The real sadness is that we have not truly understood who Guru Nanak Dev Ji is. Even those of us who think we know Him, only know what we have read or heard. The true greatness of Guru Nanak Dev Ji can only be realized by surrendering at His Feet. It is only then that we begin to feel the incredible power we are connected to — a power beyond words or understanding. Those who have experienced even a glimpse of this can never see anyone else as their Guru. This is why the Bhagats mentioned in Gurbani, after having darshan of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, could not recognize any other Guru but Him.

It is clear that Bhagat Ravidas Ji met Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and there are several pieces of evidence to support this. Bhagat Ravidas Ji’s bani not only carries the same message but also uses similar wording, as seen in Guru Granth Sahib Ji. While some people deny that they met, most of the confusion comes from trying to figure out who influenced who during their meeting. Some claim that Bhagat Ravidas Ji was the Guru, while others believe that both of them were at the same spiritual level and were both Gurus.

None of these ideas are true. If Bhagat Ravidas Ji and Guru Nanak Dev Ji were at the same spiritual level, then what was the purpose of Guru Nanak Dev Ji coming into this world? Was He here just to collect hymns? If Bhagat Ravidas Ji could fulfill the role of Satguru, then why was there a need for another Satguru? This thinking goes against what Gurbani says about Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s role and also contradicts what history tells us about Him.

The claim that Bhagat Ravidas Ji was the Guru of Guru Nanak Dev Ji is not true. To be a Satguru, one’s understanding and message must always be based on Sat (truth) and remain unchanging over time. History and Gurbani show that Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s message never changed. However, the same cannot be said for Bhagat Ravidas Ji. Historians and scholars have noted that Bhagat Ravidas Ji initially followed the Sargun (form-based) belief but later adopted the Nirgun (formless) belief. Evidence of this can be found in the book Pracheen Jeevan Katha – Guru Ravidas. This shows that Bhagat Ravidas Ji was still on a journey of seeking the truth, while a Satguru does not need to seek as they already live in the complete truth.

Bhagat Ravidas, along with Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Sain, Bhagat Peepa, and Bhagat Dhana, lived during the same time as Bhagat Ramanand. In their early stages, they were all influenced by Bhagat Ramanand. Some people say that Bhagat Ramanand was Bhagat Ravidas Ji’s Guru. However, it is also written in Pran Sangli that Bhagat Ramanand later became a Sikh (disciple) of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Additionally, Bhagat Kabir Ji mentioned something related to this in an old text containing his shabads:
“ ਪੂਰਨ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰੂ ਕਿੰਚਤ ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ”

Bhagat Kabir Jee and Bhagat Ravidas Jee were peers, external sources have said that both had the same Guru. Ram Kumar Verma in the book titled “Sant Kabeer” has written

“ਇਨ ਅਵਤਰਣੋ ਸੇ ਗਯਾਤ ਹੋਤਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਔਰ ਰੈਦਾਸ ਏਕ ਹੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਕੇ ਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਥੇ”

Both have mentioned each other in their Bani. Bhagat Kabeer Ji writes the following

“ ਪੂਰਨ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰੂ ” This is found in an old Janam Sakhi from outside India. The Goindhwal Pothia are one of the oldest sources for written Gurbani. In here it is written “ਕਬੀਰ ਨਾਮਾ ਭਗਤ ਗੁਰੂ ਬਾਬੇ ਕੇ” so from these sources we can conclude that Bhagat Ravidas too would have accepted Guru Nanak Dev Ji as the Pooran Guru.
Below are some proofs of the meeting between Bhagat Ravidas Jee and Guru Nanak Dev Jee :

Guru Nanak Dev Ji stayed in Kanshi for 15 days. This is the period when the all the religious/spiritual figures from Banaras including the Bhagats came to visit Guru Nanak Dev Ji There is a Gurdwara in this place called “Guru Kaa Baag”.

The Nephew of Guru Arjan Dev Ji Mehervaan in his Janam Sakhi has written the following –
ਤਬ ਅਯੁਧਿਆ ਵਿਖੇ ਗੁਰੂ ਬਾਬਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਬੈਠਾ ਭਗਤੀ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਤਉ ਭਗਤਾਂ ਕਉ ਆਗਿਆ ਆਈ ਪਾਰ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਜਿ, ਨਾਨਕ ਜੁਹਦੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਬਡਾ ਭਗਤ ਹੈ, ਸੁ ਅਯੁਧਿਆ ਮਹਿ ਆਇਆ ਹੈ I ਤੁਮ ਜਾਇਕਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਗਤ ਕਾ ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕਰ ਪਾਵਹੁ, ਜਿ ਤੁਮ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਅਧਿਕ ਪਛਾਨਹੁ I ਅਰ ਮੇਰੀ ਉਸਤਤ ਕਰਹੁ I ਮੇਰੀ ਜੋ ਉਸਤਤ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਾਨਤਾ ਹੈ I……………… ਤਬ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਪਾਰ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਸਾਥ ਸਭਿ ਭਗਤ ਮਿਲੇ I ਮਿਲ ਕਰ ਮਿਲਣ ਆਏ I ਨਾਮਾ, ਜੈਦੇਉ, ਕਬੀਰ, ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ, ਰਵਿਦਾਸ, ਸਧਨਾ, ਧੰਨਾ, ਬੇਣੀ I
(From the above we understand that Bhagat Ravidas and the other Bhagats were instructed by WaheGuru to go and visit Guru Nanak Dev Ji and receive what they were seeking)

In the book called “Ravidas Pragas” on page 435 the following is written –

ਡੂੰਮ ਜਾਤੀ ਦਾ ਮਰਦਾਨਾ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੀ ਨਾਲ ਸੀ, ਜਦੋਂ ਇਹ ਬਨਾਰਸ (ਕਾਸ਼ੀ) ਵਿੱਚ ਗਏ ਸੀ I ਕਾਸ਼ੀ ਦੇ ਬ੍ਰਹਿਮਣਾਂ, ਖਤ੍ਰੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੀ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਹਾ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਨੀਚ ਜਾਤੀ ਵਾਲੇ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਚਮਾਰ ਪਾਸ ਗਏ ਹੋ ਅਸੀ ਤਾਂ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਚਮਾਰ ਜਾਤੀ ਵਾਲੇ ਢੇਢਾਂ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਛਾਵਾਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਲੈਂਦੇ I Listening to this Guru Nanak replied with the following Gurbani :

ਨੀਚਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਨੀਚ ਜਾਤਿ ਨੀਚੀ ਹੂ ਅਤਿ ਨੀਚੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕੁ ਤਿਨ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਸਾਥਿ ਵਡਿਆ ਸਿਉ ਕਿਆ ਰੀਸ ॥
ਜਿਥੈ ਨੀਚ ਸਮਾਲੀਅਨਿ ਤਿਥੈ ਨਦਰਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਬਖਸੀਸ ॥੪॥੩॥
(Panaa 15)

To say Bhagat Ravidas was anything other than a Sikh of Guru Nanak Dev Ji would be disrespectful to him. Imagine how hurt he would feel seeing people use his name to criticize or go against the very Guru he honored and praised. It was Guru Nanak Dev Ji who gave Bhagat Ravidas Ji a high status, both in this world and the next. Without this recognition from Guru Nanak Dev Ji, many people wouldn’t even know about Bhagat Ravidas today.

True followers of Bhagat Ravidas should follow the path of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, just like Bhagat Ravidas Ji did. Those who don’t want to follow his example should stop claiming to be his followers and look for someone else to follow.