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44-454: The composition deals with such topics such as Simran (general meditation that leads to merging with God) and Nam Japna (meditation of Naam ), the greatness of Saints and Sadh Sangat (holy congregation), true devotion, doing good deeds, the nature of the mind, the badness of slandering, concepts relating to Brahmvidya , Advaita , Sargun and Nirgun , materialism and death, Hukam , and other similar topics. Sukhmani Sahib

88-808: A great liking to the three letters written in verse by his son Arjan and requested his other sons write poetic letters like them. However, Arjan was thrilled to be reunited with his father and decided to write yet another and fourth letter in verse, which won over the heart of his father and made him decide to select his youngest son Arjan as his worthy successor. Guru Ram Das died on 1 September 1581, in Goindwal , he nominated his younger son, Arjan Dev , as his successor. The Guru's eldest son Prithi Chand vehemently protested against his father suppression. The second son Mahadev did not press his claim. Prithi Chand used offensive language to his father, and then informed Baba Budhha that his father had acted inappropriately;

132-576: A range of topics: One who calls himself to be a disciple of the Guru should rise before dawn and meditate on the Lord's Name. During the early hours, he should rise and bathe, cleansing his soul in a tank of nectar [water], while he repeats the Name the Guru has spoken to him. By this procedure he truly washes away the sins of his soul. – GGS 305 (partial) The Name of God fills my heart with joy. My great fortune

176-524: A suggestion by Baba Buddha to venture into new potentials for generating funds, Guru Ram Das came-up with the Masand missionary system. The masand were Sikh community leaders and preachers who lived far from the Guru in distant parts of the subcontinent and beyond, but acted to lead the distant congregations, their mutual interactions and collect revenue for Sikh activities and Gurudwara building. This institutional organization famously helped grow Sikhism in

220-528: Is a Salok of two lines and then each Ashtpadi contains eight padas of 10 hymns per pada . Sukhmani Sahib was composed by Guru Arjan around 1602 before he compiled the Adi Granth . The Guru compiled it at Ramsar Sarovar (Sacred pool), Amritsar which at the time was in thick woods. It is believed Sri Chand came to Amritsar to meet Guru Arjan and he engaged in the creation of Sukhmani. The Guru had written 16 canto and requested Sri Chand to finish

264-492: Is a Hindi and Punjabi word referring to the continuous remembrance of the finest aspect of the self, and/or the continuous remembrance (or feeling) of God. This state is maintained continuously while carrying out the worldly works outside. In Sant Mat , the word simran is used for the spiritual practice of repeating the mantra given by the Satguru during initiation . The mantra itself is also called Simran. Simran repetition

308-525: Is acquired by devoutly repeating, comprehending, and living by the sacred word every day so as to progressively reveal the divine and ultimate truth to the person who earnestly seeks it: Guru Ram Das says in Sarang ki var (Guru Granth Sahib, 1242): Nām , the incorruptible is beyond our comprehending. At the same time, it is our constant companion and preserves all creation. Therefore, truth will disclose itself unto us and let us perceive it in our hearts. It

352-546: Is because si-mar means 'to die over', thus indicating the death of ego, allowing the realization of ultimate truth ( sach ) to appear. On page 202 of the Guru Granth Sahib: Simar simar sukh paa-i-aa Meditating, meditating in remembrance, I have found peace This hymn teaches that a person who wishes to gain from this human life must attain a higher spiritual state by becoming free of attachment by realizing emptiness of worldly phenomena. Thereby, merit

396-598: Is credited with various parts of the Anand and Laavan composition in Suhi mode. It is a part of the ritual of four clockwise circumambulations of the Sikh scripture by the bride and groom to solemnize their marriage in the Sikh tradition. This was intermittently used, and its use lapsed in late 18th century. However, sometime in 19th or 20th century, by conflicting accounts, the composition of Guru Ram Das came back in use along with

440-557: Is done during meditation and also outside it. Simran —commonly used as a verb in Gurmukhi —refers to 'meditating' on the name ( nām ) of God. Sikhism is a distinct faith, whereby God can be realized purely through individual devotion, without subjection to rites and rituals by priests or other intermediaries. According to the Guru Granth Sahib , through simran, one is purified and attains salvation ( mukti ). This

484-611: Is frequently recited by Sikhs is one of the popular Banis (compositions of the Guru). It can be done individually or as a group usually in either a place of worship ( Gurdwara ) or at home. Reciting the entire Sukhmani Sahib takes about 60 to 90 minutes, and is sometimes undertaken by everyone in a smaller congregation with turn by turn reading. Reciting the Gurbani of Sukhmani Sahib is believed to bring peace to one's mind and aid help remembering God constantly. Sukhmani Sahib belongs to

