></p><p></p><p>Meaning: My Spiritual Journey is Unimpeded. I have discarded both the <em>Pandit</em> and <em>Mullah</em> clergy.</p><p></p><p>The inference is clear. Abiding by the dictates of the clergy of the two main religions of the day – the <em>Pandit</em> and <em>Mullah</em> was as recipe for a spirituality that was conflictual (<em>Jhugra</em>). Such a spirituality was in conflict because the dictates of the clergy were in contrast to genuine goals of spirituality.</p><p></p><p>Kabir says again on page 1159.</p><p></p><p><strong>ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਜੋ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੀਆ ॥ ਛਾਡਿ ਚਲੇ ਹਮ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਲੀਆ ॥ ੩ ॥ </strong></p><p></p><p><em>Pandit Mullah Jo Likh Diya. Chad Chaley Hum Kachu Na Liya.</em></p><p></p><p>Meaning: All that the <em>Pandit</em> and <em>Mullah</em> Have Prescribed, I Accept None; Walking the Path of Spirituality – I Discard It All.</p><p></p><p>The vocabulary of Kabir is in absolutes – <em>Jo</em> refers to “everything and anything”. <em>Kachu</em> means “None” in the absolute sense. <em>All </em>of the clergy stuff is discarded in <em>totality</em>.</p><p></p><p>The stand enunciated by Kabir passes the benchmark of Guru Nanak’s own assessment that held the clergy responsible for the devastation of mankind’s spirituality. Guru Nanak’s verse to this effect can be found on page 662 of the SGGS as follows:</p><p></p><p><strong>ਕਾਦੀ ਕੂੜੁ ਬੋਲਿ ਮਲੁ ਖਾਇ ॥ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਜੀਆ ਘਾਇ ॥ ਜੋਗੀ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਅੰਧੁ ॥ ਤੀਨੇ ਓਜਾੜੇ ਕਾ ਬੰਧੁ ॥ ੨ ॥ </strong></p><p></p><p><em>Kadi Koo Bol Mul Khayey. Brahmin Navey Jeeya Ghayey. Jogi Jugat Na Janey Andh. Tiney Ujarey Ka Bundh</em>.</p><p></p><p>Meaning: The clergy of the Muslim faith was corrupt, the Brahmin was murderous and the Jogi unenlightened. These three (clergy) had become the root cause for the spiritual wreckage and desolation that mankind had come to endure.</p><p></p><p><em>Bhagat</em> Namdev repudiates the institution of the clergy through his verses that are contained on page 875 of the SGGS as follows:</p><p></p><p><strong>ਹਿੰਦੂ ਪੂਜੈ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ਮਸੀਤਿ ॥ ਨਾਮੇ ਸੋਈ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਜਹ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਨ ਮਸੀਤਿ ॥ </strong></p><p></p><p><em>Hindu Pujey Dehora Musalman Maseet. Namey Soee Seyvia Jeh Dehora Na Maseet.</em></p><p></p><p>Meaning. The Hindu Seeks Him through the Worship at the <em>Dehora</em> and the <em>Musalman</em> in the <em>Maseet</em>. Namdev Realizes One Who Is Realized Neither in The <em>Dehora</em> Na <em>Maseet</em>.</p><p></p><p>The inference is clear. Namdev Seeks the One who is Found Neither in the <em>Dehora</em> nor <em>Maseet</em>.</p><p></p><p>Kabir rejects the staple clergy act of idol worship in his verse on page 1160 of the SGGS.</p><p></p><p><strong>ਨ ਪਾਥਰੁ ਬੋਲੈ ਨਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਦੇਇ ॥ ਫੋਕਟ ਕਰਮ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਹੈ ਸੇਵ ॥ ੨ ॥ </strong></p><p></p><p><em>Na Pathar Boley Na Kich Dey. Fokat Karm Nehful Hai Sev.</em></p><p></p><p>Meaning: The Act is Worthless and the Worship of an Idol is Fruitless.</p><p></p><p>Namdev similarly frames his critique within the parameters of irony as exemplified by this verse on page 525 of the SGGS.</p><p></p><p><strong>ਏਕੈ ਪਾਥਰ ਕੀਜੈ ਭਾਉ ॥ ਦੂਜੈ ਪਾਥਰ ਧਰੀਐ ਪਾਉ ॥ ਜੇ ਓਹੁ ਦੇਉ ਤ ਓਹੁ ਭੀ ਦੇਵਾ ॥ ਕਹਿ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਹਮ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ॥ </strong></p><p></p><p><em>Ekey Pathar Keejey Bhao. Dujey Pathjar Dhareay Pao. Je Oh Deh Ta Oh Bhee Deva. Keh Namdev Hum Har Kee Sev.</em></p><p></p><p>Meaning: Some Stones Are Worshipped and Some Stepped On. If Some Are Gods, then the Others Must Be Gods as well.</p><p></p><p>The irony is stark indeed.</p><p></p><p><strong>Protecting the Sanctity of Bhagat Bani.