Ramkali Sad-u

Sad-u means the call. When the third Guru Amar Das Ji received the call from the Almighty on completion of his sojourn in the world, he decided to handover guru-ship to Bhai Jeyttha as the fourth Guru, who was named Guru Ramdas Ji. This composition describes his instructions to the Sikhs and his family as well as the event of change of guru-ship in detail. It appears that this composition has not been considered – probably due to ignorance – by the historians who have written on the subject, as their accounts are different from its contents. The composition is in Raga Ramkali at Sri Guru Granth Sahib pp 923-24. Arjun, later to be the fifth Guru who compiled the SGGS was himself present at the event and has thus authenticated it. It is authored by Baba Sundar the great grandson of the third Guru. Baba Sundar was also present on the occasion and describes the event as an eye witness.

The sequence of events may be put as follows.

1. ਹਰਿ ਭਾਣਾ ਗੁਰ ਭਾਇਆ ਗੁਰੁ ਜਾਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਪਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਕਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਪਹਿ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਪੈਜ ਰਖਹੁ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥

Har bẖāṇā gur bẖā▫i▫ā gur jāvai har parabẖ pās jī▫o.  Saṯgur kare har pėh benṯī merī paij rakẖahu arḏās jī▫o.

(Gur) the Guru (bhaaiaa) accepts (bhaana = will) command of (har-i) the Almighty in life and is (jaavai) to go (paas-i) to be with (har-i) the Almighty (prabh) Master.

(Satigur-u) the true Guru (karey) makes (beynti) request (pah-i) to (har-i) the Almighty: Please (rakhahu) preserve (paij) the honor of my (aradaas-i = supplication) devotion to You.

2. The Guru advises all that Divine will should be accepted.

ਤੁਸੀ ਪੁਤ ਭਾਈ ਪਰਵਾਰੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨਿ ਵੇਖਹੁ ਕਰਿ ਨਿਰਜਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਧੁਰਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਪਰਵਾਣਾ ਫਿਰੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਗੁਰੁ ਜਾਇ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਪਾਸਿ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥

Ŧusī puṯ bẖā▫ī parvār merā man vekẖhu kar nirjās jī▫o.  Ḏẖur likẖi▫ā parvāṇā firai nāhī gur jā▫e har parabẖ pās jī▫o. ||3||

(Tusi) you are (meyra) my (put = sons) children, (bhaaee) brothers and (parvaar-u) family, (kar-i = do, nirjaas-i = consideration) reflect (man-i) in your mind and (veykhahu) see.

(Parvaana = document conveying orders) commands (dhur-i) from the source/Almighty cannot (phirai = returned) be disobeyed and your guru (jaaey) is leaving to be (paas-i) with (har-i prabh) the Almighty Master. 3.

3. The Guru advises that there should be no wailing on death.

ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਭਾਣੈ ਆਪਣੈ ਬਹਿ ਪਰਵਾਰੁ ਸਦਾਇਆ ॥ ਮਤ ਮੈ ਪਿਛੈ ਕੋਈ ਰੋਵਸੀ ਸੋ ਮੈ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਭਾਇਆ ॥

Saṯgur bẖāṇai āpṇai bahi parvār saḏā▫i▫ā.  Maṯ mai picẖẖai ko▫ī rovsī so mai mūl na bẖā▫i▫ā.

(Satigur-i) the true guru (bah-i) sits down and (aapanai) by his (bhaanai = will/order) instructions (sadaaiaa) called his (parvaar-u) family members, and told them:

(Mat) let not (ko) anyone (rovsi) cry (pichhai = after) for (mai) me; (so) that is not (mool-i) at all be to (mai) my (bhaaiaa) liking.

4. The Guru personally installed the fourth Guru and everybody including the Sikhs and the Guru’s sons paid obeisance to the fourth Guru Ramdas.

ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਪਰਤਖਿ ਹੋਦੈ ਬਹਿ ਰਾਜੁ ਆਪਿ ਟਿਕਾਇਆ ॥ ਸਭਿ ਸਿਖ ਬੰਧਪ ਪੁਤ ਭਾਈ ਰਾਮਦਾਸ ਪੈਰੀ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੪॥

Saṯgurū parṯakẖ hoḏai bahi rāj āp tikā▫i▫ā.  Sabẖ sikẖ banḏẖap puṯ bẖā▫ī Rāmḏās pairī pā▫i▫ā. ||4||

(Satiguru) the true Guru (bah-i) sits down and (aap-i) himself (ttikaaiaa = established) installed (raaj-u = kingdom) the new Guru (hodai = being, partakh-i = manifest/present) while alive.

The third Guru (paaiaa = placed) caused (Sabh-i) all Sikhs, (bandhap) relatives, (put) sons (bhaaee = brothers/people) dear ones to pay obeisance (pairi) at the feet of, i.e. they all acknowledge, Ramdas as Guru. 4.

5. The composition further says:

ਸਭ ਪਵੈ ਪੈਰੀ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਕੇਰੀ ਜਿਥੈ ਗੁਰੂ ਆਪੁ ਰਖਿਆ ॥ ਕੋਈ ਕਰਿ ਬਖੀਲੀ ਨਿਵੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਫਿਰਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਆਣਿ ਨਿਵਾਇਆ ॥

Sabẖ pavai pairī saṯgurū kerī jithai gurū āp rakẖi▫ā.  Ko▫ī kar bakẖīlī nivai nāhī fir saṯgurū āṇ nivā▫i▫ā.

(Sabh) everyone (pavai pairi) pays obeisance at the feet (keyri) of (satiguru) the True Guru Ramdas (jithai = where) in whom Guru Amar Das had (rakhiaa) put (aap-u) the self – to whom the third Guru had paid obeisance.

(Koee) someone (kar-i = doing/bearing, bakheelee = jealousy) who was jealous did not (nivai) bow, (phir-i = then) ultimately the True Guru Amar Das (aan-i) brought and (nivaaiaa) caused him to bow, – and acknowledge Guru Ram Das as the Guru. (Note: This refers to Baba Mohan, the elder son of the third Guru, who wanted to be appointed the guru and hence had been jealous. It could be none else once Baba Mohri the third Guru’s younger son fell in line.)

A story has been in circulation that Baba Mohan never fell in line and kept the collection of the first three gurus as well as saints, and the fourth Guru never saw that. It is also said that when the fifth Guru decided to compile the Gurbani collection, he went to Baba Mohan to collect what are called Mohan Pothis. This composition negates both the aspects – Baba Mohan being defiant and keeping the collection with him.

There is also a belief that Baba Buddha applied Tilak or frontal mark on the second to sixth Gurus. The composition also negates that saying Shabad – handing over Gurbani collection was the sign. Tilak means ‘sign of recognition’, in addition to ‘frontal mark’.