Guru Ram Das Ji
Dhan Dhan RaamDaas Gur
Jin Siriaa Tinai Savaariaa.
Pooree Hoee Karaamaat,
Aap sirajanahaariai dhaariaa.
Honored and Praised is Guru Ram Das.
He alone has embellished you.
Perfect is Your Miracle:
The Creator Himself has installed Thee on the Throne.
~Page 968, Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Sikh Dharma Worldwide launched the 120-day Global Meditation in praise of Guru Ram Das Ji beginning October 10th. T0 help during this time of transition to the Aquarian Age, from 11-11-11 through 2012 and beyond, we call on the Lord of Miracles, for protection, guidance, blessings, and healing. A little about the life and times of Guru Ram Das Ji….
Guru Ram Das Ji (1534-1581), the fourth Sikh Guru (1574-1581), was the embodiment of humility, service and deep devotion. His life was an example of selfless service offered in the spirit of total devotion to God. Guru Ram Das Ji was called a ‘perfect ideal person’ in his time. From of his childhood, he was known as Jetha, a young man who loved the company of saints.
He was orphaned first with the passing of his mother Daya Vati, then his father Hari Das. His parents were known to be very devoted. Jetha was born after 12 years of their marriage.
His Nani Ji – grandmother on his Mother’s side, traveled from her village to Lahore to bring him home to raise him in her village of Basarke. As a boy, Jetha sold dry chana, or wheatberries, in the streets, to support them. Some say that Guru Amar Das Ji knew Jetha’s grandmother from the village life in Basarke and before he received the Guru Gaddi (throne) from Guru Angad Dev Ji, he would have seen Jetha in the grandmother’s household. She was widowed – and the Guru performed much social work and ministry in the village. With a relationship established early – between Guru Amar Das Ji and Jetha, a special interest in the orphaned boy with a pleasing disposition and manner, who loved the company of the Holy, would blossom in Jetha’s teen years..
LOCATION Jetha moved into the hub of early Sikh activity when he began to live with his Grandmother. Basarke is about 8 miles southwest of Amritsar, and was Guru Amar Das Ji’s home village (b. 1479). It is close to Kadoor Sahib where Guru Amar Das, as Guru Angad’s disciple, carried daily river water in the amrit vela for Guru Angad Dev Ji’s bath. Guru Angad was the second Divine Light in the house of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his court was in Kadoor Sahib. Both of these villages are in what is now District Amritsar.
Guru Amardas carrying water from River Beas
We hear about Basarke again with Guru Amar Das Ji years later. When Datu, Guru Angad’s son, attempted to remove him from the throne and claim the Guruship as his own in Goindwal Sahib, he actually kicked the Guru with his foot, so hard he fell off the dais – where Datu then seated himself. Guru Amar Das Ji said so humbly to jealous Datu – “O great king, pardon me – you must have hurt your tender foot on my hard bones.” Then he left the Goindwal Sahib, traveled to Basarke, and rented small residence so he could merge himself in deep meditation, undisturbed. He instructed the landlord to brick up the entrance so he could be left in solitude. His Sikhs, rejecting Datu, missed the Guru terribly, and beseeched Baba Buddha, to help them find him. They went in search for him to beg him to return. Since the Guru had written on the door of the hut “whomsoever opens this door is no Sikh of mine”, when a delegation of Sikhs found him at last, they decided to make a hole in the wall so as not to go against the Guru’s order. Pleading with the Guru to return, he relented. (The wall with the hole is in the wall is preserved inside the historical Basarke Gurdwara.)
CULTURAL BACKGROUND The cultural background of Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, and Guru Arjan included a northern Punjab rich in poets, musicians and artists, having encouragement and enjoying patronage by the Emperor Akbar and his royal court. Akbar did not subscribe to the same narrow circumspect world of Islam that many of his counterparts did. Yet in this age – the gap was huge between rich and poor, and exploitation was rampant – the Gurus wrote much about the discrepancy between exposition of beliefs and true practice.