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528-682: Is remembered in the Sikh tradition for expanding the manji organization for clerical appointments and donation collections to theologically and economically support the Sikh movement. Bhai Jetha was born in the morning of 24 September 1534 in a family belonging to the Sodhi gotra (clan) of the Khatri caste in Chuna Mandi, Lahore. His father was Hari Das and his mother was Mata Anup Devi (also known later-on as Anup Kaur or Daya Kaur ), both of whom were highly religious. His paternal grandfather

572-452: Is said that when Amar Das just so happened to be visiting Basarke, he came across the young Jetha. Traits that Amar Das saw in the young Jetha that made him take a liking to him was that he was supporting his elderly grandmother at a young age and he lived a deeply spiritual life. Amar Das would meet with Jetha many times in this manner. However, one time when Amar Das was visiting Basarke, he would leave next for Khadur, where his guru, Angad,

616-444: Is through earnestness that we can meet with such a truth. This Sikhism-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Hinduism-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Guru Ram Das Guru Ram Das ( Gurmukhi : ਗੁਰੂ ਰਾਮ ਦਾਸ, pronunciation: [gʊɾuː ɾaːmᵊ d̯aːsᵊ] ; 24 September 1534 – 1 September 1581), sometimes spelled as Guru Ramdas ,

660-617: Is to meditate on God's name. The miracle of God's name is attained through the perfect Guru, but only a rare soul walks in the light of the Guru's wisdom. – GGS 94 (partial) O man! The poison of pride is killing you, blinding you to God. Your body, the colour of gold, has been scarred and discoloured by selfishness. Illusions of grandeur turn black, but the ego-maniac is attached to them. – GGS 776 (partial) His compositions continue to be sung daily in Harmandir Sahib ( Golden temple ) of Sikhism. Guru Ram Das, along with Guru Amar Das,

704-622: The Raag Gauri with Gauri meaning pure. The term Sukhmani comprises two words: Sukh (peace) and Mani (the treasure or jewel of the mind). It typically is found in Gutka form (small prayer book). Sukhmani Sahib is divided into 24 Ashtpadi (Section). The Ashtpada is the Sanskrit word for a verse that has eight ( Asht ) metrical feet ( pādi ). Before the Ashtpadi begins there

748-650: The Anand Karaj ceremony, replacing the Hindu ritual of circumambulation around the fire. The composition of Guru Ram emerged to be one of the bases of the British colonial era Anand Marriage Act of 1909. The wedding hymn was composed by Guru Ram Das for his own daughter's wedding. The first stanza of the Laavan hymn by Guru Ram Das refers to the duties of the householder's life to accept the Guru's word as guide, remember

792-589: The Divine Name. The second verse and circle remind the singular One is encountered everywhere and in the depths of the self. The third speaks of the Divine Love. The fourth reminds that the union of the two is the union of the individual with the Infinite. While Guru Amar Das introduced the manji system of religious organization, Guru Ram Das extended it with adding the masand institution. After

836-438: The Guru, but instead of giving up like Ramo, he submitted himself humbly to the Guru and stated he would continue trying to please him by building a worthy platform for his master, it was this action that made Guru Amar Das decide he was worthy for the guruship mantle. Thus, Jetha was selected as the next Sikh guru and would become known as Guru Ram Das. Jetha become guru on 30 August 1574, became known as Guru Ram Das, and held

880-508: The Sikh cause during the time of Guru Ram Das. At some point, local Lahori Sikhs paid a visit to the Guru to engage in Kar Seva voluntary work and petitioned him to find time to pay a visit to his birth city. The Guru visited the city, he was warmly welcomed and gained more followers in the process. Guru Ram Das is credited with founding and building the city of Amritsar in the Sikh tradition. Two versions of stories exist regarding

924-523: The activities of the Sikhs at Goindwal. The Brahmin residents complained and protested about the Sikh tradition of operating a free community kitchen (langar), discarding traditional beliefs and practices, and not recognizing caste divisions and hierarchies. Guru Amar Das sent Jetha to be his representative at the Mughal court on his behalf. Jetha met with emperor Akbar and simply put forth the argument that in

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968-513: The ancestral village of Guru Amar Das . Jetha's grandmother was a destitute lady who faced troubles raising the three orphaned siblings. Jetha sold boiled grams, boiled black chickpeas (known as ghugaian ), and boiled wheat in the local market square of Basarke to earn a living at the age of around nine. Jetha would sometimes encounter holy-men whilst he was out-and-about working who he would share his provisions of food produce with free-of-cost, being reprimanded by his grandmother for doing so. It

