Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji : Message of the six guru’s (Part-3)

38. Message of the six guru’s (Part-3)

Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji

Bani Description : 62 Shaloks ( All are registered in Sri Guru Granth Sahib)

Chief Missions : The principles and teachings of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji were Preached diligently and vigorously. Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji got the Janam Sakhi( Biography) of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji written and thus he preserved and paved the way for the history of the Great Guru. The Gurmukhi Script (Punjabi alphabet) was refined and the letters were given a phonetic form. The tradition of wrestling and arenas (Mull Akhara) was propagated for improving physical strength. To enhance the preaching of Sikh scripture and spiritual education, schools (Pathshaala) were opened for worldly knowledge and education. Sri Guru Arjun Dev ji ( Previous name Lehna) was born on 3-31-1504 in the house of Baba Feru Mull ji and Mata Daya Kaur Ji, at village Mattay de saran, District Muktsar. From his very childhood, he was deeply religious. He used to offer free water (Shabeel) and free Langar (community kitchen) to the pedestrians and hungry saints and thus receive their blessings. He helped his father in his business of shoe making. From the very beginning of his life, he had a yearning, a desire to be one with the Almighty (Ko-yee aan milaa-way meraa Pritam Piyara meaning can anyone come and help me meet our beloved lord). In order to achieve this, he used to go to the Goddess Jwala ji, by leading a religious group of disciples of the goddess every year. He was influenced by Sanatan Dharam (ancient religion) during this period of his life. It was a common belief of that religion that Mata Ji (Goddess) fulfilled every desire of her devotees. Once after hearing the greatness and grandeur of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, he made up his mind to meet Great guru Nanak dev ji enroute to the Goddess (Mata) temple by passing through Kartarpur. The Divine Personality of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji left such a deep impact on him that he became totally devoted to the Great Guru. He ended up staying there and left that religious group of Sanatan Religion for ever. Baba Lehna Ji stayed in the shelter and presence of Guru Nanak Dev ji for eight years and he did unique and very hard service for the Great Guru. As Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was an expert teacher, he taught Baba Lehna Ji about the highest degree of spiritualism and molded his personality practically to achieve this highest state of being. Then the expert teacher tested Baba Lehna Ji’s personality 19 times. When Baba Lehna Ji passed through these tests with flying colors and lived up to the satisfaction of the Great Guru Nanak Dev Ji, then Guru Nanak Dev Ji during his own life time blessed the Guruship to Bhai Lehna Ji by bowing to him and giving his own place of a Guru. This has been explained in Gurbani as Ramkali ke vaar on page 966-967 :

The Guru bowed down to His disciple, while Nanak was still alive. The King, while still alive, applied the ceremonial mark to his forehead. ||1|| Guru Nanak tested His Sikhs and His sons, and everyone saw what happened. When Lehna alone was found to be pure, then He was set on the throne. ||4|| During his life time he waved the canopy of Guru seat on the head of Lahina (Guru Angad) and merged his own light into him. Guru Nanak now transformed himself. (Bhai Gurdas Var 1, Pauri 45)