EDUCATION & GENERATIONAL VOICE Schools were rare and usually a private effort. Jetha is not known to have any formal schooling, but must have studied music, language, and writing extensively. The legacy he left as the King of Raj Yoga, (Raj Yog Takhat Deeyan Gur Ram Das, Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, page 1399), included: 679 hymns in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, including 11 new raags that were introduced through his writing and composing. He was exposed to the best musicians and the divine poetry of saints in the court of Guru Amar Das, who guided him in spiritual and temporal learning for more than 2 – possibly 3 decades. His longing, and devotion to Guru Amar Das, carries through the Sodhi lineage in the sublime poetry – hymns we hear from his son Arjan Mal. Arjan (who became Guru Arjan Dev Ji in his father’s footsteps), was about 11 years old when his grandfather left his body. He witnessed the Joti Jot and passing of the Divine light and throne to his father, Guru Ram Das Ji, who at age 40, was seated on the divine throne and embodied the brilliant light of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
All were prolific writers who wrote and described what they were seeing and experiencing in the state of Divine Ecstasy, immersed in the Divine Shabad, living the everyday life of a householder and being imbued with a life of incredible service to God through serving others.
Langar on the banks of River Beas
LANGAR INFLUENCE Guru Amar Das Ji’s divine spouse, Mata Mansa Devi devotedly served and modeled the example of a Divine Woman for her daughters (and 2 sons). The children helped to institutionalize the Langar tradition following the life of seva, exemplified by the patient and compassionate Mata Khivi, Guru Angad Dev Ji’s wife. Devoted daughters, Bibi Dhani, and Bibi Bhani, the wife of Guru Ram Das, also lived humble lives of sacrifice and service to the Guru and the Sangat. The family would have seen Jetha in their Sangat, deeply involved in Langar seva – the Free Kitchen – gathering wood, receiving donations of food, cooking, serving, cleaning. A marriage would join them as a family to serve all, and to strengthen the Langar tradition, reinforcing their dedication to social and gender equality, and living the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji….
Nam Japa: To get up each day before sunrise, to cleanse the body, meditate on God’s Name and recite the Guru’s hymns to cleanse the mind. Throughout the day, continuously remember God’s Name with every breath.
Dharam di Kirat Karni: To work and earn by the sweat of the brow, to live a family way of life, and practice truthfulness and honesty in all dealings.
Vand Ke Chakna: To share the fruits of one’s labor with others before considering oneself. Thus, to live as an inspiration and a support to the entire community.
Guru Ji's Family
MARRIAGE When Mata Ji felt Bibi Bhani Ji was of marriageable age, she may have not thought of Bhai Jetha as a candidate to be her son-in-law. Yet, her eyes fell upon him in the street selling his dried wheatberries, while conversing with the Guru on the matter. She had pointed him out because of the qualities he had already confirmed to her in his personality: a serviceful nature, a humble manner, devotion to God, the Guru, & the Sangat. His orphan status became just a footnote. The Guru confirmed, “Why not Bhai Jetha!” And with his marriage to Bibi Bhani, he joined the Guru’s remarkable household.
ALL UNDER ONE ROOF Goindwal Sahib, close to the river – where Emperor Akbar sat to eat in the Free Kitchen before seeing Guru Amar Das Ji, and where Guru Ram Das Ji had roamed the streets selling wheatberries, was their home for many years. The Guru’s Home was very small – housing at least 7 in their 3 generations. Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani Ji’s three sons were born there. The peg where Guru Amar Das Ji tied his long hair, so he wouldn’t nod off in meditation, is still there in the wall in his meditation room. One day, Bibi Bhani held up his cot – upon it’s leg breaking – until the Guru came out of his meditative state. It was then, in his ecstasy, he saw her deep devotion, and granted her prayerful request that her family the Sodhi lineage – would serve and carry the Guru’s lineage through coming generations.
Bhai Jetha carries the mud of the Baoli.
LOVE OF SEVA – GIVING HOPE Bhai Ram Das, known for his love of seva, between serving in the daily life of his Guru – helping with his bath, his meals, also traveled with him. He served in the Langar Hall, as an excavator and laborer, and joined all the other sevaks at the construction of Goindwal Baoli (well). The Baoli was constructed so all people in the village – regardless of caste or creed – could have water.
