(Amrit Pal Singh ‘Amrit’)

Born in Samvat 1587 Bikrami in the city of Lahore (now in Pakistan), Guru Ramdas Ji was son of Sri Hardas Ji. (Guru) Ramdas Ji had one brother, whose name was Haridyal Ji. He had a sister also; whose name was Ramdasi Ji.

(Guru) Ramdas Ji was married to Bibi Bhani Ji, who was a daughter of the third Guru, Guru Amardas Ji. Guru Ramdas Ji had three sons, Prithi Chand, Mahadev and (Guru) Arjan Dev Ji.

In Samvat 1631 Bikrami, Guru Amardas Ji established Guru Ramdas Ji on the holy throne and thus, Guru Ramdas Ji became the fourth Guru of the Sikh people.

In Samvat 1633 Bikrami, Guru Ramdas Ji shifted to the city of Sri Amritsar Sahib, which was known as ‘Guru Ka Chakk’.

Guru Ramdas Ji established his son, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, on the holy throne and left for his heavenly abode in Samvat 1638 Bikrami.

(Amrit Pal Singh ‘Amrit’)

(Guru) Amardas Ji was born in Samvat 1536 Bikrami. His father’s name was Tejo (Tej Bhan) Ji. In Samvat 1589 Bikrami, (Guru) Amardas Ji was married to Mother Mansa Devi Ji. (Guru) Amardas Ji had two sons, Mohan and Mohari Ji, and two daughters, Bibi Bhani Ji and Bibi Dani Ji.

Once, a Brahman, named Durga Datt, met (Guru) Amardas Ji and said, “You will be worshipped by the people. The flywhisk will be waved over your head. The Kings will meet you with their offerings”.

When (Guru) Amardas Ji tried to donate him some sweets, Durga Datt asked, “Who is your Guru?”

(Guru) Amardas Ji replied, “I have not found the Guru yet”.

Pandit Durga Datt said, “I do not take anything from a person, who has not any Guru. It is a sin even to see such a person. When you find a Guru, only then I will accept your offerings”.

The words by the Brahman depressed (Guru) Amardas Ji. He, then, decided to find a true Guru for him. In Samvat 1590 Bikrami, (Guru) Amardas Ji went to Hardwar, a sacred city for Hindus, to take bath in river Ganges. He met Bhai Hari Ram Ji, who was reciting the holy hymns of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. (Guru) Amardas Ji was fascinated by the hymns. He decided to meet Guru Nanak Dev Ji. However, due to his busyness in his family affairs, he could not see Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji established Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji on the holy throne in Samvat 1596 Bikrami. In Samvat 1598 Bibi Amro Ji, a daughter of Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji, was married to (Guru) Amardas Ji’s nephew.

Once, she was reciting this holy hymn of Guru Nanak Dev Ji: –

Maaroo Mahla 1, Ghar 1. Karni Kaagad Man Masvaani Bura Bhalaa Duye Lekh Paye. (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 960).

(Translation of whole of the holy hymn: – Actions are the paper, and the mind is the ink; good and bad are both recorded upon it. As their past actions drive them, so are mortals driven. There is no end to Your Glorious Virtues, Lord. 1.Why do you not keep Him in your consciousness, you mad man? Forgetting the Lord, your own virtues shall rot away. 1. Pause. The night is a net, and the day is a net; there are as many traps as there are moments. With relish and delight, you continually bite at the bait; you are trapped, you fool – how will you ever escape? .2. The body is a furnace, and the mind is the iron within it; the five fires are heating it. Sin is the charcoal placed upon it, which burns the mind; the tongs are anxiety and worry. 3. What was turned to slag is again transformed into gold, if one meets with the Guru. He blesses the mortal with the Ambrosial Name of the One Lord, and then, O Nanak, the body is held steady. 4. 3.). (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 960).

(Guru) Amardas Ji’s mind was pierced through with the arrow of love. He decided to meet Guru Angad Dev Ji. In Samvat 1601 Bikrami, he went to village Khadoor Sahib Ji along with Bibi Amro Ji to have the holy ‘Darshan’ of Guru Angad Dev Ji.

(Guru) Amardas Ji started to live in the holy company of Guru Angad Dev Ji in Sri Khadoor Sahib Ji. He served the Guru for 7 years. In Samvat 1602 Bikrami, (Guru) Amardas Ji’s daughter Bibi Bhani Ji was married to (Guru) Ramdas Ji.

In Samvat 1609 Bikrami, he was established the third Guru, by Guru Angad Dev Ji.

Guru Amardas Ji strengthened Guru’s free kitchen (Guru ka Langar), which was started by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and developed by Guru Angad Dev Ji. It was the injunction of Guru Amardas that none would have his audience unless he had first eaten from the Langar. It was a good effort to remove the caste restrictions and prejudices of untouchability. All persons of all castes, high or low, rich or poor, Brahmans or Sudras, Hindus or Muslims, used to sit in the same line and eat the same food from Guru’s kitchen. Even Akbar, the Emperor of India had to take food in the Langar.

