Bhagat Bhikhan
Bhagat Bhikhan (1480-1573), a medieval Indian saint two of whose hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib. Bhagat Bhikhan was the most learnt of the learned men of the time of Emperor Akbar. He lived a very simple life, A married man and householder, he was held in high repute for his piety and learnin, guided by pious and high thinking. Bhagat Bhikhan breathed his last in 1631 Bikrami (1574-A.D.), the time when Guru Ram Das occupied the spiritual throne of Guru Nanak.
Who was he?
Like other, Bhagats his early life is also in vague. There's lots of confusion about his identity, religion and birth place. There were two saints of that time with Name Bhikhan - Saint Bhikhan and Sheikh Bhikhan. Three places are linked with him by historians i.e Kakori(Lucknow), Pakori(UP) & Punjab. It is not sure wether he was muslim or hindu.
Views
Acc. to Macaliffe, Bhagat bhikhan was a Muslim Sheikh, married and of akbar times. In book the Sikh Religion he wrote that Bhikhan belonged to Kakori(UP). He died during begging of akbar regime. He also included that when Muzaffar Khan revolted against akbar he camped near saint bhikhans grave. Badyuni also mentioned one more saint called Bhikhan Vasvani which mcallife thinks that both were same person. He was anuyayi of Kabir.
A Persian Writer Badyuni, Bhagat Bhikan Belong to Kakori(UP) and was most learned man of his times. He was learned in Dharam Shashtras and was pious person. He knew whole quran sharif zubani. He preached Quran Sharif. He was disciple of Mir Sayyed Ibrahim. He was Sufi. He did not tell people about secrets of god openly but use to tell to shardhalus and jigyasoos. He also said that he was promeinient sufi who werwe against mussic. He left several children who were adorned with piety, wisdom, knowledge and virtue. He preached that one should read Adhyatmik granths only. Sheikh Sahib died in 921 Hijri i.e 1573 - 74. Badyuni also mentioned one more saint called Bhikhan Vasvani.
Acc. to Pundit narayan Singh, He was a Hindu Saint of Kayisath caste and was born during 1473 in Town pakoi in Lakhnow District. He was 90 of age. Parshuram Chaturvedi have same view that he was vaishnav saint.
Bhai Kanh Singh Nabha mentioned vague history he called him sadhu and sufi faqir too. Acc to him he was died in 1631, which seems he was 101 years old, but he didnt mentioned that he was same of kakori sheikh bhikhan?
Acc to Nirmal Dass in Songs of the saints from the Adi Granth, Bhikhan was a disciple of kabir which makes the largely hindu overtoned words in his hymes, the atmosphere of these hymes are not islamic, however there are many saints who are confused with religions like Farid, Kabir, madho Lal Hussain etc
Acc to dr dharmpal Singhal, he was related to punjab as his bani shabdavali is equivalent to gurus one, he suspect that bhikhan ji was sishya of guru too and may be met guru nanak sahib. His bani style is same as gurus have. but he was after guru nanak dev so acc. to him it is wrong that bhikhan was of kakori a sufi faqir and disliked music.. Acc to him he was prabhavit from gurus bani and have same veechar as they had and even used a theth punjabi muhavra in bani "Doye nain santokhe", Veechar and Language is same as gurus.
Reasearch Acc. to Gurbani
In guru Granth Sahib the Bani of Bhagat Bhikhan shows him the lover of RAM's name but acc. to Badyuni he was a muslim, prehaps he was a sufi but as sufi he using ram name is not seems to true, but this canot be impossible.
Acc to the Stanzas of Guru Granth sahib, Saint Bhikhan have very good hindi using idioms. He have komal rass in his poem. which makes us feel that he was hindi speaking person. Other then guru granth sahib there is one more poem which is written in Sarbangi Granth on page 138 which is equal to guru granth sahib poems if we consider the language.
In that stanzaMukand, word is used for god, who is emancipater, there's no word like allah or any other which gives clue that Bhagat bhikhan was a sufi. The shabdavali used in these lines gives a itution that he was some Vaishnav Saint, Stress Sangat and Mukti makes the indian bhav so it's difficult to call him a sufi. It is also written that his guru was Sayyed Meer Ibarhim, but if it was ramanand or some other indian saint then we could declare him one, but as his guru was different so it feels it was not Sheikh Bhikhan.
