Like other Bhagats, there have been several Bhagat Sadhnas in history. The question is, which one of them is the Bhagat Sadhna of Gurbani? Most scholars place the birth of Bhagat Sadhna in 1180 CE, this would mean that Bhagat Sandha lived centuries before Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and cannot be true.
Giani Gian Singh places Bhagat Sadhna in the same time frame as Bhagat Kabir and Bhagat Namdev Ji, which would mean the birth date of 1180 CE is inaccurate by several hundred years. In Tavrikh Guru Khalsa while talking about the atrocities Sikander Lodhi committed against Bhagats, Giani Gian Singh writes the following:
ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਨੂੰ ਗੰਗਾ ਵਿਚ, ਨਾਮਦੇਵ ਜੀ ਨੂੰ ਹਾਥੀ ਅੱਗੇ, ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਨੂੰ ਕੋਠੜੀ ਵਿਚ ਬੰਨ੍ਹ ਕੇ ਇਸੇ ਨੇ ਸੁਟਿਆ ਸੀ, ਤੇ ਸਧਨੇ ਨੂੰ ਬੁਰਜ ਵਿਚ ਚਿਣਾਈਆ ਸੀ।
Kabir was thrown in to the Ganga river, Naamdev was thrown before an elephant, Ravidas was locked up by him and Sadhna was locked up in a tower by him (Lodhi).
According to the Miharban Janam Sakhi, Sadhna was one of the many Bhagats to meet Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Ayodhya:
ਅਯੁਧਿਆ ਵਿੱਚ ਏਕ ਪੰਚ ਤੀਰਥੀ ਮਟ ਥਾ। ਉਸੀ ਮਹਿ ਬਾਬਾ ਬੈਠਾ ਪਰਲੀ ਦੱਖਣ ਕੀ ਤਰਫ ਨਾਮ ਸਿਮਰਨ ਕਰਤਾ ਥਾ, ਤਬ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਪਾਰ ਬ੍ਰਹਿਮ ਕੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਸਾਥ ਸਭ ਭਗਤ ਮਿਲ ਕਰ ਮਿਲਣੇ ਆਏ। ਨਾਮਾ, ਜੈਦੇਉ, ਕਬੀਰ, ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨ, ਰਵਿਦਾਸ, ਸਧਨਾ, ਧੰਨਾ, ਬੇਣੀ।
This fact is further cemented by the discoveries of Bhai Randhir Singh (Research Scholar) who discovered a large hand written granth that had about 25 books within it.
Within this granth is a note about Bhagat Sadhna being a Sikh of Guru Nanak Dev Ji that appears before the Bani of Bhagat Sadhna. The Bani of Bhagat Sadhna in this granth includes his one Shabad found in Guru Granth Sahib along with other Dohre attritbuted to him as well. The note is presented below:
ਸਧਨਾ ਭਗਤ ਜਿਸ ਦੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਅੱਗੇ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ, ਨਿਰਸੰਦੇਹ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦਾ ਭਗਤ, ਤੇ ਦੱਖਣ ਪੱਛਮੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦਾ ਵਸਨੀਕ ਸਹੀ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਲੇਕਨ ਬਿਲਾਵਲ ਰਾਗ ਵਿਚ ਆਏ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਨੂੰ ਹਰਿਜਨ ਨਾਲ ਮਨਸੂਬ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਸਿੰਧੂ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਸਹਵਾਂ ਨਗਰ ਵਿਚ, ਸਮੰਤ ੧੨੩੭ ਬਿਕ੍ਰਮੀ (1180 CE) ਵਿਖੇ ਜਨਮਿਆ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਸਰਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਿਲਾ, ਮੁਗ਼ਲ ਪਠਾਣੀ ਰਾਜ ਸਮੇ, ਵਧੇਰੇ ਮੁਲਤਾਨ ਸੂਬੇ ਨਾਲ ਸਬੰਧਤ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਹੈ ਵੀ ਮੁਲਤਾਨੋਂ ਨੇੜੇ। ਇਸ ਲਈ ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਵਾਲਾ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਵੀ, ਦੋਹਰਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਰਚਨਹਾਰ ਗੁਰ-ਭਗਤ ਸਧਨਾ ਜੀ ਦਾ ਜੀ ਜਾਪਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਵੇਂ ਹੀ ਸਧਨਾ ਜੀ ਦਾ ਜਿਨਾਂ ਵਿਧਵਾਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਰਾਗ ਬਿਲਾਵਲ ਦੇ ਸ਼ਬਦ “ਨ੍ਰਿਪ ਕੰਨਿਆ ਕੇ ਕਰਨੇ” ਨੂੰ ਸੰਮਤ ੧੨੩੭ ਬਿਕ੍ਰਮੀ ਵਿਖੇ ਜਨਮੇ ਸਧਨੇ ਬਗਤ ਨਾਲ ਜੋੜਿਆ ਹੈ, ਉਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਭੁਲੇਖਾ ਖਾਦਾ ਹੈ। ਕੁਝ ਵੀ ਹੋਵੇ, ਸਧਨਾ ਜੇ ਦਾ ਜੀਵਨ, ਕਾਫੀ ਪੜਤਾਲ ਦੇ ਮੁਹਥਾਜ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਗੁਰੂ ਭਗਤ ਸੀ…