</strong></p><p></p><p>The decision of the Sikh Gurus in providing space to the <em>bhagat bani</em> within the SGGS served two primary objectives.</p><p></p><p>First, it gave unprecedented eminence to the spiritual principles and stands of the 15 <em>bhagats</em>. The collective prominence provide to the <em>bhagats</em> by the SGGS as the spiritual text and Guru of the Sikhs could not have been attained by the <em>bhagats</em> on their own accord.</p><p></p><p>Second, and more importantly, the SGGS provided sacrosanctity to the writings of the bhagats. Its inclusion in the SGGS accorded <em>bhagat</em> <em>bani</em> inviolability against adulteration and corruption of any kind – in particular by the clergy and their institutions that bore the brunt of the <em>bhagats’</em> critique.</p><p></p><p>The 725 <em>shabds</em> and <em>saloks</em> that got incorporated in the SGGS were safe and indeed remained safe from any sort of contamination4- primarily because the Gurus were aware of the clergy propensity to corrupt any system of belief that stood in opposition to it. The contamination did not occur because the Gurus themselves undertook the task of protecting the sacrosanctity of the SGGS – laying down their life when it came to the crux of it.5</p><p></p><p><strong>The Clergy Retaliates</strong></p><p></p><p>The emerging eminence and prominence of <em>bhagat bani</em> as provided by our Gurus also caught the attention of the the <em>Bippar</em> / <em>Bhramanwaad</em> clergy who were clearly affected by it. The <em>Bippar</em> thus set in motion his scheme to dilute the critique, sully the revolutionary spirit and muddle the legacy of the <em>bhagats</em>. The <em>Bippar</em> could not alter the writings of the <em>bhagats</em> so he set about creating fake written narratives of the lives of the <em>bhagats</em>.</p><p></p><p>Thus was born the narrative called the <em>Bhagat Maal</em>. It was authored by Nabha Dass, a self-styled <em>Snatn</em> theologian based in the Punjabi village of Pathankot at Gurdaspur sometime in the 1600s.</p><p></p><p>For the specific purposes of the 15 <em>bhagats</em> that were seated by our Gurus on the spiritual throne that was the SGGS; the task of dethroning them and putting them back squarely at the feet of the <em>bippar</em> clergy was left to the <em>Nirmlas</em> – the Benares based <em>brahmins</em> who had entered Punjab in the mid-1700s and who under the guise of Sikhi garb ruled over Sikh institutions, psyche and literature for some 250 years.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Nirmlas</em> could NOT alter the divine <em>bani</em> of the <em>bhagats</em> as contained in the SGGS so they resorted to writing a distorted “history” of the <em>bhagats’</em> lives. The fake “history” contradicts everything the <em>bhagats</em> say in their own writings so those Sikhs who read both are bound to be confused.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Bhagat Maal</em> pertaining to the 15 SGGS <em>bhagats</em> was first composed by <em>Nirmla</em> Surat Singh. The <em>Nirmlas</em> knew that authentic Sikhs would not accept <em>Bhagat Maal</em>. To achieve believability as well as to keep their hand hidden, it was published under the name of Bhai Mani Singh.6 Surat Singh also wrote <em>Bhagat Ratnawlee</em> – a book containing details about the 15 <em>bhagats</em> in the SGGS.</p><p></p><p>Other <em>Nirmlas</em> translated the <em>Nabha Bhagat Maal</em> into Punjabi and added lots of their own stories. The first translation of the original in <em>Brij Bhasa</em> was undertaken by Swami Priya Daas in the late 1800s. Nirmala Keerat Singh undertook a poetic translation of the same during the same period. Nirmala Pandit Narain Singh translated it into prose Punjabi in 1935. 7 Narain Singh also authored <em>Bhagat Bani Sateek</em> in 1920.