Was Bhagat Dhanna Idolator?
Was Bhagat Dhanna Idolator!!!! is Sikhiwiki Khoj article regarding a story which people have attached with Bhagat dhanna but it have no relation with philosphy preached by Guru Granth Sahib.
Story of Dhanna's Idol Worship
A Story found in few historical books incl. Bhai Gurdas Vaars, is that Bhagat Dhanna found God in an Idol. Sikhiwiki is giving that story in brief:
Once Dhanna met Pundit and Pundit gave him idol and said that it's Thakur(God) and you would have to worship it and would give him food, once god will come out of this idol and eat the food only then you take the food. Dhanna prepared food and kept before stone. He waited for god to come out of stone. He haven't took food for three days, he became weak. Watching all this Waheguru came out of Stone and ate food with Dhanna and blessed him.
Bhai Gurdas Vaar claims he was idolator
in Vaar 5, Pauri 7 Line 7 Bhai Gurdas wrote about dhanna way of attainment of god:
ਬਾਮਹਣ ਪੂਜੈ ਦੇਵਤੇ ਧੰਨਾ ਗਊ ਚਰਾਵਣ ਆਵੈ।
A brahman would worship gods (in the form of stone idols) where Dhanna used to graze his cow.
ਧੰਨੈ ਡਿਠਾ ਚਲਿਤ ਝਹ ਪਛੈ ਬਾਮਹਣ ਆਖਿ ਸਣਾਵੈ।
On seeing his worship, Dhanna asked the brahman what he was doing.
ਠਾਕਰ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰੈ ਜੋ ਇਛੈ ਸੋਈ ਫਲ ਪਾਵੈ।
“Service to the Thakur (God) gives the desired fruit,” replied the brahman.
ਧੰਨਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਜੋਦੜੀ ਮੈ ਭਿ ਦੇਹ ਇਕ ਜੇ ਤਧ ਭਾਵੈ।
Dhanna requested, “O brahman, if you agree kindly give one to me.”
ਪਥਰ ਇਕ ਲਪੇਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਦੇ ਧੰਨੈ ਨੋ ਗੈਲ ਛਡਾਵੈ।
The brahman rolled a stone, gave it to Dhanna and thus got rid of him.
ਠਾਕਰ ਨੋ ਨਹਾਵਾਲਿਕੈ ਛਾਹਿ ਰੋਟੀ ਲੈ ਭੋਗ ਚੜਹਾਵੈ।
Dhanna bathed the Thakur and offered him bread and buttermilk.
ਹਥਿ ਜੋੜਿ ਮਿਨਤਾਂ ਕਰੈ ਪੈਰੀਂ ਪੈ ਪੈ ਬਹਤ ਮਨਾਵੈ।
With folded hands and falling at the feet of the stone he begged for his service to be accepted.
ਹਉਂ ਭੀ ਮਹ ਨ ਜਠਾਲਸਾਂ ਤੂ ਰਠਾ ਮੈ ਕਿਹ ਨ ਸਖਾਵੈ।
Dhanna said, “I will also not eat because how can I be happy if you are annoyed.”
ਗੋਸਾਈ ਪਰਤਖਿ ਹੋਇ ਰੋਟੀ ਖਾਇ ਛਾਹਿ ਮਹਿ ਲਾਵੈ।
(Seeing his true and loving devotion) God was forced to appear and eat his bread and buttermilk.
ਭੋਲਾ ਭਾਉ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਮਿਲਾਵੈ ॥੧੩॥
In fact, innocence like that of Dhanna makes the sight of the Lord available.
This vaar of bhai gurdas is against DHanna's own's view on his attainment of God.
Dhanna's view on Attainment of God
Every writer of Guru Granth Sahib have mentioned the way they attained liberation and their situation after they collide with inner soul and God. Some of them also explained their past experiences, when they were engulped in Maya and in company of falsehood were living a raw life.
In Gurbani, Dhanna explained some facts about his life and previous lives:
ਭਰਮਤ ਫਿਰਤ ਬਹ ਜਨਮ ਬਿਲਾਨੇ ਤਨ ਮਨ ਧਨ ਨਹੀ ਧੀਰੇ ॥
I wandered through countless incarnations, but mind, body and wealth never remain stable.