Acc. to this his nature is calm and pure, vaishnav style of bhagti, was dhaarni of saadh sangat, daya and khima. He use Braj Language no Sandukhrhi hindi. Use idioms but very komal pardhan. His bani have significance of name and ahima of guru. and ustat of Ram, Banvari, Murari and Mukand. His stanzas show ihe was pious bhagat.
Pundit narayan Singh said he born in Pakoi which seems that from lucknow the word kakori became pakoi when word reached punjab.
False Claims
Some scholars are under the mistaken belief that these two hymns as included in the Scripture in the name of Bhikhan are in fact by Syed Bhikhan Shah, a holy-man who spent most of his time in the village of Ghuram, near Patiala. A tomb also stands erected there in his memory. Pir Bhikhan Shah of Ghuram had been a contemporary of Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh. As the tradition goes, Bhikhan Shah was performing his Namaz (Muslim prayer) facing west when he learnt of the birth of Guru Gobind Singh, and on learning this he immediately turned eastward (towards Patna) to pay obeisance to the newly born Guru.
No doubt, Pir Bhikhan Shah was a sufi saint of high spiritual merit, but none of his verses is included in the Sikh Scripture.
Bani
ਰਾਗ ਸੋਰਠਿ ਬਾਣੀ ਭਗਤ ਭੀਖਨ ਕੀ
रागढ़ सोरठि बाणी भगत भीखन की
Rĝg soraṯẖ baṇī bẖagaṯ Bẖīkẖan kī
Raag Sorat'h, The Word Of Devotee Bheekhan Jee:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ੴ सतिगढ़र पढ़रसादि ॥
Ikoaʼnkĝr saṯgur parsĝḝ.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਨੈਨਹ ਨੀਰ ਬਹੈ ਤਨ ਖੀਨਾ ਭਝ ਕੇਸ ਦਧ ਵਾਨੀ ॥
नैनहढ़ नीरढ़ बहै तनढ़ खीना भझ केस दढ़ध वानी ॥
Nainhu nīr bahai ṯan kẖīnĝ bẖaė kės ḝuḝẖ vĝnī.
Tears well up in my eyes, my body has become weak, and my hair has become milky-white.
ਰੂਧਾ ਕੰਠ ਸਬਦ ਨਹੀ ਉਚਰੈ ਅਬ ਕਿਆ ਕਰਹਿ ਪਰਾਨੀ ॥੧॥
रूधा कंठढ़ सबदढ़ नही उचरै अब किआ करहि परानी ॥१॥
Rūḝẖĝ kanṯẖ sabaḝ nahī ucẖrai ab kiĝ karahi parĝnī. ||1||
My throat is tight, and I cannot utter even one word; what can I do now? I am a mere mortal. ||1||
ਰਾਮ ਰਾਇ ਹੋਹਿ ਬੈਦ ਬਨਵਾਰੀ ॥
राम राइ होहि बैद बनवारी ॥
Rĝm rĝė hohi baiḝ banvĝrī.
O Lord, my King, Gardener of the world-garden, be my Physician,
ਅਪਨੇ ਸੰਤਹ ਲੇਹ ਉਬਾਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अपने संतह लेहढ़ उबारी ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Apnė sanṯeh lėho ubĝrī. ||1|| rahĝo.
and save me, Your Saint. ||1||Pause||
ਮਾਥੇ ਪੀਰ ਸਰੀਰਿ ਜਲਨਿ ਹੈ ਕਰਕ ਕਰੇਜੇ ਮਾਹੀ ॥
माथे पीर सरीरि जलनि है करक करेजे माही ॥
Mĝthė pīr sarīr jalan hai karak karėjė mĝhī.
My head aches, my body is burning, and my heart is filled with anguish.
