Bhagat Pipa: Difference between revisions

Bhagat Pipa one of whose hymns is incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib, was a prince who renounced his throne in search of spiritual solace. He was born at Gagaraun, in present-day Jhalawar district of Rajasthãn, about AD 1425. His great grand father named Jotpal won the malwa area from muslims and became its king. As Pipa's father died in young age so Pipa became king. Because of youthfulness and customs he had 12 to 16 queens. As he was so rich and great personality, he was also a spiritual and godly person. He was a devotee of the goddess Bhavani whose idol was enshrined in a temple within the premises of his palace. It is said that the godess once told him in a dream to visit Kashi (Varanasi) and receive initia­tion from Bhagat Ramanand.

Bhagat Pipa & Bhagat Parmanand

Pipa went to Kashi, but Ramanand refused to see him in his gaudy robes. Pipa cast off his royal apparel and put on a mendicant’s garment. He returned home after initiation and began to live like an ascetic. At his invitation Ramanand visited Gagaraun, and the raja lent his shoulder to the palanquin carrying him in a procession.

Bhagat Pipa & Guru Nanak

It is also said that Bhagat Pipa once met Guru Nanak in Toda town. This discovery generates through the Parchai of Anant dass (who was the grandson of Bhagat Pipa), founded by Principal Harbhajan Singh of chandigarh. In this parchai Anantdass wrote that the tola of sadhus was going from Pushkar to Kashi and stayed at Toda Town. In this tola a Sadhu from the punjab was looking godly and great person and acc. to them that person was Guru nanak. But the discovery is still going on...........

Bhagat Pipa in Dwarka

Pipa now finally decided to give up his throne and retire to a life of seclusion and meditation. He went to Dwarka (Gujarat) where Lord Krishna, after the Mahabharata war, had spent the last years of his life. All the twelve wives of Pipa insisted on accompanying him, but he took along only one, named Sita, who was of a pious temperament. He selected a cave for his residence from where he daily walked through a tunnel to the temple of Krisna on the sea coast. The temple is still a popular place of pilgrimage. and a fair is held there annually in Pipa’s memory. After what he thought was a personal encounter with the Lord, he gave up idol-worship.

He and his companion-wife started living in a jungle. After a period of penance, he set out roam­ing about the country to serve the common people. He, along with his wife, sang hymns and prayers of his own composition and collected money to be distributed among the poor. He fed the mendicants and treated them as God’s chosen ones. From an idol-worshipper (saguna bhakta) Pipa became a worshipper of the Formless One (nirguna devotee). As he says in his hymn in the Guru Granth Sahib, the body itself is the Supreme Being’s temple (kaiau deval). One need not make stone images of Him and burn incense or light candles in front of them. Pipa composed many hymns in praise of the lord and sang them along with his wife for seeking alms. The money he received was put to the service of the poor.

Two collections of Pipa’s sayings are known to exist, namely Shn Pipa ji Bani and Sarab Gutaka, both in manuscript form. Pipa Math, a monastery in Dwarka, honours his memory.

Shabad by Bhagat Pipa

ਪੀਪਾ ॥
पीपा ॥
Pīpĝ.
Peepaa:

ਕਾਯਉ ਦੇਵਾ ਕਾਇਅਉ ਦੇਵਲ ਕਾਇਅਉ ਜੰਗਮ ਜਾਤੀ ॥
कायउ देवा काइअउ देवल काइअउ जंगम जाती ॥
Kĝyao ḝėvĝ kĝiao ḝėval kĝiao jangam jĝṯī.
Within the body, the Divine Lord is embodied. The body is the temple, the place of pilgrimage, and the pilgrim.

ਕਾਇਅਉ ਧੂਪ ਦੀਪ ਨਈਬੇਦਾ ਕਾਇਅਉ ਪੂਜਉ ਪਾਤੀ ॥੧॥
काइअउ धूप दीप नईबेदा काइअउ पूजउ पाती ॥१॥
Kĝiao ḝẖūp ḝīp naībėḝĝ kĝiao pūjao pĝṯī. ||1||
Within the body are incense, lamps and offerings. Within the body are the flower offerings. ||1||

ਕਾਇਆ ਬਹ੝ ਖੰਡ ਖੋਜਤੇ ਨਵ ਨਿਧਿ ਪਾਈ ॥
काइआ बहढ़ खंड खोजते नव निधि पाई ॥
Kĝiĝ baho kẖand kẖojṯė nav niḝẖ pĝī.
I searched throughout many realms, but I found the nine treasures within the body.

ਨਾ ਕਛ੝ ਆਇਬੋ ਨਾ ਕਛ੝ ਜਾਇਬੋ ਰਾਮ ਕੀ ਦ੝ਹਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ना कछढ़ आइबो ना कछढ़ जाइबो राम की दढ़हाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Nĝ kacẖẖ ĝibo nĝ kacẖẖ jĝibo rĝm kī ḝuhĝī. ||1|| rahĝo.
Nothing comes, and nothing goes; I pray to the Lord for Mercy. ||1||Pause||

ਜੋ ਬ੝ਰਹਮੰਡੇ ਸੋਈ ਪਿੰਡੇ ਜੋ ਖੋਜੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
जो बढ़रहमंडे सोई पिंडे जो खोजै सो पावै ॥
Jo barahmanḝė soī pindė jo kẖojai so pĝvai.
The One who pervades the Universe also dwells in the body; whoever seeks Him, finds Him there.

ਪੀਪਾ ਪ੝ਰਣਵੈ ਪਰਮ ਤਤ੝ ਹੈ ਸਤਿਗ੝ਰ੝ ਹੋਇ ਲਖਾਵੈ ॥੨॥੩॥
पीपा पढ़रणवै परम ततढ़ है सतिगढ़रढ़ होइ लखावै ॥२॥३॥
Pīpĝ paraṇvai param ṯaṯ hai saṯgur hoė lakẖĝvai. ||2||3||
Peepaa prays, the Lord is the supreme essence; He reveals Himself through the True Guru. ||2||3||

Main Theme Of Bhagat Pipa

• No Idol Worship, God resides in ourselves.
• Through God's Contact No Transmigration is there
• No need of bahari paath pooja etc.
• To get God you Need Guru

Bhagat Pipa (Gurmat Wichardhara)

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References

• Sikh Phulwari
• Extracted from Gurbani De Racheta by Abnashi & Gurvinder Singh
• Excerpts taken from Encyclopedia of Sikhism by Harbans Singh. Published by Punjabi University, Patiala