Bhai Gurdas Singh was a contemporary of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. He is not to be confused with Bhai Gurdas Ji, who was the scribe of the Adi Granth under Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Bhai Gurdas Singh's work was added as a "supplement" to Bhai Gurdas Ji's 40 Vaars, and is known as the "41st Vaar." Bhai Gurdas Singh Ji's work contains the famous Shabad:

'ਵਾਹ ਵਾਹ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਆਪੇ ਗ੝ਰ ਚੇਲਾ'

Vah Vah Gobind Singh Ape Gur Chela

In 'Vaaran Bhai Gurdas Steek', Bhai Vir Singh Ji states:

There have been three or four Sikhs with the name Bhai Gurdas.

• The first was Bhai Gurdas Bhalla who was a cousin of Bibi Bhani and was a courtier of the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Masters. The Vaaran (Epics) are his pious literary debuts.
• The second Bhai Gurdas was a Sikh of the Ninth Master. He was the father of the renown Sikh mace-bearer of the Tenth Master.
• The Third, from the lineage of Bhai Behlo, was a Masand (Designated Representative). He had served Baba Ramraiji for a long time.

This 41st Vaar is not the creation of any one of these. This Vaar has been attributed to another poet, born after the creation of the Khalsa, named Bhai Gurdas Singh who lived a long time after the Tenth Master. This Epic is found in the Sarb Loh Granth. At the end of the 41st Vaar , there is a couplet that gives the date of its creation as Samvat 1757 (1700 AD), but internal research makes it clear that it was written much later. In line 13 of Pauri 19 it states that at the time of its creation - the 12th century Hijri (Muslim Calender) had passed”. This makes it Samvat 1844 (1787).

- Bhai Vir Singh

First Part of Bhai Gurdas Singh's 41st Vaar

ੴ ਸਤਿਗ੝ਰ ਪ੝ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ikonkaar satigur prasaadi ॥ Line 1

ਬੋਲਣਾ ਭਾਈ ਗ੝ਰਦਾਸ ਕਾ
bolanaa bhaaee guradaas kaa Line 2

ਹਰਿ ਸਚੇ ਤਖਤ ਰਚਾਇਆ ਸਤਿ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਮੇਲਾ ।
hari sachay takhat rachaaiaa sati sangati maylaa| Line 3

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਵਿਚਿ ਸਿਧਾਂ ਖੇਲਾ ।
naanak nirabhau nirankaar vichi sidhaan khaylaa| Line 4

ਗ੝ਰ੝ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਮਨਾਈ ਕਾਲਕਾ ਖੰਡੇ ਕੀ ਵੇਲਾ ।
guru simari manaaee kaalakaa khanday kee vaylaa| Line 5

ਪੀਓ ਪਾਹ੝ਲ ਖੰਡਧਾਰ ਹੋਇ ਜਨਮ ਸ੝ਹੇਲਾ ।
peeao paahul khandadhaar hoi janam suhaylaa| Line 6

ਸੰਗਤਿ ਕੀਨੀ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਮਨਮ੝ਖੀ ਦ੝ਹੇਲਾ ।
sangati keenee khaalasaa manamukhee duhaylaa| Line 7

ਵਾਹ ਵਾਹ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਆਪੇ ਗ੝ਰ੝ ਚੇਲਾ ॥੧॥
vaah vaah gobind singh aapay guru chaylaa ॥1॥
Shabad

Download Bhai Gurdas Singh's 41st Full Vaar

• File:Bhai Gurdas Singh.pdf

References & External Links

Most of the above information is from Pritpal Singh Bindra's website:
Epic (41) of Bhai Gurdas Singh