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Corrupting the Legacy of the <em>Bhagats</em></strong></p><p></p><p>It is no coincidence that the focus of the <em>Bhagat Maal</em> corresponds to diluting, corrupting and diminishing the four cardinal spiritual principles that the revolutionary <em>bhagats</em> stood for.</p><p></p><p>If the <em>bhagats</em> undertook a damning denunciation of the existing clergy, the <em>Bhagat Maal</em> potrays the <em>bhagats</em> as relying on the clergy for their enlightenment. If the <em>bhagats</em> enunciated a total rejection of all clergy sanctioned ritual, the <em>Bhagat Maal</em> shows the <em>bhagats</em> as having reached God through ritual. If the <em>bhagats</em> repudiated the clergy sanctioned idol worship, the <em>Bhagat Maal</em> potrays <em>bhagats</em> worshipping idols; albeit with full faith and love. (<em>Bhagat</em> Dhanna extricating God out of a stone is case in point). And if the <em>bhagats</em> announced their wholesome rejection of the primary institution of the clergy – the <em>mandir, dehora, maseet </em>and temple as the “pathway to spirituality” the <em>Bhagat Maal</em> narrates stories of <em>bhagats</em> praying at <em>mandirs</em>. (The fake story of <em>bhagat</em> Namdev ji going to a <em>mandir</em> to pray, being ejected by the Brahmins there, and causing the <em>mandir</em> to spin around miraculously to face the <em>bhagats</em> is case in point).</p><p></p><p>The primary objective of <em>Bhagat Maal</em> is to corrupt the legacy of the <em>bhagats</em>. Its method is to embroil the <em>bhagats</em> in <em>brahminwaad</em> and portray them part and parcel of the <em>bippar</em> clergy.</p><p></p><p>But what about the <em>bani</em> of the <em>bhagats</em> in the SGGS? Don’t their 725 <em>shabds</em> and <em>saloks</em> expose the <em>Bhagat Maal</em> for what it actually is – a fake narrative?</p><p></p><p>The <em>Nirmlas</em> have attempted to take care of that. Given that Sikhs are by and large unable to understand Gurbani on their own – hence relying on <em>teekas</em> and translations, the Nirmala authors of <em>Bhagat Maal</em> have incorporated the <em>bani</em> of the <em>bhagats</em> into their fake stories. To do this they have obviously twisted and distorted the meanings to fit their self-serving narratives.</p><p></p><p>In Pandit Narain Singh’s <em>Bhagat Maal</em> for instance, there are six <em>sakhis</em> pertaining to <em>Bhagat</em> Dhanna ji who has three <em>shabds</em> in the SGGS. The <em>sakhis</em> are as follows:</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">God appearing from a stone that Dhanna worshipped – given to him by a Brahmin named Tirlochan (<em>Bhagat</em> Tarlochan who has one <em>shabd</em> in the SGGS).8 This makes <em>bhagat</em> Tirlochan as an idol worshipper as well. It also establishes that Dhanna had to rely on a Brahmin clergy for his spiritual needs.<br /> <br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">God undertaking tasks for Dhanna (in return for being fed by Dhanna, God decided to pay Dhanna back by taking care of his cows). 9<br /> <br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Accepting Ramanand as Guru. (Dhanna goes to Kanshi to adopt Ramanand as Guru. Upon his return home, God undertook all of Dhanna’s menial tasks on a daily basis).10<br /> <br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Reaping without sowing (Dhanna fed his wheat grain seeds to a Brahmin instead of sowing them. Afraid that his mother would admonish him, Dhanna ploughed an empty plot for months, and wheat grew aplenty anyway).11 The <em>sakhi</em> “establishes” that donations to a Brahmin bears miraculous results.<br /> <br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">God’s <em>Darshan</em> to Tirlochan. The Brahmin who had given him the stone was envious that Dhanna had been served by God. So he begged Dhanna for the same. Dhanna took him to the fields where God was tending to his cows and said “look over there, that’s God with a flute in his hand, smiling at us). 