Bhagat Sadhna, whose Bani is presented below was undoubtedly a Bhagat (devotee, Sikh) of Satguru Nanak Sahib and a resident of southwestern Punjab. However, the Shabad in Raag Bilaval that is attributed to Bhagat Sadhna is said to belong to a Sadhna who was born in the city of Sehwan in the Sindh region in 1237 Bikrami (1180 CE). The fort of Sehwan, during the Mughal and Pathan periods, was generally associated with the province of Multan and is also situated near Multan. It appears that the Shabad found in Gurbani also belongs to the same Guru-Bhagat Sadhna who wrote the Dohre presented below. Those scholars who have connected the Bilaval Shabad (ਨ੍ਰਿਪ ਕੰਨਿਆ ਕੇ ਕਰਨੇ) to the Bhagat Sadhna who is said to have been born in 1237 Bikrami (1180CE) have been mistaken. Whatever the case may be, the life of Bhagat Sadhna still requires considerable research. He was a Bhagat of the Guru without doubt.
The writer of the above note has made it clear that they do not believe that Bhagat Sadhna was born in 1180 CE. They believe he was a contemporary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and in fact a Sikh of Guru Sahib. This verifies the Miharban Janam Sakhi’s account of Bhagat Sadhna meeting Guru Sahib as well.
Although, we only place importance on the writings of Bhagats found in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, it is interesting to see what Bhagat Sadhna wrote about Guru Nanak Dev Ji in these external Shabads. It leaves no doubt that Bhagat Sadhna Ji met Guru Sahib and became his Sikh. Some lines from these external Shabads are presented below:
ਪਿਰੀ ਵਿਛੋੜਾ ਕਿਉਂ ਸਹਿਣ, ਜਿਨ ਸਿਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਪੀਰ
How can those suffer separation from the Divine Beloved when Guru Nanak is their Pir?
And another line from the same Shabad:
ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਮਸਤਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ, ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਨ ਮਿਲਿਓਨ
Those for whom it was written on their forehead (in their destiny) meet Guru Nanak.
Such beautiful lines can only be written by someone who has met Guru Nanak Sahib and been blessed with Naam and therefore has been saved by Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Furthermore, if we look at Bhagat Sadhna’s Shabad in Guru Granth Sahib Ji it becomes clear that he met Guru Nanak Dev Ji as well:
ਤਵ ਗੁਨ ਕਹਾ ਜਗਤ ਗੁਰਾ ਜਉ ਕਰਮੁ ਨ ਨਾਸੈ ॥
Oh Jagat Guru, Guru of the World, what value is there in coming into your sanctuary, if you will not destroy my past Karams.
Who other than Satguru Nanak Dev Ji can be called the Jagat Guru? That is why Bhai Gurdas Ji has called Guru Nanak Dev Ji Jagat Guru:
ਜਗਤੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਉ ।੨।
Gurbani does not believe in another Jagat Guru, other than Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Therefore, we can conclude that Bhagat Sadhna was a Sikh of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Bhagat Bhikhan
It is generally accepted that Bhagat Bhikhan lived in the 1500s. Abdul Qadir Badauni an Indo-Persion scholar writes that Bhagat Bhikkhan passed away in the year 929 Hijri (1522/1523 CE). Amresh Datta in the Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature writes that Bhagat Bhikhan lived from 1480–1573. Most agree that he lived in the 1500s, even if the exact dates are contested.