In the very first meeting with Bhai Lehna Ji, the divine, deeply penetrating vision of Great Guru Nanak Dev Ji had started giving hints of Guruship and his successor ship to Baba Lehna Ji. Guru Nanak Ji said to Bhai Lehna ji on his first visit to him,” O! Man ! What is your name?” Bhai Lehna Ji replied,” Ji, Lehna( literally means a person who gets his dues back). Guru Nanak Dev Ji said,” Lehnadaar always come on horseback, You are Lehnadaar( to receive) and I owe you.” Because in the first meeting with Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Bhai Lehna Ji was riding a horse when he asked about the whereabouts of Guru Nanak Dev Ji from Guru Nanak Dev Ji himself). After that, one day Bhai Lehna came to see Guru Nanak Dev Ji with a lump of salt( Bag) on his head at Kartarpur. Guru ji was not there at Dharmsaal(Gurdwara). So Bhai Lehna ji went straight to the fields where Guru Nanak Dev ji was working. After bowing respectfully to Guru Ji, he started to do the task which Guru Ji was doing. Guru Ji was weeding the plants of rice. Bhai Lehna ji began digging out the rice plants along with the weeds. On seeing it, Satguru Ji smiled and said,” O man! You are not to dig out plants, rather you are to plant the plants.” On the way home, Guru Nanak Dev ji put a load of grassy weeds which were drenched with mud and water on the head of Bhai Lehna ji. His costly dress was spoiled with stains of mud and water. Mata Sulakhni ji asked Guru Nanak Dev ji,” He is meek and gentle, who has never carried any load. Why did you put such a heavy load on his head, moreover his expensive dress is spoiled. Guru Ji said,” Oh! Sulakhni, This is not a load. It is a canopy for the world of religion and society. On his dress, there are no stains of mud. These are stains of saffron which we have showered on him. Look at him from within, not from outside.” These were the hints which developed into its complete form with the lapse of time. In the mornings and late evenings, Bhai Lehna ji used to preach the religious sermons in the congregation (Sangat). For physical strength and vigor, wrestling matches were arranged in the afternoons, where Guru Ji (Guru Angad Dev Ji) used to watch and supervise the wrestling arenas and games of the children in which he also took part. For the whole day, Langar (Free Food) was served without any discrimination. Everybody was made to sit in the Pangat (row) and Langar was served regardless of any status. Delicious and nutritious foods (rice pudding with butter, sacred parshad) were prepared daily. This is implied clearly in the vaar of Satta jiand Balwand. Mata Khivi Ji (Guru Ji’ s wife ) herself used to serve and supervise every thing in the Langar as Ramkali ki Vaar on Page 967…

Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all. She distributes the bounty of the Guru's Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee Your kitchen always has ghee and flour to eat.e, is like sweet ambrosia.

Guru Angad Dev ji developed and established 35 letters of Gurmukhi Script or alphabet to preserve Gurbani and history in the mother tongue. In his leisure time he would teach Gurmukhi to the students and write Gurmukhi booklets of alphabets and distribute them free of cost, so that the script of the mother tongue could flourish and progress. Bhai Balla ji was called and Janam Sakhi (life history) of Guru Nanak Ji was scribed by him. Guru Angad Dev ji was very care-free and indifferent personality. Once Muslim king Humayoun came to have the glimpses of Guru Ji, But Guru Ji didn’t pay special attention to him. Humayoun took it as an act of humiliation. He unsheathed his sword to attack Guru Ji. Guru Angad Dev ji smiled and answered,” Humayoun! Where you should have fought with this sword as a warrior, you ran from the battlefield as a coward. Now you want to dominate over the Saints with your sword.” Humayoun felt very low and begged for pardon. ( Humayoun had run from battle with Sher shah Suri) The religion which was founded by Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, was made unique in its form of living, saying, doing, tolerating and forming new principles as hinted by Bhai Gurdas ji in vaar 1st Pauri 45 as :

In the world, he established the authority (of his doctrines) and started a religion, devoid of any impurity (niramal panth). (Vaar, 1 Pauri 45)

And

Through (the power of the word) Shabad he conquered the Sidhs and propounded his altogether new way of life. (Vaar 1, Pauri 31)

The path of guru Nanak dev ji was preached and expanded with utmost devotion and vigor by Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji. Then Guru Angad Dev ji directed his successor Sri Guru Amar Das ji to do the same. Exactly the same way Sri Guru Amar Das ji handed over this huge task of preaching and expanding religion on to Sri Guru Ram Das ji as Swayias on page 140

Lehnaa established the path of righteousness and Dharma, which He passed on to Guru Amar Daas, of the Bhalla dynasty. Then, He firmly established the Great Ram Daas of the Sodhi dynasty. He was blessed with the inexhaustible treasure of the Lord's Name.

In the company of Guru Angad Dev ji, many devotees received blessings and were privileged to live an emancipated life. They became a source for others to follow. Bhai Gurdas ji has written very clearly in his vaar 1 pauri 15:

A sikh of high order (paramhans) Bhai Paro was there of Julka caste on whom the Guru was full of grace. Sikh named Mallu was very brave and Bhai Kedara was a great devotee. I am sacrifice unto Bhai Dev , Bhai Naryan Das, Bhai Bula and Bhai Dipa. Bhai Lalu, Bhai Durga and Jivanda were gems among the wisemen and, all three were altruists. Jagga and Dharani subcaste and Sansaru was one with the formless Lord. Khanu and Mayya were father and son and Govind of Bhandari caste was an appreciator of the meritorious ones. Jodh, the cook, served the Guru and swam across the world ocean. The perfect Guru maintained their honour.