1012-440: The beard is useful for wiping the feet of saints like him, and got-up to actually wipe the feet of Sri Chand with his beard. Sri Chand then realized why Guru Ram Das was worthy of occupying his father's spiritual seat after witnessing this action. The Guru was eventually joined by Bhai Gurdas , a familial relative of his predecessor whom was well-educated in religious, linguistic, and literary pursuits. Bhai Gurdas helped advance

1056-547: The city of Amritsar, and the pool area grew into a temple complex after his son built the Gurdwara Harmandir Sahib , and installed the scripture of Sikhism inside the new gurdwara in 1604. The construction activity between 1574 and 1604 is described in Mahima Prakash Vartak , a semi-historical Sikh hagiographical text likely composed in 1741, and the earliest known document dealing with

1100-615: The composition. Sri Chand out of humility only recited the Salok from the Mul Mantar by Guru Nanak , his father. Therefore this Salok was put by the Guru in the start of the 17 canto. Prominent Sikh saint Baba Nand Singh would tell Sikhs to recite Sukhmani Sahib twice daily. Simran Traditional Simran ( Gurmukhi : ਸਿਮਰਨ, pronunciation: [sɪmɾǝn] ; Hindi : सिमरण, सिमरन ; from Sanskrit : स्मरण , smaraṇa , 'to remember, reminisce, recollect'), in spirituality ,

1144-542: The construction of a water tank. He spent time with Guru Amar Das by accompanying him on religious pilgrimages. Under the patronage of Guru Amar Das, Bhai Jetha was educated in North Indian musical tradition . Before becoming Guru, Jetha represented Guru Amar Das in the Mughal court. Local residents (particularly Brahmins ) living around Goindwal lodged a complaint to the local Mughal government of Lahore about

1188-485: The decades that followed, but became infamous in the era of later Gurus, for its corruption and its misuse in financing rival Sikh movements in times of succession disputes. However, the early Masand leaders tended to be hardworking and committed Sikhs. The Guru's three sons had distinctive roles and personality traits: Prithi Chand was responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of the langar, keeping records, and overseeing appropriate accommodation for visitors; Mahadev

1232-519: The eyes of the divine, all of humankind is equal. This response is said to have pleased Akbar, who dismissed any complaints made against the Sikhs. In 1553, he married Bibi Bhani, the younger daughter of Amar Das. Jetha was selected personally by Guru Amar Das' wife, Mata Mansa Devi , as the best match for their daughter Bhani due to his devoted and pious personality. They had three sons: Prithi Chand (1554–1623), Mahadev (1559–1656) and Guru Arjan (1563–1606). Jetha's immediate family often protested

1276-438: The fourth Guru of Sikhism in 1574. He faced hostility from the sons of Guru Amar Das, and shifted his official base to lands identified by Guru Amar Das as Guru-ka-Chak . He founded the town of Ramdaspur, later renamed Amritsar and known as the holiest city of Sikhism. Unlike the first three Gurus, he appointed his own son as his successor, as would the fifth through tenth Sikh Gurus. He served until his death in 1581. He

1320-523: The guruship was his own right. He vowed that he would remove Guru Arjan, and make himself the Guru. Later Prithi Chand created a rival faction which the Sikhs following Guru Arjan called Minas literally, "scoundrels"), and is alleged to have attempted to assassinate young Hargobind . However, alternate competing texts written by the Prithi Chand led Sikh faction to offer a different story, contradict this explanation on Hargobind's life, and present

1364-454: The hostile opposition he faced from the sons of Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das founded the town named after him as "Ramdaspur". He started by completing the pool, and building his new official Guru centre and home next to it. He invited merchants and artisans from other parts of India to settle into the new town with him. The town expanded during the time of Guru Arjan financed by donations and constructed by voluntary work . The town grew to become

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1408-430: The land where Guru Ram Das settled. In one based on a Gazetteer record, the land was purchased with Sikh donations, for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung . According to the Sikh historical records, the site was chosen by Guru Amar Das and called Guru Da Chakk, after he had asked Guru Ram Das to find land to start a new town with a man made pool as its central point. After his coronation in 1574, and

1452-514: The lives of all the ten Gurus. As per the instruction of his predecessor, Guru Ram Das also constructed two man-made pools of holy water (known as sarovars) in Guru-Da-Chak, with their names being Ramdas Sarovar and Amritsar Sarovar . Guru Ram Das composed 638 hymns, or about ten percent of hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib . He was a celebrated poet , and composed his work in 30 ancient ragas of Indian classical music . These cover