Max Arthur Maucliffe writes that Bhagat Bhikhan met Farid Sani. He was a contemporary of Bhagat Kabir Ji and thus of Guru Nanak Dev Ji as well. Therefore, like the other Bhagats of Gurbani, he must have met Guru Nanak Dev Ji as well.
Bhagat Bhikhan’s Bani is our biggest evidence for him having met Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In his Shabad in Raag Sorath, Bhikhan Ji writes:
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਜਲੁ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਇਹੁ ਅਉਖਧੁ ਜਗਿ ਸਾਰਾ ॥
The Name of the Lord, the ambrosial, immaculate water, is the best medicine in the world.
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ਕਹੈ ਜਨੁ ਭੀਖਨੁ ਪਾਵਉ ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰਾ ॥੩॥੧॥
By Guru’s Grace, says servant Bhikhan, I have found the Door of Salvation. ||3||1||
The last line is particularly important. Bhagat Bhikhan is clear that he has found the door of salvation (ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰਾ) through the Guru’s Grace (ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ). In fact, there is no other way to find Mukhti. Gurbani is clear about this:
ਨਾਨਕ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸੇਵੇ ਮੋਖੁ ਨ ਪਾਏ ॥੩॥
O Nanak, without serving the True Guru, liberation is not obtained. ||3||
Therefore, we can say with a lot of conviction that Bhagat Bhikhan met Guru Nanak Dev Ji and was given Naam and attained Mukhti through Guru Sahib’s grace.
Bhagat Surdas Ji
There have been at least two Bhagat Surdas’ in history. To make things more complicated they appear to have been contemporaries as well. The first Surdas is said to have lived from 1483–1563 CE, and the second one was born in either 1513 or 1529 CE according to different scholars. Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha writes that he was born in 1529 CE while Ram Chandar Shukla has given 1513 CE. Both would have been contemporaries of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Angad Dev Ji and Guru Amar Das Ji.
There is debate among scholars as to which Surdas has his writing in Guru Granth Sahib, the first or second. Those that believe it to be the first Surdas, such as Prof. Piara Singh Padam, mention that his Shabad found in Guru Granth Sahib is also found in the Sur Sagar Granth attributed to Bhagat Surdas. Therefore, they argue that it must have been written by the older Surdas.
Giani Gurdit Singh however, argues that because the two were contemporaries it is possible the two Surdas’ writings were mixed up in the Sur Sagar Granth. He quotes Deen Dayal’s Akshtachhap Aur Ballav Sampraday in which the author states that writings of others were introduced into the Sur Sagar Granth, while the original Surdas was still alive.
Giani Gurdit Singh goes onto argue that the first Surdas was an ardent Krishan Bhagat, and therefore it cannot be his Shabad in Guru Granth Sahib. He argues that the second Surdas must have met Guru Amar Das Ji and become a Sikh because he was active during Guru Amar Das Ji’s Guruship.
Nevertheless, whether Bhagat Surdas was a Sikh of Guru Amar Das Ji or Guru Nanak Dev Ji (both are possible), it is clear that he entered the Guru Ghar at some point. Otherwise his Shabad would not have been accepted into Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Only those who had received Naam from Satguru were saved, and it is illogical to assume that Bhagat Surdas did not receive Naam from Satguru, yet had his Bani included within Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Especially since we have shown in previous articles that the other Bhagats all met Guru Sahib and became Sikhs.
References:
Datta, Amresh: Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature
Nabha, Bhai Kahn Singh: Mahan Kosh
Singh, Giani Gian: Tavrikh Guru Khalsa
Singh, Giani Gurdit Singh: Itihaas Sri Guru Granth Sahib: Bhagat Bani Edition
Shukla, Ram Chandar: Hindi Sahitya ka Itihas
Sodhi, Miharban: Janam Sakhi Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji
– Written by Gagan Singh