Baba Sri Chand

Article 1

Sri Chand (1494–1629) was the eldest son of Guru Nanak Dev. Sri Chand had a reputation of saintliness, and was respected and liked by all. Bibi Nanaki Ji took in Shri Chand and adopted him as her own son. This type of arrangement was a quite common and accepted custom at that time. Sri Chand became a renounciate yogi.

After his father, Guru Nanak left Nankana Sahib, Sri Chand stayed in Dera Baba Nanak and maintained Guru Nanak's temple. Later he established the Udasi order, both he and his followers travelled far and wide to spread the Word of Nanak.

When Guru Ram Das met Baba Sri Chand, the Baba commented that Guru Ram Das had the longest beard he had seen. Guru Ram Das replied, "It is to wipe the feet of the saints". Guru Ram Das bent down to do so, and Sri Chand pulled his feet back in surprise.

After Baba Sri Chand's death at the age of 135, the son of Guru Hargobind, Baba Gurditta became his successor as head of the Udasis. The Udasis protected and maintained the historical shrines of Anandpur, Hazoor Sahib and Amritsar for over a hundred years after Guru Gobind Singh's death. They established schools of learning to keep the Sikh tradition alive.

Article 2

SRI CHAND, BABA (14941629), the elder son of GURU NANAK and the founder of the ascetic sect of Udasis, was born to Mata Sulakkhani on Bhadon sudi9, 1551 Bk/8 September 1494 at Sultanpur Lodhi, now in Kapurthala district of the Punjab. After Guru Nanak left home on his travels to distant lands, Sri Chand`s mother took him and his younger brother, Lakhmi Das, to her parents` home at Pakkhoke Randhave on the left bank of the River Ravi. Sri Chand from the very beginning loved solitude and, as he grew up, he developed an indifference to worldly affairs. At the tender age of eleven he left for Kashmir where he studied Sanskrit texts under Pandit Purushottam Kaul and later studied and practised yoga under Avinasha Muni. When Guru Nanak, after his travels, had settled down at KARTARPUR on the right bank of Ravi and not far from Pakkhoke, Sri Chand rejoined the family. He however retained his preference for the life of an ascetic.

Guru Nanak having chosen one of his disciples as his spiritual successor, passed away at Kartarpur on 7 September 1539 and a monument was raised over the site where his ashes were buried. As the monument was washed away by floods in the river, Sri Chand had the urn containing the ashes salvaged, reburied it at some distance close to the well of Ajitta Randhava, a devotee of the late Guru, and built a mud hut over it. The place came to be revered as a dehri or samadh (mausoleum) of Guru Nanak around which the present town of Dera Baba Nanak grew. Baba Sri Chand stayed on at Pakkhoke Randhave for some time. He gathered around him a band of his own disciples who, like him, shunned the householder`s life and practised austerities. With his disciples he travelled throughout the length and breadth of India, initiating more converts to his Udasin or Udasi (lit. indifferent, stoic) sect who functioned as itinerant preachers and established missionary centres at different places in the country and beyond.

Through them Guru Nanak`s word was also carried to far corners of the land. Baba Sri Chand`s own main centre was at Barath, 8 km southwest of Pathankot in Gurdaspur district of the Punjab. Baba Sri Chand also kept in touch with successive Gurus during his long life of well over a century. The Gurus held him in high esteem in view of his holy descent, old age and piety. In 1626, when at the behest of Guru Hargobind, his eldest son, Baba Gurditta, proceeded to found the town of Kiratpur in the lower Sivalik hills, he had the ground broken by Baba Sri Chand. According to the Bhatt Vahis, Baba Sri Chand died at Kiratpur on Magh sudi 1,1685 Bk/ 13 January 1629. Before that he had, with Guru Hargobind`s approval, appointed Baba Gurditta to succeed him as head of the Udasi sect.

Article 3

Maharaj Baba Siri chand Ii was a great Udasi saint, as described by Hazrat Mian Mir in his conversation with Emperor Jehangir. Mir referred to Babaji as the "Emperor of all Fakirs." Eldest son as well as the disciple of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Baba Siri Chand Ji was highly respected by kings, saints, yogis, Sikh Gurus, and the common people of all sects and religions. Babaji devoted his long life (149 years) to meditation, preaching Nam, and to moral, spiritual, and religious uplift of society, helping the poor, the downtrodden, and those in need. As directed by his father and Master, Baba Siri Chand Ji played a unique role of setting the sadhu samaj on the right path. Birth

Babaji was born on Bhadon Sudi 9 of Samat 1551(1494 AD) in Sultanpur Lodhi District Kapurthala, Punjab. His mother Sulakhni Ii was a great lady who did all she could to help him achieve his goal. There were several highly unusual circumstances surrounding his birth. Instead of crying, he emerged laughing. The room was filled with light and fragrance. A thin layer of ashes covered his body and the small curly knots of his hair were shining brightly. His right ear lobe was extended in a ring of flesh, leaving no doubt that he was a born "yogi." Early Life