12 The <em>sakhi</em> “establishes” that the God of Dhanna was actually the God of the <em>bippar</em> clergy.</li> </ol><p>The <em>Nirmla</em> author quotes verses from <em>bhagat</em> Dhanna’s <em>bani</em> to “support” his fake narrative. Equally fake is the translation and interpretation of <em>bhagat</em> Dhanna’s <em>shabd</em> in the SGGS ji.</p><p></p><p>I have endeavored to illustrate my observations above by attempting to provide an authentic Gurbani based understanding of one <em>shabd</em> of <em>bhagat</em> Dhanna ji as contained on page 487 of the SGGS ji. My translation and commentary can be found in the succeeding article titled <em>Gurbani Shabd Vichar – Asa Bani Bhagat Dhanne Ki.</em></p><p></p><p>Notes:</p><p></p><p><em>1 Bhagats Kabir, Ravidas, Farid, Ramanand, Beni, Namdev, SaDhanna, Bhikhan, Parmanand, Sain, Dhanna, Pipa, Surdas, Jaidev, and Trilochan. </em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>2 Bavan Akhree, Pandran Thithee, Sat Vaar are Bhagat Kabir ji’s compositions. </em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>3 All Bhagats were contemporaries of Guru Nanak with the exception of Fareed whose compositions were retrieved by Guru Nanak from his followers in his Ashram. </em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>4 The same cannot be said about the voluminous writings of the bhagats that remained outside the SGGS. The Beejuk Granth said to contain the writings of Kabir is believed to have been shaped to fit the belief systems of the Vaishnavites whereby Kabir is shown to be a follower of the Vedic dictates. Kabir panthis worship the idol of Kabir, wear sacred thread and adorn themselves in sandalwood paste – the very things that the Kabir of the SGGS critiqued with so much passion. </em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>5 The torture and execution of the Guru Arjun was in large part over the Guru’s refusal to accept the inclusion – into the Pothee Sahib – compositions that were against Sikhi tenets. This execution and the keeping of the bani in the personal and exclusive possession by the Gurus beginning with Guru Nanak was clear proof of the Gurus conviction towards the sanctity and authenticity of the bani. </em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>6 Ghost authorship seems to be the norm in a wide variety of the early Sikhi related texts that they wrote. Other examples are the Gurbilas Patshahi 6, a host of Janam Sakhis, Rehetnamas composed under the names of prominent Sikhs who were contemporaries of Guru Gobind Singh, the Bachitar Natak, etc. All in all, the Nirmlas are believed to have either authored or conspired to author some 35 “classical texts.” The impact of corruption and adulteration on such a massive scale is beyond measure. </em></p><p></p><p>7 Pandit Narain Singh<em>, Sri Granth Guru Bhagal Maal Vaartik Sateek, </em>Lahore: Dwarka Printing Press, 1938</p><p></p><p><em>8 </em>Pandit Narain Singh<em>, Sri Granth Guru Bhagal Maal Vaartik Sateek, </em>p. 67</p><p></p><p><em>9 Ibid, p. 68</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>10 Ibid, p.69</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>11 Ibid.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>12 Ibid, p. 70</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><strong><em><span style="font-size: 12px">(Note: This piece first appeared as the Editorial for The Sikh Bulletin Vol 2/2019.)</span></em></strong></em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Dr Karminder Singh, post: 219399, member: 9642"] [I]Reveiw of The Bhagat Maal by Nabha Dass[/I] The Sikh Scripture – Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji (SGGS) contains the [I]Bani[/I] of 15 [I]bhagats[/I]. A total of 725 [I]saloks[/I] and [I]shabds[/I]; including three full [I]banis[/I]2 written by the [I]bhagats[/I] were retrieved by Guru Nanak in person from them.3 These were all included in the Pothee Sahib by Guru Arjun and maintained in the SGGS by Guru Gobind Singh upon bestowing of [I]Gurgadee[/I] to