ਝਸੀ ਬੇਦਨ ਉਪਜਿ ਖਰੀ ਭਈ ਵਾ ਕਾ ਅਉਖਧ ਨਾਹੀ ॥੨॥
झसी बेदन उपजि खरी भई वा का अउखधढ़ नाही ॥२॥
Aisī bėḝan upaj kẖarī bẖaī vĝ kĝ aukẖaḝẖ nĝhī. ||2||
Such is the disease that has struck me; there is no medicine to cure it. ||2||
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮ ਅੰਮਰਿਤ ਜਲ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਇਹ ਅਉਖਧ ਜਗਿ ਸਾਰਾ ॥
हरि का नामढ़ अमढ़रित जलढ़ निरमलढ़ इहढ़ अउखधढ़ जगि सारा ॥
Har kĝ nĝm amriṯ jal nirmal ih aukẖaḝẖ jag sĝrĝ.
The Name of the Lord, the ambrosial, immaculate water, is the best medicine in the world.
ਗਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ਕਹੈ ਜਨ ਭੀਖਨ ਪਾਵਉ ਮੋਖ ਦਆਰਾ ॥੩॥੧॥
गढ़र परसादि कहै जनढ़ भीखनढ़ पावउ मोख दढ़आरा ॥३॥१॥
Gur parsĝḝ kahai jan Bẖīkẖan pĝvao mokẖ ḝuĝrĝ. ||3||1||
By Guru's Grace, says servant Bheekhan, I have found the Door of Salvation. ||3||1||
ਝਸਾ ਨਾਮ ਰਤਨ ਨਿਰਮੋਲਕ ਪੰਨਿ ਪਦਾਰਥ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
झसा नामढ़ रतनढ़ निरमोलकढ़ पढ़ंनि पदारथढ़ पाइआ ॥
Aisĝ nĝm raṯan nirmolak punn paḝĝrath pĝiĝ.
Such is the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the invaluable jewel, the most sublime wealth, which I have found through good deeds.
ਅਨਿਕ ਜਤਨ ਕਰਿ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਰਾਖਿਆ ਰਤਨ ਨ ਛਪੈ ਛਪਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
अनिक जतन करि हिरदै राखिआ रतनढ़ न छपै छपाइआ ॥१॥
Anik jaṯan kar hirḝai rĝkẖiĝ raṯan na cẖẖapai cẖẖapĝiĝ. ||1||
By various efforts, I have enshrined it within my heart; this jewel cannot be hidden by hiding it. ||1||
ਹਰਿ ਗਨ ਕਹਤੇ ਕਹਨ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥
हरि गढ़न कहते कहनढ़ न जाई ॥
Har gun kahṯė kahan na jĝī.
The Glorious Praises of the Lord cannot be spoken by speaking.
ਜੈਸੇ ਗੂੰਗੇ ਕੀ ਮਿਠਿਆਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
जैसे गूंगे की मिठिआई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Jaisė gūngė kī miṯẖiĝī. ||1|| rahĝo.
They are like the sweet candies given to a mute. ||1||Pause||
ਰਸਨਾ ਰਮਤ ਸਨਤ ਸਖ ਸਰਵਨਾ ਚਿਤ ਚੇਤੇ ਸਖ ਹੋਈ ॥
रसना रमत सढ़नत सढ़खढ़ सढ़रवना चित चेते सढ़खढ़ होई ॥
Rasnĝ ramaṯ sunaṯ sukẖ sarvanĝ cẖiṯ cẖėṯė sukẖ hoī.
The tongue speaks, the ears listen, and the mind contemplates the Lord; they find peace and comfort.
ਕਹ ਭੀਖਨ ਦਇ ਨੈਨ ਸੰਤੋਖੇ ਜਹ ਦੇਖਾਂ ਤਹ ਸੋਈ ॥੨॥੨॥
कहढ़ भीखन दढ़इ नैन संतोखे जह देखां तह सोई ॥२॥२॥
Kaho Bẖīkẖan ḝuė nain sanṯokẖė jah ḝėkẖĝʼn ṯah soī. ||2||2||
Says Bheekhan, my eyes are content; wherever I look, there I see the Lord. ||2||2||
GURMAT VICHARDHARA
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.
Related Links
| 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 |
