The Bhagats were sitting with Guru Arjan Dev ji in bliss. It was as though the serene minded Shiva was sitting with the Munis. It was as though Gyaan took on a form and was sitting as Guru ji. The great virtues were sitting as Bhagats. Visiting Guru ji was Amrit. The Bhagats were drinking this Amrit and not getting enough. They were filled with love. Guru ji was giving them the wisdom of Prabhoo’s Simran. After a while, the Bhagats took leave to go back to Sach Khand. The Saloks of Bhagat Kabeer ji and Sheikh Fareed ji were written. They all went to their dimensions.
The Vedas took on human forms and came to meet Guru Arjan Dev ji. They bowed to Guru ji as they wanted to have Brahmgyaan from the Guru. They came and sang the praises of Guru Arjan Dev ji. The reason why the Gurus came into this world, Guru Arjan Dev ji was completing this task. Bhai Ram Koer ji says: “listen to how the Vedas came.” The Singhs asked: “why did the Vedas come in human form?” Listen to this Katha, it is the praise of Guru Nanak Dev ji, the Satguru. Listening to this Katha will fulfill your wishes. All of the Vedas took an Avatar. This is their Katha in detail. The Vedas lived in Kanshi. They are read there, day and night. All types of Vidya were taught in Kanshi. Many scholars talked about Brahm, day and night. They read and pondered upon the Vedas. There was a time in Kanshi when the Vedas become egotistical. They thought: “only we can show Brahm. We show the reader, right and wrong. Without us, there would be darkness in the world. We illuminate knowledge in the world. The unwise becomes wise by reading us. They receive Mukti and break their bonds.” Parbraham knows everything. Parmeshwar knew that the Vedas became proud of themselves. Akaal Purakh stated: “pride gives more births. Ego is the root of all the vices. The Vedas need to have their pride destroyed.” The Ocean of Compassion decided to resolve this. The Vedas were commanded via the Akaash Vaani by Akaal Purakh: “you need to take on the form of humans. You have pride in you. I will take it away for you. Without the Guru, the Gyaan cannot illuminate. You thought you were the root. It is in fact the Satguru. While wandering the earth, you will find the Guru. You will have to look hard for the true Guru. Without the Satguru, there is no peace. Become a Sikh of the Satguru and then you will receive Mukti. Each of you Vedas will take on 4 forms each. 16 in total. Your composer, Brahma, will take a human form as well. He will stay with you and protect you. The Guru will cut your pain. You will receive Mukti then.” The Akaash Vaani ended and the Vedas were surprised at what happened. The Vedas had a discussion with Brahma about taking a birth. They then decided to take birth in the houses of Brahmins. Each Veda took 4 forms. These were their names: Shyam Veda - Mathura, Jaalap, Bal, Harbans; Rig Veda- Kalya, Jul, Nul, Kal Sahaar; Jujhar Veda- Tul, Sul, Julya, Bhulya; Atharbun Veda- Das, Keerat, Ga-ind, Sadrung. Brahma was Bhikha. Bhikha was the eldest. They were all born as Saraswat Brahmins. The wise Bhikha was the leader. They looked around for the True Guru, travelling many lands. They were upset every time they would meet Sadhoos and saints. They served many people but they didn’t find the True Guru. They went to everyone, the Giris, Puris, and Sanyasis. They would listen to their words and be disappointed. They went to Jogis and saw their Yoga. That would not give them peace either. They went to Brahamachaaris, Tapasvis and Bairagis, still nothing. They wandered for one year and looked around the world. They wanted the path to Mukti. They performed strict Tapps but nothing brought peace to their mind. They wanted the great being that would give them the wisdom they asked for. They wandered and wandered. They were upset and gave up. They did Ardaas to Akaal Purakh to help them find the True Guru. Their ego was completely dead now. They now knew that the Guru was the greatest. Bigger than them. They wanted to meet the Guru that would make them calm. As they were without pride now, they travelled towards Amritsar by their great fortune. They heard the praises of the Guru on the way. They heard about Guru Arjan Dev ji. Their hopes began to rekindle. Along with Bhikha, they all travelled. They had the wish to meet Guru Arjan Dev ji now. They felt peace, hearing the praises of Guru Arjan Dev ji. They began to do Simran of Guru Arjan Dev ji’s name.