He established his son-in-law Guru Ramdas Ji on the holy throne and left for his heavenly abode in Samvat 1631 Bikrami and the spirit blended with the Master Spirit.

(Amrit Pal Singh ‘Amrit’)

Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji was born in a village called Harike in Ferozepur district of the Punjab. His father’s name was Bhai Phiraaya Ji (mostly known as Bhai Pheru Ji). Guru Ji’s mother name was Bibi Raamo Ji. Originally, Guru Angad Dev Ji’s name was ‘Laihna’. In Samvat 1576 Bikrami, Laihna ji was married to Bibi Khivi ji.

Bhai Laihna Ji (Guru Angad Dev Ji) was father of two daughters, Bibi Amro ji and Bibi Anokhi ji, and two sons, Baba Dasu ji and Baba Datu ji.

Laihna Ji was a devotee of Goddess. He often used to go to Jawaala Ji, a foumous temple of Goddess in India. Once, he went there and sat in company of some saints. There, he heard them talking about Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Laihna Ji decided to meet Guru Nanak Dev Ji. For some reasons, it could not be possible for some time.

Then, Bhai Laihna Ji moved to village ‘Baasar-ke’ and started to live there with his family. It was here in village ‘Baasar-ke’ that Bhai Laihna Ji planned to visit the goddess temple with a group of people. When they reached in the city of Sri Kartarpur Sahib, Bhai Laihna Ji heard that Guru Nanak Dev Ji was present in the city. Bhai Laihna Ji went to meet Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Bhai Laihna Ji obtained the real peace of mind. Next morning, when other people asked Bhai Laihna Ji to go to the goddess temple, he refused to go with them. Other members of his group went to the goddess temple, but Bhai Laihna Ji stayed with Guru Nanak Dev Ji for four days. It was in Sri Kartarpur Sahib that Bhai Laihna Ji saw the goddess doing service in Guru’s house. He became Sikh of Guru Ji. Then, he returned to his village ‘Baasar-ke’.

Next time, when Bhai Laihna Ji went to Guru Nanak Dev Ji, he spent nine months in the holy company of Guru Ji. In this period, he was being prepared for a big holy job.

And one day, people saw that Guru Nanak Dev Ji seated Bhai Laihna on the holy throne, put five ‘paise’ and a coconut in front of him and bowed before him. Bhai Laihna got new name, Guru ‘Angad Dev’. He was now the Guru of his people. Both the sons of Guru Nanak Dev Ji created disturbance, but in vain.

After becoming the Guru, Bhai Laihna Ji, who was now Guru Angad Dev Ji, went to Sri Khadoor Sahib, a village in Punjab and started to live there.

Guru Angad Dev Ji left for his heavenly abode in Samvat 1609 Bikrami (1552 AD).

(Amrit Pal Singh ‘Amrit’)

Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji was born in 1469 in Rai bhoi di Talwandi, a village in the Sheikhupura district, 65 kilometers West of Lahore (now in Pakistan). His father was a village official in the local revenue administration.

On the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Pandit Hardyal predicted that this infant would be a great religious leader. Thus Pandit Hardyal was the first man, who recognized the holy soul of the Guru.

Guru ji was married to Bibi Sulakhkhani Ji. He had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhami Chand. Guru Nanak worked as an official in charge of the stores of Nawab Daulat Khan Lodhi, the Muslim ruler of Sultanpur Lodhi.

He began his missionary tours. Bhai Mardana was with him. Guru ji preached against caste distinctions, ritualism, idol worship and the pseudo-religious beliefs that had no spiritual content.

He chose to mix with all. He dined and lived with men of the lowest castes and classes Considering the then prevailing cultural practices and traditions, this was something socially and religiously unheard of in those days of rigid Hindu caste system sanctioned by the scriptures and the religiously approved notions of untouchability and pollution. It is a matter of great significance that at the very beginning of his mission, the Guru’s first companion was a low caste Muslim.

He performed five long tours all over the country and even outside it. Every tour is called “Udasi”. He visited most of the known religious places and centers of worship. During his tours, he visited numerous places of Hindu and Muslim worship. He explained and exposed through his preaching the incongruities and fruitlessness of ritualistic and ascetic practices.

He spent twenty-five years of his life preaching from place to place. Many of his hymns were composed during this period. They represent answers to the major religious and social problems of the day and cogent responses to the situations and incidents that he came across. Some of the hymns convey dialogues with Yogis in the Punjab and elsewhere. He denounced their methods of living and their religious views.

Finally, on the completion of his tours, he settled as a peasant farmer at Kartarpur, a village in the Punjab.

His followers throughout the country were known as Nanak-panthies or Sikhs. The places where Sikh congregation and religious gatherings of his followers were held were called Dharamsalas. These were also the places for feeding the poor.

He chose his successor and in his own lifetime established him as the future Guru or enlightener of the community.

Guru ji left this world on September 22, 1539 (23rd day of Asu, Vadi 10, Sambat 1596). The light blended with Light and the spirit went back and merged with the Master spirit. He was about seventy years of age.