Guru Nanak Dev Ji started Babaji's training at a very early age, mostly by personal example. Thus, as a child he formed habits of rising early, bathing, and spending long hours in meditation. He was told religious stories and sermons to which he listened attentively. Babaji did not play like other children of his age; on the other hand he collected them and taught them meditation whenever they called upon him to play. There are several miracles associated with his childhood, for instance. Once when people got anxious over the delay in his return from the jungle where he had gone, a search party was organized. It found, to its great surprise, Babaji in deep meditation surrounded by wild animals of all sorts such as elephants, tigers, and leopards. All were sitting at his feet motionless, perfectly silent, with eyes closed, enamoured by his mystical powers and in service of their master. With Bebe Nanaki

In 1558, when Babaji was seven, Guru Nanak Dev Ji left for his first Udasi (long preaching journey as a renunciate). Babaji was placed in the care of Bebe Nanaki, Guru Ji's elder sister. "Respected sister," said Guru Nanak Dev Ji, "this is no ordinary child. He will grow to be a great saint, with a large following. He will have a long life and lead a separate seat. He will not marry but his younger brother Baba Lakhmi chand will have a family and provide a link with our future generation." Babaji visited Pakhoke and Talwandi also to meet his grandparents. Though he was a child, Babaji's face was glowing with friendliness and his wide knowledge, sharp intelligence, and spiritual achievements at such a tender age made him popular everywhere. The Nawabs at these places especially paid homage, as they did to Guru Nanak. When Guru Ji returned from his first Udasi, he found his son, a lad of fifteen, very firm in his principles and fully devoted to meditation. Guru Ji, during his brief stay at Sultanpur and before leaving for the second Udasi, gave maximum time to Babaji and blessed him with NAAM as his first disciple. On return from the second Udasi, Guru Ji advised him to study Vedas and other Shastras to continue his religious education, even though both sets of grandparents wanted him to enter business, in accordance with the family tradition. Education at Kashmir

Babaji was in Sirinagar for two and a half years in the famous school of Pandit Purshotam Das Kaul. He was the best student and surprised everybody with his intelligence, maturity, and perspicacity. For example, when his teacher was challenged to a debate by a well-known and proud Brahmin of Kashi, Pandit Som Nath Tripathi, Babaji stepped in place of his teacher and in n6 time demolished the arguments of Pandit Som Nath Tripathi, who felt so nervous that he left in a huff. Aarta

Babaji's soul had now merged with God. While meditating with complete devotion, he saw the whole universe, gods and goddesses and heavenly bodies, in reverence to Guru Nanak Dev Ji. From that vision he composed "Arta" in praise of his father and Guru. Thus, when Guru Nanak returned from his third Udasi, he was greeted with candlelights and showered with flowers and saffron and welcomed by Babaji's recitation of divine hymns in his honour.

Let us sing the praises of Nanak, King of kings,

Emperor of both worlds.

  The whole cosmos is His temple

  Congregations sing sweet songs in His praise.

  Millions of goddesses burn holy lamps in His honour

  Millions of gods sing psalms in His praise.

Millions wash His lotus feet
The moon and sun illuminate Him with their radiance.
Masses of flowers are offering Him fragrance.
The True Master, the True Light, He is merciful to the poor.

  The King of the Winds fans Him

  While saints and sages meditate on His holiness.

  He is universally accepted as the perfect Guru

  The entire cosmos vibrates with his celestial song.

Bells ring out the tone -ONKAR-
Continuously illluminating the heavens.
He is one with God, Whose Name is Truth,
In Nanak's Name saints find their support.

  Siri Chand, Nanak's son, declares,

  "Nanak is unattainable, unfathomable, unshakeable, and pure.

  Whoever sings Emperor Nanak's praises

  Resides in heaven and achieves complete salvation.

Oh kind Master, protect those who seek your shelter
Oh Nanak! You are the saviour; we are just your children.

Links

• Historical Gurdwaras of Punjab dedicated to Guru Arjan Sahib from SGPC, Sri Amritsar
• Guru Ram Das (1534-1581) from www.sikhs.org
• Baba Sri Chand
• Udasis
• Baba Sri Chand

References

• Nara, Ishar SINGH, Itihas Baba Sri Chand Ji Sahib ate Udasin Sampardai. AMRITSAR, 1975
• Randhir Singh, Udasi Sikhan di Vithia. Amritsar, 1959
• Macauliffe, Max Arthur, The SIKH Religion, Oxford, 1909
• Harbans Singh, Guru Nanak and Origins of the Sikh Faith. Bombay, 1969