the SGGS in 1708. All three independent acts – retrieval of the [I]bhagat bani[/I], their inclusion into Pothee Sahib and their retention in the SGGS – fortify the single principle that the spiritual philosophy of the 15 [I]bhagats[/I] was completely in line with that of our Gurus. From their initial retrieval to eventual inclusion in the SGGS, all 725 [I]saloks[/I] and [I]shabds [/I]of the [I]bhagats[/I] underwent bench-marking three times at the hands of three separate Gurus. Such scrutiny for spiritual alignment is perhaps avant-garde on its own accord. An examination of the [I]bani[/I] of the [I]bhagats[/I] reveals that they were revolutionary spiritual seekers. Amongst the many facets of their ground shattering and innovative spirituality, four aspects stand out as stark reality of what the [I]bhagats[/I] stood for: (i) the damning denunciation and rejection of the then existing clergy, (ii) the total refutation of all clergy sanctioned ritual, (iii) repudiation of the clergy sanctioned idol worship, and (iv) the wholesome rejection of the primary institution of the clergy – the [I]mandir, dehora, maseet[/I] and temple as the “pathway to spirituality”. In any case, the institution of the clergy was out of bounds [I]by dogma[/I] to all but three of the [I]bhagats[/I] – on account of their ‘low’ caste. The [I]mandir[/I]’s doors were secured shut to the castes of weaver, cobbler, tailor and other [I]shudras[/I]. The doors did not open for those [I]bhagats[/I] who were not [I]shurdras[/I] either – the [I]mandirs [/I]were shut to them as well – as pay back for their stinging criticism of the custodians of these places as frauds and pretentious beings. [I]Bhagat[/I] Kabir establishes the centrality of what the [I]bhagats[/I] collectively stood for; through his verse on page 1158 of the SGGS: [B]ਹਮਰਾ ਝਗਰਾ ਰਹਾ ਨ ਕੋਊ ॥ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਛਾਡੇ ਦੋਊ ॥ ੧ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ [/B] [I]Hamra Jhugra Rha Na Kou. Pandit Mullah Chadey Dou.[/I] Meaning: My Spiritual Journey is Unimpeded. I have discarded both the [I]Pandit[/I] and [I]Mullah[/I] clergy. The inference is clear. Abiding by the dictates of the clergy of the two main religions of the day – the [I]Pandit[/I] and [I]Mullah[/I] was as recipe for a spirituality that was conflictual ([I]Jhugra[/I]). Such a spirituality was in conflict because the dictates of the clergy were in contrast to genuine goals of spirituality. Kabir says again on page 1159. [B]ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਜੋ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੀਆ ॥ ਛਾਡਿ ਚਲੇ ਹਮ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਲੀਆ ॥ ੩ ॥ [/B] [I]Pandit Mullah Jo Likh Diya. Chad Chaley Hum Kachu Na Liya.[/I] Meaning: All that the [I]Pandit[/I] and [I]Mullah[/I] Have Prescribed, I Accept None; Walking the Path of Spirituality – I Discard It All. The vocabulary of Kabir is in absolutes – [I]Jo[/I] refers to “everything and anything”. [I]Kachu[/I] means “None” in the absolute sense. [I]All [/I]of the clergy stuff is discarded in [I]totality[/I]. The stand enunciated by Kabir passes the benchmark of Guru Nanak’s own assessment that held the clergy responsible for the devastation of mankind’s spirituality. Guru Nanak’s verse to this effect can be found on page 662 of the SGGS as follows: [B]ਕਾਦੀ ਕੂੜੁ ਬੋਲਿ ਮਲੁ ਖਾਇ ॥ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਜੀਆ ਘਾਇ ॥ ਜੋਗੀ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਅੰਧੁ ॥ ਤੀਨੇ ਓਜਾੜੇ ਕਾ ਬੰਧੁ ॥ ੨ ॥ [/B] [I]Kadi Koo Bol Mul Khayey. Brahmin Navey Jeeya Ghayey. Jogi Jugat Na Janey Andh. Tiney Ujarey Ka Bundh[/I]. Meaning: The clergy of the Muslim faith was corrupt, the Brahmin was murderous and the Jogi unenlightened. These three (clergy) had become the root cause for the spiritual wreckage and desolation that mankind had come to endure. [I]Bhagat[/I] Namdev repudiates the institution of the clergy through his verses that are contained on page 875 of the SGGS as follows: [B]ਹਿੰਦੂ ਪੂਜੈ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਣੁ ਮਸੀਤਿ ॥ ਨਾਮੇ ਸੋਈ ਸੇਵਿਆ ਜਹ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਨ ਮਸੀਤਿ ॥ [/B] [I]Hindu Pujey Dehora Musalman Maseet. Namey Soee Seyvia Jeh Dehora Na Maseet.[/I] Meaning. The Hindu Seeks Him through the Worship at the [I]Dehora[/I] and the [I]Musalman[/I] in the [I]Maseet[/I]. Namdev Realizes One Who Is Realized Neither in The [I]Dehora[/I] Na [I]Maseet[/I]. The inference is clear. Namdev Seeks the One who is Found Neither in the [I]Dehora[/I] nor [I]Maseet[/I]. Kabir rejects the staple clergy act of idol worship in his verse on page 1160 of the SGGS. [B]ਨ ਪਾਥਰੁ ਬੋਲੈ ਨਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਦੇਇ ॥ ਫੋਕਟ ਕਰਮ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਹੈ ਸੇਵ ॥ ੨ ॥ [/B] [I]Na Pathar Boley Na Kich Dey. Fokat Karm Nehful Hai Sev.[/I] Meaning: The Act is Worthless and the Worship of an Idol is Fruitless. Namdev similarly frames his critique within the parameters of irony as exemplified by this verse on page 525 of the SGGS. [B]ਏਕੈ ਪਾਥਰ ਕੀਜੈ ਭਾਉ ॥ ਦੂਜੈ ਪਾਥਰ ਧਰੀਐ ਪਾਉ ॥ ਜੇ ਓਹੁ ਦੇਉ ਤ ਓਹੁ ਭੀ ਦੇਵਾ ॥ ਕਹਿ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਹਮ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ॥ [/B] [I]Ekey Pathar Keejey Bhao. Dujey Pathjar Dhareay Pao. Je Oh Deh Ta Oh Bhee Deva. Keh Namdev Hum Har Kee Sev.[/I] Meaning: Some Stones Are Worshipped and Some Stepped On. If Some Are Gods, then the Others Must Be Gods as well. The irony is stark indeed. [B]Protecting the Sanctity of Bhagat Bani.[/B] The decision of the Sikh Gurus in providing space to the [I]bhagat bani[/I] within the SGGS served two primary objectives. First, it gave unprecedented eminence to the spiritual principles and stands of the 15 [I]bhagats[/I]. The collective prominence provide to the [I]bhagats[/I] by the SGGS as the spiritual text and Guru of the Sikhs could not have been attained by the [I]bhagats[/I] on their own accord. Second, and more importantly, the SGGS provided sacrosanctity to the writings of the bhagats. Its inclusion in the SGGS accorded [I]bhagat[/I] [I]bani[/I] inviolability against adulteration and corruption of any kind – in particular by the clergy and their institutions that bore the brunt of the [I]bhagats’[/I] critique. The 725 [I]shabds[/I] and [I]saloks[/I] that got incorporated in the SGGS were safe and indeed remained safe from any sort of contamination4- primarily because the Gurus were aware of the clergy propensity to corrupt any system of belief that stood in opposition to it. The contamination did not occur because the Gurus themselves undertook the task of protecting the sacrosanctity of the SGGS – laying down their life when it came to the crux of it.5 [B]The Clergy Retaliates[/B] The emerging eminence and prominence of [I]bhagat bani[/I] as provided by our Gurus also caught the attention of the the [I]Bippar[/I] / [I]Bhramanwaad[/I] clergy who were clearly affected by it. The [I]Bippar[/I] thus set in motion his scheme to dilute the critique, sully the revolutionary spirit and muddle the legacy of the [I]bhagats[/I]. The [I]Bippar[/I] could not alter the writings of the [I]bhagats[/I] so he set about creating fake written narratives of the lives of the [I]bhagats[/I]. Thus was born the narrative called the [I]Bhagat Maal[/I]. It was authored by Nabha Dass, a self-styled [I]Snatn[/I] theologian based in the Punjabi village of Pathankot at Gurdaspur sometime in the 1600s. For the specific purposes of the 15 [I]bhagats[/I] that were seated by our Gurus on the spiritual throne that was the SGGS; the task of dethroning them and putting them back squarely at the feet of the [I]bippar[/I] clergy was left to the [I]Nirmlas[/I] – the Benares based [I]brahmins[/I] who had entered Punjab in the mid-1700s and who under the guise of Sikhi garb ruled over Sikh institutions, psyche and literature for some 250 years. The [I]Nirmlas[/I] could NOT alter the divine [I]bani[/I] of the [I]bhagats[/I] as