1496-407: The marriage and thus requested his eldest son Prithi Chand go on his behalf to represent him. Prithi refused to go as he believed that being separated from the Guru lessened his chances of being selected as his successor. However, Prithi used the excuse that he was too engrossed and concerned with the operation of the langar, fund acquisition, and other responsibilities, to be able to go to Lahore for

1540-503: The marriage ceremony. Mahadev was not interested in worldly occasions like marriage events and declined to go. Arjan Dev on the other hand willingly accepted the request to represent his father at Lahore. Arjan Dev stayed at Lahore for a few days waiting for a message from his father approving of his return but the message never came. He eventually waited for around a month and still received no word from his father. Arjan authored two letters written poetically to his father to inquire about

1584-421: The new township, and spent most of his time at the guru's durbar (court). One of the activities that Jetha was responsible for at Goindwal was ensuring the utensils used in the langar were cleaned, which he cleaned himself. He was also assigned the role of serving drinking water in the langar, and had been given additional duties related to the pangat . Additionally, he helped with digging work to assist with

1628-516: The office for seven years. He was the first of Guru Nanak's successors to rekindle ties with Sri Chand , Nanak's son, after a long period of strained relations between mainstream Sikhs and the Udasis . Sri Chand paid Guru Ram Das a visit in Amritsar, where he was lavishly received by the Guru on the outskirts of the city. When Sri Chand made a comment about Guru Ram Das' long beard, the Guru stated

1672-503: The situation but still received no reply. He then sent a third letter but specifically ordered the courier to hand the letter over to the Guru himself and not let it pass into anyone else's hands. This third letter was successfully received by the Guru and it was discovered that it was Prithi Chand who had been stealing the letters and preventing their deliverance. The Guru managed to obtain the prior two letters that had gone undelivered due to them being hidden by Prithi. Guru Ram Das took

1716-428: The work he was doing at the house of his in-laws. Guru Amar Das designed a test to decide which of his two son-in-laws, Ramo and Jetha, was worthy of being his successor. He requested them to build a platform which befitting for the Sikh guru to be seated upon. Ramo built four platforms but none were to the liking of Guru Amar Das so Ramo gave-up. Jetha constructed seven platforms of his own but also failed to satisfy

1760-469: Was Thakur Das, who was well-known and worked as a shopkeeper in Chuna Mandi, his paternal grandmother was named Jaswanti, and his great-grandfather was Gurdial Sodhi. His father, Hari Das, had inherited the shopkeeper occupation from his own father. His parents had been married for a period of around twelve years before they gave birth to Ram Das. He was named "Jetha" because he was the eldest child among his siblings. Some sources state his actual birthname

1804-415: Was a deeply spiritual individual who had no interest in worldly affairs and preferred to be by himself; and Arjan Dev was the youngest but deeply pious and viewed his father truly as a spiritual teacher and role-model to emulate. Guru Ram Das had a cousin named Sehari Mal who visited the Guru from Lahore and invited him to his son's marriage ceremony. However, the Guru was busy and would be unable to attend

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1848-657: Was based out of. Jetha decided to also make the journey to Khadur. Amar Das was then living at Khadur at the sangat (religious congregation) of Guru Angad . Jetha went to Khadur in 1546, attended Guru Angad's sangats, and developed a great liking for the Guru and Amar Das. He frequently partook in the local langar of Khadur. Bhai Jetha spent a lot of his time hawking and selling baklian (boiled corn) when he stayed at Khadur to generate an income for himself. Guru Amar Das eventually visited Basarke again and returned to Goindwal with Bhai Jetha in his company. When Guru Amar Das settled at Goindwal in 1552, Jetha also moved to

1892-407: Was still 'Ram Das' and that 'Jetha' was just a nickname he acquired. He had a brother named Hardyal and a sister named Ram Dasi. Both of Jetha's parents died when he was aged around seven. After his parents' deaths, he went into the care of his maternal grandmother. His grandmother took him to her village, Basarke, Jetha lived there for five years. Basarke also happened to coincidentally be

1936-745: Was the fourth of the ten Sikh gurus . He was born to a family based in Lahore , who named him Bhai Jetha. He was orphaned at age seven; and thereafter grew up with his maternal grandmother in a village. At age 12, Bhai Jetha and his grandmother moved to Goindval , where they met Guru Amar Das , the third leader of Sikhism. The boy accepted the guru as his mentor, served him, and eventually joined his family by marrying his daughter. When it came time for Guru Amar Das to name his successor, he passed over his own sons and chose Bhai Jetha, citing his exemplary service, selfless devotion, and unquestioning obedience. Renamed Ram Das ("slave of God"), Bhai Jetha became

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