The Bhatts arrived at Sri Harmandhir Sahib. When they went in, they saw an amazing and awesome site. They saw the Shyam Saroop Anoop Chaturbhuj form. It was the extremely beautiful form with four arms that they saw. They saw the radiance of the light all around. Many people bowed there with devotion. Everyone was saying: “Dhan Guru Ramdas ji.” They saw Laxmi massaging the feet of Parmeshwar. There was Keertan happening. The eyes of Akaal Purakh were big with red endings. He was wearing yellow clothes, jewellery with a Vajanti Mala around the neck. A golden crown sat on top of the head with soft, curly black hair. The Vedas, who were Brahmins, they saw the form of Akaal Purakh in Harmandhir Sahib. It was only them that saw that form. They saw Akaal Purakh as the form of Maha Vishnu. Guru ji had to give them wisdom and that’s why he showed them his form as such. Seeing such an amazing form, they were in awe. They saw Akaal Purakh inside the Harmandhir Sahib. This is the form that Jogis do Tapasya for. The Bhatts stood there, standing. They started to sing the praise of the Guru. Love was in their hearts. They bowed their heads, over and over again. Their eyes shed tears: “you are the ocean of compassion who protects the weak. Your feet are like the lotus; I bow to them. You are not born; you cannot be won nor destroyed. You have no beginning. You are beautiful. You are the king of kings. You live in everything but are not affected by anything. You are not born and the One. I do not know how to say what you are. Who can describe you? You are unique, amazing and without support. You live in everyone and everyone lives in you. Just as the sky encompasses everything, you are surrounding everything. You are the one that is present in the universe. Your eyes are great and radiant like the sun and moon. Your ears are the directions; the sky is your head. Virtues are your front and sins are your back. The ocean is in your lap and the trees are your hairs. The Pataals are inside you and you are the giver of Mukti. Guru Nanak Dev ji came in the Bedis when he took on a body. You did the Simran of Akaal Purakh and made the people of Kaliyuga do Simran as well. You started the path of Sikhi. Whoever followed your Panth, they crossed this world. Guru Angad Dev ji was the blesser who didn’t show his powers to anyone. Your heart is deep. You tolerate the intolerable. You blessed many Sikhs, giving them patience by the Name. Then you were the father of Mohri. You established many traditions of Sikhi as Guru Amardas ji. Your praises were sung in every direction. You started the 22 Masand seats and made them into Gurus as well. Then Guru Ramdas ji came and illuminated Kaliyuga, destroying the darkness of ignorance. His son had the Jot living in it. I bow to you. I bow to you. I bow to you.”
They sang the praises in eight Chands. Whoever sings these, they will receive what they ask for. The Bhatts were humble and grabbed the feet of the Guru. Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji then came into this own form. Guru ji asked the Bhatts: “for what task have you come? Ask for what is in your heart. Where do you live and where are you going? What wish did you come to me for?” Bhikha ji spoke with humility:
Bhikhay Vaach..
I have been searching for the True Saint, I have seen many saints..
I saw Sanyasis, Tapasvis, Pandits with sweet words..
I wandered for one year, but no one gave me the wisdom I was looking for..
There were many words I heard but I wasn’t happy with anyone’s way of life..
They let go of the Name of Hari and were engrossed in other tasks, what shall I say about them..
Guru ji, Akaal Purakh has brought us to you. Keep us as you wish..2..20..
(SGGS 1395)
Guru ji please accept us as your Sikhs. We see Akaal Purakh in you. Give us your wisdom. We travelled all of the Teeraths of the world to find the True Guru. We went through a lot of saints for peace. We are tired now. We are from Kanshi. We have no other desires. We see the world as false. We want the Aatam Gyaan.” Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji said: “you are the Vedas! You have taken on human form and came to me. You distinguish Brahm from the world. You illuminate the glory of Parbraham. You have become humans as a result of having pride. The form of Brahm, Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, took a human form in Kaliyuga to bless many of his servants. You are human, Akaal Purakh also took on a human form. Sing the praises of Akaal Purakh in the language of the common person. It should have the praises of Guru Nanak Dev ji and his other incarnations. It should all be in the vernacular. I will then make you my Sikhs. You will be in peace and bliss. Your name will be alive till the end of the world. I will write your praises in the Granth that is being written right now.” All of the Bhatts rejoiced after hearing this. They folded their hands and asked: “please tell us in which “chaals” should we sing these praises? Please start us off and then we will carry on. We will follow you and do the praises of the Gurus. This will be a great help to us. Please tell us.”
Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji then collected his awareness and remembered all of the Gurus. He wrote the first 20 Svaiyas and then the Bhatts sang the praises. They did the Simran of all the Gurus in the same style as Guru ji. They sang the praises in total bliss. They started with Guru Nanak Dev ji’s praises in many ways. They were extremely beautiful. They uttered about Guru ji as the Brahm form, which is praised by Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and others. They made Svaiyas in many forms. Many languages were used by them. There was great significance in these Svaiyas. Whoever reads and listens to them, they get many rewards. The Vedas call this form as “nayt nayt.” Nobody can quantify this form. Not even Shaishnaag or Sharda. Jogis try to look for this form. They then sang the praises of Guru Angad Dev ji in many ways. They sang the praises of Sri Guru Amardas ji in beautiful ways. They revealed the virtues of spring, Kusum, and Gang Turing. They mentioned his unlimited virtues. Nobody is equal to him. They then sang about Guru Ramdas ji, the mine of virtues. They sang his praises and called him Dhan, the Master of the World. Whoever met him, their sins of many lives were washed away. The praises of Guru Arjan Dev ji were then sung. It was the one Jot that went through the five bodies. Guru Arjan Dev ji was the flag of the Dharma and had patience like the earth. He was benevolent. 122 Svaiyas were composed, singing the praises of the five Gurus. They said them to Guru Arjan Dev ji with great love. The Bhatts then bowed to Guru Arjan Dev ji’s feet. They were humble and put their heads upon Guru ji’s feet. They wanted to become Sikhs of the Guru. They wanted peace and bliss. They wanted Bhagti. Guru Arjan Dev ji was really happy and included their Bani in the Guru Granth Sahib ji. He granted the Bhatts their wishes and made them his Sikhs. They received bliss and their doubts were gone. They became Brahmgyaanis and saw the form of Akaal Purakh. They received this reward for singing the praises. They left their bodies after some time. They became the form of Gyaan again and lived in the Vedas. Their Svaiyas were included in the Guru Granth Sahib ji. Guru ji then added the Saloks which were known as “Vaara to Vadheek.” After that, the Mundhaavni was written as the stamp of completion. The Bhog of the Bani happened. Its praises could not be sung. It was the ship to take one across this world by the compassion of the Prabhoo.
According to Kavi Santokh Singh ji, he wasn’t sure if Raagmala was the Sri Guru ji’s Bani or not. Mundhaavni, he was sure of, though. Kavi Santokh Singh ji was shown the work of Kavi Aalam who translated the work of Kavi Jodh. It was a person named Shoba Singh who casted this doubt upon Kavi Santokh Singh ji. The story was of Maadhav Nal, a scholar musician, and Kaam Kandala, a dancer. Kavi Aalam, while translating the work from another language into the vernacular, added the Raagmala as an artistic show of the Raags and Raagnis dancing with the dancer as she danced. For this reason, Kavi Santokh Singh ji thought it was not the Bani of Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji.
[Bhai Vir Singh ji explains this confusion in his writings saying that Kavi Jodh had written the original story of Madhav Nal and Kaam Kandala in 991 Hijri (1640 Vikram) in Sanskrit. Kavi Aalam had translated the date as well but actually wrote his translations in 1774 Vikram which was after the writing of the original Raagmala. The Bir of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji was compiled in 1661 Vikram. Kavi Jodh’s work does not have the Raagmala in it. Kavi Aalam came across the Raagmala as he was a Kavi in Guru Gobind Singh ji’s Anandpur Darbar along with many other senior and junior Kavis from all over the country. Kavi Aalam heard the Raagmala many times in this way and decided to use it in his work. A point to note is that some of the lines are not in the same order as well as some of the names of the Raags are incorrect or misspelled. He has clearly stated in his work that he has created some of his own poetry as well as taking works of others.]
[According to the Samprada and other historical texts: once the completion of Guru Granth Sahib ji happened, the Raags came and requested Guru ji to write the Raagmala. They were bleeding and injured due to their misuse by musicians in immoral places. They were the powers of the Sach Khand Darbar who requested salvation from Guru Arjan Dev ji.] The Raagmala gave the Raagis the distinction from one Raag to another. This was to clear all of the doubts as to which Thaat a Raag belonged to. One who writes, listens or reads the Bani will be rewarded. Their lives are great, who wrote the Bani with love. The ones who read the Bani, they are in bliss. They shed tears and their desires go away, who ponder upon the meaning of Gurbani. The ones who listen to the Bani with a focussed mind, they are released from the cycle of birth and death.