Bhai Gurdas ji was the only one that stayed with Guru Arjan Dev ji. He was ready to write all the time. Other Sikhs and servants were there, sitting down and being alert for any Seva. They would not go to Guru ji unless they were called upon. They sat all around Guru ji, awaiting his orders. They would stop other people that would come to meet Guru ji. Guru ji wanted as much solitude as possible.
Guru ji called Bhai Gurdas ji and said to him: “listen Bhai Gurdas ji what my wishes are: I wish to make a single Bir (binding, collection of many items) of the great Granth. Write the Granth in Gurmukhi. The “Pati” Bani that Guru Nanak Dev ji wrote, he stated 35 letters in it. Those 35 letters came from Sach Khand as it was written by Guru Nanak Dev ji. Write all of the Gurbani in those 35 letters. It is easy to read and speak. The wise ones with a lot of knowledge will recite this Gurbani and ponder on its meanings. They will understand the truth. To read and understand the Vedas takes too long to learn. The Gurbani is the butter. Gurmukhi can be read by all. The ones that read it with devotion will receive Mukti. Sahiskrit and the script of the Turks, the wise ones will transliterate it later. The Gurbani will spread in every direction. Everyone will read it and understand it. The householders who work all day long, will be able to read the Gurbani with ease. They will see the path clearly in front of them. The Gurmukhi will become a path for the future. Whoever walks the true path will never get lost. For these reasons, write in Gurmukhi which will spread in the whole world. The ones with faith and devotion will recite Gurbani with ease. They will understand that Simran will give Mukti. Guru Granth Sahib ji’s radiance will be beautiful. Gurmukhi will be known in the world. The ones who will read it, write it or see it; will respect it. They will see Gurmukhi as the one that washes away sin. The Sikhs will read it with love. The Bani of the four Gurus gives Mukti. Write those Shabads with care. This is the cream of the Vedas, Shasters and other Dharma Granths. This is the Brahm Gyaan. It is the cream of all the Gyaan ever to have been written. Just as the Devatas and Demons churned the ocean to take out all of the gems, that is what Gurbani is. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, Sri Guru Angad Dev ji, Sri Guru Amardas ji and Sri Guru Ramdas ji, write their Gurbani accordingly. Be familiar with all of the Bani yourself. Understand that: all of the Gurbani is supreme. Make sure the Mahalla is stated so it is known which body of the Guru wrote it.” Bhai Gurdas ji made a plea to Guru ji: “I do not have that much wisdom. I am a small human. How will I know? The Gurbani is infinite. Their wisdom and hearts were deep, infinite and limitless. Gurbani is the heart of the Guru. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and others cannot know you fully. I am a nobody. If you bless me, then I can understand everything. I will be able to write then.” Guru ji was happy to see Bhai Gurdas ji’s humility. Guru ji is the most gracious and gave Bhai Gurdas ji a boon: “just as a son is outside the home, playing; and the parents are sitting inside, along with other relatives; when they all speak, the child will know when his parents are speaking. If a person asks the child who is speaking, the child will be able to name everyone speaking. He will name his mother, father, sister or brother when they speak. Listen, Bhai Gurdas ji, you will know which Guru is speaking. You are the child of the Guru. Write the Gurbani and be successful.” Bhai Gurdas ji heard the blessing he got from Guru ji and placed his head upon Guru ji’s feet. Guru ji casted his divine vision upon Bhai Gurdas ji and gave him the knowledge of past, present and future. He gave him the divine vision.
The paper was prepared, which came from Kashmir. Baba Bhudda ji prepared it. Bhai Gurdas ji cut them evenly. The ink was prepared with adding water to it. Bhai Gurdas ji thought of the Guru and picked up a quill. Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji opened up a Pothi. He thought of Guru Nanak Dev ji in his mind. He bowed to him and began to have Japji Sahib written. The Pothi he had, was written by Guru Ramdas ji. Guru Ramdas ji had written the Bani of Guru Nanak Dev ji, Japji Sahib. The Manglacharan was written with care. Four and a half Pauris of Japji Sahib were written which speak of the form of Parbraham. One and a half Pauris speak of the glory of the Guru. These 6 Pauris are the Manglacharan in which the praises of Akaal Purakh and Guru are written. “Jay jugh charay” was then written which had the great vairagya in it, the detachment from the world. Next were the 4 Pauris of “Sunan,” listening and then 4 for “Manan,” accepting. Nidhyasan- practicing: the Panch Parvaan is the practical which shows how to bring the focus back to its place. In these were written: “too sada salaamat Nirankaar.” These are 4 Pauris as well which shows the Brahmgyaan and how to reach it. These are action Pauris. Jap and Gyaan are the same. To know the Brahm is Gyaan. Both are the same thing, for this reason the name of the Bani is named Jap. The rest of the Gurbani explains the Japji Sahib. The praise of Japji Sahib cannot be written. It is the supreme. It has the Brahm in it, which cannot be matched. Reciting it, one can easily achieve Brahmgyaan.