Such an attractive and action oriented personality was Guru Angad Dev ji that who ever got his glimpse, got ready to sacrifice everything for him. His glimpses had capacity to purify the dirt of many births. Bhai Balwand Ji has stated in ramkali ki Vaar on P. 967 :

Beholding your vision the filth of sins from numerous births is dispelled

Nallh Bhatt too from his personal experience has recorded Gurbani which exhibits a divine personality of Guru Angad Dev ji as on page 1392,Swayia mahala doojay ke :

Grace, You eradicate all wickedness, sin and filth. Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment - You have overcome all these powerful passions. Your mind is filled with peace forever; You banish the sufferings of the world. The Guru is the river of the nine treasures, washing off the dirt of our lives. So speaks TuLLH the poet: serve the Guru, day and night, with intuitive love and affection. Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru, the pains of death and rebirth are taken away. ||10||

Guru Angad Dev ji has contributed 62 shaloks of divine knowledge in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. He was a symbol of politeness. When yogis came to see him at Khadoor Sahib, they questioned him,” What extra-ordinary quality did you have that even the Great Guru Nanak to whom the world bowed to; bowed before you? He gave you Guruship by bowing before you.” Guru Angad Dev ji answered,” Oh Sidhs! Neither did I have extra-ordinary quality then, nor do I have now. The bowing of the Great Guru Nanak Dev ji was just like that of a mother who bows down to fetch her besmeared baby into her lap.” Such an embodiment of humility, politeness, sweetness, tolerance, patience and light-house of super natural powers left for his heavenly abode on March 29, 1552 at Khadoor Sahib leaving behind foot prints of Sewa (selfless service), simran (meditation), and per-upkar ( benevolence). He handed over the Guruship to Sri Guru Amar Das Ji before his heavenly departure and thus made him the successor and custodian of Guru Nanak’s mission. According to Balwand ji’s ramkali ki vaar page 968 :

The same mark on the forehead, the same throne, and the same Royal Court. Just like the father and grandfather, the son is approved.

And also on page 1408 :

Guru Angad showed His Mercy, and established Amar Daas as the True Guru.

Now the light of Sri Guru Angad Dev ji became radiant and visible in Sri Guru Amar Das ji.





