Sri Guru Granth Maharaj

[Akaali]

The Bhagatas: Saints of various faiths

Bhagat Kabir: 534 hymns: Kabir (1398 to 1495) was born to a Brahmin mother and raised by a Muslim step mother. Kabir was a proponent of the Bhakti movement. He lived as a householder, abhorred the caste system and religious rituals. He was an saintly apostle of peace, love and unity and a great poet. Kabir believed in inward purity, and was respected by both Hindus and Muslims.

Bhagat Sheikh Farid: 123 hymns: Sheikh Farid (1175 to 1265) was a Muslim Sufi saint of great piety. He is considered the father of Punjabi poetry. He was greatly loved for his kindness and humanity. He stressed living a simple yet purposeful life concentrating on One God.

Bhagat Namdev: 62 hymns: Namdev (1270 to 1350) was a celebrated saint from Maharashtra who traveled extensively across the country. He lived in Punjab for a number of years.

Bhagat Ravidas: 40 hymns: A contemporary of Kabir and a disciple of Ramanand, Ravidas represents the culmination of the Bhakti Movement. He came from a low caste cobbler family but had many disciples because of his spirituality. He stressed a life of simplicity and piety.

Bhagat Trilochan: 5 hymns: A contemporary of Kabir and a celebrated Sain of the Vaish caste. He believed in One God and condemned superficial rituals and stressed the holiness of the heart.

Bhagat Beni: 3 hymns: Probably a contemporary of Namdev, not much is known about him. He was unperturbed by poverty and enjoyed a life of solitude enriched by his spiritual per suits. He was a great scholar as is evident from his writings.

Bhagat Sheikh Bhikan: 2 hymns: A Muslim Sufi scholar saint Sheikh Bhikan died in the early part of Akbar's reign. He was one of the most learned men of his time. He believed that only God's

name can heal a diseased mind and body.

Bhagat Dhanna: 4 hymns: Dhanna was a Jat from Rajasthan who was born in 1415. He lived most of his life as an idol worshipper but in later years became a worshipper of One God and renounced all superstitious practices.

Bhagat Jaidev: 2 hymns: Jaidev was a renowned poet laureate in the royal court of king Lakshman Sen of Bengal. His famous work of poetry Gita Govinda is well known for its poetic beauty and musical richness.

Bhagat Paramanand: 1 hymn: Born in Maharashtra, little is known about Paramanand's life. It is believed that he lived in Maharashtra and was a devotee of Krishna. He later became a proponent of One God.

Bhagat Pipa: 1 hymn: Born in 1425, Pipa was the king of the princely state of Gagaraungarh. He abdicated his throne, traveled extensively and became a disciple of Ramanand. He lived a life of extreme austerity and humility.

Bhagat Ramanand: 1 hymn: Ramanand, a Brahmin was born in 1359 in Madras. He is regarded as the pioneer of the Bhakti movement in northern India. A Vaishnava in his early life, he became a worshipper of Brahm and condemned the caste system. Kabir was the most renowned amongst his disciples.

Bhagat Sadhna: 1 hymn: A butcher by profession, Sadhana was born in Sind. His piety and meditation of God elevated him to saintly status. He was condemned by Brahmins and on a false charge was arrested and buried alive.

Bhagat Sain: 1 hymn: Sain was a barber of the royal court of Raja Ram, king of Rewa. He was a follower of Ramanand and Kabir.

Bhagat Surdas: 2 hymns: Surdas was a Brahmin born in 1529. He was learned in Sanskrit and Persian and studied music and poetry. He was appointed a governor by emperor Akbar, but was later imprisoned for dereliction of duty. Towards the end of his life, he became a hermit and lived among holy men.

The Bhatts: 123 hymns: The Bhatts were a group of musicians who lived in the sixteenth century. All of them were scholars, poets and singers. Scholars differ on the exact number of contributors to the Granth Sahib, anywhere from eight to seventeen.

Sikhs:

Bhai Mardana: 3 hymns: Mardana was a rabab (rebeck) player who spent most of his life as a disciple and musician of Guru Nanak. Born a Muslim, Mardana was a childhood friend of Guru Nanak and accompanied him on all his great travels.

Satta & Balwand: 8 hymns: Satta was a rebeck player who served Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Gur Ram Das and Guru Arjun Dev. Along with his fellow musician Balwand they jointly composed a ballad which appears in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Bhagat Sunder: 6 hymns: Baba Sunder (1560-1610) was the great grandson of Guru Amar Das. His composition called Sadd (Calling) was written at the request of Guru Arjun Dev after the death of Guru Ram Das.