Sri Raag was the first to be written. It was sung in many Ghars. When a few Shabads had been written, Guru ji asked Bhai Gurdas ji: “do you understand what is being written?” Bhai Gurdas ji folded his hands and said: “with your blessings, I have understood. Just as a women can hear her husband’s voice in an adjacent room, I am understanding the words. As you are reading the Pothi, I am writing the Shabads of the 4 Gurus. The Bani of other poets, I am not writing that. I am making sure of this.” Bhai Gurdas ji went to the other tent.
Guru Arjan Dev ji was now alone. In that instant, 15 Bhagats came to visit Guru Arjan Dev ji from Sach Khand. These Bhagats were so powerful that one could reach Nirvana by seeing them. The Bhagats bowed to Guru Arjan Dev ji. It was Bhagat Kabeer ji, Bhagat Ravidas ji, Bhagat Peepa ji, Bhagat Sain ji, Bhagat Ramanand ji, Bhagat Jaidev ji and others. Their spirits had come to meet Guru ji. They were happy to see Guru ji. They stood in front of him and praised Guru ji: “you are Parbraham in the human form. The time of Kaliyuga is fierce. You came to the world as an Avatar, Prabhoo. You are gracious. You are in the hold of your Bhagats. You are in your fifth body now as Guru Arjan Dev ji. The Maharaja, king of kings, you are. Everyone begs from you. You are the provider for all. You gave the Name in the time of Kaliyuga. You saved many of your servants. The fire of Jealousy is consuming the people; you are the only protector. You showed them the easy path by which they achieve Mukti. Whoever says your name, their vices and attachments are destroyed. You are the Brahmgyaani. You are the One Eshwar. The whole universe is your servant. You are One and you are many. You are the one that feeds all of life. You only see the Seva of your servants and bless them with treasures. You are omniscient and omnipotent. No one can disrespect you or give you respect. You are full of virtues. You bless everyone without limits. You are the friend of the poor and weak. You are generous and the only provider. You came into the house of the Bedis. You were then Angad, the same form. The third form was the father of Mohri. You illuminated as Guru Ramdas ji. Now you are in the fifth form. You are always calm and forgiving. You have great patience. You are always in one state. You are without hate and fear. You gave your Sikhs the name of Satnam and took away their fears. Your Sikhs are not afraid in any world. The doubter fools do not recognize you. They do not listen to you and suffer through many births. You are very fine and greater than great. You are deeper than deep. You are always victorious and in bliss. Obeisance to your feet. Your words are Amrit, like Amrit dropping from the moon. Please bless us so that Gobind resides in our hearts.” In this way the Bhagats praised Guru ji in 8 lines. If one is to read this poem with love, they will receive what they wish for.
Guru Arjan Dev ji stood up seeing the Bhagats. Guru ji respected them and had them sit next to him with bliss. Guru ji asked: “all of you have come, tell me your names. Tell me your reason for visiting. You have been gracious for coming. This is a good time. It is a good time when people like you come.” Bhagat Kabeer ji folded his hands and said: “listen Master of the Universe, Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji, I will tell you our names: Bayni, Namdev, Ravidas, Peepa, Sadhana, Sain Prakash, Bheekhan, Dhanna, Jaidev, Trilochan the Brahmin, Parmanand, Ramanand. I am Kabeer and the one beside me is Fareed. With Soordas ji, we are 15. There are 4 others that are your servants: Moosan, Maskan (Patang), Summan and Jamaal. I will tell you why we are here. You can then think about our request. The Vedas are the breaths of Narayan which were illuminated by Brahma. Vyaas ji translated them and wrote commentary for the good of humankind. Bhaamdev and others wrote stories and meanings. Those Granths are another form of Vedas. The common man cannot read or understand them. You are going to write a Granth that will be understood by all. You are writing the Guru Granth Sahib ji. Please write the conversations of us Bhagats with Prabhoo. The people of Kaliyuga are dense-minded. They do not understand Dharma. You are writing the vernacular Bani. Please write our Shabads in this Granth. Make the people read this for clarifications.” Guru Arjan Dev ji heard the Bhagats and thought about it. Guru ji then spoke to all of the Bhagats: “what you had written when you were on Earth, I cannot include that Bani in the Granth. Compose Bani with me that I can include in the Guru Granth Sahib ji. Compose the Bani and I will write it. Sing them in different Raags.” The Bhagats were really happy with this and said: “you are great Guru ji!” The Bhagats then spoke new Bani and sat in front of Guru Arjan Dev ji. (This is the reason why Bhagat Kabeer ji’s Bani from Guru Granth Sahib ji cannot be found in the Granths that the Kabeer Panthis have of Bhagat Kabeer ji. None of the other Bhagat Bani is found exactly the same elsewhere besides Guru Granth Sahib ji. The misconception that Guru Sahib changed their Bani is also clarified here.)