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				38. Message of the six guru’s (Part-3) Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji Bani Description : 62 Shaloks ( All are registered in Sri Guru Granth Sahib) Chief Missions : The principles and teachings of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji were Preached diligently and vigorously. Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji got the Janam Sakhi( Biography) of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji written and thus he preserved and paved the way for the history of the Great Guru. The Gurmukhi Script (Punjabi alphabet) was refined and the letters were given a phonetic form. The tradition of wrestling and arenas (Mull Akhara) was propagated for improving physical strength. To enhance the preaching of Sikh scripture and spiritual education, schools (Pathshaala) were opened for worldly knowledge and education. Sri Guru Arjun Dev ji ( Previous name Lehna) was born on 3-31-1504 in the house of Baba Feru Mull ji and Mata Daya Kaur Ji, at village Mattay de saran, District Muktsar. From his very childhood, he was deeply religious. He used to offer free water (Shabeel) and free Langar (community kitchen) to the pedestrians and hungry saints and thus receive their blessings. He helped his father in his business of shoe making. From the very beginning of his life, he had a yearning, a desire to be one with the Almighty (Ko-yee aan milaa-way meraa Pritam Piyara meaning can anyone come and help me meet our beloved lord). In order to achieve this, he used to go to the Goddess Jwala ji, by leading a religious group of disciples of the goddess every year. He was influenced by Sanatan Dharam (ancient religion) during this period of his life. It was a common belief of that religion that Mata Ji (Goddess) fulfilled every desire of her devotees. Once after hearing the greatness and grandeur of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, he made up his mind to meet Great guru Nanak dev ji enroute to the Goddess (Mata) temple by passing through Kartarpur. The Divine Personality of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji left such a deep impact on him that he became totally devoted to the Great Guru. He ended up staying there and left that religious group of Sanatan Religion for ever. Baba Lehna Ji stayed in the shelter and presence of Guru Nanak Dev ji for eight years and he did unique and very hard service for the Great Guru. As Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was an expert teacher, he taught Baba Lehna Ji about the highest degree of spiritualism and molded his personality practically to achieve this highest state of being. Then the expert teacher tested Baba Lehna Ji’s personality 19 times. When Baba Lehna Ji passed through these tests with flying colors and lived up to the satisfaction of the Great Guru Nanak Dev Ji, then Guru Nanak Dev Ji during his own life time blessed the Guruship to Bhai Lehna Ji by bowing to him and giving his own place of a Guru. This has been explained in Gurbani as Ramkali ke vaar on page 966-967 : The Guru bowed down to His disciple, while Nanak was still alive. The King, while still alive, applied the ceremonial mark to his forehead. \|\|1\|\| Guru Nanak tested His Sikhs and His sons, and everyone saw what happened. When Lehna alone was found to be pure, then He was set on the throne. \|\|4\|\| During his life time he waved the canopy of Guru seat on the head of Lahina (Guru Angad) and merged his own light into him. Guru Nanak now transformed himself. (Bhai Gurdas Var 1, Pauri 45) In the very first meeting with Bhai Lehna Ji, the divine, deeply penetrating vision of Great Guru Nanak Dev Ji had started giving hints of Guruship and his successor ship to Baba Lehna Ji. Guru Nanak Ji said to Bhai Lehna ji on his first visit to him,” O! Man ! What is your name?” Bhai Lehna Ji replied,” Ji, Lehna( literally means a person who gets his dues back). Guru Nanak Dev Ji said,” Lehnadaar always come on horseback, You are Lehnadaar( to receive) and I owe you.” Because in the first meeting with Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Bhai Lehna Ji was riding a horse when he asked about the whereabouts of Guru Nanak Dev Ji from Guru Nanak Dev Ji himself). After that, one day Bhai Lehna came to see Guru Nanak Dev Ji with a lump of salt( Bag) on his head at Kartarpur. Guru ji was not there at Dharmsaal(Gurdwara). So Bhai Lehna ji went straight to the fields where Guru Nanak Dev ji was working. After bowing respectfully to Guru Ji, he started to do the task which Guru Ji was doing. Guru Ji was weeding the plants of rice. Bhai Lehna ji began digging out the rice plants along with the weeds. On seeing it, Satguru Ji smiled and said,” O man! You are not to dig out plants, rather you are to plant the plants.” On the way home, Guru Nanak Dev ji put a load of grassy weeds which were drenched with mud and water on the head of Bhai Lehna ji. His costly dress was spoiled with stains of mud and water. Mata Sulakhni ji asked Guru Nanak Dev ji,” He is meek and gentle, who has never carried any load. Why did you put such a heavy load on his head, moreover his expensive dress is spoiled. Guru Ji said,” Oh! Sulakhni, This is not a load. It is a canopy for the world of religion and society. On his dress, there are no stains of mud. These are stains of saffron which we have showered on him. Look at him from within, not from outside.” These were the hints which developed into its complete form with the lapse of time. In the mornings and late evenings, Bhai Lehna ji used to preach the religious sermons in the congregation (Sangat). For physical strength and vigor, wrestling matches were arranged in the afternoons, where Guru Ji (Guru Angad Dev Ji) used to watch and supervise the wrestling arenas and games of the children in which he also took part. For the whole day, Langar (Free Food) was served without any discrimination. Everybody was made to sit in the Pangat (row) and Langar was served