ਬਿਖ ਫਲ ਮੀਠ ਲਗੇ ਮਨ ਬਉਰੇ ਚਾਰ ਬਿਚਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਨਿਆ ॥
The poisonous fruit seems sweet to the demented mind, which does not know the difference between good and evil.
ਗਨ ਤੇ ਪਰੀਤਿ ਬਢੀ ਅਨ ਭਾਂਤੀ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਫਿਰਿ ਤਾਨਿਆ ॥੧॥
Turning away from virtue, his love for other things increases, and he weaves again the web of birth and death. ||1||
Dhanna also explained that he as not able to know some Jugti(Way) to attain God. In previous carnations and even in this carnation he was not able to know about lord and was happy with poisnous fruits(False Beliefs). This Idol worship is one of the poisnous fruits given by false hindu priests who were away from knowledge of vedas and Truth.
ਜਗਤਿ ਜਾਨਿ ਨਹੀ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਜਲਤ ਜਾਲ ਜਮ ਫੰਧ ਪਰੇ ॥
He does not know the way to the Lord, who dwells within his heart; burning in the trap, he is caught by the noose of death.
ਬਿਖ ਫਲ ਸੰਚਿ ਭਰੇ ਮਨ ਝਸੇ ਪਰਮ ਪਰਖ ਪਰਭ ਮਨ ਬਿਸਰੇ ॥੨॥
Gathering the poisonous fruits, he fills his mind with them, and he forgets God, the Supreme Being, from his mind. ||2||
Now Dhanna cleared in next lines how he was able to attain lord...
- Dhanna attain God through Spiritual Wisdom in company of Holy Saints. Dhanna clear it himself:
ਗਿਆਨ ਪਰਵੇਸ ਗਰਹਿ ਧਨ ਦੀਆ ਧਿਆਨ ਮਾਨ ਮਨ ਝਕ ਮਝ ॥
The Guru has given the wealth of spiritual wisdom; practicing meditation, the mind becomes one with Him.
ਧੰਨੈ ਧਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਧਰਣੀਧਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਜਨ ਸੰਤ ਸਮਾਨਿਆ ॥੪॥੧॥
Dhanna has obtained the Lord, the Sustainer of the World, as his wealth; meeting the humble Saints, he merges in the Lord. ||4||1||
If Dhanna really found god in some Idol or by forcefully leaving food for many days then he should mention this in Gurbani.
Guru Ram Dass on Dhanna's Worship
Now, Guru Ram Das also claims that Dhanna worshiped god after attaining spiritual wisdom but not Idols.
ਜੋ ਜੋ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਾਧੂ ਜਨ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਧਨ ਧੰਨਾ ਜਟ ਸੈਣ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਦਈਆ ॥੭॥
blessed Dhanna and Sain; all those who joined the humble Saadh Sangat, met the Merciful Lord. ||7||
(Guru Ram Dass)
Questions of Wisdom
- No Guru Supported Idol Worship. Even other Bhagats rejected it. How could Fifth Guru keep Bani of Such Bhagat who is a idolator. Guru Arjun Dev Ji read and found Gurmat in this bani and put it in Granth.
- If he found god thorough idol, is there any other Bhagat who claim that they found God through idol. If this practice is so great that one can attain god then anyone can leave his food and wait for god. Anyone who claims that he found god in idol but not in heart?
- Idol is Maya, Worldly, created by Man itself. Self Realisation is way to realisation of god. If a person remain stick to idols he is nothing but BLIND. It is amazing a person himself makes an idol and he put garland in it's neck and starts belling before it. Wisdom says that God is in your heart, don't bound yourself with idol. You yourself know idol gives nothing. It's god who gives.
Treatment to Stories
A person who want to become a Sikh and reader of guru Granth Sahib should not blindly follow any stories, if those are not giving Gurmat lessons and are criticizing or opposing Gurbani. Gurmukhs should study the vaar of bhai gurdas and should think themselves that was it written by bhai gurdas?
