25. Dialogue with Kabir Ji and Guru Nanak Ji

Satguru Ravidass Ji used to hold religious discoursed daily at Seer Govardhanpur, Benaras. Satguru Kabir JI also held satsang daily at Kabir Chaura, Benaras. Both of them often met each other and held mutual discussions on religion, Naam, satsang, ritualism, enlightenment, saadhsangat, Hari(i), discrimination, high and low, caste system, secularism, equality, fraternity, truth, human beings and host of other topics. Shri Lekh Raj Parwana writes in his book “Sri Guru Ravidass Jeewan ate Kirtaan” that Guru Nanak Dev Ji held three counts of dialogues with Guru Ravidass Ji.Their first meeting and goshti was held at Chuharkana (Nankana Sahib) when Guru Nanak Dev Ji was still in boyhood. Five saints Kabir Ji, Ravidass Ji, Sain Ji, Peepa Ji and Dhanna Ji had travelled to Punjab for preaching religiosity. Guru Nanak Dev Ji had been given twenty rupees from his revered father Mehta Kalu Ji for a profitable deal. He spent the amount of twenty rupees in the service of the above saints and got their blessings. He deemed it as Sacha Sauda. Guru Nanak Dev Ji spiritually knew everything. He might have judged their divinity as a regard of which he served them. Father Mehta Kalu Ji scolded Guru Nanak when he learnt that the five saints belonged to low caste. Feeling it a social stigma, he slapped Guru Nanak Dev Ji and said that Guru Ravidass Ji and Guru Kabir Ji belonged to low-caste and that why had he developed his relations with them. At this Guru Nanak Dev Ji blatantly condemned jaat-paat and stoutly reacted.

Neechan andir neech jaat neecha huu at(i) neech
Nanak tin ke sang saath waddyan so kya rees.

Second goshti of Guru Ravidass Ji with Guru Nanak Dev Ji took place when Guru Ravidass Ji, along with sant-mandli, visited Punjab 125 years later. They reached Sultanpur after meeting their friends, devotees, saints and disciples. The sant smagam was fixed to be held at the spot where gurdwara Sant Ghat stands today. In this sant smagam it appears the concepts of God, formless, omniscient, omnipresent, Sach Khand (abode of God), pervading everywhere in the Universe, - were discussed. The discussion held here formed the basis of the concepts of Udasian of Guru Nanak Dev Ji which are stated to have commenced from the Sant Ghat site. Third goshti of Guru Nanak Dev Ji was held with Guru Ravidass Ji and Guru Kabir Ji at Gopaldass di bagichi at Kashi where Gurdwara Guru Ka Bagh stands today. At this meeting final shape was given to entire fabric of Bhakti Andolan in the interest of human beings. A strategy was also chalked out for smooth management of the movement. In the same visit to Benaras Guru Nanak Dev Ji discussed various divine concepts with Sant Rama Nand Ji and Swami Shankracharya Ji. Thereafter, again there was general meeting of the saints. Guru Ravidass Ji was the champion on religious and spiritual reforms in the meeting. The road map of religious, social and political reforms was prepared in this sant smagam. Millions and millions of human beings engrossed in superstitions and rituals were to be freed from its quagmire and the concept of ik om (one God) was to be taken down to the masses. The ideal of Guru Ravidass Ji was to liberate millions of human beings including scholars, saints, Sidhs, brahmans from superstitions, rituals and false and misplaced beliefs and practices and to motivate them to believe in one God. It was decided in this goshti that non-violent movement should be started for amelioration of shudras and raising their social status to equality, liberation of womanhood, removal of injustice and to raise voice against the atrocities perpetrated by the kings on their subjects.