Bhagat Parmanand

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PARMANAND, a Maharashtrian saint-poet, one of whose hymns is included in the Guru Granth Sahib. Born probably in 1483, he is believed to have resided at Bãrsi, situated to the north of Pandharpur, in present-day Sholãpur district of Mahãrãshtra. Parmãnand was a devotee of Vishnu and used in his songs the nom de plume Sarañg, the name of a bird ever thirsty for the rain­drop. He always longed for God whom he worshipped in the Vaisnavite manifestation of Krsna. He used to make, it is said, seven hundred genuflexions daiy to God on his uncovered, often bleeding, knees. He believe for a long time that God could be worshipped as an Image only, but later he had the realization that the nirguna Supreme, God unmanifest, could also be loved and prayed to. Parminand’s one hymn incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib (p. 1253) subscribes to this view. In this hymn, he disapproves of the ritualistic reading and hearing of the sacred books If that has not disposed to the service of fellow beings. He commends sincere devotion which could be imbibed from the company of holy saints. Lust, wrath, avarice, slander have to be expunged for they render all seva, ie. service, fruitless.


This is the 1 Shabad from Parmanand in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib:


ਸਾਰੰਗ ॥
saarang.
Saarang:

ੴ ਸਤਿਗ੝ਰ ਪ੝ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ik-oNkaar satgur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਤੈ ਨਰ ਕਿਆ ਪ੝ਰਾਨ੝ ਸ੝ਨਿ ਕੀਨਾ ॥
tai nar ki-aa puraan sun keenaa.
So what have you accomplished by listening to the Puraanas?

ਅਨਪਾਵਨੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਉਪਜੀ ਭੂਖੈ ਦਾਨ੝ ਨ ਦੀਨਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
anpaavnee bhagat nahee upjee bhookhai daan na deenaa. ((1)) rahaa-o.
Faithful devotion has not welled up within you, and you have not been inspired to give to the hungry. ((1)(Pause))

ਕਾਮ੝ ਨ ਬਿਸਰਿਓ ਕ੝ਰੋਧ੝ ਨ ਬਿਸਰਿਓ ਲੋਭ੝ ਨ ਛੂਟਿਓ ਦੇਵਾ ॥
kaam na bisri-o kroDh na bisri-o lobh na chhooti-o dayvaa.
You have not forgotten sexual desire, and you have not forgotten anger; greed has not left you either.

ਪਰ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਮ੝ਖ ਤੇ ਨਹੀ ਛੂਟੀ ਨਿਫਲ ਭਈ ਸਭ ਸੇਵਾ ॥੧॥
par nindaa mukh tay nahee chhootee nifal bha-ee sabh sayvaa. ((1))
Your mouth has not stopped slandering and gossiping about others. Your service is useless and fruitless. ((1))

ਬਾਟ ਪਾਰਿ ਘਰ੝ ਮੂਸਿ ਬਿਰਾਨੋ ਪੇਟ੝ ਭਰੈ ਅਪ੝ਰਾਧੀ ॥
baat paar ghar moos biraano payt bharai apraaDhee.
By breaking into the houses of others and robbing them, you fill your belly, you sinner.

ਜਿਹਿ ਪਰਲੋਕ ਜਾਇ ਅਪਕੀਰਤਿ ਸੋਈ ਅਬਿਦਿਆ ਸਾਧੀ ॥੨॥
jihi parlok jaa-ay apkeerat so-ee abidi-aa saaDhee. ((2))
But when you go to the world beyond, your guilt will be well known, by the acts of ignorance which you committed. ((2))

ਹਿੰਸਾ ਤਉ ਮਨ ਤੇ ਨਹੀ ਛੂਟੀ ਜੀਅ ਦਇਆ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਲੀ ॥
hinsaa ta-o man tay nahee chhootee jee-a da-i-aa nahee paalee.
Cruelty has not left your mind; you have not cherished kindness for other living beings.

ਪਰਮਾਨੰਦ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਕਥਾ ਪ੝ਨੀਤ ਨ ਚਾਲੀ ॥੩॥੧॥੬॥
parmaanand saaDhsangat mil kathaa puneet na chaalee. ((3)(1)(6))
Parmaanand has joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Why have you not followed the sacred teachings? ((3)(1)(6))


Reference

  • Excerpts taken from Encyclopedia of Sikhism by Harbans Singh. Published by Punjabi University, Patiala
  • The Sikh Religion, Vol 6,, Max Arthur MacAuliff, Oxford University Press, 1909.
These are the 15 Bhagats of Sikhism

Bhagat Beni | Bhagat Bhikhan | Bhagat Dhanna | Sheikh Farid | Bhagat Jaidev | Bhagat Kabir | Bhagat Namdev | Bhagat Parmanand | Bhagat Pipa | Bhagat Ramanand | Bhagat Ravidas | Bhagat Sadhna | Bhagat Sain | Bhagat Surdas | Bhagat Trilochan