regardless of any status. Delicious and nutritious foods (rice pudding with butter, sacred parshad) were prepared daily. This is implied clearly in the vaar of Satta jiand Balwand. Mata Khivi Ji (Guru Ji’ s wife ) herself used to serve and supervise every thing in the Langar as Ramkali ki Vaar on Page 967… Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all. She distributes the bounty of the Guru's Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee Your kitchen always has ghee and flour to eat.e, is like sweet ambrosia. Guru Angad Dev ji developed and established 35 letters of Gurmukhi Script or alphabet to preserve Gurbani and history in the mother tongue. In his leisure time he would teach Gurmukhi to the students and write Gurmukhi booklets of alphabets and distribute them free of cost, so that the script of the mother tongue could flourish and progress. Bhai Balla ji was called and Janam Sakhi (life history) of Guru Nanak Ji was scribed by him. Guru Angad Dev ji was very care-free and indifferent personality. Once Muslim king Humayoun came to have the glimpses of Guru Ji, But Guru Ji didn’t pay special attention to him. Humayoun took it as an act of humiliation. He unsheathed his sword to attack Guru Ji. Guru Angad Dev ji smiled and answered,” Humayoun! Where you should have fought with this sword as a warrior, you ran from the battlefield as a coward. Now you want to dominate over the Saints with your sword.” Humayoun felt very low and begged for pardon. ( Humayoun had run from battle with Sher shah Suri) The religion which was founded by Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, was made unique in its form of living, saying, doing, tolerating and forming new principles as hinted by Bhai Gurdas ji in vaar 1st Pauri 45 as : In the world, he established the authority (of his doctrines) and started a religion, devoid of any impurity (niramal panth). (Vaar, 1 Pauri 45) And Through (the power of the word) Shabad he conquered the Sidhs and propounded his altogether new way of life. (Vaar 1, Pauri 31) The path of guru Nanak dev ji was preached and expanded with utmost devotion and vigor by Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji. Then Guru Angad Dev ji directed his successor Sri Guru Amar Das ji to do the same. Exactly the same way Sri Guru Amar Das ji handed over this huge task of preaching and expanding religion on to Sri Guru Ram Das ji as Swayias on page 140 Lehnaa established the path of righteousness and Dharma, which He passed on to Guru Amar Daas, of the Bhalla dynasty. Then, He firmly established the Great Ram Daas of the Sodhi dynasty. He was blessed with the inexhaustible treasure of the Lord's Name. In the company of Guru Angad Dev ji, many devotees received blessings and were privileged to live an emancipated life. They became a source for others to follow. Bhai Gurdas ji has written very clearly in his vaar 1 pauri 15: A sikh of high order (paramhans) Bhai Paro was there of Julka caste on whom the Guru was full of grace. Sikh named Mallu was very brave and Bhai Kedara was a great devotee. I am sacrifice unto Bhai Dev , Bhai Naryan Das, Bhai Bula and Bhai Dipa. Bhai Lalu, Bhai Durga and Jivanda were gems among the wisemen and, all three were altruists. Jagga and Dharani subcaste and Sansaru was one with the formless Lord. Khanu and Mayya were father and son and Govind of Bhandari caste was an appreciator of the meritorious ones. Jodh, the cook, served the Guru and swam across the world ocean. The perfect Guru maintained their honour. Such an attractive and action oriented personality was Guru Angad Dev ji that who ever got his glimpse, got ready to sacrifice everything for him. His glimpses had capacity to purify the dirt of many births. Bhai Balwand Ji has stated in ramkali ki Vaar on P. 967 : Beholding your vision the filth of sins from numerous births is dispelled Nallh Bhatt too from his personal experience has recorded Gurbani which exhibits a divine personality of Guru Angad Dev ji as on page 1392,Swayia mahala doojay ke : Grace, You eradicate all wickedness, sin and filth. Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment - You have overcome all these powerful passions. Your mind is filled with peace forever; You banish the sufferings of the world. The Guru is the river of the nine treasures, washing off the dirt of our lives. So speaks TuLLH the poet: serve the Guru, day and night, with intuitive love and affection. Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru, the pains of death and rebirth are taken away. \|\|10\|\| Guru Angad Dev ji has contributed 62 shaloks of divine knowledge in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. He was a symbol of politeness. When yogis came to see him at Khadoor Sahib, they questioned him,” What extra-ordinary quality did you have that even the Great Guru Nanak to whom the world bowed to; bowed before you? He gave you Guruship by bowing before you.” Guru Angad Dev ji answered,” Oh Sidhs! Neither did I have extra-ordinary quality then, nor do I have now. The bowing of the Great Guru Nanak Dev ji was just like that of a mother who bows down to fetch her besmeared baby into her lap.” Such an embodiment of humility, politeness, sweetness, tolerance, patience and light-house of super natural powers left for his heavenly abode on March 29, 1552 at Khadoor Sahib leaving behind foot prints of Sewa (selfless service), simran (meditation), and per-upkar ( benevolence). He handed over the Guruship to Sri Guru Amar Das Ji before his heavenly departure and thus made him the successor and custodian of Guru Nanak’s mission. According to Balwand ji’s ramkali ki vaar page 968 : The same mark on the forehead, the same throne, and the same Royal Court. Just like the father and grandfather, the son is approved. And also on page 1408 : Guru Angad showed His Mercy, and established Amar Daas as the True Guru. Now the light of Sri Guru Angad Dev ji became radiant and visible in Sri Guru Amar Das ji.

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