One of the questions that is often asked when we speak about the supremacy of Gurmat and the Greatness of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, is that if Gurmat is indeed supreme, then why does Bani of Non-Sikhs appear within Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji?

The answer is very simple and straightforward. There is no Bani of Non-Sikhs in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Gurmat and Gurbani are the only way to Sach Khand, therefore Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji cannot endorse the views and words of non-Sikhs. Each and every Shabad in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the Bani of either Guru Sahib or a Gursikh.

Naturally, the next question one asks is what about the Bhagats such as Bhagat Kabir or Sheik Farid? They were not Sikhs of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and their Bani is included within Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The fact of the matter however is that all of the Bhagats that have their Bani included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji met Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, received Naam and became Sikhs.

Gurbani is clear that without Satguru no one can be saved. Gurbani so strongly supports this belief that within the following line Guru Sahib says it twice!

ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਓ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥

Guru Sahib further states:

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮਿਲਿਐ ਸਦਾ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਨਿ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਚੁਕਾਇਆ ॥

That only by meeting Satguru will you be Liberated (Mukht).

Guru Sahib says it again that no one has found Akaal Purakh without the blessings of Satguru:

ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਓ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖਹੁ ਮਨਿ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥

Who is Satguru then? Gurbani is clear that Guru Nanak Dev Ji is Satguru.

ਸਭ ਤੇ ਵਡਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਕਲ ਰਾਖੀ ਮੇਰੀ ॥੪॥੧੦॥੫੭॥

Bhai Gurdas Ji further states that Guru Nanak is Satguru:

ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਿਆ ਮਿਟੀ ਧੁੰਧੁ ਜਗਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਆ ।

So therefore we can draw the conclusion that in order to be saved one must be a Sikh of Guru Nanak, receive Naam and Sikhi from Guru Sahib. Those Bhagats that have their Bani included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji were Mukht.

Gurbani states:

ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਤ ਉਧਰੇ ॥
ਧ੍ਰੂ ਪ੍ਰਹਿਲਾਦੁ ਬਿਦਰੁ ਦਾਸੀ ਸੁਤੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਤਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Guru Sahib very clearly states that Bhagats such as Dhru, Prehlaad were saved through Gurmukh Naam. Gurmukh Naam can only be given by Satguru, as can be seen in this Shabad:

ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਕਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਪਿ ਮਿਲਾਵੈ ਸੋਇ ॥

Furthermore, Gurbani states:

ਕਲਜੁਗਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਭਗਤ ਜਨਾ ਉਧਰੇ ॥
ਨਾਮਾ ਜੈਦੇਉ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਚਨੁ ਸਭਿ ਦੋਖ ਗਏ ਚਮਰੇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਲਗੇ ਸੇ ਉਧਰੇ ਸਭਿ ਕਿਲਬਿਖ ਪਾਪ ਟਰੇ ॥੨॥

Within Kalyug, Naam is the true treasure that saved Devotees. Bhagat Naam Dev, Bhagat Jai Dev, Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Trilochan and Bhagat Ravidaas had all of their sins cut. They were attached to Gurmukh Naam and in this way they were saved.

To make things even more clear, Guru Sahib says:

ਨਾਮਾ ਛੀਬਾ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਜੋੁਲਾਹਾ ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਗਤਿ ਪਾਈ ॥

Bhagat Naam Dev and Bhagat Kabir were saved through the Perfect Guru.

There is no other Perfect Guru aside from Satguru Nanak Sahib Ji. It is now clear beyond doubt that these Bhagats were saved only through Satguru and Gurmukh Naam.

Now the question remains as to how and when did these Bhagats meet Guru Nanak Dev Ji?

If we examine the Bani of these Bhagats, it becomes further clear that they met Satguru and received Naam from Satguru. There is only one Satguru, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Gurbani cannot and does not have a belief in multiple Satgurus, so when the word Satguru comes in Gurbani, we can accept that it refers to Sahib Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj.

Bhagat Kabir Ji says:

ਕਬੀਰ ਸਾਚਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮੈ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਸਬਦੁ ਜੁ ਬਾਹਿਆ ਏਕੁ ॥
ਲਾਗਤ ਹੀ ਭੁਇ ਮਿਲਿ ਗਇਆ ਪਰਿਆ ਕਲੇਜੇ ਛੇਕੁ ॥੧੫੭॥

Bhagat Ji says that he has met the True Guru who has shot him with the arrow of Naam. He writes that receiving Naam had such an effect on him that he fell on the ground with a hole in his heart. Meeting Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and receiving Naam is such a blissful event, and Bhagat Ji has perfectly described his spiritual state after meeting Guru Sahib.

Bhagat Ramanand Ji also states:

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥

Satguru Nanak Dev Ji! I am forever a sacrifice to you because you have removed all of my doubt and confusion.

Bhagat Ji further states that the Guru’s Shabad (Naam) cuts away million of Karams:

ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥

This again shows that Bhagat Ramanand, who is famous in Indian history for abandoning his Guru and becoming a Guru to many other Bhagats, met Satguru Nanak Dev Ji and received Gurshabad Naam from Guru Ji.

Bhagat Naam Dev says that after meeting Satguru he was transformed from a human into an angelic being:

ਨਰ ਤੇ ਸੁਰ ਹੋਇ ਜਾਤ ਨਿਮਖ ਮੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਬੁਧਿ ਸਿਖਲਾਈ ॥

This echoes what Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji says:

ਭਇਆ ਮਨੂਰੁ ਕੰਚਨੁ ਫਿਰਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਜੇ ਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਤਿਨੇਹਾ ॥

Satguru Ji says that even burned iron can be turned into gold if one meets Guru Sahib. 

After examining the internal evidence within Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, it becomes clear that these Bhagats, whose Bani appears within Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, had a Satguru. There is only one Satguru, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. From their writings it is evident that they adopted Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Sahib as their Guru, received Naam from Guru Sahib and only then was their Bani accepted. When, where and how they met Guru Sahib can be delved into at a later time. However, we can conclude that all Bhagats whose Bani comes within Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, were Sikhs, received Naam and believed in Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Written by Gagan Singh