contained in the SGGS so they resorted to writing a distorted “history” of the [I]bhagats’[/I] lives. The fake “history” contradicts everything the [I]bhagats[/I] say in their own writings so those Sikhs who read both are bound to be confused. The [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] pertaining to the 15 SGGS [I]bhagats[/I] was first composed by [I]Nirmla[/I] Surat Singh. The [I]Nirmlas[/I] knew that authentic Sikhs would not accept [I]Bhagat Maal[/I]. To achieve believability as well as to keep their hand hidden, it was published under the name of Bhai Mani Singh.6 Surat Singh also wrote [I]Bhagat Ratnawlee[/I] – a book containing details about the 15 [I]bhagats[/I] in the SGGS. Other [I]Nirmlas[/I] translated the [I]Nabha Bhagat Maal[/I] into Punjabi and added lots of their own stories. The first translation of the original in [I]Brij Bhasa[/I] was undertaken by Swami Priya Daas in the late 1800s. Nirmala Keerat Singh undertook a poetic translation of the same during the same period. Nirmala Pandit Narain Singh translated it into prose Punjabi in 1935. 7 Narain Singh also authored [I]Bhagat Bani Sateek[/I] in 1920. [B]Corrupting the Legacy of the [I]Bhagats[/I][/B] It is no coincidence that the focus of the [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] corresponds to diluting, corrupting and diminishing the four cardinal spiritual principles that the revolutionary [I]bhagats[/I] stood for. If the [I]bhagats[/I] undertook a damning denunciation of the existing clergy, the [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] potrays the [I]bhagats[/I] as relying on the clergy for their enlightenment. If the [I]bhagats[/I] enunciated a total rejection of all clergy sanctioned ritual, the [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] shows the [I]bhagats[/I] as having reached God through ritual. If the [I]bhagats[/I] repudiated the clergy sanctioned idol worship, the [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] potrays [I]bhagats[/I] worshipping idols; albeit with full faith and love. ([I]Bhagat[/I] Dhanna extricating God out of a stone is case in point). And if the [I]bhagats[/I] announced their wholesome rejection of the primary institution of the clergy – the [I]mandir, dehora, maseet [/I]and temple as the “pathway to spirituality” the [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] narrates stories of [I]bhagats[/I] praying at [I]mandirs[/I]. (The fake story of [I]bhagat[/I] Namdev ji going to a [I]mandir[/I] to pray, being ejected by the Brahmins there, and causing the [I]mandir[/I] to spin around miraculously to face the [I]bhagats[/I] is case in point). The primary objective of [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] is to corrupt the legacy of the [I]bhagats[/I]. Its method is to embroil the [I]bhagats[/I] in [I]brahminwaad[/I] and portray them part and parcel of the [I]bippar[/I] clergy. But what about the [I]bani[/I] of the [I]bhagats[/I] in the SGGS? Don’t their 725 [I]shabds[/I] and [I]saloks[/I] expose the [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] for what it actually is – a fake narrative? The [I]Nirmlas[/I] have attempted to take care of that. Given that Sikhs are by and large unable to understand Gurbani on their own – hence relying on [I]teekas[/I] and translations, the Nirmala authors of [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] have incorporated the [I]bani[/I] of the [I]bhagats[/I] into their fake stories. To do this they have obviously twisted and distorted the meanings to fit their self-serving narratives. In Pandit Narain Singh’s [I]Bhagat Maal[/I] for instance, there are six [I]sakhis[/I] pertaining to [I]Bhagat[/I] Dhanna ji who has three [I]shabds[/I] in the SGGS. The [I]sakhis[/I] are as follows: [LIST=1] [*]God appearing from a stone that Dhanna worshipped – given to him by a Brahmin named Tirlochan ([I]Bhagat[/I] Tarlochan who has one [I]shabd[/I] in the SGGS).8 This makes [I]bhagat[/I] Tirlochan as an idol worshipper as well. It also establishes that Dhanna had to rely on a Brahmin clergy for his spiritual needs. [*]God undertaking tasks for Dhanna (in return for being fed by Dhanna, God decided to pay Dhanna back by taking care of his cows). 