In Ramdaspur (then named Amritsar by Baba Siri Chand Ji, Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s son), between the excavation of Santokhsar and Harimandir Sahib sarovars, his married life took place and he became father to their 3 sons in the first 10 years of marriage. Living a householder’s life, he was steeped in the mystical inner life of the saints. He possessed such a high intuition, and so humbly to served and was the center point of the joys and sorrows of every day life of his family, his community and all pilgrims who came to him and the House of the Guru. When he became Guru Ram Das, his service increased and his influence rapidly spread, despite the moral, political and social corruptness of their times. He remained a beacon of God’s Light and Compassion, and gave inspiration, hope, and guidance to the overwhelming helplessness of people every where.
THE BARD The fourth Guru’s poetic writings and hymns are of a prophetic mystic and disciple. He called himself a minstrel – Dhadhi – a bard – divinely commissioned to convey the divine message to the world, guiding people on the path of Truthful living. Guru Ram Das Ji so loved kirtan, the singing of God’s praises, his mind could not bear to be missing the kirtan of divine praise for a moment….even in the moment between the changing of the musicians!
THE TEACHER: the STORY OF RAJNI & PIARE As one of 5 daughters of an accountant-type in the village of Patti – Bibi Rajni was the only one of her 4 sisters who praised God for all her blessings rather than praising her father. For this – her father banished her from home at a young age and married her to a passing leper. She was completely devoted to living humbly in the will of God, every day calling on her faith, deep within, to carry on. She called her husband by ‘Piare’ (Beloved), and served him in every way – bathing him, begging for their food, pulling along his disintegrating body in a basket. They arrived for Guru Ram Das Ji’s darshan in Amritsar during the Baisakhi festivities. The stopped by a pool of water which would come to be known as the Amrit Sarovar of Harimandir Sahib, the Golden Temple, which was being excavated under Guru Ram Das Ji’s direction. Piare was in dire straits and perhaps near death – with the prayer on his lips – to release Rajni from the bondage of serving him.
While Rajni went to find them food, he observed two black crows dive in and come out white swans, and thought to test the waters transformational powers on himself. Piare dipped in the pond and became healed and whole all except on his little finger which had been holding a branch while he dipped.
Rajni did not recognize the handsome man who was her husband on returning and became agitated in her concern. Even after Piare showed her his little finger still showing signs of the leprosy that had left his body, she admonished the ‘stranger.’. The Sangat noticed the commotion and took the pair to Guru Ram Das. He confirmed Piare’s identity to her, and told the Sangat her story: years of devoted sacrifice, a high nature, the unique burden her soul carried for mankind – delivering an example of a selfless life culminating in Piare’s healing. The Guru reconciled them with her parents and siblings, and elevated the entire community through his Divine understanding, his healing and teachings to them.
Guru Ram Das carries the Whole World across.
SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR US The great humility, service and devotion of Guru Ram Das Ji, from childhood to his merger are a source of great inspiration to his Sikhs and people everywhere. From Espanola, New Mexico’s Hacienda de Guru Ram Das to the pulsating city of Amritsar, from the tip of Brazil, from Capetown on the tip of Africa, to the United Kingdom, to Malaysia, around the planet, he has brought aliveness, healing, and joy to millions around the world through the sounds of God’s praises, kirtan – in this dark age of the Kaliyug, and is the Guardian of the Age.
- Dhan Dhan RaamDaas Gur Jin Siriaa Tinai Savaariaa.
Pooree Hoee Karaamaat, Aap sirajanahaariai dhaariaa.
Honored and Praised is Guru Ram Das. He alone has embellished you.
Perfect is Your Miracle: The Creator Himself has installed Thee on the Throne.
Compiled from Resources:
The Sikh Religion, It’s Gurus, Sacred Writings, and Authors, Vol 1-6, Max Arthur Macauliffe, Satvic Media Pvt. Ltd., (First Edition 1909) 2000
Guru Ramdas, His Life, Work and Philosophy, Gobind Singh Mansukhani, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., 1979
Rajni, Gurutej Singh Khalsa, Opinion Makers Publishers, 1999
www.sikhdharmaworldwide.org
www.sikhiwiki.org
www.SikhNet.com,The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, various lectures.
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