9 [*]Accepting Ramanand as Guru. (Dhanna goes to Kanshi to adopt Ramanand as Guru. Upon his return home, God undertook all of Dhanna’s menial tasks on a daily basis).10 [*]Reaping without sowing (Dhanna fed his wheat grain seeds to a Brahmin instead of sowing them. Afraid that his mother would admonish him, Dhanna ploughed an empty plot for months, and wheat grew aplenty anyway).11 The [I]sakhi[/I] “establishes” that donations to a Brahmin bears miraculous results. [*]God’s [I]Darshan[/I] to Tirlochan. The Brahmin who had given him the stone was envious that Dhanna had been served by God. So he begged Dhanna for the same. Dhanna took him to the fields where God was tending to his cows and said “look over there, that’s God with a flute in his hand, smiling at us). 12 The [I]sakhi[/I] “establishes” that the God of Dhanna was actually the God of the [I]bippar[/I] clergy. [/LIST] The [I]Nirmla[/I] author quotes verses from [I]bhagat[/I] Dhanna’s [I]bani[/I] to “support” his fake narrative. Equally fake is the translation and interpretation of [I]bhagat[/I] Dhanna’s [I]shabd[/I] in the SGGS ji. I have endeavored to illustrate my observations above by attempting to provide an authentic Gurbani based understanding of one [I]shabd[/I] of [I]bhagat[/I] Dhanna ji as contained on page 487 of the SGGS ji. My translation and commentary can be found in the succeeding article titled [I]Gurbani Shabd Vichar – Asa Bani Bhagat Dhanne Ki.[/I] Notes: [I]1 Bhagats Kabir, Ravidas, Farid, Ramanand, Beni, Namdev, SaDhanna, Bhikhan, Parmanand, Sain, Dhanna, Pipa, Surdas, Jaidev, and Trilochan. 2 Bavan Akhree, Pandran Thithee, Sat Vaar are Bhagat Kabir ji’s compositions. 3 All Bhagats were contemporaries of Guru Nanak with the exception of Fareed whose compositions were retrieved by Guru Nanak from his followers in his Ashram. 4 The same cannot be said about the voluminous writings of the bhagats that remained outside the SGGS. The Beejuk Granth said to contain the writings of Kabir is believed to have been shaped to fit the belief systems of the Vaishnavites whereby Kabir is shown to be a follower of the Vedic dictates. Kabir panthis worship the idol of Kabir, wear sacred thread and adorn themselves in sandalwood paste – the very things that the Kabir of the SGGS critiqued with so much passion. 5 The torture and execution of the Guru Arjun was in large part over the Guru’s refusal to accept the inclusion – into the Pothee Sahib – compositions that were against Sikhi tenets. This execution and the keeping of the bani in the personal and exclusive possession by the Gurus beginning with Guru Nanak was clear proof of the Gurus conviction towards the sanctity and authenticity of the bani. 6 Ghost authorship seems to be the norm in a wide variety of the early Sikhi related texts that they wrote. Other examples are the Gurbilas Patshahi 6, a host of Janam Sakhis, Rehetnamas composed under the names of prominent Sikhs who were contemporaries of Guru Gobind Singh, the Bachitar Natak, etc. All in all, the Nirmlas are believed to have either authored or conspired to author some 35 “classical texts.” The impact of corruption and adulteration on such a massive scale is beyond measure. [/I] 7 Pandit Narain Singh[I], Sri Granth Guru Bhagal Maal Vaartik Sateek, [/I]Lahore: Dwarka Printing Press, 1938 [I]8 [/I]Pandit Narain Singh[I], Sri Granth Guru Bhagal Maal Vaartik Sateek, [/I]p. 67 [I]9 Ibid, p. 68 10 Ibid, p.69 11 Ibid. 12 Ibid, p. 70 [B][I][SIZE=3](Note: This piece first appeared as the Editorial for The Sikh Bulletin Vol 2/2019.)[/SIZE][/I][/B][/I] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Discussions
Hard Talk
The Bhagat Maal Debacle
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top